Hardware & Software - User Requirements of Burgers away.

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Hardware & Software

User Requirements

Burgers away is a new chain of fast food, takeaway and drive-through outlets in the UK.  Asmin Tariq is the Managing Director of Burgers Away.  The head office is in Northton and has six main departments.

A new branch is due to open on February 14th in Westchester.  Sarah Wright has been appointed the new branch manager.  Sarah will have a desktop computer that she will use to perform the following tasks:

  • Recording weekly sales figures
  • Producing leaflets and flyers for local promotions
  • Recording staff hours
  • Producing letters
  • Keeping staff records, including photographs
  • Ordering supplies locally, e.g. salad items.

In the new Westchester branch there is a computer terminal at each sales point (two inside the branch and one for the drive-through). Sarah’s computer is linked to the three sales point terminals by means of LAN and to Head Office by means of WAN.

I have a maximum of £2000 to spend on the complete system and any additional hardware and software.

Hardware And Software

For Sarah’s new computer system she will need the following:

Inputs

Input devices Input devices enable the user to enter data, commands and programmes into the computers central processing unit (CPU) – its brain.  There are many such input devices, but some of the most common ones are:

  • Keyboard
  • Mouse
  • Rollerball
  • Scanner
  • Digital camera
  • Microphone
  • Joystick.

Keyboard

The keyboard is the most commonly used input device and is used to key in data or to enter commands to the computer.  The great majority of keyboards follow the standard IBM layout and design.  Touching or pressing a key sends an electrical signal to the computer which interprets it as a character or function.

The keyboard is divided into four main areas:

  • Function keys across the top
  • Letter keys in the main section
  • A numeric keypad on the right
  • Cursor movement and editing keys between the main section and the numeric keypad.

A computer keyboard is almost the same as a typewriter, apart from a few extra keys and specialised functions.  The standard layout for most typewriters and keyboards is called the QWERTY layout.  The name comes from the first six keys on the top row of the alphabetic characters.  A keyboard will be essential for Sarah as it is a key instrument for entering data into the computer, such as sales figures, and I believe that she will only need a standard design.

Mouse

A mouse is a pointing device that enables the user to control the movement and position of the on-screen cursor by moving the mouse around on a surface such as a desk.  To select items (such as words or icons) the user positions the mouse pointer and presses one of the mouse buttons.  This produces a ‘mouse click’. Other such mouse movements are known as; ‘double click’, ‘click and drag, and  ‘drag and drop’.  All of which refer to actions performed by the mouse.  Although the keyboard can still be used for most commands, the mouse makes it a lot easier and quicker.

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The standard mouse comprises casing, buttons and base.  The casing is designed to be held by the fingers and thumb of one hand, with the bottom of your palm resting on a mat, or other surface.  The top has one, two or three buttons, each clicked for different functions.  The bottom is flat and has a ‘multidirectional detection device’ usually a rubber ball.

As technology has advances, so has the mouse.  From its original design, many others have evolved.  Some are programmable, some are ergonomically designed to fit the hand and most now have a wheel button on ...

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