KEY-IDEAS

Five Parts of an Information System

(1) PEOPLE, (2) PROCEDURES, (3) SOFTWARE, (4) HARDWARE, & (5) DATA.

People

People are competent end users working to increase their productivity. End users use microcomputers and software to solve information-related or decision-making problems.

Procedures

Procedures are manuals and guidelines that instruct end users on how to use the software and hardware.

Software

Software is another name for programs which are instructions that tell the computer how to process data. There are two kinds of softwares: (1) SYSTEM SOFTWARE and (2) APPLICATION SOFTWARE.

System software is background software that helps a computer manage its internal resources. An operating system is a system software.

Application software performs useful work on general purpose problems. There are two types of Application softwares: Basic application software and Advanced application software.

Basic application software include:

BROWSERS - navigate, explore, find information on the Internet.
WORD PROCESSOR - prepare written documents.
SPREADSHEET - analyze and summarize nemerical data.
DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - organize and manage data and information.
PRESENTATION GRAPHICS - communicate a message or persuade other people.

Advanced application software include:

MULTIMEDIA - integrate video, music, voice, and graphics to create interactive presentations.
WEB PUBLISHERS - create interactive multimedia Web pages.
GRAPHICS PROGRAMS - create professional publications, draw, edit, and modify images.
VIRTUAL REALITY - create realistic three-dimensional virtual or simulated environments.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE - simulated human thought processes and actions.
PROJECT MANAGERS - plan projects, schedule, people, and control resources.

TYPES OF COMPUTERS

Four types:

* Supercomputers - the most powerful

* Mainframe - used by large companies

* Minicomputers - the midrange computers

* Microcomputers - in all likelihood, the one beside you!

The category of microcomputers also include desktop, notebook, and personal digital assistant (PDA)

Hardware

Hardware consists of input devices, the system unit, secondary storage, output devices, and communication devices.

Input Devices
Input devices take data and put it into a form the computer can process. The usual input devices are keyboard and mouse.

The system Unit

The system Unit consists of electronic circuitry with two parts:

CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU) - controls and manipulates data to produce information.
MEMORY (Primary Storage) - temporarily holds data, program instructions, and processed data.

Secondary Storage

Secondary Storage stores data and programs. Three storage media are:

FLOPPY DISK - removable flexible 3.5 inch plastic disks.
HARD DISK - nonremovable; internal disk drive.
OPTICAL DISK - removable; CD and DVD are the examples.

Output Devices

Output devices output processed information from the CPU. Two important output devices are:

MONITOR - TV screen-like device to display results.
PRINTER - device that prints out images on paper.

Communication Devices

These devices send and receive data and programs from one computer to another. A Modem is an example of such a device that connects a microcomputer to a telephone.

Data

Data describes something and is typically stored electronically in a file. A file is a collection of characters organized as a single unit. Common types of files are:

DOCUMENT - letters, research papers, memos.
WORKSHEET - budget analyses, sales projections.
DATABASE - structured and organized data.
PRESENTATION - created by presentation graphics programs, might contain slides.

Connectivity and Internet

Connectivity

Connectivity is a concept describing the ability of end users to tap into resources well beyond their desktops. Computer networks are connected computers that share data resources.

Internet

The Internet is the world's largest computer network. The world wide web (WWW) is an Internet service that provides access to resources on the Internet.

System Software

System Software or background programs deal with the physical complexities of computer hardware. There are four kind of System softwares:

(1)Utilities, (2) Device Drivers, (3) Language translators, and (4) Operating Systems.

Operating Systems

Operating Systems like Windows 2000 perform three basic functions:

(1) coordinate resources, (2) provide user interface, and (3) load and run applications.

General Purpose Applications

General purpose applications are for common kinds of tasks. They include browsers, word processors, spreadsheets, database management systems, and presentation graphics programs. Common features include:

WINDOWS - rectangular areas that can contain a document, program, or message.
MENUS - lists of optional commands.
TOOLBARS - offer a graphic approach to selecting commands by using icons.
HELP - includes a table of contents, a search feature, and access to special learning features.

Browsers

Browsers connect to remote computers, open and transfer files, display text and images, and provide an interface to the Internet and Web. Common Internet and Web activities include communicating by sending e-mail and participating in newsgroups, searching the Web for information, and creating Web Sites using HTML.

Word Processors

Word processors create, edit, save, and print text-based documents. They are especially useful for deleting, inserting, and replacing. Principle features include:

WORD WRAP - automatically moves the insertion points to the next line.
ENTER KEY - inserts a new line.
SPELLING CHECKERS - identify incorrectly spelled words and present alternative spellings.
GRAMMAR CHECKERS - identify poor wording, grammar, and long sentences.
SEARCH - options quickly locate characters, words, or phrases.
REPLACE - replaces the located text with new text.
HYPERTEXT LINKS - provide a connect to cross-referenced information within a document to other documents.

Spreadsheets

Spreadsheets are used to organize, manipulate, and graph numeric information. Also known as a worksheet, a spreadsheet consists of rows and columns forming cells. Individual cells are identified by their cell address. A block of adjacent cells is called a range. Principle features include:

LABELS - identify information in the spreadsheet.
VALUES - include numbers.
FORMULAS - inctructions for calculations.
FUNCTIONS - prewritten formulas.
WHAT-IF ANALYSIS - the result of changing one or more values and observing the effect on related cells in the spreadsheet.
ANALYTICAL GRAPHS OR CHARTS - help visualize data on a spreadsheet.

Database Managers

Database management systems are used to create and use databases. A relational database organizes data into related tables that are linked by key fields. Principle features of database management systems include:

LOCATE AND DISPLAY - find and display records.
SORT AND ANALYZE - rearrange records in a database.
PROGRAM CONTROL LANGUAGES - programming languages for advanced users to create sophisticated database applications.

Presentation Graphics

Presentation graphics are used to create professional and exciting presentations. Principle features include:

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE - help is provided to organize content. Layout files include sample text for different type of presentations.
PROFESSIONAL DESIGN - sample templates for model presentations are provided. They specify design and layout.
ANIMATION - special visual and sound effects. Includes video and audio clips that play automatically or when selected.

Pakages and Suites

Integrated pacakages

An integrated pacakage is a single program providing the functionality of several separate application programs.

Software Suite

A software suite is a collection of individual windows application packages sold together.

Object Linking and Embedding (OLE)

Allows sharing of information (objects) between applications.

* object linking - linked objects are automatically updated whenever a parameter in the source file is changed.

* embedded linking - the object from the source is embedded or added and can be run from the destination file.