Chapter 3

Information System
Fundamentals

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Hardware for Information

Systems
Information System
Fundamentals

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Computer and
Communications
Computer hardware: physical equipment that
Hardware
makes up a computer is called hardware device.

Input devices E.g include a keyboard, mouse,

scanner, digital pen, and digital tablet
Output devices E.g include a screen, monitor,
printer, and fax.
Primary storage e.g RAM
Secondary storage E.g include hard disks,
floppy disks, ZIP disks, CDROMs, and DVDs.
Central Processing Unit (CPU)

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Computer and
Communications
Second component of hardware is
Hardware
Communications hardware

Network devices
Network is a configuration of
computers connected electronically
so that they communicate each other.

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The Need for Computer

Hardware

Speed: Ability to process data and produce

information rapidly
business benefit from rapid processing by
providing better service at reduced cost e.g.
ATM is faster than human teller.
Accuracy: Assurance that processing result
are correct
Business cost is greater and information is
less reliable.
POS is more accurate than human clerk

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The Need for

Communications
Capacity: Ability to handle large amount of
Hardware
data

sales analysis systems can examine

thousand of data.
Allow the firm to compete effectively with
other business
Business can gain competitive advantage
Continuously monitor the hardware
requirement for maintaining competitive
advantage.

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The Need for

Communications
Remote access: access to information and
processing at remote locations.
Hardware

Information sharing: sharing of

information related to business operation
and management
Resource sharing: sharing of expensive
and scarce computer resources
E.g. printers, file servers
Interorganizational communication:
communication between computers in
different business e.g. EDI,EFT

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Types of Computer
Systems
Variation of computer depends on capacity, speed and

cost
Three main hardware configuration used for IS.
Personal Computers(micro computer)
Most widely designed microcomputer follow the design
of IBM
IBM, Apple ii, Macintosh or Mac
Desktop
Laptop
Handheld (3com,Hewlett-Packard (HP)
Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)
Workstations(extra capabilities graphic diagram &
pictures) sun Microsystems.

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Types of Computer
Systems
(contd.)
Multiple-user computer systems( single computer used by

many people at one time)

Minicomputer or mid range computer(used just a few
people at a time, small to medium size organization,
used for checkout in the supermarket)
Typically between $5,000 and $200,000 e.g IBM &HP
Mainframe computer(hundred to thousand people,
medium to large size organization. used for ATM in
bank)
Typically between $100,000 and $10,000,000.
Amdahl,Unisys
Super computer (5million to 20 million)
Both are multi-user environments e.g Cray research
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Types of Computer
Systems
(contd.)
Networked computer systems

Many computers connected to a network used by many

people at one time. micro,mini,mainframe,Super computer
may be used. trend to use micro computer. Business
replace their mini or mainframe to networked computer
Used for workgroup ,organizational
systems,interorganizational systems
Servers provide services to other computers on the
network. used to store data& print out output from other
computer also used to store information for internet users
Clients a users workstation connected to the network.
Client-server computing servers store data for all client
and clients allow any user to retrieve the data.This
approach is called client/server computing.

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Types of Software

A program is a set of instructions that tells the computer what to

do.
Each instruction is followed step by step whether it is right or
wrong.
The instruction is executed in sequence by CPU. sequence can be
changed by including special instruction. Eg. Decision and Loop.
Application software designed for specific computer applications
for a business or organization. Helps the business or organization
function .Types individual ,workgroup, organizational &
interorganizatiol application software.
System software designed to make computers usable, always
control in computer. Also known as an operating system. Helps
the computer function.
Communications software designed to permit computers to
talk to each other

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PC and Network Operating Systems

Microsoft Windows is the most popular

Installed more than other OS combined

Installed on about 95% of computers
Apple and Linux represent the other 5%
Windows is gradually loosing its market share to other OS,
especially to Apple

PC Operating Systems: DOS, Windows NT, Windows 9x, Windows

2000, Windows 7,Windows XP, UNIX, Linux

Macintosh operating systems,os X
Networking Operating Systems: NT Server, Windows 2000 Server,
Windows 2003 Server, Windows server 2008, UNIX for servers, Linux
for servers

Embedded Operating Systems: Windows XP embedded,

Windows CE, Windows mobile, Windows Phone 7, Palm OS,

Pocket
PC,
Symbian,
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Concept of Kernel or
Supervisor
An operating system is a group of programs that

manages the operation of the computer

Most operating system programs are stored in
secondary storage.
One operating system program is stored in a section of
primary storage. It goes by various names kernel
but generally called the supervisor.
The part of primary storage not used by supervisor is
used by other program
Supervisor pass the control of computer to the program
&take control when program execution is finished
The supervisor controls all activity in primary storage.

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Supervisor Loading
Process

Starting the computer is called booting which

transfers the supervisor from secondary
storage to primary storage.
A special program for loading the supervisor
into the primary storage is stored non volatile
ROM
When the switched on, a circuit is activated
that cause the program in ROM to execute.This
program loads the supervisor into primary
storage&transfer control or the computer to it.

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Operating System
Concepts

Three functions of an operating system

Process management: Schedule program
for excution,start the excution of
program,monitor the execution of
program.
Resource management: primary storage,
secondary storage and input output used
by the systems and stored area.
Data management: movement of data
from primary storage to appropriate
place.

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Using an Operating
System

Connecting to a network or other multi-user environment is

called logging in.
Detaching from a network is called logging out.
Operating system and other software use buttons,
icons,menus and other features that are said GUI
User interface is the visual link between the user and the
software.
Small pictures on the screen are icons.
Graphical User Interface (GUI) uses
Buttons
Icons
Menus
Dialog boxes

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Capabilities of Operating
Systems

Multitasking is appearing to execute more than one program

at a time, though the CPU can execute instructions from
only one program at a time.
Multi-user or Multiple-user programs permit more than one
person to use the program, and data, at a time.
One technique that is used with multiple-user operating
systems is time sharing. With this technique, the users are
each allocated a small amount of time by the operating
systems
Virtual memory is supplemental primary storage (RAM) or
real memory where the programs are too big for primary
storage. It is created on a secondary storage device,
usually the hard drive, and is generally temporary in nature.

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Need for software for

Information Systems

Information system function: performance of

input, processing, storage and output function
Application software tells hardware how to perform
specific information
Easy to use: provision that makes systems easy to
use.
Creating platform: On which application software
run
Choice of platform and specific hardware and
systems software affect the form of application
software.

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Sources of Software

Two main sources of software

Packaged software available

commercially for personal, multipleuser and networked systems. personal
and workgroup systems use it
Custom software created to address
very specific requirements of the
users.

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Programming Languages

Two broad groups

Traditional programming languages
Sequences of instructions
First, second and some third generation languages
Data processed by program is separate from
program perhaps stored in file or server.
Object-oriented languages
Objects are created rather than sequences of
instructions
Some third generation, and fourth and fifth
generation languages
Instruction for processing for data and data are not
separate but combined to form an object.

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Traditional Programming
Languages

FORTRAN (traditional language)

Formula Translation.

Developed at IBM in the mid-1950s.

Designed for scientific and mathematical applications by scientists and

engineers.
COBOL (traditional language)

Common Business Oriented Language.

Developed in 1959.

Designed to be common to many different computers.

Typically used for business applications.

BASIC (traditional language)

Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code.

Developed at Dartmouth College in mid 1960s.

Developed as a simple language for students to write programs with

which they could interact through terminals.

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Traditional Programming
Languages (contd.)

C (traditional language)

Developed by Bell Laboratories in the early 1970s.

Provides control and efficiency of assembly language while having third

generation language features.

Often used for system programs.

UNIX is written in C.
Smalltalk (object oriented language)

First object-oriented language.

Developed by Xerox in mid-1970s.

Still in use on some computers

C++ (object oriented language)

It is C language with additional features.
Widely used for developing system and application software.
Graphical user interfaces can be developed easily with
visual programming tools

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Special Programming
Languages

HTML

HyperText Markup Language.

Used on the Internet and the World Wide Web (WWW).

Web page developer puts brief codes called tags in the page to
indicate how the page should be formatted.
XML

Extensible Markup Language.

A language for defining other languages.

JAVA (object oriented language)

An object-oriented language similar to C++ that allows a web

page developer to create programs for applications, called applets
that can be used through a browser.

Objective of JAVA developers is that it be machine, platform and

operating system independent.

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Stored Data for

Information Systems
Information System
Fundamentals

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Data Organization

Elements of data storage

Characters letters, numerals, special

symbols, a blank space.
Fields a group of related characters.
Records a group of fields about a
single entity.
Data file, or file a group of records
about a single purpose.
Database a group of related files.

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Data Organization

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Data Organization
(contd.)

While data can be organized in a

database, there are other types of
data.

Multimedia

Audio
Video
Images

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Need for Stored Data

Three main reasons businesses need

stored data

Data is available: Easy of locating and

retrieving data for processing
Data is modifiable: Ease of updating
datafor changes in the business. Stored
data reflect the state of business.
Data is controllable: Assurance data is
accurate and secure. Data is important
asset of organization.Acronym GIGO

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Personnel for Information

Systems
Information System
Fundamentals

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Users and Operating

Personnel

Users

Supply data input

Receive outputs

Operating personnel

Perform technical functions such as

Input data for systems

Manage networks
Run software
Pass output to users
Pass output for the user.

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Need for perosnal for

Information systems

Information use: Use of

information for operaition and
management of the business
System operation: operation of
hardware and software of systems
and correction of problem that
arise.

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Types of Procedures

Two main types

First tells people how to use and operate the
system under normal circumstances. e.g what
option to select to begin running software.
Second tells people what to do if the system
does not function normally. e.g backup recovery
procedure
Documentation is written instructions on the use
and operation of the system.
When we say personnel is a component of
computer we mean personnel who are trained in
the use of the procedure

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Need for procedure for

Information Systems

People does not know instinctively how to

use or operate complex systems. e.g a
person using automobile need procedures
for driving the car and for repairing the car
Use of system: Knowledge of how to
start the systems, interact with the
systems and stop the systems
Correction of system: knowledge of
problem correction process.
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