HAL 121
1. What trends are occurring in the development and use
of the major types of computer systems?
The rising trend of technological development in computer systems has reduced the cost and size of
them. This development in the computer systems has increased not only the speed but also the power of
the computer systems. These trends spread on the globe as a whole as more of the business
organizations are becoming online. The Online development firms helped the businesses in
understanding their software. The invention of microprocessors increased not only the speed but the
efficiency of the systems as well. The previous speed of the microprocessors was in Megahertz, which is
now replaced by Gigahertz resulting in efficiency improvement.
Another technological advancement in computer systems was the invention of Laptop pc. They are much
lighter and smaller as compared to desktop computers. This thing has made the portable and flexible
nature of the computer more elegant and easy.
Major types of computer systems:
1. Microcomputer Systems: Pc, network framed computers, workstations, etc.
Examples:
● Desktop: This type of computer systems is large and they cannot be moved easily.
● PDA: Another kind of computer system is the PDA, which is easily used by touching the screen.
● Notebook: Notebooks are pretty larger than PDAs’ but their size is smaller than desktop pc.
● Laptop: This type of computer system is more portable and easy to use.
2. Midrange Systems: multiuser computer systems, Network base systems, web servers, etc.
Example:
● Network based Servers are those computers, which are connected with the internet and controls
the operation of other computers attached on the internet.
3. Mainframe Systems: Supercomputers, processor (transaction), etc.
Examples:
● Mainframe System: This system is specifically used by big organizations, which are operating on
national or international level and these systems are located in a room or two.
● Supercomputer: This type of computer is big in size and their processing ability is specifically
used for Weather forecast.
2. Will the convergence of PDAs, subnotebook PCs,
and cell phones produce an information appliance
that will make all of those categories obsolete? Why
or why not?
There is probably no doubt that the convergence of PDAs, sub-notebook PCs, and cell phones will
produce an information appliance that will make all of those categories obsolete. As more powerful
appliances capable of completing multiple tasks are developed, there will definitely be a trend toward
converging of this technology into a single appliance. Users do not want to carry around 4 or 5 different
appliances when one would do the trick. For example, it only stands to reason that an individual will not
want to carry around a pager, cell phone, GPS, laptop, or a variety of other hardware devices if all of the
features could be integrated into one small appliance such as the PDA. As we can see today more and
more hybrid devices are being developed which can perform functions of mobile, PC as well as PDAs.
Very soon our world will be dominated by such devices which can perform functions of PDAs, Notebook
as well as cell phones and they will have other added features as well. So it is quite obvious that people
would go for this device instead of carrying different devices for different functions.
So it would not be a wonder if in a few years time all the PDAs, notebook PCs, and cell phones become
obsolete and are replaced by a smarter version of their convergence.
3. Refer to the Real World Case IT asset management
in the chapter. What advice would you provide to a growing company to avoid facing the issues
discussed in the case?
Medium size and small organizations cannot afford to buy advanced management systems. There should
be procedures for the purchase of IT supplies of a company’s own IT department. This will produce an
effective database, which could be used for planning and reporting. This little change will give the
employees an inspiration for making reports and keeping track of the data.
By the introduction of such low cost strategy, there will be updated and current database inventories. In
addition, they will have a team that can coordinate and report the activities in their IT department. This
thing will help the IT firm to operate at low cost and implement full-scale operations.
4. Do you think that information appliances like PDAs will replace personal computers (PCs) in
business applications? Explain.
PDA or Personal Digital Assistant also known as Palmtops are devices that perform as personal data
manager. PDAs can perform the function of mobile phones or media devices, they can connect to the
internet and they are small in size, in short they are smaller PCs with lots of advantages.
Selection of PC or PDA like information appliance will mainly depend upon the nature of the business as
well. If the business needs more mobility than it will go with such PDA like devices and if just mobility is
not enough for the business and large volume of data or large size of processing in necessary and not
much mobility is required then PCs will be used. As we can see today the trend is going towards
developing portable smart gadgets of information technology and the same is the case in the business
sector.
Even though Portable mobile computing devices like PDA will be widely used, I don’t think they will
replace computers in business applications. They will have their own advantages and there is no doubt
that businesses will use such types of portable mobile devices more and more to increase their efficiency
and production but PCs will not be completely replaced. The capacity of the PCs will always be more than
such devices and using PCs would be more effective for business instead of such devices. Yes indeed
such devices would replace the PCs in terms of personal use but for business applications I don’t think
that PCs would be completely replaced because for business both performance and convenience is
important. Even though PDS like devices would provide much convenience but they will always be one
step behind in terms of performance and capacity. So there will be mixed use of PDA like devices and
PCs in business application but the PCs would not be completely replaced.
5. Are networks of PCs and servers making mainframe are computers obsolete? Explain.
Mainframe computer is a data processing system employed mainly in large organizations for various
applications, including bulk data processing, process control, industry and consumer statistics, enterprise
resource planning, and financial transaction processing.
Mainframes use proprietary operating systems, most of which are based on Unix, and a growing number
on Linux. Over the years they have evolved from being room-sized to networked configurations of
workstations and servers that are an extremely competitive and cost effective platforms for ecommerce
development and hosting. Mainframes are so called because the earliest ones were housed in large
metal frames.
Networked microcomputers are often the better alternative to larger single computer systems, providing
many of the same advantages, and easier access and more personal control. However, there are still
many tasks that require the memory capacity and number crunching power of modern mainframe
computers, such as running mathematical models for weather forecasting. Minicomputers are often more
economical than multiple macros in business environments that have teams working together on projects
and require control of access to databases and ongoing projects. The distinction between micro- and
minicomputers, however, is becoming increasingly fuzzy.
Even though the networked PCs are gaining popularity and its use is increasing more and more in offices,
it will not completely replace the mainframe computers. If we see the records the sales and use of
mainframe computers have actually increased with the increase in their capacity and decreasing
acquisition and maintenance costs. Networked PCs and provide an alternate for Mainframes but can
never replace them because as mentioned above there are some specific tasks that require the capacity
and speed of the mainframe.
6. Refer to the Real World Case on speech recognition in health care in the chapter. Although
these and other technologies are becoming more prevalent in health care, doctors have
traditionally been reluctant to adopt them. Why do you think this is the case? How would these
technologies change the way doctors perform their job?
This technology is a type of voice-assisted technology, which has dramatically reduced the amount of
time the Butler, Pa.,the hospital's team of intravenous (IV) nurses spends recording information in
patients’ charts and on other administrative tasks. With this, the nurses were able to cut the time they
spent on phone calls and manual processes, including patient record documentation, by at least 75
percent. Alongside with the AccuNurse, which combines the use of speech recognition and synthesis for
charting and communication, Butler’s IV nurses wear lightweight headsets and small pocket-sized
wireless devices that enable them to hear personalized care instructions and other information about
patients’ IV needs. Furthermore, this technology equipped with transcription services allows spoken notes
to be available immediately. It also rarely gets medical words wrong, which helps cuts down on mistakes
caused by memory lapses and boosts the level of details that are included in a patient record.
Yes this is a great piece of technology, however, it creates a huge dependency on it. Doctors or nurses
are less likely to check on the medical records as they may have perceived it as perfect without any error.
However, errors are likely to exist. Not only that, huge dependency on this technology may cause a huge
burden if a problem is likely to occur on the system. When a problem or something goes wrong with the
system, it’ll affect the access of the patients’ records which can highly endangers the procedure done at
the hospital. Risks of data loss is also large, in particular if the system has broken down. Moreover,
inadequate training to use the technology may also result in efficiencies of the whole process and hinder
effectiveness.
.
7. What are several trends that are occurring in computer peripheral devices? How do these
trends affect business uses of computers?
Computer peripheral refers to the components attached with the computers externally like keyboard,
mouse, monitor, printer, scanner, web cam, scanner etc that are essential for the computer to perform its
various functions.
If we see the current trend in the computer peripheral devices then we can see that with the passage of
time and with the advancement of technology the peripheral are getting more and more user friendly. The
manufacturers and developers are keeping the end user’s need and preference in consideration while
developing hardware. The peripheral is easier to use compared to their earlier versions. The traditional
ways of input are also gradually changing, instead of using keyboard, mouse or other device voice input
methods are gaining popularity the future ahead will be dominated by such kinds of input methods. The
computers will be able to recognize the user’s voice and command and react or respond to those
commands. The computers would even be able to read the emotion of the user and act accordingly.
The peripherals are becoming wireless and small. They are small and smart. The capacity is increasing
day by day. If we see the trend in the secondary storage device then we can see that there is an
increased use of optical disks and portable hard disks, or portable storage drives (pen drives). With the
emergence of the concept of cloud computing in near future all concepts of storing data in our storage
device will end. Then everything will be on cloud. Users would save their data in cloud and access it from
anywhere from cloud.
In short we can conclude that the computer peripheral devices are getting cheaper, smaller, smarter, wire
less and more interactive/ user friendly.
8. What are several important computer hardware developments that you expect to happen in the
next 10 years? How will these affect the business use of Computers?
The pace of technology is so fast that everything related to computers is changing unbelievably fast.
Latest technology of today is obsolete history for tomorrow. Something which was just limited to
imagination and was thought impossible yesterday has become reality today, and the same trend will
continue in the coming years in the field of computer hardware. Although, it is impossible to predict what
miracle will be there tomorrow in terms of computer hardware tomorrow, but also I think the development
in coming 10 years will be something like :-
● A growth in the type and usage of smart gadgets and information appliances for input and output
purposes will increase.
● Hardware devices will be more powerful in terms of processing speed and capacity.
● Wireless devices will become the standard or norm for many businesses.
● A reduction on the dependency on keyboards and mouse type technology as businesses
currently use such technology.
● Storage will improve in terms of media and capacity and with a related reduced cost.
Voice commands and gestures to operate the computers and the computers will be more likely to be used
due to the increased advancement. . It’ll be most likely that in the coming 10 years there will be nothing
like keyboards and mouse. The output devices will differ from today’s devices. The output may even be
able to be shown virtually in air. The coming era is the era of cloud computing when everything will be in
air and the hardware will also adapt to the change accordingly. There wouldn’t be a significant change in
a variety of things like mobile phones, laptops, or anything else. All the human needs will be fulfilled by
one single hybrid device. This will perform the function of mobile, laptop, PC as well as all the other
devices. The capacity of storage devices will increase, almost all the information of the world will fits.
9. What processor, memory, magnetic disk storage, and video display capabilities would you
require for a personal computer that you would use for business purposes? Explain your choices.
Need of computer may vary from business to business. The need will solely depend upon the nature of
business and the task that has to be performed. So the computer being used in one business may not be
the best choice for another business. A supermarket may need a computer with a different capacity
compared to a computer needed by an animation company. A professional like a doctor or lawyer may
need a different computer from a software developer.
If I had to select a computer (PC) for business purpose then I would want it to have the latest processor
which can perform the best. So I would want my computer to have the newest processor and
motherboard. It is the best processor available in the market at today’s time. I will want my business PC to
have the maximum capacity Hard Disk and RAM available in the market. The hard disk must have
enough capacity to store the business data. There will be a need for large memory for the business PC as
it needs to store data of the entire business. There are different software that need to be installed in
computers to help operate the business smoothly and the computer must have the capability to smoothly
function those software. And the display quality must be of the top class.
10. What other peripheral devices and capabilities would you want to have for your business PC?
Explain your Choices.
It would be necessary to have input-output peripherals, like keyboard, mouse, printer, monitor or
projector, touchpad or touch screens, barcode readers , scanners. And in addition to all these, It would be
best to have the internet and intranet connection in the computers and different softwares necessary to
operate the business.
Computer peripherals are important because computers can’t function on their own without the
peripherals. Different devices like keyboard, mouse, and scanner will be needed for input whereas,
devices like printers, monitors or projectors will be needed. A computer these days is useless without
internet connection. So I would want my computer to have internet as well as intranet connection so that,
employees could connect for business collaboration with people inside or outside the organization, as well
as they can utilize other facilities. And there will be need of computer software to facilitate everyday
business function.
HAL 170
1. What major trends are occurring in software? What capabilities do you expect to see in future
software Packages?
Major trends that have been developing in software are towards easy-to-use features, general-purpose
application packages and toward natural languages. Expect powerful, multi-purpose, expert-assisted
software packages with natural language and graphics-based user interfaces have fast become the norm.
Future software packages will no doubt incorporate more voice activated features than we have
previously seen. General purpose software packages will probably not incorporate many new features;
however the software industry will continue to strive towards ensuring that their new releases are better
written, and easier to use.
2. How do the different roles of system software and application software affect you as a business
end user? How do you see this changing in the future?
The system software acts as an interface between the computer hardware and the application software.
To run any application it is very much important for an application software to be supported by system
software. The end user will interact mainly with application software and application software performs as
per the permission of system software. In the future this type of interface will become even easier to use
as it moves towards natural interfaces.
3. Refer to the Real World Case on Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) in the chapter. Do you think GE
would have been better off developing a system specifically customized
to their needs, given that GE’s supply chain is like nothing else in the world?
No, the case makes it clear that Avaro had both the necessary expertise and a product GE’s experts
could examine for themselves. This expertise gave GE a jumptstart on implementation - critical to meeting
GE’s cost-saving goals. GE beats the problems associated with inflexible vendors by choosing one small
enough that GE could dictate its requirements. GE also beat the problem associated with small vendors
vanishing overnight because it could provide Avaro with enough financial resources to prevent financial
failure.
4. Why is an operating system necessary? That is, why
can’t an end user just load an application program into
a computer and start computing?
The instruction set implemented on the computer hardware (the machine language) is very limited.
Programs using only these instructions would have to be extremely long and complicated, to perform the
various processing tasks required by end users. Application programs thus require the operating system
to act as an interface with the hardware, allowing application programs to be shorter, easier to
understand, easier to use, and possibly allow multiple applications to run concurrently.
5. Should a Web browser be integrated into an operating system? Why or why not?
Since it influences lots of other things in the system, opinions about whether to integrate web browsers
into operating system or not will probably vary. If done so there will be lots of advantages like,
convenience of using and availability, growing popularity of Internet, extranets, and intranets. It also has
disadvantages as it will take additional resource requirements, it may result in abuse of corporate
resources using the web browser for activities not related to company business, etc.
6. Refer to the Real World Case about the U.S. Department
of Defense and its adoption of open-source software in
the chapter. Would such an approach work for a
commercial organization, or is it limited to government
entities? What would be the most important
differences in each case, if any?
Such approach may work for a commercial organization, as an open-source software helps eliminate
defects, modification rights that help speed changes when needed, a reduction in the reliance on
proprietary vendors, a licensing model that facilitates quick provisioning, cost reduction in some cases,
reduction in maintenance and ownership costs, and favorable characteristics for rapid prototyping and
experimentation. These may enhance the business’ development and push efficiency in expanding the
business. However, the biggest difference with this software is freely available to others to use, improve
and distribute. It may not be so good for a company that wants to do a lot of development, for instance
Apple. Consequently, open-source software has two risks which are the risk of infringement and the risk
of license restriction.
Open source comes with unusual license restrictions that may impact a company's strategies, particularly
the risk that its own proprietary software may be "tainted" by a duty to open its source code to others.
Also, open source violates third-party intellectual property rights, and open source users receive no
contract protection for this higher risk which may resulted in a higher risk of infringement, and the
consequent exposure to injunctions and damages, rest entirely on the user. Similar case happened to
IBM when SCO is claiming $3 billion in damages from IBM for breach of confidentiality and wrongful
disclosure of Unix code it claims it owns. Thus, it may be risky for commercial organizations to apply this
as it imposes quite a problematic disadvantage.
7. Are software suites, Web browsers, and groupware
merging together? What are the implications for a
business and its end users?
The growing areas such as the Internet, extranets, and intranets are pushing technology towards tighter
integration of these capabilities. This merging has resulted in a much wider and meaningful approach of
web development throughout the world. As for the Implications for a business and its end users, it
ensures greater efficiencies due to the collection of information from wider options, and it also facilitates
the function of the collaboration of workgroup computing.
8. How are HTML, XML, and Java affecting business applications on the Web?
HTML and Java are becoming vital tools for building multimedia web pages, web sites, and web-based
applications. Business can use HTML to create hypertext and hypermedia documents, creating
hyperlinks to other parts of documents anywhere on the Web. Java is a simple and secure programming
language, and is computing platform independent. It is specifically designed for real-time, interactive,
web-based network applications. As well, it uses applets, which can be executed by any computer and
any operating system anywhere in a network. Applets can reside at web sites on a network server until
needed by client systems, and are easy to distribute over the Internet or intranets and extranets. Java is
becoming the programming language choice for many organizations intent on capitalizing on the business
potential of the Internet, as well as their own intranets and extranets. The casual user will be able to
download the applet on an as-needed basis by using browser software. This will greatly reduce the cost
of having to install expensive software on the users’ PCs. As well, valuable resources such as RAM, disk
space, expensive processors etc. will be freed up for other business uses.
9. Do you think Linux will surpass, in adoption and use,
other operating systems for network and Web servers?
Why or why not?
Linux has come up with a very wide range of facilities totally free of cost. Its features have given new
definitions to operating systems. It has to be more competitive and easy to use in order to compete with
Microsoft. Over the years it could be the most sought after system because of its flexibility and
accessibility. But it should focus on various issues below:
Suggested issues would include:
● Security.
● Open source environment encourages users to discover and share problems and patches before
hacker attacks.
● The difficulty of installation of Linux vs. easier installation for other operating systems.
● Device drivers are not as readily updated for Linux as compared to what is usual for other
operating systems.
10. Which application software packages are the most
important for a business end user to know how to use?
Explain the reasons for your choices.
● Word processing – software that handles electronic storage, editing, formatting, and printing of
documents.
● Spreadsheets – software displaying data in a grid of columns and rows, with the capability of
easily recalculating numerical data.
● Databases management systems – special software to create and maintain a database and
enable individual business applications to extract the data they need without having to create
separate files or data definitions in their computer programs.
● Groupware – software that supports the collaborative activities of work groups.
● E-mail – facilitates the computer-to-computer exchange of messages.
● Web browser – easy-to-use software for accessing the World Wide Web and the Internet.
● Presentation graphics – software to create professional-quality graphics presentations that can
incorporate charts, sound, animation, photos, and video clips.
● Desktop publishing software – software that provides more control over the placement of text,
graphics, and photos in the layout of a page than word processing software.
