E-Commerce

Business to Business

• commerce transactions between businesses, such as between a manufacturer and a wholesaler, or between a wholesaler and a retailer.

Business to Consumer

• Form of e-commerce in which customers deal directly with an organization and avoid intermediaries.

Consumer to Consumer

• electronic commerce involves the electronically facilitated transactions between consumers through some third party.

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-commerce
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_to_business
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer-to-consumer

Difference between Ram and Rom

RAM (Random Access Memory)

• Type of memory that can be accessed non-sequentially 
• Used to hold the temporary data that is created and used by the program.
• The more RAM a computer has, the more processing a CPU can do without accessing the hard disk, making the computer much faster. 
• The data stored on RAM is erased once the program finishes its task, or when the power to computer is cut.
• Volatile memory type, which means that it loses its content once power is removed. 
• Faster than ROM
• RAM can be written, read and overwritten again and again.

ROM (Read Only Memory)

• Used to store the code for programs that run in the processor. 
• Non volatile
• Permanent memory chip that can be read by a machine, but not written on. 
• The data stored on ROM is still there whether the computer has power or not. 
• Only written once and thereafter can only be read. 
• The most common type of programmable ROM (PROM) chip in a computer is the BIOS.

Major Difference 

1. A ROM chip does not require a constant source of power to retain the information stored on it, whereas a RAM chip does require a constant power source to retain the information. 
2. When computer is turned on, and programs are being run, the programs information is stored in the RAM chip for better efficiency and speed. 
3. However, as soon as the computer is turned off any information stored in the RAM chip is lost. With a ROM chip, any information stored on the chip remains on it with or without power.
4. ROM chips are commonly used in gaming system cartridges, like the original Nintendo, Gameboy, Sega Genesis and a number of others.  
5. ROM chips can also be found in computers, to store the programming needed to begin the initial boot up process when turning on the computer.

Source:-

• http://www.computerhope.com/
• http://www.differencebetween.net/
• http://www.webopedia.com/

Telecommunication

•Telecommunications:
–Electronic transmission of signals for communications
•Telecommunications medium:
–Any material substance that carries an electronic signal to support communications between a sending and receiving device

Transmission Media Types

•3G wireless communications:
–Supports wireless voice and broadband speed data communications in a mobile environment
•4G wireless communications:
–4G will also provide increased data transmission rates in the 20–40 Mbps range
•Worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX)
–Operates like Wi-Fi, only over greater distances and at faster transmission speeds


•Smartphones:
–Combine the functionality of a mobile phone, camera, Web browser, e-mail tool, MP3 player, and other devices
–Have their own software operating systems
–Applications are developed by:
•The manufacturers of the handheld device
•The operators of the communications network on which they operate
•Third-party software developers


Systems Essentials, Sixth EditionNetwork Types
•Personal area networks:
–Support interconnection of information technology within a range of about 33 feet
•Local area networks:
–Connect computer systems and devices within a small area (e.g., office or home)
•Metropolitan area networks:
–Connect users and their devices in a geographical area that spans a campus or city
•Wide area networks:
–Connect large geographic regions

Top level domain affiliation

DBMS

DBMS:
–Group of programs used as an interface between a database and its users and other application programs
–Basic functions:
•Providing user views
•Creating and modifying the database
•Storing and retrieving data
•Manipulating data and generating reports



•Important characteristics of databases to consider:
–Database size
–Database cost
–Concurrent users
–Performance
–Integration
–Vendor


•Data warehouses:
–Relational database management systems specifically designed to support management decision making
•Data mining:
–Automated discovery of patterns and relationships in a data warehouse
•Business intelligence:
–Process of getting enough of the right information in a timely manner and usable form

Software

•Computer programs:

–Sequences of instructions for the computer

•Documentation:

–Describes program functions to help the user operate the computer system

•Types of software:

–Systems software

–Application software

Operating Systems

•Set of programs that controls computer hardware and acts as an interface with application programs

•Can control one computer or multiple computers, or

•Can allow multiple users to interact with one computer

•Combinations of OSs, computers, and users:

–Single computer with a single user

–Single computer with multiple users

–Multiple computers with multiple users

–Special-purpose computers

•Activities performed by the operating system:
–Perform common computer hardware functions
–Provide a user interface and input/output management
–Provide a degree of hardware independence
–Manage system memory
–Manage processing tasks
–Provide networking capability
–Control access to system resources
–Manage files


•Common hardware functions:
–Get input from keyboard or another input device
–Retrieve data from disks
–Store data on disks
–Display information on a monitor or printer


•Microsoft PC operating systems:

–Windows XP
–Windows Vista
–Windows 7
•Apple computer operating systems:

–Wintel
–Snow Leopard (OS X v10.6)
•Linux:

–Red Hat Linux
–Caldera OpenLinux


Application Software
•Application programs:
–Interact with systems software
–Help you perform common tasks, such as:
•Creating and formatting text documents
•Performing calculations
•Managing information





•Software as a service (SaaS):
–Allows businesses to subscribe to Web-delivered business application software by paying a monthly service charge or a per-use fee
–Can reduce expenses by sharing its running applications among many businesses
•Cloud computing:
–Use of computing resources on the Internet (the cloud) rather than on local computers


Enterprise Application Software
•Software that benefits an entire organization
•Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software:
–Set of integrated programs that manage a company’s vital business operations for an entire multisite, global organization


•Software bug:

–Defect in a program that keeps it from performing as it should
•Some tips for reducing impact of software bugs:
–Register all software
–Check read-me files for workarounds
–Access support area of the manufacturer’s Web site for patches
–Install latest software updates


Copyrights and Licenses
•Most software products are protected by law using copyright or licensing provisions:
–In some cases, you are given unlimited use of software on one or two computers
–In other cases, you pay for your usage:
•If you use the software more, you pay more
•Some software now requires that you register or activate it before it can be fully used

Hardware and Software

•Organizations invest in computer hardware to:
–Improve worker productivity
–Increase revenue, reduce costs
–Provide better customer service


Hardware Components
•Central processing unit (CPU):

–Arithmetic/logic unit, the control unit, and the register areas

•Arithmetic/logic unit (ALU):
–Performs mathematical calculations and makes logical comparisons
•Control unit:
–Sequentially accesses program instructions, decodes them, and coordinates the flow of data in and out of the ALU, registers, primary storage, and even secondary storage and various output devices


Secondary Storage Devices
•Magnetic tapes:

–Primarily for storing backups of critical organizational data

•Magnetic disks:
–Direct-access storage device
•Redundant array of independent/inexpensive disks (RAID):
–Method of storing data that generates extra bits of data from existing data
•Virtual tape:
–Storage technology for less frequently needed data

•Storage area network:
–Uses computer servers, distributed storage devices, and networks to tie everything together
•Optical discs:
–Common form of optical disc on which data cannot be modified once it has been recorded
•Digital video disc (DVD):
–Storage medium used to store software, video games, and movies


•Devices used to input general types of data:
–Personal computer input devices
–Speech recognition technology
–Digital cameras
–Touch-sensitive screens
–Optical data readers
–Magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) devices
–Pen input devices
–Magnetic stripe card
–Radio Frequency Identification

Output Devices

•Display monitors:
–Used to display the output from the computer
–Plasma display:
•Uses thousands of smart cells (pixels) consisting of electrodes and neon and xenon gases that are electrically turned into plasma to emit light
–LCD displays:
•Flat displays that use liquid crystals
–Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs):
•Use a layer of organic material sandwiched between two conductors

•Printers and plotters:
–Two main types of printers are laser printers and inkjet printers
–Plotters are a type of hard-copy output device used for general design work
•Digital audio player:
–Can store, organize, and play digital music files
•E-books:
–Digital media equivalent of a conventional printed book

Portable Computers

•Netbook computer:
–The smallest, lightest, least expensive member of the laptop computer family
•Tablet computers:
–Portable, lightweight computers with no keyboard
•Smartphone:
–Combines the functionality of a mobile phone, camera, Web browser, e-mail tool, MP3 player, and other devices


Nonportable Single-User Computers
•Thin client:
–Low-cost, centrally managed computer with no extra drives
•Desktop computers:
–Single-user computer systems that are highly versatile

•Nettop computer:
–Inexpensive desktop computer designed to be smaller, lighter, and consume much less power than a traditional desktop computer
•Workstations:
–More powerful than personal computers but still small enough to fit on a desktop


Multiple-User Computer Systems
•Server:
–Used by many users to perform a specific task, such as running network or Internet applications
•Blade server:
–Houses many computer motherboards
–The approach requires much less physical space than traditional server farms

•Mainframe computer:
–Large, powerful computer shared by hundreds of concurrent users connected to the machine over a network
•Supercomputers:
–The most powerful computers with the fastest processing speed and highest performance