Book Review: Computer Structure and Logic

Author: Pearson Certification Team
Format: Paperback, 496 pages
Publisher: Pearson IT Certification (January 28, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0789747936
ISBN-13: 978-0789747938

This is and isn't a book about computer hardware and software certification...sort of. OK, it's published by Pearson IT Certification and the authors are the Pearson Certification Team, but the content doesn't map to a specific certification or even a specific technology. That's a little unusual.

Most books on computer or IT certs focus like a laser on a particular exam. Often, but not always, technical certifications are tied to a particular company (Microsoft, Cisco...) and a particular technology (Windows, SharePoint...). However, the blurb on the back of this book says:

Your first step toward certifications from CompTIA, Microsoft, or Cisco...absolutely no experience necessary!

Really?

The book has a certain logic to it and an assumption. The assumption is that there are people out there who are interested in information technology certifications and a career in IT who pretty much have no idea how computers and computing technologies work. Usually (but not always) people who self-select for a career in a technological field have some prior knowledge about it or at least some sort of aptitude. This book assumes a target audience that doesn't.

The logic of the book is to take the reader to an absolute in-the-basement starting point regarding IT, and to build them up one subsystem and one chapter at a time. This isn't a reference book. For the reader to get anything at all from what's written here (assuming the readers are the target audience), they will have to start at the beginning and move through each chapter in sequence. No short cuts.

To that end, Chapter 1 is "Introduction to Computers". I'm not kidding. You start out with a high level view of the history of computing, beginning with the first computers created in the 1940s. That sounds as dry and moldy as week-old toast, but it's a necessary first step for a person who may not even know what makes a computer work on a fundamental level. What is a CPU? How does it interact with working storage (RAM) and input devices (keyboard and mouse)? Page 9, for example, includes a drawing of a cutaway view of an NMOS transistor. Now that's basic. So is the Chapter 1 section called, "What is a PC?".

Each chapter ends with a series of review questions immediately followed by an answer key that contains a brief explanation for each item. Chapters can contain one or more case studies and the solutions for each one can be found after the review questions and answers. This book reads less like a self-study guide for a computer certification and more like a beginning computing text book. I can see this book being marketed mainly to high schools, vocational schools, and possibly to universities with an eye on the very first freshman class teaching computer technology.

Chapters 1 through 6 are strictly focused on hardware (I/O ports, motherboards, CPUs) but Chapter 7 transitions the reader into the software part of the book by introducing BIOS and the boot process. After that, the remainder of the chapters cover operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and Mac, security basics, networking basics, and beginning troubleshooting skills. By the end of the book, the reader should have an elementary understanding of how modern computers work, including some networking fundamentals. This information can then be used to bridge the reader to further studies mapping to CompTIA A+ and Network+ exams (Linux isn't covered sufficiently to carry the reader into the Linux+ certification without a great deal of additional study).

From the CompTIA A+ and Network+ exams, I can see the reader, building on what they've learned, moving into the entry-level Microsoft Windows and Cisco certifications, but you are talking about starting the journey at the very beginning of the trail. I'm not sure I'd recommend this book for a person interested in certification self-study unless they were very disciplined and enjoyed learning "textbook-style". The book seems a better fit for a group learning experience such as a traditional classroom, or as a supplement for on-line education.

If you've tried the CompTIA A+ exam and felt you were in over your head because you didn't understand basic computer concepts, Computer Structure and Logic might be a good resource for you, but you should really want to learn computing in order to benefit from this book. Otherwise, the rather dry presentation, especially in the beginning chapters, will stop you cold.

Hardware Cheat Sheet

Credit geekologie.com for posting this one page PC hardware "cheat sheet" on the web. According to the Geekologie about page, "Geekologie is a geek blog dedicated to the scientific study of gadgets, gizmos, and awesome. There are a lot of shiny new things out there, and Geekologie is dedicated to finding every last one of them for you."

The blog tends to lean towards things Star Wars, but has plenty of other interesting tidbits, photos and videos. Oh. You probably want to see the cheat sheet (since I've written a computer hardware related book or two, I'm naturally attracted to this sort of stuff). Here it is:

Computer Hardware Chart. After you click the link and the image loads, click the image to enlarge.

PC Technician Street Smarts, Updated for the 2009 Exam: A Real World Guide to CompTIA A+ Skills

Author: James Pyles
Format: Paperback, 480 pages
Publisher: Sybex; 2nd edition (October 5, 2009)
ISBN-10: 0470486511
ISBN-13: 978-0470486511

This is one book someone else is going to have to review. I can't, since I wrote it. I'm really excited because this is the first book I've written that's gone into a 2nd edition. To give you some background, I was originally approached a few years back by Sybex to write a "lab manual" of sorts, for a new series they were launching called "Street Smarts". The book was required to map to CompTIA's A+ Certification test domains. The format of the Sybex "Street Smarts" series is focused on the defining and executing of specific tasks as related to the exam objectives and actual technician practices. It's billed as a "year in the life" of a computer technician. What I really liked about writing the book is that the tasks didn't have to be slavishly chained to exam domains. This let me create tasks that technicians actually face in the real world, rather than just in the pages of a textbook.

To provide and document real world exercises, I foraged through my own records of jobs I did as a freelance hardware and desktop support tech. I worked for the IT department of a small, local city for a number of months, and kept all of my trouble tickets. As it turns out, those tickets became my primary source material and, as far as I was concerned as a writer, they were made of gold. The original Street Smarts book provides tutorials for jobs I've never seen in another, similar book. That was and still is the unique value in the series and in my book.

While my days of doing desktop support are behind me, I like to keep my hand in, and leveraged my more recent (informal) experiences to insert updated content for the 2nd edition. I also belong to a number of technical forums and user groups, and was allowed to mine the wisdom of many other students, teachers, and techs in the service of the new book. I think you'll like the result, which is completely updated for Vista and Windows Server 2007 (the latest Windows OSes tested on the exam), as well as other recent changes and updates in the world of computing.

The key in deciding if this book is for you, has to do with your level of experience. The book assumes that the reader has little or no practical experience actually working on computer and printer hardware, or with operating systems and application software, as a support and repair technician. If you've been working as a support tech for 6 months to a year, chances are, you already have the skill sets my book teaches.

On the other hand, if you are looking to the A+ certification as a way to open doors for you into IT, have a little or a lot of "book learning", but not very much in the way of hands and tools experience, The PC Technician Street Smarts book is for you. The first edition did really well in the formal and informal reviews (the latter being folks on discussion groups and readers who have emailed me), and I anticipate the current edition will be just as successful.

The second edition of PC Technician Street Smarts will be out in just a few weeks, but you can "pre-order" it now at Amazon.com.

If you have any stories (hopefully positive) to tell about your experiences with the first edition, comment back here on the blog and let me know. If you are one of the first to buy my new book next month, please review it at Amazon, and let me know what you think of it here.

Not to sit on my laurels, but I've got a couple of other book prospects waiting in the wings, even as I write this. I'll let you know more about that when I can.

Cheers.

Spelling, Algebra, and When to Turn Off the Computer

Update 2009/02/18: Tim O'Reilly commented on this blog entry, and it looks like I didn't read his original comments well enough. I appreciate him stopping by my humble abode and feel it necessary to include his comments here.

"I think you missed the point of my "change happens" blog post, if you thought my reply was "just get used to it." In fact, I was writing about resilience in the face of change. And what you're talking about - stepping away from the computer when needed - is one way to become more resilient in the face of change. We should always be wary of becoming too dependent on our tools. FWIW, I also published the book you recommend at the end, Steve Talbott's Devices of the Soul, as well as his much earlier The Future Does Not Compute. So I really don't know why you thought that my "change happens" piece was contrary to your thinking".

Mea culpa. Update 2009/02/17: I saw this Calvin and Hobbes cartoon this morning and thought it the perfect "counterpoint" to my article. I just proves that doing it "the old fashioned way" has pitfalls, at least when your tutor is a tiger. LOL Original Article: Tracey Pilone's recent blog at O'Reilly.com, The Intersection of Algebra and Technology got me thinking about one of my "soapbox" issues; the use of computing in education. One of the biggest proponents of computers in schools is the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which has provided millions of dollars in technology to education, from Elementary schools to Universities over the years. But is this all a good idea? As Pilone, co-author of Head First Algebra (O'Reilly, December 2008) points out in her blog, there was a great deal of discussion between the authors (her and her spouse) and the publishers as to how much technology should be injected into the book. In other words, should graphing calculators be required or at least "allowed" in working through the book's problems? The ultimate answer was "no", which was a relief to me (I don't what to have to go out and buy one again). The Pilones had grown up and learned Algebra in a world without graphing calculators, and certainly generations of mathematicians worked through Algebra without such aids. Learning to do it yourself has advantages (and yes, calculators are "allowed" to perform simple math calculations). Pilone also mentioned a Duke University study, Scaling the Digital Divide which "surprisingly" concluded (not a surprise to me) that ...the impact of home computer use is, if anything, negative on school achievement. That means that there may be benefits to learning language and mathematics before introducing technology into the mix". I have an experience that illustrates this in a very simple way. I'm known as the dictionary of my family. Whenever anyone wants to know how to spell a word or the definition of a word, they ask me. Why? Because 9 times out of 10, I probably know the answer. I grew up in a world without the Internet, online dictionaries, and spell checkers. I still have hard copies of a Dictionary and a Thesaurus that I consult when I want to learn something about words (and since I'm a writer, I refer to them often). Since I grew up with this practice, without realizing it, I had memorized a large number of word spellings and definitions, so I've become something of an asset to my kids and my spouse (and to myself). There are words that always "defeat" me, such as "Caribbean" and "Mediterranean", but for the most part, I'm pretty good at not having to use "high tech" to figure out how to spell (I suppose a hard copy dictionary could be considered "low tech"). The idea of putting computers in schools is simple and understandable. Computers are *the* tool of the 21st century for accessing information in the "Information Age". I say "computers" using the widest possible definition, including hand held devices and any hardware or software utility used to store, collect, organize, and transmit data. I'm not saying to pull all the PCs out of the classroom and to burn down all of the computer labs at your local university. I am saying though, that we sadly teach our children to use a calculator to do simple addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to the point that they can't even make change at a grocery store and they always assume the cash register (or whatever it's called these days) is right (even though it's not). This practice is not doing our children and future generations any favors. Tim O'Reilly wrote an article for his blog yesterday called Change Happens and communicates the idea that, since change is inevitable, we shouldn't resist it. I replied to his tweet on twitter that I didn't think all change was good and got back the standard "party line" that it's inevitable, more or less saying "why fight it"? This makes me wonder if O'Reilly bothered to read Pilone's blog (which after all, is published on OReilly.com), since it doesn't seem to line up with his perspectives. Yes, change is inevitable and some change is beneficial, but not all change should be embraced. No, the future won't be like we imagine and the future won't always be good, but that doesn't mean we're helpless in the face of change. Change is caused for the most part, by the intervention of people in the world. It's not an elemental force we are helpless to affect, such as a hurricane. We can steer the course of change. All we have to do is care enough to make the effort. If we want to take control of our education, our understanding of the world around us, and the direction of our lives, we can do small, simple things to make a difference. It can come down to something as straightforward as learning and memorizing the spelling and definitions of words, and working out algebra problems using a pencil and paper. Tools are instruments to be used by people; we are not to be used by them, nor should our lives be dictated by them, simply because they were invented and simply because they exist. Again, I'm not talking about "killing" the PC or Mac. After all, I make my living documenting technology in a number of different ways, including being a technical writer for a software firm, writing books and book reviews about technology, and a column for Linux Pro Magazine. I'm not talking about biting the hand that feeds me. I am talking about making conscious and calculated decisions on when to use technology and when to use less complicated (and less convenient) tools. Your brain is still the best "technology" that you'll ever have for solving problems and making decisions. Try putting away the cell phone and Kindle and picking up a book once in awhile. You'll be surprised at how much you learn. By the way, Harlan Ellison spoke somewhat to this point in his short story Jeffty is Five, which I read many years ago and which remains one of my favorite Ellison works. An excellent book on precisely this topic is Steve Talbott's Devices of the Soul: Battling for Our Selves in an Age of Machines. Reading these works is worth definitely worth your time.