module 2 notes from CASA JMSB Flashcards
what is the true understanding of technology?
is understanding past and present technology
You can consider how it will work in business
its + and – affects on society
WHERE DID ALL THIS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STUFF COME FROM?
- First computing devices were in 1940s
- First commercial comps in 1950s
- First PCs in 1980s
- Cell phones –> 1990s after world wide web invented
who financed the earliest of computers? why? what time period?
Early comps financed by US military
First were firing tables for ballistic missiles
between 1939 - 1952
how were the first computers?
large
complex
expensive
ran one program at a time
how are mainframes?
Large
room-sized
based on now obsolete vacuum tube technology
who uses mainframes?
businesses and governments
how much do mainframes cost?
$200,00o to $400,000
what can mainframes do?
Add or subtract 16,000 numbers per second
designed for fast processing and massive storage
will be more useful for the future
what are second generation mainframes?
transistors
what are third generation mainframes? what type of capabilities do they have?
operating systems
multiprocessing capabilities
how much do third generation mainframes cost?
millions of dollars
how many users can interact with a mainframe?
one at a time
what is the time span of the existence of mainframes?
1952 - Present
what is the time span of the existence of microcomputers?
1975 - PRESENT
when did microprocessors first pull up? who created them?
early 1970s
TI and Intel
what was in the microprocessor that pulled up?
CPU
short term memory into a single chip using integrated circuits (IC)
how were the first microcomputer sin 1975?
No screen
users had to develop programs
who created programming languages (BASIC) and OS’s (DOS) for microcomputers?
Microsoft
what is the time span of the existence of networking personal computers?
1985 - PRESENT
who solved the lack of networking capability (networking personal computers)
LAN
what is the ethernet?
set of rules
protocols that allow connected devices to communicate and share info
can connect many PCs together
shared access to data, printers, peripherals
when was WAN made (networking personal computers)?
1980s
what is the time span of the existence of mobile and tablet computing?
LATE 1990s-PRESENT
what prompted the existence or further exposed even smaller computer devices such as mobiles and tablets?
dot com bubble
reducing the costs of cellular technology
dot com bubble
new internet companies funded by venture capitalists and went bankrupt
hardware
physical and electronic components and related gadgetry
input, process, output, store data according to instructions encoded in computer programs or software
what are the 4 components that computers consists of?
input
processing
output
storage
computer input devices
one of two most visible or familiar parts of the computer
keyboard, mouse, scanner, mic, etc
computer processing
CPU
main memory
special function cards
computer output hardware
more familiar or common part of a computer
Most physical interaction with computer user by producing/displaying desired results of a computational task/request
video display, printer, speaker, plotter, projector, etc
computer storage hardware
saves data and programs
magnetic disk
optical disk
magnetic tape
SSD
CPU
central processing unit
Brain of the computer
Selects instructions
processes said instructions
performs arithmetic comparisons
stores results of operations in memory
how is the CPU speed measured in?
Hertz (hz)
kilohertz (kHz)
megahertz (mHz)
gigahertz (GHz)
what does the type of CPU you use depend on?
the type of computing you do?
what is the CPU’s (processing unit’s) main memory?
RAM
how do the CPU and RAM canton together?
• Cpu reads data/instructions from RAM and stores results of computations in the main memory
special function cards
added to computers to augment each of its components
what are binary digits for?
computers represent data in binary digits
what are bits
bits are the binary data
the 0s and 1s
what is an open switch for a bit?
the 0
what is an closed switch for a bit?
the 1
what does a small reflection on the surface of disks mean?
binary digits
reflection is a 1
what does no reflection on the surface of disks mean?
binary digits
no reflection is 0
bytes
8 bits
kilobyte (K)
1024 bytes
Megabyte (MB)
1024 kilobytes
Gigabyte
1024 Megabytes
terabyte
1024 Gigabytes
how does a computer work?
what must the CPU do?
CPU is a major actor
CPU must first transfer program/data from disk to main memory
Move instructions from main memory into the CPU
CPU loads programs into the memory in sections
how do instructions from the main memory go to the CPU?
CPU by the data channel or bus
what is the cache?
the small amount very fast memory in the CPU
what does the computer’s main memory contain?
program instructions for Excel
instructions for operating system
what does the operating system do?
controls computers resources and data blocks
how does the CPU load programs?
into the memory in sections
why does the CPU remove blocks of memories?
to store more memory for opened program
memory swapping
CPU removing blocks of memories to store more memory for opened program
why should a manager care about the computer cache and main memory?
they are volatile
lost when power goes off
why should a manager care about the USB, magnetic disks, and optical disks?
they are non volatile
herts
speed or number of cycles per second a computer works at
gigahertz
billion cycles per second
what is the difference between a client and a server?
a client connects to a network
a server provides services services (facebook, google, amazon, youtube, etc) accessed by computers
what is a server farm?
server that is a large collection of computers that coordinate activities
cloud computing
hardware, software, applications provided as a service, usually through a web browser
grid computing
several computers used to address a single problem at the same time
what does grid computing use to solve the problem with several computers?
software to divide and apportion pieces of a program among several computers
how is software categorized?
operating system
application software
application software
programs that perform specific user tasks
what are the two important software constraints managers need to know about?
Each version of OS is developed for particular type of hardware
Application programs are written to use on a particular OS
what are the 4 major operating systems?
windows
Mac OSX
Unix
Linux
Windows
Business users
On more than 85% of world’s desktops
Mac OSX
Apple computers can run it in windows
Accounts for less than 1/10 computer purchases
Selling price is much higher
Unix
Developed at bell labs in the 1970s
Workhorse of the scientific and engineering communities
More difficult to use than windows or mac
Arcane language for manipulating files/data
Not used by average business user
Linux
Developed by open-source community
No fee to use it
used for servers (web servers in particular)
IBM is primary proponent of Linux (no licence fee to use it)
what is the difference between owning and licensing a `program?
What is actually purchased is a LICENCE to use that program, not program itself
No one can sell you a licence to use Linux
what categories of application programs exist?
horizontal market application software
vertical market application software
one of a kind application software
CRM application software
horizontal market application software
provides capabilities common across all organizations and industries
such as Word processors, graphics programs, spreadsheets, presentation programs
vertical market application software
serves needs of specific industry
ex: Dental offices use a specific program
one of a kind application software
for specific, unique need
ex: Canada Revenue Agency develops their own software because of specific requirements that no other organization has
CRM application software
both vertical and horizontal
specific industry, unique needs
how can one buy computer softwares?
Off the shelf
Off the shelf with alterations
Tailor made (custom developed software)
why is Tailor made (custom developed software) difficult and risky?
Costs are usually higher than forecasted
Adaptation of the software to company changes over time is costly
are browsers application software or operating softwares?
they have a bit of both
creates debates on which one they belong to
firmware
computer software installed into such devices as printers, print servers, various types of communication devices
what happens with programs using firmware?
programs become part of the device’s memory
what type of software is the driver software?
utility software
give examples of utility software
disk optimization
data encryption
file/data recovery
what is the difference between a thin client and thick client
a thin client is an app that requires nothing more than a browser
a thicc client is an app that requires programs other than a browser on a computer such as Microsoft outlook
thick client does not need access to network to run, sostill available if internet is down
what does thin and thick mean when talking about a client?
refer to amount of code needed to run on client comp
virus
computer program that replicates itself
it ends up consuming computer resources
payload
program code that causes unwanted activity
it can delete programs, data, modify data in undetectable way
how do macro-viruses work?
attach themselves to word, excel, other documents
When the infected doc is opened, virus places itself in startup files of app
After that, virus infects every file that app creates/processes
worm
virus that propagates using the Internet or other computer network
why do worms spread faster?
because they are programmed to spread
what is a zombie
computer infected with worm or virus
botnet
set of compromised computers and apps coordinated thru a network to perform malicious tasks
what is a patch?
fixes security holes in computer programs
what can computers use to avoid viruses?
antivirus programs
