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Hardware and Software Basics
BSAD 141
Dave Novak
BDIS: 1.1 (2-13)
Appendix A
Reminder Please READ the syllabus so that you
understand the expectations, requirements, and structure of the course
Understand the software requirements
Course Website URL
I administer everything through the BSAD 141 course website
http://www.uvm.edu/~dnovak/bsad141.htmlProvides the schedule, class notes, class
activities, reading assignments, grades, etc.I suggest that you save the site in your
favoritesYou will need to consult the site multiple
times a week
Required Software
Microsoft Office suite (includes Word, Excel, Access, and Visio)MACs will need to have special software
installed such as VirtualBox• You CANNOT run the Apple version of
Excel or Access – You will need the Windows version!
Matt Parisi (227 Kalkin) during business hours• Bring your power supply
Topics Covered Hardware and software overview Basic hardware Basic software Data and information What is MIS?
Why should a non-IT worker or manager care how about technology related issues?
IS versus IT
Information systems (IS) – a large conceptual idea covering all systems designed to create, store, manage, and disseminate information
Information technology (IT) – a component of IS that specially addresses the technologies being used by the systems
A particular information system (i.e. UVM’s course registration system) uses many different technologies
IS vs. IT
Information Systems (IS) includes all five components below, while Information Technology (IT) addresses only the hardware and software components
Source: “Experiencing MIS”, Kroenke, 2008
Hardware versus Software
Hardware - Consists of the physical tangible devices (these can be touched) associated with a computer system Monitors
Printers
Software - The collection of non-tangible instructions that the hardware executes to carry out specific tasks
Hardware and software must work together
Hardware Basics
Source: Kroenke, Experiencing MIS, 2008, p. 70
Central Processing Unit
What is the CPU and what does it do?
Central Processing Unit
The number of CPU cycles per second determines the speed of a CPU
Megahertz (MHz)
Gigahertz (GHz)
Bit versus Byte
Binary digit (bit) - The smallest unit of information that a computer can process
1 or 0
Byte - A group of eight bits representing one natural language character
10001100
Question: When do you use b vs. B?
Central Processing Unit
CPU speed factors
Clock speed
Word length
Bus width
Central Processing Unit
Parallel Bus versus Serial Bus
Primary Storage
Primary storage - The computer’s main memory
Primary Storage
Primary storage - The computer’s main memory, which consists of:1) Random access memory (RAM)2) Cache memory3) Read-only memory (ROM)
Random Access Memory (RAM)
Cache Memory
Read Only Memory (ROM)
What is Virtual Memory?
Virtual memory is a technique for combining the computer’s RAM with temporary space on the hard drive (cheap storage)
Modern applications and programs can be memory intensive
Computers have a limited amount of all types of memory, and adding additional memory costs money
How Virtual Memory works
A reserved space on the hard drive for virtual memory fluctuates in size (by default) depending on how much additional memory the system needsThis reserved space is called the page file
(a.k.a. swap file)Still may experience “slowness” when the
computer pauses to change tasks and swap files
Purpose of Virtual Memory Increases Usable Memory
Virtual memory allows some of the contents in RAM that haven’t been used recently to be copied into memory or storage on the hard drive. This frees up space in RAM to load and run new applications
Alternatively, you would have to seriously limit the number of applications you have open at any given time or add more RAM
Hard disk space is MUCH cheaper than RAM, so the cost effective solution may not be to add more RAM
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/virtual-memory.htm
PC Optimization through VM Management
Setting your virtual memory allocation to a static amount is a technique to optimize system performance.
Clearing the swap file can help lagging systems
Fluctuating virtual memory allocated space leads to noticeable lag when the size is adjustedfragmentation errors
Virtual Memory
Scenario:You have a machine with 2 GB of RAM1.8 GB is already being used by the system
for background services (real-time virus protection, AIM, Auto-Updating Services, itunes…)
You now want to run MS Visio 2010 and to do so you, need 500 MB of available Memory.
What does your machine do?
Secondary Storage Secondary storage - Consists of equipment
designed to store large volumes of data for long-term storage
Less expensive but much slower to access and use
Types of Secondary Storage (magnetic)
Magnetic tape - An older secondary storage medium that uses a strip of thin plastic coated with a magnetically sensitive recording medium
Hard drive - A secondary storage medium that uses several rigid disks coated with a magnetically sensitive material and housed together with the recording heads in a hermetically sealed mechanism
Types of Secondary Storage (optical) A device that uses lasers to read or write
data Compact disk-read-only memory (CD-
ROM) Compact disk-read-write (CD-RW) driveDigital video disk (DVD) DVD-ROM driveDigital video disk-read/write (DVD-RW)
Types of Secondary Storage (optical) Difference between CDs and DVDs?
What is Blu-ray?
Units of Storage
Units of Storage Kilobyte (KB) – Approximately one thousand Bytes
Megabyte (MB) - Approximately one million Bytes
Gigabyte (GB) - Approximately one billion Bytes
Terabyte (TB) - Approximately one trillion Bytes
Petabyte (PB) - Approximately one quadrillion Bytes
Software Basics
System software – software designed to operate and manage all the hardware in the computer and provides a platform for running all application software
Types of System Software
1) Operating system software
2) Utility software
3) Device Drivers
Operating System Software
Questions you should be able to answer: Name three commonplace operating systems
What operating system does your mobile computing device currently run?
Utility Software
Types of Utility Software
Disk imageDisk optimization Encrypt dataFile and data recovery Text protectPreventative security Spyware Uninstaller
Device Drivers
Application Software Software that is used to perform specific tasks
beyond operating the computer itselfSystem software manages the computer, but does
not necessarily do anything for the userApplication software directly serves the user
Application software is run in combination with (or on top of) a specific system software
Generic Types of Application Software
Browser Communication Data management Desktop publishing Email Groupware Presentation graphics Programming Spreadsheet Word processing
Examples of Specific Types of Application Software Browser
Internet Explorer is specifically designed to run with Microsoft Windows system software
Safari is specifically designed to run with Apple / MAC system software
Firefox is designed to work with different system software, but you need to download the version that is specific to the system software you are running
Issues with Specific Types of Application Software Most application software is designed to
work with a specific system software suite – i.e. MS Office / MS Windows / on a PC, Android/smartphone and tablets (note that Android is based on Linux) If you are running Apple-based system
software on your iPhone, iPad, or MAC, you cannot run application software that is specifically designed for a different system software like Windows
Data Raw, unorganized facts and figures that need
to be processed Data can be random until properly organized
Information Data (raw, unorganized facts and figures) that
have been organized, structured or presenting in a given context to make it useful
Data versus Information
Data – the numeric score that you receive on an assignment (i.e. you receive a 50)
Information – the numeric score you receive relative to the maximum number of points on the assignment and the average of all scores in the class (i.e. you scored a 50 out of 55 total points where the average score for the class was 47)
Management Information Systems (MIS) Generally refers to how people and
organizations design, implement, manage, and use all types of information technology (IT) and information systems (IS) to generate information to improve the effectiveness of decision-making
Summary of Topics Covered Hardware and software overview Basic hardware Basic software Data and information What is MIS?
Check the schedule BEFORE next class!