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Q1 What Do Business Professionals Need to Know About Computer Hardware? 115
This example refocuses Jason on sales costs. “Lucas, why aren’t we already
doing this for our in-inventory parts? It seems like a good way to reduces sales costs,”
he says.
“Lucas and I have been talking about this for some time,” Addison retorts. “But
building the app is expensive, and our margins on our in-inventory parts support high
sales costs. So, we never brought it to you.”
“But,” Lucas picks up Addison’s line of thought, “the prices we can charge for
selling part designs are so low that we’ll lose money if customers are calling and
speaking to sales reps for help. Sales labor costs will eat up any possible margins. So,
design sales need an app like this.”
Jason is intrigued. “How expensive is the app?” he asks.
“That depends on whether we do a Web app or a native app,” replies Lucas. “It
also depends on how much open source we can get.”
“Here we go again,” Jason grumbles. “And if we do a native app, we have to do
iOS and an Android version and maybe a Win 8 version . . . and do we do it in-house or
offshore? Yada yada. It seems like we’re always having this conversation.”
“Yup, it does,” Lucas agrees.
“OK,” Jason sighs. “Bring me a proposal, and let’s see what we can do.
And . . . good work, Kelly, to you and your team.”
Jason leaves the room, muttering to himself, “Android, smandroid. Riding bikes
was fun. Maybe I could have made it riding the professional circuit?”

ChaPter PrevIew

What would you do if you were Drew? Or Kelly? How hard is it to build the new
application? How much should it cost? How should they proceed? Is Lucas too
conservative? If you’re wondering why, as a future business professional, you need
to know about hardware and software, think about those questions. Those and others
of greater complexity—most likely ones involving technology that will be invented
between now and the time you start working—will come your way.
You don’t need to be an expert. You don’t need to be a hardware engineer or a
computer programmer. You do need to know enough, however, to be an effective
consumer. You need the knowledge and skills to ask important, relevant questions and
understand the answers.
We begin with basic hardware concepts and how innovations in hardware could
affect businesses. Next, we will discuss software concepts, open source software
development, and the differences between native and Web applications. Following
that, we’ll discuss the importance of mobile systems and the challenges created when
employees bring their computers to work. Finally, we’ll wrap up by forecasting trends
in hardware and software in 2025.

Q1 What Do Business Professionals Need

to Know About Computer Hardware?

Most people think of computer hardware as a laptop, a desktop, a server, or maybe even a tablet.
As time passes, the way we think of computer hardware is changing. Take phones as an exam-
ple. Twenty-five years ago they were strictly used for voice communication. No one would have
considered a phone a piece of computer hardware.