Records Management and IT Evolution

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Questions and Answers

What was the first task assigned to the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC) by the War Department?

To develop the first operating system

To crack enemy codes during World War II

To determine the feasibility of building a hydrogen bomb (correct)

To calculate the trajectory of artillery shells

What was the significance of the Universal Automatic Computer (UNIVAC) in 1951?

It was the first computer to be used by the U.S. government

It was the first computer to use a hard disk drive

It was the first commercially available computer

It was the first computer to use magnetic tape for mass storage (correct)

What was the storage capacity of the RAMAC 305 in 1956?

About 40 MB

About 440 MB

About 44 GB

About 4.4 MB (correct)

Why was the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC) housed in a specially designed room?

Because it generated so much heat Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary use of computers for data processing in the 1940s and 1950s?

Scientific calculations and number crunching Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of the year 1938 in the development of computers?

The term 'digital' was first used to describe a computer Signup and view all the answers

What was the impact of the high cost of computers on their usage in the 1950s?

Control remained in the hands of the few employees within the agencies Signup and view all the answers

What was the main purpose of reports printed out by computers for data processing in the 1950s?

To provide information and filed for the record Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary advantage of the IBM 1311 storage unit?

It offered removable disks in disk packs, allowing users to switch files for different applications. Signup and view all the answers

What was the main difference between the 5.25” floppy disk and the 3.5” floppy disk?

The 5.25” floppy disk had more storage options. Signup and view all the answers

What is the smallest unit of information stored on a computer?

Bit Signup and view all the answers

What was the storage capacity of the 8” floppy disk?

80 KB Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary function of the IBM MT/ST (Magnetic Tape/Selectric Typewriter)?

Combining the features of the Selectric with a magnetic tape drive Signup and view all the answers

What marked the beginning of the convergence of word and data processing functions?

The introduction of the IBM personal computer in 1981 Signup and view all the answers

What was the storage capacity of the magnetic tape cartridges used in the IBM 5100 Portable Computer?

100+ routines Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary advantage of the IBM Selectric Typewriter?

It could print faster and allowed the operator to select from different type fonts. Signup and view all the answers

What was the main characteristic of the electronic typewriters introduced in the 1930s?

They increased typing speeds and accelerated the growth of paper documents. Signup and view all the answers

What marked the transition from a paper-based records environment to a hybrid environment that includes digital records?

The advent of personal computers in the late 1970s Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary purpose of the technology developed in 1965?

To facilitate communication Signup and view all the answers

What was the problem with the use of EDMS in the 1980s?

Inability to access information when away from the office Signup and view all the answers

What was created by Tim Berners-Lee in 1990?

The World Wide Web Signup and view all the answers

What was the solution to allow employee secure access from outside of the organization walls?

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) Signup and view all the answers

What was the name of the system introduced at MIT in 1965 that left an electronic note in someone's directory?

MAILBOX Signup and view all the answers

Who is credited with inventing Internet-based e-mail in 1971?

Ray Tomlinson Signup and view all the answers

What was the purpose of the file transfer protocol developed by Ray Tomlinson?

To send electronic messages to any computer on the ARPANET network Signup and view all the answers

What was the guidance provided by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in 2005?

To better manage 'web records' Signup and view all the answers

What was the retention period for website design records provided by the U.S. General Services Administration?

1 year Signup and view all the answers

What was the business model born in 1994 with the business plan written by Jeff Bezos?

Amazon.com Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of ARPANET traffic was email by the end of the 1970s?

75 Signup and view all the answers

What is expected to be the total number of business and consumer emails sent and received each day by the end of 2026?

408.2 billion Signup and view all the answers

What is a benefit of hosting an email system on-premises?

Complete control over the infrastructure and security measures Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of an email retention policy?

To define how long email messages should be retained Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary feature of AOL Instant Messenger (AIM)?

Direct peer-to-peer connections Signup and view all the answers

What is the expected number of worldwide IM accounts by the end of 2025?

9.5 billion Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the Facebook Messenger feature that allows businesses to generate leads?

Messenger campaigns Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of an aggregator like Microsoft's One Messenger?

To integrate multiple IM services into one Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of an online chat room used for discussing video game news?

Proximity chat Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of chatbots in live chat tools like LiveChat?

To engage prospects and generate leads Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Information Technology, Records, and the Information Age

Computers for Data Processing

The term "digital" was first used in 1938 to describe a computer that operates on data in the form of digits.
The U.S. Federal Records Act was expanded in 1950 to establish the framework for records management in federal agencies.
Key milestones in the evolution of computers for data processing:
- 1943-1945: ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) was developed, filling a 20- by 40-foot room and using over 18,000 vacuum tubes.
- 1951: UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer) was introduced, using magnetic tape for mass storage.
- 1956: IBM developed the RAMAC 305, the first computer with a hard disk drive (HDD).
- 1962: IBM introduced the IBM 1311, which offered the first storage unit with removable disks in disk packs.
- 1975-1982: IBM developed the 5100 Portable Computer, which weighed 50 pounds and offered magnetic tape cartridges.
- 1978: IBM introduced the 5.25” floppy disk, which became the standard removable storage medium.
- 1984-2000: IBM introduced the 3.5” floppy disk, offering three storage options ranging from 720 KB to 2.88 MB of storage.

Bits, Bytes, and Other Units of Digital Information

A bit is the smallest unit of information stored on a computer, represented by either a 1 or a 0.
A byte is made up of 8 bits and can represent 256 characters, either numbers or letters.
Key units of digital information:
- 1 kilobyte (KB) = 1,024 bytes
- 1 megabyte (MB) = 1,024 kilobytes
- 1 gigabyte (GB) = 1,024 megabytes
- 1 terabyte (TB) = 1,024 gigabytes
- 1 petabyte (PB) = 1,024 terabytes
- 1 exabyte (EB) = 1,024 petabytes
- 1 zettabyte (ZB) = 1,024 exabytes
- 1 yottabyte (YB) = 1,024 zettabytes
- 1 brontobyte (BB) = 1,024 yottabytes
- 1 geopbyte (GB) = 1,024 brontobytes

Electronic Typewriters and Word Processors for Text Processing

Key milestones in the evolution of text processing technologies:
- 1930: IBM introduced the Electronic Typewriter, increasing typing speeds and accelerating the growth of paper documents.
- 1961: IBM developed the Selectric Typewriter, allowing operators to select from different type fonts.
- 1964: IBM introduced the MT/ST (Magnetic Tape/Selectric Typewriter), combining the features of the Selectric with a magnetic tape drive.
- 1971: IBM introduced the 8” floppy disk, allowing for reusable, portable, and inexpensive storage.
- 1973: Vydec developed the Word Processing system, using floppy disks to store 80-100 pages of text.

The Information Age

Electronic Records and the Hybrid Environment

The information age, which began in the late 1970s, brought about a transition from a paper-based records environment to a hybrid environment that includes digital records.
Despite claims of a "paperless office," the ease of document creation, editing, storage, and retrieval led to further growth in the volume of paper records.

Communication Technologies

E-Mail

E-mail was introduced in 1965 at MIT, allowing users to leave electronic notes in someone's directory.
Ray Tomlinson developed Internet-based e-mail in 1971, using the @ symbol to identify users and computers.
Key statistics:
- 1974: Hundreds of military users of e-mail
- 1978: 5,000 e-mail messages sent
- 2026: Expected 408.2 billion e-mail messages sent and received daily
E-mail management systems provide records management and retention functionality, and cloud-based email archiving solutions can reduce server loads and provide backup services.

Instant Messaging (IM)

IM was launched in the early 1990s, allowing users to set up chat rooms on web servers.
Key statistics:
- 1997: AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) was launched, allowing direct peer-to-peer connections.
- 2025: Expected over 9.5 billion IM accounts worldwide
Popular IM apps for external business communications include WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, WeChat, Telegram, Skype, Confide, and Signal.
IM apps for internal team communications include Microsoft Teams, Discord, and Slack.

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Description

This quiz covers the development of records management policies and procedures in the US, driven by increasing information volumes and emerging technology.