APPENDIX A

1
APPENDIX A

• THE TECHNOLOGY TREE

2
YOU USE TECHNOLOGY TO WORK WITH INFORMATION
The Technology Tree
A-2

• But what technologies do you specifically need?
• How can you decide which technology is best for a
  given situation?

Its simple - you have to know what
information-processing task youre trying to
perform. That will tell you which type of
technology you need.
3
INFORMATION-PROCESSING TASKS
The Technology Tree
A-3

• 1.Capturing information - at its point of origin.
• 2.Conveying information - in its most useful
  form.
• 3.Creating information - to obtain new
  information.
• 4.Cradling information - for use at a later time.
• 5.Communicating information - to other people or
  another location.

4
WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO WITH INFORMATION?
The Technology Tree
A-4

• Capture it - use input technologies.
• Convey it - use output technologies.
• Create it - use software technologies.
• Cradle it - use storage technologies.
• Communicate it - use telecommunications
  technologies.

See Figures A.1 A.2 on page 498.
5
CAPTURING INFORMATION WITH INPUT TECHNOLOGIES
Input Technologies
A-5

• If you need to capture information, use input
  technologies.
• INPUT TECHNOLOGIES are the tools you use to
  capture information or commands at the point of
  origin.
• The key is to use the right input device that
  will capture information at its point of origin.

6
SOME INPUT TECHNOLOGIESSee Photo Essay on pages
499-501
Input Technologies
A-6

• KEYBOARD - the most common.
• POINT-OF-SALE - for transaction information.
• SOUND INPUT -for audio information.
• TOUCH-TONE INPUT - for telephones.
• AUTOMATIC SPEECH RECOGNITION (ASR) SYSTEM - can
  distinguish words and sentences in your speech.
• MOUSE - most popular pointing device.

7
SOME INPUT TECHNOLOGIES See Photo Essay on pages
499-501
Input Technologies
A-7

• TRACKBALL - upside-down mouse for a portable.
• PEN MOUSE - a fountain pen-looking mouse.
• POINTING STICK - pointing device in the middle of
  a keyboard.
• TOUCH SCREEN - records your touch of the screen.
• LIGHT PEN - pen you use to highlight screen areas.

8
SOME INPUT TECHNOLOGIES See Photo Essay on pages
499-501
Input Technologies
A-8

• BAR CODE READER - for UPC information.
• OPTICAL MARK RECOGNITION (OMR) - detects the
  presence or absence of a mark (like on Scantrons
  for multiple choice exams).
• MAGNETIC-INK CHARACTER RECOGNITION (MICR) - reads
  preprinted electronic symbols (such as those on
  the bottom of your checks).

9
SOME INPUT TECHNOLOGIES See Photo Essay on pages
499-501
Input Technologies
A-9

• FORMATTED OPTICAL CHARACTER RECOGNITION (OCR) -
  for symbols that have been standardized in
  appearance.
• UNFORMATTED OCR - for capturing such information
  as handwriting and converting it into editable
  text.
• IMAGE SCANNING - for capturing information in the
  form of pictures, diagrams, graphs, and so on.

10
SOME INPUT TECHNOLOGIES See Photo Essay on pages
499-501
Input Technologies
A-10

• GLOVE - captures the movement of your hand in
  virtual reality.
• HEADSET - captures the movement of your head in
  virtual reality.
• WALKER - captures the movement of your legs and
  feet in virtual reality.

11
CAPTURING INFORMATION WITH INPUT TECHNOLOGIES
Input Technologies
A-11

• To choose the most appropriate input technology,
  try asking the following questions (See Figure
  A.3 on page 502)

Am I trying to capture information, commands,
or both? In what form is the information
and/or commands Im trying to capture?
12
Input Technologies
A-12
Am I Trying to Capture Information, Commands, or
Both?

• FOR CAPTURING INFORMATION
• Sound input, Bar code reader, OMR, MICR, OCR
• Image scanning, Light pen
• FOR CAPTURING COMMANDS
• Mouse, Trackball, Pen mouse, Pointing stick
• FOR CAPTURING BOTH
• Keyboard, Touch-tone, ASR, Touch screen, POS
• Glove, Headset, Walker

13
Input Technologies
A-13
In What Form Is the Information and/or Commands
Im Trying to Capture?

• FOR AUDIO INPUT
• Sound input, ASR, Touch-tone
• FOR DIRECT INPUT
• Keyboard, POS
• FOR SCREEN PRESENTATION
• Mouse, Trackball, Pen mouse, Pointing stick
• Touch screen, Light pen

14
Input Technologies
A-14
In What Form Is the Information and/or Commands
Im Trying to Capture?

• FOR FORMATTED TEXT AND IMAGES INPUT
• Bar code reader, OMR, MICR, OCR
• FOR UNFORMATTED TEXT AND IMAGES INPUT
• OCR, Image scanning
• FOR MOTION INPUT
• Glove, Headset, Walker

15
CONVEYING INFORMATION WITH OUTPUT TECHNOLOGIES
Output Technologies
A-15

• If you need to convey information, use output
  technologies.
• OUTPUT TECHNOLOGIES are the tools you use to see,
  hear, or otherwise accept the results of your
  information-processing requests.
• The key is to use the right output device that
  will let you present information in its most
  useful form.

16
SOME OUTPUT TECHNOLOGIES See Photo Essay on
pages 503-504
Output Technologies
A-16

• SOUND OUTPUT - for reproducing sounds.
• SPEECH SYNTHESIS - for creating speech from text.
• PLOTTER - a type of printer that draws output
  with a moveable arm.
• MONITOR - for displaying information on screen.
• PRINTER - for conveying information in hard copy
  form on paper.

17
CONVEYING INFORMATION WITH OUTPUT TECHNOLOGIES
Output Technologies
A-17

• To choose the most appropriate output technology,
  try asking the following question (See Figure A.4
  on page 502)

What form do I need to convey information?
18
Output Technologies
A-18
What Form Do I Need to Convey Information?

• AUDIO FORM
• Sound output, Speech synthesis
• ON-SCREEN FORM
• Monitor
• PRINTED FORM
• Printer, Plotter

19
ON-SCREEN OUTPUT TECHNOLOGIES QUALITY ISSUES
Output Technologies
A-19

• The quality of on-screen output technologies
  (monitors) is affected by
• The graphics adapter card
• Resolution
• Size
• The flicker question

20
ON-SCREEN QUALITY ISSUES
Output Technologies
A-20

• A GRAPHICS ADAPTER CARD connects the monitor to
  the rest of the hardware. The type and quality
  of the graphics adapter card helps determine
  resolution and color use.
• Some monitors use only one color while others
  produce up to 17 million different colors.
• RESOLUTION is determined by the number of PIXELS,
  the smallest element that can be turned on or off
  and made different color shades. The greater the
  number of pixels, the higher the resolution and
  the sharper the image.

21
ON-SCREEN QUALITY ISSUES
Output Technologies
A-21

• Size determines the viewable area of the screen.
  Standard sizes are 12 and 14-inch, while most
  people are moving towards 16 and 17-inch
  monitors.
• Some monitors (interlaced) seem to flicker and
  can be hard on your eyes, while other monitors
  (noninterlaced) do not flicker.

22
PRINT OUTPUT TECHNOLOGIES QUALITY ISSUES
Output Technologies
A-22

• The quality of print output technologies is
  affected by
• Impact versus nonimpact
• Use of preformed character sets
• Color
• Dot matrix versus letter quality
• Graphics
• Special printing needs

23
PRINT QUALITY ISSUES
Output Technologies
A-23

• IMPACT printers strike the page to create output,
  while NONIMPACT printers do not. Nonimpact
  printers are quieter, cleaner, provide
  better-quality output, and are the choice for
  color printing.
• Printers that use preformed character sets have a
  difficult time producing graphics but do provide
  high-quality output of the preformed character
  sets.

24
PRINT QUALITY ISSUES
Output Technologies
A-24

• Some printers work with no color, while others
  support up to 16 colors.
• DOT MATRIX printers use a matrix of pins to form
  characters - these are not letter quality
  printers. INK-JET PRINTERS spray ink to print
  letter-quality output. LASER PRINTERS use laser
  technology to create the highest quality printed
  output.

25
PRINT QUALITY ISSUES
Output Technologies
A-25

• Most printers, with the exception of those that
  have preformed character sets, produce graphics.
  Laser printers do it the best, followed by
  ink-jet printers and then dot-matrix printers.
• Some printers support special printing needs such
  as working with different sizes of paper, mailing
  labels, and envelopes. Others dont - caveat
  emptor.

26
CREATING INFORMATION WITH SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES
Software Technologies
A-26

• If you need to create information, use software
  technologies.
• SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES are the tools you use to
  process information to obtain new information.
• To determine the best software technology, you
  need to ask a series of questions.

See Figure A.6 on page 506
27
Software Technologies
A-27
Are the Information-Processing Tasks Specific to
Me and My Business Functions or to Technology
Management?

• Technology Management - use OPERATING SYSTEM
  SOFTWARE, which is designed to handle tasks
  specific to technology management and coordinate
  the interaction of all the IT components.
• Windows 95 and 98, System 7, UNIX, and OS/2
  Warp are all examples of operating system
  software.
• We also include such software as virus protection
  software in this category.

28
Software Technologies
A-28
Are the Information-Processing Tasks Specific to
Me and My Business Functions or to Technology
Management?

• You and Your Business Functions - use APPLICATION
  SOFTWARE, which is designed to help you solve
  problems specific to business operations or
  perform specific business tasks.
• This is what most people think of when you say
  the word software.
• Application software includes such software as
  payroll, word processing, and browser software.

29
Software Technologies
A-29
Within Application Software, Ask...
What Specific Information-Processing Tasks Am I
Trying to Perform?

• Your answer will be one of the following seven
• 1.General business function
• 2. Industry-specific
• 3. Tasks specific to your business
• 4. Education
• 5. Personal productivity (our focus next)
• 6. Group work
• 7. Specialized applications

30
Software Technologies
A-30
What Tasks Am I Trying to Perform That I Could
Probably Otherwise Do Manually?

• Your answer will lead you to one of the seven
  categories of personal productivity software (See
  Photo Essay on pages 507-511)
• 1.Word processing
• 2. Desktop publishing
• 3. Spreadsheet
• 4. Database management system
• 5. Presentation graphics
• 6. Communication
• 7. Personal information management

31
WORD PROCESSING SOFTWARE
Software Technologies
A-31
is designed to help you work with documents that
consist primarily of text.

• Word processing features include

• Automatic footnoting
• Page numbers
• Running feet
• Numbered lists
• Pictures and graphs

• Running headings
• Centering, font styles, and font sizes
• Multiple columns
• Bulleted lists

32
DESKTOP PUBLISHING SOFTWARE
Software Technologies
A-32
extends word processing software to give you the
ability to create documents that cannot be
created easily with word processing software.

• Desktop publishing features include

• Color shading
• Printing text in different directions (even
  backward)
• Sidebar note areas

• Text laid over artwork
• Production of high-quality photos

33
SPREADSHEET SOFTWARE
Software Technologies
A-33
helps you work primarily with numeric
information. With spreadsheet software you enter
information in a cell (the intersection of a row
and column).

• Spreadsheet features include

• Automatic recalculation of formulas and functions
  when you change information
• Great-looking graphs with just a few clicks on
  the mouse

• Formulas and functions
• Bold-face, italicize, and underline
• Different formats for information (e.g., )

34
DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM SOFTWARE
Software Technologies
A-34
is designed to help you manage information in
multiple files that have related information.
Database management system software is a great
way to manage information that contains logical
links such as customers and orders. Customers
submit orders, so the two are logically
related. Most of Chapter 4 deals with databases,
so well wait until then to thoroughly introduce
them.
35
PRESENTATION GRAPHICS SOFTWARE
Software Technologies
A-35
is designed to help you create really exciting
presentations of information.

• Presentation graphics features include

• Incorporating any kind of art work
• High-quality borders
• Generation of 35-mm slides or handouts for a
  presentation

36
PERSONAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE
Software Technologies
A-36
is designed to help you manage information
relating to contacts, schedules, to-do lists, and
finances.

• Personal information management features include

• Calendar
• Electronic address book
• Scheduling capabilities
• Lists of important contacts

37
CRADLING INFORMATION WITH STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES
Storage Technologies
A-37

• If you need to cradle information, use storage
  technologies.
• STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES are the tools you use to
  more permanently store information for use at a
  later time.
• Storage technologies give you the ability to save
  information and then retrieve it later - that
  later can be years from now.

38
STORAGE TECHNOLOGIESSee Photo Essay on pages
513-515
Storage Technologies
A-38

• MAGNETIC TAPE STORAGE - similar to cassette
  tapes great for backing up information.
• MAGNETIC HARD DISK STORAGE - store information on
  multiple disks called platters. These include
• INTERNAL - inside your computer cabinet.
• EXTERNAL - outside your computer cabinet.
• CARTRIDGES - that can be interchanged.
• HARD CARDS - that fit in an expansion slot.

39
STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES See Photo Essay on pages
513-515
Storage Technologies
A-39

• OPTICAL DISK STORAGE - that use a laser to read
  and write information. The most common is
  CD-ROM unfortunately, CD-ROM is read-only.
• MAGNETO-OPTICAL DISK STORAGE - that use both a
  laser and a form of magnetization to read and
  write information. That way you get increased
  storage capacity (because of the laser) and the
  ability to update information (because of the
  magnetization process).

40
CRADLING INFORMATION WITH STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES
Storage Technologies
A-40

• To choose the most appropriate storage
  technology, try asking the following questions
  (See Figure A.7 on page 512)

Will I need to update my information
later? How much information do I need to
store?
41
Storage Technologies
A-41
Will I Need to Update My Information Later?

• NO UPDATING
• CD-ROM
• SLOW AND DIFFICULT UPDATING
• Magnetic tape
• EASY UPDATING
• Magnetic hard disk, Magnetic floppy disk
• Magneto-optical disks (including DVD RAM)

42
Storage Technologies
A-42
How Much Information Do I Need to Store?

• MASSIVE AMOUNT
• Magnetic hard disk, Magneto-optical disk (DVD)
• CD-ROM
• LIMITED AMOUNT
• Magnetic floppy disks

Magnetic tape falls somewhere between these two
categories.
43
COMMUNICATING INFORMATION WITH TELECOMMUNICATIONS
TECHNOLOGIES
Telecommunications Technologies
A-43

• If you need to communicate information, use
  telecommunications technologies.
• TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES are the tools you
  use to send information to and receive if from
  another person or location.
• Chapter 6 deals exclusively with
  telecommunications technologies, so lets just
  briefly look at three questions here.

44
Telecommunications Technologies
A-44
How Tightly Do I Need to Control Processing on a
Network?

• CENTRALIZED NETWORK - has one main CPU that
  handles all communication within the network and
  performs all information-processing requests.
• DISTRIBUTED NETWORK - is a collection of
  connected CPUs that share in the communication
  and information-processing functions.
• HYBRID NETWORK - combination of the above two
  (See Figure A.9 on page 516).

45
Telecommunications Technologies
A-45
What Is the Geographic Distance that Im Trying
to Cover?

• LOCAL AREA NETWORK (LAN) - covers a limited
  geographic distance, such as an office, office
  building, or a group of buildings within close
  proximity.
• WIDE AREA NETWORK (WAN) - covers a large
  geographic distance, such as a state, a country,
  or even the entire world.

See Figure A.10 on page 517
46
Telecommunications Technologies
A-46
Who Should Have Ownership of the
Telecommunications Technologies?

• PUBLIC NETWORK - a network on which your
  organization competes for time and use with other
  people and organizations.
• PRIVATE NETWORK - a network that your
  organization either owns or exclusively leases
  the right to use.

47
THE FOUNDATION OF THE TECHNOLOGY TREE - THE
PROCESSING ENGINE
The Processing Engine
A-47

• At the very heart or foundation of any
  information technology system is the processing
  engine (See Figure A.11 on page 518).
• The processing engine contains two vitally
  important components - the central processing
  unit and the internal memory.

48
THE CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU)
The Processing Engine
A-48
is the hardware in an IT system that interprets
and executes the software instructions and
coordinates how all the other hardware devices
work together.

• The CPU contains two components - the control
  unit and the arithmetic/logic unit (See Figure
  A.12 on page 518).

49
THE CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU)
The Processing Engine
A-49

• The CONTROL UNIT interprets software instructions
  and literally tells the other hardware devices
  what to do, based on the software instructions.
• The ARITHMETIC/LOGIC UNIT (A/L UNIT) performs all
  arithmetic operations and all logic operations.

50
THE INTERNAL MEMORY
The Processing Engine
A-50
is a temporary storage area that holds three
things 1. information you are working with 2.
the application software you are using 3. the
operating system software

• The internal memory has two distinct sections -
  random access memory and read-only memory.

51
THE INTERNAL MEMORY
The Processing Engine
A-51

• RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY (RAM) is what most people
  equate with the internal memory. It holds the
  three things listed on the previous slide.
• READ-ONLY MEMORY (ROM) is the part of the
  internal memory that comes with permanent,
  built-in instructions. These instructions help
  the system get going when you first turn it on.

52
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
The Technology Tree
A-52

• Viewing technology as a set of five different
  tools that help you work with information is a
  simple yet powerful way to consider IT.
• If youre building an IT system from scratch, we
  suggest you walk through the following seven
  steps which will help you climb The Technology
  Tree.

53
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
The Technology Tree
A-53

• 1.Consider software technologies first,
  specifically addressing what application software
  you need.
• 2.Choose the input technologies that will capture
  information and commands at their points of
  origin.
• 3.Choose the output technologies that will convey
  information in its most useful form.
• 4.Choose the telecommunications technologies
  according to geographic distance, control, and
  ownership.

54
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
The Technology Tree
A-54

• 5.Return to software technologies and choose an
  operating system that will support your
  application software and input, output, and
  telecommunications technologies.
• 6.Choose the best storage technologies according
  to your needs for updating and how much
  information you have to store.
• 7.Finally, determine the right CPU and amount of
  internal memory you need.