Hardware, Software and Networks

Paper Summary:

The technological element of an information system consists of hardware, software and networks. The objective of this paper is to present basic conceptual information relating to each of these three areas. However, in order to fully appreciate the current status of computers, this paper will begin with a brief historical perspective and then follow through to explain how the three areas function.

From the paper:

"The history of computing is interesting and gives a sense of how rapidly technology has developed, especially during the last sixty years. Frequently, the dramatic advancements and impact to society have not been anticipated. For instance, in 1943, the chairman of IBM, Thomas Watson, commented, "I think there is world market for maybe five computers." Thirteen years later, the editor in charge of business books for Prentice Hall noted, "I have traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won't last out the year." In 1968, an engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM asked of the microchip, "But what is it good for?" Then, only 25 years ago, in 1977, Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp. stated, "There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." Finally, in 1981, founder and chairman of Microsoft, Bill Gates, felt, "640k ought to be enough for anybody." Clearly, no one could have imagined the affect computers have had on almost all aspects of humankind."

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