What is Data?

Data is a collection of facts, such as numbers, words, measurements, observations or even just
descriptions of things.

TWO TYPES OF DATA

Qualitative data is descriptive information (it describes something)

Quantitative data, is numerical information (numbers).

Why Study IT?

MBA programs have been slow to adapt to
changing role of IT in business.
Disconnect exists between the skills MBA
programs give students and what employers want
(according to surveys, as seen below).
Recent graduates said they learned the least
about technology, design, etc. and managing
tools and technology out of any other skills in Bschools
U.S. employers said they coveted technical and
quantitative skills third out of 10 criteria
A Basic Computer System
Input
Processing
Storage
Output

API (Application Programming Interface)

Processing Summary
Applications are any software programs you see on your
computer/mobile etc
To save them the complexity of talking directly to hardware
(among other reasons), a large software program called
Operating System is introduced. This manages the
hardware (CPU, memory etc) below for the applications
above. It speaks the language of the applications (i.e. API),
and it understands the language of the CPU (machine
language, assembly). So in a way, it is a translator that helps
applications and hardware work together, and it helps
applications co-exist too (as we will see when we discuss
multi-tasking later)
Operating System
A massive software program to help smaller
applications/programs manage
hardware
Main purposes
Multi Tasking (an illusion)
Multiple programs running at the same time
Pre-emption and sharing (over milliseconds)
Example: Human user starts Chrome browser and MS Word at the same time. Both need the CPU to
run. So the
operating system then steps in, and lets Chrome use the processor for a few millisec, and then switches
to MS
Word and lets that run for a few millisecs and so on. This is called pre-emption, and it allows the human
user to
feel as if all programs are running in parallel (because we cant discern delays in millisec so much).
Sometimes
when a program hangs while we are using it, it is usually because this pre-emption process has failed.
Memory Management
What to load into RAM
We discussed three levels of memory
Cache very fast memory, but very less quantity, so only selected few things can be loaded into it
RAM second level speed, more quantity, more things can be loaded into it but not all
Hard Disk very slow, highest quantity
Operating systems predict, based on what the user is doing (e,g. working on different parts of a word
document etc), which things should be loaded from hard disk to RAM, and then which subset should go
into the cache, and when. This allows the CPU to use and save data at a high speed, i.e. in the cache, and
not in a slow place like the Hard Disk.
So basically, the operating system creates an illusion for the CPU that everything is available in the
cache for it,whereas this is actually achieved via a lot of work by the operating system (as described
above).
File Systems
Organize hard disks as files and directories
File types
NTFS, FAT16, FAT32

Operating System 2
 Two parts
Kernel (back end, the engine)
Interface (Desktop environment, user
interface)
Windows
Unix/Linux/Ubuntu
MAC OS
Android?
Operating System 3
Decision factors that impact choice of an operating
system for an
organization
Open source (i.e. where a large group of people work,
usually out of
passion, to create software systems for which they share
the code with
the world, and usually dont charge money) versus Paid
systems
Low Cost, High Power (open source) versus Better Support
(paid system)
 Compatibility
With other software you are running
A sales technique to sell a base system cheap, and then get
the benefit of
making future sales of related products easy, due to better
compatibility, by
cutting out competitors
Security
Viruses etc
Hackers
Have to explore which system is more secure
CPU
Brain of the computer
Megahertz: X number of bits can be
manipulated 1 million times
Gigahertz: 1 billion times
Dualcore/Quadcore
Manufacturers
Intel
AMD
Motorolla
Other Hardware - Memory
Hard disk
Slower
Megabyte, gigabyte, terabyte
RAM
Faster
 Megabyte
Why not use only RAM since it is faster?
Because of cost
What is Programming/Coding/Development?
Unambiguous instructions for the computer
The Process
Human
Human language requirements; in a meeting/document
Pseudocode/Algorithm; on a paper
Progamming ; in a compiler/development environment
Compiler
Converts programming code to machine language for a
given CPU and OS
Operating System
Takes that machine language program and executes it/runs
it on the hardware
multitasking is a method where multiple tasks are performed at the same time they are executed in
overlapping time periods, new tasks starting before others have ended.Multitasking does not mean that
multiple tasks are executing at exactly the same instant but the processor run one program for a few
millisecs and then switches to other program and lets that run for a few millisecs and so on. Multitasking
solves the problem by scheduling which task may be the one running at any given time, and when
another waiting task gets a turn.

Pre-emption and sharing (over milliseconds)

Example: Human user starts Chrome browser and MS Word at the same time. Both need the CPU to
run. So the operating system then steps in, and lets Chrome use the processor for a few millisec, and
then switches to MSWord and lets that run for a few millisecs and so on. This is called pre-emption, and
it allows the human user to feel as if all programs are running in parallel (because we cant discern delays
in millisec so much). Sometimes when a program hangs while we are using it, it is usually because this
pre-emption process has failed.

ROM(READ ONLY MEMORY)

ROM is "built-in" computer memory containing data that normally can only be read, not written to. ROM
contains the programming that allows your computer to be "booted up" or regenerated each time you
turn it on.

Cache very fast memory, but very less quantity, not persistent,most expensive
RAM second level speed, more quantity,not persistent,expensive after cache

Hard Disk very slow, highest quantity,persistent,cheap

ROM persistent,limited data,

HOW MEMORY MANAGEMENT WORKS

Operating systems predict, based on what the user is doing (e,g. working on different parts of a word
document etc), which things should be loaded from hard disk to RAM, and then which subset should go
into the cache, and when. This allows the CPU to use and save data at a high speed, i.e. in the cache, and
not in a slow place like the Hard Disk.
So basically, the operating system creates an illusion for the CPU that everything is available in the
cache for it,whereas this is actually achieved via a lot of work by the operating system (as described
above).

Compiler
Converts programming code to machine language for a given CPU and OS
 Open source

(i.e. where a large group of people work, usually out of passion, to create software systems for which
they share the code with the world, and usually dont charge money) .
CPU
Brain of the computer

A Basic Computer System

Input
Processing
Storage
Output

API (Application Programming Interface)

Processing Summary
Applications are any software programs you see on your
computer/mobile etc
To save them the complexity of talking directly to hardware
(among other reasons), a large software program called
Operating System is introduced. This manages the
hardware (CPU, memory etc) below for the applications
above. It speaks the language of the applications (i.e. API),
and it understands the language of the CPU (machine
language, assembly). So in a way, it is a translator that helps
applications and hardware work together, and it helps
applications co-exist too (as we will see when we discuss
multi-tasking later)

Operating System
A massive software program to help smaller applications/programs manage
hardware