Navigating Information Systems by Fitzpatrick et al Ch 2 Questions

 

Input

 

  1. What is the difference between data and information?
    Data is a set of numbers, words that makes no sense, information is meaningful and useful.
  2. Explain the difference between efficiency and effectiveness.
    Efficiency is the speed that the process goes and effectiveness is the quality of the process.
  3. Describe in detail each step of information processing.
    Acquisition – colleting and gathering data from one or more sources. Input – entering the data into the computer system. Validation – checking that the data has been entered accurately. Processing – production and transformation of data into information in the memory. Storage – long-term storage of data and information transferred from the memory. Retrieval – retrieving the data/information from long term storage into the memory. Output – displaying the data/information-from machine readable to human readable forms. Communication – sending the output to people. Disposal – removing the data information form the information system.
  4. What is meant by binary format?
    Numbers in base 2, is made up of 1s and 2s.
  5. List some well known codes or formats for data files.
    Read-only, archive.
  6. How would you go about acquiring and inputting data on what kinds of food the members of the class would prefer to eat?
    Send out a survey, input the data into a database program.
  7. In a data base containing information about the members of a tennis club what kind of data is best validated by

·        Manual means – Spelling of names, addresses (nearly all text data)

·        Electronic means – dates of births, ages (numeric data)

  1. What factors might cause a manufacturer of a printer to update the device drivers for one of their printers? How would the manufacturer reach those customers who owned the printer?
    A bug may have been found in one of their models of printers and the problem needs to be rectified.
  2. What data does a keyboard input best?
    Text and numeric data.
  3. Name two common input devices. Describe their role and how they function.
    Keyboard – has keys which stand for a number of letters and symbols which can be entered when pushed into a word processing program. Mouse – has a ball underneath and reads the movement of the mouse and moves a pointer on the screen.
  4. What does the term peripheral device refer to?
    Items of hardware which are for input-output.
  5. What does the term digitizing mean?
    Turning analogue signals into digital signals.
  6. What does the term ergonomics mean?
    The environment around the computer system.
  7. Name and describe three pointing devices often used. Provide an example of how each pointing device could be used.
    Trackball, Mouse and Touch-pad. All three of these can be used on a GUI.
  8. What are the advantages of wireless connections for a keyboard and a mouse?
    It is more comfortable to use and can be used more freely.
  9. What problems are commonly associated with voice recognition software?
    Accents, pitch of voice, security.
  10. Why is a joystick the preferred device for paling games?
    It makes them much easier to use and can be used more freely than a keyboard or a mouse.
  11. Describe how a store would use a touch screen.
    A store can have a list of all of their products on a touch screen computer and these can be accessed by a customer and they can find what they’re looking for.
  12. Describe the function of a scanner.
    A scanner turns an analogue image into a digital image.
  13. How do scanners and digital cameras compare? When would you use one rather than the other?
    The digital camera takes moving photos but the quality doesn’t compare to a scanner, the resolution is not as good.
  14. What is the purpose of a sound card?
    To digitalize the analogue sound that comes from a microphone.