7.1 An Introduction to Systems

A system is a linked set of processes that makes decisions, given an input, and prduces an output from it. The three parts of a sytem are therefore the input, the process or processes, and the output. Many things in everyday life are systems. Consider a dishwasher panel, for example. The input is the button you push, the processes are those that connect the button pushed with the correct washing setting, and the output is the washing method carried out in that setting. Electronically, systems are very useful to humans, as they allow circuits to perform operations, and make many decisions for us. A computer relies entirely on the workings of a system, its input in general being the input you give it by interacting with it (clicking or typing, or others). The appropriate decision-making processes are carried out by the electronic circuit on each microchip, and the outputs are incredible.