Information Technology
Unit 1
Information Systems
What is an Information System?
A set of interrelated components that collect (or retrieve), process, store and
distribute information to support decision making, coordination and control in an
organization.
Help managers and workers analyze problems, visualize complex subjects and
create new products.
Examples: ATMs, airline reservation systems, course reservation systems.
Data
The collection of unprocessed items such as text, numbers, image, audio and video
for input in the computer.
Information
Processed data (output) that conveys a meaning and is useful to people.
Desired characteristics of information
Accurate, clear, timely, complete yet concise
Receiver has confidence in it
Appropriate channel, given to the right person, should not be excessive
Cost effective
Must have a purpose and relevant to the purpose (user related)
Fund of IT - Unit 4
A series of input, processing, output and storage activities performed by the computer
Feedback -This is an output that help the organization to evaluate or correct the input
stage.
Fund of IT - Unit 4
Introduction to Computer
card
reader/writer
(storage device)
modem
(communications device)
memory
cards
(storage
device)
external hard
disk
(storage device)
Abbreviation
Number of bytes
Exact Value
Kilobyte
KB
1 thousand
210 or 1, 024
Megabyte
MB
1 million
Gigabyte
Terabyte
Petabyte
GB
TB
PB
1 billion
1 trillion
1 quadrillion
Exabyte
EB
1 quintillion
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Manufacturer
Clock Speed
Itanium 2
Intel
1 GHz and up
Xeon
Intel
Pentium 4
Intel
Opteron
AMD
2 to 2.4 GHz
Athlon
AMD
Duron
AMD
PowerPC
Motorola
68040
Motorola
25 to 40 MHz
68030
Motorola
16 to 50 MHz
To avoid burnt chips processors are not only coupled with fans, but
also heat sinks (heat pipes are used in laptops).
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The common uses of computer may then include: entertainment, classes for
learning, banking and investments, shopping, research for information, and
communication, among others.
Benefits from using computers are possible because computers have the
advantages of speed, reliability, consistency, storage, and communications.
Advantages of Using Computers:
Speed: When data, instructions, and information flow along electronic
circuits in a computer, they travel at incredibly fast speeds.
Many computers process billions or trillions of operations in a single second.
Processing involves computing (adding, subtracting, etc.), sorting (e.g.,
alphabetizing), organizing, displaying images, recording audio, playing
music, and showing a movie or video.
Reliability: The electronic components in modern computers are
dependable and reliable because they rarely break or fail.
Consistency: Given the same input and processes, a computer will
produce the same results - consistently.
A computing phrase known as garbage in, garbage out points out that the
accuracy of a computer's output depends on the accuracy of the input.
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Computers impact on the labor force makes it crucial that workers keep
their education up-to-date.
A separate impact on the labor force is that some companies are
outsourcing jobs to foreign countries instead of keeping their homeland
labor force employed.
Impact on Environment: Computer manufacturing processes and
computer waste are depleting natural resources and polluting the
environment.
When computers are discarded in landfills, they release toxic materials and
potentially dangerous levels of lead, mercury, and flame retardants.
Green computing involves reducing the electricity consumed and
environmental waste generated when using a computer. Strategies that
support green computing include recycling, regulating manufacturing
processes, extending the life of computers, and immediately donating or
properly disposing of replaced computers.
When you purchase a new computer, some retailers offer to dispose of your
old computer properly.
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Categories of Computers
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Category
Physical Size
Number of
Simultaneous Users
Personal Computers
Fits on Desk
Mobile computers
and mobile devices
Usually one
Games Consoles
Small box or
handheld devices
One to several
Servers
Small cabinet
Two to thousands
Mainframes
Hundreds to
thousands
$300,000 to several
millions
Supercomputers
Full room of
equipment
Hundreds to
thousands
$500,000 to several
billions
Embedded
Computer
Miniature
Usually one
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Mainframe:
Very powerful, expensive computer that supports
thousands of computers.
Supercomputer:
The fastest, most powerful, most expensive computer.
Used for applications requiring complex mathematical
calculations.
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Categories of Users
Home:
Hardware Usage:
Desktop or notebook computer
Smart phone or other mobile device
Game consoles
Software Usage:
Business (e.g., word processing)
Personal information manager
Personal finance, online banking
Web browser
E-mail, blogging, instant messaging, chat rooms, online and social
networking
Internet telephone calls
Photo and video editing
Reference (e.g., encyclopedias, medical dictionaries, road atlas)
Entertainment (e.g., games, music composition, greeting cards)
Education (e.g., tutorials, children's math and reading software)
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Categories of Users
Small Office/Home Office:
Hardware Usage:
Desktop or notebook computer
Smart phone or other mobile device
Shared network printer
Software Usage:
Business (e.g., word processing, spreadsheet, database)
Personal information manager
Company specific (e.g., accounting, legal reference)
Network management
Web browser
E-mail
Internet telephone calls
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Categories of Users
Mobile:
Hardware Usage:
Notebook computer equipped with a wireless modem, or a Tablet PC
Video projector
Smart phone or other mobile device
Handheld game consoles
Software Usage:
Business (e.g., word processing, note taking, presentation)
Personal information manager
Web browser
E-mail
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Categories of Users
Power:
Hardware Usage:
Workstation or other powerful computer with multimedia capabilities
Smart phone or other mobile device
Software Usage:
Desktop Publishing
Multimedia authoring
Computer-aided design
Photo, audio, and video editing
Personal information manager
Web browser
E-mail
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Categories of Users
Enterprise:
Hardware Usage:
Server or mainframe
Desktop or notebook computer
Industry-specific handheld computer
Smart phone or other mobile device
Software Usage:
Business (e.g., word processing, spreadsheet, database)
Personal information manager
Accounting
Network management
Web browser
E-mail
Blogging
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Memory
Memory (RAM & ROM, Cache)
Primary - also called IAS (immediate access storage), main storage, main memory.
The motherboard is the main circuit board, on it are mounted the microprocessor, memory chips,
slots for adding other circuit boards.
RAM
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Memory
Firmware - software instructions held in ROM (contents hard wired into device).
ROM extends computer instruction set, O/S, control S/W for peripherals.
CMOS
Example - Date, start up info, keyboard. A battery is used to keep the information.
PROM
Able to have data and programs written in them after manufacture, but once written become
permanently fixed.
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Memory
EPROM
Erasable PROM - PROMS which may be erased by a special process (e.g. thru exposure to ultra
violet light) and written again as a new PROM.
EAPROM
RAM used as if it were hard disk. (e.g. palm top, data bank).
A special high speed memory that operates at the speed of the processor.
It holds data or instructions that were recently used in anticipation that it will be required in the
near future.
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Social network website encourages members in its online community to share their interests,
ideas, stories, photos, music, and videos with other registered users.
The code of acceptable behaviours users should follow while on the internet.
Include rules for all aspect of the internet including the WWW, e-mail, instant messaging, chat
rooms, FTP, newsgroups and message boards.
Rules include keep messages short, be polite, avoid sending flames (abusive or insulting
messages sent on the internet) or spam, use emoticons (symbols used on the internet to express
emotions) and acronyms, clearly identify a spoiler (message that reveals a solution to a game or
ending to a movie or program), read the FAQ, do not assume materials are up to date, and never
read someones private e- mail
Legal
Identity theft - Scam artists using techniques such as phishing to try to steal personal ID.
Copyright infringement infringement on rights to given to authors and artists to duplicate, copy,
duplicate and sell their produces.
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Pornography
Ten Commandment for Computer Ethics - The Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics were
created in 1992 by the Computer Ethics Institute
1. Thou shall not use a computer to harm other people.
2. Thou shall not interfere with other people's computer work.
3. Thou shall not snoop around in other people's computer files.
4. Thou shall not use a computer to steal.
5. Thou shall not use a computer to bear false witness.
6. Thou shall not copy or use proprietary software for which you have not paid.
7. Thou shall not use other people's computer resources without authorization or proper
compensation.
8. Thou shall not appropriate other people's intellectual output.
9. Thou shall think about the social consequences of the program you are writing or the system
you are designing.
10. Thou shall always use a computer in ways that ensure consideration and respect for your
fellow humans.
Economic
Cost of access
Virtual companies and taxation They open up business opportunities on the Internet for people
who might never have been able to have their own business
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Job creation IT predicted to be the fastest growing industry for the next 10 years.
Job loss -
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References
Gary, B. Shelly and Misty E. Vermaat, (2010). Discovering Computer 2010:
Living in a Digital World, Complete. Boston: Course Technology
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