Baase, Ch1

1
Introduction

• Baase, Ch1
• Examining the Gift

2
Some Basics

• What is an IS? Collects, processes, stores,
  analyzes, disseminates information
• Components of Information System HW, SW, dB,
  Network, Procedures, People
• Information Systems are Social Systems change
  the way people organizations interact with one
  another

3
Scope of Discussion

• Scope of Computers PCs and Mainframes, embedded
  chips, the Internet

4
Some IS Themes

• Changes in technology
• New or Existing Problems
• Diversity Issues
• Differences in beliefs and behaviors

5
Some Interesting Quotes

• The volume of telephone calls in the US has
  increased so much that, if this work were still
  done manually instead of with computers, half the
  adult population of the country would be employed
  as telephone operators.
• Even when benefits (of computers) are obvious,
  their costs and side effects may not be.
• Even an ATM can have negative aspects...

6
More Quotes

• Customers and computer users must become educated
  about the tools they use
• The personal computer is so widely regarded as
  the most liberating and empowering device yet
  developed for people with disabilities.

7
Some History

• Computing devices have been around for 5000 years
  in various mechanical incarnations.
• 1642 Pascals mechanical calculator, used wheels
  to add numbers together, only sold a dozen, why?

8
Jacquard Loom and Card
1801 Jacquard automated loom would weave
according to a program stored on punch cards
9
History, II

• 1870-1880 US Census population increased 26,
  took 9 years to process data
• 1880s population grew another 25
• 1880s Hollerith built punch card machines to
  process census data in 6 weeks.
• Hollerith started what would later become IBM.

10
Holerith Card
1880s Spent 9 more years processing statistics
on census data more extensive use of
information.
11
Any Issues So Far?

• Early concerns over sensitive issues

12
History, III ENIAC, 1945

• First electronic computer 5000 additions per
  second, 8 feet tall, 80 feet long, weighs 30
  tons, cost 500,000 to build.

13
ENIAC
14
History, IV

• 1960s the Internet
• 1977 Apple II computer
• 1981 IBM PC
• 1990s the World Wide Web
• 2002 BlackBerry

15
Applications Impacts of IS

• Mid 1990s, 100 countries connected to the
  Internet. Today, nearly all 210 countries
  connected to the Internet
• 1993, Columbia Law School canceled a 20M library
  project, instead purchased a 1.5M supercomputer.
• ABS brakes, navigation systems, diagnostic,
  vision systems in automobiles. Privacy issue of
  install a black box in many GM cars today.
• Educational programs and simulations for
  dangerous/critical work.

16
Applications Impacts, II

• Crime databases help coordinate apprehension of
  criminals
• Use of medical devices for diagnosis, treatment.
• Tracking patients with computer files saves
  time/money
• Use of computers to support the disabled
• Automating tedious, repetitive, dangerous jobs.
• Reducing paper and trash almost, still isolated
  incidents

17
Note Any Themes Here?

• What common characteristics are shared by most of
  the topics in this chapter?

18
Some Overlooked Subtleties

• Efficiency does not always boil down to a matter
  of money, sometimes it means lives
• Diversity between personal choices, business
  policies, and law
• Fundamental difference between imposing law and
  making personal choices
• personal choices focus on merits of idea
• laws focus on negative aspects of idea