Fundamentals
of
Computer Processing
Computer Sizes
Mainframes -- the first
Supercomputers -- the largest
Minicomputers -- the first effort to achieve
reduced size
Microcomputers -- made possible by
microprocessor
PC -- used by one person, or by a few people in the
same area
Workstations, lap tops, notebooks, and palmtops
The Computer Schematic
Processor = Control unit + ALU
The computer is a closed-loop system
The Central Processing Unit
Computer (CPU)
Schematic Control Unit
Input Data
Primary Output
Storage Unit Information
Arithmetic and Secondary
Logic Unit Storage
Unit
Computer History
Prior to 1950s
Keydriven machines
– (some were called bookkeeping machines)
Punched card machines
Computer History (continued)
1951 -- first commercial computer (a
UNIVAC I) installed at the Census Burea
1954 -- first computer installed in a business
(another UNIVAC I at GE)
Early 1970s -- minicomputers
Late 1970s -- microcomputers (TRS-80,
Commodore PET)
1982 -- IBM PC
Primary Storage
Evolution in storage media:
Magnetic drums
Magnetic cores
Integrated circuits (1964)
Bits and Bytes (KB, MB)
RAM and ROM
Cache memory
One kilobyte (1KB) is 210 bytes (1,024)
One megabyte (1MB) is 220 bytes (1,048,576)
Input Devices
Keyboard
Ergonomic considerations (human
engineering, human factor considerations)
QWERTY keyboard vs. Dvorak keyboard
Pointing Devices
Mouse
Trackball
Touch screen
Light pen
Remote control device
Source Data Automation (SDA)
Input bottleneck
Optical character recognition (OCR) is big
in retailing
– Supermarket scanners
– Point of sale (POS) terminals
Magnetic ink character recognition (MICR)
was big for banks starting in the late 1950s
Technologies used for
POS Terminals
Mark readers
Barcode readers
Character readers
Handprint readers
Speech Recognition
Speaker dependent
Speaker independent
Output Devices
Displayed
– CRT, VDT
– Flat-panel
Printed
– Speed
– Quality
Speech (audio response unit)
– digitized or playback
Means of Displayed
Output
Producing Devices
Computer ABC123 Printers
Output
Speech
Computer Output
Devices
Plotters
Microfilm
Printers
Impact Nonimpact
Line Character Page Ink Laser
jet
Dot Daisy
matrix wheel
Output Devices (continued)
Plotters
– Flatbed
– Drum
Microform
– Microfilm (roll)
– Microfiche (sheet)
Tabular versus graphical versus narrative
Software
Input and output devices communicate
directly with the manager and are
considered to have a direct role
Source data automation devices play an
indirect role
Two main types of software -- system and
application
System Software
Three main types:
– operating system
– translators
– utilities
Operating System
Basic functions
– Schedule jobs
– Manage hardware and software resources
– Maintain system security
– Provide for multiprogramming
– Handle interrupts
– Maintain usage records
Language Translators
Software Generations
– First -- machine language
– Second -- assemblers
– Third -- compilers and interpreters
» Procedure-oriented language
» Problem-oriented language
– Fourth -- natural language (4GL)
– Nonprocedural
– Types of 4GLs (example: FOCUS)
The Program is Translated Before the Data is Processed
Source
Program
1 Translate
2
Input Object Output
Data Program
Fourth-generation Languages Offer Unique Combinations of
Power and User Friendliness
Much
Very
high-level
Modeling languages languages
Database
DSS Query Report
power Language writers
Application
Graph generators
generators
Little
Friendly Unfriendly
User
friendliness
FOCUS Instructions to Prepare a Report
DEFINE FILE SALES
REGION/A12=DECODE REGION(NE ‘NORTH EAST’
SE ‘SOUTH EAST’ MW ‘MID WEST’
MA ‘MID-ATLANTIC’);
END
TABLE FILE SALES
HEADING CENTER
“PRODUCT UNIT SALES ANALYSIS </1”
SUM UNITS AND ROW-TOTAL AND COLUMN-TOTAL
ACROSS REGION
BY PRODNUM AS ‘PRODUCT NUMBER’
END
Application Software
Custom programming versus prewritten
packages
Four categories of prewritten packages
1. General business
2. Industry-specific
3. Organizational productivity
GDSS, E-mail, project management, forecasting,
stat packages
Application Software (continued)
4. Personal productivity (or application
development software)
» Word processing
» Spreadsheets
» Graphics
» desktop publishing, etc.
Direct versus indirect roles of software
Application Software
Software CBIS
Type DP MIS DSS OA ES
General
Business
Industry-
specific
Organizational
productivity
Personal
productivity
User Friendliness
Guided dialog
– Menus
– Form-filling
Context sensitive help
– Help screen or help messages
Graphic user interface (GUI)
– Icons, buttons, toolbars, and others
Error Control
Error prevention
– Protected format
Error detection
– Edit routines
Error correction
– Edit commands
Multimedia
Combines different forms of computer
output, allows richer communication
Began in late 1980s
Multimedia in business
– accounting information systems (documedia)
– MIS and DSS via graphs, three-dimensional
graphics and animation
– office automation; workgroup computing, desktop
video
– knowledge-based systems
The Multimedia System Development Process
Communications Information Specialists User
Professionals Step 1 Define the problem
Step 2 Design the concept
Step 3 Design the content
Step 4 Write the script
Step 5 Design the graphics
Step 6 Produce the system
Step 7 Conduct user tests
Use the system
Step 8
Step 9 Maintain the system
