Chp01 A Guide to Computer User Supportfor Help Desk and Support Specialists.pptVIP

A Guide toComputer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists Third Edition Course Technology, ? 2004 Chapter 1 Introduction to End-User Computing Learning Objectives How historical changes in computer technology have affected computer use Ways to classify end users Computing resources end users need The major types of end-user applications software Common problems end users may encounter Historical Changes inComputer Use End-user computing is the everyday use of computers for business and personal use Goal is to increase the productivity of employees, managers, students and home users When computers were first introduced in organizations, most workers used them indirectly, rather than directly The 1950s and 1960s:Early Mainframe Computers A mainframe is a large, powerful computer system used by an organization to process high volumes of transactions, store large databases, and serve as the hub of a corporate network Operated by the Data Processing (DP) department Mainframe features Uses: Transaction processing Real-time processing Batch processing Management information systems (MIS) Located at a central site in the organization Programmed and operated by computer professionals Used primarily to automate transactions and to prepare management reports The 1970s: First Steps Toward Decentralized Computing Use of a terminal (keyboard plus display screen) to connect to mainframe systems permitted clerical workers to enter and access information in a mainframe system Growth in use of minicomputers (midsize between microcomputer and mainframe) The 1980s and 1990s: Growth in Decentralized Computing Applications development backlog Increase in number of knowledge workers Availability of inexpensive microcomputers Availability of inexpensive productivity software Development of user-friendly graphical user interfaces (GUIs) Late 1990s and 2000s: Distributed Network Computing Distributed computing is a way to organize computer equipment and r