Components of the Computer System Flashcards
COMPONENTS OF COMPUTER SYSTEM
Peopleware
Software
Hardware
The personnel who manage the EDP system, who design applications, who write and encode the programs.
provide examples:
Peopleware
System analyst
Programmer
Web Developer
AI Developer
Data analyst
The intangible components of computer such as computer programs, operating system, application etc.
Software
The tangible components computer such as disk, motherboard, GPU, CPU, keyboard, etc.
Hardware
Types of software:
- Application
- System Software
- Open Source
- Proprietary Software
is a term referring to any computer software which manages and controls the hardware so that application software can perform a task.
It manages various aspects of the computer system, including memory, processors, devices, and storage.
Provide examples:
System software
Operating System
Device Driver
Firmware
Utilities
is a fundamental software that acts as an intermediary between the computer hardware and the user (or applications).
It manages the computer’s resources, controls the execution of programs, and provides a user interface for interacting with the system.
operating system (OS)
FUNCTIONS OF OS:
- Process Management
- Memory Management
- File Management
- Device Management
- Security
- Networking
- Error handling
Function of OS:
Allocates resources like memory, CPU time, and I/O devices to processes.
Process Management
Function of OS:
Assigns memory to processes and keeps track of which parts of memory are being used by which processes.
Memory management
Function of OS:
Organizes data into files and directories, providing a hierarchical structure for easy access and retrieval.
File management
Function of OS:
Provides drivers for various hardware devices (e.g., printers, keyboards, mice), allowing the OS to communicate with and control them.
Device management
Function of OS:
Verifies user identities and grants access based on permissions and controls what actions users are allowed to perform on the system.
Security
Function of OS:
Enables communication between computers over a network.
Networking
Function of OS:
Detects errors in hardware, software, or user input.
Error handling
Examples of OS in Desktop:
- Microsoft Windows
- The most widely used OS for personal computers, known for its user-friendly interface and wide range of software compatibility. Different versions include Windows 11, Windows 10, etc - macOS
- Apple’s operating system exclusively for their Mac computers, known for its sleek design, integration with other Apple devices, and focus on creativity and productivity. - Linux
- An open-source OS available in various distributions (e.g., Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian) with a strong focus on customization and community driven development
Examples of OS in phone:
- Android
- Developed by Google, it’s the most popular mobile OS globally, used by a vast array of smartphone and tablet manufacturers. It’s open source and highly customizable. - iOS
- Apple’s mobile OS exclusively for their iPhones and iPads, known for its intuitive interface, high performance, and strong focus on privacy and security.
is a type of software designed to perform specific tasks on a computer or mobile device. It is a program or a group of programs that provide functionality to users, allowing them to interact with digital content, perform tasks, communicate, and access information.
Application
Types of Application:
- Desktop Applications
- Software programs installed on a computer’s operating system.
Examples include word processors (Microsoft Word), spreadsheets (Microsoft Excel), web browsers (Chrome, Firefox), and games. - Mobile Applications
- Apps designed to run on smartphones and tablets.
Examples include social media apps (Facebook, Instagram), messaging apps (WhatsApp, Telegram), productivity apps (Evernote, Trello), and games. - Web Applications
- Accessed through a web browser and typically run on remote servers.
Examples include email services (Gmail, Outlook), online shopping sites (Amazon, eBay), and social networking platforms (Facebook, Twitter).
Examples of Application:
- Word Processor
- Spreadsheets
- designed to use numbers and formulas to do calculations with ease. - Graphic Presentations
- can make giving presentations and
using overheads easier.
Word processors will normally have the following capabilities built into them:
- Spell checking
- Standard layouts for normal documents
- Have some characters appear in bold print, italics, or underlined
- Center lines, make text line up on the left side of the paper, or the right side of the paper
- Save the document so it can be used again
- Print the document
is computer software whose source code is available under a license that permits users to use, change, and improve the software, and to redistribute it in modified or unmodified form.
Open source software (OSS)
is software with restrictions on using, copying, and modifying as enforced by the proprietor. Restrictions on use, modification and copying is achieved by either legal or technical means and sometimes both.
Proprietary software (also called non-free software)
Functional components of hardware:
Input Devices
Output Devices
Memory
Processing
comprises devices that allow users to enter data and instructions into the computer.
Provide examples:
Input device
keyboard
mouse
scanner
microphone
is the standard input device of most computers. It was patterned after the typewriter and the keypad of an electronic calculator. Used to enter information into the computer and for giving commands.
Keyboard
is hand-clicked device for pointing. It was ________ who came up with the concept of a mouse. He designed and built the first model in 1963. It was made of wood and used two wheels for movement.
Mouse; Douglas Englebart
is a pointing device featuring a tactile sensor, a specialized surface that can translate the motion and position of a user’s fingers to a relative position on screen.
Trackpad (touchpad)
It is like a stationary, upside down mouse.
Trackball
Input device commonly used for computer games.
Joystick
It is a device used to draw, write, or issue commands when it touches a specially designed screen.
Stylus
It is an input device that converts a pattern of printed bars into a number that a computer can read. They are often used by businesses to quickly input price and product information.
Barcode scanner
consists of methods for uniquely recognizing humans based upon one or more intrinsic physical or behavioral traits. In computer science, in particular, ——– is used as a form of identity access management and access control. It is also used to identify individuals in groups that are under surveillance.
Biometrics
presents the processed information in a user-comprehensible form.
Provide examples:
Output device
Monitor
Speaker
provides a hard copy output on paper.
Printer
produces an output by using a mechanism that presses against an inked ribbon on paper, it was patterned after the typewriter. E.g. dot-matrix
Impact printer
uses a photocopier-like process to transfer ink to a piece of paper. E.g. Laser printer, bubble jets
Non-impact printer
is used to provide soft copy output. They are the most common output devices used aside from the printer.
Monitor
are used for audio output such as beeps, human voice and music. Most PCs are equipped with simple internal ——-
Speaker
is the “brain” of the computer, responsible for executing instructions and performing calculations.
CPU
It is composed of the arithmetic logic unit (ALU), which handles arithmetic and logical operations, and the control unit (CU), which manages the flow of data and instructions.
Processing unit
stores data, instructions, and intermediate results during processing.
Memory unit
two primary types of memory:
- Primary Memory (RAM)
- Temporary storage for data and instructions currently in use. - Secondary Memory (Storage)
- Permanent storage for data and programs not currently in use (e.g., hard disk drives, solid-state drives, etc.)
