Dell Computers
Facts About Dell
- Founded in 1984 by Michael Dell.
- Headquarters located in Round Rock, Texas.
- Dell is #2 worldwide in PC market share.
- 37,000 employees.
- A leader in supplying PC's to business
customers, government agencies, educational
institutions and consumers.
Dell’s Business Strategy
By selling personal computer systems directly to customers, Dell can best understand their needs, and efficiently provide the most effective computing solutions to meet those needs.
Direct Business Model
Dell offers an in-person relationship with corporate and institutional customers in addition to telephone and Internet purchasing; customized computer systems; on-line and technical support; and next-day, on-site product service.
Direct Business Model
Dell is enhancing and broadening the fundamental competitive advantage of the direct business model by increasingly applying the efficiencies of the Internet to its entire business.
Direct Business Model
• Dell arranges for system installation and management.• Guides customers through technology transitions.• Designs and customizes products and services to the requirements of organizations and individuals.• Sells an extensive selection of peripheral hardware and computing software.
Internet Significance
Dell led commercial migration to the Internet, launching www.dell.com in 1994, adding e-commerce in 1996.
The site accounts for about 50% of Dell's revenue, and receives 40 million visits per quarter at 78 country specific web sites.
Dell.com
At dell.com customers may review, configure, and price systems within Dell's entire product line.
Orders may be both placed online and tracked through the distribution process.
Why Dell Succeeds
Product Price Performance: Dell offers its customers powerful richly configured systems at competitive prices.
Customization: Dell systems are built to order, customers get exactly what they ordered.
Reliability: Dell uses knowledge gained from direct customer contact before and after sales to provide customer satisfaction..
Shareholder Value
Since Dell went public its stock has
appreciated 50,000%.
Worldwide Business
Dell Manufactures its systems in:
-Austin, Tx
-Nashville, Tenn
-Eldorado do Sol, Brazil
-Limerick, Ireland
-Penang, Malaysia
-Xiamen, China
Future Objectives
- Move greater volumes of product sales.
- Improve and expand service and support
through use of the Internet.
- Use of the Internet to improve the efficiency
of the procurement process.
- Expand to Latin America and India.
Possible Exam Questions
1. What major benefits has Dell realized through the
use of the direct business model?
2. How significant is the Internet to its past
performance and future plans?
Chapter 5
Managerial Overview:
Computer Software
Chapter ObjectivesChapter Objectives
1. Understand the major types of software and be able to provide examples of application and system software.
2. Understand the benefits of microcomputer software packages for end user productivity and collaboration computing.
3. Understand the functions of an operating system.
4. Describe the main uses of high-level, fourth-generation, object- oriented, and web-oriented languages.
5. Understand the logic of the major trends in computer software.
Computer Software
Things one needs to understand:
• The role of software.• What we want software to tell a computer to do.• The different categories of software.• Why there are multiple programming languages.• Examples of programming languages.• Challenges related to programming.• Sources of software.
Software Tells a Computer To:
1. Read input data from source documents or secondary storage.
2. Process the data.
3. Display the results.
4. Print the results.
5. Store the results.
6. Transmit the results.
7. Protect itself and the data.
8. Keep track of things that it is doing to restart if necessary.
9. Count things to reflect performance.
10. Do multiple things at the same time.
11. Do things that make it easier for the user to use the computer .
Overview of Computer Software
G en era l P u rp oseA p p lica tion P rog ram s
A p p lica tion -S p ec ificP rog ram s
A p p lica tion S o ftw are
S ys tem M an ag em en tP rog ram s
S ys tem D eve lop m en tP rog ram s
S ys tem S oftw are
C om p u te r S o ftw are
Application Software Types
Application-specific: Support specific application of end users in business and other fields.
General-purpose: Programs that perform common information processing jobs for end users.
General Purpose Software
Software Suites: (e.g. Microsoft Office)
• Widely used productivity packages.
• Cost a lot less than the total cost of buying
individual packages separately.
• Programs use a similar graphical user interface.
General Purpose SoftwarePackages include:
Web Browsers
Database Managers
Electronic Mail
Word Processing
Electronic Spreadsheets
Presentation Graphics
Groupware
Multimedia
Operating System
Most important system software: (The foundation for
everything else) An integrated system of programs that
manages the operation of the CPU, controls input and
output devices, storage resources and the processing
activities of a computer system.
Primary benefit of an operating system: Maximize the
productivity of a computer system and minimize the
need for human intervention.
Other System Management Software
Database Management Systems: Controls the
development, use, and maintenance of database
systems of the computer using organization.
Network Management Programs: Used to monitor, measure and manage the organization’s network.
System Software
System Development Software: assists users in the
development of information system programs and
procedures through the use of programming language
translators and editors, and other programming and
systems development tools.
Programming Languages
1. General purpose and specifically oriented
programming languages.
2. A continual trend to make programming easier and
useable for a broader range of people.
3. Additional information regarding programming in
a later presentation.
Possible Exam Questions
• What are the major categories of software and how are they both similar and different?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of integrated packages?
Computer Software
The detailed instructions that control
the operation of a computer system.
• Provide tools to people.• Intermediary between people and data.• Manage the computer resources.• Selecting appropriate software for an
enterprise is a key management decision.
Information Systems Software
Some Management Challenges:
1. Increasing complexity and potential software
errors.
2. The application backlog.
3. Proliferation of desktop software in user
departments versus organizational standards.
Software Terms
• Program
• Stored Program
• Programming Languages
• Compilation or Interpretive Language
• Source Code
• Object Code
Multiprogramming - executing two or more programs
concurrently using the same computer.
Multiprocessing - executing two or more instructions
simultaneously in a single computer by using multiple central
processing units.
Time Sharing - sharing of computer resources by many users
simultaneously.
Graphical User Interface (GUI) - part of the operating
system that uses graphic icons to issue commands and make
selections.
Operating SystemA program that acts as an intermediary between a
user of a computer and the computer hardware.
Exist because they are reasonable ways to solve the
problem of creating a usable computer.
The basis for standardization.
The vendor that owns the operating system has
significant power and even control within
the industry.
Operating Systems
Are Operating Systems all the same?
• Features and functions.
• Advantages and benefits.
Operating Systems
• DOS
• Windows
• NT
• UNIX
• Linux
• AIX
• OS/2
• Mac OS
• IBM MVS, VM
• VMS
Word ProcessingWord Processing
Storage,Retrieval, and
Formatting
Storage,Retrieval, and
Formatting
Create andEdit
Documents
Create andEdit
Documents
Add, Change,Delete, orMove Text
Add, Change,Delete, orMove Text
Import Textfrom OtherDocuments
Import Textfrom OtherDocuments
Spell andGrammarChecking
Spell andGrammarChecking
KeyAspects
ofElectronic
Word Processing
Multimedia TechnologiesMultimedia Technologies
KeyTechnologies
ofMultimedia
Video CaptureCard
Video CaptureCard
AuthoringLanguage
AuthoringLanguage
StoryboardStoryboard Compact DiskInteractive
Compact DiskInteractive
Sound BoardSound Board CompressedAudio
CompressedAudio
Digital VideoInteractive
Digital VideoInteractive
MIDIMIDI Computer Edit System
Computer Edit System
InteractiveVideo
InteractiveVideo Digital AudioDigital Audio
Groupware
• Collaborative Software
• PC to PC links through LANs as a logical extension of common interests, activities and data use.
• The culture of the organization definitely influences the success of a groupware approach.
• Groupware can be implemented via the Internet.
Discussion Groups
Discussion Groups
Surf the NetSurf the Net
Launch Information
Searches
Launch Information
Searches
E-MailE-MailMultimedia
FileTransfer
Multimedia File
Transfer
Typical uses of a WebBrowser in Internet,
Intranet, and Extranet Environments
Web BrowsersWeb Browsers
Database Management Packages
Database Management Packages
DatabaseDevelopment
DatabaseMaintenance
DatabaseInterrogation
ApplicationDevelopment
Primary Tasks ofDatabase Management
Packages
Primary Tasks ofDatabase Management
Packages
Major Internet SoftwareThe Internet just celebrated its 30th birthday. Why didn’t you really know about it or even hear about it until around 1994?
World Wide Web (WWW)
Browsers: Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator
Search Engines: Yahoo, Excite, Alta Vista, Ask Jeeves, Hotbot, Northern Lights, Dogpile and about 1,500 others.
Trends in Computer SoftwareTrends in Computer Software
FirstGeneration
FirstGeneration
SecondGeneration
SecondGeneration
ThirdGeneration
ThirdGeneration
FourthGeneration
FourthGeneration
FifthGeneration
FifthGeneration
User-Written ProgramsMachine Language
Packaged ProgramsSymbolic Languages
Operating SystemsHigh-Level Languages
DBMS Fourth- Generation LanguagesMicrocomputer Packages
Natural & Object-Oriented
LanguagesMultipurpose
Graphic- Interface Network-enabled Expert-Assisted
Packages
Trend: Toward Easy-to-Use Multipurpose Network-Enabled ApplicationPackages for Productivity and Collaboration
Trend: Toward Visual or Conversational Programming Languages andTools
The Joys (and Woes) of Programming
Programming
Why is there no programming in this course?
How many of you have taken a programming course?
Computer Programming
Think of a computer as a robot.
What do you want it to do?
Important to Remember
A computer isn’t smart enough to make a mistake--without our help.
Computers only do what they are instructed to do by instructions via a program.
Categories of Programming LanguagesCategories of Programming Languages
Machine Languages: Use Binary Coded Instructions
Assembler Languages: Use Symbolic Coded Instructions
High-Level Languages: Use Brief Statements or Arithmetic Notation
Fourth-Generation Languages:
Object-Oriented Languages: Use Combinations of Objects
Use Natural and Nonprocedural Statements
Program Compilation
Source Code
Compiler Program
C CobolFortran
Object Code
Data
Computer Compilation
Computer ProcessingResults
Computer Programming
There are over two thousand known computer programming languages.
Which flavor do you like?
Computer Programming Languages
ABC Ada Basic, Visual BETA C C++ Elisp Cecil COBOL Dylan (OODL) Eclipse Eiffel (OO) Elf
Erlang Forth FORTRAN Haskell JavaLisp OccamOz PasqualPerl Postscript Prolog
Python
REXX
SGML
Sisal
TCL/TK
TeX
VHDL
WEB
(cweb,
fweb)
Z
Worth Remembering
Programming is both a science and an art.
The science part is that there are rules (syntax) that must be adhered to for a specific language.
The art is that there are clever, innovative, even creative ways to do a program to accomplish a specific task.
The Joys of Programming
1. The satisfaction from making something that works.
2. The pleasure of making things that are useful to others.
3. The fascination of fashioning complex, puzzle-like
objects of interlocking moving parts and watching
them work to accomplish things.
4. The fun of always learning from the non-repetitive
nature of the task.
5. Working in a medium that is only slightly removed
from pure thought levels.
The Woes of Programming1. A program must perform perfectly. If one character of
the incantation is not in proper form, it doesn’t work.
2. Designing grand concepts can be fun; finding nitty
little bugs is just plain work.
3. Testing drags on and on, the last difficult bugs taking
more time to find than the first.
4. The program over which one has labored so long
appears to be obsolete upon (or before) completion.
5. The technology base on which one builds is always
advancing so your work can become obsolete in terms
of its concepts.
Software Development Rule of Thumb
• 1/3 of the schedule for design.
• 1/6 for coding.
• 1/4 for component testing.
• 1/4 for system testing.
Brook’s Law - Mythical Man-Month
Adding manpower to a late software project makes it later.
The man-month is a fallacious and dangerous myth for it implies that men and machines are interchangeable.
The Mythical Man-Month
• Why has this book that was originally published in 1975
and republished in 1995 persisted?
• Why after twenty-five years does it still seen relevant to
current day software practices?
• Have software development disciplines not changed during
the space of twenty-five years?
• Is is because it is only incidentally about software but
primarily about how people in teams produce things?
Possible Exam Questions
1. Why are there so many different programming
languages?
2. What three factors are important in a large
software development project?
HTML and Java
Objectives
1. What are HTML and JAVA?
2. What makes HTML and JAVA different from other
programming languages?
3. Why are they important?
4. What’s so great about HTML and JAVA?
HTML and Java Similarities
1. Both are relatively new programming languages
although the forerunner of HTML has been around for
some time.
2. Both are tools for building multimedia Web pages,
Web sites, and Web-based applications.
What is HTML?
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML):
A page description language that creates
hypertext or hypermedia documents.
HTML Enablers1. HTML inserts control codes within a document at points
you can specify that create links(hyperlinks) to other parts
of the document or to other documents anywhere on the
World Wide Web.
2. HTML embeds control codes in the ASCII text of a
document that designates titles, headings, graphics, and
multimedia components, as well as hyperlinks within the
document.
HTML Displayed in Browser
HTML to Web PageHTML source code:
What is Java?
An object-oriented programming language developed by Sun Microsystems.
Things you should know in using Java:
- Applets
- Object-Oriented Programming
Java
• Created by Sun Microsystems in l995
• Object-oriented programming (OOP) language.– Programming model in which data and functions are encapsulated
into objects.• Other examples include C++, Objective C, and Microsoft’s Visual
Basic
– Fundamentally different than procedural languages in which data and functions are not necessarily linked.
• Java is an interpreted language.– Allows Java applications and applets to run on many platforms
with little or no modification.
Java - An Interpreted LanguageJava Source Code
1010101010101010101010
Java bytecode
Virtual Machine Virtual Machine Virtual Machine
Compile
Wintel PC Macintosh Unix, PalmPilot, Wireless, etc.
Execute Application
What’s so great about Java?Major computer industry players are backing Sun’s Java
Company Why they back Java
Apple Computer A lifeboat for the Macintosh: Java applets will run as well on aMac as a PC, making Apple relevant again.
IBM Three words: cross-platform capability. All its computers willfinally speak the same tongue. IBM will sell applets too.
Oracle Systems A true believer: Java will power its network computer,allowing mere mortals to tap into its database software.
Netscape Communications Without Java, maybe yesterday’s news. With Java, Netscapemoves past browsers into a new realm: business applications.
Microsoft Smiling through clenched teeth: Its Web browser must keep upwith Netscape’s – and that means using Java.
More Features
HTML: There are programs which can help you design web pages without formal HTML programming. (Ex. WEB Wizard)
Java: There are programs that translate and execute Java programs. Because Java is an interpreted language, it must be written through code as yet.
Java is simpler and secure than most programming languages.
Good HTML Reference Book
Elizabeth Castro’s book: HTML for the World Wide Web. $17.95 (or less) at Barnes and Noble or Amazon.com.
There are also a number of fairly good HTML primers that are free over the Internet.
Two Possible Exam Questions:
1. Why are HTML and Java relevant in today’s business world?
2. Why is Java so successful and what are the benefits of
Java?
Software Development
1. Make it yourself.
2. Buy it from a software vendor.
Software Vendors
30,000 Software Vendors Worldwide
Frequently in and out of business.
Software Industry
US Worldwide
Systems Software $9.7 B $23.9 B
Application Software $23.9B $34.5 B
$33.6 B $58.4 B
Microsoft, Inc.
Mission
Create software for the personal
computer that empowers and
enriches people in the workplace,
at school and at home
Goals
• Make products easier and more effective for customers to use.
• Develop simpler interfaces, natural language processing, and voice control to help hide the underlying complexity from users.
Corporate Profile• Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen• Its mission has been to create software for the personal
computer that empowers and enriches people in the workplace, at school, and at home.
• Until this past year Microsoft was considered the most valuable corporation in the world based on stock capitalization value.
• Its strength is based on its control of the desktop architecture and the related market share of PC software.
• Has frequently gained improved products and capabilities through acquisitions.
• Develops and markets multiple products and services.
Microsoft: Living Values• There are two key aspects to Microsoft’s past and future
success: “Its vision of technology and the values by which we live, every day, as a company.”
• These values are:– Customers
– Innovation
– Partners
– Integrity
– People
– Diversity
– Entrepreneurial Culture
– Community
Microsoft Products
Everyone knows about Windows, Microsoft Office and Internet Explorer but there is an increasingly broader range of software products and/or services.
Its online efforts include the MSN network of Internetproducts and services; e-commerce platforms; and alliances with companies involved with broadband access and various forms of digital interactivity.
Products• Operating systems for personal computers and
networks.
• Server applications for client/server environments.
• Business and consumer productivity applications.
• Interactive media programs.
Microsoft Products
Microsoft also licenses consumer software programs; sells
PC input devices; trains and certifies system integrators;
and researches and develops advanced technologies for
future software products.
Revenue Growth
Fiscal Year Ending Net Revenue % Growth Net Income % Growth
6/30/95 $6.08B 29% $1.45B 27%6/30/96 $9.05B 49% $2.20B 51%6/30/97 $11.94B 32% $3.45B 57%6/30/98 $15.26B 28% $4.49B 30%6/30/99 $19.75B 29% $7.79B 73%6/30/00 $22.96B 16% $9.42B 21%
Organization
• Business and Enterprise-Focus on the information technology
• Business productivity-Meeting the needs of the “knowledge worker”
• Developer-Products and services for developer customer
• Operations- Managing business operations and overall business planning
• Sales and Support-Providing products to wide range of customers
• Microsoft Research-Convert problems into tangible solutions
Global Commitment
Already an international company with offices
in more than 50 countries.
Their long-term investment strategy in developing
markets and close working relationships with
developers help them provide leading products for
the global marketplace.
Summary
Microsoft is always striving to produce
innovative products that meet customers’
evolving needs enabling Microsoft to offer
technological advancements that ensure
customers the highest quality software
products available today.
Possible Exam Questions
1. State the primary focus of Microsoft Corporation
within the computer software industry.
2. What primary factors have enabled Microsoft to
become the market leader in PC software?
Operating Systems
Operating SystemA software program that acts as an intermediary
between a user of a computer and the computer
hardware.
Exist because it is a reasonable way to solve the
problem of creating a usable computer by better
managing the computer resources.
The basis for standardization of application software.
Functions of an Operating SystemFunctions of an Operating System
ResourceManagement
ResourceManagement
TaskManagement
TaskManagement
UserInterface
UserInterface
File (Data)Management
File (Data)Management
Utilitiesand OtherFunctions
Utilitiesand OtherFunctions
Managing the accomplishment of tasks
Use of hardware resources
Managing data and program files
Sort, merge, performance, etc.
Operating System Functions• Allocation and Assignment of Jobs (traffic cop)
– Specific assignment of resources.• Scheduling
– Jobs that have been submitted. (priority sequence)– Use of input/output devices.
• Monitoring and Control– Keeps track of each job– Keeps system statistics– Restart/Recovery capabilities
Functions of Operating System• User Interface: Allows communication between end users
and their computer system. command drivenmenu-drivengraphical user interfaces
• Resource Management: Manages the hardware and networking resources of a computer system. (CPU, memory, secondary storage devices, etc.)
• File Management: Controls the creation, deletion, and access of files of data and programs.
• Task Management: Manages the accomplishment of the computing tasks of end users.
• Utilities/Other Functions:
Multiprogramming - executing two or more programs
concurrently using the same computer.
Multiprocessing - executing two or more instructions
simultaneously in a single computer by using multiple central
processing units.
Graphical User Interface (GUI) - part of the operating
system that uses graphic icons to issue commands and make
selections.
Operating System Functions
Virtual Memory
An approach under the control of the operating system that manages the use of primary memory.
What does virtual mean?
Virtual memory is accomplished by rolling the programs being executed between primary memory and secondary storage (disk files) to allow execution of multiple programs that exceed the actual memory capacity of the computer.
Virtual Memory
Order Entry
Production Status
Groupware
Shipping and Receiving
Are all operating systems the same?
• Features and functions.
• Advantages and benefits.
From Personal Computers to Mainframes?
Are all operating systems the same?
• Features and functions.
• Advantages and benefits.
From Personal Computers to Mainframes?
• UNIX
• AIX
• Linux
• OS/2
• Mac OS
• IBM MVS, VM
• VMS
• DOS
• Windows
• NT
Popular Operating Systems
Summary
Operating systems are the foundation of a computer operation.
Operating systems benefits include better resource utilization, better system performance, gains in cost-effectiveness and better overall management of the entire system.
Without operating systems with advanced features and functions, computing would still be in its very early stages.
Possible Exam Questions
1. What is an operating system and what
benefits does it provide to those using a
computer?
2. Explain the concept of virtual memory.
IT Software
• Operating System
• Database Manager
• Communication Services
• User Interface
• Software Development Tools
• Systems Management Services
• Application Software
Types of Computer SoftwareTypes of Computer Software
General-Purpose
ApplicationPrograms
General-Purpose
ApplicationPrograms
Application-Specific
Programs
Application-Specific
Programs
SystemManagement
Programs
SystemManagement
Programs
System Development
Programs
System Development
Programs
ApplicationSoftware
System SoftwareSystem
Software
ComputerSoftware
ComputerSoftware
Performs Information Processing Tasks for End Users
Manages Operations of Computer Systems and Networks
MS Office
Groupware
Integrated Packages
Business, Accounting, Finance, Engineering, SAP, ERP
Operating Systems
Network Management
Database Management
Systems Utilities
Performance and Security
Programming Languages Programming Editor and Tools CASE Packages
Key Terms in Chapter 5Key Terms in Chapter 5AppletApplication SoftwareApplication-Specific ProgramsAssembler LanguageDatabase Management PackageDesktop PublishingElectronic MailElectronic Spreadsheet PackageFile ManagementFourth-Generation LanguageGeneral-Purpose Application ProgramsGraphical User InterfaceGroupwareHigh-Level LanguageHTMLIntegrated PackageJavaLanguage Translator ProgramMachine Language
AppletApplication SoftwareApplication-Specific ProgramsAssembler LanguageDatabase Management PackageDesktop PublishingElectronic MailElectronic Spreadsheet PackageFile ManagementFourth-Generation LanguageGeneral-Purpose Application ProgramsGraphical User InterfaceGroupwareHigh-Level LanguageHTMLIntegrated PackageJavaLanguage Translator ProgramMachine Language
MultitaskingNatural LanguageNetwork Management ProgramsNetwork Operating SystemsNonprocedural LanguageObject-Oriented LanguageOperating SystemPersonal Information ManagerPresentation Graphics PackageProgramming ToolsResource ManagementSoftware SuitesSystem Management ProgramsSystem SoftwareTask ManagementTrends in SoftwareUser InterfaceUtility ProgramsVirtual MemoryWeb BrowserWord Processing Package
MultitaskingNatural LanguageNetwork Management ProgramsNetwork Operating SystemsNonprocedural LanguageObject-Oriented LanguageOperating SystemPersonal Information ManagerPresentation Graphics PackageProgramming ToolsResource ManagementSoftware SuitesSystem Management ProgramsSystem SoftwareTask ManagementTrends in SoftwareUser InterfaceUtility ProgramsVirtual MemoryWeb BrowserWord Processing Package
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