Study material requirements

Lecture Notes - Compulsory Reference Book/s - optional

Computers In Your Future (Marilyn Meyer & Roberts Baber) Management Information Systems (Raymond McLeoad, Jr.) Management Information Systems (Kenneth C Laudon & Jane P. Laudon) Computers (Larry Long & Nancy Long)

Chapter 1 Introduction to Computers Questions you need to ask:

Why do you need to take up a computer course? What do you need to know about computer?
Computer competency vs. Cyberphobia

If you can answer Yes to these questions, then you would have achieve computer competency
Feel comfortable using a computer Make computer work for you (use the software) Interact with a computer (input - output) Intelligent user of computer-related hardware and products

WHY COMPANIES COMPUTERISE

Automate business tasks, such as payroll, accounts and others. Less manual work. Faster search capabilities. Data analysis possible Main Reason - To be at par or ahead of competitors.

ADVANTAGES OF COMPUTER
Speed - computers are fast. Accuracy - computes are very accurate. Storage - can store data in a compact form. Economical - cheaper than manual alternative. Intangible benefits - better decision making, better services.

WHAT IS A COMPUTER ?
A computer is a device or system that can process or manipulate large amount of data quickly, efficiently, and effectively to produce information.

DATA

INFORMATION

INPUT - PROCESS - OUTPUT

Input - data entered into a computer. Output - information produced by a computer; processed data. Information Processing - steps that convert input data to output information.
DATA (Raw Food)
INFORMATION (Cooked Food)
INFORMATION PROCESSING (Cooking)

How do we use computers?

Software
Application Software Examples
word processing (WORD) spreadsheet (EXCEL) data management (ACCESS)

System Software Example

operating system (WINDOWS NT)

What can a computer does?

perform arithmetic functions (+, -, X, / ) Compare values between two data items ( >, <, =) Store and retrieve data

How Computers Operate?

Tape device, Magnetic device, CD-ROM Storage

printer

computer

terminal

Output

Processing

Input

User

In the past
terminal

Mainframe

IT professional

End user

In the Present
Personal computer Knowledge Worker

Types of Computer

Microcomputers

Minicomputers

Mainframes

Supercomputers

Desktops

Portables

PCs

Workstations

Laptops

notebooks

subnotebooks

PDAs

Parallel host processor 60 management terminals 150 Administrative terminals Front-end processor Back-end Processor

host processor (main computer system) 30 interactive programming stations

Secondary storage device 16 Dial-up connections for PCs Array of printers and plotters

A Mainframe Computer System - usually has more than 200 terminals

5 creditcheck terminals 30 orderentry terminals

Minicomputer

Printer

Storage devices e.g Magnetic tapes, Magnetic drives

7 interactive programming terminals

15 Management terminals

A Minicomputer System - for small companies or for remote departments

Workstation vs. PC
Speed
more for scientific, heavy-computational usage

Powerful operating system

can handle complex processing activities e.g. computer-aided design

Data Versus Information

Data
(raw facts)

Information
(organized, usable form)

Qualities of good information accurate simple economical timely reliable verifiable relevant

TYPES OF DATA
Alphanumeric characters Graphics Audio Image