Management Information Systems By Effy Oz

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Management Information SystemsBy Effy Oz Andy
Jones
Chapter 4 Business Hardware and Software
www.cengage.co.uk/oz
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Objectives

• List major hardware components of computers and
  explain their functions
• Classify computers into major categories, and
  identify their strengths and weaknesses
• Identify and evaluate key criteria for deciding
  what computers or related devices to purchase

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Objectives (continued)

• Discuss the possible health hazards of computer
  use
• Explain the difference between application
  software and system software
• Enumerate the different generations of
  programming languages and explain how they differ

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Objectives (continued)

• Cite the latest major developments in application
  and system software
• Clarify the differences between proprietary
  software and open source software
• List characteristics that are important in
  evaluating packaged software applications for
  business use
• Understand the problem of software piracy and how
  it affects businesses and consumers

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Hardware Components

• Hardware physical computer components
• Consider software before hardware
• Computer must handle four operations
• Accept data
• Store data
• Process data
• Output data

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Hardware Components (continued)
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Hardware Components (continued)

• Input devices receive signals from outside of
  computer and transfer them into computer
• Central processing unit
• Accepts instructions and data
• Decodes and executes instructions
• Stores output in memory

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Hardware Components (continued)

• Internal memory stores data and instructions
  before and after CPU processes them
• RAM random access memory
• ROM read-only memory
• Motherboard CPU and primary memory reside

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Hardware Components (continued)

• External Memory magnetic disks, magnetic tapes,
  optical discs, DVDs, and flash memory
• Allows permanent storage
• Output devices deliver information from computer
  to person
• Most commonly monitors and printers
• Includes audio devices

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Hardware Components (continued)

• Bit Binary digit
• 0 or 1
• Byte a standard group of eight bits
• Most characters represented by single byte

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Hardware Components (continued)
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Classification of Computers

• Computers vary in size
• Classified by power
• Depends on processing speed and memory size
• More powerful computers are more expensive

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Supercomputers

• Supercomputers most powerful computer at any
  given time
• Largest in physical size and most expensive
• Parallel processing multiple processors running
  simultaneously
• Also known as multiprocessing

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Mainframe Computers

• Mainframe computers store large amounts of data
  and business transactions
• Less expensive and less powerful than
  supercomputers
• Banks, universities, and insurance companies use
  them as a central computer
• 40-50 of worlds business data resides on
  mainframes
• Use multiple processors

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Midrange computers

• Midrange computers often act as servers within
  organisations or through the Internet
• Smaller and less powerful than mainframes
• Serves hundred of users that connect from
  personal computers
• Use multiple processors

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Microcomputers

• Microcomputers personal computers, notebook
  computers, and handhelds
• Workstation more powerful microcomputer used for
  CAD, CAM, and scientific applications
• Power doubles about every two years

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Computers on the Go Notebook, Handheld, and
Tablet Computers

• Notebook computer compact personal computer
  powered by rechargeable battery
• New models include wireless technology
• Personal digital assistant handheld computer
• Stylus used to enter data through touch screen
• Tablet computer PC on a thick writing tablet

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Converging Technologies

• Technology convergence build several
  technologies into single piece of hardware
• Prominent in handheld units
• Commonly merged technologies include
• Cell phones
• Television
• Digital cameras
• MP3 players

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A Peek Inside the Computer

• Professionals must know computer components to
  understand its power and capabilities
• Use the knowledge to make good decisions in
  purchasing a computer

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The Central Processing Unit

• CPU has two units to store and process data
• Control unit and arithmetic logic unit
• CPU is silicon chip with multiple circuits
• Also known as microprocessor
• Modern processors can do multithreading
• Processing more than one program at a time

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The Central Processing Unit (continued)

• Microprocessors are embedded with transistors
• Transistor is a semiconductor that can represent
  binary codes two states
• Machine Cycle (CPU)
• Fetch, decode execute each instruction
• Data word maximum number of bits that the
  control unit can fetch
• Arithmetic Logic Unit arithmetic and logic

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Computer Power

• Computer power depends on processing speed and
  memory capacity
• Bus electronic lines or traces used for
  communication inside computer
• Throughput number of bits per second bus can
  accommodate
• MIPS millions of instructions per second, a
  common measure of computer speed

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Input Devices

• Computers must receive input to produce output
• Input devices include machines used to enter
  instructions and data into computer
• Most common input device is keyboard

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Keyboard

• Contains keys that users press to enter data
• Includes letters, numbers, and punctuation
• QWERTY and Dvorak QWERTY standard
• Dvorak facilitates faster typing
• Ergonomic keyboard fits the natural position of
  forearms and prevents injury

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Mouse, Trackball, and Trackpad

• Mouse controls onscreen pointer to facilitate
  point-and-click approach
• Trackball similar to mouse, but ball moves
  within device
• Trackpad cursor controlled by touch-sensitive
  pad
• Mice and similar devices can be wireless units

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Touch Screen

• Touch screen both input and output device
• Often used for public applications
• Prevalent in handheld devices

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Source Data Input Devices

• Source data input devices copy data directly
  from source
• Bar-codes, credit cards, and checks
• Use optical recognition devices, which detect
  positions of marks or characters
• Magnetic-ink character recognition detects
  magnetic ink on cheques

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Imaging

• Imaging converting documents into images
• Saves paper
• More efficient retrieval and filing
• Scanned document can be destroyed after scan

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Speech Recognition

• Translating human speech into computer-readable
  data and instructions
• Receive input from microphone and process with
  software
• May increase noise level in offices

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Output Devices

• Most popular devices are monitors and printers
• Other output includes speakers

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Monitors

• Cathode-ray tube inner side of screen has layer
  of phosphoric dots called pixels
• Electron gun receives instructions from computer
  and sweeps the pixels
• Flat-panel monitor includes liquid crystal
  display, which uses a liquid crystal filled
  screen, whose molecules align in different places
  when given electric charge

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Printers

• Nonimpact printer does not mechanically impact
  the paper
• Laser printer is most common in business
• Others ink-jet and electrothermal printers
• Impact printers reproduce image by using
  mechanical impact
• Dot-matrix printer has pins that strike ink
  ribbon against paper

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Storage Media

• Data must be stored on nonvolatile medium
• Data is retained even when not powered
• Storage devices differ in technology used to
  maintain data and physical structure

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Modes of Access

• Sequential storage data is organized one record
  after another
• Slower and less convenient
• Direct access records are organized by physical
  address on the device
• Flash drives small storage devices that connect
  via universal serial bus
• Direct access storage media is only practical way
  to organize and query databases

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Modes of Access (continued)
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Magnetic Tapes

• Magnetic tapes similar to tape recorders and
  VCRs
• Provide lowest cost (bytes per dollar)
• Can backup all data
• Takes long time to copy from tape
• Unreliable after a long period of time

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Magnetic Disks

• Magnetic disk most widely used storage medium
• Hard disk stack of several aluminum platters
  installed in same box that holds CPU
• Stores up to 500 GB of data
• External hard disks connect to computer through
  USB port

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Optical Discs

• Optical disc recorded by treating disc surface
  to reflect light in different ways
• Compact discs available as read-only,
  recordable, and rewritable
• DVDs store 4.7 GB per side
• Optical discs are slower than hard disks

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Optical Tape

• Optical tape uses same technology as optical
  discs to store and retrieve data
• Bits are organized sequentially like tape
• Used in digital video camcorders

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Flash Memory

• Flash memory memory chip that can be rewritten
  and holds content without power
• Available as memory card and USB drive
• Solid state disk storage media that does not
  have latency time

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Business Considerations in Evaluating Storage
Media

• When purchasing storage devices managers must
  consider
• How the data is used
• Capacity of the device
• Speed and cost
• Reliability and portability

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Business Considerations in Evaluating Storage
Media (continued)
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Considerations in Purchasing Hardware

• Companies must consider the following when
  deciding what to purchase
• Power of the equipment
• Expansion slots and ports
• Monitor type and resolution
• Ergonomics

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Considerations in Purchasing Hardware (continued)

• Other factors include
• Compatibility with existing hardware
• Physical size of computer
• Reliability of vendor
• Power consumption and noise
• Scalability

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Software Instructions to the Computer

• Applications programs that contribute to
  productivity
• Software series of instructions to execute
  processes
• Software categories
• Application software enables task completion
• System software enables applications to run on
  computer

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Programming Languages and Software Development
Tools

• Programs needed for every computer operation
• Programming process of writing programs
• Machine language language hardware understands
• 0s and 1s
• Assembly language easier to program than machine
  language
• Uses words
• High-level programming language English-like
  statements

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Programming Languages and Software Development
Tools (continued)

• Software development tools develop software with
  little knowledge of programming languages
• Third-generation languages known as procedural
  languages
• Programmer must detail logical procedure
• Fourth-generation languages closer to human
  language
• Debugging locating and fixing program errors

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Programming Languages and Software Development
Tools (continued)
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Programming Languages and Software Development
Tools (continued)
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Visual Programming

• Visual programming languages create graphics by
  selecting icons from palette
• Microsoft Visual Basic
• Borland Delphi
• Visual C
• User can still work at the code level

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Object-Oriented Programming

• Object-oriented programming modular approach to
  programming
• Ease of maintenance
• Object contains data elements and methods that
  perform functions
• Objects reusable and combined in complex programs
• Include C, Object Pascal, and Java

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Object-Oriented Programming (continued)

• Increasing amount of software developed for Web
• Web programming languages include Java,
  JavaScript, J2EE, and PHP
• Applet code produced by Web programming language
• Runs same on different operating systems

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Object-Oriented Programming (continued)
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Application Software

• Application can be software to let nonprogrammers
  develop their own tools
• Application-specific software performs specific
  jobs
• General-purpose application software serves
  multiple purposes
• Usually comes as packaged software
• Packaged software ready to install from external
  storage medium

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Office Productivity Applications

• Productivity tools assist normal office work
• Word processors type letters and articles
• Spreadsheets store numbers
• Perform complex mathematical, statistical, and
  financial functions
• Presentation tools develop impressive
  presentations quickly

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Office Productivity Applications (continued)

• File management tools create and manipulate
  local or shared databases
• Graphics programs create intricate graphics
• Manipulate digital photographs
• Desktop publishing tools
• Pamphlets
• Cards
• Calendars

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Office Productivity Applications (continued)

• Project management tools plan projects and track
  progress
• Suite collection of various applications
• Perform multiple interrelated functions

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System Software

• System software deals with essential operations
• User interface
• Loading files
• Copying files
• Managing memory resources
• Encompasses compilers and interpreters
• Applications must be compatible with system
  software

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Operating Systems

• Operating system most important program
• Recognizes input from keyboard
• Sends output to computer display
• Keeps track of files and directories
• Runs applications

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Operating Systems (continued)

• Operating system manages memory
• Also known as platform
• Interacts with user and CPU
• Utilities another OS functions
• Hardware diagnostics
• Disk check
• File sorting

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Operating Systems (continued)

• Operating system functions include user interface
• Originally text prompts
• Later graphical user interfaces
• Operating system must allocate memory
• Virtual memory hard disk acts as RAM

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Operating Systems (continued)

• Plug-and-play run a device as soon as you
  physically attach it
• Driver enables OS to control device
• Operating systems incorporating more services
• Database management
• Networking
• Security

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Operating Systems (continued)

• Current operating systems
• Windows XP
• Linux
• Mac OS
• Linux Free OS
• Based on UNIX
• Some versions of Windows notoriously unstable
• OS based on UNIX highly stable

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Operating Systems (continued)
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Operating Systems (continued)
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Other System Software

• Other system software
• Compilers
• Interpreters
• Communications software
• Utilities
• Communications software supports transmission and
  reception of data across networks
• Utilities include antivirus programs, firewalls,
  and spyware eliminators

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Open Source Software

• Proprietary software sold for profit
• Private code
• Developer retains rights to software
• Open source software free source code
• Fewer bugs because many programmers review
• Mozilla Firefox
• Thunderbird
• MySQL
• PERL

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Open Source Software (continued)

• Not all free software is open source
• Microsoft Internet Explorer
• Linux best known open source operating system
• Popular because of versatility
• Runs on
• Mainframes
• Handhelds
• Electronic devices

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Software Licensing

• Software is usually licensed
• Licensed software limited permission
• Time-limited license requires annual fees
• Several models
• Permissive model
• Anyone can use and sell modified versions
• General public license
• Cannot sell for profit

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Considerations for Packaged Software

• Many goals and custom requirements during
  development process
• Factors when purchasing large software packages
  more complex
• Cost
• Time to implement
• Cost of interrupting operations
• Modification costs

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Summary

• Understanding hardware is important for
  purchasing decisions
• Computers classified according to power
• All computers have CPU to process instructions
• Clock rate measures the speed of a CPU
• Computer word is the number of bits it can
  process in a single cycle

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Summary (continued)

• Computer power speed and memory size
• RAM is volatile memory that forms a large part of
  computers memory
• ROM is nonvolatile does not require power
• Imaging devices help process text and graphics
• When evaluating external storage, consider
  density, transfer rate, capacity, portability,
  format

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Summary (continued)

• Data organized sequentially on tapes
• Direct access storage devices include RAM,
  magnetic disks, and optical discs
• Databases require direct access storage devices
• When purchasing hardware, managers should
  consider power, scalability, and compatibility

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Summary (continued)

• Information technology may pose health risks such
  as carpel tunnel syndrome
• Software is collective term for computer programs
• Software classified as system or application
• Programming languages and software development
  tools help develop software

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Summary (continued)

• Increasing amount of software is linked to
  Internet
• Some application programs custom designed, and
  many are packaged
• Office productivity tools such as word processors
  and spreadsheets help worker efficiency

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Summary (continued)

• Most important system software is operating
  system
• Open source software
• Distributed freely
• More reliable