PART II TECHNOLOGY

Learning Objectives

 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
 Define the term green computing and identify the
primary goals of this program
 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
 Discuss how application software can support personal,
workgroup, and enterprise business objectives
 Why Learn About Hardware and Software?

Organizations invest in computer hardware to:

 Improve worker productivity
 Increase revenue, reduce costs
 Provide better customer service
Managers:
 Are expected to know enough about their business
needs to be able to ask tough questions
COMPUTER SYSTEMS: INTEGRATING
THE POWER OF TECHNOLOGY
To assemble an effective and efficient system:
 You should select and organize
components while understanding the
trade-offs between overall system
performance and cost, control, and
complexity
Hardware objectives are:
 Subordinate to, but supportive of, the
information system and the current and
future needs of the organization
 Hardware Components
• Central processing unit (CPU):
– Arithmetic/logic unit, the control unit, and the
register areas
• Arithmetic/logic unit (ALU):
– Performs mathematical calculations and makes
logical comparisons
• Control unit:
– Sequentially accesses program instructions, decodes
them, and coordinates the flow of data in and out of
the ALU, registers, primary storage, and even
secondary storage and various output devices
Hardware Components (continued)
 Input Devices
• Devices used to input general types of data:
– Personal computer input devices
– Speech recognition technology
– Digital cameras
– Touch-sensitive screens
– Optical data readers
– Magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) devices
– Pen input devices
– Magnetic stripe card
– Radio Frequency Identification
 Output Devices
• Display monitors:
– Used to display the output from the computer
– Plasma display:
• Uses thousands of smart cells (pixels) consisting of electrodes and
neon and xenon gases that are electrically turned into plasma to
emit light
– LCD displays:
• Flat displays that use liquid crystals
– Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs):
• Use a layer of organic material sandwiched between two conductors
• Printers and plotters:
– Two main types of printers are laser printers and inkjet printers
– Plotters are a type of hard-copy output device used for general
design work
• Digital audio player:
– Can store, organize, and play digital music files
• E-books:
– Digital media equivalent of a conventional printed book
 Computer System Types
• Computer systems:
– Can range from desktop (or smaller) portable
computers to massive supercomputers that
require housing in large rooms
 Portable Computers
• Handheld computers:
– Single-user computers that provide ease of portability
because of their small size
• Laptop computer:
– Personal computer designed for use by mobile users
• Notebook computers:
– Lightweight computer that weighs less than 5 pounds
• Netbook computer:
– The smallest, lightest, least expensive member of the
laptop computer family
• Tablet computers:
– Portable, lightweight computers with no keyboard
• Smartphone:
– Combines the functionality of a mobile phone, camera,
Web browser, e-mail tool, MP3 player, and other devices
 Nonportable Single-User Computers
• Thin client:
– Low-cost, centrally managed computer with no extra
drives
• Desktop computers:
– Single-user computer systems that are highly versatile
• Nettop computer:
– Inexpensive desktop computer designed to be smaller,
lighter, and consume much less power than a traditional
desktop computer
• Workstations:
– More powerful than personal computers but still small
enough to fit on a desktop
 Multiple-User Computer Systems
• Server:
– Used by many users to perform
a specific task, such as running
network or Internet
applications

• Blade server:
– Houses many computer
motherboards
– The approach requires much
less physical space
than traditional server farms
 Multiple-User Computer Systems
(continued)
• Mainframe computer:
– Large, powerful computer
shared by hundreds of
concurrent users connected
to the machine over a
network

• Supercomputers:
– The most powerful
computers with the fastest
processing speed and highest
performance
 Green Computing
• Concerned with:
– Efficient and environmentally responsible design,
manufacture, operation, and disposal of IS-
related products
• Goals:
– Reduce the use of hazardous material
– Enable companies to lower their power-related
costs
– Enable the safe disposal or recycling of some
700,000 tons of computers each year
 Overview of Software
• Computer programs:
– Sequences of instructions for the computer
• Documentation:
– Describes program functions to help the user
operate the computer system
• Types of software:
– Systems software
– Application software
 Systems Software
• Includes:
– Operating systems
– Utility programs
 Operating Systems
• Set of programs that controls computer hardware and
acts as an interface with application programs
• Can control one computer or multiple computers, or
• Can allow multiple users to interact with one
computer
• Combinations of OSs, computers, and users:
– Single computer with a single user
– Single computer with multiple users
– Multiple computers with multiple users
– Special-purpose computers
Operating Systems (continued)
 Current Operating Systems
• Microsoft PC operating systems:
– Windows XP
– Windows Vista
– Windows 7
• Apple computer operating systems:
– Wintel
– Snow Leopard (OS X v10.6)
• Linux:
– Red Hat Linux
– Caldera OpenLinux
 Utility Programs
• Help to perform
maintenance or correct
problems with a
computer system
• Some can help
computer systems run
better and longer
without problems
• Can help to secure and
safeguard data
 Application Software
• Application programs:
– Interact with systems software
– Help you perform common tasks, such as:
• Creating and formatting text documents
• Performing calculations
• Managing information
Personal Application Software
 Workgroup Application Software
• Support teamwork, whether people are in the same
location or dispersed around the world
• Groupware:
– Software that helps groups of people work together more
effectively
 Enterprise Application Software
• Software that benefits an entire organization
• Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software:
– Set of integrated programs that manage a
company’s vital business operations for an entire
multisite, global organization
 Summary
• Hardware:
– The physical components of a computer that perform the input,
processing, storage, and output activities of the computer
• Green computing:
– Concerned with the efficient and environmentally responsible
design, manufacture, operation, and disposal of IS-related products
• Software:
– Consists of programs that control the workings of the computer
hardware
• Operating system (OS):
– Set of computer programs that controls the computer hardware to
support users’ computing needs
– Manages tasks to allocate computer resources through multitasking
and time-sharing
• Application software:
– Applies the power of the computer to solve problems and perform
specific tasks