Week-9

Information System Hardware

and its types
And
Information System Software
and its types

A-1
 Computer Hardware Equipment Categories

Input
The act of entering information into a computer using a
device that is best suited for the format of the data (i.e. a
keyboard for character information)

Processing
Transforming inputs into outputs by use of highly
specialized computer components that are integrated
to communicate with input and output devices

Output
The act of receiving information from a computer
using the device that best suits the application (i.e.
a printer for a memo)

Information Systems Today A-2 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Computer Hardware

Output Device
Monitor

Input Device
Keyboard Processing Device
The System Unit
Information Systems Today A-3 (©2006 Prentice Hall)
 Input Needs and Devices
Entering Text and Numbers
The keyboard is the primary entry device for this
requirement. Ergonomic versions have been created to
minimize repetitive stress injuries
Pointing and Selecting
These devices come in many shapes, sizes and styles
including: mice, light pens, touch pads, touch screens,
joysticks, etc., and are used for many applications from
drafting documents to online gaming
Entering Batch Data
The most common device for this is the scanner used in
conjunction with optical character recognition (OCR)
software that can convert text into digital data quickly.
Other techniques are optical mark recognition, barcode
readers, magnetic ink character readers, etc.
Information Systems Today A-4 (©2006 Prentice Hall)
 Input Devices – Text and Pointing

Information Systems Today A-5 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Input Needs and Devices

Smart Cards
A special kind of credit card with a magnetic strip,
microprocessor, or memory circuits that can be used for
many applications and is resistant to tampering

Entering Audio
Sound is digitized when stored and processed on a
computer and generally comes in two categories
• Voice Input – this is done by speaking into a microphone
and can be made very powerful when coupled with voice
recognition software enabling a voice conversion to text or
other forms
• Other Audio – this is done through connecting a computer
to other audio transfer devices (e.g. musical instrument digital
transfer (MIDI))

Information Systems Today A-6 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Input Needs and Devices
Entering Video
Images are digitized and stored in both still and moving
formats or “streaming video”. A number of devices can be
used for this purpose

Still Images
These images are generally entered from digital cameras,
devices that can read digital camera cards or chips, or CDs
generated at the time of film camera processing

Streaming Video and Streaming Media

Steaming video images contain only video, while streaming
media combine both audio and video. Images can be
entered into a computer using VCR’s, video cameras, DVD,
Web cams, etc.. These are extremely large files due to the
dense nature of the video content
Information Systems Today A-7 (©2006 Prentice Hall)
 Input Needs and Devices

Information Systems Today A-8 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Processing

Processing
The role of processing in a computer system is to
translate inputs into outputs. This is done through a
combination of language and system components

Language System Unit

Computers speak a The physical box that
language called binary or houses all of the working
“machine language” electronic components of
which consists of 0s & 1s the computer

Information Systems Today A-9 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Processing – Language

Binary or Machine Language

• The language that all computers use
• IT is expressed in 0s or 1s only (see below)
• Binary utilizes Base-2 math to convert from normal
characters to binary code (e.g. A = 0100 0001 in binary)

Binary Example How a Computer Uses it

A = 0100 0001

Byte
Bit (8 bits)
A single Makes up
0 or 1 one
character
Information Systems Today A-10 (©2006 Prentice Hall)
 Processing – The System Unit

The System Unit

The physical box that houses all of the working electronic
components of the computer

Components
• Support – electronic equipment to run the machine
• Central Processing Unit (CPU) – the primary
processor in a computer
• Primary Storage – temporary and permanent storage
used by the computer to operate
• Secondary Storage – longer-term storage for data
• Ports and Slots – mechanisms to connect devices
and specialty processors

Information Systems Today A-11 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Processing – Motherboard, Power Supply, Fan

Motherboard
Contains all the of the components that do the actual
processing work including
• Central Processing Unit
• RAM and ROM
• Secondary Storage Devices (e.g hard drive)
• Slots - connecting specialty processors
• Ports - connecting input/output devices

Power Supply
Converts standard 110/240 volt AC to lower voltages
such as 5/10 volt DC for use in the computer

Fan
Low voltage device designed to protect the computer
from the high heat generated by the CPU
Information Systems Today A-12 (©2006 Prentice Hall)
 Processing – Mother Board Example

Information Systems Today A-13 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Processing – Central Processing Unit

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Called the “brains of the computer”, its role is to perform
the operations of the computer using two components:
• Control Unit – this device interprets instructions and
transmits direction to the computer’s components
• Arithmetic Logic Unit – this device performs math as well as
logical operations by interpreting and executing instructions

CPU Operations
• Fetching - loading the next program instruction from memory
• Decoding - determines the next operation by using registers
(temporary storage) to store the instructions and memory
location used
• Retrieving – loading the necessary data from memory and
telling the ALU to execute the required instructions
• Storing – placing the results of the computations in a register
or in memory
Information Systems Today A-14 (©2006 Prentice Hall)
 Processing – Central Processing Unit

Clock Speed
The system clock generate pulses at a rapid rate regulating
the speed of the processor. A clock tick is one pulse and
the clock speed is measured in hertz (see below)
Registers
Provide temporary storage where data must reside while it is
being processed or manipulated
Cache Memory
A small block of memory used by the processors to store
those instructions most recently or most often. This
significantly increases the speed of the processor. Cache
memory comes in two types:
• Internal – incorporated in the microprocessor’s design
• External – is not built into the CPU but is located on the
motherboard for easy access
Information Systems Today A-15 (©2006 Prentice Hall)
 Processing – Primary Storage

Primary Storage
This storage is used for temporary storage to support
computer processing and come in RAM and ROM types
Random Access Memory (RAM)
This is the computer’s main processing storage and
consists of several chips containing thousands of
electronic circuits etched in silicon mounted on a small
circuit board call a single inline memory module
(SIMM). RAM has the following characteristics:
• Provides temporary storage for computer operation
• Stores data programs and data currently in use
• CPU can randomly access the data stored in RAM
• Instructions are considered volatile and will be lost
when the computer is turned off
Information Systems Today A-16 (©2006 Prentice Hall)
 Processing – Primary Storage

Read-Only Memory (ROM)

This memory exists on a chip on the motherboard and
contains information that can be read by the computer
but not written to. ROM stores the instructions required to
run the computer before the system software takes over

Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory

(EEPROM or also called Flash Memory)
This is a variation of ROM that can be read and
repeatedly written to and erased like RAM, but is different
in that the information is retained after the power is turned
off

Information Systems Today A-17 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Processing – Secondary Storage
Secondary Storage
This nonvolatile storage is used to permanently store
information and is not part of the CPU but is connected
through the system bus. It comes in many types

Hard Drives
These devices use a thin layer of magnetic media on a
plastic or steel disk and have a very high storage
capacity. Redundant array of independent disks
(RAID) is a storage technique using multiple hard disks to
secure data against a single device failure or “crash”
Diskettes
These are portable magnetic media, similar to hard
drives, written to by inserting the diskette into a diskette
drive. A high-capacity diskette drive system that stores
over 100 times a normal diskette is called a ZIP drive

Information Systems Today A-18 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Processing – Secondary Storage

Optical Disk
This technology uses a laser to: write by burning spots
into a disk coated with a metallic substance representing a
data package; read by interpreting the reflection of the
light off the burned in data spots. These disks come in
several types:
• Magneto-Optical (MO) – this disk contains tiny magnetic
crystals allowing the disk to be written to multiple times and is
extremely high capacity
• Compact Disk (CD) – this technology is standard equipment
on PCs and comes in two types: (CD-R) write once; (CD-RW)
allows to write multiple times
• Digital Video Disk (DVD) – a common storage format used
for movies and other video media but can also be used for
data storage and holds over 7 times a CD’s capacity

Information Systems Today A-19 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Processing – Secondary Storage

Magnetic Tape
Used for storage of computer information consisting of a
narrow tape coated with a magnetic substance, Unlike all
other secondary storage mediums, this technology reads
and writes data sequentially. Tape is commonly used for
backing up data from other secondary storage technologies
Secondary Storage – A Comparison

Information Systems Today A-20 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Processing – Ports and Slots
These are devices used to provide hardware interfaces
– plugs and sockets - to connect devices to computers
and components to provide a fully functional computer

Information Systems Today A-21 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Output Devices
Video
A visual display of data that supports motion using a
monitor (black and white or color) coming in two types:
• Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) – a boxy device…like a television
• Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) – a flat screen used in
notebooks or as a stand-alone device
• Projection – A device that projects a picture onto a screen

CRT

LCD

Information Systems Today A-22 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Output Devices
Printers and Plotters
A visual display that is presented on hard copy (e.g. paper)
• Dot Matrix – older technology using a series of dots to create
characters, typically in black and white
• Ink-jet – newer technology that sprays ink onto paper in
character or image format in color or black-and-white
• Laser – a very high-quality technology that uses an
electrostatic process that burns ink into characters or images
and also comes in black-and-white or color (very expensive)

Information Systems Today A-23 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Output Devices

Audio
Audio is transmitted using a sound card connected to
speakers that is inserted into one of the motherboard’s
slots. The computer translates digits into sound by
sending the data to the sound card that interprets these
data into tones

Information Systems Today A-24 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Information System Software
and its types

Information Systems Today A-25 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Classes of Software

System Software
The collection of programs that control the basic functions
of computer hardware

Application Software
Programs that let the user perform a specific task or
operation by interacting with the system software

Development Languages and Environments

Automated software tools used by system developers
to design and implement information systems

Information Systems Today A-26 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 System Software – a.k.a. Operating Systems

Information Systems Today A-27 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Operating System
Operating System
Manages common tasks for computers including getting
input from a device, reading and/or writing data from a
storage device, and presenting information to the user
Common Functions
• Booting or (starting) the computer
• Reading programs into memory and managing memory
allocation
• Managing where programs and files are located in
secondary storage
• Maintaining the structure of directories and subdirectories
• Formatting disks
• Controlling the computer monitor
• Sending documents to the printer

Information Systems Today A-28 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Operating System

Information Systems Today A-29 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Common Operating Systems

Information Systems Today A-30 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Application Software
Application Software
This software performs specific user functions (e.g. e-mail)

Customized Application Software

Software that is developed to meet the specification of an
organization. This can be developed “in-house” by IS
staff or by an outside vendor. Advantages include:
• Customizability – tailored to meet specific needs
• Problem specificity – pay for only those functions that are
developed for and used by the organization

Off-the-Shelf Software
Packaged software developed by a vendor for a
particular problem or industry but is not specific to an
organization. This is a lower cost approach that may be
combined with custom development to tailor it
Information Systems Today A-31 (©2006 Prentice Hall)
 Types of Application Software

Types of Application Software

Application software come in two types for use by
organizations: 1) large business systems and office
automation; 2) personal productivity tools
Business Systems Personal Productivity
These large systems Used by individuals or
support enterprise-wide groups to support a variety
operations such as: of common tasks such as:
• Accounting -A/P, A/R, • Communication – e-mail,
general ledger, payroll word processing
• Operations - inventory • Scheduling – group
management, order calendars
processing, shipping, etc. • Analysis - spreadsheets

Information Systems Today A-32 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Application Software Examples

Information Systems Today A-33 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Open Source Software

Open Source
A special class of software that includes operating systems,
application software, and programming languages in which
the source code (the actual program code) is freely
available to the general public for use and/or modification

Popular Open Source Applications

A number of mainstream open source applications can be
found across many organizations. Here are just a few:
• Operating systems – Linux
• Web browsers – Mozilla
• Web servers – Apache
• E-mail processing – Sendmail
• Internet domain naming service – BIND
• Secure connection standard - OpenSSL
Information Systems Today A-34 (©2006 Prentice Hall)
 Open Source Software
Open Source Initiative (OSI)
The OSI is a certification process developed by the open
source community to ensure that open source software
meets a set of standards
OSI Standards
• The author or holder of the license of the source code (SC)
cannot collect royalties on the distribution of the program
• The distributed program must make the SC accessible to
the user
• The author must allow modifications of the work under the
program’s original name
• No person, group, or field of endeavor can be denied
access to the program
• The rights attached to the program must not depend on the
program’s being part of a particular software distribution
Information Systems Today A-35 (©2006 Prentice Hall)
 Compilers, Programming Languages

Compilers and Interpreters

Software designed to translate programming languages
into machine code or binary in order to allow the computer
to execute the program instructions

Programming Languages
Languages used to write program instructions that have
evolved from early “machine language” to higher-level
languages that are easier to write and understand

Information Systems Today A-36 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Open Source Software

Compilers
These highly-specialized software applications are used to
convert program instructions (source code) into the machine
code (object code) prior to being loaded into a computer’s
secondary storage

Compiler Example

Information Systems Today A-37 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Compilers and Interpreters

Interpreter
These specialized software applications are similar to
compilers but instead of translating the source code to
machine language prior to loading, it reads, translates, and
executes one line of source code at a time during operation

Interpreter Example

Information Systems Today A-38 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Programming Languages - Generations

Programming Languages
These languages are used to write program instructions and
have evolved over time making them more powerful, easier
to read and write, and more natural language-focused

Generations of Programming Languages

mid
1940s 1950s 1950s 1970s 1990s
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
Outcome Artificial
Machine Symbolic High-Level Oriented Intelligence
Binary Use of Use English Use Natural
symbols like words for outcome language
procedures focused (spoken
words English)

Information Systems Today A-39 (©2006 Prentice Hall)

 Popular Programming Languages

Information Systems Today A-40 (©2006 Prentice Hall)