Chapter 1 Overview The Foundation for Your Future © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2000

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Overview Users and professionals Computer literate and computer competent Information systems Hardware Software

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Overview (continued) Computer systems Computer development Connectivity Interactivity Digital convergence

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Users Be ready for the job market Use computers for work and personal tasks

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Differentiation Computer Professionals –expertise and/or a minimum of a two-year technical degree –industry uses many names programmer, engineer, systems analyst network and database administrators

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Computer Literate vs. Competent Computer literacy –understanding what a computer is and what it can do Computer competency –using skills to meet information needs and improve productivity

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Competency Skill mastery covered: –terms –functions –uses

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Computer Information Systems Hardware Software Data and information People Procedures Communications

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Information and Knowledge Information –data organized into useful information Knowledge –application of reasoned analysis of information

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI People Most important component of computer system Follow procedures –using documentation, reference guides, and user guides –guides are primarily available as electronic help files and Internet help desks

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Digital and Analog Systems Digital based on electronic circuitry –1s and 0s, or on and off –each 1 or 0 is called a bit; or binary digit –Computers use digital data representation

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Analog Systems Analog –continuously variable values, along a range, such as temperature and pressure values –traditional analog recording devices are humidity recorders, mercury thermometers, and pressure gauges –standard telephone lines transmit analog signals

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Connectivity Analog modems –most home systems Digital modems –cable and digital subscriber service technology use digital modems for much faster communications, but this technology is not universally available

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Computer Hardware 5 categories –input –processing and memory –output –storage –communications

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Input Keyboard Mouse Scanner Microphone

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Processing and Memory Motherboard CPU Memory –many types of RAM

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Output Hardware Hardcopy output –graphics –letters Softcopy output –monitor –audio music from MP3 for example

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Secondary Storage Hardware Permanent or nonvolatile –magnetic disks: disk cartridges, hard drives, floppy disks –optical storage (optical disks) –tape

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Communications Hardware Facilitate networks –modems –hubs and other components of a network

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Computer Software System software –communication with hardware –resource management –facilitates communication among application programs

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Computer Software Applications software –benefits or assists the user

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Types of Computers Supercomputers Mainframe computers Workstations Microcomputers

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Types of Computers (continued) Microcontrollers –embedded or dedicated computers: from calculators to automobiles Server –network –Web

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Computer Generations First (1944 to1958) –ENIAC and UNIVAC Second (1959 to1963) –IBM 1401 with 1402 card read/punch Third generation (1964 to 1970) –DEC PDP-8 –Data General NOVA –IBM 360

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Computer Generations (continued) Fourth generation (1971 to now) –dominated by the LSI (large-scale integrated circuits) and the VLSI (very-large-scale integrated circuits) –word processing, spreadsheets, database, and graphic programs became readily available –Cray-1 supercomputer –DEC VAX 11/780

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Information Explosion Increased processing power More information more quickly More paper in the computer era than before it!

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Data Overload? Information does not produce knowledge –knowledge implies synthesis of that information –therefore, knowledge must be useful: complete, accurate, relevant, and timely (CART)

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Connectivity Connecting devices for communication voice, data, multimedia –foundation for information age –send and receive messages over a local area network or a large network, including the Internet

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Connectivity (continued) Databases –for research and job prospects Telecommuting –Working at home or on the road –Communicating with the office through phone, fax, and/or computer On-line shopping and E-commerce

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Databases Electronically stored data Reference and other libraries of information databases are extensive through connectivity, both specialized and generalized on the Internet

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Online Services America Online (AOL) Microsoft Network (MSN) CompuServe interactive services (CompuServe) Prodigy Internet (Prodigy)

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Portals and the World Wide Web Online service providers –Often customize setup disks or CDs to show their home page as the first page –Hence, the term portal, the entry way to the Internet

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Browsers Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator –two dominant Web browsers –also serve as portals through their home page

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Interactivity Ability to respond immediately and modify processes Includes multimedia –text, graphics, animation, video, music, voice

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Interactive Devices Multimedia computers Internet appliances –TV set-top control boxes, also called smart boxes

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Digital Convergence Merger of devices, media, and services –computers –communications –consumer electronics –entertainment –mass media

Ch 1© The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., CCI Technological Convergence Communications –same information gained in potentially multiple ways satellite films recordings radio telephones television