Fundamentals of a computer system

Fundamentals of a computer system

1. Define a computer system

   • A computer system is a collection of hardware and software that works together to achieve some data processing task (input, process, output)

2. Importance in the modern world

   • Improved quality in manufacturing and in quality
   • Faster access to information which means that jobs are done more quickly
   • New opportunities for e-commerce
     • More choice and cheaper goods
       • Amazon,etc.
   • Examples
     • ATM
     • Washing machine
     • Holidays

3. Types

   • Control system
     • Controls machinary
   • Embedded
     • Put into another device
   • Management information system
     • Brings together information
       • SIMS
   • Expert system
     • Inference engine
       • Behaves like a human

4. Standards

   • Professional
     • Refer to rules
     • Electrical interface
   • Defacto
     • Develop over time
       • Qwerty keyboard
   • Dejure
     • ASCII code
   • Industry
     • Within an industry
   • Proprietary
     • Within an organisation
   • Open
     • Not owned
     • Not for profit

5. Need for reliability

   • Mistakes in design and production
     • doesn't meet needs
   • Lack of resilliance
     • Railway system
   • Central part in life or death
     • Hospitals
   • Data integrity
     • Human error
     • Software issues