Information systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Information systems - Essay Example (Joseph, 2008) define an information system as â€Å"the study of complementary networks of hardware and software that people and organizations use to collect, filter, process, create, and distribute data† (p416). Even though there are many definitions as to what an Information system is, the definitions all agree on the fact that it is all about how humans relate with technology Figure 1: components of an IS 1. Hardware Hardware refers to all the machinery that will be used by the firm in the information system. The most important hardware in the information system is the computer. The computer has its own important hardware parts like the storage, the control unit, the processors and many others. Some people refer to the hardware part of the information system as the central processing unit because this is actually where all the data processing for the system is done. The hardware of the computer must have five important parts for it to function optimally (O'Brien, 2003) Inp ut This is the means by which the computer accepts data that is fed into it via the input devices. The most commonly used input device is the keyboard where the user types instructions that the computer processes. Other input devices include microphones for sound input, scanners for digital input and mice. Process Once the computer has accepted input, it must have a means by which it will process data. Every computer usually has a part that is used for the process of the data that it receives from the input devices Control There are many processes that the computer usually performs and it is important to have a means of controlling the different operations for optimum results. The Arithmetic and Logic Unit is used to control the different arithmetic and logical operations that the computer is working on. Storage Computers must have a means of retaining the data that is input into the system. This is usually done on the main hard drive of the computer or any auxiliary storage devices like memory sticks, external hard drives, DVDs and many others. Output After data has been input into the computer and all the processing of the data has been completed, the computer must then have a way of generating feedback for the benefit of the user. This is achieved through the output devices. There are two types of output devices. There are those that give soft output like the monitors and the speakers and there are those that give hard output like the printers and the plotters. 2. Software This term refers to any computer application and all the manuals that come with these applications. To put it simply, software is a set of computer or machine readable instructions that tell the computer exactly how to manipulate the data that is fed to it by the user. The software is very important in the information system since it is the one that has instructions on how to manipulate the data thereby giving the necessary output which management can use for decision making. Software usu ally comes stored on DVDs and other auxiliary storage devices like flash disks but it has to be installed onto the computer system for it to be used. Most of the software is usually for sale although there are some that are given under the General Public User license agreement. The computer system will be totally useless without the relevant software (O'Brien, 2003) 3. Data This

Critical Article Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Critical Review - Article Example In order to understand this to a more effective and complete degree, the following analysis will discuss the means through which the public school system within the United States experiences what is known as fiscall limitation with regards to the provision of local education. This limitation necessarily refers to the way in which secondary education within the United States is overly reliant upon regional funding; thereby evoking a situation in which disparity is more readily reflected within the educational system as compared to how it would be in a situation in which the federal government itself was responsible for funding the process (Clemings, 2006). Through such analysis, it is the hope of this author that the reader will gain a more informed understanding of how the educational system work in the United States, what determinant factors constrain it, and how improvements with regards to the shortcomings that have been previously mentioned might be affected within the future. Th e particular piece in question first references the fact that a case study which will be performed is concentric upon the state of California. Naturally, this choice of tests case analysis is especially important and useful due to the fact that California is the largest state by population and represents perhaps the greatest level of regional diversity that any state within the system has to offer. As such, the article itself increases the level of believability and relevance due to the fact that it has chosen to analyze the most diverse and populous state as a means of proving the fact that regional and state funding alone is ultimately a limitation to the way through which education can be provided to the end student (Wassmer & Fisher, 1996). Accordingly, the first main argument that is made is with regards to the limitations upon maximum and minimum millage rates with regards to property taxes (Winkler, 2009). Such an in-depth primary approach has to do with the fact that the Uni ted States education system disproportionately targets as one of its main funding streams property taxes. In such a way, the authors reference the fact that disparity is innate within the system due to the fact that income from property taxes is a direct means through which the poorest regions will have inordinately less funding to allocate as compared to the richer regions. Although the casual observer might be quick to point out that millage rates within the poorest regions merely be increased as a way of generating further revenue for the school systems, this does not reflect a level of fairness and ultimately punishes the poorest property holders within a given region (Ellis, 1976). Similarly, the authors target the fact that the poorer regions within California, the state in question, reflect a greatly increased percentage of renters as compared to other regions throughout the state. The increased percentage of renting families means that this funding stream ultimately begins t o dry up and disappear with respect to an ever increasing percentage of poverty that may be exhibited. Further focusing upon the issue of property tax, the authors discuss the minimum and maximum limits on the property tax rate with respect to what is deemed as a â€Å"per pupil limit† many individuals outside the education system are wholly unaware of the fact that such