Hardware & Software

Hardware & Software

1. Hardware

   • Motherboard
     • The central part of a computer system in which everything is connected either directly or indirectly
     • Once connected to the motherboard, the components can work together to form the computer system.
     • Components communicate and send signals to each other via the BUS Network.
   • RAM
     • The part of the computer that temporarily stores the instructions that the computer's running and the data it's processing
     • The contents of RAM disappears when the computer is turned off
     • The RAM contains: the operating system softwar, the application software currently being used and any data that is being processed (when the computer is in use
     • RAM = Random Access Memory
   • ROM
     • ROM = Read-Only Memory
     • Used to hold a small, special piece of software; the 'boot up' programme
     • With a ROM, when the computer is switched off, the data is never lost.
   • Hard drives
     • Hard-drives have a very large storage capacity (up to 1TB)
     • Hard-drives are random access devices and can be used to store all types of films, including huge files such as movies.
   • Sound card
     • Sound cards are internal hardware devices that plug into the motherboard.
     • It's main function is to allow the computer system to produce sound but they also allow users to connect microphones in order to input sounds into the computer.
   • Video cards
     • They're hardware devices that plug into the motherboard and enables the computer to display images on the monitor.
     • Requires the installation of software alongside the hardware.

2. Software

   • Application
   • System
   • OS

3. User interfaces

   • GUI
     • Is built around visual/graphical things:
       • Windows - regions of the screen used to display information
       • Icons - small pictures that are used to represent folders etc.
       • Menus: lists of options the user can select from
       • A pointer - an arrow that can be moved around the screen and can select things
     • They are quite easy to use due to the visual nature of the interface – the user has lots of visual clues as to what things do.
     • GUI = Graphical User Interface
   • CLI
     • CLI = Command Line Interface
     • The only interface available to most computer uses was the ‘command line’, because the GUI was too graphic to display. The user would see nothing but a black screen. They would have to type a command to make anything happen.

4. Types of computers

   • PC
     • PC = Personal Computer
     • A typical PC contained the same basic components as a mainframe computer (CPU, RAM, storage, etc.) but at a fraction of the size and cost.
   • Desktop
   • Laptop
     • A 'laptop' computer is a light, compact and portable PC.
     • They contain a rechargeable battery so that they can be used even when not plugged in to a mains power supply. They also have a built-in LCD monitor.
     • To make them as portable as possible, most laptops try to avoid any sort of cable or wire. Instead of a mouse, a trackpad is used. Instead of a wired connection to a network or printer, 'wireless' radio connections are used.
   • Tablets
   • Smartphones
   • Smartwatches
   • Mainframes
     • Mainframe computers are:
       • Powerful - so they can quickly process vast amounts of data
       • Multi-user - they allow several users to use it at the same time connected via remote terminals
       • Large - so are therefore kept in large and air-conditioned rooms

5. Emerging technologies

   • Al
     • AI = Artificial Intelligence
     • This is a computer science that is focused on creating computer systems that simulate human intelligence.
   • Biometrics
     • Biometrics is where parts of a person's body are used for identification purposes
     • Examples of this are:
       • Fingerprints
   • Vision
   • Robotics
   • Quantum cryptography
   • CAT
   • 3D
   • Holographic
   • Virtual reality