By: Samuel Lubowa

Email: slubowa@umu.ac.ug
Website: www.uganet.net
Introductory Lecture
August 2019

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 Chapter 1
Does a Business Manager need Computers?
Does An Accountant Need Computers?
How about Micro Finance Specialists?
If your Ans is Yes, Then you need to Become
Computer Fluent

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 Computer fluency
 Computers and careers
 Computer functions
 Data vs. information
 Computer hardware and software
 Societal challenges and computers
 Future technologies

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 What is Computer Fluency?
• To be computer
fluent you must:
– Understand a
computer’s
capabilities and
limitations
– Know how to use a
computer

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As Managers, Accountants and
Other related professionals,
Why do we need Computers?
 Make good purchase
decisions
 Maintain your computer
 Keep abreast of changes in
technology
 Understand the real risks
 Use the Internet wisely
 Avoid online annoyances
 Avoid hackers and viruses
 Protect your privacy

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 Computer Specs……
 Steps followed to check for specs;
 Right click on My Computer/Computer/This

PC icon on the computer

 Choose properties
 View Processor speed, Ram, OS
 To view the storage capacity;
 Open My Computer/Computer/This PC
 Right click on each Partition i.e Local Disc

C,D… and choose properties

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 Computer careers in:
◦ Business
◦ The Arts
◦ The Medical Field
◦ Law Enforcement
◦ Legal Fields
◦ Education
◦ The Sciences
◦ Gaming
◦ Homes

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 Computers in Business
• Point of Sale Terminals
• Tracking merchandise

• Data mining

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 Computers in the Arts
• Virtual art
Virtual dance

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Computers in the Medical Field
 Virtual reality in medical applications
 Patient simulator  Da Vinci Surgical System

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Computers in Law Enforcement
• Computer forensics

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 Computers in the Legal Fields
• Surveillance cameras
• Forensic animation

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 Computers in the
classroom
 Distance Education eg

using
www.elearning.uganet.
net
LMS platform
 Computerized research
 The Internet eg

www.google.com

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 Supercomputers
 Telemedicine
 Meteorology

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 Training
 Timing and

scorekeeping
 Data storage and

statistics

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 Programming
 3D animation

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 Robotics
 Smart appliances

Internet-
connected
refrigerator Robomower

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 Nanoscience
 Biomedical Chip Implants
 Artificial Intelligence

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  Molecules and nanostructures
 Nanomachines

Fluid flow inside

Nanomachines

5.4n
m

Four-α-helix
protein scaffold

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 Technological solutions
to physical problems Retinal Implants
 Identity chips

VeriChip

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 Robots
 Neurons vs Microchips

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 Privacy risks
 Personal data

collection
 Monitoring e-mail
 Copyright

infringement
 Software piracy

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 Data processing
 Bits and bytes
 Computer hardware
 Computer software
 Computer platforms
 Specialty computers

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 Data vs. Information:
◦ Data is a representation of a fact or idea
 Number
 Word
 Picture
 Sound
◦ Information is data that has been organized or
presented in a meaningful fashion.

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 Four major functions:
◦ Input data
◦ Process data
◦ Output information
◦ Store data and information

DATA
IN

INFORMATION
OUT

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 Bit
◦ Binary digit OFF ON
◦ 0 or 1 Microchip
Switch 0 1
 Byte
◦ Eight bits
 ASCII
◦ Each byte represents a
letter, number or special
character

=4
0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0
=A
0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
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 NAME ABBREVIATION NUMBER OF BYTES RELATIVE SIZE

Byte B 1 byte Can hold one character of data.

Kilobyte KB 1,024 bytes Can hold 1,024 characters or about half of

a typewritten page double-spaced.

Megabyte MB 1,048,576 bytes A floppy disk holds approximately 1.4 MB

of data, or approximately 768 pages of
typed text.

Gigabyte GB 1,073,741,824 bytes Approximately 786,432 pages of text.

Since 500 sheets of paper is
approximately 2 inches, this represents a
stack of paper 262 feet high.

Terabyte TB 1,099,511,627,776 bytes This represents a stack of typewritten

pages almost 51 miles high.

Petabyte PB 1,125,899,906,842,624 The stack of pages is now 52,000 miles

bytes high, or about one-fourth the distance
from the Earth to the moon.

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 Input devices
 System unit
 Output devices
 Storage devices

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 Enter data to be processed
◦ Keyboard
◦ Scanners
◦ Mouse
◦ Trackball D
C
B
A
◦ Touch screen
◦ Microphone
◦ Game Controller
◦ Digital camera

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 Cabinet that houses all components
 Motherboard
 CPU
 Memory modules

System Unit
CPU

Memory
Module

Motherboard

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 Enable us to see or hear the processed
information
◦ Monitor
◦ Speakers
◦ Printers

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 Enable us to store data or information to be
accessed again

Hard Disk Drive Floppy Disk CD / DVD Drive

Flash Drive
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 Software - programs that
enable the hardware to
perform different tasks
 Application software

◦ Tools for getting things done

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 System software
◦ Essential for platform operation and support

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 PC Mac
 CPU – Intel, AMD  CPU – Motorola
 Operating system –  Operating system –

Microsoft Windows Apple Mac OS

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 Server
 PDA PDA
 Server
 Mainframe
 Supercomputer
 Microcontrollers

Mainframe
Supercomputer

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 What does it mean to be “computer fluent”?

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 Why do we need computers while executing
our daily tasks at work?

 What are some of the sectors where

computers can be applied?

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 How can becoming computer fluent help you
in a career?

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 What are some future technologies?

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 What kinds of challenges do computers bring
to society?

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 What are a computer’s four main functions?

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 What is the difference between data and
information?

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 What are a bit and a byte?

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 What hardware does a computer use to
perform its functions?

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 What are the two main types of software?

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 What different kinds of computers are there?

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