Business Information Systems Chapter 3

Business Information Systems - Chapter 3

• Learning Objectives: Students will be able to categorize computer systems, recognize computer components, explain software application purposes, describe modern application features, identify software advantages/disadvantages, explain application software's role in business, and understand computer hardware and software.

• Management Issues: Understanding input, output, and storage devices helps managers choose appropriate equipment and improve business processes. Major applications like word processing and spreadsheets are crucial for all managers to understand for organizational relevance. Understanding emerging tech like XML helps with long-term planning.

• Key Concepts: A computer system is an interconnected network of hardware and software designed to convert data into information. Hardware components include input (data entry), processing (CPU works on tasks), storage (permanent data storage) and output (displaying results).

• Hardware Components - Input: Hardware for entering data (e.g., bank statements, typed text). Input devices change data into machine-readable form.

• Hardware Components - CPU: The processor in a computer system. Controls functions and allows users to run programs. It is usually within the tower/base unit (case).

• Hardware Components - Memory: Temporary storage for data waiting to be processed, instructions, and finished data/information to be processed.

• Hardware Components - Storage: Permanent storage for data and programs, allowing access when needed

• Hardware Components - Output: Displays processed data into human-readable form. Various output devices exist, including printers, displays, projectors, plotters.

Input Devices

• Optical Character Recognition (OCR): Software for recognizing characters.
• Optical Mark Recognition (OMR): Detects and recognizes marks on documents.
• Bar Code Reader: Measures light intensity off barcodes to determine identification numbers.
• Touch Screen: Pressure sensitive screen to make selections.
• Voice Recognition: Controls programs through spoken commands.

Selecting Input Devices - Key Issues

• Volume: Handling large amounts of data.
• Speed: Quickly processing large amounts of data.
• Accuracy: Important for many applications (e.g., engineering).
• Cost: Cost-effectiveness.
• Data Complexity: The complexity of the data.
• Frequency: How often data needs to be entered.

Output Devices (1/2)

• Visual Display Unit (VDU): A monitor for character-based terminals.
• Resolution: Measured in pixels to provide clarity.
• Dot Pitch: Measures the spacing between pixels for quality evaluation.
• Refresh Rate: Measures how many times the image refreshes per second on a screen.

Output Devices (2/2)

• Interlaced Display: Draws an image in two steps.
• Non-Interlaced Display: Draws an image in a single step.
• Video Projector: Projects computer output on a separate screen.
• Plotters: Uses coloured pens to draw diagrams.
• MIDI: Musical Instrument Digital Interface for music control or creation.

Selecting Output Devices – Key Issues

• Appropriateness: Choosing the right output device for the task.
• Permanence: How long output lasts.
• Speed: Output processing and generation time.
• Cost: Cost of the device and any needed consumables.
• Data Complexity: The complexity of the output data.
• Frequency: How often output is needed (quantity).

Printers

• Laser Printer: Uses a rotating drum & toner powder, fast with good quality.
• Inkjet Printer: Uses nozzles to squirt ink, cost effective but often slower.

Selecting Printers – Key Issues

• Purchase Cost: Cost of the printer.
• Printing Cost: Consumables (e.g., ink).
• Print Quality: Clarity and detail of print.
• Paper Handling: Ability to print on different types of substrates (e.g., cards, envelopes).
• Volume: The required print quantities (printing capacity/rate).
• Speed: Speed of printing.
• Color Printing: Whether you need color capability.

Storage Devices

• Primary Storage: Temporary memory (e.g., RAM).
• Secondary Storage: Permanent storage (e.g., hard disks, USB sticks).

Measuring Storage Capacity

• Bit: Basic unit of data (0 or 1).
• Byte: 8 bits, represents a character.
• Kilobyte (KB): Approx. 1,000 bytes (1,000 characters).
• Megabyte (MB): Approx. 1,000 KB (1,000,000 characters).
• Gigabyte (GB): Approx. 1,000 MB (1,000,000,000 characters).
• Terabyte (TB): Approx. 1,000 GB.

Optical Secondary Storage

• CD-ROM: Read only memory discs.
• Compact Disc (CD): Physical media for CDs (often read/write).
• CD-R (Recordable): Can write data once onto a 'gold' disc.
• CD-RW (Rewritable): Allows writing and erasing multiple times.
• DVD: Digital Versatile Disc (DVDs), similar to CDs but with greater storage capacity.

Primary Storage – Memory

• Volatile Memory: Lost when power off (e,g., RAM).
• Non-Volatile Memory: Retains data after power off (e.g., ROM, EPROM).
• RAM: Random Access Memory, temporary storage.
• ROM: Read-Only Memory, fixed instructions.
• EPROM: Erasable ROM, can be reprogrammed.
• Cache Memory: Speed enhancement by anticipating data/instructions.

Processors

• Processor: Executes instructions from software controls computer components.
• Clock Speed: Measured in MHz or GHz, impacting processing speed.
• Bus Width: Determines how much data can be transmitted/received simultaneously, affecting processing speed.

Multi-Core Processors

• Compatibility: Mostly compatible with existing systems, allows for inexpensive upgrades.
• Cost-Effectiveness: Relatively inexpensive to add to existing systems.
• Virtual Computing: Enables virtual machine operations.
• Power Consumption/Heat: Consumes less power than older CPUs.

Virtual Computing

• Simulation: Uses software to simulate a complete computer system.
• Virtual Machine (VM): Behaves like a real computer.

Categories of Computer Software

• Software: Series of detailed instructions that control computer operations (expressed as programs).
• Systems Software: Manages and controls computer operations, allowing user-tasks.
• Operating System (OS): Manages hardware and computer resources.
• Command-line Interpreter (CLI): Allows users to interact with systems through text based commands.
• Graphical User Interface (GUI): Visually prompts user interactions (Menus and icons).
• Network Operating System (NOS): Manages networked systems.

Application Software

• Application Software: Set of programs for specific tasks (general-purpose or application).
• General-Purpose Applications: For common tasks (word processor, spreadsheets, databases).
• Application-Specific Applications: Specialized software for specific tasks (accounting, marketing).

Spreadsheet Applications

• Modeling: Creating numerical representations.
• What-If? Analysis: Predicting effects of changes.
• Goal Seeking: Automatically adjusting values until a desired result.

Internet Concepts

• Internet: Global network.
• World Wide Web (WWW): System of interconnected webpages.
• Hypertext Markup Language (HTML): Describes web page content structure and presentation.
• Web Browser: Displayed webpage content.
• Hypertext: Facilitates navigation between documents by linking words / phrases to other content.

E-mail Issues

• Storage on Servers: Data storage in computer servers.
• Staff Time-Wasting: Unwanted or unnecessary emails.
• SPAM: Unwanted emails.
• Security: Confidentiality and safety of emails.

Creating Web Pages and Applications

• HTML: Language Used to create web pages (codes / tags).
• Java: Programs created through Java are displayed when users interact with web pages or controls.

HTML Example

• HTML Tag: Denotes the document.
• HEAD Tag: The starting of the document's header section.
• TITLE Tag: Browser title bar display.
• BODY Tag: Main content area of the document.
• Comment Tag: For commenting in the code, without display

Web 2.0

• Web 2.0: A newer generation of applications offering enhanced communications and services.
• Rich Internet Applications (RIAs): Web applications with enhanced user interfaces.
• Social Internet: Encourages collaboration and interaction between users on the internet.
• Blogs: Online journals or diaries.

Software Distribution Models

• Open Source: Completely free, unrestricted, accessible.
• Application Service Providers (ASPs): Software and services accessible through a central network (e.g., the internet).
• Software as a Service (SaaS): Software accessible on-demand through the internet.