C) You may continue the dialogues.

 

Definitions of Some Main Computer Terms

i.28 Study the following.

computer power - the effective performance of a computer. It can be expressed in MIPS (millions of instructions per second), clock speed (10Mhz, 16Mhz) and in word or bus size, (16-bit, 32-bit). Real power is whether it gets your job done quickly. A software package is "powerful" if it has a large number of features.

computer science - the field of computer hardware and software. It includes systems analysis & design, application and system software design and programming and datacenter operations. For young students, the emphasis is typically on learning a programming language or running a personal computer with little attention to information science, the study of information and its uses. If students were introduced to data administration, DBMS concepts and transaction and master files, they would have a better grasp of an organization's typical information requirements.

Hardware - machinery and equipment (CPU, disks, tapes, modem, cables, etc.). In operation, a computer is both hardware and software. One is useless without the

other. The hardware design specifies the commands it can follow, and the instructions tell it what to do.

Hardware Is "Storage and Transmission" The more memory and disk storage a computer has, the more work it can do. The faster the memory and disks transmit data and instructions to the CPU, the faster it gets done. A hardware requirement is based on the size of the databases that will be created and the number of users or applications that will be served at the same time. How much? How fast?

Software Is "Logic and Language" Software deals with the details of an ever-changing business and must process transactions in a logical fashion. Languages are used to program the software. The "logic and language" involved in analysis and programming is generally far more complicated than specifying a storage and transmission requirement.

Software - instructions for the computer. A series of instructions that performs a particular task is called a program. The two major categories are system software and application software. System software is made up of control programs, including the operating system, communications software and database manager.

Application software is any program that processes data for the user (inventory, payroll, spreadsheet, word processor, etc.). A common misconception is that software is also data. It is not. Software tells the hardware how to process the data. "Software is "run." Data is "processed."

Data - (1) technically, raw facts and figures, such as orders and payments, which are processed into information, such as balance due and quantity on hand. However, in common usage, the terms data and information are used synonymously. The amount of data versus information kept in the computer is a tradeoff. Data can be processed into different forms of information, but it takes time to sort and sum transactions. Up-to-date information can provide instant answers. A common misconception is that software is also data. Software is executed, or run, by the computer. Data is "processed." Software is "run." (2) Any form of information whether in paper or electronic form. In electronic form, data refers to files and databases, text documents, images and digitally-encoded voice and video. (3) The plural form of datum.

Database - ( 1) a set of interrelated files that is created and managed by a DBMS¹.

(2) Any electronically-stored collection of data.

NB ¹ DBMS - DataBase Management System.

information - the summarization of data. Technically, data are raw facts and figures that are processed into information, such as summaries and totals. But since information can also be raw data for the next job or person, the two terms cannot be precisely defined. Both terms are used synonymously and interchangeably. As office automation and data processing merge, it may be more helpful to view information the way data is defined and used, namely: data, text, spreadsheets, pictures, voice and video. Data are discretely defined fields. Text is a collection of words. Spreadsheets are data in matrix (row and column) form. Pictures are lists of vectors or frames of bits. Voice is a continuous stream of sound waves. Video is a sequence of frames. Future databases will routinely integrate all these forms of information.

information industry - (1) organizations that publish information via online services or through distribution by diskette or CD-ROM. (2) All computer, communications and electronics-related organizations, including hardware, software and services.

Information Systems - the formal title for a data processing, MIS², or IS department. Other titles are Data Processing, Information Processing, Information Services, Management Information Systems, Management Information Services & Information Technology.

NB ² MIS - Management Information System.

i.29 match the beginnings & the endings (there are several definitions for some terms).

1. computer power is… 2. computer science is … 3. Hardware is … 4. Software is … 5. Data is … 6. Database is … 7. Information is …

8. Text is … 9. Spreadsheets are … 10. Pictures are… 11. information industry is … 12. Information Systems are… 13. Video is … 14. Voice is…

· machinery and equipment (CPU, disks, tapes, modem, cables, etc.).

· the effective performance of a computer.

· the field of computer hardware and software.

· "Storage and Transmission".

· "Logic and Language".

· instructions for the computer.

· "run."

· "processed."

· technically, raw facts and figures.

· the plural form of datum.

· a set of interrelated files that is created and managed by a DBMS.

· any electronically-stored collection of data.

· the summarization of data.

· is a collection of words.

· are data in matrix (row and column) form.

· are lists of vectors or frames of bits.

· a continuous stream of sound waves.

· is a sequence of frames.

· organizations that publish information via online services or through distribution by diskette or CD-ROM.

· all computer, communications and electronics-related organizations, including hardware, software and services.

· the formal title for a data processing MIS, or IS department.