Final Exam MIS 202 Study Guide
R. D. Piccard

Examination Outline

The Final Examination will be structured like the Midterm, with multiple-choice, short-essay, and matching sections. It will be somewhat longer, having more material to cover and with a longer working time (120 minutes, compared to 110 minutes for the Midterm). Given our experience with the Midterm, I am confident that you will have plenty of time to think and plenty of time to write.

---

Links to Introductory and Followup Pages

Bear in mind that these Web pages are not intended to constitute a balanced presentation on the topic. Rather, they are intended to fill in gaps that I expected (the introductions) or observed (the supplements) in the materials that you found and presented.

1. PC Introduction

   PC Supplement

   
   

2. Networking Introduction

   Networking Supplement

   
   

3. Business Systems Introduction

   Business Systems Supplement

   
   

4. Reengineering Introduction

   Reengineering Supplement

---

Topics

The topics listed here are not necessarily a complete list.

Personal Computer Technology

• Personal computer hardware
• System Performance
• Personal computer operating systems
• Personal computer application software
• User support
• Computer purchase process




Telecommunications and Networking

• Local Area Network hardware
• Network (server and client) operating system software
• Wide Area Networks
• The Internet
• Intranets
• Electronic Data Interchange
• Year 2000
• Telecommuting
• Groupware




Business Information Systems

• Data-based Applications
• Database Management Systems
• Data Warehouses
• Transaction Processing Systems




Business Process Reengineering

• Task-oriented organizations
• Process-oriented organizations
• Information Technology role in task-oriented organizations
• Information Technology role in process-oriented organizations
• Information Technology role in changing from task- to process-orientation
• Workers roles in process-oriented organizations
• Managers roles in process-oriented organizations

---

Terms and Acronyms

• ACL
• application server
• batch
• BPR
• bridge
• browser
• bus network
• CGI
• CISC
• coax
• critical path
• crosstalk
• data warehouse
• DMA
• ECC
• EDI
• ethernet
• fault-tolerant
• fiber
• file server
• FTP
• heirarchical database
• horizontal
• interrupt-driven
• JAVA
• LocalTalk
• millisecond
• modem
• nanosecond
• NIC
• parallel port
• parallel (process design)
• parity
• polling
• print server
• protections
• real-time
• relational database
• ring network
• RISC
• router
• serial port
• server (machine)
• server (software)
• SMP
• source capture
• SVGA
• telnet
• TPS
• TQM
• translator
• twisted-pair
• vertical
• VGA

---

Definitions and Concepts

• A closed network, in which the connection runs from one machine to the next, and on to the next, and eventually from the last back to the first.
• A computer network server system designed to transfer programs from one computer to another for execution.
• A computer system designed to have no single points of failure, so that it can provide service even if any one part of it fails.
• A CPU design that provides machine language instructions for almost any task.
• A CPU design that provides a limited set of machine language instructions, but executes each of them very suddenly.
• A device connected between a computer's serial port and a telephone line to permit the exchange of data with a distant system.
• A device connected between a computer's internal bus and an external network.
• A display system providing 640 pixels horizontally by 480 pixels vertically.
• A display system providing at least 800 pixels horizontally by 600 vertically.
• A high-speed network connection that may use coaxial cable or twisted-pair wires to transmit information at a rate of up to 10,000,000 bits/sec.
• A medium-speed network connection that is used to connect Macintosh computers to each other and to printers, at a speed of up to 270,000 bits/sec.
• A physical connection for transferring data between a computer and an attached device that involves a single wire carrying information in each direction.
• A physical connection for transferring data between a computer and an attached device that involves multiple wires carrying information in each direction.
• A physical device that connects separate network segments, transferring all data packets from each one onto the other.
• A physical device that connects separate network segments, transferring data packets only to the segment that includes the machine they are addressed to.
• A reasonable unit for measuring the delay time to retrieve information from a hard disk.
• A reasonable unit for measuring the delay time to retrieve information from RAM.
• A small database for a system resource (such as a disk file), describing who is allowed to do various things with or to it.
• An agreed method for communicating between two computer systems for the purpose of transferring files from one to the other.
• An agreed method for communicating between two computer systems for a user of the "local" system to establish an interactive user session on the "remote" system.
• An input/output processing method in which the CPU asks each peripheral device controller, in turn, whether any new data are ready for transfer.
• An input/output processing method in which the CPU does other things until the peripheral device controller signals that it needs attention.
• An open network in which the connection runs from one machine to the next, and on to the next, without connecting the first and last machines directly to each other.
• Automated procedures used for transactions between companies, instead of conventional paper-based forms.
• Business organization characterized by clear lines of authority and many layers of middle management.
• Business organization characterized by team-oriented work groups with few layers of middle management.
• Client software for accessing information provided by servers, especially web.
• Computer hardware designed to take advantage of the system CPU to transfer data between RAM and peripheral devices' controllers.
• Computer hardware designed to permit peripheral devices' controllers to transfer data directly to and from RAM without CPU intervention.
• Computer system designed for interactive query and ad hoc report generation.
• Computer system designed to provide interactive query and updating.
• Computer system organized for efficient use by people, completing tasks promptly as they are requested interactively.
• Computer system organized for maximum throughput, using jobs prepared in advance and submitted for completion as system resources permit.
• Continuous refinement of procedures and processes based on quantitative measures.
• Data connection that uses glass or plastic to guide infrared or visible light waves carrying the signal.
• Data entry that takes place as an organized activity with dedicated specialist staff.
• Data entry that occurs as a byproduct of other activities.
• In a business process, the sequence of steps whose failure would be most catastrophic.
• In a business process, the sequence of steps taking the longest time.
• Interference that can occur during electronic data transfers if the circuits are not properly shielded.
• One or a few bytes whose bits indicate whether or not certain categories of users are allowed to use a system resource.
• Organization of a business process so that multiple tasks are performed simultaneously.
• RAM systems designed with redundancy to detect multi-bit errors and to correct single-bit errors.
• RAM systems designed with one extra bit for each byte, to detect single-bit errors.
• Software organized to permit multiple paths connecting items.
• Software organized to provide a single, efficient path to each item.
• Software that converts information from a standard-format message for use with a proprietary system.
• The revision of business procedures and processes starting with a "clean slate."
• Wire for data transmission that uses two separately insulated conductors wrapped around a common axis.
• Wire for data transmission that uses a central conductor surrounded by a layer of insulation, an outer conductor, and a final layer of insulation.

Dick Piccard revised this file (http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~piccard/mis300/study.htm) on November 17, 1998.

Please E-Mail comments or suggestions to "piccard@ohio.edu".