Hardware, Software and Standards

Hardware, Software and Standards

1. Hardware

   • Hardware components are the physical aspects of a computer system that can be touched
   • Examples of hardware are input devices, output devices, storage devices, processors, memory and a motherboard (some of these are located inside of the base and the others are called peripherals.
     • Motherboard
       • This is a printed circuit board containing the principal components of a computer or other device, with connectors for other circuit boards to be slotted into
     • CPU
       • The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the part of a computer system that is commonly referred to as the "brains" of a computer. The CPU is also known as the processor or microprocessor. The CPU is responsible for executing a sequence of stored instructions called a program.
     • RAM
       • RAM definition. Acronym for random access memory, which is a type of memory in which a reader can go to a specific item without having to start at the beginning.

2. Software

   • Software consist of code which has control and use the hardware. Hardware reads code like 1001010100010101011, this is known as binary code.
   • Examples of types of software

3. Standards

   • Software applications and operating systems are written by many different companies
     • For example Microsoft Windows, Linux, Mac OS and Android
   • Problems with standards
     • Compatibility
       • Application with operating systems
       • Documents
       • Hardware upgrades
     • Cost to consumers
       • Upgrading software
       • Replacing hardware because of standards
       • Non- universal hardware standards
     • Restrictions
       • Software applications for chosen operating systems
       • Availability of hardware for motherboard connections
       • Non- universal hardware