Computer Applications to Business Lecture 03-04

Outline Computers In Society Parts of computer a system The information processing cycle Essential Computer Hardware Software Application Software Terminologies Types of Application Software

Computers In Society More impact than any other invention Changed work and leisure activities Used by all demographic groups Computers are important because: Provide information to users Information is critical to our society Managing information is difficult

Computers In Society Computers at home Many homes have multiple computers Most American homes have Internet Computers are used for Business Entertainment Communication Education Insider information The 2000 Census determined that 51% of American households had computers. Over 42% of these households also had Internet access. This can be contrasted to 36% and 18% in 1997. See www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/p23-207.pdf for more information.

Computers In Society Computers in education Computer literacy required at all levels Computers in small business Makes businesses more profitable Allows owners to manage Computers in industry Computers are used to design products Assembly lines are automated Insider information Specialized mountain bikes are designed on Sun workstations.

Computers In Society Computers in government Necessary to track data for population Police officers Tax calculation and collection Governments were the first computer users Teaching tip Most state departments of motor vehicles rely on a mainframe computer. Officers access the mainframe from a remote intelligent terminal.

Parts of computer a system

Parts of computer a system Computers come in variety of different sizes. No matter how large or small a computer system is has following four parts. Hardware Software Data User

Hardware The mechanical devices that make up the computer are called hardware. Hardware is any part of the computer you can touch.

Software Software is a set of instructions that makes the computer perform tasks. In other words, software tells the computer to do something. Set of instructions = program Set of programs = software

Data Collection of facts and figures. Computer’s primary job is to convert data in to useful information. Stored using the binary number system. Data can be organized into files.

User People are the computer operators, also known as users. Role depends on ability Setup the system Install software Manage files Maintain the system

Basic task of a computer The basic task of computer is to convert raw data (useless data) in to information (useful data). Convert Data Information

The information processing cycle

The information processing cycle It is a set of steps the computer follows to : Receive data, Process the data according to instructions from a program, Display the resulting information to the user, and store the results

The information processing cycle The information processing cycle has four parts, and each part involves one or more specific components of the computer: Input Processing Output Storage

Input Computer accepts data from some source, such as the user or a program, for processing. Processing Computer’s processing components (processor) perform actions on the data, based on instructions from the user or a program.

Output Computer may be required to display the results of its processing. Computer also can send output to a printer, or transfer the output to another computer through internet. Output is Optional part of the information processing cycle.

Storage Computer permanently store the results of its processing on a disk , tape, or some other kind of storage medium. As with the output, Storage is optional and may not always be required by the user or program.

Information Processing Cycle

Essential Computer Hardware

Essential Computer Hardware A computer’s hardware devices fall into one of four categories: Processor Memory Input and Output Storage

Processing Devices The procedure that transforms raw data into useful information is called processing. To perform this transformation computer uses two components: Processor Memory

Processor

Processor Sometimes also called as CPU. CPU stands for Central Processing Unit. It is also known as brain of the computer system. CPU is the portion of computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program.

Processor The processor /CPU is the device which converts the data in to information. Its basic task is to process. Now a days it is called microprocessor due to its smaller size.

Processor Single microprocessor is made up of million or trillions of transistors. A microprocessor is almost the size of a human thumb nail.

Memory Devices Memory is one or more sets of chips that store data and/or program instructions, either temporarily or permanently. There are two most important types of memory in Personal Computer: Random Access Memory (RAM) Read Only Memory (ROM)

Memory Devices RAM Volatile Stores current data and programs More RAM results in a faster system ROM Permanent storage of programs Holds the computer boot directions

Input and output devices Allows the user to interact Input devices accept data Keyboard, mouse Output devices deliver data Monitor, printer, speaker Some devices are input and output Touch screens

Storage devices Storage devices Hold data and programs permanently Different from RAM Magnetic storage Floppy and hard drive Uses a magnet to access data Optical storage CD and DVD drives Uses a laser to access data

Software Tells the computer what to do Reason people purchase computers There are two types of software System software Application software

System software Any program that controls the computer’s hardware or that can be used to maintain the computer in some way that it runs more efficiently. There are three types of System Software: Operating system (OS) Network operating system Utility

1. Operating system (OS) A system software that controls both the hardware and other software is called operating system. An Operating System acts as an interpreter between the hardware, application programs, and the user. Examples are: Microsoft Windows , The Macintosh OS, and Linux

2. Network operating system Allows computers to communicate and share data across a network . It controls network operations and security. Example: Windows Server 2003

3. Utility It is a program that makes computer system easier to use or perform highly specialized tasks. Utilities are used to : Manage disks Troubleshoot hardware problems , and Perform other tasks that OS itself may not be able to do. Examples are: Symantec Anti Virus , partitionMagic etc

Application software Accomplishes a specific task Most common type of software MS Word Covers most common uses of computers Other Examples are: Adobe photoshop , Dreamweaver etc .

Application Software Terminologies o Software Copyright Copyright law gives a programmer a high degree of control over the program that he or she creates. o Software License Allowing an individual or group to use a piece of software. Nearly all applications are licensed rather than sold. o Software Piracy The unauthorized copying of software.

Types of Application Software

On the basis of copyright Commercial Software Shareware Software Freeware Software Public Domain Software

On the basis of copyright Commercial Software Refers to any software that is designed for sale to serve a commercial need. Commercial software is usually proprietary software, but in some instances it may be public-domain software. Shareware Software Most shareware is delivered free of charge, but the author usually requests that you pay a small fee if you like the program and use it regularly. By sending the small fee, you become registered with the producer so that you can receive service assistance and updates. You can copy shareware and pass it along to friends and colleagues, but they too are expected to pay a fee if they use the product

On the basis of copyright Freeware Software Copyrighted software given away for free by the author. Although it is available for free, the author retains the copyright, which means that you cannot do anything with it that is not expressly allowed by the author. Usually, the author allows people to use the software, but not sell it. Public Domain Software Refers to any program that is not copyrighted. Public-domain software is free and can be used without restrictions. The term public-domain software is often used incorrectly to include freeware, free software that is nevertheless copyrighted.

On the basis of function Productivity Software Special Purpose Software Entertainment Software

On the basis of function Productivity Software Dedicated to helping accomplish specific jobs such as documents, presentations, spreadsheets, databases, charts and graphs, create digital paintings, electronic music, make digital movies, etcetera. Special Purpose Software It is more limited in what it will do in and handles the specific needs of a particular profession or business. For example, TurboTax (a tax preparation package) is a special purpose application. It adds and subtracts numbers like a spreadsheet but it can't be used for other purposes apart from preparing taxes returns etc.

On the basis of function Entertainment Software Application Softwares that are developed for entertainment and amusement. Examples are: Screen savers Video games Mobile games