Chapter 5

Processing the Information: Computer Hardware

Chapter 5 offers a review of computer hardware. A basic computer literacy is provided along with an explanation of the role of hardware in information systems and its role in emerging technologies and trends in hardware development.

[ Update | Exercises | IT@Work ]

Update

Moore’s Law

Gordon Moore is the current Chairman and co-founder of Intel Corporation. About thirty years ago, he made a prediction about the development of microprocessors that has proven remarkably accurate. His prediction has come to be known as "Moore's Law." Simply put, Moore's Law states: The number of transistors on a silicon chip doubles every 18 months.

Of course, the implications of Moore's Law go far beyond the engineering implications of chip densities. What Moore really predicted was the phenomenal increase in the processing power of microcomputer technologies. Check out Intel's explanation in What is Moore's Law?

Recently, Gordon Moore has coined another law. Moore’s Second Law goes something like this: The cost of building chip fabrication plants will continue to increase (and the return on investment to decrease) until it becomes fiscally untenable to build new plants. The question is: will Gordon Moore be right the second time around?

Intel has been in the business press quite a bit lately. Check out a couple of recent articles:

Back to Top

Exercises

  1. Enter the Web site of Silicon Graphics. Find out what they are doing with their Cray Supercomputer. Why, in your opinion, has a multimedia company acquired a Cray?
  2. Enter Intel’s Web site. Investigate their most recent and upcoming products.
  3. Smart cards play an increasing role in the Internet. Find out, by surfing the Internet, at least three such major Internet related roles. Find a newsgroup and post some inquiries related to the roles of smart cards on the Internet. Prepare a report.
  4. Surf the Internet to find the latest in secondary storage. Prepare a report.

Back to Top

IT@Work

Aetna

Fannie Mae

 

Back to Top

[ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 ]

[ Welcome | Contents | Glossary | About ITM]

[ Wiley College | Contact Wiley ]

Copyright © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.