Introduction

Hi，everybody.Our group name isV-TECH.This is our first time IS assignment we have to organize our blog.Our Group was choosing one of the technology in ours assignment question which is Distance Learning.Our presentation date on 8-12 march 2010(week 8).

First of all, let me introduce my group members,

             

My name is Tan Chung Aik .I'm also a group leader of  V-TECH. I was born at 26 November 1988 in Selangor, and grown up in Melaka. My hobby is playing badminton, cycling, and surfing the internet. The website that I visited most are Facebook, OneManga, VeryCD, Gamebunny, and Google. Every day, I would visit Facebook to get in touch with friends from other states, and play web-based online game at Gambunny. Every week, I will also check out for new manga series at OneManga, and look for any nice movie to be downloaded at VeryCD. When I have questions regarding my studies, Google is the best place to look for answers.

Hi, I am Sim Wei Zong from V-tech group. I will spend my time to listen music or jogging during leisure time. The top 5 websites that I visited which is Yahoo is a search engine which I used it to find my information about assignment. Secondly is Hotmail which allow me to check my email and send my document to my friends. Thirdly UTAR website, I can check the news about UTAR by this website. Fourthly is Chinapress which is online newspaper website that I could get the information that happened in daily life. The last is Google, I use Google dictionary to check the difficult words that I don’t understand.

My name is Choo Chun Sang usually my friend will call me CcS. Im 18 year old come from Kuala Lumpur. In my family i had 3 sibling 2 sister and 1 brother. I'm the third. My hobby is playing computer game., travel and sport. The first website that I visit frequently is Google Translate I use it to check all the word that I do not know. The second website that I visit the most is Google because I use Google Engine to search whatever information that I looking for. The following website that I visit is game’s forum to update my game’s information. The forth website that I visit is Facebook, actually just don’t know what to do so just on Facebook to play some mini games. Other than that the top internet activity for me will the playing online game and I think this is the only internet activity I did the most.  I'm a kind of friendly person, i wish to make more friend from all over the country so that i can improve my knowledge. My ambition is to become a famous businessman.

I’m Heng Shu Ping or can call me my nickname, Desry. I like to play piano and listen music such as classical, modern, jazz, R&B and others. Actually, I have a lot of hobbies, don’t know how to introduce. The top 5 websites that I always visited which is Google, Wikipedia, MSN, Facebook and Youtube. Firstly,Google and Wikipedia can help me find a lot of information when I doing my assignment..On top of that,Facebook and MSN are let me can chat with my friends and play some games, whereas Youtube can give me some entertainment like movie.

IS Software

The comparison between general purpose application software and function-specific application software

General purpose application programs are programs that perform common information processing jobs for end users. It also looking.For examples, word processing, spreadsheet, database management, and graphics programs are popular with microcomputer users for home, education, business, and many other purposes. Because they significantly increase the productivity of end users, they are sometimes known as Productivity packages. 

The general purpose application software by looking at Software Suite That’s because the most widely used productivity packages come bundled together as software suite as Microsoft Office, Lotus SmartSuite, Corel WordPerfect Office, and Sun’s StarOffice. Examining their components gives us an overview of the important software tools that you can use to increase your productivity. Other examples include Web browses, electronic mail, groupware, which help support communication and collaboration among workgroup and teams. One additional common way of classifying software is based on how the software was developed .

  

Custom software is the term used to identify software applications that are developed within an organization for use by that organization. In other words, the organization that writes the programs code is also the organization that uses the final software application. In contrast, COTS software (an acronym which stands for commercial off- the- self) is software that is developed with the intention of selling the software in multiples copies.

 

Application specific programs accomplish information processing task that support specific business function or processes, scientific or engineering applications in society. For example, business application software supports the reengineering and automation of business processes with strategic e- business applications like customer relationship management, enterprise resource planning, and supply chain management.

 

Other example are software packages that web-enable electronic commerce application, or in the functional areas of business like human resource management, accounting and finance. Moreover, still other software empowers managers and business professionals with decision support tools like data mining, enterprise infromation portals, or knowledge management system.

IS Hardware

The evolution of computer systems:

From mainframe computer systems to microcomputer systems

Mainframe Computer

A mainframe is a large, expensive and powerful computer that can handle hundreds or thousands of connected users simultaneously and difficult to use than PCs. Most major corporations use mainframe for business activities because it able to store huge amounts of data, instruction and information.

Beside that, mainframes act as servers in a network environment. Servers and other mainframes can access data and information from a mainframe. People also can access program on mainframe by using terminal or personal computer. Mainframe computer has benefit such as it may require less maintenance than a network of smaller computer and it is security and system control. 

Midrange computer

Formerly called “minicomputer”, the physical size is smaller than mainframe computer. It is a computer system between mainframe computer and microcomputer. Midrange computer is more powerful and capable than personal computer but less powerful and capable than mainframe computer. Midrange computer covers a wide range of systems that support more than one user to more than 750 users.

Microcomputer 

The introduction of low-cost computers known as personal computers that is suitable for homes, offices, and schools. It is an ongoing development of faster, cheaper, more efficient microprocessors, easier to use and more powerful in this evolution today.

A microcomputer is a computer with a microprocessor as its central processing unit. Their size is smaller compare to mainframe computer. Many microcomputers are equipped with a keyboard and screen for input and output. They are also often containing communication devices.

Data Management

Data management defines as the part of operation system that manages the physical storage and retrieval of data on a disk or other device. In the other word is software that allows the user to create, store, retrieve and manipulate files interactively. The management of all data / information in an organization, it includes data administration, the standards for defining data and the way in which people perceive and use it. The ancient method of data management was each business application designed to use one or more specialized data file to containing only specific type of data record. The evolution of the database system listed below.

First Generation

Flat files - 1960s -1980s

Second Generation 

Hierarchical - 1970s - 1990s

Network - 1970s - 1990s

Third Generation 

Relational - 1980s - present

Forth Generation

Object-oriented - 1990s - present

Object-relational - 1990s - present

Data Warehousing - 1980s - present

Introduction to Data Processing

 Manual file system means that traditionally composed of collection of file folders kept in file cabinet. The system was adequate for small amounts of data with few reporting requirement. The problem with traditional file process for example, data  redundancy, lack of data integrity or standard. Picture on left hand side is the show that chart of traditional file processing. The ancient method of data management is no longer appear because the previous method has been overcome with a more develop method. Data management approach had consolidates data into databases that can be accessed by different programs by using a database management system ( DBMS ) . DBMS is a srver as software interface between users and databases so that end users can get information more easily and more effectively. It has divided into 4 type of databases that occurred in the present database management system such as operational databases, distributed databases, external databases and hypermedia databases.
 


Data Warehouse

Data warehouse  

A data warehouse is a repository of an organization's electronically stored data. Data warehouses are designed to facilitate reporting and analysis.

This definition of the data warehouse focuses on data storage. However, the means to retrieve and analyze data, to extract, transform and load data, and to manage the data dictionary are also considered essential components of a data warehousing system. Many references to data warehousing use this broader context. Thus, an expanded definition for data warehousing includes business intelligence tools, tools to extract, transform and load data into the repository, and tools to manage and retrieve metadata.

Network and Telecommunication

The evolution in telecommunication: From wire to wireless

Network and telecommunications are very important in this world. With network and telecommunications available, people can connect with each other and communicate to others from anywhere, anytime. From the traditional wired form, network and telecommunications had been improved a lot that can now be used wireless. the evolution process of telecomminications can be found in this website Evolution of Telecommunication . From the antique telegraph key made in year 1844, communication tools had now been developed into several forms such as mobile phones, digital phones and so on .

From the traditional telecommunications that uses wires and cables ( coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, twisted-pair wire) to transmit data, it has been much easier now to transmit and receive data wirelessly via radio-wave and satellite transmission. For example, the internet connection service providers in Malaysia, TM Streamyx offers connections via telephone line. while Maxis offers wireless broadband connection. Wireless Broadband users can connect to the internet at anywhere within the coverage area, but Streamyx users can only connect to internet at their home where phone line cables are available.

Wireless is not really a new technology. Since in the early 1950, wireless signals were used in transmitting AM and FM to televisions and radios. No doubt, the development of wireless technology had brought a lot of changes to human life. The most common application that we can see in the use of mobile phones. From a mere communication tools, mobile phone had been added with more and more applications to make full use of wireless technology. Remote control application, Mobile web browser, GPS system and etc are the improvement done to mobile phone as to use wireless technology.

Nevertheless, there are discussions of which one is better, wire or wireless ? Many people prefer wire transmission for its high speed and reliability, unlike wireless transmission that may be affected by other wireless signals and its signal is easily intercepted. However, there are some that like wireless as it is convenient and has longer range.

As for me, I would have wireless be used as last resort. There is nothing more annoying than the situation where I lost my signal when I am having fun with friends in online game, or lost connection after few hours downloading and it was at 99% completed. Speed and reliability will never be better with wireless signals that over the wire

What about you?