1. 1.1 Basic Concepts of Input-Process-Output Cycle
A computer is a very powerful electronic machine
A computer can:
store a huge amount of data
perform complicated calculations
produce the calculated results on different media

2. 1.1 Basic Concepts of Input-Process-Output Cycle
The process of a computer task can be divided into three stages:
Input
Process
Output
Input-Process-Output cycle

3. 1.1 Basic Concepts of Input-Process-Output Cycle
In our daily lives, many activities involve the Input-Process-Output cycle.
Input-Process-Output cycle

4. 1.1 Basic Concepts of Input-Process-Output Cycle
For a computer, the Input-Process-Output cycle usually involves operations and hardware.
Input
Enter data and
commands into a
computer via one or
more input devices.
Process
The CPU works on
the data according
to the commands
provided in the input
stage.
Output
The computer shows
the processed result
on the output
devices specified in
the input stage.
The Input-Process-Output cycle in a computer process

5. 1.1 Basic Concepts of Input-Process-Output Cycle
For a computer, the Input-Process-Output cycle usually involves operations and hardware.
Input
Enter data and
commands into a
computer via one or
more input devices.
Process
The CPU works on
the data according
to the commands
provided in the input
stage.
Output
The computer shows
the processed result
on the output
devices specified in
the input stage.
The Input-Process-Output cycle in a computer process

6. 1.2 Use of Stored Programs Programs
Computers themselves will not function if no command is given.
A program:
A sequence of commands
Should be provided to the computer in order to instruct the computer to complete a specific task
Will be fetched by the computer and the commands will be executed one by one

7. 1.2 Use of Stored Programs Stored programs
Enable computers to do tasks automatically, repeatedly and accurately
Saved in the read-only memory (ROM) of many home appliances and machines
Executed by the microprocessor to control the operations of the machines.

8. 1.2 Use of Stored Programs Stored programs
A modern microwave oven has stored programs to decide the appropriate temperature and cooking time for the food.
A modern video recorder records TV programmes automatically according to the recording schedule preset by users.

9. 1.2 Use of Stored Programs Stored programs
Found in traditional mechanical products:
Mechanical music boxes
Old-fashioned sewing machines
A mechanical music box and traditional sewing machine are examples of
mechanical machines with stored programs.

10. 1.2 Use of Stored Programs Stored programs
Found in traditional mechanical products:
Mechanical music boxes
Old-fashioned sewing machines
A mechanical music box and traditional sewing machine are examples of
mechanical machines with stored programs.

11. 1.3 Difference between Data and Information
A collection of raw facts that are not organized
Has no meaning on their own
Information
Data that has been organized
Meaningful and useful for decision making

12. 1.3 Difference between Data and Information
Data is processed into information.

13. 1.3 Difference between Data and Information
Data is processed into information.

14. 1.4 Types of Data Text Audio Images Videos
Data can be converted into digital forms with the help of appropriate input devices
Different types of data:
Text
Images
Audio
Videos

15. 1.4 Types of Data
Video
Text
Image
Audio
Different types of data

16. 1.4 Types of Data Text Examples:
Characters
Numbers
Symbols
Can be represented by certain character coding systems:
American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII)
Unicode
Big5 code

17. 1.4 Types of Data Text Input devices for text entry: Keyboard
Handwriting board
Scanner with optical character recognition (OCR) software
Voice recognition system
A handwriting board

18. 1.4 Types of Data
Text
When we enter text data with an input device, the text data is transformed into binary codes.
The binary codes can be further processed or stored in a computer.
Chinese Character
Big5 code
Unicode 日 學 天
Different character coding systems may have different codes
for the same character.

19. 1.4 Types of Data Image Examples:
Photographs
Drawings
Handwritten text
Can be inputted into a computer by a scanner.
Can be converted into a rectangular grid of colour dots (known as pixels).
Each colour dot is represented by a string of binary codes in a computer.
The digital representation of a collection of colour dots of an image is known as a bitmap image. 19

20. Common methods of producing a digital image
1.4 Types of Data
Image
Common methods of producing a digital image

21. 1.4 Types of Data Image Common devices that produce bitmap images:
Digital camera
Mobile phone (with built-in camera)
Scanner

22. 1.4 Types of Data Audio Use of audio files in a computer: Record music
Speeches
Any kind of audio signals in digital form
Audio signals can be captured into a computer by means of a microphone.
The analogue audio signals are converted to a stream of digital audio signals by a sound card.
The computer is able to edit and store it or reproduce the audio with speakers.
Popular file formats for digital audio files:
WAV
AAC
MP3 22

23. Analogue audio can be digitized for editing, playback and storage
1.4 Types of Data
Audio
Analogue audio can be digitized for editing, playback and storage

24. 1.4 Types of Data
Video
A sequence of images representing a scene in motion
A digital video file consists of a stream of digital data that contains both video and audio.
A web cam can capture video and audio (with its internal microphone) into a digital video file.
A video capture card can convert analogue video signals from external sources into digital video files.
Both digital video cameras and digital cameras can capture and record video in a digital form and store them as digital computer files.
Digital computer files can be transferred across computers without the need of any further conversion. 24

25. Analogue videos can be digitized for editing, playback and storage
1.4 Types of Data
Video
Analogue videos can be digitized for editing, playback and storage

26. Analogue videos can be digitized for editing, playback and storage
1.4 Types of Data
Video
Analogue videos can be digitized for editing, playback and storage 26

27. 1.5 Components of an Information System
Basically a system that accepts data as input and transforms it into information as output via the Input-Process-Output cycle
The transformation can be either a manual or an automated process.
In general, it consists of five interrelated components:
Processes
Purposes
Personnel
Technologies
Data

28. 1.5 Components of an Information System
Purposes
Some of the most common reasons for implementing an information system:
Automate an existing manual process
Improve an existing system
Fix system problems
The current situation of a school library:
Operate in manual mode
Students need to come to the library and search for books on the bookshelves.
If a student wants to borrow a book, the librarian will write down a record of it in a logbook.
Teachers sometimes need to check the logbook to see which subjects are most popular. 28

29. 1.5 Components of an Information System
Purposes
The purposes of a library system:
Help students search for the books efficiently
Help librarians track the status of a book efficiently
Help teachers figure out which subjects are most popular
Help in stocktaking at the end of each semester
Automatically generate reports of overdue books 29

30. The library system of the Chinese University of Hong Kong
1.5 Components of an Information System
Purposes
The library system of the Chinese University of Hong Kong

31. 1.5 Components of an Information System
Data
The major component of an information system
Examples:
In a payroll information system, data can be employees’ names, salaries or grades.
In a multimedia information system, data can be digital images or digital videos.
After the information system has collected the data, the data will be stored in a main database.
A main database is a structured collection of records or data that are stored in a computer system so that they can be retrieved by query languages.

32. 1.5 Components of an Information System
Processes
Work with data to achieve the purposes or objectives
Some examples of processes:
Generating bank statements
Categorizing data
Printing management reports
All processes are combined together to form an information system.

33. 1.5 Components of an Information System
Processes
Processes of the food ordering information system in a restaurant:
Receiving and transferring customer food orders
Transforming order to kitchen format
Generating customer receipt
Aggregating goods sold and inventory data
Producing management reports 33

34. 1.5 Components of an Information System
Technologies
An information system is a computer-based system that relies on technologies including:
Hardware
Software
Network 34

35. 1.5 Components of an Information System
Technologies
Hardware
Refers to all the physical components
In a point-of-sale system, computer hardware includes:
Monitors
Keyboards
Bar code scanners
Printers
Also covers any media used by machines, for example:
ATM cards
Credit cards
Octopus cards

36. Point-of-sale terminal in a supermarket
1.5 Components of an Information System
Technologies
Hardware
Point-of-sale terminal in a supermarket

37. 1.5 Components of an Information System
Technologies
Software
A sequence of instructions which instructs the information system to perform specific tasks
Two kinds of software that would be used in an information system:
System software
Application software 37

38. 1.5 Components of an Information System
Technologies
Software
System software
Manages computer resources such as hard disks, CPUs, files, the main memory and all devices that are used to control the computer
An operating system:
A part of system software
Examples: Microsoft Windows, UNIX
Application software
Designed for users to perform specific tasks
Database software:
A type of application software
Example: Microsoft Access
Stores records or data in a computer system and organizes them in a structured way by using tables

39. 1.5 Components of an Information System
Technologies
Network
Some information systems may not only be used in a single computer.
They may be used in a group of computers interconnected via the Internet or the intranet.
An online cinema information system using network technologies:
A server is set up at the head office.
This server is connected to a database server.
Customers can use a web browser to submit a ticket-ordering request to the server 39

40. 1.5 Components of an Information System
Personnel
A major component of all information systems
They use, develop or manage an information system
Two types of roles:
End users
Information system (IS) specialists 40

41. 1.5 Components of an Information System
Personnel
End users
Use an information system or an information product
Information system (IS) specialists
Develop or manage information systems
Usually from the information system department which deliver IT services to an organization
Examples:
Systems analysts
Programmers
Technicians
Network managers
Data entry operators 41

42. 1.5 Components of an Information System
Personnel
Information system (IS) specialists
Systems analyst
Responsible for the research, planning and implementation of the information system according to the requirements defined by end users
Analyze the cost, study the feasibility, design the system using any new technologies and estimate the time frame of the implementation
Programmer
Responsible for converting the system design developed by the systems analysts into program codes 42

43. 1.5 Components of an Information System
Personnel
Information system (IS) specialists
Technician
Responsible for managing the information system such as performing the backup of the system and monitoring its resource usages
Network Manager
Responsible for monitoring the availability and performance of the communication between computer systems
Data Entry Operator
Responsible for entering data into the information system before end users can use it 43

44. 1.5 Components of an Information System
Personnel
Information system (IS) specialists
Technician
Responsible for managing the information system such as performing the backup of the system and monitoring its resource usages
Network Manager
Responsible for monitoring the availability and performance of the communication between computer systems
Data Entry Operator
Responsible for entering data into the information system before end users can use it 44

45. 1.6 Information Processes
The information life cycle
The processes of transforming data into useful information
Normally there are seven information processes:
Data collection
Presentation
Organization
Transmission
Storage
Analysis
Processing
An information life cycle

46. 1.6 Information Processes
Data Collection
The activity of collecting raw data from the outside world so that it can be put into an information system
Methods:
Personal interviews
Telephone interviews
Questionnaires
Experiments
The Internet
These methods can be used separately or combined together.

47. 1.6 Information Processes
Data Collection
Collecting data through a personal interview

48. 1.6 Information Processes
Organization
Collected data must be organized into certain formats so that it can be further processed.
The data can be represented in:
Text
Images
Audio
Videos
Ways to organize data:
Putting data into paper-based forms or electronic forms by its category
Inserting data into related database tables or spreadsheets
Grouping images to create an animation 48

49. Stages of data preparation
1.6 Information Processes
Organization
Data-logging
Keep track of incoming data.
Manual validity check
Check for completeness.
Check whether the contextual information is included.
Check whether the answers are reasonable and legible.
Data categorization
Divide the raw data into different groups.
Sort the raw data into a specific order for facilitating subsequent data entry procedure.
Stages of data preparation

50. 1.6 Information Processes
Storage
Organized data must be stored in storage media so that they can be retrieved for processing later.
Two kinds of storage media:
Non-digital media
Paper
Files
Digital media
CD-ROMs
DVDs
Hard disks
Floppy disks
Magnetic tapes 50

51. 1.6 Information Processes
Storage
Most of the information systems use database software to store data.
Database software uses direct access devices such as hard disks as storage media.
Financial data of a company can be backed up in magnetic tapes.

52. 1.6 Information Processes
Processing
Different kinds of processing:
Data processing
Sorting
Searching
Merging
Calculating
Word processing
Image processing
Video processing
Audio processing 52

53. 1.6 Information Processes
Processing
An example of information processing in a human resource management system:
Photos given by employees may be in a different format or size other than the system requires.
The photos may need to be processed by image editing software.
Sorting (data processing) on employee names may be necessary to speed up data search. 53

54. A photo can be processed by using image editing software – Paint.NET.
1.6 Information Processes
Processing
A photo can be processed by using image editing software – Paint.NET.

55. 1.6 Information Processes
Analysis
Analysis is performed on the processed data to extract useful information.
An analysis method: using spreadsheets to create models to produce statistics or trend analysis
Analyzed information can be presented in graphs or charts.
For the food ordering system of a restaurant:
The database is analyzed to find most popular foods.
The staff is then informed to purchase more of these foods. 55

56. 1.6 Information Processes
Transmission
The process of sending information from one computer system to another
A common protocol must be used to communicate between different systems.
The Internet:
It uses TCP/IP for data communication.
Data in different systems may be in different formats.
Extensible Markup Language (XML) provides a common data format for different information systems. 56

57. Transmitting purchasing orders on an online supermarket web site
1.6 Information Processes
Transmission
Transmitting purchasing orders on an online supermarket web site

58. 1.6 Information Processes
Presentation
Information can be presented through different media:
Audio
Video
Screen displays
Printed outputs 58

59. 1.6 Information Processes
Presentation
Various ways of presenting information:
Tables
Charts
Lists 59

60. 1.6 Information Processes
Presentation
Various ways of presenting information:
Tables
Charts
Lists 60

61. 1.7 Information Technology and the Information Age
The rapid development of information and communication technology presents us with a large amount of information every day.
It not only makes the Internet an information enriched network but also a platform providing numerous web-based services.
Our society has now moved into the Information Age. 61

62. 1.7 Information Technology and the Information Age
What is the Information Age?
Refers to a period beginning in the last quarter of the 20th century
With the advancement of distribution of information by telecommunication networks and especially the Internet, information spreads widely and rapidly.
People can access all kinds of up-to-date information easily anywhere and anytime at a very low cost. 62

63. All kinds of up-to-date information can now be easily obtained.
1.7 Information Technology and the 　　Information Age
What is the Information Age?
All kinds of up-to-date information can now be easily obtained.

64. Communication Networks
1.7 Information Technology and the 　　Information Age
Living in a Knowledge-based Society
A society employs knowledge, information technology and communication systems to all citizens
Knowledge is the major asset in a knowledge-based society.
Factors to determine the success of a knowledge-based society:
Communication Networks
Computers
People 64

65. 1.7 Information Technology and the Information Age
Living in a Knowledge-based Society
Computers
Essential equipment for producing, manipulating, storing and distributing knowledge
Must be prevalent in the society
Communication Networks
Should be of high transmission speed and wide coverage at low cost
Examples:
Telecommunication networks
Broadband services
The Internet
Media broadcasting networks 65

66. 1.7 Information Technology and the Information Age
Living in a Knowledge-based Society
People
Must be information literate in order to handle the vast amounts of information encountered every day
An information literate should be able to:
determine the nature and extent of the information needed
access information effectively and efficiently
question the information source
use information effectively to accomplish a specific task
convert information from one form to another desirable form using information technologies
create new knowledge from collected information through analytical processes with IT software
use information ethically and legally 66

67. 1.7 Information Technology and the Information Age
Living in a Knowledge-based Society
People
The knowledge and skills required for effective use of IT changes from time to time.
Lifelong learning has become imperative. 67

68. 1.7 Information Technology and the Information Age
Living in a Knowledge-based Society
People
The knowledge and skills required for effective use of IT changes from time to time.
Lifelong learning has become imperative. 68