1. Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition
Chapter 2
Hardware and Software 1

2. Principles and Learning Objectives
Computer hardware must be carefully selected to meet the evolving needs of the organization and its supporting information systems
Identify and discuss the role of the essential hardware components of a computer system
Identify the characteristics of and discuss the usage of various classes of single-user and multiuser computer systems
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

3. Principles and Learning Objectives (continued)
Systems and application software are critical in helping individuals and organizations achieve their goals
Identify and briefly describe the functions of the two basic kinds of software
Outline the role of the operating system and identify the features of several popular operating systems
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

4. Principles and Learning Objectives (continued)
Organizations should not develop proprietary application software unless doing so will meet a compelling business need that can provide a competitive advantage
Discuss how application software can support personal, workgroup, and enterprise business objectives
Identify three basic approaches to developing application software and discuss the pros and cons of each
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

5. Principles and Learning Objectives (continued)
Organizations should choose a programming language whose functional characteristics are appropriate for the task at hand, considering the skills and experience of the programming staff
Outline the overall evolution and importance of programming languages and clearly differentiate among the generations of programming languages
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

6. Principles and Learning Objectives (continued)
The software industry continues to undergo constant change; users need to be aware of recent trends and issues to be effective in their business and personal life
Identify several key software issues and trends that have an impact on organizations and individuals
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

7. Computer Systems: Integrating the Power of Technology
To assemble an effective and efficient system
Select and organize components while understanding the trade-offs between overall system performance and cost, control, and complexity
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

8. Hardware Components Central processing unit (CPU) Primary memory
Arithmetic/logic unit (ALU)
Performs calculations and makes logical comparisons
Control unit
Sequentially accesses, decodes and coordinates data in CPU and other devices
Primary memory
Holds program instructions
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

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10. Processing and Memory Devices: Power, Speed, and Capacity
System unit
Houses the components responsible for processing (the CPU and memory)
All other computer system devices are linked either directly or indirectly into the system unit housing
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

11. Processing Characteristics and Functions
Clock speed
Produces a series of electronic pulses produced at a predetermined rate that affects machine cycle time
Physical characteristics of the CPU
CPU speed is also limited by physical constraints
To turn a digital circuit on or off, electrical current flows through silicon
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

12. Memory Characteristics and Functions
Storage capacity
Data is stored in memory as a combination of on or off circuit states
Eight bits together form a byte (B)
Types of memory
Random access memory (RAM)
Temporary and volatile
Read-only memory (ROM)
Usually nonvolatile
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

13. Multiprocessing Multicore microprocessor Parallel processing
Shares workload among two or more independent processors in a single computer
Parallel processing
Speeds processing by linking several processors to operate at the same time, or in parallel
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

14. Multiprocessing Grid computing Cloud computing
Collection of computers working to solve a common problem
Cloud computing
Giant cluster of computers serving as a host to run applications that require high-performance computing
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

15. Secondary Storage and Input and Output Devices
Also called permanent storage
Nonvolatile
Greater capacity and greater economy than memory
Costs considerably less per megabyte of capacity than SDRAM
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

16. Access Methods Sequential access Direct access
Data must be accessed in the order in which it is stored
Direct access
Data can be retrieved directly, without having to pass by other data in sequence
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

17. Secondary Storage Devices
Magnetic tapes
Secondary storage used primarily for backups
Magnetic disks
Direct access secondary storage, e.g., hard disk
RAID
Method of storing data so that if a hard drive fails, the lost data on that drive can be rebuilt
SAN
Provides high-speed connections between data storage devices and computers over a network
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

18. Secondary Storage Devices (continued)
Optical disks
Compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) with a storage capacity of 740 MB of data
Digital video disk (DVD)
Used to store digital video or computer data
Flash memory
Nonvolatile silicon computer chip
Keeps its memory when the power is shut off
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

19. Input Devices Personal computer input devices
Keyboard, mouse
Speech-recognition technology
Input devices that recognize human speech
Digital cameras
Record and store images or video in digital form
Touch-sensitive Screens
Allow display screens to function as input as well as output devices
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

20. Input Devices (continued)
Optical data readers
Used to scan documents
Magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) devices
System that reads data quickly
Pen input devices
Touching the screen with a pen input device allows you to activate a command
Radio Frequency Identification
Transmits data by a mobile device, called a tag
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

21. Output Devices Display monitors (CRTs) Liquid crystal displays (LCDs)
TV-screen-like device on which output from the computer is displayed
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs)
Easier on eyes; use less electricity; take up less space than CRTs
Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs)
Directly emits light rather than using backlight
Sharper colors and thinner displays
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

22. Output Devices (continued)
Printers and plotters
Laser printers are generally faster than inkjet printers and can handle more volume
Digital audio player
Stores, organizes, and plays digital music files
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

23. Computer System Types Handheld computers Ultra laptop computer
Single-user computers that provide ease of portability
Ultra laptop computer
Weighs less than three pounds (1.4 kg)
Usually targeted for use by business travelers
Portable computers
Computer small enough to be carried easily
Thin client
Low-cost, centrally managed computer with no extra drives
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

24. Computer System Types (continued)
Desktop computers
Small, inexpensive single-user computer systems that are highly versatile
Workstations
More powerful than personal computers but small enough to fit on a desktop
Servers
Computers designed for a specific task
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

25. Computer System Types (continued)
Mainframe computer
Large, powerful computer shared by hundreds of concurrent users
Supercomputers
Most powerful computer systems
Has fastest processing speeds and highest performance
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

26. Overview of Software Computer programs Documentation Systems software
Sequences of instructions for the computer
Documentation
Describes program functions
Systems software
Coordinates the activities of hardware and programs
Application software
Helps users solve particular problems
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

27. Supporting Individual, Group, and Organizational Goals
Sphere of influence
The scope of problems and opportunities addressed by a particular organization
Workgroup
Two or more people who work together to achieve a common goal
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

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29. Installing and Removing New Software
Installing new software usually involves only a few setup steps
When possible
Remove software using an add/remove software utility
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

30. Systems Software Critical function of systems software
Controlling operations of computer hardware
Systems software
Supports the application programs’ problem-solving capabilities
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

31. Operating Systems Combinations of OSs, computers, and users
Single computer with a single user
Single computer with multiple users
Multiple computers
Special-purpose computers
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

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34. Current Operating Systems
Microsoft PC operating systems
Windows Vista released in 2007 with the goal of providing a more secure and stable operating system
Apple Computer Operating Systems
OSs have evolved and often provide features not available from Microsoft
Linux
An open-source operating system
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

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36. Enterprise Operating Systems
z/OS
IBM’s first 64-bit enterprise OS
HP-UX and Linux
Robust UNIX-based OS
Supports Internet database
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

37. Operating Systems for Small Computers, Embedded Computers, and Special-Purpose Devices
Palm OS
Operating system used in over 30 million handheld computers and smartphones
Windows Embedded
Family of Microsoft OSs embedded into small computer devices
Windows Mobile
Operating system designed for smartphones and PDAs
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

38. Utility Programs
Help to perform maintenance or correct problems with a computer system
Help to secure and safeguard data
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

39. Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

40. Application Software
Give users the ability to solve problems and perform specific tasks
Interact with systems software; systems software then directs the hardware to perform tasks
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

41. Types and Functions of Application Software
Proprietary software
One-of-a-kind program for a specific application
Off-the-shelf software
Existing software program that can be purchased
Application service provider (ASP)
Provides the software, support, and computer hardware on which to run the software
Software as a service (SaaS)
Businesses subscribe to Web-delivered business application software by paying a monthly service charge or a per-use fee
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46. Workgroup Application Software
Designed to support teamwork
Groupware
Helps groups of people work together effectively
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

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48. Enterprise Application Software
Software that benefits an entire organization
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software
Programs that manage a company’s vital business operations for an entire multisite, global organization
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

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50. Application Software for Information, Decision Support, and Specialized Purposes
Available in every industry
Example: genetic researchers are using software to visualize and analyze the human genome
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

51. Programming Languages
Sets of symbols and rules used to write program code
Programming
Translating what a user wants into instructions that the computer can understand and execute
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

52. Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

53. Software Issues and Trends
Software bugs
Copyrights and licenses
Global software support
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

54. Summary Hardware devices Computer systems Input and output devices
Work together to perform input, processing, data storage, and output
Computer systems
Can store large amounts of data and instructions in secondary storage
Input and output devices
Allow users to provide data and instructions to the computer for processing, storage, and output
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

55. Summary (continued) Operating system (OS) Application software
Set of computer programs that controls the computer hardware to support users’ computing needs
Application software
Applies the power of the computer to solve problems and perform specific tasks
Approaches to developing application software
Build proprietary application software
Buy existing programs off the shelf
Combination of customized and off-the-shelf
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition

56. Summary (continued) Programming languages Software issues and trends
Provide instructions to a computer to perform some processing activity
Software issues and trends
Software bugs, software licensing and copyrighting, software upgrades, and global software support
Global software support
Important consideration for large, global companies putting together standardized, company-wide systems
Fundamentals of Information Systems, Fifth Edition