gelect

• Computer Technology involves a programmable, multiuse machine that accepts data and processes it into usable information, aiming to speed up problem-solving and increase productivity
• Communications Technology, also known as telecommunications technology, consists of electromagnetic devices and systems for communicating over long distances, including examples like telephone, radio, and broadcast television
• Online education, or distance learning, is a form of education where students can learn remotely using computers or other devices connected through a network to access information and services from another computer or information device
• Virtual refers to something that is created, simulated, or carried out by means of a computer or a computer network, including virtual money, cash-value cards, "electronic wallets" like PayPal, online bill paying, and e-commerce
• e-commerce involves the buying and selling of products and services by businesses and consumers through an electronic medium, without using paper documents, and includes activities like video games, photo sharing, downloading music and movies
• Downloading is the process of transferring data from a remote computer to one's own computer, commonly used for various purposes like hotels' computer reservations systems, law enforcement tasks, office careers, fashion industry operations, and job-hunting activities
• The evolution of the telephone, from the first cellphone call in 1973 to the rise of mobile phone users to 3.9 billion by 2013, has transformed these devices into tools that can connect to the internet, send/receive text messages, take/send pictures, download music/videos, and access news and TV programs
• Cyberspace, a term coined by William Gibson, encompasses the Internet, the World Wide Web, chat rooms, blogs, ATMs, conference calls, texting, and more, with the two most important aspects being the Internet and the web
• Supercomputers, are high-capacity machines with thousands of processors used for tasks like the U.S. Census, weather forecasting, designing aircraft, and scientific projects
• Personal computers are used for scientific, mathematical, engineering, CAD, CAM, and designing purposes, available in various types like desktops, towers, notebooks, netbooks, tablets, MIDs, PDAs, and e-readers
• microcontrollers or also called as Embedded computers are tiny, specialized microprocessors inside appliances and automobiles, performing specific functions like controlling microwaves, ovens, monitors, sensors, MP3 players, cameras, and car systems
• A server is a central computer connected to other computers on a client/server network, holding data and programs for clients to access and supplying services for clients, with the purpose of turning data into information through input, processing, storage, output, and communications
• Hardware in a computer includes machinery and equipment
• Storage capacity is represented in bytes, with units like kilobyte, megabyte, gigabyte, terabyte, and petabyte used to measure data storage, and storage hardware includes permanently installed devices like hard drives and CD/DVD drives, as well as removable media like CDs/DVDs, USB, and flash memory
• Output hardware in a computer system includes video, sound cards, speakers, monitors, printers, and communications hardware like modems, while system software performs essential operating tasks, with the operating system (OS) being the most crucial part, and application software enabling users to perform tasks
• Computer development focuses on miniaturization, speed, and affordability, while communications development emphasizes connectivity, interactivity, and multimedia
• Common applications of computers and information systems include online classes, grading, grocery and retail, PDA and smartphones, and the Internet
• Difference between computer literacy and information literacy:

  • Computer literacy: skills in using productivity software
  • Information literacy: understanding the role of information in generating and using business intelligence
• Transaction processing systems focus on data collection and processing, with minimal human involvement and operations being repetitive
• Management Information Systems are an organized integration of hardware and software technologies, data, processes, and human elements designed to produce timely, integrated, relevant, accurate, and useful information for decision-making purposes
• Major components of an information system:

  • Data
  • Database
  • Process
  • Information
• Data is the input to the system, can be collected in different forms, and has sources that can be external or internal
• Database is the heart of an information system, a collection of all relevant data organized in integrated files, essential for the success of any information system, and managed with a database management system (DBMS) like Oracle
• Process generates the most useful type of information for decision making, generally includes transaction-processing reports and models for decision analysis, and includes a wide range of models to support all levels of decision making
• Information is the output of an information system, facts that have been analyzed by the process component, and the quality of information is determined by factors like timeliness, integration with other data, consistency and accuracy, and relevance
• User interface of an information system must be flexible and easy to use, often utilizing graphical user interfaces (GUIs), with the ultimate goal of generating business intelligence (BI)
• Examples of information systems:

  • University: stores all student data in a database with built-in query capability
  • Teletech: international textile company with a database storing data on products, suppliers, sales personnel, and costs
• Information technologies like the Internet, databases, POS systems, and RFID tags are used to achieve the goals of information systems
• Information technologies at Home Depot include a POS system for fast customer service and improved inventory management, a wireless network for efficient in-store communication, a website for customer communication and online orders, and RFID tags for better inventory management
• Information is the second most important resource in any organization, alongside manpower, machinery, materials, and money
• Personnel information system (PIS) or human resource information system (HRIS) is designed to provide information that helps decision makers in personnel carry out their tasks more effectively, often using Web technologies
• Logistics information system (LIS) is designed to reduce the cost of transporting materials and maintain safe and reliable delivery
• Manufacturing information system (MFIS) manages manufacturing resources to reduce costs, increase product quality, and improve inventory decisions
• Financial information system (FIS) provides information to financial executives in a timely manner, while a marketing information system (MKIS) improves marketing decisions and provides timely, accurate, and integrated information about the marketing mix
• UPS Delivery Intercept is a web-based service that allows customers to intercept and reroute packages before they are delivered
• Package Flow Technology is used by UPS
• Wal-Mart Satellite Network is the largest private satellite communication system in the United States, linking branch stores with the home office in Bentonville, Arkansas
• Michael Porter, a professor at Harvard Business School, identified three strategies for competing in the marketplace successfully: overall cost leadership, differentiation, and focus
• Information systems help organizations reduce the cost of products and services, assist with differentiation and focus strategies, and can help bottom-line and top-line strategies
• Focus strategies concentrate on a specific market segment, attempting to achieve a cost or differentiation advantage, with examples like Apple, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Nordstrom