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2.3: End of Chapter Resources

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    38219
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    • Defines digital devices and explores primary components (desktops, laptops, mobile phones, tablets, storage devices) in the context of information systems.
    • Dives into electronic signal processing, explaining the binary systems, bits, and bytes.
    • Introduces Moore’s Law, emphasizing the continuous increase in computer power.
    • Explores various storage options, including RAM, hard disks, and solid-state drives.
    • Emphasizes the significance of input and output devices, detailing their evolution and integration with personal computers.
    • Explores emerging trends such as portable computing, smartphones, tablet computers, and the Internet of Things (IoT).
    • Addresses the commoditization of personal computers and critical issues of electronic waste (e-waste).
    • Focuses on the second major category of software, exploring its diverse applications across desktops, laptops, and mobile devices.
    • Highlights that application software serves specific purposes like word processing, spreadsheet calculations, and internet browsing.
    • Illustrates how productivity software, exemplified by suites like Microsoft Office, streamlines workplace tasks with integrated functionalities such as word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, database management, desktop publishing, and financial tools.
    • Explores collaborative systems enabled by networking technologies, facilitating remote collaboration through tools like Zoom, Webex, and Microsoft SharePoint.
    • Details the roles of utility and programming software in fixing computer issues and developing applications.
    • Explores enterprise software, including ERP, that aids organizational functions and integrates with database management systems.
    • Discusses the rise of mobile software in parallel with the dominance of smartphones.
    • Examines cloud computing, exemplified by services like AWS, and its transformative impact on software accessibility.
    • Discuss SaaS advantages and disadvantages, private clouds, and the benefits of virtualization.
    • Concludes with insights into software acquisition methods, programming languages, software ownership, and the contrasting perspectives an open-source software.

    “Killer” App: An application viewed as so desirable by consumers that it can influence them to purchase devices or applications that include it.

    Analog signals: are continuous and can be represented by smooth wave patterns.

    Android: A mobile operating system (OS) based on the Linux kernel and currently developed by Google.

    Binary: A number expressed in the binary numeral system, or base-2 numeral system, which represents numeric values using two different symbols: typically 0 (zero) and 1 (one).

    Bit: The smallest unit of data in a computer represented by one or zero.

    Bluetooth: A wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances (using short-wavelength UHF radio waves in the ISM band from 2.4 to 2.485 GHz[4]) from fixed and mobile devices, and building personal area networks.

    Bus: The electrical connection between different computer components that is an important determiner of the computer’s speed.

    Byte: A unit of data that computers use to represent a character such as a letter, number, or typographic symbol with a group of eight bits.

    Central Processing Unit (CPU): The “brains” of the device, carries out the commands sent to it by the software and returns results to be acted upon. (3.4)

    Collaborative Systems: These systems allow users to brainstorm ideas together without the necessity of physical, face-to-face meetings. (Example: zoom, teams)

    Customer Relationship Management (CRM): An approach to managing a company’s interactions with current and future customers. It often involves using technology to organize, automate, and synchronize sales, marketing, customer service, and technical support.

    Database Management System (DBMS): Stores and retrieves the data that an application creates and uses. Although the DBMS is itself considered an application,

    it’s often useful to think of a firm’s database systems as sitting above the operating system, but under the enterprise applications.

    Desktop Software: Refers to applications installed on a personal computer—your browser, your Office suite, photo editors, and computer games are all desktop software.

    Digital Devices: Is an electronic device that uses discrete, numerable data and processes for all its operations.

    Electronic Waste: Used electronics that are destined for reuse, resale, salvage, recycling, or disposal.

    Enterprise Software: Refers to applications that address the needs of multiple, simultaneous users in an organization or work group. Most companies run various forms of enterprise software programs to keep track of their inventory, record sales, manage payments to suppliers, cut employee paychecks, and handle other functions.

    Hard Disk: Where data is stored when the computer is turned off and where it is retrieved from when the computer is turned on.

    Hertz: A measure of computer processing speed.

    Input Devices: Peripheral hardware used to provide data and control signals to a computer. Examples of input devices include keyboards, mice, scanners, digital cameras, and joysticks.

    Integrated Computing: Integration of computing technology into everyday products to enhance its capabilities.

    iOS(iPhone OS): An operating system used for mobile devices manufactured by Apple Inc.

    LINUX/UNIX: Linux is a version of the Unix operating system that runs on the personal computer. Unix is an operating system used primarily by scientists and engineers on larger minicomputers.

    Memory: Specifically, Computer Memory. Any physical device capable of storing information temporarily or permanently.

    Mobile Applications: Programs that run on tablet computers and smartphones.

    Moore’s Law: The observation that over the history of computing hardware, the number of transistors in a dense integrated circuit has doubled approximately every two years.

    Motherboard: The main circuit board on the computer that connects to the CPU, memory, and storage components, among other things.

    Network Connection: Provides connectivity between your computer and the Internet, a network, or another computer.

    Open Source: Software that can be freely used, changed, and shared (in modified or unmodified form) by anyone.

    Output Devices: An output device sends data from a computer to another device or user. This includes audio and video output. Other examples are monitors, projectors, speakers, headphones, and printers.

    Private Cloud: A particular model of cloud computing that involves a distinct and secure cloud-based environment in which only the specified client can operate.

    Productivity Software: Software applications have become standard tools for the workplace. (Example: Excel or spreadsheet software)

    Read Access Memory (RAM): The working memory that begins to load information from the hard disk as the computer starts up.

    Removable Media: Fixed storage components. Removable storage media that is portable.

    Software as a service (SaaS): Is software that is rented rather than purchased. It is subscription-based. Software as a service gives companies access to a large assortment of software packages without having to invest in hardware or install and maintain software on their own computers.

    Solid State Drive (SSD): Performs the same function as a hard disk: long-term storage that uses spinning disks, and flash memory, which is much faster.

    Storage Devices: any device used to store digital data or information through input or output operations.

    Storage: The retention of retrievable data on a computer or other electronic system.

    Systems, Application & Products in Data Processing (SAP): A German multinational software corporation that makes enterprise software to manage business operations and customer relations.

    Virtualization: Refers to the act of creating a virtual (rather than actual) version of something, including (but not limited to) a virtual computer hardware platform, operating system (OS), storage device, or computer network resources.

    Windows: Microsoft’s operating system.

    Chapter Discussions

    1. Identify the main hardware components of a personal computer.
    2. Differentiate between RAM and a hard drive.
    3. Elaborate on why the personal computer is now considered a commodity.
    4. If you were the CIO of a firm, what factor would you prioritize when selecting secondary storage media for the company’s records (files)?
    5. Provide examples of desktop operating systems and application software.
    6. List some of the top application programs for mobile devices or smartphones.
    7. Decode the meaning of the statement, “Hardware is useless without software.”

    2.3: End of Chapter Resources is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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