Lesson 1.

Understanding Components of Hardware and Software in an

Information System

TOPICS
1. Hardware
1.1 Components of a Hardware in a Computer System
1.2 Understanding Binary
1.3 Tour of a PC
1.4 Integrated Computing and Internet of Things (IoT)
2. Software
2.1 Types of Software
2.2 Components of Software in a Computer System
2.3 Utility Software and Programming Software
2.4 Customer Relationship Management
2.5 Cloud Computing

LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the lesson, the student will be able to:

1. Specify and comprehend the hardware of an information system.

2. Identify the major components of a computer and the activities they

perform;

3. Describe the impact of the personal computer's commoditization.

4. Explain what the term "software" means.

5. Identify and explain the two major software categories;

6. Explain the importance of ERP software in a business.

7. Define the phrase cloud computing and its benefits for usage in a
company; and

8. Define the word open-source and its main characteristics.

 ➢ HARDWARE

Study Questions

1. Define "information systems hardware" in your own words.

2. What has caused the shift in computer mobility?
3. How has Moore's Law influenced the various hardware components covered in
this chapter?
4. Create a one-page overview of one of the elements linked to in the "Integrated
Computing" section.
5. Explain why personal computers have become a commodity.
6. Why is the CPU also referred to as the computer's processor?
7. List the data storage units, from kilobyte to yottabyte, in ascending order from
smallest to greatest.
8. What is computer bus?
9. What are the primary differences between RAM and a hard drive?
10. What advantages do solid-state drives have over traditional hard disk drives?

An information system's five components are hardware, software, data,

people, and process. The physical components of computers that you can
touch are referred to as hardware. In this session, you'll learn about how this
component of information systems works and look at some of the current
developments.

Photo Source: Google.com

 Computer hardware refers to digital equipment that you may hold in your hands.
This includes gadgets such as the ones listed below:

• desktop computers
• laptop computers
• mobile phones
• tablet computers
• e-readers
• storage devices, such as flash drives
• input devices, such as keyboards, mice, and scanners
• output devices such as printers and speakers.

Aside from the more common computer hardware devices, many

previously non-digital objects are now being digitized as well. Because
digital technologies are increasingly being integrated into everyday items,
the days of a device clearly identifying itself as computer hardware may be
numbered. These computerized devices include automobiles, refrigerators,
and even beverage dispensers. This chapter will also teach you about digital
gadgets, beginning with a definition of the term itself.

Digital Devices
A digital device converts electrical impulses into discrete values, which
can range from two through multiples of two. Analog signals, on the other hand,
are continuous and may be shown as a smooth wave pattern. You may consider
digital (discrete) to be the polar opposite of analog.

Many electrical equipment converts signals into binary values, which are
two discrete values. A one (“on”) or a zero (“off”) is used to denote these values.
The existence of an electrical signal is usually referred to as being in the "on"
state. As a result, the lack of an electrical signal is used to represent the off
state. Note: In technical terms, a system's voltages are assessed by converting
high voltages to a one or on state and low voltages to a zero or off state.

Each one or zero is referred to as a bit (a combination of the terms "binary"

and "digit"). A byte is a grouping of eight bits. Early personal computers could
only process 8 bits of data at a time. Word size refers to the number of bits that
a computer's processor can handle at one time. The term 64-bit CPU refers to
the fact that modern computers can process 64 bits of data at a time.

✓ Most likely, you're working on a machine with a 64-bit CPU.

▪ Computer Hardware

The real, tangible elements that humans can see and touch are known as hardware
components. The illustration is an example of modern computer accessories.
• Input device (3, 6,7)
• Output device (1, 11, 12)
• Processing Units (5, 13)
• Storage - Temporary (4) and Permanent (2, 8, 9, 10)

▪ Components of a Computer

A computer's components have four major functions:

• We'll need input devices like a keyboard, mouse, and webcam to get information.
• We have RAM, hard disk drives, and other storage devices for storing data.
• We have a CPU, WiFi adapter, network cables, and other devices for manipulating and
exchanging data.
• We'll need output devices like a display, printer, and speaker to deliver information.

▪ Types of Computers

• Special purpose computer embedded in tools or appliances, e.g., smart card, set top box
• Desktop Computer (PC) / Workstation
• Notebook / laptop
• Tablet
• Smartphone / Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)
• Server
• Mainframe / supercomputer

▪ Speed of computers

• A computer's power is classified by its speed.

• The amount of commands that a computer can perform in one second is referred to as
"Hz" (Hertz)
• This is a “relative” metric that can only be used to compare machines from the same
series.
▪ Data in Computers

• Stored as sequence of 0’s & 1’s, called “bits”

• A group of 8 bits is called a “byte”
• 1,024 bytes = 1 kilobyte (KB)
• 1,024 kilobytes = 1 megabyte (MB)
• 1,024 megabyte = 1 gigabyte (GB)
• 1,024 gigabyte = 1 terabyte (TB)
• 1,024 terabyte = 1 petabyte (PB)
 A specification comparison of Computers

Source: Google.com
Computer cables and connectors
• Many various cable connectors are required for communication with a computer, such as
power, keyboard, monitor, mouse, internet, and so on.
• To avoid making a connection error:
• Each cable connection has a unique form.
• Connectors can only be connected in one direction, resulting in a "fool-proof" architecture
within the computer.

Inside the Computer

• Central processing unit (CPU)
• Memory (RAM)
• Hard disk and SSD
• Optical drive
• Motherboard
• Graphics card
 New names for processors, memory, and disk storage space were invented as
the capabilities of digital devices expanded. To indicate multiple orders of
magnitude, prefixes were added to the term byte. Because they are digital
standards, the prefixes were initially intended to represent multiples of 1024
(which is 210), but have now been rounded to imply multiples of 1000 for the
purpose of simplicity, as indicated in the table below:

Prefix Represents Example

kilo one thousand kilobyte=one thousand bytes
mega one million megabyte = one million bytes
giga one billion gigabyte = one billion bytes
tera one trillion terabyte = one trillion bytes
peta one quadrillion petabyte = one quadrillion bytes
exa one quintillion exabyte = one quintillion bytes
zetta one sextillion zettabyte = one sextillion bytes
yotta one septillion yottabyte = one septillion bytes
Source: KhanAcademy.com

Tour of a PC
A Central Processing Unit (CPU), memory, circuit board, storage, and
input/output devices are the same fundamental components found in all
personal computers. Because almost every digital device employs the same
set of components, studying the structure of a personal computer can help
you understand the construction of other digital devices. A personal
computer is shown in this "tour."

Processing Data: The CPU

The Central Processing Unit, or CPU, is a computer's brain. It's the device's
"brains." The CPU executes the software's instructions and delivers output for
further processing.

Large circuit boards with limited

capability were the first CPUs. A
CPU nowadays can execute a wide
range of tasks. Intel and Advanced
Micro Devices are the two main
producers of CPUs for personal
computers (AMD).
A CPU's speed is measured in
hertz (or "clock time"). One cycle per Intel Core CPU Source: Canva.com photo
second is defined as a hertz. A kilohertz (abbreviated kHz) represents 1000
cycles per second, a megahertz (mHz) represents one million cycles per
second, and a gigahertz (gHz) represents one billion cycles per second.
 The processing power of the CPU is rapidly growing (see Moore's Law in the
sidebar). Today's CPU chips include several processors in addition to a higher
clock speed. These chips, which are classified as dual-core (two processors),
quad-core (four processors), or octa-core (eight processors), boost a
computer's processing capacity by allowing several CPUs to share the
computing burden. Intel's Core i7 CPUs have six cores, while its Core i9
processors have sixteen. This video demonstrates how a computer processor
works.

❖ Moore’s Law and Huang’s Law

Computers, as you may be aware, become quicker every year. Many
times, we are unsure if we want to get today's model since it will no longer
be the most advanced next week. In 1965, Gordon Moore, one of Intel's
founders, observed this phenomenon, observing that microprocessor
transistor counts had been sound processing, which had previously needed
separate components.
The motherboard is responsible for a large portion of the computer's bus
(the term bus refers to the electrical connections between different computer
components). The bus plays a key role in defining the computer's speed; the
speed is determined by the combination of how quickly the bus can transmit
data and the amount of data bits that can be transferred at once. The traces
on the underside of the motherboard depicted in the image offer connections
between motherboard components.

Random-Access Memory
When a computer starts up, it loads data from
its storage into its working memory. RAM
(Random-Access Memory) is a type of working
memory that can transport data considerably
quicker than a hard drive. Any application you
execute on your computer is loaded into RAM
and processed there. A computer must have a
minimum quantity of RAM installed in order to
function properly. Adding additional RAM to a
computer will usually make it run quicker. The
fact that RAM is "volatile" is another feature.
This implies it can keep data for as long as it
Source: Canva.com
has electricity. Any data saved in RAM is lost
(Edited by the author)
when the machine is switched off.

A Double Data Rate (DDR) memory module is typically used in the installation
of RAM in a personal computer. The DDR memory type that a machine will take.
DDR Memoy is determined by the motherboard DDR has been divided into four

generations: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3, and DDR4. Each generation is quicker than
the one before it, with DDR4 being twice as fast as DDR3 while using half the
voltage.

Motherboard

The primary circuit board of a computer is the

motherboard. The motherboard connects the
processor, memory, and storage components, among
other things. The mouse has become a common
component of a computer, and it comes in a variety of
forms and sizes, depending on how compact or call
user interface. Though variants of each have been
produced with various degrees of success throughout
the years, these two components are still the principal
input devices to a personal computer. For example, a
touch screen is currently the primary mode of data
Source: Canva.com
(Edited by the author) entry on many modern gadgets.

Scanners are another type of input device that allows users to enter
documents into a computer as images or text. Microphones are useful for
recording sounds and giving voice instructions. Webcams and other video
cameras can be used to record video or join a video chat conversation.

Output Devices
In addition, output devices are necessary. A display or monitor is the
most visible output device, graphically showing the condition of the
computer. A personal computer can handle numerous screens or be linked
to larger-format displays like a projector or large-screen television in some
circumstances. Speakers for audio output and printers for hardcopy output
are among the other output devices.

Which Hardware Components Contribute to the Speed of Your Computer

Many factors influence a computer's speed, some of which are hardware -

related and others that are software-related. In hardware, speed is increased
by reducing the distance that electrons must travel in order to complete a circuit.
Engineers have been trying to find out how to reduce circuits and fit more
circuits onto the same chip since the first CPU was invented in the early 1970s.
These chips are known as integrated circuits. And all of this effort has paid off,
as the speed of computer devices has steadily increased.
 Faster speeds have been aided by multi-core processors, or CPUs. The
use of QuickPath Interconnect, a method that reduces the processor's
requirement to interact directly with RAM or the hard drive, has also boosted
CPU performance. Instead, a cache of frequently used data for a certain
program is kept on the CPU. An algorithm assesses a program's data use
and determines whether data should be cached temporarily.

The CPU, motherboard, RAM, and hard drive are the physical
components that contribute to the speed of a personal computer. These
things may usually be replaced with newer, quicker components. The table
below demonstrates how each of these factors affects a computer's speed.
Aside from changing hardware, there are several modifications that can be
done to a computer's software to make it run quicker.

Component Speed measured by Units Description

GHz (billions The time it takes for a cycle to
CPU Clock speed of cycles) finish is measured in Hertz.
The rate at which data can be
Motherboard Bus speed MHz sent via a bus.
Mb/s In Megabytes, the time it
(millions of takes for data to be
bytes per transmitted from memory to
RAM Data transfer rate second) the system.
The amount of time it takes
ms for the drive to find the data
Access time (millisecond) that needs to be accessed.
The amount of time it takes
for data to be transmitted from
a hard drive to a computer
Hard Disk Data transfer rate MBit/s system.

Smartphones
Smartphones have just been present for the past 20 years, despite the fact
that mobile phones were first launched in the 1970s. Cell phones have grown to
include a wider range of functions and programs. Phone, email, location, and
calendar services, to mention a few, are all available on today's smartphones.
They work as a very portable computer that can connect to the Internet using
cellular or Wi-Fi technologies. Smartphones have transformed computing,
bringing with them the one thing that PCs and laptops lacked: mobility. Take a
look at the following information on mobile computing:

▪ As of January 2018, there were 3.7 billion mobile Internet users worldwide.
▪ In 2016, mobile devices affected more than $1.4 trillion in sales.
▪ In 2018, mobile commerce revenue in the United States is expected to reach
$459.38 billion, rising to $693.36 billion by 2019.
▪ By the end of 2018, mobile devices will account for over $1 trillion in ecommerce
sales in China, accounting for 75% of total sales.
▪ In the first quarter of 2018, the average order value for online orders placed on
Smartphones was $84.55, while the average order value for purchases conducted
on Tablets was $94.91.
▪ 2.55 billion of the world's 2.79 billion active social media users utilize their mobile
devices for social media activity.
▪ Apps account for 90% of the time spent on mobile devices.
▪ In 2018, mobile traffic accounted for 52.2 percent of total Internet traffic, up from
50.3 percent in 2017.

o While mobile traffic accounts for a greater percentage of overall traffic than
desktop, desktop engagement is higher. Desktop users spend 55.9% of their time
on websites, while mobile users spend 40.1 percent of their time on websites.

o Mobile commerce will account for 45 percent of total e-commerce activity by 2020,
up from 20.6 percent in 2016.

o The Apple iPhone debuted in January 2007 and was released in June of that year.
It was an instant hit thanks to its simplicity of use and simple UI, and it cemented
the future of cellphones. In 2008, the first Android phone with iPhone-like features
was introduced.

Tablet Computers

iPad Air
A tablet computer is a computer that employs a
touch screen as its primary input and is tiny and light
enough to be carried about. They usually don't have a
keyboard and are enclosed in a rectangular casing.
With the release of the iPad in 2010, Apple established
the standard for tablet computing by utilizing iOS, the Source: Canva.com
iPhone's operating system. Following the breakthrough of the iPad, computer
manufacturers began to build new tablets that ran on mobile-friendly operating
systems like Android.

Since the early days of Apple's supremacy, the global market share for tablets
has shifted. The iPad now has around 25% of the worldwide market, while the
Amazon Fire has 15% and the Samsung Galaxy has 14%. Tablets, on the other
hand, have seen a dramatic decrease in popularity in recent years.
 Integrated Computing and Internet of Things (IoT)

Computing technology is being

integrated into a wide range of goods,
in addition to advancements in
computers. Computing technology is
improving the capabilities of a wide
range of objects, from vehicles to
refrigerators to airplanes, due in part
to the Internet of Things.
Source: Canva.com

Internet of Things and the Cloud

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a global network of billions of objects with integrated electronics
that can connect to the Internet to acquire and exchange data without human intervention.

The processors inside everything from a basic light bulb to a FitBit fitness
band to a driverless vehicle are all part of the Internet of Things. Each of these
devices, as well as others such as electric garage door openers (for those who
can't remember if the door was closed), kitchen appliances (“Buy milk after
work today.”), Nest thermostats, home security, audio speakers, and pet
feeding, can be controlled and/or communicated with via a smartphone app.

Here are three of the most recent examples of computing technology being
incorporated into ordinary items via the Internet of Things:

• How IoT Works

• The Smart House
• The Self-Driving Car
• The Commoditization of the Personal Computer

Over the last four decades, the personal computer has evolved from a
technological marvel to an essential component of daily life. There is little
difference between computer models and manufacturers, and the most important
factor in determining whether or not they are purchased is price. Hundreds of
manufacturers now supply parts for personal computers that can be purchased
and built anywhere in the world. The computers produced by these companies
are nearly identical as commodities. Personal computers have low profit margins,
forcing manufacturers to seek the most cost-effective manufacturing methods.

This is not true of Apple computers. Because Apple does not use the same
open standards as other manufacturers, they can create and build a unique
product that no one can easily replicate. Apple can charge more for their laptops
 than other manufacturers because they provide a superior product, according to
many. To avoid commoditization, Apple has used differentiation in products such
as the iPad and iPhone.
Summary
The physical components of digital technology are referred to as hardware in
information systems. This chapter discussed the components that make up a
personal computer, with the assumption that the configuration of a personal
computer is fairly similar to that of any other type of digital computing
equipment. A personal computer is made up of many components, the most
important of which are the CPU, motherboard, RAM, hard drive, portable
media, and input/output devices. Personal computer variations, such as
smartphones, were also investigated. Finally, the commoditization of the
personal computer was discussed.
Exercises

1) What components would you buy if you could construct your own personal
computer? Make a list of the components you'll need to build it, such as a
computer case, motherboard, CPU, hard drive, RAM, and DVD drive. How do you
know they're all compatible with one another? How much would it set you back?
How does this compare to a comparable PC from a company like Dell or HP?

2) Go back through the section on IoT and identify at least two scientific papers
on the topic. Prepare at least three slides that cover IoT-related concerns.
Make sure your sources are properly credited.

3) How do solid-state drives compare to hard disk drives today? Price, capacity,
speed, and durability may all be compared online. Make sure your sources are
properly credited once more.

➢ SOFTWARE

Types of Software
The two main types of software are operating systems and application
software. Operating systems manage hardware and provide a user interface
between the hardware and the user. Application software includes word
processing, accounting, database administration, video gaming, and online
browsing.
 Operating Systems

The boot program loads an operating system into the

computer, and it then handles all of the applications on the
computer, including both native operating system
programs like file and memory management and
application software. These essential services are
provided by operating systems: controlling the computer's
hardware resources; offering user-interface components;
and providing a platform on which software developers
may create programs.
Source: Canva.com

Why Is Microsoft Software So Dominant in the Business World?

If you've ever worked in an office, you've probably noticed that almost every
computer there runs a version of Microsoft Windows. However, Macs and PCs
are almost equally distributed in schools from elementary to college level. Why
hasn't this spread to the business world?

Many businesses relied on IBM mainframe computers in the 1960s and

1970s. When businesses decided to enter the microcomputer (personal
computer) market, they chose IBM and the PC. Companies chose to invest in
Microsoft's operating system and software/applications as a safe bet.

Microsoft quickly rose to become the most popular corporate computer operating
system. Microsoft developed a network operating system and a suite of business-
oriented applications as networked PCs began to supplant mainframe computers.
Microsoft Office currently controls 85 percent of the market in all of its forms.

All devices require the operating system of a computer. The most popular
operating systems for personal computers are Microsoft Windows, Apple's Mac
OS, and various flavors of Linux. Smartphones and tablets can run iOS (Apple),
Android (Google), Windows Mobile (Microsoft), and Blackberry operating
systems.

Microsoft released the first operating system for the IBM-PC in 1981. They made
their first foray into a graphical user interface (GUI) operating system, dubbed
Windows, in 1985. Intel 64-bit processors are now supported by Windows 10.
Keep in mind that the term "64-bit" refers to the largest amount of data that can
be transferred within a computer.
✓ Apple introduced the Macintosh computer in 1984, which featured the first commercially viable
graphical user interface. The operating system for Apple's Macintosh computers is known as
"Mac OS," and it runs on an Intel CPU that supports 64-bit computing. Mac OS versions
named after mountains include El Capitan, Sierra, and High Sierra. Multitasking, virtual
memory, and voice input are now standard features in both operating systems.

Linux OS desktop Source: Google.com

The Linux operating system is open source, which means that independent
programmers can make changes to the code. Linux is a Unix-based operating
system. Unix is only available on huge, costly minicomputers. Linux is growing in
popularity. Linus Torvalds, a Finnish academic and the developer of Linux,
intended to make Unix work on less priced personal computers. Linux comes in
a variety of flavors and currently powers a substantial majority of the world's web
servers.

Application Software
The second most important type of software is
application software. Today, application software
is used directly to accomplish a specific goal, such
as word processing, spreadsheet computations, or
browsing the Internet with your preferred browser.
The “Killer” App

Image of Microsoft Excel and its commands Source: Google.com

When a new sort of digital gadget is developed, a tiny number of technology

aficionados will typically buy it solely to figure out how it works. A "killer" app is one
that becomes so important that many people will purchase a gadget simply to run it.
The spreadsheet was the game-changer for the personal computer.

The first spreadsheet was invented by a Harvard MBA student who was
weary of repeating computations to find the best solution to a problem and wanted
to design a tool that allowed users to modify variables and recalculate formulae
quickly. The spreadsheet was produced as a consequence of this process.
Microsoft Excel is today's most used spreadsheet, and it preserves the initial
spreadsheet's fundamental capabilities.

Productivity Software

Several additional software

programs, in addition to the
spreadsheet, have become
commonplace in the
workplace. These applications,
often known as productivity
software, help office workers to
perform their everyday tasks

Source: Google.com more quickly. These programs

are frequently packaged together, such as in Microsoft's Office suite. Here's a
rundown of some of these programs and their primary functions:

Word processing
This type of software allows users to generate and modify documents. Text
may be typed and edited, typefaces and paragraphs can be formatted, and
text can be added, moved, and deleted throughout the page. It is possible to
enter tables and pictures. Documents may be stored in a variety of electronic
file formats, the most prevalent of which being Microsoft Word's DOCX.
Documents can also be converted to other formats like Adobe's PDF (Portable
Document Format) or a text file (.TXT).

Spreadsheet
This type of software allows you to do numerical computations and analyses,
with the results shown in charts and graphs. Users can input numbers, text, or
formulae into the working area, which is split into rows and columns. A
spreadsheet's strength comes from its formulas, which allow the user to create
complicated computations that vary depending on the data entered. Microsoft
Excel is the most common spreadsheet program, and it stores files in the XLSX
format.

Presentation
This type of software allows users to make slideshow presentations. The
slides can be shown, printed, or distributed to anybody who is interested. The
slides can include text, photos, audio, and video. Right present, the most common
program is Microsoft PowerPoint, which saves files in the PPTX format. Other
sorts of software are included in certain office suites. Microsoft Office, for
example, comprises Outlook, an e-mail program, and OneNote, a data-
gathering collaborative application. Microsoft Access, a database program, is
included in the professional edition of Office. (In the next lesson, we'll go
through databases in further detail.)

With the debut of the Microsoft Office Suite, Microsoft popularized the
concept of an office-software productivity bundle. This package continues to
dominate the market, and most employers want their employees to be familiar
with it. However, there are numerous alternatives to Microsoft Office that are
compatible with Microsoft's file formats (see table below). Microsoft Office 365,
a cloud-based version of their office suite, is also available. This suite, similar
to Google Drive, lets users to edit and share documents online using cloud
computing.
 Utility Software and Programming Software
Utility software is a kind of software that allows you to repair or alter your
computer in some way. Anti-malware software and applications that
completely eliminate unwanted software are two examples. These kinds of
software were developed to address flaws in operating systems. These utility
functions are frequently included as part of a future release of an operating
system.

The goal of programming software is to generate code. Most of these

applications give programmers a place to create code, test it, and convert it to a
format that can be run on a computer. The Integrated Development Environment
(IDE) is a piece of software that is usually supplied for free by the company that
created the programming language that will be used to build the code.

Tableau of Banking Dashboard Examples for Business Intelligence Source: Google.com

 PowerPoint to Live!

The art of making an interesting presentation is becoming rare since presentation

software has become the major way for officially presenting information to a group or
class. Many presenters today just recite the presentation's bullet points, which quickly
tire the audience who can read it for themselves. The actual issue isn't so much
PowerPoint as it is the individual who is producing and delivering it. Guy Kawasaki, a
best-selling author and evangelist, created the 10/20/30 rule for PowerPoint users.
Just remember: ten slides, twenty minutes, and a font size of thirty points.”
Presentation Zen by Garr Reynolds is a must-read for anybody who wants to enhance
their PowerPoint abilities. In addition to PowerPoint, other digital presentation
technologies are being created. Prezi, for example, presents on a single
canvas, allowing presenters to add text, pictures, and other material to the
canvas and then navigate between them as they present. Users may examine
data in depth and generate interesting interactive representations using tools
like Tableau.

I Own This Software, Right? Well…

Is it true that you own the software you buy and install on your computer?
You aren't, technically! You are just granted a license to use software when it
is installed. When you first install a package, you'll be prompted to accept the
terms of service or license agreement. Your rights to use the program are
restricted by the terms of that agreement. The following phrase may be found
in the conditions of the Microsoft Office software license: “This product is
licensed, not sold.” This agreement only grants you limited rights to utilize the
features of the software package you purchased.”

These limitations are, for the most part, what you'd anticipate. You may not
create unauthorized copies of the program or use it for any illegal purposes.
However, some software agreements contain additional, more surprising
conditions. Many software agreements, for example, require you to agree to a
liability limit. “Limitation on and exclusion of damages,” says Microsoft once more.
Only direct damages up to the price you paid for the program can be recovered
from Microsoft and its vendors. Other damages, such as consequential, lost
profits, special, indirect, or incidental damages, are not recoverable.” This means
you can't sue Microsoft or the program's provider liable for damages if a bug in
the software hurts your business.
 Applications for the Enterprise
Control over the information
created by the company began
to split as personal computers
were more widely used within
organizations. For example, the
customer service department
develops a customer database
to keep track of calls and issue
reports, and the sales
Source: Google.com department does the same.
Which of these should be the primary client list? Perhaps a
salesperson develops a spreadsheet to compute sales income, while a finance
person writes a distinct revenue document that suits their department's needs but
calculates revenue differently. The revenue totals in the two spreadsheets will
differ. Which is the right answer? Who is in charge of keeping track of all of this
data?

Enterprise Resource Planning

The necessity to re-establish

centralized control over an
organization's information became
more evident in the 1990s. The
Enterprise Resource Planning
(ERP) system (also known as
enterprise software) was created to
integrate a whole company into a Source: Google.com

single application. ERP software

makes use of a centralized
database that is used across the
board. Here are a few essential
factors to keep in mind when it
comes to ERP.

A software application.
ERP is a software program that is utilized by a large number of employees in a
company.
 Utilizes a central database.
The same data source is used by all ERP users to change and store their
information. This implies, for example, that the database only has one client table,
one sale (revenue) table, and so on.

Implemented organization-wide.

ERP systems come with features that cover all of a company's important
elements. Order entry, production, and planning are just a few examples of ERP
modules that may be purchased for a company's ERP system.

ERP systems were designed with major organizations in mind. However,

as more major firms began to implement ERP systems, ERP providers began
to focus on mid-sized and even small enterprises. SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft
are just a few of the most well-known ERP systems.

An organization must be willing to make a complete commitment in order to

successfully adopt an ERP system. As outdated systems are replaced by the ERP
system, all parts of the company are affected. An ERP system might take two to
three years to build and can cost several million dollars.

So, what's the point of implementing an ERP system? An ERP system, when
implemented effectively, may provide a strong return on investment for a
company. Most businesses experience an overall benefit after deploying an ERP
by integrating information systems across the enterprise and utilizing the software
to enforce best practices.

Customer Relationship Management

The customers of a business are managed using a Customer Relationship
Management (CRM) system. It is critical to build relationships with customers in
today's climate, and a well-designed CRM may help a firm customize its interaction
with each of its customers.

CRM components are

available in certain ERP
software systems.
Salesforce is an example of
a well-known CRM
software.
 Supply Chain
Many companies are faced with the
difficult challenge of controlling their
supply networks. A supply chain is the
connection between an organization's
suppliers, manufacturing facilities, and
product distributors at its most basic
level.
The complexity of the process is
multiplied by each link in the chain. If
there are two suppliers, one production
facility, and two distributors, the number
of linkages to handle is equal to four (2 x
1 x 2). If two additional suppliers, a
second production facility, and two more Source: Canva.com (edited by the author)

distributors are added, the total number of linkages to monitor rises to 32. (4 x 2
x 4). Also, observe how all of the arrows in the accompanying diagram have two
heads, suggesting that data travels in both ways. A company's supply chain
includes suppliers. They offer the firm with information such as pricing, size,
quantity, and so on. In turn, the company gives the supplier with information such
as the quantity of inventory on hand at each location. The information system is
crucial to efficient supply chain management.

The interconnection between these linkages, as well as the inventory of items at

various phases of production, are managed by a Supply Chain Management (SCM)
system. As previously stated, Walmart's ability to identify and control the supply chain
for its items has contributed significantly to its success. Walmart made a significant
investment in their information system to interact with their suppliers and handle the
hundreds of items they offer.

✓ Walmart recognized in the 1980s that information systems were critical to

its success. They had to manage a complex supply chain with tens of
thousands of suppliers, tens of thousands of retail locations, and millions
of customers. Their ability to share sales and inventory data across all
entities contributed to their success (suppliers, warehouses, and retail
shops). Consider the graph above for a moment. Look for the arrow with
two heads. It's worth noting that data travels down the supply chain from
suppliers to retail outlets. It also travels back up the supply chain to the
suppliers, keeping them up to date on manufacturing and shipment.
 Cloud Computing
Previously, software had to be installed individually on each computer in
order to operate. This is changed by the idea of "cloud" computing.

Cloud Computing
The term "cloud" refers to online
applications, operations, and data storage.
Cloud service companies rely on Internet-
connected server farms and large storage
devices.

Users can utilize cloud computing to

obtain software and data storage services
through the Internet.

Cloud computing is almost certainly

something you're already familiar with. If
Source: Canva.com (edited by the author) you use Google Drive's apps, you are
employing a type of cloud computing if you access your e-mail using your web
browser. While these are free versions of cloud computing, delivering apps and
data storage via the internet is huge business. Web apps aren't the only thing you
can do with cloud computing. It may also be used for music and video streaming
services.

Advantages of Cloud Computing

• No need to install software or keep up with upgrades.

• It may be accessed from any computer with Internet connectivity.
• Has the ability to quickly scale to a big number of users.
• New apps may be launched in a matter of minutes.
• Services can be rented on a need-to-know basis for a short period.
• If your hard drive fails or your laptop is lost or stolen, your information is not lost.
• Your computer's RAM and disk space aren't a constraint.

Disadvantages of Cloud Computing

• You must have Internet connection to utilize it since your information is kept on someone
else's computer.
• You're enlisting the help of a third-party to deliver these services.
• Cloud computing has the potential to have a significant influence on how businesses manage
their technology. For example, why do you need an IT department to buy, setup, and maintain
machines and software when all you actually need is an Internet connection?
 Using a Private Cloud
Many businesses are naturally wary about handing over control of their data and
part of their applications to the cloud. However, they see the benefit of eliminating
the requirement for local PCs to install software and expand disk storage. The
notion of a private cloud offers a solution to this dilemma. While private clouds
come in a variety of shapes and sizes, the basic concept is for a cloud service
provider to set aside web server space for a single business. The company retains
complete control over the server space while benefiting from some of the
advantages of cloud computing.

Virtualization
Virtualization is a technique for simulating a computer or other device using software.
Virtualization, for example, allows a single physical computer to execute the duties of
many virtual computers, also known as Virtual Machines (VMs). Virtual machines are
used by organizations to decrease the number of real servers required to provide
customers with the services they require. The need for power to run and cool the physical
servers is likewise reduced when the number of physical servers is reduced. Visit
VMWare's information website to learn more about virtualization.

Software Creation

Programming languages like Java, Visual C, C++, Python, and others are used to create
modern software applications. A programming language is made up of a collection of
instructions and syntax that may be logically structured to do certain tasks. A programmer
develops a program (known as source code) in this language that may subsequently be
converted into machine-readable form, which contains the ones and zeroes needed to be
executed by the CPU. Web pages are written in languages like HTML and JavaScript.

Developing the First Java Program: Hello World Source: Google.com

Open-Source Software

When the personal computer was first introduced, a community of computer

enthusiasts sprang up to create programs and solve problems. These computer
enthusiasts were eager to share any programs they developed as well as
solutions to problems they encountered. As a result of their collaboration, they
were able to develop and solve problems more quickly.

However, as software became more commercialized, many developers

abandoned the idea of sharing everything. It's understandable that programmers
would not want to distribute software that took hundreds of hours to create. This
gave birth to a new business model based on restricted software licensing and
software payment, which is still in use today. This paradigm is often referred to
as closed source because the source code is not made available to others.

Many others, however, believe that software should not be restricted .

They, like those early amateurs in the 1970s, believe that sharing what they've
learned can accelerate innovation and advancement. As more people gained
access to the Internet in the 1990s, the open-source movement gained traction.

Because the source code is freely available, anyone can copy and use
open-source software. Because it is difficult to change existing computer
code, having access to a software's source code is useless for most
people. In contrast, open-source software can be downloaded and
installed in a built-in manner. Some of the world's most popular software
has come from the open-source movement, including the Firefox
browser, Linux, and the Apache web server.

Source: Google.com

Many businesses are wary of open-source software because the

source code is publicly available. They believe this increases the
likelihood of an attack. Others argue that by exposing the code to
hundreds of programmers, who may incorporate code improvements
to quickly repair flaws, the risk is reduced.
 There are many of open-source programs to choose from. Open Office,
for instance, provides a productivity package. Sourceforge.net, where
hundreds of applications are accessible for free download, is a wonderful
location to start looking for open-source software.

Summary
The software provides the instructions that tell the hardware what
to do. The two most common types of software are operating systems
and applications. Operating systems interact with computer hardware
and allow users to access system resources. Application software
allows users to complete tasks such as word processing,
presentations, and database management. This category is also
known as productivity software. Using an ERP system, all data is
stored in a centralized database that is accessible to all programs and
departments within the business. Cloud computing allows users to
access software and information via the Internet using a web browser.
Programmers use a variety of programming languages to create
software.
Exercises

1. Look up an ERP deployment case study on the internet. How did it

go? What was the duration of the process? Is there any information in
the case study on the amount of money spent by the organization?
2. Would you explore cloud computing if you were a small business
owner with minimal IT resources? Look for some information on the
internet that can help you make your selection.
3. Visit sourceforge.net and go through their most popular software
downloads. You should keep track of the many programs you come
across. Then choose one that piques your attention and report on
what it does, the level of technical assistance provided, and user
feedback.
4. Read an article on open-source software security threats. Write a brief
analysis expressing your thoughts on the various hazards highlighted.
5. What are three programming languages that you can think of? What
characteristics of each language make it valuable to programmers?

❖ Weekly Assessment: Examination link will be given after this lesson.

Hands-on Activities:

❖ Create a document with Apache Open Office after downloading it. Note:
If you don't already have Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 32-bit (x86)
installed on your computer, you'll need to do so first. Only the 32-bit (x86)
version of Open Office is available. The Open Office Getting Started
documentation may be found here. What does it have in common with
Microsoft Office? Is it less value since it was given to you for free?

❖ Attend COURSERA PROJECT NETWORK: Free website-building

training that will be used in future subject discussions. Refer for the link
below:
https://www.coursera.org/projects/build-a-full-website-using-
wordpress?utm_source=link&utm_medium=page_share&utm_content=pdp&utm_campaign=banner_button

Source: Coursera.com
 Lesson 2. Computers and Office Productivity Software

TOPICS

1. Application Software- a Presentation

2. Analysis and Storage of Data Using Spreadsheet
3. Computer Graphics

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the lesson, the student will be able to:

1. Describe how application software is used and provide examples;

2. Know and demonstrate the following presentation software: PowerPoint

(online and offline), MS Word, and MS Excel.

3. Understand the fundamentals of computer graphics;

4. Sort popular graphic file formats into categories;

5. Connect computer activities across programs; and

6. Demonstrate common picture modification skills.

 Short review: 😊
• Software is a set of commands that tells a computer what to do.
• Also referred to as computer programs.
• Unlike “hard”ware, which we can see and feel, software is intangible, therefore the
term “soft”ware.
• A computer is useless if it doesn't have software!
• Software is a set of commands that tells a computer what to do.
• Also referred to as computer programs.

System Software includes

• The Operating System is the software that
manages all computer resources.
• Utilities that keep the computer's resources in
order
• Device Drivers that control all linked devices

Programming Software
• Assists programmers in the development of new software, i.e.
• Creates and develops sets of instructions (software) for specific objectives,
• Using a programming software package called "Integrated Development
Environment" to convert or "compile" human-understandable "languages" into
machine codes (IDE)

Some popular programming Languages

• C, C++, Objective-C, C#
• Java
• Visual Basic, Python, Perl, Ruby
• JavaScript
• PHP

Application Software
• Enables you to use the computer for the purpose for which it was purchased. Social
networking • Playing games • Surfing the internet • Working on schoolwork •
Listening to music • Organizing your photographs are just a few examples.

Document Preparation
• Often referred to as a "Word Processor,"
• Allows you to modify and preview a document using a “What You See Is What You
Get” (WYSIWYG) interface.
• Styles - fonts, size, color, etc. • Allows “automatic” formatting of a document, e.g.
• Inserting headers, footers, and page numbers; creating tables of contents,
footnotes, and bibliographies, among other things
• Facilitates document collaboration by allowing document tracking.
• Microsoft Word, LibreOffice Writer, and Google Docs are among examples.

Spreadsheet Software
• A grid of cells is used to mimic a paper accounting worksheet.
• Enables “automatic” operations.
• Data filters for simple viewing and sorting
• Various chart types
• Examples: Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice Calc, Google Docs/ Google Forms

Presentation Software
• Allows for the development of a slide show for presentation, generally using an
overhead LCD projector
• Slide editing with visual aids is simple.
• • Tables or charts
• Animations and transitions
• Examples: Microsoft PowerPoint, LibreOffice Impress, Google Docs
•
Document / File Formats
• Distinct software suites create different file formats, which are generally
incompatible between suites or versions. • Microsoft Office, for example, has two
incompatible versions in use.
• Office 2003 and previous versions (e.g. .doc, .xls, .ppt)
• Microsoft Office 2007 and after (e.g. .docx, .xlsx, .pptx)
• Confusion may develop in document sharing due to the incompatibility of multiple
file formats.
• Alternative ----> Portable Document Format (PDF) (PDF)

Other Productivity Software

• Equation Editor
• Database manager
• Desktop publisher
• Project manager
• Diagram or flowchart creator
• E-mail and information manager
 Online Productivity Tools
• A similar set of productivity tools is accessible via the Internet, based on the
concept of "cloud computing;"
• Not as powerful as desktop tools, but at a cheaper cost
• Better capabilities for collaboration and sharing of work and documents, such as
version control
• No uncertainty about file format compatibility

Internet Software
• There are numerous tools available to enjoy various aspects of the Internet:
• Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome are some of the most
popular web browsers.
• Instant messengers (Skype, Facebook Messenger, WeChat) • Email clients
(Outlook Express, Mozilla Thunderbird)

Multimedia Software
• With today's abundance of multimedia assets, tools for organizing and sharing are
accessible, such as:
• Picasa, Instagram – Photo "management"
• Windows Media Player – Music and Video
• iTunes - This is a music shop.
• Tools for advanced multimedia production are also available, such as
• Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and GIMP for graphics; Adobe Flash, Adobe
Premiere Pro, and Moviemaker for animation and video; Apple GarageBand and
Audacity for music

Software for Games

• Game programs — when you play a computer game, you are really executing the
game's program.
• Emulator applications - allow you to run games on another gaming device by
simulating it.
• Browser games - these are games that you may play on a website, such as Flash
games.
Application software

Application software allows you to accomplish the goal for which you purchased the
computer. We started calling these programs "apps" because they fit into your mobile devices and
are divided into smaller components that work for more specialized purposes. Applications perform
a variety of functions, such as assisting in the development of your social network, playing games,
accessing the internet, working on papers, listening to music, and so on. They all require the
installation of separate application software on your computer.
 Productivity software is a broad category of software that includes a variety of applications.
These programs, as their name implies, help you be more productive at work. Documents,
spreadsheets, and presentations are all frequent chores. Productivity software is frequently
packaged as a set of apps to help with a variety of activities.

The icons represent Microsoft Office, the

most popular office suite and a business-grade
solution that comes standard with Microsoft
Windows. Because it has the highest market share, it
will ultimately make its way into your purchasing list if
you need to cooperate with companies who use it in Source: Google.com

conjunction with other Microsoft products.

Source: Google.com

This set of icons comes from Apple's iWork program. Keynote has been a standout in the
suite for producing gorgeous slideshows with breathtaking cinematic transitions, and the entire
suite is available for free on Apple devices. You'll recognize the distinctive astonishment on the
numerous slideshows or promotional movies (produced using iMovie) that you'll see at various
events once you start using it.

LibreOffice is a free and open-source alternative to Source: Google.com

Microsoft Office that supports real-time collaboration. It's also

battling Microsoft Office formats for compatibility. Because it's
open source, there's a lot of potential for custom extensions
and document templates. OpenOffice is a sibling project that
grew from the same source code.
Source: Google.com
 Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Google Forms are popular Google Drive
programs that are exclusively available on Google Drive; there is no installation
version for PCs or Macs. Because of the restricted capacity to operate on them in
the tiny browser, there exist applications for installation on mobile devices. Google
is the industry leader in real-time online collaboration. Early compatibility with
Microsoft Office formats was also a plus.

Productivity Suite
Document Preparation

The term "Word Processor" refers to software that aids in document preparation. It allows
you to modify and examine a document using a "What You See Is What You Get" (WYSIWYG)
interface. For font styles, font sizes, color schemes, and other aspects of a document, "automatic"
formatting is available. The header, footer, and page numbers must all be included in a professional
document. For bigger publications, the creation of a table of contents, footnotes, and bibliography
is standard. In the numerous passes of the editing process, document tracking and editing history
will be quite beneficial.

Spreadsheet software

It looks just like a paper accounting spreadsheet, down to the grid of cells. It permits
"automatic" complicated calculations such as summation, average, max, min, standard deviation,
and many more to replace paper accounting spreadsheets. Data filters are useful for focusing on
certain data for study. The first, second, and third places in the class are determined by sorting.
Spreadsheet software also includes capabilities for creating many types of charts.

Presentation Preparation

It allows you to make a presentation slideshow that is generally built for an overhead
projector's resolution. It's simple to organize material into bullet points with visual assistance thanks
to decent software. For a dynamic presentation, you may usually incorporate clip arts, photos, and
videos. Your audience will be more engaged if you use animations and transitions.

Other software

Other productivity applications that may or may not be used in your workflow include:

• Equation editor
• Database manager
• Desktop publisher
• Project manager
• Diagram or flowchart creator
• E-mail and information manager
 Office Online

Office 365
In terms of subscriptions, Office 365 is a
brand name that was first introduced in
2011 and covers a more comprehensive
collection of productivity tools and
services than Office online. You may sign
up for Microsoft's 1-month free trial by
visiting https://products.office.com/en/try or heading to "Try Office 365 Home for
free" as seen in the picture above. To "buy" a trial copy, simply sign in or establish
a new Microsoft account.

To proceed with the "buy" procedure, you will need to enter payment options. You
would definitely get counsel from your parents about this. You may have one, two,
or three payment options to select from, according on your region.

Recognize to discontinue your membership before

the end of the billing period to avoid getting charged. If your
school has registered to Office 365 for Education, you may
be able to obtain it at
https://www.microsoft.com/en-
us/education/products/office.
 Office 365 comes with a variety of
subscription options. You should be able
to get the full download edition with the
1-month free trial. On the Office 365
home page, look for the install button in
the upper right corner. Install it if you
want to get the most out of the Office
suite.
Office Mobile
Individual Office apps may now be installed as Apps on your mobile device for editing while on the
go. It's compatible with iOS, Android, and Windows Mobile device

Let us talk about PowerPoint, Word, and Excel in the following lessons.

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft PowerPoint is a user-friendly presentation program that is part of Microsoft's

Office productivity suite.
Create a new PowerPoint presentation by logging into your OneDrive account at
https://onedrive.live.com. OneDrive is primarily a storage facility for files. Other file types can also
be uploaded and stored. One of the most common uses is for storing pictures. With practically no
waiting time, you may stream your photographs to any mobile device.

You may also go to

https://www.office.com/ and launch
PowerPoint Online. This office.com home
page is focused on applications. You select
the program you wish to use right now. It
also serves as a doorway to your email
inbox and calendar.
 PowerPoint Online has a user interface similar to this.

The presentation file may be organized in several locations depending on how you
generated it. In our view, it is preferable to create a new file from OneDrive. Within OneDrive, the
file will always be where you are now exploring. You should be able to organize your files into
categories such as "school," "chemistry," and "Mary's birthday." When you create a new file in
PowerPoint Online, it will be saved in the "Documents" folder, which may or may not be the best
location for all of your files.
The file will be immediately stored on the web interface. In the offline installation, however,
auto-save is not accessible. To avoid losing your work, you'll need to save the file periodically. A
PowerPoint presentation's file format is.pptx, as you'll notice. If you don't see the file format while
saving to your PC, the files should be identified by the icon.

By clicking and editing on the top bar, you may

change the file's name.

Basic Skills!

We'll proceed with the module using the web interface. You should make every effort to
connect it to your own Microsoft Office version.

Themes and Layouts

When you start working on the PowerPoint file, you should have a general idea of what the
lecture will cover. In this lesson, we'll walk you through creating a basic demonstration about
Application Software to help you understand the concepts!
 However, before you begin
writing, you should choose a theme
because it will influence your typesetting
task later. Given that you have a general
idea of what the presentation will be
about, choose a theme that best meets your requirements. To access the DESIGN tab, click the
word "DESIGN" in the top bar. Choose a topic there. You can select a version for the limited number
of available themes, so you are less likely to end up with the same layout as your colleagues.

It's also conceivable to modify the backdrop even further. As the backdrop, you may use
whatever image you like. It can be used to display your school's logo, other affiliations, or your
personal information.

Put the term "Introduction" as the

title and your name to introduce as the
subtitle on the first slide. Return to the
HOME tab and select New Slide from the
drop-down menu. A popup dialog box will
appear, as you have seen beside.

Because it is the most frequent style

for the bulk of your presentations, the Title
and Content layout gets emphasized for this
new slide you're creating. Slide #1 features the Title Slide arrangement, as you can see from the
designs. For all presentations, this is the default arrangement for the opening slide.

In order to captivate your audience for the remainder of the presentation, the Title Slide
should be clever, concise, and eye-catching. You should add additional "Content" to the remaining
slides to make the presentation more engaging.

If you go to the HOME tab and click on Layout, you can alter the layout of a previously
created slide. A new section is introduced using the Section Header layout. The Title Slide
arrangement is usually not reused. The Two Content layout is a sophisticated technique to compare
two pictures. A caption space for a brief description has been added to the Comparison layout. The
Title Only design allows you to doodle freely.

You'll see that the backdrop you chose earlier did not appear on the second slide. It's OK,
because the first slide is really noteworthy. If you intend it to show on following slides as well, return
to the first slide, choose the DESIGN tab, and select Format Background > Apply to All.
Inserting Other Elements
Type "Types of Application Software" in the title box for slide #2. Make a list of the kinds
you recall. Review the reading if you don't recall any. To make your presentation appear better,
use the standard Font and Paragraph typesetting tools.
To be readable in most
presenting settings, you need
increase the font size to at least
24. If there is extra room,
increasing the title to 32, or even 44, will be beneficial. It's especially essential now because more
and more people, including you, are watching presentations on their mobile devices.

To add some extra fun, use the

INSERT tab to add some more
components. Some forms, for example.

To add text to the shape, click in

the center. With the speech bubble forms,
text will be helpful. For a greater visual effect, you may also rotate, resize, and reposition the forms.
These activities are carried out using the various "handles" that appear when you pick the shape.
To get a feel for how the corner and other handles operate, try dragging them.

Now I'll turn it over to you to add more content slides.

Attempt to place various

pieces on several slides.
Because PowerPoint Online is a
web-based presentation tool, it
will remain online. Videos from
the internet that are included in your presentation will play without a hitch.

Transitions
It's time to think about the transition between slides once you've added a few more. It serves
as a visual cue to the viewers that we're about to move on to the next slide. You may choose
between a quicker transition that is more thrilling or a longer transition that is more restful.
 Animations
While transitions cover the entire screen with fresh material, animations are little moving
elements on the screen that draw the audience's attention to specific places.

On the slide, pick one

object. The content text can
also have animations added
to it. The Effect Options can
be customized once you've
chosen an animation. The text
might be shown in a single
paragraph or in sections. The
latter points will remain hidden until you reach them if you present them paragraph by paragraph.

Entrance, Emphasis, and Exit are the three basic

types of animations. Objects that have Entrance animations
would not appear on the screen. It will appear on the screen
with the selected animation and then stay there. Objects that
have Emphasis animations are continuously visible. It will be
rendered when the moment arises to display it. Objects with
Depart animations remain in the display from the start, but exit
and vanish according to the animation.

To rearrange the animations, use the Move Earlier or

Move Later options. However, be aware that the Online
interface does not operate properly in this situation.

Slide Show
The presentation may now be viewed in Slide Show
mode. The button is in the lower right corner.

You'll have the choice to Start

Slide Show whenever you reopen the
document from OneDrive.
You may also print a view-only copy
to send to your audience by printing to
PDF.
Now you may relax and enjoy
your own presentation!
 Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word is a
WYSIWYG (What You See Is What
You Get) editor that is part of the
Microsoft Office productivity
package. The WYSIWYG concept
allows you to see how your work will look when printed. The editing interface is designed to seem
like a piece of printing paper. When you print, you should see the same number of pages.
You may create a new Word document by logging into your OneDrive account at
https://onedrive.live.com. If you recall, we advised you to open fresh files from OneDrive as
described above. However, because of the restricted capability of Word Online, some document
preparation is required before the file can be produced. A blank document will be created when
you create a new file in OneDrive. Go to FILE > New in Word Online and select a different theme
from the available themes. Even if you are not making a calendar, it is OK to select a template. All
we need are the color parameters for the theme. Before continuing, you can delete all of the
provided content.

Some of the templates' topics may not be

appropriate for our goal of creating an article of
sufficient length. The reason for this is that it may
have huge fonts for the body material yet smaller
fonts for the titles and headers. To find out if it's
right for you, you'll have to give it a shot.
You may also go to https://www.office.com/ and
launch Word Online immediately to work on existing files if you have any. It has no bearing on the
abilities that must be taught.
Word Online has a user interface similar to this. Continue with the blank document if you
like. You will be able to change the theme at any moment if you are using Microsoft Word on a
desktop computer.
The file will be automatically stored on the web interface. In the offline installation, however,
auto-save is not accessible. To avoid losing your work, you'll need to save the file periodically. A
Word document's file format is.docx, as you'll notice. The files should be identifiable by the icon
when you save them to your PC.

By clicking on the file's name in the top bar, you may change its name. Say more than "Document"
and "Introduction"!

Basic Skills!

We'll proceed with the module using the web interface. You should make every effort to connect it
to your own Microsoft
Office version.
 Let's get a lengthier piece of text so we may experiment with other Word features. In the
example below, we'll choose a blog article from https://blogs.office.com. You may extend your
understanding by reading a variety of resources, such as a Wikipedia page about Microsoft Word.
We'll use the default theme as an example. If you're using Microsoft Word on a desktop
computer, you'll be able to change the themes at any moment. This function, however, is not
accessible in Word Online. It should be set while the file is being created. For additional details,
see the preceding reading.

Common Typesetting
We should establish a few items before editing in Word, much as we should pick a theme
early in the presentation design. We should prepare the manuscript for printing since Word is a
What-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) editor. The PAGE LAYOUT tab is where you set it. It
will have an impact on how many pages your paper will be. People will modify these settings again
at the conclusion of the editing process in order to reduce the number of pages in the manuscript.

It's a good idea to double-check the

document's size. In the United States, the letter is
the default. In a few other nations, we'll utilize A4
paper. It's critical to do it correctly since it will have
a significant impact on the appearance of your
printing. If you wish to alter the orientation, you
should do it immediately. The document's margins
will be changed on a regular basis to modify the number of pages it will take up. People also have
preferences on how much margin they want to retain.

When you paste text into Word Online, it retains the source's formatting, which can be a
pain to work with. We should begin with basic writing that is clear and uncluttered. Try selecting the
copied text and clearing the formatting.
There will be more sophisticated
settings for the category if you
see a little "expand" arrow icon,
as seen above. Let's have a look at the options for paragraphs.
When you paste text into Word Online, it retains the source's formatting, which can be a pain to
work with. We should begin with basic writing that is clear and uncluttered. Try selecting the copied
text and clearing the formatting.

There will be more sophisticated settings for the category if you see a little "expand" arrow
icon, as seen above. Let's have a look at the options for paragraphs.
 The document's appearance will be strongly influenced by text alignment. The default
setting is Left alignment, however for a more professional appearance, justified alignment is
preferred since it eliminates ragged edges caused by uneven line length. If you're writing a brief
message or a poster with large letters, you'll generally want to choose the center alignment. Adding
spacing before each paragraph will make it easier for the reader to distinguish between the
paragraphs. Indentation before text will also improve readability.

Title and Heading Styles

In document applications, styles are a must-have feature. You should utilize styles to
customize the appearance of your document's title, headers, and other components.
Although you can use a button to make a few words bold, italic, or underlined, you should learn to
utilize the styles instead. Especially when the documents you're preparing to write grow in length.
It's probable that you have more than one or two locations where you'd wish to add some formatting.
It could be alright if you use the bold style on them all the time. But if you feel it necessary to alter
the font as well, or even to go from bold to italic, you're in danger. Applying styles to them will keep
them looking the same. If you change the master style, all text parts in that style will be updated.

When you go to the Navigation Pane, you'll see that headings are organized like a table of contents
for quick access.

Unfortunately, altering the

formatting of specific styles in Word
Online is not possible. You should
attempt to utilize it anyhow, and you'll
profit from it when you download the
file to edit in Microsoft Word on your desktop.

Inserting Tables
You may insert a variety of items into your document using the
INSERT tab. A table is a crucial component since it is used to show data in
a report. You must first select a table's size before inserting it. It is
dependent on the number of goods you have. And you'll generally use the
top to define the data columns as a header.
 You don't have to be concerned about building a table with the wrong amount of rows or
columns. The TABLE TOOLS are accessible when you click on the table. You can add or subtract
rows or columns as needed from the LAYOUT tab below.

Change the table's appearance using the DESIGN tab's settings.

Inserting Footnotes
After mentioning a keyword or
important notion, footnotes are used to explain
or provide more information. Insert a footnote
from the INSERT tab by placing your mouse after the keyword or last word in the string of text
describing the notion.

Footnotes should be placed at the bottom of the item's page.

Footnotes, on the other hand, are concealed in the editing mode of
Word Online to keep the material flowing smoothly. A list of footnotes
may be found under the VIEW tab.

Creating a Survey
There are several free solutions for creating online survey questionnaires. None, however,
is as well-known as Google Form. It's fair to argue that it fueled the trend of non-technical people
creating online survey forms and soliciting feedback from their peers. You don't need any
experience with site editing or database management to complete this task. The data is also
immediately connected to a Google Sheet for simple viewing and analysis.
Microsoft Office will take a piece of this pie when it goes online.
 Survey in Excel
You may utilize the Survey tool in the Office Online
productivity package with a Microsoft account.
Because Excel is a "data table" program, the replies
from the Survey will logically be linked to it. Add a new
Excel survey to your OneDrive at
https://onedrive.live.com.

The Survey Backend

The survey tool is accessible through Excel Online. If you see this interface, don't be shocked.

The What-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) principle is challenged in online survey

design. You may modify the survey's "back end" by adding or removing questions and
descriptions. Your viewers will never see the rear end. It's just for you to evaluate and change. A
front end will be visible to the audience. Before posting and sharing your survey with peers, you
should preview it.
Editing the Survey

You should also include further description after placing the main goal of the survey as the
headline of your survey. It'll be an excellent opportunity to explain the context and how the data will
be utilized to your audience. Whether it's for academic purposes or whether you'll hold a fortunate
draw among the participants. If you click on a question, an edit box will appear on the side.

Text, paragraph text,

number, date, time, yes/no,
and choice are all possible
response types. A smaller box
for names or short replies, such
as a color choice, is called text.
Paragraph Text creates a larger text box that may be used to collect comments. The Number type
allows you to verify that the user has entered just numbers, after which you may perform averages
and sums on them. Date and Time only allow you to enter a date and time in a standard manner.
A frequent question form for classifying your audience segments is the yes/no question. Choice is
similar, but with self-designed answer options, it provides greater freedom.
The Response Type will assist you in ensuring that
you have the right answer format for subsequent
processing. The user will not be able to submit the
form unless they utilize the proper format and
ignore the warning notifications.

Required Questions
There is a checkbox to indicate whether the question is required or not underneath the
Response Type choice. You may assure data integrity by making questions obligatory. If you're
creating an RSVP form, make the name, arrival time, contact phone number, and other information
needed all at once so you can match the arrival times to the individuals. Otherwise, folks may just
fill out the name or the arrival time on forms. It will be difficult for you to solve the puzzle.

Edit Later and Share!

After you've completed the editing procedures when you initially construct the form, you
may modify it again later by navigating to the survey's Excel file. To modify, go to the Insert tab and
look for the Edit option.

To share a link to your friends, select Share Survey.

For help with your Excel survey, look at
Microsoft's suggestions. Forms for Excel is a more
advanced form of Excel survey that is available if you
have access to OneDrive for Business or Office 365 for
Education. At the bottom of the page, there is a brief
description of Forms for Excel.

Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Excel was designed to be used as an
accounting program as part of the Microsoft Office productivity package. Because accounting is
also known as bookkeeping, you'll be working with "books" or "workbooks" in Excel, albeit it won't
appear like a regular book. Add a new Excel worksheet to your OneDrive account at
https://onedrive.live.com.

You may also go to

https://www.office.com/ and use Excel
Online to work on existing workbooks that
you may have after completing a Survey.
Excel Online has a user interface similar to
this.
 The file will be stored
instantly in the web
interface. The offline
installation, however, does
not support auto-save. We
can't stress enough how
important it is to save the file
from time to time in order to
avoid losing your work. It's
especially crucial in Excel because you'll be working with complex functions that you won't want to
repeat! You'll see that an Excel book's file format is. xlsx.

The files should be recognized by the icon when you save them to your PC.

Understanding the Survey Results

With the exception of Microsoft PowerPoint,

we rarely create a Microsoft Excel file from
scratch, preferring to stick closer to Microsoft
Word. Excel is a powerful analytical tool for
data on a small to large scale, so beginning
with specific data is ideal. We ask that you
please share some useful feedback from your
classmates in the previous Module's optional activity. As an example, the results of a survey that
we designed are shown below.
Is it second nature to you to interpret the results?

Data Rows

When you ask your friends to fill out the form, all of their responses will be grouped together
in a single row. It's easy to believe that each row represents a distinct individual. However, as we
saw in the example above, a single individual may respond to your survey many times, and there
may be other common values across the replies.
Each row should be a one-of-a-kind combination of the various values found under each
header. This is how most people record data on a spreadsheet. When the survey collects replies
from various persons, it functions similarly to your class name list recording attendance on various
days. Each row is distinct, despite the fact that the values of the other columns may be similar.
When respondents are asked to report combinations of values that will be repeated in a survey,
there is generally a field to save time during submission, which becomes the unique column.
Regrettably, the online survey tool in Excel does not keep track of submittal times. Nonetheless,
it's a fun game to play with for the first time.

Table Header
I'm hoping you've seen
that your queries are on the first
page. They are attractively
colored in a unification with the
incoming response rows. Excel
assisted you in organizing the
data into a table. Other ranges in
the spreadsheet can also be
formatted as tables using the
HOME tab. Indicate that your table contains headers in the dialog, so that the header row is handled
differently.

The table header will remain visible as you scroll down when you format ranges into tables.
When you enter more rows of data, the table's size (the colored region) expands automatically.

Sort and Filter

Have you seen the downward
triangle buttons alongside the header text?
They will grant you access to specific
procedures that will aid in your data
analysis.
The sorting feature comes first. The values can be sorted ascending or descending. Sorting
a class list by student ID is one easy use that comes to mind right away. You may also filter the
arrival times to prepare for activities if you can ask for them in an RSVP survey.
Sorting will also assist you in grouping the same values together if you have a column where values
recur in different places. After sorting, Peter's replies will appear in successive rows in the example
below, however you may not want the list to
be in strict order of Mary, Peter, and Tom.
The filtering feature is the second
useful function. It will assist you in
concentrating on the worth you care about.
How many responses have you
received so far?
Basic Skills!

With random data, we'll continue

the module with a reference to the online
interface. Make every effort to connect it
to your personal data and Microsoft
Office version.

Editing Cells
A cell is the term for the "boxes" on the spreadsheet. Row
number and column letter will be highlighted in the presently selected
cell. Additionally, the cell will have bold borders in the Excel-specific
green color. The choose cell is "A1" in the example below. This is the
cell's address, starting with the letter and ending with the number.
You may start typing right now to modify the cell. Your new text will completely replace the existing
information. You may use the formula bar directly above the main spreadsheet body to change
current material without completely changing it. The cell's current content will be mirrored in the
formula bar.
The four fundamental mathematical operations are not written exactly as '+', '-', ", or ". The
first two, at least, are acceptable. However, I'm guessing you won't be able to locate the latter two
on your keyboard. The asterisk '*' and slash '/' symbols are used to represent the multiplication and
division operators, respectively. These symbols may be found on your keyboard near the number
pad. This rule applies to computer programming languages as well. As a result, "one plus two minus
three times four divided by five" should be the formula. Excel also allows you to use the standard
arithmetic sequence of operations. As a result, the formula below should provide a positive number
less than one. Try it out and see what you come up with.

You'll most likely be using cell references to calculate. When your cursor reaches that
portion of the calculation, you may either input the cell address or click it. Just make sure the
formula you end up with is appealing.

Text must be enclosed in quote marks to be included in a cell's formula ("). Not the plus symbol,
but the ampersand '&' is used to join pieces of text together.

Inserting Functions
 With functions, Excel is more powerful. The functions simplify
your computations, no matter how complex they are. To use a
function, go to the INSERT tab and select Insert a Function from
the drop-down menu.

The functions that are most often utilized are mentioned first. You might begin with
one of these.
• = SUM( range ) — It calculates the total amount from the provided range of numeric
cells.
• = AVERAGE( range ) — It calculates the range's average, often known as the mean.
It has a lot of stats applications.
• = COUNT ( range ) — Numeric numbers aren't the only way to count the number of
cells in a range.
• = MAX ( range ) — It allows you to get the most out of the range without having to
go through an extra step of categorizing.

You may apply the formula to neighboring rows once you set up the formula of a cell
using one function or a mix of functions. Drag down the handle in the bottom right
corner of the chosen cell, which is circled below, to auto-fill formulae to adjacent
rows.
IF Condition
Excel may appear to be a piece of bookkeeping software at first glance, but it offers plenty
of opportunities to hone your reasoning skills. Make an attempt to implement the MAX() function
on your own. First, enter in some random values in columns A and B's first few rows. Then, in cell
C1, enter the formula below.
= IF ( A1 > B1, A1, B1 )

On IF, go to the official Office Support website. The functionalities of Excel Online are
completely functioning, despite the fact that it is a reduced version. Use the samples on the help
page to get started.
This basic IF function can only give you the largest difference between two numbers, but
it's an excellent way to improve your logical thinking skills.

Charts
In any industry that deals with data, data visualization is a hot topic. You may tell people
you were 137 cm tall (when you were... ten?) and your brother was 10 cm taller, but a photo of the
two of you standing side by side tells a greater narrative. This is the power of pictures, particularly
computer graphics for information delivery. Excel has a variety of charts to help you view your data.
The 2-D Column chart is a popular choice for comparing monthly income and spending. Consider
using the Line chart to assess performance ratings over time. A pie chart will be perfect for
displaying the percentage of different alternatives that add up to 100% of the population, such as
the number of adults and teens in a comic club.

You'll have more options after placing the chart, such as selecting or adding a new data
range, changing the chart type, and formatting the chart title, legend, and so on.

Plotting an Equation
The graphics we'll use to explain what we're talking about will be related to your math
lesson. Many arithmetic problems need abstract reasoning. The images offered by charts will be
beneficial to you.
The simple first order equation is a form of equation that connects x and y values. The linear
equation is what it's called. More information is available on the WolframMathWorld website. It
takes the shape of:
 So, how does it seem on graph paper? We can set some x values and figure out the y
values that go with them. The solution to that question may be found by plotting the pairings on the
graph. Of course, arbitrary values for m and b must also be set.

Type arbitrary x values in a number of adjacent cells in the same column. We'll use a formula
to calculate the y values after we've determined the x values. You can use any m and b values you
like. After that, choose both the x and y values and use one of the Scatter charts to insert them.
The chart types that contain a smooth line will appear better. If you change the m and b values and
re-distribute the formula to the y value cells, the chart will update as a whole.

In fact, you may specify alternative m and b values in fixed cells to see how they affect the
results. Instead of manually inputting a number in the formula, you'll refer to the cells. You must
use caution in this situation. The reference to the m and b values will also move as you drag and
auto-fill the formula to produce new y values. To avoid this, use absolute cell references, such as
the ones shown below. It's done by putting a dollar sign '$' in front of the value to lock it in. If you're
not sure whether you want to lock the column letter or the row number, you may lock both the
address letter and the address number—just about everywhere.

Simply modify the numbers in cells A2 and B2 to watch the chart instantly update. For more
visible differences, try making extreme adjustments, such as shifting to negative values.
You'll find more difficult equation types waiting for you.

ONLINE PHOTO EDITORS

Computer Graphics
Computer graphics is concerned with any aspect of picture production or presentation on a
computer. It's possible that you use computer graphics on a regular basis to create graphs or select
fonts. Many individuals work on more complex projects, such as photo-realistic rendering, technical
illustration, medical visualization, and so on. Computer graphics are heavily subsidized by games
and movies.
Bitmap and Vector Images
Graphics may be divided into two categories. Pixel-based systems are used in bitmap
(raster) pictures. When you zoom in, they appear to be impoverished. If you don't have enough
pixels, they can already seem bad without zooming in. Everything is mathematically represented
in vector images. They're of excellent quality and appear fantastic even when zoomed in. In a vector
picture, dynamic modifications may be readily applied to an object. When compared to bitmap
pictures, they usually have reduced file sizes.
Vector graphics, despite their many advantages, require human creation from the ground
up, as well as other limitations. The vast majority of pictures we encounter on a daily basis are most
likely raster images. To comprehend bitmap (raster) pictures, you must first comprehend that a
PIXEL is a point on your screen. One Picture Element is represented by a pixel. It has a color value
to it. The "monitor," or computer display, is made up of a huge number of pixels.

Resolutions
The number of pixels in a two-dimensional image is referred to as resolution. Examples of
display resolutions include 800600, 1024768, 12801024, 1366768, and more. The number of
columns and rows are the first two integers in the pair. People would develop desktop wallpapers
for a few typical computer display resolutions. Standard HD = 1280x720 pixels, full HD =
1920x1080 pixels, and 4k = 3840x2160 pixels are the most often used resolutions currently.
Other representations take resolutions into account as well. A digital camera's resolution
refers to the total number of pixels that may be recorded. For example, we may state that I have a
9-Megapixel camera or that my smartphone has an 8-Megapixel camera. The number of pixels—
or "dots" per inch—defines the resolution of printed content. In brief, the unit is dpi, as in 600 dpi.
Our "retina display" is roughly 326 pixels per inch for the human eye.

Our resolution is superior. We

will have more realistic and clearer
photos if we can squeeze more pixels
into a smaller size. To begin realizing
the depicted image, you must have
"enough" resolution. In the photo
above, I hope you can see a girl in
white assuming a kungfu posture.
There are a few ways to
improve picture quality without resorting to a higher resolution by "fooling the human eye." Anti-
aliasing is a popular method. It works by imitating smooth edges with varying hues of color,
minimizing the discomfort of jagged edges. It does a good job of simulating greater resolution,
especially when it comes to text. The anti-aliasing treatment on the borders of our university logo
is seen here.
Color Representations

There are a few color representations in use in the business. The

R, G, and B values are used in computer displays. The "strength" of each
of the prime colors Red, Green, and Blue is used to indicate the color of a
pixel. The three primary colors are integrated into the monitor's circuitry. If
you mix 0 red, 0 green, and 0 blue together, you'll obtain the color black.
The white color, on the other hand, is created by using complete RGB
values.
The color depth of a picture refers to the number of colors it can
handle. The more color depth you have, the more storage you'll need. To
represent one color value, a true color image takes at least 24-bits of
computer memory. Each prime color is represented by an 8-bit value. It can represent more than
16 million colors when multiplied. It takes at least 1.44 megabytes (3x800x600 bytes) of storage to
store a 800x600 pixel true color image. At an average of 5 letters per word, this can contain over
300,000 English words! The same image is shown below in various color levels. In a Chinese wet
market, it depicts a typical butcher shop.

Another color representation is HSV. It

transforms to RGB values quickly, but its values
are more human-friendly, making it more helpful
for designers working with computer graphics
programs. It is made up of three parts: hue (the
position on the "color wheel" that distinguishes
between all colors), saturation (the amount of
color in a given area), and brightness (the
amount of color in a given area). Saturation refers to the purity of the color, as well as the contrast
between it and plain white, while Value refers to the color's intensity. They're easy to understand
visually because you can see a typical HSV color picker design.

CMYK is another
color representation. It's a
color representation used in
the publishing of periodicals
and books on a white
backdrop. Cyan, Magenta,
and Yellow are the three
primary colors. In paintings, they are the complementary hues to the primary colors. CMYK
stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. In principle, combining maximum C,
maximum M, and maximum Y results in complete black. In fact, you'll generally end up with
a muddy black that isn't quite "black, black." So there's "black" ink in the printing business,
which provides a darker black tone on paper. Also, since most text is written in black, using
a specialized paint rather than blending from other colors saves paint. Ink or toner
cartridges for color printers, whether inkjet or laser, are typically labeled CMYK.

Image File Formats

Canva Photo Editor
Canva has evolved into a design school that now generates revenue through its Canva for
Job design product. Its global market of graphic patterns and other components is also raking in
cash. It began by offering online creative facilities to make yearbook creation simple for students
and instructors. Canva was progressively presented to the globe as investors rushed to it. They
feature a simple but effective picture editor that is still available for free. After registering for free,
you might well use the development environment.

Canva Photo Editor

You may find the Canva Photo Editor at https://www.canva.com/photo-editor/. You may use
their example image or submit your own to get a feel for a few basic photo editing abilities. The
Canva Photo Editor's appearance is seen below. We'll give it a shot using their example image.

Brightness and Contrast

The modification of
Brightness and Contrast is
the very first ability to
attempt. After selecting
ADJUST in the top window, the adjustment lines would appear. They are frequently modified in
tandem.
You may modify the Brightness and Contrast settings by sliding the circular handles. Here
are some samples of how various Brightness and Contrast levels have been applied to various
images. Hong Kong's harbor could be seen on the left. The latter two images are of Hong Kong
University of Science and Technology.

The harbor overview

photo was taken on a foggy day,
which was terrible. Enhancing the
contrast may assist "eliminate"
some of the haze. It will come in handy if you're in a humid environment or if you desire to improve
your foggy-day vacation photographs. Increasing the Contrast value may result in a more dynamic
image. Lowering the Contrast and increasing the Brightness will result in a "washed" image that
will work well as a backdrop for your articles while causing the least amount of disruption to your
superimposed content.
 Saturation
The most frequent action
on the Saturation value is to
totally reduce it to zero, which
results in an image with all of its
colors allocated to the grey scale. It throws off a vintage vibe at first, as if there were just black and
white photographs. Then you may use color treatments to create images with unique color
intensities that complement your concept.

The Brightness, Saturation, and

Contrast settings will be changed when you
test the effects. It's assumed that you pick a
filter immediately (if you really want to) and
then change the settings.

In reality, the tool's sequence indicates the best way to modify your shot. From left to right,
you should have used the functions. So, once you've finished with the filters and changes, trim your
shot and expand it to the appropriate size. You may not require more pixels than you would
otherwise exhibit when you upload your photographs online or subscribe to your web site. You may
conserve space and improve transmission speed by compressing your picture.
Lastly, select the large green Download button to save all the snapshot in PNG format to
your PC.

GIMP: the GNU Image Manipulation Program

Open Source, Portable Apps

There is free software available to meet a broad array of computing requirements. Others
come with a free trial term after which it will no longer be working unless you pay a fee, or as a free
trial that simply shows the fundamental functionality. Despite this, many tiny yet important utilities
are still available for free. Open-source software, on the other hand, is really free software. You
may not only utilize it, but you could also customize it to your liking if you understand enough. The
school is home to several of the world's most prominent open-source applications. Some of these
are provided for free as part of an enterprise's pledge to promote development in order to improve
how the firm produces, distributes, and manages its software resources. Better performance,
greater dependability, more adaptability, and cheaper costs are all benefits of the interactive effort.
MIT App Inventor is an illustration of an open program that may be used to create Android apps at
a beginning range. Paid software generally requires installation. For starters, they are generally
bigger, making the price worthwhile. Second, the installation procedure verifies that the transaction
was legitimate. You may occasionally require to use a public computer, but you will never be able
to run your preferred program on it since you lack administrator privileges. “Portable Apps” are
applications that can be utilized without having to install it and preserve all of your saved personal
preferences. It's feasible since the program is stored on your USB flash drive.

GIMP Installation
GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation
Application) is an unrestricted and open
photo editing software created by Peter
Mattis, Spencer Kimball, and others. It also
had a slew of era of advanced technology. It's
sometimes referred to as the "free" version of
Adobe Photoshop. The most recent version may be found at https://www.gimp.org/.

GIMP necessitates installations for improved functionality, and since it merely significantly
reduces permission, you won't have to seek your guardians for permission to download it on your
home computer provided with your brothers and sisters. You'll also come up with a workaround if
you desire to use it really everywhere, even public computers. Others have turned the fully
accessible GIMP into a compact program that can be downloaded on a USB flash drive. For a
Windows installation, go to PortableApps.com!

Project Files
GIMP publishes to a file format that might exclusively be
read by GIMP. It's utilized to keep track of the altering
information so you may keep working on the modification.
It's also how the well-known Photoshop program works.
They possess their respective data files as well. You may
also export to standard graphics file formats for browsing in
any browser or picture program.

Project File (.xcf) Product File (.jpg, .gif, ...)

Only GIMP may be used to Any search engine or photo
view and edit the image. viewers will be able to see it.
Editing data (such as
selections and layers) are Details lost when modifying
retained.

Look for the File option in the program to access, edit, or transfer documents.
 GIMP
GIMP's standard user functionality
appears such as this one:

The primary application sits in the

foreground, and you can transfer pictures onto
it to access them for editing. Dockable dialogs
are the two items on the sides. Learners using
GIMP frequently make the errors of closing a
dock when it is supposed to shut the image. In such case, go to Windows » Recently Closed Docks
and look for them. You don't always require the Layers dock at this time, but you certainly would
not want to eliminate the Toolbox dock.

Toolbox
The toolbox panel shows you
which actions you should perform with
your mouse. Of course, you can move
the settings with your mouse in Canva
and Befunky, but those actions are
limited to altering values within a limit. If
you understand how to use hot keys and
keyboard input, you might be able to beat them. There are several procedures in photo processing
that need accurate targeting and selecting, making the mouse vital. In computer images, choosing
an image region is significantly more complex than selecting words in a data file. A compilation of
similar operations may be found in the toolbox.

The items in the toolbox may be loosely divided into the categories listed above. Skill sets,
as you can see, have their own family. For the greatest selection outcome, you must use a distinct
tool to suit the scenario. Transform utilities may be used to do everything from shifting to
compressing a specific region. The text tool enables you to add information to any location, such
as the red text we used to illustrate the various tools above. Colors are added with brush tools. To
remove imperfections, touchup tools are employed. All tools use the same forefront and underlying
colors.

When you're trying out new tools and procedures, undo and redo are essential activities. With
practice, you'll be able to use it with the hotkeys, such as Ctrl+Z and Ctrl+Y.

Repeat the Tasks Done in Canva and Befunky

What we achieved using the internet based photo processors Canva and Befunky could, of
course, be accomplished with GIMP, but in a roundabout way. Let's remember that in Canva, we
tweaked the brightness, saturation, and contrast of a picture, and in Befunky, we experimented with
softening (parts of) a picture.

Brightness and Contrast

Go over to the Colors option at the top of GIMP to alter the Brightness and Contrast.

Saturation
In GIMP, saturation is changed in conjunction with other variables, rather than as a
standalone modification. Return to Colors and locate the Hue-Saturation procedure. The Master
color is selected initially, which means that the modification will be performed to any and all color
pixels in the photograph. The proportions of one of the primary colors or their counterparts can be
changed. It may be used to brighten up the green meadows or the clear blue skies.

Blur a selected area

The Filters > Blur menu has
many Blur actions. Gaussian Blur is the
most popular option, since it creates an
excellent impression of losing focus
while being easy to modify. Undo the
Blur now and attempt it again after the
instructions below.
More procedures are required
to "remove the impact" for a specific
region, such as Befunky.
In reality, the effect is not
cleared in retrospect. We'd prefer not
choose a specific region because the
impact will not be implemented there in
the first place. For example, in the Befunky sample human portrait shot, we want to blur the
background but retain the face sharp and distinct. We want to pick "everything but the face," but it
would be tough, so we'll do it the other way around. First, we'll use the oval selection tool to pick
the face.

Then, using the Select menu,

reverse the selection.
You'll see the change when you put
the Blur filter, even if you don't observe it
before or after the choice reversal.
Have fun with your edits!

GIMP Layers

Layers
In computer visuals, layering is a crucial method. Because you want to relocate the text
independently from the picture so that you may create a better position for it, inserting text will
obviously entail a new layer above the photo. Paints that have been drawn on the input image will
not be changed or deleted afterwards. Adding a blank layer above it and drawing there could be a
better option. Performing an effect on a duplicated layer of an image rather from the "real" picture
layer is a popular approach. The information about the layers will be preserved in the project file.
You are free to make changes as you see appropriate.

Insert a new picture into the picture that is currently visible in GIMP. The new picture
will be inserted as a new layer in the very
same file. With the Layers-Brushes dock in
GIMP, the layers are visible. If you don't see
it, look for it in the Windows menu. By
selecting the eye symbol, you may conceal a
layer and concentrate on the other levels. To
render the layer visible again, simply select the eye icon.

Layer and Transparency

When creating composite pictures from many originals, layering is crucial. In order to
construct sensible configurations of the objects, you'll also require to understand how to control
transparency. The alpha channel is the name given to the transparency characteristics in GIMP.
The distinction between layering either with or without transparency is shown below.
 Photographs are absolutely
rectangular whether they are transparent
or not. Because the image at the top of this
page already enables transparency, we
can quickly make this amusing graphic.
Transparency is provided by GIF and PNG
files, as we discussed previously. If you
have photos in these categories, they will
most likely have uneven forms, albeit they are still saved in the computers as rectangular shapes.

Cutting Out Content from Image

If you use the eraser tool on a picture that doesn't support transparency, you won't be able
to "erase" the information. It will display the backdrop color you choose in your picture editor, which
in this case is white.

By right-clicking on the layer, you may get the

opportunity to make an alpha channel.

Trying to erase the image after adding the

alpha channel will result in "holes" rather than the
colour scheme. If the "Add Alpha Channel" option is
greyed out and not fully editable, it appears to mean
the channel now also continues to exist and there is no
need to worry. You can see through the holes made by the eraser tool to something like a lower
level.

To mass-erase undesirable sections of a

picture so that the primary material stands out,
utilize the "choose everything but the essential
information" approach mentioned above and
remove the spam submissions with the Uninstall
button on the keyboard. For random selection,
look for the Free Select tool. You can also
enlarge the eraser for better erasing results. To
polish the edge, use a small eraser, and to
eliminate a large area, use a larger eraser.
 After this topic, a link to the weekly assessment will be given.

❖ Hands-on Activities:
Bring your friends and family to some exotic attraction places using your own
pictures like what you have seen in a tutorial videos using Canva Photo Editor
or GIMP Application.
Lesson 3. INFORMATION SYSTEM BEYOND THE ORGANIZATION:
Globalization and the Digital Divide

TOPICS

1. The Network Society

2. The Global Firm
D
3. The Digital Divide
D

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the lesson, the student will be able to:

1. Define the term "globalization."

2. Explain how information technology plays a role in globalization.

3. Identify the issues that businesses face in a global economy; and

4. Describe Nielsen's three stages of the digital divide and define the
digital divide.
 Study Questions

1. What is the definition of globalization?

2. How does Friedman describe globalization's three eras?
3. Which technological advancements have had the most impact on
globalization?
4. What are some of globalization's benefits?
5. What are globalization's challenges?
6. In his book World 3.0, what is Ghemawat's stance on globalization?
7. What does it mean to talk about the digital divide?
8. What are the three stages of the digital divide, according to Jakob Nielsen?
9. What was one of the key points of The Rise of the Network Society ?
10. Which country has the highest average Internet speed? How
does your country compare?

The Internet has linked the entire world. Nowadays, communicating with
someone on the other side of the world is as simple as conversing with someone
next door. However, keep in mind that many businesses have attempted to
outsource various technological needs only to discover that near-sourcing
(outsourcing to countries with which your country shares a geographical border)
provides a better deal. This chapter investigates the consequences of globalization
and their impact on the world.
What Is Globalization?
Globalization is the process of bringing together products, services, and
cultures from all over the world. Globalization is not always a recent occurrence.
Since the days of European colonialism, various forms of globalization have
existed. Advances in telecommunications and transportation technology hastened
globalization. All nations have become virtual neighbors since the advent of the
global Internet.

The Internet has unquestionably become a worldwide phenomenon. As of

December 2020, the Internet was used by approximately 6.1 billion people
worldwide. From its beginnings in the 1970s in the United States to the
development of the World Wide Web in the 1990s to today's social networks and
e-commerce, the Internet has deepened country interconnectedness, making
globalization a reality for individuals all over the world.
 Visit the site below and be informed for the following updates:

Source: Google.com

https://www.broadbandsearch.net/blog/internet-statistics

- Key internet statistics to know in 2021 (including mobile) such as:

- Top 10 most visited sites on the web in year 2020
- The social media statistics
- Most popular social media platforms
- Total social media users nationwide
- 10 most popular search terms
- Total e-commerce sales worldwide in 2020
- Mobile e-commerce continue surge

Thomas Friedman's 2005 book The World Is Flat provides

anecdotal evidence to demonstrate how the personal computer,
communication software, and the Internet have impacted business,
particularly globalization. At the start of this lecture, three eras of
globalization are identified:
o from 1492 until around 1800, “Globalization 1.0′′ happened. Globalization was
concentrated on countries during this time period. It all came down with how much
electricity, wind energy, and steam engines a country possessed and how creatively they
used it. The universe decreased from a “large” to a “medium” capacity.

o “Globalization 2.0′′ lasted from 1800 to 2000, with the exception of two World Wars.
Multinational corporations were the dynamic force pushing development in this age. The
planet decreased from a medium to a tiny size.

o “Our contemporary age, which began in the year 2000, is known as “Globalization
3.0.” The desktop computer, fiber-optic Internet access, and software have converged
to create a "flat-world framework" that allows small organizations and even consumers
to go worldwide. The globe has gone from a “small” size to a “tiny” size.
 In many ways, information technology, according to Friedman, has ushered in this third
era of globalization. The following are a few examples of unique technologies:

▪ In the late 1980s, a graphical user functionality for personal computers became
widespread. Using a computer first before graphical interface was challenging since
users had to write commands rather than click a mouse. By rendering the personal
computer accessible to everyone, the computer had become a tool for almost
everyone, not just technology enthusiasts. According to Friedman, the personal
computer increased productivity and, as the Internet grew, made it easier to share
information globally.

▪ During the late-1990s dot-com boom, the communications infrastructure was being
built out. Telecommunications firms installed hundreds of kilometers of fiber cable
throughout the world in the late 1990s, making network communications a
commodity. Simultaneously, Internet technologies such as SMTP (e-mail), TCP/IP
(network communications), and HTML (web pages) became open specifications that
anybody could use through their email’s applications and web computers.

▪ Software is being introduced to automate and unify corporate operations.

As the Internet grew in popularity and became the primary mode of communication,
it became necessary to expand on previous standards in order for websites and apps to
communicate effectively. Friedman refers to this as "workflow software," which is
software that facilitates collaboration and the integration of various applications and
databases. Two examples are online payment systems and transportation calculators.
Those three other developments came together in the late 1990s to form a
"framework for global cooperation." Following their installation, these technologies made
significant progress. Friedman also mentions a few other technologies that have helped
to shape the flat-world platform, such as the rise of mobile technology.
In 2011, economist Pankaj Ghemawat published World 3.0 in an effort to provide a
more balanced and research-based view of globalization. Ghemawat researched
economic facts before making assumptions about globalization, unlike Friedman, who
spoke with people and wrote an experiential narrative. He discovered the following facts
during his investigation:

• Internationally mailed letters make up 1% of the total.

• International phone calls account for 2% of all minutes used.
• Internet traffic that crosses foreign boundaries accounts for 18% of total traffic.
• 95 percent of TV news sources are national rather than international.
• Immigrants of the first generation make about 3% of the global population.
• Those who will cross an international border at some point during their lifetimes = 10%
•
Global exports as a percentage of total world goods produced = 20%
 Despite the fact that the Internet has had an impact on the global economy,
Ghemawat believes that local economies will remain the primary focus in the majority of
countries.

The Global Firm

In the new era of globalization, virtually any company can now go global. By
gaining access to this new platform of technology, Castells' concept of functioning
as a group in near real-time on a global scale can become a reality. Some of the
advantages are as follows:

Knowledge and labor can be found anywhere on the planet. Businesses can now
hire people from all over the world, rather than just the local area. This also allows
businesses to pay a lower labor cost for comparable tasks based on the local rate.

The ability to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week . With employees in multiple
time zones around the world, a company can effectively operate around the clock,
transferring project activities from one location to another when the typical business day
ends in one and begins in the other. A few years ago, three guys decided to start a
hosting services company. They purposefully migrated to three locations around the
world, each eight hours apart, in order to provide 24-hour coverage while allowing each
to operate during business hours. The company's operating costs were kept low, and
clients from all over the world were served 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Their products will have a wider market. When a product is marketed online, it is
available to customers all over the world. Even if a company's products do not have a
global appeal, being online has increased the product's visibility among domestic
consumers.
Companies must recognize that interacting with employees and customers from
various cultures presents challenges in order to effectively use these new skills. Among
the challenges are the following:

Infrastructure alterations. Each country's infrastructure varies in terms of

performance and dependability. A company can expect Internet connections to be
consistent across all countries with which it does business. For more information, see
the "How Does My Internet Speed Compare?" sidebar.

Labor laws and regulations are in effect. Different nations, as well as different states
in the United States, have different rules and regulations. A company that wants to hire
employees from other countries must be aware of the various rules and issues.
 There are several legal limitations.
Many countries have laws that govern what can be sold and how a product can be
promoted. It is critical for a business to understand what is permitted. It is illegal in
Germany, for example, to sell Nazi-related items.

Languages, culture, and tastes are all important considerations.

Every country has its own distinct customs, which a company must consider
when attempting to promote a product there. Furthermore, different countries have
different tastes. Many people in Europe, for example, preferred to eat their French
fries with mayonnaise rather than ketchup. A hamburger with gravy is served to your
table in South Africa.

Shipping to other countries is available.

It may be difficult to ship items between countries in a timely manner. Inconsistencies
in address forms, dishonest customs officials, and expensive shipping charges must all
be considered when exporting items overseas.

Because of these barriers, many businesses choose not to expand globally,

either for workers or for consumers. Whether a company has its own website or
relies on a third-party platform such as Tesla, Amazon, or eBay, the decision to go
global must be carefully considered.

How Fast Is My Internet Connection?

How fast is your Internet connection in comparison to the rest of the world? The
graph below compares Internet speeds in various countries. This article contains a
complete list of nations. You can also use this tool to compare the evolution of
Internet speeds across countries.

In 2020, the top globe Internet speeds will be compared.

So, how fast is your

personal Internet
connection? There are
several internet tools
available to help you
estimate your connection
speed. Speedtest.net, one
of the most reputable
services, allows you to
test both your download
and upload capabilities.
Source: Google.com
 Source: Google.com

The Digital Divide

As the Internet spreads around the world, it creates a chasm between those who
have access to it and those who do not. The so-called "digital divide" is a major source
of concern. In a Crossroads article, it is stated as follows:

The ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, which was eventually
implemented by the ACM Council in 1992, focuses on issues related to the Digital Divide,
which could help prevent predefined groups of individuals — low-income homeowners,
elderly people, single-parent children, the uneducated, minority communities, and
residents of rural areas — from having adequate access to the vast array of samples
made available by compute. In this Code of Ethics, the use of computers is a critical
ethical concern: "In a fair society, all persons, regardless of faith, gender, nationality,
height, handicap, country of origin, or other similar considerations, would have an equal
chance to participate in, or profit from, the use of computer resources." This article
investigates the causes of the increasing disparity in people's access to Internet services
and summarizes the digital divide in its various manifestations. It also explains how
society can bridge the digital divide, which is a significant societal divide between those
who have and do not have access to information. There could be a digital divide between
governments, provinces, or even communities. Many US cities have patches of low or
no Internet connectivity, whereas high-speed bandwidth is ubiquitous just a few
kilometers away.

Various approaches to cultural literacy have had varying degrees of success over
the years. Providing an Internet connection and/or computer equipment is not always
enough to provide genuine Internet access to a country, region, or community.
 A New Understanding of the Digital Divide
o Jakob Nielsen, a web-usability expert, summarized our list of challenges in a 2006
article. He categorizes the digital divide into three stages in his article: socioeconomic
divide, accessibility divide, and empowerment divide.

o The socioeconomic divide. The "digital divide" is a term used by many to describe this
situation. The concept of the economic gap is that some people can afford to buy a
computer and an Internet connection while others cannot. Moore's Law has managed to
drive down the cost of technology, and we can now afford digital devices such as
cellphones. According to Nielsen, the economic disparity is meaningless for all practical
purposes, and we should not focus our efforts on bridging it.

o Disparity in accessibility. The term "usability" refers to the fact that "technology
continues to be so difficult that many people would be unable to operate a computer,
even if they were given one for free." Even for those who can use a computer, reaping
the full benefits of owning one is beyond their comprehension. This category includes
those with limited literacy as well as the elderly. According to Nielsen, we know how to
assist users, but we don't because it's too expensive.

o Power is divided. Empowerment is a much more difficult issue to address. It is about

how we use technology to empower ourselves. Only a small percentage of the
population is aware of the potential that digital technology has. Nielsen writes in his
essay that research he and others have conducted has revealed that few people
contribute content to the Internet, use sophisticated search, or can even tell the
difference between sponsored and organic search results. Many people limit their online
capabilities by accepting their computer's default settings and failing to investigate how
they are enabled.

Addressing the digital divide in these three parts gives us a more complete
picture of how we can work to close it. Additional effort must be made to resolve the
second and third segments of internet usage for a more holistic approach.

You may find the article of Jakob Nielsen’s in the site below:
https://www.nngroup.com/articles/digital-divide-the-three-stages/

Refining the Digital Divide

In 2018, the "Miniwatts" Marketing Group, the creators of Internet World Stats,
attempted to further define the digital divide by recognizing that it is about more than
whether or not someone has access to the Internet. In addition to Nielsen's
socioeconomic, accessibility, and empowerment divisions, this group faces the following
issues.
 Social mobility. Children from lower social classes suffer from a lack of computer
literacy.

Democracy. Increased Internet use can contribute to healthier democracies,

particularly in terms of election involvement.

Economic growth. Increased Internet use in underdeveloped nations might give

a fast track to economic development. Using cutting-edge technology might offer
these countries' firms a competitive edge.

The European Union has created an effort called as The European 2020 Strategy in
response to the growing digital divide. Research & development, climatic conditions,
training, community cohesion, and reducing poverty are the five primary sectors being
tackled.

UsingGamingtoBridge the Digital Divide!

Paul Kim, Assistant Dean and Chief

Technology Officer at Stanford Graduate
School of Education, devised a strategy to
bridge the technological divide for students
in developing countries. The researchers
want to know if adolescents can adopt and
educate themselves on smartphone
learning technologies without the help of instructors or other adults, as well as the
procedures and elements that are involved. The researchers developed "TeacherMate,"
a mobile device with a math-learning game for children. The researchers interacted
directly with the children, which was a novel aspect of this study. They did not obtain the
mobile devices through teachers or schools. There was one more thing to think about.
Six months before their visit, the researchers began talking with family members and
local charities to get a better understanding of the children's academic environment.
While I won't go into detail about the study's findings, it should be noted that the
researchers discovered that children can acquire and educate themselves on mobile
learning technology.
The researchers discovered that in order to function properly, they needed to
personalize their technologies and adjust their execution to the specific population they
were attempting to target, which makes this study so fascinating when considering the
technological differences. One of their discoveries was as follows:
Given today's rapid technological advancements, mobile learning options for future
work will only expand. As a result, researchers should continue to study their effects.
We believe that more in-depth research on ICT [Information and Communication
Technology] design variants to address specific difficulties of specific locales is required.
 Find the paper mentioned here to learn more about Dr. Kim's effort.

Summary
On a global scale, information technology has sparked change. Because of
technological advancements, we can now use digital tools to communicate with people
all over the world. Because of these technologies, businesses have been able to expand
their labor pools, marketplaces, and even operational hours. They have, however,
created a slew of new challenges for organizations, which must now understand rules,
customs, and cultures from a variety of countries. As a result of this new globalization,
the technological gap has widened. Nielsen divides the digital divide into three stages:
monetary, accessibility, and engagement, with the economic stage being addressed
practically.

Exercises

1. Compare Friedman's theory of "Globalization 3.0" to Nielsen's technological gap

enablement phase.
2. Describe one instance of a digital divide and what you would do to bridge it.
3. How did Paul Kim's research address the three types of technological divide?

Following this topic, a link to the weekly assessment will be provided.

Hands-on Activities

❖ To find out how fast your Internet is, go to speedtest.net. Evaluate your Internet
connection at home to the speed at two other sites, such as school, work, or a nearby
coffee shop. Analyze and contrast these sites in a one-page overview.
❖ Summary and make reflection paper in the article you will find in this site:
https://www.internetsociety.org/impact
Lesson 4. The Ethical and Legal Implication of Information Systems and
Trends in Information System

TOPICS

1. Information Systems Ethics

1.1 Code of Ethics
1.2 Digital Millennium Copyright
1.3 Obtaining Patent Protection
1.4 Non-Obvious Relationship Awareness (NORA)
2. Current Trend in Information System
D
2.1 Defining and Benefits of IoT (Internet of Things)
D 2.2 Autonomous

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the lesson, the student will be able to:

1. Explain the meaning of the word information systems.

2. Securing yourself digitally and define what a code of ethics is and

what its benefits and drawbacks are.

3. Explain intellectual property and discuss how copyright, patents,

and trademarks protect it.

4. Address the relationship that information technology poses to

individual privacy;

5. Describe current developments in information systems; and

6. Understand how to consider the social and cultural effects of

technological advances.
 Study Questions

1. What is the meaning of the term "information systems ethics"?

2. What is an ethical code? What are the benefits and drawbacks of having a code
of ethics?
3. What is the definition of intellectual property? Give a specific example.
4. What safeguards does a copyright offer? How do you go about getting one?
5. What is the definition of fair use?
6. What kind of protection does a patent provide? How do you go about getting
one?
7. What does a trademark provide protection for? How do you go about getting
one?
8. What does it imply when you say "personally identifiable information"?
9. What safeguards do HIPAA, COPPA, and FERPA provide?
10. How would you describe the NORA concept?
11. What is GDPR, and what was the purpose for enacting it?

Information systems have had a far-reaching influence outside of the corporate sector.

New technologies create situations that did not previously exist. One issue is
determining how to deal with the additional capabilities that these devices bring. What
new laws will be needed to protect emerging technology from misuse? The impact of
information systems on user behavior or ethics is discussed at the beginning of this
chapter. New legal frameworks will then be implemented, with an emphasis on
intellectual property and confidentiality.

Information Systems Ethics

"A collection of ethical standards" or "the standards of behavior guiding a group of
individuals" is what the term ethics refers to. 1 Since the dawn of civilization, humanity
has been fascinated by the role of ethics and their consequences. What, on the other
hand, is the relationship between ethics and information systems?

The introduction of new technology has the potential to significantly influence

behavior. Technological advancements provide us with skills we did not previously have,
resulting in environments and circumstances that have not been handled particularly
ethically. Those who master new technologies gain new power, while those who cannot
or will not master them lose power. In 1913, Henry Ford invented the first rolling
assembly line for his Model T automobiles. While this was a significant technological
and economic advance, the assembly line reduced the importance of humans in the
manufacturing process. The development of the atomic bomb placed unfathomable
power in the hands of a single government, which then had to decide whethe r or not to
use it. As a result of today's digital technology, new types of ethical issues have
emerged.
For example, the ability to make identical copies of physical media covertly has
enticed many music enthusiasts to acquire copyrighted music for personal use without
paying the song's owner. Many people who would never steal a CD from a store now
have dozens of illegal download recordings in their possession.

Thanks to digital technology, we can now create person profiles from data gathered
from various sources. What used to take weeks of work can now be completed in
seconds, providing private companies and governments with more information on
individuals than ever before. This knowledge is valuable, but it jeopardizes the privacy
of customers and citizens.

Data Privacy, Facebook, and Cambridge Analytica!

Facebook logo
In early 2018, Facebook announced a data leak affecting 87
million monthly active users. The app "thisisyourdigitallife" by
Global Science Research informed users that they might
participate in a psychological research study. Approximately
270,000 people agreed to participate in the study, but the app
failed to notify stakeholders that their information, along with
that of all of their Facebook friends, would be permanently
collected. All of these security breaches occurred prior to 2014, but they were not made
public for another four years.
In 2015, Facebook became aware of Global Science Research's collection of
information on millions of the study's participants' acquaintances. Despite the fact that
Global Science Research promised to destroy the data, it was already purchased by
Cambridge Analytica, which used it in the 2016 presidential election. As a result of the
subsequent uproar, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified before Congress in 2018
about what happened and what Facebook will do in the long run to secure users'
information. Congress is currently negotiating future regulations to secure user
information, demonstrating how technology advances faster than the regulations
required to protect consumers. Both Facebook and Cambridge Analytica have additional
information on this data privacy lawsuit.

Code of Ethics
A code of ethics can help you navigate uncharted ethical waters. The code of ethics
of a business or social group establishes a set of permissible actions. On the whole, the
members of the group agree. The paper outlines which behaviors are and are not
acceptable.
 The Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct of the Association for Computing
Machinery, a community of computational experts that comprises professors,
entrepreneurs, and professionals, is an excellent representation of a code of ethics.

✓ The ACM's code contains numerous basic ethical recommendations, such

as the injunction to be truthful. However, because this is a computing -
focused institution, there are some additional technological admonitions:

✓ No one of us should access or use someone else's computer system,

software, or data files without authorization. It is always necessary to
obtain sufficient clearance before accessing system resources such as
connectivity options, a set of physical, various system accessories, or
computer access.

✓ It is unethical to design or implement systems that degrade individuals or

communities, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

✓ Organizational leaders must ensure that computer systems improve rather

than degrade the quality of work life. While implementing a computer
system, businesses must consider all employees' personal and
professional development, physical security, and human decency. Human
ergonomic norms should be addressed during the design process and in
the workplace.

One of the most important advantages of creating an ethics code is that it specifies
the appropriate standards of conduct for a professional body. Members of a g roup's
diverse origins and experiences result in a wide range of opinions about what constitutes
acceptable behavior. While the principles may appear obvious, having them articulated
ensures clarity and consistency. Declaring standards expresses the shared norms to
everyone in a clear and understandable manner.

A code of ethics may have some drawbacks. To begin with, an ethical code has
no legal standing. Violation of an ethical code is not a crime in and of itself. What
happens if one of the rules is violated? Many codes of ethics include a section that
explains how to handle such situations. Repeated violations of the code frequently result
in expulsion from the group.

"Professionals' adherence to a code of ethics is mostly voluntary," says ACM.

Nonetheless, if a member violates the code by engaging in egregious misconduct, his
or her membership in ACM may be revoked. ” Because participation in ACM is rarely
required for occupation, expulsion from ACM is unlikely to have a significant impact on
many people. Dismissal from other institutions, such as a state bar association or a
medical board, may have a significant impact.

Another disadvantage of a code of ethics is that it is always possible that critical

problems will arise that are not explicitly addressed in the code. Society advances at a
rapid pace, and a code of ethics may not be updated frequently enough to keep up with
the changes. A good code of ethics, on the other hand, is designed in such a way that it
can handle the ethical concerns raised by potential technological developments while
being revised by the organization that created it.

Finally, a code of ethics may not represent the ethics or morals of all group
members, which could be a disadvantage. Internal disagreements about what behavior
is acceptable are common in organizations with a diverse membership. For example,
there may be disagreements about whether alcoholic beverages should be served at
business gatherings. In such cases, the company must decide whether it is important to
fix a specific behavior in the code.

Acceptable Use Policies!

Many companies require a group of constituents or the general public to agree to an

Acceptable User Policy before they can use technological services (AUP). Similar to a
code of ethics, this policy specifies what is and is not permitted when using the
organization's services. A common example is the terms of service that must be agreed
to before using public Wi-Fi at Starbucks, McDonald's, or even a university. This is an
example of an acceptable usage policy at Virginia Tech.

These permissible usage standards, similar to a code of ethics, define what is

and is not permissible. While some of the points made are obvious to most people,
others are not:
1. You may not "borrow" another person's login ID or password.
2. Using the provided access for commercial purposes, such as hosting your
own company website, is not permitted.
3. It is illegal to send unsolicited email to a large number of people.
4. Violations of these regulations, like violations of codes of ethics, have a
variety of consequences. In most cases, such as with Wi-Fi, violating the
acceptable usage policy will result in the loss of access to the resource. While
losing access to Starbucks Wi-Fi may not have long-term consequences, a
university student being barred from using the institution's Wi-Fi (or possibly
all network resources) may have serious consequences.
 Intellectual Property
One of the areas where digital technology has had a significant impact is
intellectual property. Additional intellectual property challenges have arisen as a
result of digital technology, making intellectual property protection significantly more
difficult. Intellectual property is defined as "property derived from mental or
intellectual activity (as an idea, innovation, or process)." Examples include song
lyrics, computer software, a new style of toaster, and even a monument.

In practice, it is extremely difficult to protect a concept. Intellectual property laws,

on the other hand, are intended to protect the tangible outcomes of an idea. To put
it another way, simply thinking of a song does not protect it; however, writing it down
does.

Intellectual property protection is critical because it encourages people to be

creative. Entrepreneurs are more likely to pursue their ideas if they have a clear
understanding of how they will profit from them. In Article 8, Section 8, the framers
of the United States Constitution recognized the importance of protecting original
work.
Congress may have the authority... to promote the advancement of science and the
arts by granting Authors and Inventors perpetual rights to their individual compositions
and achievements.
The qualifier "short period" is critical to remember. While intellectual property
protection is important and provides incentives, it is also possible to limit the amount
of profit gained and allow the results of ideas to enter the public domain. Intellectual
property rights vary from one country to the next. Further information about a
country's intellectual property legislation can be obtained from the World Intellectual
Property Organization. The following sections cover three of the most well-known
intellectual property rights: copyright, patents, and trademarks.

Copyright
Copyright protects music, software programs, novels, and other works. Copyright
can be applied to any work with a "author." Under the provisions of copyright, the creator
of a work has complete control over what can be performed with it, including:

• Who has permission to produce copies of the work; and who has permission to
create derivative works based on the original work.
• Who is allowed to perform the work in public.
• Who has the right to exhibit the art in public.
 A work is often held by a publisher with whom the original source has an
agreement. The publishers will advertise and distribute the work in exchange for the
license, with a portion of the profits going to the original author.
The copyright of the original author is protected for seventy years after his or her
death. A publisher's or another third party's copyrighted material is protected for 95
years from the date of production. The protections for works created prior to 1978
differ slightly. For more information on copyright restrictions, consult the Copyright
Basics paper available on the US Copyright Office's website.

Obtaining Copyright Protection

In the United States, a copyright can be obtained simply by creating an author's
artwork. In other words, an author owns the copyright when he or she composes music,
creates a film, or develops a computer algorithm. However, for a work that will be used
professionally, registering for a copyright with the US Copyright Office is recommended.
A copyright that has been filed is required to take legal action against someone who
uses a property without permission.

First Sale Doctrine

Is there any recourse for an artist who creates a work of art and sells it to a
collector who then destroys it for whatever reason? What if, instead of burning it, th e
collector begins making copies and selling them? Is it permissible to do so? As stated
below, the first sale doctrine is a component of copyright law that addresses this:

According to 17 U.S.C. 109, anyone who intentionally acquires a duplicate of a

protected content from the copyright owner has the option to market, exhibit, or
otherwise transfer that copy, despite the copyright owner's rights.
As a result, if the collector damages the artwork in our scenarios, the copyright
holder has no recourse. In contrast, the collector lacks the authority to create
reproductions of the artwork.

Fair Use
Fair use is also an important concept in copyright law. In certain circumstances,
fair use is a copyright restriction that allows the use of copyrighted works without
prior authorization. For example, if a teacher wanted to bring up a recent incident in
class, he or she could distribute copies of the copyrighted new piece without first
obtaining permission. Fair use allows a student to cite a limited amount of
copyrighted material in a research paper.

Regrettably, there are no clear criteria for what constitutes fair usage and what
constitutes a copyright violation. Fair use is a well-understood and recognized
concept that will only be challenged if copyright holders believe the integrity or
market value of their work is being jeopardized. When determining whether
something is fair use, the four following factors are considered:
 ✓ The goal and scope of the usage, particularly whether it is corporate or
instructional; A description of the copyrighted work;
✓ The size and significance of the fraction used in proportion to the entire
copyrighted work;
✓ The impact of the usage on the business opportunity or worth of the
copyrighted work.

If you want to incorporate a copyrighted work into a project, you may be able to
do so under fair use. However, it's always a good idea to double-check with the
copyright holder to ensure you're not infringing on theirs.

The History of Copyright Law

As previously stated, current copyright law protects works made for hire for
seventy years after the author's death or 95 years from the date of production. But it
wasn't always this way.

In the United States, the initial copyright legislation only covered books, maps,
and charts for 14 years, with a 14-year renewal period. Over time, copyright laws have
evolved to include safeguards for various forms of artistic expression, such as
photography and motion pictures. Congress also decided to extend the duration of the
safeguards, as shown in the figure below. Today, copyright is a multibillion-dollar
industry, with many businesses relying on revenue from copyrighted works to survive.

Many people now believe that the safeguards are ineffective because they have
been ineffective for an extended period of time. The Sonny Bono Copyright Term
Extension Act has been dubbed the "Mickey Mouse Protection Act" because it was
enacted just in time to protect the Walt Disney Company's copyright on Mickey Mouse.
Many works from the 1920s and 1930s that would otherwise be in the public domain are
now restricted as a result of this term extension.
Evolution of Copyright: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Copyright-Chart.

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act

As digital technologies have altered what it means to create, duplicate, and distribute
material, a policy vacuum has emerged. The US Congress passed the Digital Millennium
Copyright Act (DMCA) in 1998, which expanded copyright law to include digital
technology. Two of the most well-known DMCA sections are the anti-circumvention
provision and the "safe harbor" provision.

The anti-circumvention provision makes it illegal to develop technology designed to

circumvent copyright protection technologies. This clause addresses not only
technological development but also the dissemination of knowledge that explains how
to do so. While this clause allows for some exceptions, it has proven to be extremely
contentious, prompting a push to change it.

When someone using an internet service violates a copyright, the "safe harbor"
clause limits the active internet connection's liability. This is the provision that allows
YouTube, for example, to avoid liability when someone publishes a clip from a
copyrighted film. The provision requires internet service providers to take action when
they are notified of a violation (referred to as a "takedown" notice). As an example of
how takedowns work, here's how YouTube handles these petitions: Copyright Violation
Notification on YouTube.

Many people believe that the DMCA goes beyond that and limits our freedom of
expression. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is at the forefront of this fight.
The EFF asserts the following about the anti-circumvention requirement:
Despite this, the DMCA has become a major threat to fair use, competitiveness, and
innovation, while also chilling free expression, science, and research, and interfering
with computer intrusion regulations. If you overcome DRM [digital rights
management] restrictions for non-infringing fair uses or build the means to do so,
you may face legal action.

Creative Commons

The first lesson introduced open-source software. With open-source software,

copyright restrictions are minimal to non-existent. The program's authors make their
source code available to the public, and their software is free to use and share. This is
fantastic for software, but what about other works with copyright? How can an artist or
writer make their work more accessible while keeping its integrity intact? Creative
Commons can help with this problem.
 Creative Commons is a non-profit organization that provides legal tools to artists
and authors. The tools at our disposal make it simple to license creative or literary
material for others to choose and distribute in accordance with the author's wishes.
A Creative Commons license is indicated by the icon. It is critical to understand the
distinction between Creative Commons and the public domain. There are no
restrictions on how something can be used or distributed if it is in the public domain.
Works in the public domain have lost their copyrights.

Using a Creative Commons license, authors can control how their work is us ed
while still making it publicly available. By applying a Creative Commons license to
their work, they create a legally enforceable license. Here are some examples of
these licenses:
CC-BY. This license is the most permissive. It allows others to share and expand
upon on the works, even for a profit, as long as the creator is credited for the author's
artwork.
CC-BY-SA. The "share-alike" provision of this license prohibits the work's
dissemination. Someone else can completely reproduce and expand upon the work
as long as they give credit to the author and distribute it under the same Creative
Commons license.
CC-BY-NC. This license is similar to CC-BY, except it includes the limitation that no
one can profit from this work. The letter NC indicates for "non-commercial."
CC-BY-NC-ND. This license is similar to CC-BY-NC, except it additionally includes
the ND limitation, which prohibits the creation of derivative works based on the original.

These are just a handful of the relatively frequent licenses that may be made with
the Creative Commons tools. Visit Creative Commons' website for a complete range of
licenses as well as a wealth of information.

Patent
Some other significant type of intellectual property protection is patents. A patent
gives somebody who discovers a new product or method legal protection. The term
"innovation" has a broad meaning that encompasses a wide range of topics. Here are a
few examples of objects that have been granted patents:

▪ circuit designs in semiconductors;

▪ prescription drug formulas;
▪ firearms;
▪ locks;
▪ plumbing;
▪ engines;
▪ coating processes; and
▪ business processes.
 When a patent is issued, it protects the inventor from everyone else encroaching on
his or her invention. In return for information release of the innovation when the patent
is issued, a patent holder gets the right to “exclude anyone from producing, using,
exhibiting for sale, or distributing the invention across the United States or importing the
invention into the United States for a limited period of time.”

Patent protection, like copyright, is only valid for a specified duration before the
idea or technique is released into the public domain. A patent in the United States is
valid for twenty years. And that is why, after twenty years, generic medicines are
accessible to replace brand-name medicines.

Obtaining Patent Protection

A patent is really not immediately awarded when somebody has a good idea and
records it down, unlike copyright. A patent registration must be filed with a government
patent office in the majority of nations. Only if the invention or technique satisfies specific
criteria will a patent be issued.

1) Must be original. It should therefore be the first time the innovation has been submitted.
2) Must be non-obvious. You can't patent an idea that anyone might have come up with.
You couldn't place a pencil on a chair and attempt to patent a pencil-holding chair, for
obvious reasons.
3) Must be useful. The innovation that is being presented must serve a useful function or
have a desirable application.

The patent office's role is to check patent applications for compliance with these standards. It's
not going to be easy. The United States Patent and Trademark Office awarded 318,849 patents in
2017, up 5.2 percent from 2016. Patent clearance is now 15.6 months behind schedule. Each year,
a large number of patents are filed by information technology companies. The top five technology
companies in terms of patent applications submitted since 2009 are shown below. Since 2009, the
percentage represents the total number of I.T. patents filed. It's worth noting that these five companies
account for over half of all patent filings.

• International Business Machines (IBM) 21.6%

• Microsoft Corporation 14.2%
• AT & T, Inc. 7.1%
• Alphabet (Google), Inc. 5.0%
• Sony Corporation 4.7%

You may have noted that Apple does not appear in the top five. Microsoft has the most
patents in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).
 What Is a Patent Troll?

The introduction of digital technology has resulted in a significant increase in

patent filings and, as a result, a high number of patents awarded. It is the patent
owner's responsibility to keep the patent current after it has been issued. If someone
is caught using the invention without permission, the patent manager has the
authority to sue and recover damages.

Patent trolling is a type of profiteering that has emerged as a result of the

increased number of patents. A patent troll is a person or company who ob tains
patent protection but does not create the innovation protected by the patent. Instead,
the patent troll seeks out and sues individuals who are illegally exploiting the
innovation in some way. In many cases, the alleged violation is questionable at best.
Companies have also been prosecuted for using Wi-Fi or scanning documents, both
of which are well-established technologies.

The United States government has consistently begun to take countermeasures

against patent trolls. Several provisions of the law are making their way through the
US Congress, and if passed, will limit patent trolls' ability to stifle innovation. By
clicking on this link, you can learn a lot about patent trolls from a thorough
investigation conducted by the radio show This American Life.

Trademark

Apple logo
A trademark is a term, expression, emblem, form, or audio that
distinguishes one product or service supplier from another. Nike's
"Swoosh," Facebook's "f," and Apple's apple (with a bite bitten out
of it) are all trademarked. The goal of trademarks is to protect
consumers. Remember going to a local shopping mall to buy
something from a specific retailer only to discover that there are many businesses with
similar names?

Common law trademarks and registered trademarks are the two types of
trademarks. If a term, expression, or symbol is used in the ordinary course of business,
a corporation will obtain a trademark immediately (subject to some restrictions,
discussed below). The addition of the letters "TM" to the end of a trademark denotes a
common law trademark. A registered trademark is one that has been inspected,
authorized, and recognized by a trademark office, such as the US Patent and Trademark
Office. A circle-R (®) next to the trademark indicates that it is a registered trademark.
 Although almost any term, phrase, symbol, form, or sound can be trademarked,
there are certain restrictions. If one or more of the aforementioned requirements are
met, a trademark will be invalidated constitutionally:

1. The trademark is probably to be confused with a mark that has already been
registered or applied for.
2. The trademark only serves as a description of the products or activities. Attempting
to establish the trademark "blue" for a blue product you're selling, for instance, will fail.
3. The trademark is a place name.
4. A surname is used as a brand. “Smith's Bookstore” will not be permitted to be
trademarked.
5. When applied to the goods, the trademark is decorative. A repeating floral pattern
used as a plate design, for illustration, cannot be copyrighted.

The trademark security afforded by however this does not lapse as long as an
institution utilizes it and protects something against violation. As a result, many
businesses protect their trademarks against firms whose logo even remotely resembles
their own. Chick-fil-A, for example, owns a trademark on the term "Eat Mor Chikin,"
which it fiercely fought against a tiny firm that used the slogan "Eat More Kale." Coca -
Cola has copyrighted its bottle's contour form and therefore will sue any firm that uses
a bottle design that is identical to theirs. “Aspirin” (previously trademarked by Bayer),
“escalator” (originally trademarked by Otis), and “yo-yo” are instances of trademarks that
have already been weakened but have now ended up losing their protections in the
United States (originally trademarked by Duncan).

Information Systems and Intellectual Property

The development of information systems has prompted a reconsideration of just
how intellectual property should be handled. Digital technology have influenced
human behavior, from the surge in patents granted flooding the government's patent
office to the new regulations which must be enacted to guarantee copyright
preservation.

Privacy
Although the term "privacy" has various interpretations, it will be used here to refer
to the capacity to manage knowledge about oneself. Because of information
technologies, our capacity to protect our privacy has deteriorated dramatically in recent
years.

Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

Personally identifiable information, or PII, refers to relevant data regarding an
individual that may be employed to accurately determine that person's identity. This is a
wide category that encompasses items like:
• Name;
• Social Security Number;
• Date of birth;
• Place of birth;
• Mother‘s maiden name;
• Biometric records (fingerprint, face, etc.);
• Medical records;
• Educational records;
• Financial information; and
• Employment information.

Businesses that collect PII are responsible for keeping it secure. "Organizations should limit the
use, acquisition, and preservation of PII to what is absolutely necessary to fulfill their commercial
mission and objectives," the Department of Commerce advises. They go on to say that "reducing the
amount of PII an organization uses, gathers, and keeps significantly reduces the chance of harm
caused by a PII breach." Organizations that fail to secure personally identifiable information risk fines,
litigation, and company loss. Currently, most states in the United States, as well as the European
Union, have legislation requiring companies that have experienced security breaches involving PII to
notify potential victims.
Corporations are not prohibited from disclosing your data just since they are
obligated to safeguard it. Businesses can disclose your data without your explicit
agreement in the United States (see the next sidebar), although not all do. The FTC
advises companies who collect PII to develop a privacy policy and disclose it on their
website. Any website that conducts business with a California citizen is required to
have a privacy policy (see http://www.privacy.ca.gov/lawenforcement/laws.htm).

While privacy regulations in the United States aim to strike a balance between
protecting consumers and encouraging trade, in the European Union, privacy is seen as
a basic value that takes precedence over commercial interests. This has resulted in
considerably tighter privacy protection in the EU, but it also makes trade between the
US and the EU more difficult.

Non-Obvious Relationship Awareness

People have numerous new skills thanks to digital technology, which have simplified
and expedited the acquisition of personal data. When a person interacts with digital
technology, data about that individual is made available. You are continually watched,
from your whereabouts to your web-surfing habits, from your criminal past to your credit
report. These data may then be combined to generate individual profiles.

While most of the information gathered had previously been accessible, gathering and
integrating it took time and energy. Comprehensive information about an individual may
now be purchased from a variety of firms. Although information that isn't classified as
PII might be combined in a way that allows a person to be recognized.
 Non-Obvious Relationship Awareness, or NORA, is the technique of gathering vast
amounts of a plethora of perspectives and then integrating it to build individual profiles.
NORA is utilized by both government agencies and private companies, and it is huge
business. It was first popularized by big casinos seeking for cheats.

Non-obvious relationship
awareness (NORA) Sometimes in
situations, such as law enforcement,
NORA may be quite beneficial.
Crimes can be investigated faster or
even avoided before they happen if
potential offenders can be identified
more rapidly. However, these
benefits come at a cost: our
confidentiality.

Restrictions on Data
Collecting

The government of the United States has stringent limits as to how much
knowledge about its residents can be gathered. Over time, regulations have limited
some types of information, and the development of digital technologies has rendered
these limitations more vital than ever.

Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act

The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), administered by the Federal
Trade Commission, requires websites that gather data from children under the age of
thirteen to abide by the law (FTC). Businesses should make an excellent attempt to
identify the age of people using their websites in required to conform with COPPA, and
if individuals are now under the age of thirteen, parental permission should be obtained
before gathering any data.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal legislation in
the United States that safeguards the confidentiality of students' academic data. In
summary, this legislation states that parents have a right see their children's education
records until they reach the age of eighteen or begin taking classes after high school. At
that time, the youngster is in charge of the information. While this law does not directly
address the digital gathering of available on the Web, higher education institutions that
gather student data face a greater danger of unlawful disclosure due to digital
technology.
 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) designates
medical information as a distinct type of personally identifiable information. This law
provides people explicit rights to their health records, compels health care professionals
and anyone who keep this information to access express authorization before sharing
it, and penalizes organizations that violate this trust. Because so much of this data is
being exchanged through electronic health records, the security of these systems is
critical.

General Data Protection Regulation

GDPR Logo

The European Union approved the General Data Protection

Regulation (GDPR) in May 2016 in order to provide
consumers with greater access to information. While this
safeguard only applies to EU countries, it has an impact on
businesses in the United States that use the Internet. The
rule goes into effect on May 25, 2018.

Personal data protection is dealt with differently in EU and non-EU countries. The
emphasis in the United States has been on protecting data privacy without jeopardizing
business interests.

Individual data protection obligations in the EU outweigh business obligations. GDPR

prohibits the transfer of personal data to countries that may not provide adequate data
protection to individuals. These nations currently include, but are not limited to, the
United States, Japan, and Korea. While the GDPR only applies to EU countries, it is
affecting organizations all over the world as they attempt to comply with the legislation.
IEEE Spectrum is an abbreviation for "Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers."

The GDPR statement has clearly reached every corner of the globe. However, the
United States Congress is expected to enact additional data protection rules.

Do Not Track
 The US and the EU use various ways to obtaining authorization to exchange
personal details. The “opt-out” concept is widely used in the United States. The default
arrangement in this model indicates that you have consented to disclose your data with
the institution and that you should expressly specify that you never want your data
collected. Aside from some specific types of data, such as medical information, there
are no regulations banning the sharing of personal data. The “opt-in” paradigm must be
the standard in the European Union. Until an organization may disclose your data, you
must express your specific consent in this situation.

The Do Not Track project was developed to counteract this data sharing. As the
developers put it:

- Do Not Track is a technological and policy concept that would let option to switch
out of being tracked by websites they don't visit, such as analytics firms, targeted ads,
and social media platforms. Few of these third parties currently provide a viable opt -out
from tracking, and filtering solutions are neither user-friendly nor thorough. Do Not
Track, like the famous Do Not Call registry, gives customers a single, easy, and
permanent way to opt from out third-party online monitoring.

Summary

Governments, companies, and people alike have gained a broad range of new skills
and capacities as a result of fast advances in information technology during the last
several generations. These new powers necessitated careful consideration and the
development of new standards, rules, and laws. This section has looked at how new
information systems capacities have impacted intellectual property and privacy, as well
as how the legislative framework has altered to meet these issues.

Exercises

1. Offer an overview of how information technology has produced an ethical problem that
didn't really exist prior to the introduction of I.T.
2. Locate an illustration of an information systems code of ethics or acceptable usage
policy and emphasize five aspects that you believe are significant.
3. Conduct novel research on the fight against patent trolls. Create a two-page paper in
which you discuss the law.
4. Describe how NORA may be used to define a particular person.
5. What are the differences in intellectual property rights throughout the world? Choose
two nations and do research work before comparing the patent and copyright safeguards
provided in those nations to those provided in the United States. Describe the contrasts
in a two- or three-page paper.
6. Given the GDPR's May 25, 2018 deadline, include a report on the progress of non-
European companies' GDPR adherence.

Hands-on Activities

❖ Communicate directly with somebody who has developed a mobile app, produced
music, authored a book, or generated any other form of intellectual property. Inquire
about the time and effort it takes to create their work, as well as how they think about
someone being able to preserve it. Your conclusions should be summarized in a one -
or two-page document.
❖ On a favorite computer application, look up the intellectual property section of the End
User License Agreement (EULA). Describe what the EULA says regarding this work's
copyright.

➢ CURRENT TRENDS IN INFORMATION SYSTEM

Study Questions

1. Which nations have the highest Internet usage? What is social media?
Mobile?
2. In the previous five years, which country has had the most Internet growth
(in percent)?
3. How will the majority of people access the Internet in the future?
4. What are two different wearable technology applications?
5. What are two different collaborative technology applications?
6. What are the capabilities of printing technologies?
7. How will wireless technology and sensors help to make items "findable"?
8. What does it mean to have better situational awareness?
9. What is a nanobot, exactly?
10. What is an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)?

Since its inception in the 1950s, information systems had already progressed at
a breakneck speed. Today’s modern smartphones are much more sophisticated
than the computers that helped put a man on the moon in 1969. The Internet has
given you accessibility to the whole globe, permitting you to connect and collaborate
in ways you never could before. This chapter will look at present patterns and
predicts what will happen next. Consider how you may obtain a competitive edge in
the future by implementing some of these gadgets as you learn about technological
developments in this chapter.

Global
 The very first tendency to notice is globalization's continued spread. The usage of
the Internet, as well as the use of electronic media, is increasing all over the world. In
the industrialized world, penetration levels, or the percentage of people who uses the
Internet, are still high, but some countries are catching up.

Internet Users Worldwide

by Region (Source:
Internet World Stats)

In conjunction to
increased Internet
availability
internationally, the
number of mobile
phones being used
started to climb. At the
end of 2017, the
world's population of
individuals above the
age of ten (those old
enough just to
potentially possess a
mobile phone) was expected to be over 5.7 billion, with 4.77 billion smartphone users.
This corresponds to approximately 80% of the world's population.

Personal

Since the introduction of Web 2.0 and e-commerce, clients of information

systems have been expected to be able to customize their operations to suit thei r
preferences. Manufacturers of digital devices allow us to customize how we use
them, from personalized desktop backgrounds to unique ringtones on smart phones.
Netflix, for example, has recently begun to assist customers with customization by
offering viewing options. In the future, we will see devices that are perfectly tailored
to our individual interests based on data collected about us.
 Mary Meeker and Internet Trends

(Mary Meeker making her Internet

Trends presentation)

Such teachings are difficult to

keep up with because the prospect
is a changing objective.
Businesses that want to develop
new products and make
investments should do the same.
One example is Mary Meeker, a
former partner at the prestigious
venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins
Caufield & Byers who is now launching her own investing firm, Bond Capital. For
many years, Ms. Meeker has given the "Internet Trends" assessment at the Code
Conference in May. The program consists of quick data highlights that provide
insights into all of the most recent digital technology developments and their impact
on economics, cultures, and investment. There is no better way to stay current than
to dissect her annual speech by watching videos of it and studying the accompanying
slide deck. Here are some videos from her presentations over the years: 2018 2017.

By visiting the Bond Capital archive, you can see her past year's slide decks.

Mobile
The emergence of mobile technology has been probably the most significant shift in
digital technologies in the previous decade. The rise of mobile has been phenomenal,
starting with the modest telephone in the 1990s and progressing to todays modern
smartphones. Some significant markers of this tendency are as follows:

o Mobile vs. Desktop. The amount of minutes devoted on a mobile phone each day is
2.5 times that of a personal computer.
o Daytime vs. Evening. The daytime hours are dominated by desktop use, whereas
the nighttime hours are dominated by mobile devices, with peak usage about 8:00
pm.
o Device usage. Mobile phones are much more widely utilized than any other type of
technology. Laptops come in second, followed by tablets, which have a small
advantage over desktop computers.
o Smartphone sales decline. Global smartphone revenue decreased in the fourth quarter
of 2016, thus according Gartner Group. Since Gartner started monitoring smartphone
purchases in 2004, this is the first drop in worldwide market share.
o The rise and fall of tablets. In the first 12 months of 2012, the iPad previously sold

upwards of three times the number of iPhones. However, during the fourth quarters of
 2015 and 2016, tablet sales fell by 20%. Tablet sales were down 8.5 percent in the first
quarter of 2017, to their lowest level since the third quarter of 2012, when they were
initially launched. In 2017, PC sales fell 1.7 percent, while tablet revenue dropped 10%.

The introduction of 5G connectivity technologies will hasten the transition to a “always -

connected” condition for the overwhelming majority of persons on the planet.

Wearable

The typical phone user

checks his or her phone 150
times each day for features
including texting (23 times),
telephone conversations (22
times), music streaming (13
times), and social networking
(13 times) (9). Many of these
duties would be much best
placed if the technologies
could be carried on our
bodies or perhaps physically
incorporated into them. A
"wearable" is the term for
these technologies.

With technology like hearing devices and, subsequently, Bluetooth earpieces, gadgets have
been available for some time. The Smartwatch, body cams, fitness tracker, and different fitness
monitors are now part of the product range. The Gartner Group's table below shows both historical
and anticipated earnings.

- Wearable Devices Worldwide (millions of units)

- Wearable Devices Actual and Forecast (Source: Gartner
Group, August 2017)

Take note of the high growth forecast for 2021.

Between 2018 and 2021, the total number of wearable
devices is expected to grow by roughly 45 percent.

Collaborative
 It'll be easier than ever before to exchange data for collective gain as more and more
consumers utilize smartphones and smartwatches. Some of this cooperation can be
done invisibly, such as notifying your position so that traffic metrics can be updated.
Other information, including such your restaurant ratings on a review site, can be
provided voluntarily. (Waze Screen Shot)

Waze is a community-based smartphone software that maintains record of your

transit route and speed. You may profit from the data supplied by all of the other app
users in exchange for giving your information. Based on actual information from
other consumers, Waze guides you avoid traffic and catastrophes.

Yelp! encourages customers to submit online reviews of nearby companies to a

database, which it then makes available to customers through its website and mobile
app. Yelp! seems to have become a significant source of revenue for many
businesses by gathering evaluations of restaurants, shopping malls, and activities
and then enabling users to browse via its directory. In contrast to data acquired
passively, Yelp! relies on its users to offer honest customer reviews.

Printable
The 3-D printer is among the most remarkable new inventions in recent years. A 3 -
D printer permits you to create almost any 3-D item based on a computer-generated
model of the thing. 3-D printers operate by building the model layer by layer with pliable
elements like glass, alloys, and even wax. 3-D printing is very beneficial for developing
product concepts to see if they are feasible and marketable. Functioning prosthetic legs
and an ear which can hear far beyond spectrum of human hearing have also been
created using 3-D printers. On airplanes like the F-18, the US military increasingly
employs 3-D printed components.

Here are some more incredible 3D printing creations.

▪ Buildings. In 2017, MIT researchers presented the 3D printing robots capable of creating a structure. It has
two arms, one of which is big and one of which is little. The big arm travels from around building's border,
while the tiny arm sprinkles cement and insulator. A skyscraper structure takes only 14 hours to erect in full.

▪ Musical Instruments. 3D printing is being used to make flutes, tinkers, and electric guitars out of both plastic
and metal. You may see an example of how to make a violin by clicking here.

▪ Medical Models. In the fields of orthopedics, transplantation, and cancer, healthcare simulations are
being utilized to assist clinicians in their training. Surgeons were able to rescue a patient from an
intracranial aneurysms by using a 3-d - printed brains similar simulation to the one seen here.

▪ Clothing. Wouldn't it be nice to have clothing that blend seamlessly? After using special technique to
monitor a person, 3D printing is utilized to create clothing that is tailored to their specific proportion
The end result is well-fitting clothing that uses fewer resources. The initial problem
was to locate non-breakable materials. More information about 3D printing of
clothing and shoes may be found here.

The "maker" revolution embraces a variety of techniques, including 3d printe rs. The
editor of Wired magazine, Chris Anderson, explains it this way:

In a summary, the word "Maker" belongs to a particular breed of builders who are
bringing production out of the workplace and into the domain of the home computer by
employing open-source methodologies and cutting-edge technology. Until previously,
the capacity to manufacture was only available to factory owners. Over the last 5 years,
we've successfully used the Web's democratizing potential to manufacturing. You may
now produce with the touch of a button.

Findable

The “Internet of Things” (IoT) refers to

technologies that are integrated into a variety
of objects, such as appliances, lights,
automobiles, led lights, toys, thermometers,
gas turbines, and so on, and then connected
to the Internet via Wi-Fi, LTE, or Bluetooth.

The Internet of Things is driven primarily

by three factors: low-cost CPUs, wireless
connectivity, and IPv6, a revolutionary
Internet address protocol. As a result, these tiny, embedded devices (things) can now
transmit and receive data. Lights can be turned on and off remotely. If they are present,
anyone can reset the thermostat. Your insurance provider, on the other hand, may be
able to monitor and assess how you drive your vehicle.

In recent years, processors have shrunk in size and cost, allowing them to be
integrated into more devices. Consider how far technology has advanced in your
automobiles. Nowadays, your car can track how fast and efficiently you drive, where you
go, what radio stations you listen to, and how you drive, including braking power.
Insurance companies will give you a discount if you allow them to track your driving
habits. Consider the convenience of being notified quickly of impending traffic delays
whenever you change your morning commute route.

Expect IoT to be devices that were not previously thought to be done online. Human
interference has no effect on the link. So, while a computer is not an IoT, a fitness
wristband could be. When considering the Internet of Things, one term that comes to
mind is "independent," as in not directly or on a regular basis replacing human activity.
 Some other phrase to remember is "interconnected," which refers to how IoTs are
linked to other IoTs as well as data collecting sites and computers. This data sharing or
interconnection is nearly automated.

IoTs are also referred to as "ubiquitous." "Embeddedness" is also frowned upon. It's
reasonable to assume that devices connected to the Internet of Things (IoTs) are
sending data about situations and events that aren't on our radar, at least not on a
regular basis. IoTs are being used to monitor traffic, air quality, moisture levels, bridge
situations, consumer devices, self-driving cars, and so on. "How many IoTs are there
now?" may be the first question that comes to mind.

Gartner Group published research in January 2017 attempting to pinpoint where

IoTs can be found. According to them, more than half of all IoTs are deployed in
consumer products. They also stated that IoT development increased by more than 30%
between 2016 and 2017 projections.

The advantages of IoTs may be found almost everywhere. Here's a brief rundown.

1. Optimization of Processes. Temperatures, moisture, and air temperature are all

variables that necessitate adjustments in the administration of manufacturing
procedures, and IoTs in manufacture monitor these parameters.
2. Component Monitoring. In the production process, IoTs are attached to products and
then evaluated to see how they work.
3. Home Security Systems. The issue of monitoring activities inside and outside your
house is now simplified thanks to the Internet of Things.
4. Smart Thermostats. The usage of IoTs to regulate house thermostats helps
homeowners to be more economical with their utility consumption.
5. Residential Lighting. IoTs allow for distant lighting management, both indoors and out,
at any times of day.
6. Security concerns must be addressed and handled, ideally before to the installation of
IoTs such as remote lighting, thermometers, and security systems in a home. Here are
a few potential problems to keep an eye on.
7. Eavesdropping. Smart speaker technologies in homes have been hijacked,
permitting outsiders to listen in on private talks.
8. Internet-connected Smart Watches. These gadgets are occasionally used to track the
whereabouts of family members' children. Regrettably, attackers have indeed been able
to get in and eavesdrop on youngsters as well as determine where they are.
9. Lax Use by Owners. Smart thermostats, safety systems, and other gadgets come with
a predefined password. Many users refuse to change their passwords, providing a
hacker easy accessibility.
 Autonomous

Another emerging trend is self-contained machines and automobiles, which are

a result of the Internet of Things. Machines that can manage themselves to complete
specific tasks are being developed by combining software, electronics, and location
technology. These include medical nanotechnology robotics (nanobots), self-driving
automobiles, and autonomous aerial vehicles (UAVs).

A nanobot is an automaton made up of billionth-of-a-meter-sized elements.

Although it is a new field, it has the potential to have medicinal applications. A group
of nanobots, for example, could be implanted in a person's body to fight cancer or a
specific condition.

In March 2012, Google released a video on YouTube depicting a blind man

driving a car around the San Francisco area, introducing the world to their self-driving
car. The vehicle incorporates a number of technologies, including a $150,000 laser
radar. Despite the fact that the automobile is not yet economically viable, three US
states (Nevada, Florida, and California) have passed legislation making self -driving
cars legal.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), also known as a "drone," is a small plane or

helicopter that can fly without the assistance of a pilot. Instead of a pilot, they are
either piloted by a human through a control panel or run autonomously by the
vehicle's electronics. While the majority of drones are used for military or civic
purposes, the market for personal drones is growing. A customer can purchase a
personal drone for around $300.

Secure
As new platforms advance at a breakneck pace, so does the need for greater
security. Any use of cryptography is among the most essential security advancements.

Summary
As the world of knowledge technology progresses, we will be confronted with
innovative features and breakthroughs that will both fascinate and disappoint us. As we
saw in this session, the new skills and capabilities that come with this new technology
will frequently put us to the test and require us to learn new things. Both businesses and
individuals must be aware of and prepared for these upcoming changes.
 Exercises

1. If you were starting a new technology company, which of the developing trends
would you consider the most promising? To determine the market size, conduct
some unique research.
2. What privacy problems may collaborative systems like Waze raise?
3. Conduct study on the first pistol created with a 3-D printer and report on some of the
issues that have been highlighted.
4. Provide an example of how IoT may help a company gain a competitive edge.
5. How do you believe wearable technology can help to enhance overall healthcare?
6. What difficulties do you envision with an increase in the number of self-driving cars?
Conduct independent research and produce a two-page report describing where
autonomous vehicles are legal and potential issues.

After such topic, a link to the weekly evaluation will be given.

Hands-on Activities

• Look for Mary Meeker's most recent discussion on "Internet Trends" (if you cannot find
it, the video from 2018 is available at Mary Meeker). Write a one-page report outlining,
in your perspective, the top three developments.

• Choose a commercial enterprise that interests you, then pick one or more of the
technologies covered in this course, and write a one- or two-page paper explaining
how you may use that technology to achieve a competitive edge.
 SUGGESTED LEARNING RESOURCES:

Digital Commons @ Biola | Biola University Research

Home - Information Systems for Business and Beyond (opentextbook.site)
"Information Systems for Business and Beyond" by David T. Bourgeois, James L. Smith et al.
(biola.edu)
https://digitalcommons.biola.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=open-textbooks

Suggested Online Learnings/References:

ALL videos are credited to COURSERA Platform, authored/taught by Kenneth W T

Leung,
Assistant Professor of Engineering Education
Computer Science and Engineering by The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
LINK FOR FREE TRAINING- BUILDING A FULL WEBSITE AROUND A BLOG
USING WORDPRESS:
https://www.coursera.org/projects/build-a-full-website-using
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