Management Information

Systems
By Effy Oz & Andy Jones

Chapter 4: Business Hardware and

Software
www.cengage.co.uk/oz

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 Hardware Components
• Hardware: physical computer components
– Consider software before hardware
– Computer must handle four operations
• Accept data
• Store data
• Process data
• Output data

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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
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Hardware Components (continued)

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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
© 2008 Cengage Learning
 Hardware Components (continued)

• Input devices: receive signals from outside

of computer and transfer them into
computer
• Central processing unit
– Accepts instructions and data
– Decodes and executes instructions
– Stores output in memory

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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
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 Hardware Components (continued)

• Internal memory: stores data and instructions

before and after CPU processes them
– RAM: random access memory
– ROM: read-only memory
• Motherboard: CPU and primary memory
reside

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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
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 Hardware Components (continued)

• External Memory: magnetic disks,

magnetic tapes, optical discs, DVDs, and
flash memory
– Allows permanent storage
• Output devices: deliver information from
computer to person
– Most commonly monitors and printers
– Includes audio devices
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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
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 Magnetic disk adalah DASD pertama yang dibuat
oleh industri komputer. Penyimpanan magnetik
(bahasa Inggris: Magnetic disk) merupakan piranti
penyimpanan sekunder yang paling banyak dijumpai
pada sistem komputer modern.

Pada saat disk digunakan, motor drive berputar

dengan kecepatan yang sangat tinggi.

Ada sebuah read-write head yang ditempatkan di

atas permukaan piringan tersebut. Permukaan disk
terbagi atas beberapa track yang masih terbagi lagi
menjadi beberapa sektor. Cakram fixed-head
memiliki satu head untuk tiap-tiap track, sedangkan
cakram moving-head (atau sering dikenal dengan
nama cakram keras ) hanya memiliki satu head yang
harus dipindah-pindahkan untuk mengakses dari
satu track ke track yang lainnya.

Use with Management Information Systems 1e

By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
© 2008 Cengage Learning
Pita magnetik (Magnetic Tape) adalah media yang terbuat
dari campuran plastik dan ferric oxide untuk merekam atau
menyimpan informasi. Penyimpanan data pada pita ini adalah
dengan cara Serial / Sequential Access Storage Device
(SASD). Sekarang pita magnetik berbentuk cartridge

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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
© 2008 Cengage Learning
 Optical Disk adalah media penyimpanan data
elektronik yang dapat ditulis dan dibaca
dengan menggunakan sinar laser bertenaga
rendah.

Produk - Produk Optical Disk :

1.CD : Compact Disk, Suatu disk yang tidak dapat dihapus yang menyimpan informasi audio yang
telah di digitasi. System standar menggunakan disk 12 cm yang dapat merekam lebih dari 60 menit
waktu putar tanpa terhenti.
2.CD-ROM : Compact Disk Read-Only Memori, Disk yang tidak dapat dihapus untuk menyimpan
data computer. System standar menggunakan disk 12 cm yang dapat menampung lebih dari 500
Mbyte.
3.CD-R : Compact Disk Recordables, Merupakan CD untuk pengguna khusus biasanya untuk
master CD dan photo CD, Lapisan reflektif terbuat dari emas sehingga berwarna kuning. Kapasitas
sama dengan CD lainnya.
4.CD-RW : Digitak Vidio Rewritables, Merupakan generasi CD yang dapat ditulis berulang kali
namun belum popular saat ini karena masih relative mahal.
5.DVD : Digital Vesatile Disk, Salah satu jenis CD yang memiliki pita data lebih kecil, spiral data
yang lebih rapat sehingga kapasitasnya sangat besar bisa mencapai 4,7GB untuk sisi tunggal dan
berlapis tunggal laser optis yang digunakan adalah laser merah yang dapat berukuran lebih kecil
dari CD biasa kualitas yang dihasilkan juga lebih baik dari CD model lain.

Use with Management Information Systems 1e

By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
© 2008 Cengage Learning
Flash Memory adalah media penyimpanan yang berjenis “non-volatile” yang
berarti tidak memerlukan power untuk menjaga keberadaan data. Flash Memori
hampir sama dengan EEPROMC (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM)

Kapasitas memorinya pun beragam, mempunyai kemampuan transfer data untuk

penulisan mencapai 88 Mbps sedangkan untuk pembacaan mencapai 5 Mbps.
Para ilmuan membuatnya menjadi sistem penyimpan data portabel, mirip disket,
maka sering disebut Flash Disk.

Tipe lain dari Flash Memory biasanya digunakan dalam perangkat portable yang
dikendalikan oleh baterai (MP3 Player, Phone Cellular, Kamera digital dll.).

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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
© 2008 Cengage Learning
 Hardware Components (continued)

• Bit: Binary digit

– 0 or 1
• Byte: a standard group of eight bits
– Most characters represented by single byte

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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
© 2008 Cengage Learning
Contoh pada Media penyimpanan seperti
Harddisk, pada umumnya akan terdapat 100GB,
250GB ataupun 500GB.
GB yang dimaksud pada media penyimpanan
Gigabyte

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Bit adalah satuan unit data terkecil dalam komputasi digital yang pada dasarnya
terdiri dari satu digit biner (bisa berupa nilai 0 ataupun 1).

Bit sebenarnya merupakan singkatan dari Binary Digit (Digit Biner).

Biner merupakan sistem bilangan yang berbasis dua yaitu hanya terdiri dari
angka 0 dan 1 saja. 0 (nol) menandakan kondisi “OFF” atau tidak ada aliran arus
listrik pada rangkaian elektronik sedangkan 1 (satu) adalah kondisi “ON” atau
adanya aliran arus listrik pada rangkaian elektronik.
Kondisi Bit ini juga dapat mewakilkan nilai logika seperti “TRUE” atau “FALSE”
dan “YES” atau “NO”.

Bit biasanya dilambangkan dengan “b” (huruf b kecil). Satuan kecepatan transfer
data pada umumnya menggunakan bit per second (bit per detik) atau disingkat
dengan “bps”.

Use with Management Information Systems 1e

By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
© 2008 Cengage Learning
Byte adalah kumpulan 8 bit yang digabung menjadi satu.
Dengan kata lain, 1 byte adalah sama dengan 8 bit.

Satuan byte ini sering digunakan untuk menyatakan kapasitas suatu media
penyimpanan seperti kilobyte (KB), megabyte (MB), gigabyte (GB) dan terabyte (TB).

Lambang atau simbol yang biasanya digunakan untuk byte adalah huruf “B” (huruf B
besar). Lambang inilah yang dijadikan sebagai pembeda antara Byte dengan Bit
dalam penulisan singkatan satuannya.

1 byte dapat mewakili rentang nilai dari 0 hingga 255 dalam bilangan desimal.

Use with Management Information Systems 1e

By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
© 2008 Cengage Learning
 1 kilobyte atau 1KB dalam sistem bilangan biner adalah adalah 1,024
byte ( 210) dan 1 megabyte atau 1MB adalah terdiri dari 1.024
kilobyte.

Jika suatu media penyimpanan digital atau Harddisk dikatakan memiliki

kapasitas penyimpan 500GB berapakah Kilobyte-nya?

Jawabannya adalah 512,000KB, berikut ini cara perhitungannya.

Penyelesaiannya :
500 x 1024 = 512,000 KB

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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
© 2008 Cengage Learning
Hardware Components (continued)

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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
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 Classification of Computers

• Computers vary in size

• Classified by power
– Depends on processing speed and memory size
• More powerful computers are more
expensive

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 Supercomputers
• Supercomputers: most powerful computer at
any given time
– Largest in physical size and most expensive
• Parallel processing: multiple processors
running simultaneously
– Also known as multiprocessing

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Sebuah komputer yang memimpin di dunia dalam kapasitas proses, terutama
kecepatan penghitungan, pada awal perkenalannya. Superkomputer
digunakan untuk tugas penghitungan-intensif seperti prakiraan cuaca, riset
iklim

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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
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 Mainframe Computers

• Mainframe computers: store large

amounts of data and business transactions
– Less expensive and less powerful than
supercomputers
– Banks, universities, and insurance companies
use them as a central computer
– 40-50% of world’s business data resides on
mainframes
– Use multiple processors
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• Komputer Bingkai Utama atau Komputer Kerangka
Utama (Mainframe computer)  komputer besar yang
digunakan untuk memproses data dan aplikasi yang besar.
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 Midrange computers

• Midrange computers: often act as servers

within organisations or through the Internet
– Smaller and less powerful than mainframes
– Serves hundred of users that connect from
personal computers
– Use multiple processors

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 Use with Management Information Systems 1e
By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
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 Microcomputers

• Microcomputers: personal computers,

notebook computers, and handhelds
• Workstation: more powerful microcomputer
used for CAD, CAM, and scientific
applications
• Power doubles about every two years

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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
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 Use with Management Information Systems 1e
By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
© 2008 Cengage Learning
 Computers on the Go: Notebook,
Handheld, and Tablet Computers
• Notebook computer: compact personal
computer powered by rechargeable battery
• New models include wireless technology
• Personal digital assistant: handheld computer
• Stylus used to enter data through touch screen
• Tablet computer: PC on a thick writing tablet

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 Use with Management Information Systems 1e
By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
© 2008 Cengage Learning
 Converging Technologies
• Technology convergence: build several
technologies into single piece of hardware
– Prominent in handheld units
• Commonly merged technologies include
– Cell phones
– Television
– Digital cameras
– MP3 players
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 A Peek Inside the Computer

• Professionals must know computer

components to understand its power and
capabilities
• Use the knowledge to make good decisions in
purchasing a computer

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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
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 The Central Processing Unit

• CPU has two units to store and process data

– Control unit and arithmetic logic unit
• CPU is silicon chip with multiple circuits
• Also known as microprocessor
• Modern processors can do multithreading
– Processing more than one program at a time

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 The Central Processing Unit
(continued)
• Microprocessors are embedded with transistors
• Transistor is a semiconductor that can
represent binary code’s two states
• Machine Cycle (CPU):
– Fetch, decode execute each instruction
• Data word: maximum number of bits that the
control unit can fetch
• Arithmetic Logic Unit: arithmetic and logic
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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
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 Computer Power
• Computer power depends on processing
speed and memory capacity
• Bus: electronic lines or traces used for
communication inside computer
• Throughput: number of bits per second bus
can accommodate
• MIPS: millions of instructions per second, a
common measure of computer speed
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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
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 Input Devices

• Computers must receive input to produce

output
• Input devices include machines used to
enter instructions and data into computer
• Most common input device is keyboard

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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
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 Keyboard
• Contains keys that users press to enter data
• Includes letters, numbers, and punctuation
• QWERTY and Dvorak: QWERTY
standard
– Dvorak facilitates faster typing
• Ergonomic keyboard: fits the natural
position of forearms and prevents injury

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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
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 Mouse, Trackball, and Trackpad

• Mouse: controls onscreen pointer to

facilitate point-and-click approach
• Trackball: similar to mouse, but ball moves
within device
• Trackpad: cursor controlled by touch-
sensitive pad
• Mice and similar devices can be wireless
units
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 Touch Screen

• Touch screen: both input and output device

– Often used for public applications
– Prevalent in handheld devices

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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
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 Source Data Input Devices

• Source data input devices: copy data

directly from source
– Bar-codes, credit cards, and checks
• Use optical recognition devices, which
detect positions of marks or characters
• Magnetic-ink character recognition:
detects magnetic ink on cheques
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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
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 Imaging
• Imaging: converting documents into
images
– Saves paper
– More efficient retrieval and filing
• Scanned document can be destroyed after
scan

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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
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 Speech Recognition

• Translating human speech into computer-

readable data and instructions
• Receive input from microphone and process
with software
• May increase noise level in offices

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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
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 Output Devices

• Most popular devices are monitors and

printers
• Other output includes speakers

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 Monitors
• Cathode-ray tube: inner side of screen has
layer of phosphoric dots called pixels
– Electron gun receives instructions from computer
and sweeps the pixels
• Flat-panel monitor: includes liquid crystal
display, which uses a liquid crystal filled
screen, whose molecules align in different
places when given electric charge

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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
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 Printers

• Nonimpact printer: does not mechanically

impact the paper
– Laser printer is most common in business
– Others: ink-jet and electrothermal printers
• Impact printers: reproduce image by using
mechanical impact
– Dot-matrix printer has pins that strike ink
ribbon against paper
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 Storage Media
• Data must be stored on nonvolatile medium
– Data is retained even when not powered
• Storage devices differ in technology used to
maintain data and physical structure

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 Modes of Access
• Sequential storage: data is organized one
record after another
– Slower and less convenient
• Direct access: records are organized by
physical address on the device
• Flash drives: small storage devices that
connect via universal serial bus
• Direct access storage media is only practical
way to organize and query databases
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Modes of Access (continued)

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 Magnetic Tapes

• Magnetic tapes: similar to tape recorders

and VCRs
– Provide lowest cost (bytes per dollar)
– Can backup all data
– Takes long time to copy from tape
– Unreliable after a long period of time

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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
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 Magnetic Disks

• Magnetic disk: most widely used storage

medium
• Hard disk: stack of several aluminum
platters installed in same box that holds
CPU
– Stores up to 500 GB of data
– External hard disks connect to computer
through USB port
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 Optical Discs
• Optical disc: recorded by treating disc surface
to reflect light in different ways
• Compact discs: available as read-only,
recordable, and rewritable
• DVDs: store 4.7 GB per side
• Optical discs are slower than hard disks

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By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
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 Optical Tape

• Optical tape uses same technology as

optical discs to store and retrieve data
• Bits are organized sequentially like tape
• Used in digital video camcorders

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 Flash Memory

• Flash memory: memory chip that can be

rewritten and holds content without power
• Available as memory card and USB drive
• Solid state disk: storage media that does
not have latency time

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 Business Considerations in
Evaluating Storage Media
• When purchasing storage devices managers
must consider:
– How the data is used
– Capacity of the device
– Speed and cost
– Reliability and portability

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 Business Considerations in
Evaluating Storage Media (continued)

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 Considerations in Purchasing
Hardware
• Companies must consider the following when
deciding what to purchase:
– Power of the equipment
– Expansion slots and ports
– Monitor type and resolution
– Ergonomics

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 Considerations in Purchasing
Hardware (continued)
• Other factors include:
– Compatibility with existing hardware
– Physical size of computer
– Reliability of vendor
– Power consumption and noise
– Scalability

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 Software: Instructions to the
Computer
• Applications: programs that contribute to
productivity
• Software: series of instructions to execute
processes
• Software categories:
– Application software: enables task completion
– System software: enables applications to run
on computer
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 Programming Languages and
Software Development Tools
• Programs needed for every computer operation
• Programming: process of writing programs
• Machine language: language hardware
understands
– 0’s and 1’s
• Assembly language: easier to program than
machine language
– Uses words
• High-level programming language: English-
like statements
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 Programming Languages and
Software Development Tools
(continued)
• Software development tools: develop software
with little knowledge of programming languages
• Third-generation languages known as
“procedural” languages
– Programmer must detail logical procedure
• Fourth-generation languages closer to human
language
• Debugging: locating and fixing program errors
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Programming Languages and Software
Development Tools (continued)

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Programming Languages and Software
Development Tools (continued)

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 Visual Programming

• Visual programming languages: create

graphics by selecting icons from palette
– Microsoft Visual Basic
– Borland Delphi
– Visual C++
– User can still work at the code level

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 Object-Oriented Programming

• Object-oriented programming: modular

approach to programming
– Ease of maintenance
– Object contains data elements and methods that
perform functions
– Objects reusable and combined in complex
programs
– Include C++, Object Pascal, and Java
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 Object-Oriented Programming
(continued)
• Increasing amount of software developed
for Web
• Web programming languages include Java,
JavaScript, J2EE, and PHP
• Applet: code produced by Web
programming language
– Runs same on different operating systems

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Object-Oriented Programming
(continued)

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 Application Software
• Application can be software to let
nonprogrammers develop their own tools
• Application-specific software: performs
specific jobs
• General-purpose application software:
serves multiple purposes
– Usually comes as packaged software
• Packaged software: ready to install from
external storage medium
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 Office Productivity Applications

• Productivity tools: assist normal office work

• Word processors: type letters and articles
• Spreadsheets: store numbers
– Perform complex mathematical, statistical, and
financial functions
• Presentation tools: develop impressive
presentations quickly

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 Office Productivity Applications
(continued)
• File management tools: create and manipulate
local or shared databases
• Graphics programs: create intricate graphics
– Manipulate digital photographs
• Desktop publishing tools:
– Pamphlets
– Cards
– Calendars
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 Office Productivity Applications
(continued)
• Project management tools: plan projects
and track progress
• Suite: collection of various applications
– Perform multiple interrelated functions

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 System Software
• System software: deals with essential
operations
– User interface
– Loading files
– Copying files
– Managing memory resources
– Encompasses compilers and interpreters
• Applications must be compatible with
system software
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 Operating Systems

• Operating system: most important program

– Recognizes input from keyboard
– Sends output to computer display
– Keeps track of files and directories
– Runs applications

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 Operating Systems (continued)

• Operating system manages memory

• Also known as “platform”
• Interacts with user and CPU
• Utilities: another OS functions
– Hardware diagnostics
– Disk check
– File sorting
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 Operating Systems (continued)

• Operating system functions include user

interface
– Originally text prompts
– Later graphical user interfaces
• Operating system must allocate memory
– Virtual memory: hard disk acts as RAM

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 Operating Systems (continued)

• Plug-and-play: run a device as soon as you

physically attach it
• Driver: enables OS to control device
• Operating systems incorporating more
services
– Database management
– Networking
– Security
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 Operating Systems (continued)
• Current operating systems
– Windows XP
– Linux
– Mac OS
• Linux: Free OS
– Based on UNIX
• Some versions of Windows notoriously
unstable
• OS based on UNIX highly stable
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Operating Systems (continued)

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Operating Systems (continued)

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 Other System Software
• Other system software
– Compilers
– Interpreters
– Communications software
– Utilities
– Communications software supports transmission
and reception of data across networks
– Utilities include antivirus programs, firewalls, and
spyware eliminators

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 Open Source Software
• Proprietary software: sold for profit
– Private code
– Developer retains rights to software
• Open source software: free source code
– Fewer bugs because many programmers review
– Mozilla Firefox
– Thunderbird
– MySQL
– PERL
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 Open Source Software (continued)
• Not all free software is open source
– Microsoft Internet Explorer
• Linux best known open source operating
system
– Popular because of versatility
– Runs on:
• Mainframes
• Handhelds
• Electronic devices
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 Software Licensing
• Software is usually licensed
• Licensed software: limited permission
– Time-limited license requires annual fees
• Several models
– Permissive model
• Anyone can use and sell modified versions
– General public license
• Cannot sell for profit

Use with Management Information Systems 1e

By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
© 2008 Cengage Learning
 Considerations for Packaged
Software
• Many goals and custom requirements during
development process
• Factors when purchasing large software
packages more complex
– Cost
– Time to implement
– Cost of interrupting operations
– Modification costs
Use with Management Information Systems 1e
By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
© 2008 Cengage Learning
 Summary
• Understanding hardware is important for
purchasing decisions
• Computers classified according to power
• All computers have CPU to process
instructions
• Clock rate measures the speed of a CPU
• Computer word is the number of bits it can
process in a single cycle
Use with Management Information Systems 1e
By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
© 2008 Cengage Learning
 Summary (continued)
• Computer power: speed and memory size
• RAM is volatile memory that forms a large
part of computer’s memory
• ROM is nonvolatile: does not require power
• Imaging devices help process text and
graphics
• When evaluating external storage, consider
density, transfer rate, capacity, portability,
format
Use with Management Information Systems 1e
By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
© 2008 Cengage Learning
 Summary (continued)

• Data organized sequentially on tapes

• Direct access storage devices include RAM,
magnetic disks, and optical discs
• Databases require direct access storage
devices
• When purchasing hardware, managers
should consider power, scalability, and
compatibility
Use with Management Information Systems 1e
By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
© 2008 Cengage Learning
 Summary (continued)
• Information technology may pose health risks
such as carpel tunnel syndrome
• Software is collective term for computer
programs
• Software classified as: system or application
• Programming languages and software
development tools help develop software

Use with Management Information Systems 1e

By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
© 2008 Cengage Learning
 Summary (continued)
• Increasing amount of software is linked to
Internet
• Some application programs custom designed,
and many are packaged
• Office productivity tools such as word
processors and spreadsheets help worker
efficiency

Use with Management Information Systems 1e

By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
© 2008 Cengage Learning
 Summary (continued)

• Most important system software is operating

system
• Open source software
– Distributed freely
– More reliable

Use with Management Information Systems 1e

By Effy Oz & Andy Jones ISBN 9781844807581
© 2008 Cengage Learning