MIS chp. 7-9 and Excel functions

What is an Operating System (OS)?

Software that controls hardware and provides standards for applications to run

Give examples of Operating Systems.

Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

Why is the OS important?

It makes software easier to build, more reliable, and less expensive.

What is a platform in MIS?

A system that allows other applications to be built and run on it.

Why does having more apps make a platform more valuable?

Because of network effects—more apps attract more users.

What is User Interface (UI)?

The way users interact with a device.

Examples of UI?

Buttons, menus, scroll bars, touch screens

What is firmware?

Software stored on hardware chips that helps control devices.

What is BIOS?

The low-level system that starts the computer and loads the operating system.

What are embedded systems?

Software built into devices that makes products “smart.”

Examples of embedded systems?

Cars, thermostats, appliances, elevators

What is IoT?

Internet of Things—devices connected and communicating with each other.

Why are embedded systems valuable for businesses?

They reduce costs, improve performance, predict maintenance, and collect useful data.

What is application software?

Programs that perform actual work for users.

Examples of application software?

Word processors, mobile apps, business systems

What is enterprise software?

Software used by organizations for many users, not just one person.

Examples of enterprise software functions?

Payroll, inventory, HR, sales

What is ERP?

Enterprise Resource Planning—software that integrates major business functions into one system.

What business functions does ERP connect?

Sales, inventory, manufacturing, HR, finance, purchasing

Benefits of ERP?

Saves money, improves efficiency, better data sharing, faster decisions

Risks of ERP?

xpensive, difficult to install, can fail badly

Why do ERP systems fail?

Companies ignore people, processes, and data.

What is CRM?

Customer Relationship Management—manages customer interactions.

What is SCM?

Supply Chain Management—manages production and delivery.

What is BI?

Business Intelligence—analyzes data for business decisions.

What is DBMS?

Database Management System—stores and manages data.

Why is DBMS important?

It allows systems to share the same data and improves efficiency.

What is desktop software?

Software used by one person on a personal computer.

Examples of desktop software?

Browser, Word, spreadsheets

What is the biggest takeaway from OS + Enterprise Software?

OS controls hardware, and enterprise software helps businesses run efficiently.

marginal cost

the costs associated with each additional unit produced

What is Open Source Software?

Software that is free and where anyone can look at and potentially modify the code.

What is cloud computing?

Replacing computing resources- either an organization’s or individual’s hardware or software- with services provided over the internet.

What is software as a service?

A form of cloud computing where a firm subscribes to a third-party software and receives a service that is delivered online.

What is virtualization?

A type of software that allows a single computer (or cluster of connected computers) to function as if it were several different computers, each running its own operating system and software. Virtualization software underpins most cloud computing efforts, and can make computing more efficient, cost-effective, and scalable.

What is the marginal cost of software?

Nearly zero because software can be duplicated without significant additional cost.

Why is software considered such a profitable business?

Because once created, software has almost no marginal cost and can generate huge profits.

What are network effects?

When a product becomes more valuable as more people use it.

What are switching costs?

The difficulty and expense of changing from one system to another.

What does FLOSS stand for?

Free / Libre / Open Source Software.

Who created Linux?

Linus Torvalds.

Why is Linux important?

It is considered the most significant open source software product.

What devices and systems does Linux power?

Smartphones, tablets, supercomputers, web servers, Android, Chrome OS, Raspberry Pi, and even Mars rovers.

What is cloud computing?

Replacing a company’s own hardware or software with services provided over the Internet.

Why is virtualization important?

It improves efficiency, reduces costs, and supports cloud computing.

What does LAMP stand for?

Linux, Apache, MySQL, Python/Perl/PHP.

What is the LAMP stack used for?

Building websites and distributed web applications.

What does MEAN stand for?

MongoDB, Express.js, AngularJS, Node.js.

What is the MEAN stack used for?

Building modern web applications.

What is a software framework?

Pre-written software components that help developers write faster and more reliable code.

What is the biggest reason many companies choose OSS?

Cost savings.

What famous saying explains OSS reliability?

“Given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow.” More people reviewing code means bugs are found and fixed faster.

Why is OSS often considered more secure?

Because many developers can inspect the code and quickly identify vulnerabilities

What does “hardened” OSS mean?

Extra secure versions of OSS with stronger security protections.

What is scalability?

The ability of a system to handle increasing workloads or expand easily.

Why is scalability important in OSS?

It allows companies to grow without rewriting their systems.

What is interoperability?

The ability of systems to work together using common standards.

What is a good example of interoperability?

PDF files working across different devices and operating systems.

What does agility/time to market mean?

Reaching the market faster by reducing development time.

Why does OSS improve time to market?

Because companies can use existing code instead of building everything from scratch.

What was Heartbleed?

A major security flaw in OpenSSL

What is OpenSSL used for?

Protecting secure websites and encrypted online communication.

What lesson should managers learn from Heartbleed?

Popular software should still be audited for support quality and security risks.

How do companies make money from free OSS?

Through support services, consulting, premium features, and cloud hosting.

What is TCO?

Total Cost of Ownership.

What does TCO include?

Purchase price, maintenance, support, and training costs.

Why can free OSS still have high TCO?

Because support, training, and maintenance can be expensive.

What legal risks come with OSS?

Patent violations and license agreement issues.

What company claimed Linux violated 235 patents?

Microsoft.

Why is GitHub important for OSS?

It hosts millions of open source projects and is widely used for collaboration.

Name three examples of OSS products.

Linux, Firefox, LibreOffice.

Why are network effects important for OSS success?

More users and contributors improve the product over time.

What is a Nested IF statement in Excel?

A formula where one IF function is placed inside another IF function to test multiple conditions in sequence.

When should you use a Nested IF statement?

When one TRUE/FALSE test is not enough and multiple decision levels are needed.

What does the IFS function do?

It tests multiple conditions without needing several nested IF statements.

Why is IFS often preferred over Nested IF?

It is easier to read, cleaner, and simpler for multiple conditions.

How do you reference a cell from another worksheet?

Use single quotes (if needed), the sheet name, an exclamation point, and the cell reference.

'Sales Data'!A1

Why are single quotes used in worksheet references?

When the sheet name contains spaces or special characters.

What is a Structured Reference in Excel?

A reference used within Excel Tables that refers to column names instead of cell ranges.

Table1[Revenue]

Why are Structured References useful?

hey make formulas easier to read and automatically expand when new data is added.

What does VLOOKUP do?

It searches vertically for a value in the first column and returns data from another column.

What does HLOOKUP do?

It searches horizontally across the first row and returns data from another row.

What is a major limitation of VLOOKUP?

It can only look to the right.

What is a major limitation of HLOOKUP?

It can only look below.

What issue happens with approximate matches in VLOOKUP/HLOOKUP?

The data usually must be sorted correctly.

Why is XLOOKUP considered better than VLOOKUP?

It is more flexible, faster, and can look left, right, up, or down.

What modern functions are better alternatives to VLOOKUP?

XLOOKUP and INDEX + MATCH

Why is INDEX + MATCH powerful?

It is flexible and avoids VLOOKUP’s direction limitations.

What does Sorting do in Excel?

It arranges data in a specific order, like smallest to largest or A to Z.

What does Filtering do in Excel?

It shows only the rows that meet certain conditions while hiding the rest.

What is the main purpose of a Pivot Table?

To quickly reorganize and summarize large amounts of data.

What kinds of calculations can Pivot Tables perform?

SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT, and other summary statistics.

Why are Pivot Tables better than writing many formulas?

They quickly summarize data by category without complex formulas.

Example use of a Pivot Table?

Finding total sales by region or average grades by class section.

Best function for cleaner multiple-condition testing?

IFS

Best modern replacement for VLOOKUP?

XLOOKUP

Best tool for quick summary statistics by category?

Pivot Table

What symbol separates a worksheet name from a cell reference?

Exclamation point (!)

What is the first and most critical step in creating software?

Requirements gathering—clearly defining what needs to be built before development begins.

Why is requirements gathering so important?

Poor requirements gathering is one of the main reasons software projects fail.