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Introduction to Information Management. Instructor: Blase B. Cindric Mount Union College Spring Semester, 2006 MWF 2:00 - 2:50 pm KHIC 112. What is a Computer System?. System a group of related components working together to solve some problem Computer System
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Introduction to Information Management • Instructor: Blase B. Cindric • Mount Union College • Spring Semester, 2006 • MWF 2:00 - 2:50 pm • KHIC 112
What is a Computer System? • System • a group of related components working together to solve some problem • Computer System • a system with a computer acting as a major component
Components of all Computer Systems • Hardware • actual machines that make up the computer • Software • also called programs or applications • instructions for the hardware to follow • Data • raw material to be processed by system
Components of all Computer Systems • Personnel • Users • Support Staff (programmers, help desk, etc.) • Management • Documentation • instructions for personnel to follow • users manuals, help screens, etc.
Computers are General-Purpose Problem Solving Devices • Software determines the specific problem to be solved • Different programs cause the machine to act as a different device • Data and keystrokes have various meanings in different programs • trend: uniform user-interface structure (menus, hot keys, etc.)
Typical Microcomputer Applications • Word Processing • computer acts as a text manipulating device (fancy typewriter) • Spreadsheet • computer as pencil, paper and calculator • Database Management • computer as electronic filing cabinet
Typical Microcomputer Applications • Data Communications • computer as communications agent • Local-Area Networks • The Internet (e-mail, World-Wide Web, etc.) • Presentation Graphics • computer as multi-media slide-show projector • Software Development • programming language • how new software is created
Essential Aspects of Computing Process • Input • data moves from outside world into computer hardware • Processing • computer converts raw input data into results • Output • results of processing sent back to outside world • Storage • data and results stored in computer-readable format
Hardware Devices • Input Devices • Keyboard, Mouse, Microphone, Scanner, …. • Processing Devices • CPU, Memory chips • Output Devices • Screen, Printers, Speaker, Robot Arm, …. • Storage Devices • disks, CD-ROM, CD-RW, ….
Programming Languages • Input Commands • Processing Commands • add, multiply, etc. • Output Commands • Storage Commands • save, open, retrieve, etc.
Introduction to Information Management • Instructor: Blase B. Cindric • Mount Union College • Spring Semester, 2006 • MWF 2:00 - 2:50 pm • KHIC 112