Signs of the Times

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Signs of the Times
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Wuzzle
I'M Computers
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The Computer Industry
Computer History
CHAPTER 8
PARSONS/OJA
Page 384
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The Computer Industry
Chapter 8
Chapter PREVIEW

• Outline the development of calculating and
  computer devices
• Describe the hardware, software, and operating
  system characteristics for computer prototypes,
  and each of the four generations of computers
• List the factors that changed personal computers
  from hobbyists kits to widely used productivity
  and communications tools
• Describe the role of the computer and IT
  industries
• Explain the life cycle of typical hardware and
  software products

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The Computer Industry
Chapter 8
Chapter PREVIEW

• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of
  various marketing channels
• Describe the job outlook, working conditions, and
  salaries for computer professionals
• Differentiate between computer engineering,
  computer science, and information systems degree
  programs
• Demonstrate how to create a resume that works in
  todays technology-driven job market

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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
Manual Calculators What came before computers?

• Counting aids keep track of quantities
• Many transactions required calculations
• A manual calculator called an abacus first
  appeared around 1200 in China, and then in Japan
  around 1600
• Other manual calculators include the oddly-named
  Napiers Bones, and the slide rule
• In 1621, an English mathematician named William
  Oughtred used Napiers logarithms to construct
  the first slide rule

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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
What came before computers?
Click to start
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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
What came before computers?
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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
Mechanical Calculators When did machines begin
to perform calculations?

• A mechanical calculator implements algorithms
  autonomously. To work a mechanical calculator,
  the operator simply enters the numbers for a
  calculation, and then pulls a lever or turns a
  wheel to carry out the calculation
• Wilhelm Schickard created a mechanical calculator
  (called Shickards Calculator)
• Blaise Pascal developed the Pascaline
• Leibniz Calculator
• deColmars Arithmometer became the first
  mass-produced calculator

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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
When did calculating devices begin to operate
without human power?

• Charles Babbage proposed a device called the
  Difference Engine that would operate using steam
  power
• The Difference Engine was intended to quickly and
  accurately calculate large tables of numbers used
  for astronomical and engineering applications
• In 1834, Babbage began designing a new
  general-purpose calculating device, called the
  Analytical Engine

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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
When did calculating devices begin to operate
without human power?
Page 388
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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
When did calculating devices begin to operate
without human power?

• Computer historians believe that the Analytical
  Engine design embodies many of the concepts that
  define the modern computer
• Store the programs and data for calculations on
  punched cards
• The U.S. Census Bureau held a competition to find
  a way to tabulate the 1890 census
• Herman Hollerith won the competition with a
  design for an electronic punched card tabulating
  device

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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
When did calculating devices begin to operate
without human power?

• Each card contained areas to represent fields,
  such as nationality.
• Once punched, the cards were fed into a card
  reader that used an array of metal rods to
  electronically read the data from the cards and
  tabulate the results, Hollerith Tabulating
  Machine
• Hollerith incorporated The Tabulating Machine
  better known today as IBM

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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
Computer Prototypes Who invented the computer?

• A prototype is an experimental device that
  typically must be further developed and perfected
  before going into production and becoming widely
  available
• The Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC) was the first
  to use vacuum tubes instead of mechanical switches

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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
Who invented the computer?
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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
Who invented the computer?

• Konrad Zuse developed a computer called the Z3,
  which was based on the idea of binary yes/no
  states-what we now call bits
• Howard Aiken created the IBM Automatic Sequence
  Controlled Calculator (ASCC), but it is usually
  referred to as the Harvard Mark I because it was
  moved to Harvard University shortly after
  completion

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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
Were prototypes able to perform any real
computing?

• In 1943, a team of British developers created
  COLOSSUS, an electronic device designed to decode
  messages encrypted by the German ENIGMA machine
• COLOSSUS successfully broke the codes and gave
  the Allies a major advantage during World War II
• In 1943, a team headed by John W. Mauchly and J.
  Presper Eckert started work on ENIAC, a gigantic,
  general-purpose electronic computer
• ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and
  Computer) was designed to calculate trajectory
  tables for the U.S. Army

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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
Generations of Computers What was the first
commercially successful computer?

• A computer called the UNIVAC is considered by
  most historians to be the first commercially
  successful digital computer
• Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corp constructed it
• At fourteen and a half feet long, seven and a
  half feet high, and nine feet wide, UNIVAC was
  physically smaller than ENIAC, but more powerful

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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
How did computers progress from room-sized
behemoths to modern personal computers?

• As technology evolved, relay switches and vacuum
  tubes were replaced with smaller, less
  power-hungry components
• Computer historians seem to generally agree that
  computers have evolved through four distinct
  generations, and in each generation, computers
  became smaller, faster, more dependable, and less
  expensive to operate

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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
What characterized the first generation of
computers?

• First-generation computers can be characterized
  by their vacuum tubes
• A vacuum tube is an electronic device that
  controls the flow of electrons in a vacuum
• They consumed a lot of power
• They also tended to burn out quickly
• First-generation computers were characterized by
  custom application programs
• First-generation computers did not seem ready for
  prime time

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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
What characterized the first generation of
computers?
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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
How did second-generation computers differ from
first-generation computers?

• Second-generation computers used transistors
  instead of vacuum tubes
• Transistors performed functions similar to vacuum
  tubes, but they were much smaller, cheaper, less
  power hungry, and more reliable
• Several successful transistorized computers were
  manufactured by companies such as IBM, Burroughs,
  Control Data, Honeywell, and Sperry Rand
• IBM developed operating systems that provided
  standardized routines for input, output, memory
  management, storage, and other resource
  management activities.

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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
How did second-generation computers differ from
first-generation computers?
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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
How did second-generation computers differ from
first-generation computers?

• Early proprietary operating systems were designed
  to work only on a particular computer
• Second-generation computers also ran programming
  language compilers that allowed programmers to
  write instructions using English-like commands.
• High-level languages, such as COBOL (Common
  Business-Oriented Language) and FORTRAN (Formula
  Translator), were available for use on
  second-generation computers

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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
What are the characteristics of
third-generation computers?

• Third-generation computers became possible in
  1958, when Jack Kilby at Texas Instruments and
  Robert Noyce at Fairchild Semiconductor
  independently developed integrated circuits
• RCA Spectra 70, IBM 360
• In 1965, Digital Equipment Corp.(DEC) introduced
  the DEC PDP-8, the first commercially successful
  minicomputer
• By 2000, the IBM AS/400 (renamed the iSeries 400)
  was one of the few remaining devices that could
  be classified as a minicomputer
• Today, demand for minicomputers is satisfied by
  high-end personal computers and servers, and the
  term minicomputer has generally fallen into
  disuse

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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
What are the characteristics of
third-generation computers?
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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
How did microprocessor technology affect the
computer industry?

• The technology for fourth-generation computers
  appeared in 1971, when Ted Hoff developed the
  first general-purpose microprocessor
• Early industry leaders included Intel, Zilog,
  Motorola, and Texas Instruments
• The Intel line, used in most Windows-compatible
  computers, included the 8086, 8088, 80286, 80386,
  80486, Pentium, and Itanium microprocessors

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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
How did microprocessor technology affect the
computer industry?

• The Motorola line of microprocessors grew to
  include 68000 series processors used in Apple
  Macintosh computers, plus the PowerPC processors
  developed in the early 1990s, and used in current
  Macintosh computer systems
• Intel reigns as the worlds leading
  microprocessor manufacturer, though
  microprocessors are also produced by companies
  such as Hitachi, Texas Instruments, Sun
  Microsystems, AMD, Toshiba, and Motorola

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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
How did microprocessor technology affect the
computer industry?
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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
Personal Computers Who invented the personal
computer?

• One such system was the Mark-8 developed by
  Jonathan A. Titus, who was featured in the July
  1974 issue of Radio-Electronics
• In 1975, Ed Roberts and the MITS (Micro
  Instrument and Telemetry Systems) company
  announced the MITS Altair, which many historians
  believe to be the first commercial microcomputer
• In 1977, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded
  Apple Computer Corporation and released the Apple
  I, a kit containing a motherboard with 4K of RAM
  that sold for 666.66

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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
Who invented the personal computer?
Page 395
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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
How did personal computers become so successful?

• In 1978, Apple introduced the Apple II computer
• The Apple II was a very successful computer. One
  of the main reasons behind its success was a
  commercial software program called VisiCalc the
  first electronic spreadsheet
• In 1981, IBM began marketing what it called a
  personal computer or PC, based on the 8088
  processor. The IBM PC quickly became the
  top-selling personal computer
• IBM PC 5150
• IBM PC XT

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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
How did personal computers become so successful?

• Within months, dozens of companies used these
  parts to produce clones of IBM-compatible
  computers
• These companies were also able to obtain
  essentially the same operating system used by IBM
  
• The IBM PC used an operating system called PC-DOS
  that was created by a young programmer named Bill
  Gates
• Although hobbyists and the business community had
  embraced computers, these machines were still
  considered difficult for the average person to use

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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
How did personal computers become so successful?

• That perception began to change in 1983, when
  Apple introduced a product called the Apple Lisa
• A key feature of the Lisa was its graphical user
  interfacean idea borrowed from the Xerox Alto
  computer
• In 1984, Apple released the first Apple Macintosh

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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
How did personal computers become so successful?
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Computer History
Section A
Chapter 8
Exercise - Create a Timeline for Computer
History

• Use the previous information to create a timeline
  for Computer History
• Choose at least 5 key dates and place them on the
  timeline
• Be able to explain what happened on each data and
  why it is important.

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The Computer Industry
The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
CHAPTER 8
PARSONS/OJA
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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
PARSONS/OJA

• Before we can talk about supporting a company, we
  need to talk about what a company is?
• So, lets answer two basic questions What is a
  business? What does a company look like?

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
PARSONS/OJA
What is a business?
PROCESSING (Distinctive Competence Technical Core)
Raw Materials
Output
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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
PARSONS/OJA
Michael Porter is given credit for popularizing
the term Value Chain for the basic process of a
business.
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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
PARSONS/OJA
Businesses have an organizational structure
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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
PARSONS/OJA
Process
So, there are two key ways to look at businesses
structural and process
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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Industry Overview Is there a difference
between the computer industry and the information
technology industry?
Chapter 8

• Computer industry encompasses those companies
  that manufacture handheld computers, personal
  computers, high-end workstations, servers,
  mainframes, and supercomputers
• Information technology industry (or IT industry),
  is typically used to refer to the companies that
  develop, produce, sell, or support computers,
  software, and computer-related products

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
Is every company that used computers part of
the IT industry?

• No. A bank uses computers, but it is classified
  as part of the banking industry
• A clothing store might use computers to track
  inventory, but it is classified as part of the
  apparel industry

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
What kinds of companies are included in the IT
industry?

• Equipment manufacturers
• Chipmakers
• Software publishers
• Service companies
• Retailers
• Although some companies fit neatly into one of
  the above categories, other companies operate in
  two or more areas
• The IT industry also encompasses large
  conglomerates with one or more divisions devoted
  to computer hardware, software, or services

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
What about dot coms?

• The 1990s spawned a group of Internet-based
  companies that came to be called dot coms, from
  the companies domain names, which inevitably
  ended with .com and many of the companies even
  incorporated .com into their official company
  names
• Amazon.com was one of the first Internet-based
  companies
• Unless a dot com sells computers, peripherals,
  or software online, it is probably not considered
  part of the computer industry, experts disagree
  whether dot coms rightfully belong to the IT
  industry

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
Is the IT industry located in Silicon Valley?

• IT industry heavyweights such as Cisco, Intel,
  Sun Microsystems, Oracle, Hewlett-Packard, Palm,
  Handspring, Apple, AMD, 3Com, and Silicon
  Graphics are all located in Californias Silicon
  Valley
• Although Silicon Valley has a reputation as the
  home of the IT industry, many of the top IT
  players are located elsewhere

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
Is the IT industry located in Silicon Valley?
Page 399
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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
Is the IT industry located in Silicon Valley?

• Many of the largest companies in the IT industry
  have branch offices all over the world
• Despite the increasing globalization of the IT
  industry, it is still dominated by the U.S.
  Sixty-eight percent of IT workers are in the
  U.S., even though 62 percent of industry sales
  are to non-U.S. companies

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
Where can I find information about the IT
industry?

• You can dig up lots of information on IT and
  computer companies from a wide variety of
  computer and business publications
• The type of computer publication you need depends
  on the kind of information you want
• The IT Sources InfoWeb provides you with an
  up-to-date guide to publications and other IT
  industry resources

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
Economic Factors How has the IT industry
affected the economy?

• The IT industry has been described as the most
  dynamic, most prosperous, most economically
  beneficial industry the world has ever known.
• GDP is defined as the total value of a nations
  goods and services produced within a specific
  time period
• In the U.S., for example, the IT industry
  accounted for about 5 percent of the growth in
  the 1985 GDP.
• The Internet added more fuel to the fire, and by
  2000, ITs total contribution to GDP growth was
  about 8.6 percent

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
How has the IT industry affected the economy?

• The IT industry produced 1/3 of the real economic
  growth, and almost half of all growth between
  1995 and 1999
• The world IT market grew at an annual rate of 10
  between 1987 and 1995 nearly twice the rate of
  the world GDP
• In 2000, IT industry growth in the U.S. slowed
  due to the dot com sector shakeout

Percent contribution to GDP Growth
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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
What accounts for the success of the IT
industry?

• Population Growth
• The worldwide population more than doubled over
  the past 50 years, and a recent study predicts
  that the population will peak at 9 billion by the
  year 2070
• Globalization
• As businesses globalize, they encounter new
  competitors with technological advantages

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
What accounts for the success of the IT
industry?

• Governments and private businesses have
  discovered that they can become much more
  efficient with a liberal application of computers
  and other information technologies
• Bottom line if your business competitors turn
  to technology, so must you

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
Product Development Whats the reason for the
amazing number of new computer products that
appear each year?

• IT manufacturers and publishers introduce new
  products for the same reasons as their
  counterparts in the automotive industry. New
  products, such as a computer with a faster
  microprocessor, a DVD player, or an upgrade to
  Windows, are designed to attract customers and
  generate sales
• In contrast to the automotive industry, however,
  the IT industry is not on an annual cycle

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
Whats the reason for the amazing number of new
computer products that appear each year?

• The equipment-manufacturing segment of the IT
  industry is relatively young, and technology,
  rather than marketing, is the major force that
  drives product development
• Companies cannot always predict when a new
  technology will appear, or how it might be
  incorporated into new products. As a result, the
  life cycle of computer hardware and some computer
  products is short, whereas other products have a
  long life cycle

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
What are the stages in the life cycle of a
typical hardware product?

• The life cycle of a new computer model typically
  includes five stages product development,
  product announcement, introduction, maintenance,
  and retirement

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
What are the stages in the life cycle of a
typical hardware product?

• Product Development - Product development often
  takes place under wraps.
• Product Announcement - Sometime during the
  development process, a company makes a product
  announcement to declare its intention to
  introduce a new product. Vaporware, are
  announced, but never produced
• Introduction - When a new product becomes
  available, it is usually added to the vendors
  product line and featured prominently in
  advertisements

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
What are the stages in the life cycle of a
typical hardware product?

• Maintenance - As supply and demand for a product
  reach an equilibrium, the price of the product
  decreases slightly. This discounted price is
  usually referred to as the street price
• Retirement - Gradually, a companys oldest
  products are discontinued as demand for them
  declines

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
What are the stages in the life cycle of a
typical hardware product?
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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
Is the life cycle of a software product similar
to that of a hardware product?

• Software begins with an idea that is shaped by a
  design team and marketing experts
• Most software products undergo extensive testing
  before they are released
• The first phase of testing, called an alpha test,
  is carried out by the software publishers
  in-house testing team
• Errors, or bugs, found during the alpha test
  phase are fixed, and then the software enters a
  second testing phase called a beta test
• A beta test is conducted by a team of off-site
  testers

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
Is the life cycle of a software product similar
to that of a hardware product?

• A newly published software package can be an
  entirely new product, a new version (also called
  a release) with significant enhancements, or a
  revision designed to add minor enhancements and
  eliminate bugs found in the current version
• Unlike computer hardware products, older versions
  of software typically do not remain in the
  vendors product line

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
Market Share How do computer companies stack
up against each other?
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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
How do computer companies stack up against each
other?

• Market share refers to a companys share, or
  percentage, of the total market pie
• Competition is fierce in all segments of the
  industry, and market share is one indicator of a
  companys success.
• Usually defines three tiers
• Top tier Well known, established, large share
• 2nd tier smaller but significant share, newer
• 3rd tier start-up, technology driven
• Computer prices vary by tier Why?

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
Marketing Channels Why are computer equipment
and software sold through so many outlets?
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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
Why are computer equipment and software sold
through so many outlets?

• Hardware manufacturers and software publishers
  try to reach consumers by making their products
  available through a variety of sources
• Computer hardware and software are sold through
  marketing outlets called marketing channels
• These channels include computer retail stores,
  mail-order/Internet outlets, value-added
  resellers, and manufacturer direct

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
Isnt a computer retail store the best channel
for hardware and software products?

• A computer retail store purchases computer
  products from a variety of manufacturers, and
  then sells those products to consumers
• A computer retail store is often the best
  shopping option for buyers who are likely to need
  assistance after their purchases such as
  beginning computer users, or those with plans for
  complex computer networks
• Retail stores can be a fairly expensive channel
  for hardware and software

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
How does the mail-order channel compare to
retail?

• Mail order is a special instance of retailing in
  which a vendor takes orders by telephone or from
  an Internet site
• Mail-order suppliers generally offer low prices,
  but might provide only limited service and
  support
• Experienced computer users who can install
  components, set up software, and do their own
  troubleshooting are often happy with mail-order
  suppliers

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
Dont some manufacturers and publishers sell
direct?

• One advantage of direct sales is that by cutting
  out the retailer, a manufacturer can make more
  profit on each unit sold. The disadvantage is
  that the manufacturer must provide customers with
  technical supporta potentially costly service
  that requires large teams of technical support
  personnel

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
Whats a VAR?

• VAR stands for value-added reseller. A
  value-added reseller combines commercially
  available products with specialty hardware or
  software to create a computer system designed to
  meet the needs of a specific industry

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
Dont all those channels confuse consumers?

• Consumers can benefit from a variety of channels
• Although consumers benefit from a variety of
  channels, vendors within the channels often find
  that their sales are pirated by other channel
  vendorsa process referred to as channel conflict

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
Industry Regulation Is the IT industry
regulated in any way?

• Some aspects of the IT industry are regulated by
  government agencies, but many aspects are self
  regulated
• The Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
  regulates interstate and international
  communications by radio, television, wire,
  satellite, and cable
• The U.S. Federal Trade Commission and Department
  of Justice police the business practices of the
  IT industry
• Many governments are enacting laws that restrict
  access to particular Internet activities and
  content

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
Is the IT industry regulated in any way?

• In 1996, U.S. Congress enacted the Communications
  Decency Act, which made it illegal to put
  indecent material online where children might see
  it
• Before being exported from the U.S., software and
  hardware products that contain certain encryption
  algorithms must be registered with the U.S.
  government

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
How does the IT industry perceive government
regulation?

• Most IT industry leaders oppose further
  regulation of their industry. They remain
  skeptical of government regulations that might
  limit their ability to explore new technologies
  and offer them to the public. To avoid further
  government intervention, the IT industry has
  taken steps toward self regulation
• The information Technology Industry Council has
  become one of the major trade associations for
  computer manufacturers, telecommunications
  suppliers, business equipment dealers, software
  publishers, and IT service providers

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
How does the IT industry perceive government
regulation?

• The Software and Information Industry Association
• This organization focuses on protecting the
  intellectual property of members, and lobbying
  for a legal and regulatory environment that
  benefits the entire IT industry
• Organizations such as the IEEE Standards
  Association help the IT industry standardize
  technology

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The Computer and IT Industries
Section B
Chapter 8
Exercises

• Visit a www.informationweek.com identify 5
  acronyms from the articles and identify what they
  are.
• How would you answer the question Through which
  marketing channel would you buy a personal
  computer?

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The Computer Industry
Careers for Computer Professionals
Section C
CHAPTER 8
PARSONS/OJA
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Careers for Computer Professionals
Section C
Chapter 8
Jobs and Salaries What is a computer
professional?

• In 1999, the U.S. Congress crafted an amendment
  to the Fair Labor Standards Act that essentially
  defines computer professional as any person whose
  primary occupation involves the design,
  configuration, analysis, development,
  modification, testing, or security of computer
  hardware or software

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Careers for Computer Professionals
Section C
Chapter 8
What kinds of jobs are typically available to
computer professionals?
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Careers for Computer Professionals
Section C
Chapter 8
What kinds of jobs are typically available to
computer professionals?

• A systems analyst investigates the requirements
  of a business or organization, its employees, and
  its customers in order to plan and implement new
  or improved computer services
• A security specialist analyzes a computer
  systems vulnerability to threats from viruses,
  worms, unauthorized access, and physical damage
• A computer programmer designs, codes, and tests
  computer programs
• A quality assurance specialist participates in
  alpha and beta test cycles of software
• A database administrator analyzes a companys
  data to determine the most effective way to
  collect and store it

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Careers for Computer Professionals
Section C
Chapter 8
What kinds of jobs are typically available to
computer professionals?

• A network specialist/administrator plans,
  installs, and maintains one or more local area
  networks
• A computer operator typically works with
  minicomputers, mainframes, and supercomputers
• A computer engineer designs and tests new
  hardware products, such as computer chips,
  circuit boards, computers, and peripheral devices
• A technical support specialist provides phone or
  online help to customers of computer companies
  and software publishers

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What kinds of jobs are typically available to
computer professionals?

• A technical writer creates documentation for
  large programming projects, and writes the online
  or printed user manuals that accompany computers,
  peripheral devices, and software
• A computer salesperson, or sales rep, sells
  computers
• A Web site designer creates, tests, posts, and
  modifies Web pages
• A manufacturing technician participates in the
  fabrication of computer chips, circuit boards,
  system units, or peripheral devices

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Chapter 8
Whats the outlook for computer careers?

• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
  projects that the number of jobs in the computer
  industry will substantially increase between now
  and 2008
• According to the BLS, the largest increases in
  available jobs will be for database
  administrators, computer support specialists, and
  computer engineers
• Over the next few years, economic trends may
  cause significant changes in the job market

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Chapter 8
What can I expect as a salary for an IT
industry job?

• Web sites, such as http//www.bls.gov, provide
  salary data for various IT industry jobs

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Working Conditions What are the advantages of
working in the computer industry?

• Many technology companies offer employee-friendly
  working conditions that include childcare,
  flexible hours, and the opportunity to work from
  home

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Chapter 8
Are IT workers typically satisfied with their
jobs?

• One indication of job satisfaction is voluntary
  turnover rate
• Some companies in the IT industry have remarkably
  low turnover rates
• Oracle and Cisco Systems lt 6
• IBM and Microsoft are less than 10 percent

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Chapter 8
What about part-time or contract work?

• The typical IT industry employee works a 40-hour
  week, and often longer hours are required
• IT businesses benefit from the ability to hire
  contract workers. The pool IT contract workers
  provides a selection of people with specialized
  skills
• A contract worker is typically hired as a
  consultant

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Chapter 8
Can I work at an IT job from home?

• Workers in many industries are interested in
  telecommuting using available technology to
  work from home or an off-site location, at least
  part of the time
• The Internet and telecommunications technologies
  have made an impact on the availability of
  telecommuting opportunities for workers
• It has become common for employees to collaborate
  through e-mail, fax, groupware, and
  videoconferencing

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Chapter 8
How safe are IT jobs?

• Many people in the IT industry work at desk
  jobs, and could spend many hours of the workday
  gazing at a computer monitor and typing on a
  keyboard

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Chapter 8
How safe are IT jobs?

• Ergonomics is the study of work. The U.S.
  Occupational Safety and Health Administration
  (OSHA) further explains ergonomics as the
  science of designing the job to fit the worker,
  rather than physically forcing the workers body
  to fit the job

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Chapter 8
How safe are IT jobs?

• According to the BLS, Data entry keyers and
  others who work at video terminals for extended
  periods of time may experience musculoskeletal
  strain, eye problems, stress, or repetitive
  motion illnesses, such as carpal tunnel syndrome

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Section C
Chapter 8
What are the demographics of the computer
industry?

• As you might expect, IT industry workers are
  younger than their counterparts in most other
  industries

• Men outnumber women
• Minorities are increasingly
• If youre good, well hire you
• good set of qualifications and experiences

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Section C
Chapter 8
Education What are the basic qualifications
for IT industry jobs?

• IT industry jobs include some type of higher
  education, certification, or computer experience

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Chapter 8
Do I need a computer science degree to work in
the computer industry?

• There are many computer-related degrees that are
  offered by colleges and universities
• Computer engineering focuses on the design of
  computer hardware and peripheral devices, often
  at the chip level
• Computer science focuses on computer
  architecture, and how to program computers to
  make them work effectively and efficiently
• Information systems, or information technology,
  degree programs, typically offered by a
  universitys College of Business, focus on
  applying computers to business problems

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Chapter 8
Where can I find information on
computer-related degree programs?

• Petersons is a comprehensive resource for
  educational services
• Its Web site at www.petersons.com has become a
  primary resource for locating educational
  programs, as well as providing testing services
  for admissions and certification

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Chapter 8
What kinds of computer jobs can I get with an
Associates degree?

• Graduates of two-year programs typically find
  employment as entry-level technicians,
  programmers, and support personnel
• Advancement opportunities might be limited,
  however, without additional education or
  certification

Graduate
Undergraduate
Associates
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Chapter 8
What kinds of computer jobs can I get with a 4
year degree?

• Graduates of four-year programs typically find
  employment as entry-level technicians,
  programmers, and support personnel
• 4 year degree implies higher level of IT skills
• However, these jobs typically start a standard
  career path through the company.

Graduate
Undergraduate
Associates
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Chapter 8
What kinds of computer jobs can I get with a
graduate degree?

• Masters degree in Information Systems or
  Masters degree in Business Administration (MBA)
• Any of these graduate degrees would help you get
  a management position as a college professor

Graduate
Undergraduate
Associates
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Chapter 8
What type of certification is available?

• Certificates of completion are offered to
  students who successfully complete 1 or more
  courses on a specific topic
• A certification exam is an objective test that
  verifies your level of knowledge about a
  particular technology or subject
• General computer knowledge
• Software Applications
• Database Administration
• Networking
• Computer Hardware

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Chapter Review

• Should be able to describe a timeline for
  computer industry with 5 important events.
• Should be able to discuss two ways to describe a
  business.
• Should be able to generally describe the IT
  industry
• What kind of companies are in the industry?
• How do companies market in the industry/
• What is the economic impact of IT?
• What kind of jobs are in IT

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