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Chapter 6: Moore's Law: Computing and Implications

Vocabulary

Moore's Law
{more of an observation than a law} Moore's Law states that chip performance per dollar doubles every 18 months. Refers to the density of a chip, referring to chips, processors, and chip based storages (ie silicon based technologies).
Citation: Gallaugher, J. (2025). Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology (with SmartGrader for Excel). (10.1.4). FlatWorld.
Microprocessor
The part of a computer that carrys out instructions of programming
Citation: Gallaugher, J. (2025). Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology (with SmartGrader for Excel). (10.1.4). FlatWorld.
eWaste
Discarded, broken, or obsolete electrical and electronic devices, such as computers, phones, televisions, and appliances. It is one of the fastest-growing waste streams, often containing toxic materials like mercury and lead that require specialized recycling, rather than being disposed of in landfills.
Citation: World Health Organization. (n.d.). Electronic waste (e-waste). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/electronic-waste-(e-waste)
Internet of Things
Materializing vision where low cost sensors, processors, and communication is embedded into a plethora of products, creating a vast network of data to analyze and act upon for the greater efficency of society.
Citation: Gallaugher, J. (2025). Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology (with SmartGrader for Excel). (10.1.4). FlatWorld.
Konana's Model of the Software Ecosystem
The relationship between all of the components that empower a complex, computer network. Moving outwards: Hardware (Inner Ring), Operating System, Database Management System, Middleware, Enterprise Applications, Consumer Applications (Outer Ring) Each layer depends on the one before it so it creates a form of "lock-in"
Citation: Mis giraffes. Definitions - MIS Giraffes. (2009). http://misgiraffes.wikidot.com/definitions
Memory
Short term, volatile data. Analogous to a physical desktop GB and measured in GB.
Citation: Gallaugher, J. (2025). Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology (with SmartGrader for Excel). (10.1.4). FlatWorld.
Non-volatile
{usually referring to memory} Retains data even when power is shut off. ie flash memory, hard discs, and DVD storage.
Citation: Gallaugher, J. (2025). Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology (with SmartGrader for Excel). (10.1.4). FlatWorld.
Volatile
Storage that gets wiped once power is shut off ie RAM chips
Citation: Gallaugher, J. (2025). Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology (with SmartGrader for Excel). (10.1.4). FlatWorld.
Price Elasticity
Measure of the sensitivity of demand to changes in price
Citation: Gallaugher, J. (2025). Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology (with SmartGrader for Excel). (10.1.4). FlatWorld.
Quantum Computing
A technology that applies the principles of quantum physics and quantum mechanics to computers (direct to atoms/nuclei) to work together as quantum bits (qubits), which function simultaneously as the computer's processor and memory.
Citation: What is quantum computing?. Caltech Science Exchange. (n.d.). https://scienceexchange.caltech.edu/topics/quantum-science-explained/quantum-computing-computers#:~:text=Quantum%20computers%20use%20quantum%20bits,until%20its%20state%20is%20measured.
Storage
The retention of coded information over time
Citation: Gallaugher, J. (2025). Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology (with SmartGrader for Excel). (10.1.4). FlatWorld.
Cloud Computing
The process of companies turning computer resources into services on the internet
Citation: Gallaugher, J. (2025). Information Systems: A Manager's Guide to Harnessing Technology (with SmartGrader for Excel). (10.1.4). FlatWorld.

Practice Quiz

1. A startup founded by UT students is developing a smart campus parking system. Sensors placed in parking spots detect whether the space is occupied and send the information to an app that guides drivers to open spots. The system collects large amounts of real-time data from hundreds of parking sensors across campus. Which part of the system is MOST responsible for collecting the real-world data that makes the service possible?
Answer: B ~ The IoT sensors embedded in parking spaces detect whether a spot is occupied and send that data to the system. These sensors collect the real-world information that powers the service. Microprocessors in developer laptops (A) run software but do not collect parking data. Cloud storage (C) stores data after it is collected. Mobile apps (D) present information to users but do not gather the data themselves.
2. A student group launches a mobile app that helps UT students trade used textbooks. As the app grows, the developers notice they can add new features like real-time price comparisons because cloud computing costs have dropped dramatically. This allows them to experiment with more data analysis without raising prices for users. How does Moore’s Law MOST directly influence decisions like this for businesses?
Answer: A ~ Moore’s Law leads to cheaper and more powerful computing, enabling businesses to expand capabilities like analytics and data processing without major cost increases. Option B relates to productivity but is not the main mechanism described by Moore’s Law. Option C exaggerates hardware replacement and is not required by Moore’s Law. Option D is incorrect because cheaper computing typically increases innovation rather than limiting it.
3. A UT student buys a laptop with fast storage but only 4 GB of memory. When she runs multiple apps for group projects, the system becomes slow even though plenty of storage space remains. Her friend explains that the computer keeps moving data between memory and storage because there is not enough working memory available. Which characteristic of memory explains why the system slows down in this situation?
Answer: A ~ Memory (RAM) is volatile and temporarily holds active data, which means limited memory can slow performance when many programs run simultaneously. Option B incorrectly describes memory as non-volatile, which is a property of storage. Option C confuses the role of memory with that of the microprocessor. Option D incorrectly assigns networking functions to memory.
4. A UT sustainability research team studies the environmental impact of student technology use. They discover that many students replace laptops every three to four years because new devices offer faster processors and more memory at similar prices. However, many discarded laptops still function properly and end up in landfills. Which factor is MOST responsible for increasing this environmental problem?
Answer: A ~ Rapid improvements in computing performance and falling costs—partly driven by Moore’s Law—encourage users to replace devices frequently, contributing to electronic waste (eWaste). Option B is incorrect because switching costs would discourage replacement. Option C is incorrect since demand for digital devices continues to grow. Option D is unrelated to the environmental problem described.
5. A UT Austin startup is developing software that analyzes extremely complex logistics problems for large shipping companies. The founders read about a new type of computing that could solve optimization problems far faster than traditional computers. However, they learn that the technology currently requires specialized environments and extremely expensive hardware. Which technology are the founders MOST likely evaluating?
Answer: B ~ Quantum computing uses quantum bits that can represent multiple states simultaneously, enabling dramatically faster solutions for certain complex problems, such as optimization and cryptography. However, the technology requires specialized hardware and controlled environments. Distributed cloud computing (A) and processor clusters (C) are already widely used. IoT networks (D) focus on connected sensors rather than advanced computational methods.