The technological
revolution
It
has become impossible, in a few short years, to imagine a world without
computers, without doubt, computers have transformed our world irreversibly and
continue to do so with amazing rapidity.
In
the same way that the agricultural revolution transformed Britain in the
eighteenth century, and the industrial revolution altered it again in the
nineteenth, the technological revolution is transforming us from a society that
relied on industrial advances to one that relies more and more on information
for a competitive edge. The social economic and legal consequences of
computerization reach into every corner of society, including the medical
fields.
A computer is an electronic machine, operating under the control of instruction stored in its own memory, that accept data (Input), manipulate the data according to specified rules (process) produce results (Output), and store the result for future use.
Data is a collection of un-organized facts, which can include words, numbers, images, and sounds. Computers manipulate and process data to create information.
Information is data that is organized, has meaning, and useful. Examples are reports, newsletters, a receipt, a picture, an invoice, or a check.
Data entered into a computer is called input. The processed results are called output. Thus a computer processes input to create output. A computer can also hold data and information for future use in an area called storage. This cycle of input, process, output, and storage is called the information processing cycle.
A person that communicates with a computer or uses the information it generates is called a user. The electric, electronic, and mechanical equipment that makes up a computer is called hardware. Software is the series of instruction that tells the hardware how to perform tasks.
A computer consists of a variety of hardware components that work together with software to perform calculations, organize data, and communicate with other computers.
Hardware is the physical, tangible equipment that is part of a computer system. Hardware can be classified into the following components:
A computer keyboard contains keys that allow you to type letters of alphabet, numbers, spaces and other symbol.
A mouse is a small handheld device that contains at least one button. The mouse controls the movement of a symbol on screen called pointer. For example, moving the mouse across a flat surface allows you to move the pointer on the screen.
A microphone allows you to speak to the computer in order to enter data and control the actions of the computer. A pc camera allows others to see you while communicating with you, as well as allowing you to edit videos, create a movie, and take digital photographs.
A printer produces text and graphics, such as photographs, on paper or other hardcopy medium. A monitor, which looks like a television screen, is used to display text and graphs. Speakers allow you to hear music, voice, and other sounds generated by the computer.
3.
System Unit: The system unit is a box like case
made from metal or plastic that houses the computer electronic circuitry. The circuitry in the system unit usually is
part of or is connected to a circuit board called the motherboard.
Two main components on the motherboard are the central processing unit (CPU) and memory. The central processing unit (CPU), also called processor, is the electronic device that interprets and carries out the instructions that operate the computer.
Memory is a series of electronic elements that temporarily holds data and instructions while the CPU is processing them. Both the processor and memory are chips. A chip is n electronic device that contains many microscopic pathways designed to carry electrical current.
4. Storage Devices: Storage holds data, instructions, and information for future use. It is differ from memory in that it hold these items permanently. A storage medium is the physical material on which data, instructions, and information are stored. One commonly used storage medium is disk, which is a round, flat piece of plastic or metal on which items can be encoded, or written. Four common storage devices are floppy disk drive, a hard disk drive, a CD-ROM drive, and a DVD-ROM drive.
A floppy disk consists of a thin, circular, flexible disk enclosed in a plastic shall. A floppy disk stores data, instructions, and information using magnetic patterns and can be inserted into and removed from a floppy disk drive.
A hard disk provides much greater storage capacity than floppy disk. It usually consists of several circular disk on which data, instructions and information are stored magnetically. Another type of disk used to store data is the compact disc.
5. Communication Devices: Communication devices enable computer users to communicate and exchange items such as data, instructions and information with another computer. Communication devices transmit these items over transmission media, such as cables, telephone lines, or other means, used to establish a connection between two computers.
Computer Software
Software also called a computer program or simply a program is a series of instructions that tells the hardware of a computer what to do. For example, some instructions direct the computer to allow you to input data from the keyboard and store it in the memory. Other instructions cause data stored in memory to be in calculations such as adding a series of numbers to obtain a total. Some instructions compare two values stored in memory and direct the computer to perform alternative operations based on the results of the comparison; and some instruction direct the computer to print a report, display information on the monitor, or store information on a disk.
Categories of Software
System Software:
System software consists of programs that control the operations of the computer and its devices, serves as the interface between a user and the computer hardware. Two types of system software are the operating system and utility programs.
· Operating systems: contains instructions that coordinate all of the activities of hardware devices. The operating system also contains instructions that allow you to run application software. When you start a computer, the operating system is loaded, or copied into memory from the computer’s hard disk. It remains in memory while the computer is running and allows you to communicate with the computer and other software. Example: Windows operating systems, Linux, Unix, solaris etc.
· Utility programs: A utility program is a type of system software that performs a specific task. Usually related to managing a computer, its devices, or its programs. An example of a utility program is an uninstaller, which removes a program that has been installed on a computer.
·
User Interface: All software has a user interface that is the part of the
software, which you interact. The user interface controls how data and
instruction are entered and how information is presented on screen. Example:
Graphical user interface (GUI), which allow you to interact with the software
using visual images such as icons.
Application Software:
Application software consists of programs designed to perform specific tasks for users. Popular application software includes word processing software, spreadsheet software, database software, and presentation graphics software memos.
Spreadsheet software allows you to calculate numbers arrange in rows and columns and often is used for budgeting, forecasting, and other financial task.
Database software is used to store data in an organized fashion, as well as to retrieve, manipulate, and display that data in a meaningful form.
Presentation graphics software allows you to create documents called slides that are used in making presentations.
Many other types of application software exist, thus enabling users to perform a variety of task. Application software is available as packaged software, custom software, shareware, freeware, and public-domain software.
Solution
for Colin
Accounting software will be best for Colin, so as to track records and manage his business effectively without data loss. Paper works are becoming tedious, and in that case data may be lost when manipulating on papers, so, you may consider accounting software for your financial task.
Advantages
of accounting software’s
Accounting software’s are designed to benefit both the analysts who operate the system and the management team evaluating the results to make decisions. Accounting software’s gives you virtually unlimited capacity within an easy-to-use, menu-driven structure.
Managed, meaningful results: Accounting software’s provides exceptional decision support by providing a comprehensive set of analytic and management reports. These pre-defined reports enable you to quickly review the results of your simulations in detail or in an executive format. You get immediate feedback in a familiar, spreadsheet-based format. Also lets you select the time periods and their format in all standard reports, quickly and interactively. View your current risk position, and enable powerful dynamic analysis and reporting capabilities to fully evaluate future risks.
Comparative Reports: One of the principal benefits Accounting software’s can give you is the ability to quickly evaluate the impact of alternative business strategies on performance and reveal relative risk. It saves you time when comparing results using pre-defined reports. Saved results from all prior or current runs are easily accessed through menus. You simply select the models you wish to compare.
Custom Query, Reporting & Graphics: Report formats and content should reflect the particular purpose at hand. With this in mind, some accounting software’s includes a custom query tool, report writer and graphics package. Designed for financial managers, this interface provides seamless access to database, thus giving you a fast, efficient way to develop and produce custom reports. You have the power to develop reports and graphs for presentations when you need them with the information and format that works best for you.
Flexible forecast periods: Comprehensive risk management includes evaluating both the short-term impact of specific actions and the long-term implications of strategic decisions. Accounting software’s gives you complete control over the forecast horizon. You choose how many periods to include in your analysis and when the analysis begins and ends.
Budgeting and planning: Accounting software’s integrates full profit planning and performance measurement with analysis. Historical and budget information can be stored within the system. Thus actual results can be compared against the annual profit plan. Or you can store the plan alongside the ongoing forecast.
