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CGS 2470 -- Study notes for Quiz 1			M. Schmalz  081022
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-- COMPUTER ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION ---

1. Cold Start -- used when computer is not powered up.  Also used if computer
		 "locks up".

	If you have a hard disk, there should be no floppy disk in drive A:
	
	Turn power switch off, then on.  The following will happen:

	a) Power supply will turn on
	b) Memory check will occur
	c) Floppy drive will make a noise
	d) Operating system will be loaded into memory.  
	e) You will get a message at your terminal, with a prompt (A: >)

2. Warm Start -- used when computer is already powered up

	- need when computer is locked up

	- same procedure as with cold start, but press {CTRL}, {ALT}, and
	  {DEL} keys at one time, and events b)-e), above, will occur

3. What does BOOTING mean?

	- Loads DOS, the operating system, into memory
	- Hidden files are loaded (O.SYS, MSDOS.SYS) and then COMMAND.COM
	 	(the latter contains internal commands)
	- INTERNAL COMMANDS stay in memory
	- EXTERNAL COMMANDS are stored on disk
	- May need to enter DATE/TIME after booting

-- INFORMATION ON COMPUTER SYSTEMS --

	COMPUTER SYSTEM  is a device capable of manipulating data by 
		performing a series of defined steps that eventually 
		terminate.

	HARDWARE  are items such as KEYBOARD, VIDEO SCREEN or MONITOR,
		PRINTER, DISK DRIVE, DIGITIZER, MOUSE, MEMORY, PLOTTER

	SOFTWARE  are sets of instructions or data

		- APPLICATION SOFTWARE -- programs you use (like AutoCad)

		- SYSTEM SOFTWARE - directs hardware-related tasks
			(Example: File Access Table on diskette that
				  tells the system where your files are)

	Communicating with a computer system is accomplished with PERIPHERAL
		INPUT DEVICES, such as:

		KEYBOARD 	- device on which you type
		DIGITIZER	- tablet-like device on which you draw
		MOUSE		- little device with two or three buttons
				  and a wire that you move with your hand

		The software is the source of the computer's logic, and
		the operating system makes the computer easier to use.


-- OPERATING SYSTEMS --

	Computers are stupid - they can't understand what you want unless
	you tell them exactly in the form they're accustomed to.

	OPERATING SYSTEM  is an interface that supports convenient 
		interaction between the user, the application and system
		software, and the computer hardware (also called the machine).
		It is a collection of programs that supervises all computer
		activity.

	The functions of the operating system are:

		o  Supervise operation of the computer
		o  Create and manage files
		o  Execute programs
	  	o  Use different devices as the user commands

	When you type a command in the old PC operating system (called Disk
        Operating System or DOS), the operating system uses a "command 
	processor" to interpret and carry out DOS commands interactively.

	WINDOWS commands generally are activated by clicking your pointing
	device (e.g., mouse) on an icon, which sends a signal that references
	an operating system program specifying execution parameters for 
	the program.  

	Different operating systems can have different commands for the
	same function.  For example, UNIX uses "ls" to list the contents
        of a directory, while DOS uses "dir".

-- AUTOCAD DRAW COMMANDS --

1) LINE     - Know functions of CLOSE option (makes a polygon) and CONTIN
	      option (keeps drawing line segments)

	    - Know that the UNDO option can only be used immediately after
	      the LINE command has been executed, and only deletes the
	      previous line segment

2) CIRCLE   - Know the differences between the CEN-RAD and CEN-DIA options
	      of the CIRCLE command

3) ELLIPSE  - Know the difference between the center, major axis, and minor
	      axis of an ellipse, and be able to identify those features on
	      a picture of an ellipse

4) POLYGON  - Know the difference between a regular/irregular or convex/
	      nonconvex polygon and be able to identify these attributes
	      of various polygons that might be drawn on the quiz paper.

5) OTHER OBJECTS - Be able to identify the major features of each AutoCAD
	      object from a drawing of that object, if asked to do so.

6) POLYLINE - Know difference between object(s) drawn with LINE command in
              -CONTIN mode and connected line segments drawn with PLINE
	      command.  Know the pitfalls of PLINE, esp. making width changes
              to individual segments.

-- MATERIAL YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR --

	1) All class material, up to but not including the most recent AutoCad 
           lecture.

	2) Material in this study outline, which duplicates information in
	   the textbook to the extent we will cover it on the quiz.

        *** You will not have to know DOS file structures ***

	HINT:	a) Know differences between HARDWARE and SOFTWARE

		b) Know what the booting (warm-start and cold-start)
			sequences are -- you may be asked to think this out!

		c) Know what AutoCAD commands are applicable in a given 
			situation.

			For example, I may ask you what is the
                        function of the command LINE -UNDO (LINE
                        command with UNDO option).

	                The correct answer would be "deletes the previous
			line segment only when executed immediately after
			or during the LINE command".

--END--