Business Education: Basics of Computers and Information Systems

Basic Computer Parts
The system unit is where the main computing parts are located. It is often shaped as a tower and contains the central processing unit, which processes the information; and the random access memory, which temporarily houses information. It will typically contain drives such as a
CD/DVD drive, a floppy disk drive, and a hard disk drive. Cables connect the other components to the main unit. A mouse allows the user to point to and select items. Some people use a track ball instead. A keyboard allows users to input information like letters, numbers, and characters. It has function keys, a numeric keyboard, and navigation keys. Users control the computer with its many functions. A monitor displays information in text and graphic form. A printer allows users to print documents as well as information from the screen.
Speakers allow users to hear music, dialogue, and other sounds. A modem gives the user access to the internet.

Networks and Networking
Many businesses possess computer networks that provide a wide variety of functions. A local area network (LAN) gives a group of nearby computers networking capability. For instance, they can share files, games, printers, and so forth. This can be inexpensive and easy to set up. They can be wired or wireless and can be connected to each other when networking needs grow. When it grows so large that it might go across cities or even countries, the company can make a wide area network (WAN) to connect their systems. The Internet itself is a WAN. The employees can usually go on the Internet from the network. A virtual private network (VPN) gives employees remote access to the network. The business can also have an intranet with internal web servers that let employees distribute confidential information to each other. This may include an internal email system as well as instant messaging and other forms of communication. To access this information, employees must be logged into the network. Many companies have a wide variety of computer systems.

Basic Troubleshooting of Computer Problems
Not every computer problem requires a call to the IT department. Users can do some simple troubleshooting on their own first. They should write down everything they do, as well as any error messages they receive, in case the problem needs to be escalated. The first thing to do is make sure all the cables and cords are properly connected. They should make sure the outlet or surge protector has power and that the monitor and speakers are on. A simple closing and reopening of a program or restarting the computer in general is often enough to fix the problem. The company may have a source where they list updates and/or identified issues. If the computer or program is frozen, users should press Control/Alt/Delete (Option/Command/Esc on a Mac) to access the task manager where they can select and end the task that is giving them problems. A "non-system disk or disk error" message may mean the user needs to remove a CD, flash drive, DVD, or floppy disk before booting up.
If the user can't get the computer to shut down, he can hold down the power button to do it. He can also run antivirus software to scan for problems.

Bits, URLs, Bytes, Browsers, USB Flash Drives, Bandwidth, and CD-ROM Drives
In computing, a bit signifies the basic unit of information. It is generally 0 or 1. When bits are combined in groups of eight they make a byte. A URL stands for uniform resource locator and is the web address of a website. This will bring users to their desired website. A browser is the program most people use to navigate the internet.
Internet Explorer and Google Chrome are two common web browsers. USB flash drives are small portable drives that can be used to store information such as Word files. They can be connected to the USB ports on desktop computers, laptops, and other devices. Bandwidth is the bit-rate of resources of data communication. It describes the speed of the network. A CD-ROM drive can access, read, and play CDs.

Laptop Computers
Laptops are used very often in business. They are produced from companies such as Dell, Toshiba, and Acer. They are very useful and allow a business professional to take all the features of his computer wherever he goes, including on business trips. Businessmen commonly use them for communication.
They will email people and also use them for video conferencing. They can use them for word processing such as writing business letters. They can use them to create and show presentations to clients, customers, or business partners. They can use them to store business information. Especially for someone who travels a lot, this can be very important. Smartphones can also do a lot, but they cannot compare to a full computer. Laptops provide this convenience for many in the business world.

PDAs
Personal digital assistants (PDAs) are like small computers, similar to smartphones without the phone capability. For the most part they have been replaced with smartphones. They provide a wealth of information and give the user connection to the internet. They typically contain a calendar, schedule, listing of contact information, notes program, and calculator. They made it easy for businessmen to carry information and access the internet before smartphone became widely available. They range greatly in features, brands, and price. Most also allow for a form of portable memory to carry information. Some people still use them.

Smartphones
Smartphones are very commonly used in business.
First, they allow people to make and receive phone calls while on the go, which is especially valuable for someone who is rarely at his or her desk.
Businessmen can also contact others through a wide variety of functions such as texting, email, and video calls. They can conduct videoconferencing while on the go. Smartphones also allow businessmen to access information online. They can show off their websites to clients, for instance. They can access social media where they can post things about the business. There are many apps that may be useful for businessmen. They can access the GPS while on a business trip, or check the weather when planning an outdoor event. They can use it to set reminders and alarms or manage their schedules. They can use it to carry presentations. There are many smartphones, including the popular iPhone series, and Android-based phones.

Hardware and Computer Peripherals Utilized in Business
Memory storage devices allow users to store data. These come in many different sizes and connect in different ways. Some companies may get an external hard drive to provide more space. Flash drives make it easy to share information between people or carry files on the go. There are a number of devices used to connect to the Internet. Modems allow this. Routers create networks that pass and direct data. Scanners create digital copies from physical ones. For instance, companies can scan in receipts to cut back on paper and have a secure digital file. Printers are used to print documents.
Other common peripherals include the keyboard, which is used to input data; the mouse, which allows people to select items; and the microphone and camera, which allow for video conferencing.

Computer Viruses
Computer viruses are programs that 'infect' computers and spread from one to another. They will interfere with the computer, sometimes allowing hackers to steal information or damaging the computer or its programs. They are often spread without the user realizing it in ways such as email attachments, instant messaging, or internet downloads. It is important for users to protect themselves against computer viruses. Programs like AVG and Norton Antivirus can scan and protect computers against viruses and should be updated regularly. It is important for users not to download files unless they are certain the source is secure. Some viruses will send out emails to a user's address book with the virus, so even if something is from a trusted source, it still might not be safe. Users should keep up to date on the most recent viruses and remove any as soon as they can.

Security Measures When Using Technology
With the prevalence of identity theft, scams, and online fraud, it is important for businesses to protect themselves when using technology. One measure is to use password protection. Access to sensitive information should be protected by passwords. These passwords should not be easy to crack and should never be shared. In some cases, there should be multiple passwords. Businesses also encrypt their information. This is where the messages are encoded or changed so they can only be read by the correct users. Even if someone intercepts the message, he or she will not be able to interpret it. Another strategy is the use of firewalls. These control the traffic in and out of a network. These can protect against threats online, blocking harmful programs and also blocking others from looking at sensitive data. Most businesses have a firewall to protect them. Businesses also use antivirus software to protect against viruses.

Software Often Utilized in Business
Word processing programs allow users to create, read, edit, and manipulate documents. Database management software allows companies to manage their databases. It both manages and analyzes data. There are a lot of specialized programs that allow users to forecast sales and get other data.
Spreadsheet software allows users to make spreadsheets and tables and calculate information. Excel is a popular one. Companies also use presentation programs to create, edit, and view presentations. There are a number of software programs related to communication. These allow for email as well as video conferencing and other forms of communication. Many companies have specific programs for accounting and operations. These can help a company manage its business more effectively. Within each of these categories are a wide range of software choices.

Word Processing Software
Word processing software allows users to create, read, edit, save, and format documents. These are often based in text, but may have images as well. They may have tables and other features. They are used very frequently in business for everything from business letters to resumes to company reports and more. The formatting options in the modern programs are vast and allow for great customization of documents. They also allow a lot of shortcuts to make it quick and easy to create a document as well as tools to make a quality document, such as a spelling and grammar checker. There are a number of word processing programs, and Microsoft Word (from Microsoft Office) is one of the most widely used. Other popular programs include WordPerfect (Corel Corporation), Writer (OpenOffice by Apache), and Pages (Apple Inc.).

Database Management Software
Decision support systems are popular. These computerized information systems help managers make decisions. They are interactive and take data, business models, and other information such as sales data to calculate valuable information. They might compare sales numbers, project revenue, or project the consequences of different moves, for instance.
A database management system (DBMS) is another system that lets users create, store, change, and view information from a database. They range greatly in size as well as technical specifications and may be organized in a relational, flat, network, or hierarchical manner, with relational being the most common. They preserve the data's integrity. Structured Query Language (SQL) is the standard interface.

Spreadsheet Software
Spreadsheet software allows users to create spreadsheets, making it easy to view information. These programs allow for calculations and manipulations of the data. For instance, a businessman can calculate payroll deductions or average sales results. Microsoft Excel is one of the most common spreadsheet software programs used today. It has columns (denoted by letters) and rows (denoted by numbers), and the current cell is called the Active Cell, which is denoted by the letter of the column and number of the row. It is useful to know the basic Excel formulas for calculations.
First, a user starts with the equal sign and then the formula. For instance, if he wanted the D4 cell to be the sum of C1 and C2, then he would put in the formula =C1+C2. Users can also make a similar formula with subtraction (-), multiplication (*) and division (/). They can put more than one of these in a formula. Also, to add a range of values, users can use the SUM function. For instance, SUM(B1:B3) adds the values of B1, B2, and B3.

Traditional Software
With traditional, or closed-source software, the software owners do not allow others to see or modify their code. This is the case with many of the large programs like Microsoft Office. Companies may prefer it because they do not want anyone changing or stealing their code.
Users might like knowing exactly what a program will contain when they get it and not worry about changes to the code. There are disadvantages for users, however. Users cannot go into the code to add or disable features. When the code is open-source, people can look through and fix bugs, but this is not possible with closed-source.

Open-Source Software
Open-source software is software that has the source code available to people for viewing, modification, and enhancement.
Individuals can go in to the source code and take out things they do not like or add code to create additional features. It is advantageous because people can make improvements or disable parts of the code they do not wish to utilize.
People can also spot errors in the code. They can adapt it for their own needs and then pass it on, so others can take advantage of the new features and altered programming. It also helps teach individuals how to program and understand code. Many companies choose not to do open-source code because they do not wish others to change their programs.

Common Computer Operations Utilized in Business
One very useful computer operation is file management.
Companies typically have a lot of files, and they need to be able to manage, sort, store, and access them efficiently. For instance, an insurance company will have a wide range of files for its different clients. There are many file management programs that allow companies to easily manage their files. Network operations involve the management and maintenance of a telecommunications network. Computers allow users to communicate with each other in various ways such as email. Companies also use computers for data backup. They can send information offsite so that even if something catastrophic happens to the first source of data, the data will remain secure in another location. There are also specific shutdown procedures that make everything easy and logical. It is important to close all programs and then use the Shut Down button located on the Start menu.

Techniques to Input Data on Computers
There are many special function keys and shortcuts that allow users to perform a myriad of functions on the computer. The Tab key moves the cursor to the following tab stop. The Insert key changes the inputting between the overtype mode, in which it overtypes existing text; and insert mode, in which the existing characters are forced one forward to make room for the new character. The Home key moves the cursor to the start of the line or to the start of the document if the text cannot be edited. There are a number of key combinations that make it easy to perform tasks. Many of these use the Control (Ctrl) key (or the Command key on a Mac), which is combined with another key to perform a function. Some of the popular ones are Copy (Ctrl and C), Undo (Ctrl and Z), Cut (Ctrl and X), Paste (Ctrl and V), Select all (Ctrl and A), New browser window (Ctrl and N), Terminate application or restart computer (Ctrl and Alt and Delete), Find (Ctrl and F), and Save document (Ctrl and S). Users can also access special features on the computer such as the spell checker through the Review tab, Proofing group, and Spelling & Grammar option.

Find and Replace Functions on Computers
The Find and Replace functions allow a user to find one or more characters in a document and then (if the user chooses) replace it with a different characters or characters. The user can go through the document to view every time the characters appear, or just replace them all. To access it, users can either click on the Find icon (the word or magnifying glass) or press down Control (Ctrl) and the letter F. The user will then type in the characters to be searched for and can choose options such as matching case and whole words only. They can click on Find or Enter. They can then go to Replace (which might show up right away or be in its own tab, depending on the computer program) and type what is to replace the item. The user can specify whether to replace one or all of them at the same time.

Techniques to Format Documents
There are many options to format a document in popular word processing programs such as Microsoft Word. A user can change the font style and size in the drop-down box in the Home tab. He or she can go to the paragraph option to justify text, change line spacing and change indentation.
He can click the appropriate icon to create a numbered or bulleted list. The page layout page has a number of options. In the page setup section, a person can click on the columns tab to make columns. He can change the margins and orientation from the tabs of the same name. In the page background section, he can add a watermark or change page colors or page borders. When he clicks on the icon, he will be taken to an easy-to-understand menu that provides options such as type and thickness of border. The Insert tab allows users to insert a variety of elements such as tables, pictures, and clip art. They can insert a page break, blank page, or cover page in the pages section. There is also a header and footer section where these can be inserted and formatted.

Making, Formatting, and Modifying Tables on Computers
It is simple to make, format, and modify a table in Microsoft Word. Users should go to the Insert tab and click on the Table icon, where they can specify the size of the table. It has some built-in templates for tables such as a calendar, a matrix, and a tabular list. Users can also draw a table to customize it to their exact specifications by using the Draw Table option. Once the table is created, the user can go to the table tools design tab to specify things like banded rows, banded columns, table style, shading, and borders. Users can type in the tables. They can go to the layout section under table tools to make further formatting changes such as changing cell margins and text direction, managing properties of tables, inserting rows and columns, specifying height and width, and more. It is very flexible and allows users to modify the text and format to whatever they want.