Transcript Information Processing Cycle

Chapter 1: Computer Basics
• Learning Objectives:
• Understand the purpose and elements of information systems
• Recognize the different types of computers
• Distinguish the main software types
• Identify the components of a computer system
• Understand how computers communicate
Understanding Information
Systems
• Information system: An interconnected environment
for managing and processing data using a computer
Parts of an information system
1. People: the only reason computers exist is to help
people accomplish their goals.
2. Hardware: is the physical part of the computer
system. Hardware consists of components inside a
computer as well as the external devices that interact
with it.
3. Software: programs that tells the hardware what to
do.
4. Procedures: The software doesn’t run itself (usually).
People must interact with the computer to tell it
what software to run.
5. Data: Computer programs operate upon the data
they receive.
Computer Types
• Computers can be generally categorized into:
• Personal Computers
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Desktop PCs
Notebook PCs (Laptop)
Tablet PCs
Smartphones
• Multi-User Computers
• Server
• Mainframes
• Supercompurters
Computer Types
• Personal Computer: A computer designed to be
used by only one person at a time.
• Desktop PC
• System unit, separate monitor, keyboard, mouse
• Notebook PC
• Fold-up design, built-in keyboard and screen
• Tablet PC
• Slate design, touch screen, no separate keyboard, mouse, or
monitor
• Smartphone
• Hand-held, phone and computer, touch screen
Computer Types
Other personal computer types *
Computer Types
• Multi-User Computers: are designed to serve groups of
people, from a small office to a huge international
enterprise
• Server
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Serves and supports a network
Provides centrally accessible storage space
Shares resources such as printers and files
Does not directly provide processing power to clients
• Mainframe
• Collects large amounts of business data
• Provides processing support to terminals
• Supercomputer
• Largest computer available
• Universities, research, government
Servers and Mainframes
Supercomputers
Software Types
• Software: are the programs that tell the computer what to
do.
• Operating System (OS): the program that manages all the
computer’s activities after startup.
 User interface
 Runs application
 File storage
 Communication with hardware
 Examples
 Windows
 Mac OS
 Unix
Application Software
• Application Software: Software that helps a human perform a
useful task for work or play.
 Examples: Productivity tools, graphics, games, multimedia
software
• Productivity software: Software that helps a human perform
one or more business or personal enrichment tasks.
• Usually comes as a suite: A
group of applications designed
to complement each other’s
capabilities and work together
closely, often with a
consistent interface between
the applications.
• Example: MS Office
Software Types
• Utilities: Software that performs some useful service to the
operating system,
 Error correction, optimization, protection
• Basic Input Output System (BIOS)
 Read-only chip on motherboard
 Startup instructions for computer
Information Processing Cycle
• Every computer system is
made up of multiple
electronic components.
• Information Processing
Cycle The four-step
process that data moves
through as it is processed
by a computer
components.
• Consists of input,
processing, output, and
storage
Information Processing Cycle
• Input: Components that help humans put data into the
computer.
• Examples include a keyboard, mouse, and touch screen.
• Processing: Components that move and process the data
inside the computer.
• The motherboard and its processor and memory chips fall into this
category.
• Output: Components that provide the results of the
processing to humans.
• The monitor is the primary output device; other examples include
printers and speakers.
• Storage: Components that store software and data until it is
needed.
• Storage components include hard drives, USB flash drives, and
DVDs.
How Data is Represented
• The smallest unit of data in a computer is a bit. A bit is
a single binary digit, with either a 1 (on) or 0 (off) value.
• Eight bits can combine to make a byte, which is an 8digit binary number.
Common Quantities of Bytes
Term
Number of Bytes
Kilobyte (KB)
1024 (approximately one thousand
Megabyte (MB)
1,048,576 (approximately one million)
Gigabyte (GB)
1,073,741,824 (approximately one billion)
Terabyte (TB)
1,099,411,627,776 (approximately one trillion)
Petabyte (PB)
1,125,899,906,842,6624 (approximately one
quadrillion)
Input, Processing, Output and
Storage Components
Input, Output and Storage Devices
• Input Devices: provide a way to get data into the
computer.
 Keyboard, pointing devices, digital cameras,
scanners, bar code readers…
• Output Devices: Information comes out of a computer
through an output device.
 Monitor, printer, speakers…
• Storage Devices: enable software and data to be
preserved and reused. Storage can be either removable
or non-removable.
 Hard drive, USB flash drive, CD, DVD,…
Processing Devices
• Motherboard: A large circuit board inside a computer
that controls the operations of all other components.
• CPU: The chip in the computer that performs math
calculations, processing data. Also called the Central
Processing Unit (CPU).
• Memory: Temporary electronic storage that holds the
values of data bits using transistors.
• Buses: A conductive pathway built into a circuit board,
used to move data.
• Chipset : The controller chip on a circuit board.
Processing Devices
Motherboard
Memory
Central Processing Unit (CPU) /
Processor
Buses
Motherboard
How Computers Communicate
• Communication technology has
advanced greatly, and there are
many choices for making
computers connect to one
another.
• A network is a group of
computers that share resources
(such as printers or Internet service) and/or data
(such as files).
• Most computers today are part of one or more
networks.
Ethernet Networking
• Ethernet networking: The current dominant standard
for local area networking devices.
 Wired Ethernet
 Wireless Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11)
• Network Hardware
• Network Adapter: A hardware component that enables a
computer to connect to a network. Also known as a Network
interface card (NIC)
• Router: A connection box for Ethernet networks that
physically joins the devices in the network (wired) or provides
wireless connectivity (wireless), and enables a connection to
an outside network such as the Internet.
Other Ways Computers
Communicate
• Bluetooth: Short-range personal
networking used primarily to connect
wireless devices directly to specific
computers.
The Internet
• Internet: is the world’s largest network. When you
use the Internet, your computer becomes a
member of this giant network, and you can
communicate with any other computer on the
Internet.
• ISP (Internet service provider): company that
maintains a direct connection to the Internet and
leases access to it to individuals and companies.
• Broadband: A fast, always-on network connection.
Key Terms
application software
backbone
BIOS
bit
Bluetooth
broadband
buses
byte
chipset
client/server
desktop PC
Ethernet
fiber optic cable
global positioning system
(GPS)
hard drive
hardware
information processing
cycle
information system
Internet
Internet service provider
(ISP)
keyboard
mainframe
memory
Microsoft Office
monitor
motherboard
netbook
network
network adapter
notebook PC
operating system (OS)
peer-to-peer
personal computer (PC)
pointing device
processor
productivity software
router
server
server farm
smartphone
software
Software as a Service
suite
supercomputer
switch
system unit
tablet PC
Transmission Control
Protocol/Internet
Protocol (TCP/IP)
utility software
Wi-Fi
Summary
1. What are the five parts of an information system?
2. What is the difference between a server and a
mainframe?
3. What distinguishes an operating system from an
application?
4. What are the four parts of the information processing
cycle?
5. What is Wi-Fi and what equipment does it require?