Task 3
Hardware-Input Devices
Define Input
Any devices that feeds data into a computer. For example, a keyboard is an input device, whereas a display monitor is an output device. Input devices other than the keyboard are sometimes called alternate input devices. Mice, trackballs, and light pens are all alternate input devices.
Touch screen
A touch screen is a monitor screen that can detect and respond to something such as finder pressing on it. A touch screen is used by the Finance/Sales Department to sell tickets of activities to their customers. A touch screen is used to enter the data into the Torex Leisure Management System. The data entered could be several types; it could me the members detail, the activity that customer wants to attend and the ticket type. Furthermore, touch screen in sales department is colour co-ordinated which allows staff to recognise the ticket type that customers want. This helps staff easily to access to the information and also enter the data required easily. To some extent it also helps new employees to get used to the system easily where as the old system LAB (Leisure & Amenity Booking System) was much more complicated and hard to learn.
How does Touch Screen Support the work of the Department?
The touch screen meets the needs of the organisation and Sales/Finance Department as it is there to provide a fast and efficient service to the customers and touch screen is fulfilling that need as it allows the cashier in the tills to input data easily and gives confirmation. It also enables them to be used easily as it is colour co-ordinated which allows them to remember the colour and instantly choose the ticket which saves time instead.
How does Touch Screen meet the objectives of Guildford Leisure Centre?
Touch screen also enables the organisation to meet its objectives as it lets them provide customers with a quick service. Guildford Spectrum’s main objective is to reduce the number of people waiting for tickets therefore they brought touch screen, it now enables them to provide customers with tickets and everything is in its place. The data is entered safely and easily without much hassle with the use of pressing some buttons the data is automatically inputted into the system. It has reduced the number of people waiting for the tickets with the help of touch screen and enabled them to provide customers with an efficient service.
Keyboard
Keyboard is a device marked with letters o alphabet, numerical digits and various other keys. A Keyboard consists of many buttons which enters data into the system. In the ticketing/sales department it is used to modify important data which has been gathered from systems for instance TLMS Torex. Keyboard isn’t used at the tills as it not in any use. Keyboard is used by other staff in the Sales/Finance Department. Using keyboard they can modify data already in the system and access to the system easily. Furthermore, keyboard initial use in the Sales Department is to enter data for example; if the Sales Department is given information about a new member the Sales department now enters the information electronically for back up.
Keyboard meets its stated needs as it is required to enter different types of data; mainly it is used to enter a new member data. Keyboard is in a good use and meets the stated needs as it enables the Department to enter all sorts of data with the use of buttons. Keyboard also enables the department to modify data for example; it enables them to view the Torex System and make necessary changes which are done quickly using the keyboard.
Keyboard enables the organisation to meet its objectives as it provides them with all the functions needed to do a particular task. Company’s main objective is to maintain and improve profit; to meet the objective they use the keyboard to view the balance and see how much profit or loss the organisation made this lets the Managing Department make important decisions. Using keyboard they are able to change a ticket type or price of a ticket as only the Sales/Finance Department are allowed to change prices of the tickets and the Department uses keyboard to input the data.
Moreover, an alternative device for keyboard is the latest keyboard which inputs information much quicker than the old device. The latest Keyboards are much smaller compare to the one Guildford Leisure Spectrum uses so it takes less physical space.
On the other hand Guildford Spectrum Leisure Centre can also use a chorded keyboard; it is a computer input device that allows the used to enter characters or commands formed by pressing several keys together. The large number o combinations available from a small number o keys allows text or commands to be entered by one hand, leaving the other hand of the employee to do something else such as manipulating a mouse.
Mouse
A mouse is a computer input device connected to the computer. The mouse has a roller on its bottom designed to roll along the desktop beside the computer. When the mouse is moved the Cursor will move along the screen in the same direction in which the mouse is moved. A mouse normally includes two buttons with the use of left click a program of file opens and with the use of right click information about/relating the file or program opens. In Guildford Spectrum the sales department uses mouse to navigate through the Torex system files, information and folders. The mouse is used by the all the staff except cashiers in the tills as they use touch screen which doesn’t need a mouse. Mouse is used to navigate it enables the department to open and modify information in the ticketing system. For example using mouse the sales department are able to open the TLMS system and using the button they can make changes.
Mouse meets its needs as it allows the sales department to navigate which is the mouse function. Using mouse the department can also open files which are required by the manager to view the balance. The initial use of mouse is by the manager as he/she uses the mouse to open the Torex system to view the balance and pass further information to the managing department if decisions are to be made.
Mouse helps the organisation to achieve its objective as the sales department uses the mouse to open the TLMS system and view the information. The use of buttons also allows access to all the utilities of the system.
Task 4
Hardware-Output devices
Printer
A printer prints information using ink on the paper. In the Sales/Finance Department system printer is used to print out tickets to give to customers. Tickets are given as a prove to the customers that has been paid by the customer to use the facility. This helps the Sales/Finance department to identify those who has entered without paying and are misusing the facilities. Furthermore, the printer also prints out information to the customers for example if a customer asks for ticket prices they are able to print it out. They also use the printer to give receipt.
The Printer meets the stated needs as it allows the Ticketing system to print out the information and gives a prove to the customers that they have paid for a particular activity. Printer is also used to print other information for instance; the staff working in the system can use the printer to print Ticket prices that have been changed or other information. The Sales/Finance Department has a printer to print data but they also have a small printer to print tickets and receipt to the customers for proof.
In addition the alternative technology for the printer is the latest printers
The printer helps the organisation achieve its objectives, the organisation wants to improve profitability; using the printer the customer is printed out the receipt and is given a copy of the receipted, the organisation can track those who has paid and fine them this will enable the organisation to reduce the number of people using the facilities without paying and will improve profitability.
Touch Screen
The Touch Screen is used by Sales/Finance Department. A touch screen is both used to view and enter information. It has reduced the use of mouse and keyboard. In the Ticketing system the touch screen is used to view information and carry out tasks. Touch screen also allows the Sales/Finance Department to view information and make changes. Touch screen are used to view the Ticket types and booking; it is mainly used by the cashiers at the till as they need to view the information and give a ticket to the customers.
Finance Department uses the monitor which is similar to a Touch Screen but doesn’t have the feature of input data so the Monitor can only be an output device as the Finance Department uses to read reports from Torex, and Sales Department.
Touch screen meets the stated needs as it allows the Sales/Finance Department to view information and use the touch screen to carry out other tasks. Touch screen is a multi use as it views information and inputs data. Touch screen meets the need of viewing information in different colours. The touch screen has colour coded buttons which enables the cashiers to recognise the Ticket types and to easily and quickly serve a customer.
The touch screen helps the organisation achieve its objectives, the organisation wants multiple information view; using touch screen everything is in one place and enables the cashiers to serve customers quickly and efficiently. This meets the objective of reducing and shortening the number of people waiting for tickets. Furthermore, using touch screen the information is displayed clearly and in colour which enables the cashier to recognise the position of the ticket types and provide customers with good service.
Task 5
Processors
Processor is the same as CPU (Central Processing Unit) but it is a chip inside the CPU. It process information and data. In the Sales/Finance Department they use Intel Pentium 3 Processors. All the processors used within the organisation are the same to provide the capability for the computers on the Spectrum Network. The use of processor is to allow multiple tasks to be completed at one time and it processes information which is inputted by the user.
Processor meets the stated needs as they allow the system to process all the data and information quick and efficient. Processor is there to process the data that has been entered by the cashier. In the Ticketing system when a ticket is being sold it is entered in the system the processor then takes the information and adds it to the balance in the till. Furthermore, if other money or data is brought to the system it is processed before it is showed up on the system.
Processors help the organisation meet its objective in various ways. The processor allows the organisation to process the data quickly and efficiently and will take less time before it is viewed on the system. A processor also allows the Sales/Finance Department to carry out more than one task at a time. For example if a customer is buying a ticket and it is printing the next customer could be served as processor is fast enough to do its job. It can also sell multiple tickets at one time which are done quicker and efficiently. This helps them to meet their company objective of providing customers with fast and efficient service. It can also make composite ticketing orders which are similar to multiple tickets but if more than one person wants tickets and are family or friends they can be given tickets as a whole is a lot quicker and meets the objectives of the organisation as the customers are served quickly and efficiently.
The alternative Processor for the Guildford Spectrum Leisure Centre and for Sales/Finance Department is that Intel’s processor system uses different brands. The latest Processor in the Market right now is 4 GHz which is three times faster than what Guildford Leisure Spectrum uses.
Task 6
Ports and Cables
A Port is a connection through which data is sent and received. In the Ticketing System several ports are used. There is an Ethernet cable which is connected to the CPU of the cashiers or other staff in the Sales/Finance Department. All the computers are connected to this network making it easier for the staff at Guildford Spectrum to share data. Another serial port is used to connect the printer. This is called the Serial Port which is connected to the cashier’s computers as they are provided with printers. Furthermore, a data cable connected to a USB port links the touch screen that is use to display the Ticket information and Torex. Another Ethernet cable is used to connect every CPU, printer and the Torex Ticketing system to the network server.
The Sales/Finance Department uses various technologies to help them meet the objective of the company:
The Sales/Finance Department uses a USB (Universal Serial Bus) to transmit data and comes in standard, audio adapter, the USB have a high speed o 2.0 which shows how quick it process data.
Mini USB is used by the Finance Department as it Transmits data and has one small square tip. For Example: A Digital camera to a printer.
Ports and Cables meets the company stated needs and objective as from before the hardware is very power full as they have replaced the old ports and cables. Ports and cables allow the Sales/Finance Department to share data at any time and allow them to be done quickly and efficiently. e.g of ports and cabes Furthermore the cable allows the cashiers to serve customers quickly as it takes information quickly and process it.
Ports and Cables help the organisation meet its objectives in different ways. Ports and cables allow the access to data throughout the organisation. The queuing time for customers is shorter as the cables allow them to open more terminals at once which all lead to a central server. This allows them to meet the objective of providing faster and shorter queues.
However, the serial port isn’t very reliable as it only transmit one bit of data at a time. Furthermore, this means that to print it will be slower than if a USB connection was used. An alternative method would be to use a fir wire port which is much quicker and efficient.
Serial Ports connects
Parallel Ports
USB Ports
External Hardrive
Ethernet cable server connection
Task 7
Storage and backing up devices
Storage and backing up devices are used to store data safely. It allows data to be stored internally and huge amount of data could be stored in different types of storage devices. The ticketing/sales department uses hard drives to store their data. They use a 40GB hard drive which is located in the CPU. When data is entered into the Torex system it is instantly stored in the hard drive. Other data about members is also stored in the hard drive as it can hold a large amount of data. The data stored is not only seen by one staff it can be seen by the whole department as it is stored in the system however it is by the staff which are permitted. As I said above all the computers are connected to the server, the server’s hard drive is used as backing up device as it is safe and no body except the server has access to it.
Storage and backing up devices meets the stated needs as they are there to store the data. Furthermore they have been replaced as they were expected to be better than the previous one. Now it allows the organization and sales department to store more data and keep it safely. The server hard drive provides them with efficient storage and safety; it is not accessible by any one and can only be accessed by the administrator in the organization.
Mention Department name
The storage and backing up devices helps the organization meet its objective; it provided them with storage of data safely. All the data that has been inputted into the Torex system is stored in the hard drive, this helps them meet the objective of maintaining profit because using this they can review their balance sheet and see how much they have spent and earned. It will also allow them to see what kind of the tickets are the most or least popular and based on this the managing department can make decisions.
The hardware and software’s mentioned above work together as a system. The touch screen, Torex system, printer and processor allow the ticketing system to work efficiently. The touch screen allows the cashier to select the ticket type and takes the data it is then processed and printed as a receipt. The data that has been entered is then taken to the server where it is again processed and then appears on the Torex system. These component works together to form the system of ticketing or sales.