computers chapter 1

• MIS


  Computer system consisting of hardware and software that are used to run an organisation's operations
• MIS


  1. Data gathering from disparate sources including online sources

  2. Analyse data to produce information

  3. Aid decision making processes
• MIS is a study of how such systems work
• Management information systems


  A course that focuses on information and communication technology (ICT) as it is used in an organisational setup
• Concepts related to MIS covered in this course


  • Basic Concepts of MIS
  • Hardware and Software
  • Database management systems
  • Information systems development
  • Types of management information systems
  • Decision support systems
  • Telecommunications systems
  • Internet applications
  • Managing an Information Systems Project
• Hardware components


  • Input Device
  • Central Processing Unit (CPU)
  • Memory
  • Secondary Storage Unit (SSU)
  • Output Device
• Primary Memory


  Internal memory, four main types: Register, RAM, Cache Memory, ROM
• Secondary Memory


  Auxiliary memory, supplementary storage including flash disks, Eternal hard drives etc. Non-Volatile
• Binary digits


  Bits form alphabetical characters and any other character depending on the code in use
• ASCII


  American Standard Code for Information Interchange
• EBCDIC


  Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code
• 8 digits form a byte in both EBCDIC ASCII
• ASCII also appears in six-bit form, word length is a multiple of 6 as opposed to 8
• Kilobyte (KB)


  1024 bytes
• Megabyte (MB)


  1 million bytes
• Gigabyte (GIG)


  1 billion bytes
• Terabyte (TB)


  1 trillion byte
• Measuring computer power


  • Word-size - width of the processor register
  • Clock speed - measured in megahertz
  • Number of instructions per unit - measured in millions of instructions per second (MIPs)
• Factors affecting processing speed


  • The size of the register (word size)
  • The amount of RAM
  • The computer's system clock
  • The width of the data bus
  • The size or width of the address bus
  • The bus architecture in the PC
• Classification of Computers


  • Microcomputer
  • Minicomputer/Midrange Computer
  • Mainframe Computer
  • Supercomputer
• Classification by Function


  • Server
  • Workstation
  • Embedded computer
  • Supercomputer
• Factors affecting Hardware Acquisition


  • Acquisition Time
  • Rent or buy
  • Choice of vendor
  • Installation, maintenance and training
  • Operating costs
  • Ergonomics
  • Scalability
  • Integration with existing systems
• Computer Software


  A collection of computer programmes and related data that provide instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it
• Classification of software


  • System software
  • Application software
  • Development software
• Steps in Acquiring Computer Hardware and Software


  1. Inventorying computer hardware

  2. Estimate workloads

  3. Evaluate computer H/W

  4. S/W evaluation

  5. Choose vendor
• Advantages of Using Computers


  • Accuracy
  • Large data processing capabilities
  • Data storage
  • Data security
  • Ease of communication
  • Time management
  • Documentation
  • Learning and training tools
  • E-commerce and various business applications
• Disadvantages of Using Computers


  • Over reliance and complacency
  • Child safety
  • Theft and viruses
  • Over reliance on electricity supply
  • Expense
  • Finger and eyesight disorders