IS 340

Management Information Systems

Foundational Topic 2 – Notes

Information Systems Software

 

I.  Foundational Topics in IS Software – software is instructions that tell the computer what to do, and direct the functions of all the hardware

          A.  Systems Software/Operating Systems – runs the computer, controls input/output

                   1.  Booting (starting) the computer

                   2.  Reads programs into memory and manages memory allocation

                   3.  Manages where programs and files are located in secondary memory

                   4.  Maintains the structure of directories and subdirectories

                   5.  Formats disks

                   6.  Controls the monitor

                   7.  Sends documents to the printer

NOT IN TEXT:

                   1.  Interfaces:  Command vs. GUI – communicating with the computer, typing commands vs. point-and-click, menus

                   2.  Popular Operating Systems – Windows, Mac, Linux, UNIX (Table TB6, page 458)

                    3. Utilities – not strictly part of the OS, but provide functions that the OS does not, usually for managing resources (MOVE command) (Table TB7, page 458)

          B.  Application Software – does a job for you, performs a task

NOT IN TEXT:

                   1.  Customized Application Software – written specifically for you

                   2.  Off-the-Shelf Application Software – pre-written (MS Office)

                   3.  Combining Customized and Off-the-Shelf Application Software (Excel)

                   4.  Examples of Information Systems Application Software (Table TB8, page 459

          C.  Programming Languages and Development Environments – a Program is a set of instructions that tell the computer what to do

                    1.  Compilers and Interpreters

                             a.  Compiler – translates an entire program into machine language and saves that as a separate file for the computer to execute

                             b.  Interpreter – translates a program one line at a time and the computer executes each line as it is translated

                   2.  Programming Languages – COBOL, FORTRAN, Java, C/C++,

NOTE:  HTML is NOT a programming language!!!!!!!  It is a Markup Language

                             a.  1GL – 1st generation language – machine language, 0’s and 1’s, very low level (works at the same level as the computer)

                             b.  2GL – 2nd generation language – assembly language, low level, mnemonics (short phrases that the computer understands, almost like machine language)

                             c.  3GL – 3rd generation language – high level, reads like English, must be compiled or interpreted for the computer to run it (COBOL and FORTRAN)

                             d.  4GL – 4th generation language – focuses on outcomes rather than procedures, CASE tools and query languages

                             e.  5GL – 5th generation language – used in expert systems and artificial intelligence – natural languages that allow the user to communicate with the computer in English sentences

                             f.  Object-Oriented Languages – combine the data being manipulated and the programs that act on that data into a single unit or object

                             g.  Visual Programming Languages – takes advantage of GUI’s for programming faster

                             h.  Web Development Languages – languages that allow presentation of web pages

                                      1.  Markup Languages (HTML) – NOT a programming language, but similar, allows web pages to be constructed by “marking up” a page

                                      2.  Java – created to replace C++ and correct many of its shortfalls; uses “applets” to provide content to a webpage regardless of the user’s platform

                                      3.  Microsoft .Net – used to provide programs across a wide variety of platforms and devices

                                      4.  Web Services – software that integrates information from different applications and databases over a network

                                      5.  Scripting Languages – supply interactive components to a web page

                                      6.  JavaScript – NOT Java & not even similar to Java, but a simplistic language that provides cross-platform applets of its own

                                      7.  Macromedia Flash – provides dynamic content to a web page

                   3.  Automated Development Environments – CASE Tools – Computer Aided Software Engineering, used to automate or support development activities during systems development; these help in the very tedious and error-prone development activities of systems analysis and design

                             a.  Types of CASE Tools (Table TB12, page 466)

                                      1.  Diagramming tools (systems modeling – Data Flow Diagrams –DFDs – and Entity Relationship Diagrams – ERDs)

                                      2.  Screen and report generators

                                      3.  Analysis Tools – check for errors and inconsistencies in diagrams, screen, and reports

                                      4.  Repositories – enable integrated storage of specifications, diagram, and project management information

                                      5.  Document generators – produce both technical and user documentation

                                      6.  Code Generation – automatic generation of program and database definition code directly from design documents, diagrams, screens, and reports

          D.  Open-Source Software – the entire code is freely available to anyone who wants to improve it or modify it to their own needs