Information Systems: Hardware and Software

Information Systems: Hardware and Software

Lecture Outlines Packet #2

FREC 135

FREC 135 – Introduction to Data Analysis

Binary Codes

• How Computers Compute (Represent Data and Instructions)

– Units of Measure• Bit (0 or 1) • Byte (8 bits) • Word (multiple bytes)

– Decimal Numbers System

– Binary Number System

– Major Codes – ASCII, EBCDIC, Unicode



Hardware

• The System Unit

– “the box” - can take many forms – desk top (horizontal / vertical), laptop, notebook, net book, etc.

Tablets and Readers


The System Board or Mother Board


• Central Processing Unit (CPU) – a microprocessor– Control Unit – Arithmetic / Logic Unit (ALU) – Characteristics

• Word Size - 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 bit microprocessors

• From Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Word_(computer_architecture) • In computing, word is a term for the natural unit of data used by a particular

processor design. A word is basically a fixed sized group of bits that are handled as a unit by the instruction set and/or hardware of the processor. The number of bits in a word (the word size, word width, or word length) is an important characteristic of a specific processor design or computer architecture.

– Clock Rate (speed) - more cycles of the system clock per second, more operations per second

• From Webopedia (http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/C/clock_speed.html) • Clock Rate is the speed at which a microprocessor executes instructions. Every computer

contains an internal clock that regulates the rate at which instructions are executed and synchronizes all the various computer components. The faster the clock, the more instructions the CPU can execute per second. Clock speeds are expressed in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz ((GHz).

– Technology started with Intel 4004 in 1970– http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microprocessor– 2300 transistors (or switches)


Times Change!


WSJ, 1995

World's First 2-Billion Transistor Microprocessor (by Intel)http://www.intel.com/technology/architecture-silicon/2billion.htm October 2010

Itanium Chip

Times Change Quickly!

• From Wikipedia –– http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transistor_count


Dual-Core Processors


WSJ, April 2006


CPU and Primary Storage (continued)

• Clock - provides timing signals (cycles) for CPU

• Expansion Slots and Boards (Adapters, Cards) - allow the capacity and capabilities of the system to be expanded

• Buses (Bus Lines) - pathways that connect the CPU to other parts of the system

– Three major Types: Data, Control and Address Bus

Data, Control and Address Busses


• Ports - socket to allow peripheral devices (printers, monitors, mouse, etc.) to be connected to the system

– Parallel

– Serial

– USB, USB2

– Firewire

– Ethernet

– SCSI

– Key Board, Mouse, Microphone, Earphones, etc.


• Primary (main, internal, working) Memory– consists of circuits on silicon chips; used to store data, instructions (software),

information, etc.

– Major types of primary memory -

• RAM (random access memory): user’s “work space”

– Early micros had 64 K(ilo or 1,000) bytes of ram

– Today, multiple Gigs(Giga or billions) bytes is typical.

• ROM (read only memory) – programmed “at the factory” with internal instructions

• Other types of memory: registers, buffers, cache memory

• Power Supply– May be internal or external (AC Adapter)


Input Devices

• Purpose of Input Devices– Used to convert human readable, visible, audible materials into machine readable

binary form (0’s and 1’s)

– Choice depend on materials to be used

• Keyboards– Most popular with many forms – traditional, flexible, ergonomic, wireless or cable,

small (for PDS), etc.

– QWERTY key arrangement is traditional - hold over from type writers

– Data is transcribed or typed

– New developments occurring every day.

• Pointing Devices– Mouse

– Touch Screen

– Light Pen



Input Devices (continued)

– Scanning Devices • Optical Scanners – Flatbed and Portable

– Used in airports (scan passport) and ATM (currency changer)

• Card Readers – Magnetic card and Radio Frequency

• Bar Code Readers – Wand or Platform

• Character and Mark Recognition

– Magnetic-ink Character Recognition (MICR)

– Optical-character Recognition (OCR)

– Optical-mark Recognition (OMR) – Image Capturing Devices

• Digital Cameras

• Cell Phone and Computer Cameras

• Digital Video Cameras – Webcams

• Digitizing Devices – record drawings, maps, hand writing

– Audio Input Devices – convert speech to digital form • Combine with software to form “voice recognition system” – user can speak to computer; either limited

commands or dictation


Output Devices

• Purpose of Output Devices– convert machine-readable form (0s and 1s) to human-readable

data (letters, numbers, etc.)

• Types of Output Devices– Soft Copy - Monitors, Audio Output– Hard Copy - Printers

• Monitors – Types of Monitors – Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) – See Next Slide– Flat Panel Displays (Desktop and Portables) – Other Specialized Monitors

• E-book Readers• Data Projectors• High-Definition TV (HDTV)


– Characteristics of Monitors• Size• Resolution• Expense



Output Devices (continued)

– Graphics “Standards” – combination of hardware and software; determines number of colors and resolution

• Super Video Graphics Array (VGA) • Extended Graphics Array (XGA) • Super XGA Ultra XGA

– Trends in Monitors • Smaller “foot print” (flat panels), higher resolution, more portable and

cheaper/quality

• Printers – Characteristics

• Speed – pages per minute versus characters • Print Resolution - fonts, sizes, etc. (see next slide) • Memory • Portability• Expense

– Popular Types of Printers• Ink-Jet• Laser Thermal

Print Types




– Other Types of Printers• Dot-matrix Printers• Photo Printers• Plotters - used for drawings, charts, maps, etc.

• Audio Output Devices – Speakers– Headphones– CD Players

• Combination Input and Output Devices– Fax Machines– Multifunction Devices (printer, scanner, copier, fax)– Internet Telephony– Terminals (dumb, intelligent, network and Internet)


• Specialized Output Devices


“Must Have” Output Devices


Printing on the Go!



Secondary Storage

• Purpose of Secondary Storage Devices – allow for permanent (!) storage of data, instructions, etc.

– choice depends on what is being stored

• Secondary (External) Storage Concepts – Permanent versus Temporary Storage

– Sequential vs. Direct or Random Access

• Important Characteristics– Capacity

– Access Speed

• Forms of Secondary Storage – Floppy Disks

– Hard Disks

– Optical Disks

– Magnetic Tape

– Solid State Storage – memory cards and USB drives

– All have advantages and disadvantages.



Software

• Definition of Software (Programs) – step-by-step instructions that tell the computer system what to do; converts data into information

• Major Types of Software

– System Software – “deals with the physical complexities of the hardware” and software.

• Consists of: utilities (service programs), device drivers, language translators, language translators and operating systems.

• Most important is the operating system – manages resources of the system, provides user interface with application software and hardware, and runs application programs.

• Major Types -

– Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 (many versions)

– Mac OS, Version 10

– Unix

– Linux

• All have advantages and all have disadvantages.


Software (continued)

• Application Software - written for a specific task; can be packaged or custom written; sources include: commercial, public domain, shareware– Common Features – windows, menus, toolbars, help, etc.

– Major Types of “Basic” Applications –• Browsers – Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox

• Word Processors - WordPerfect, Word

• Worksheets / Spreadsheets - Lotus, Excel

• Presentation Graphics – Powerpoint

• Database Management Systems – Access

• Art or Image Graphics – Publisher, Photoshop, etc.

• Web Authoring – FrontPage, NVU, Dreamweaver, etc.

• Personal Information Managers (PIMs) – Outlook, Organizer

• Statistical Software – JMP

• Geographic Information Systems - GIS

• Software Suites (Microsoft Office 20XX, Open Office) - some or all of the above packaged together

• Integrated Packages (Works) – less powerful, but cheaper


Software (continued)

• “Advanced” Applications – many, many!– Multimedia

– Web Authoring

– Advanced Graphics

– Virtual Reality

– Artificial Intelligence

– Project Management

– ??

Summary

• Hardware and Software are critical parts of a modern information system.

• For microcomputer systems, both have improved in many ways (cheaper, easier to use, more capabilities, etc.) over the last 25 years.

• Lecture Sources: O’Leary , Computing Essentials - 2008, 2008 and Miscellaneous Personal Materials.


Course Summary

• Purpose: To enhance students' computer competency, i.e., their knowledge about computers and their

ability to use computers to produce and manage information necessary to make decisions and solve problems in their student and professional lives.

• Objectives: Provide student a basis for using computers and other electronic resources at the University of Delaware.

• Expand students' knowledge about computer technology and how it impacts society and them as students and future professionals.

• Provide a working knowledge of software available for collecting, organizing, analyzing and presenting data in the agricultural and natural resource sciences.

• Summary: Course carries you a little farther “down the road” of computer knowledge and, hopefully, instills an appreciation for the ever evolving technology.

• The rest of the “trip” is up to you!

• Thank you for your attendance and participation.


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Information Systems: Hardware and Software

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