Computer Fundamentals and Information Processing Flashcards

1
Q

What is a computer

A

An electronic device operating under the control of instructions stored in its memory that can store data, manipulate data, produce results and store data for further use.

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2
Q

Name of computer memory

A

Ram or Main memeory

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3
Q

Mother board layout

A

CPU, RAM and connection to hardrive

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4
Q

Computer follow the four basic task of the IPOS cycle

A

Input, Processing, Output, Storage

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5
Q

The types of computer components

A

Hardware and software

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6
Q

What is hardware

A

any physical part of the computer

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7
Q

Types of hardware

A

CPU- Control processing unit is the brain of the computer that controls the rest of the computer and has two parts
*the CU Control unit (this carries out instructions in the software and directs flow of data in computer)
*The ALC Arithmetric and logic unit (this performs calculations and logic operations)

Input devices get data into the computer

Output devices get process information out the computer

Memory enables a computer to temporarily store instructions and data

Storage media includes CD-ROMS and DVS and UBS flash memory sticks (what is storing the data the physical media)

Storage devices include hard disk drives, CD-ROM drives and DVD drives (ends with the word drive and facilitate the transfer of data)

Peripheral device are located outside the CPU and controlled by it

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8
Q

What are computer programs

A

These are instructions produced by programmers to create system and application software

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9
Q

Software

A

This the instructions that tell the computer what to do

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10
Q

System software

A

This software is called operation software because it controls the hardware and how other software works. Microsoft Windows 10, Apple IOS, Linux is an example

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11
Q

What is utilitiy software

A

This aims to protect and maintain the system software.
Examples protecting software against virus and making copies of files and recovering files after software crashed
Examples: Norton, mcafee, AVG, Google drive, Icloud

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12
Q

Application Software

A

This is the software that instructs a computer to carry out a specific task. Example spread sheets, Word (Not needed for computer to run)

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13
Q

What is IT? (ARCSOMP)

A

This is the term to describe the equipment that allow us to access, retrieve, convert, store, organise, manipulate and present data and information

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14
Q

Communication (CT)

A

This is the term used to describe telecommunications equipment through which data and information can be accessed.

Examples of CT= Phones, Faxes, Scanners, modems and computers

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15
Q

Types of data devices

A

Manual and direct data devices

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16
Q

Manual data

A

you enter data into computer yourself

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17
Q

Example of manual devices

A

Digitiser convert drawings and imagines into data example digital camera and webcam.

Keyboard

Keypad

Special Keyboard- any devices that has buttons on it designed to just one job

Mouse(ball) and optical mouse (laser)

Document scanner- allows you to transfer pictures and graphic and text to ur computer

Microphone

Touch screen

Touchpad

Pointing device

Remote control devices

Lightpen

Stylus

Bio-metric systems

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18
Q

Direct data entry

A

information is transferred automatically from a document

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19
Q

Examples of DDE

A

Barcode reader (this is used with electronic point of sales system (EPOS))

Smart card

Magnetic swipe card (black strip)

Optical mark recogonitition (OMR) These transer marks into the system

Optical character recogition (OCR) Enters hand written or printed text into the computer system

OMR and OCR are used together in a turn around document, this type of document one side has unique information on one side and the other side has information needed to be added by a human

Magnetic ink character recognition (MICR)- This is used to process cheque number, account number and branch code printed on the cheque with magnetic ink

Types of Sensors MIDI musical instrument digital interface

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20
Q

Types of output

A

Soft copy output- What we cannot touch or feel and not permanent. Examples computer monitor, audio speaker

Hard copy output- This is permanent output since it is printed. Examples printed reports and pictures

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21
Q

Display devices

A

Display devices- anything that displays output on a screen example smartboards and computer
Types of display devices are liquid crystal display (LCD) and light emitting didode(LED)

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22
Q

Features of computer screen

A

Size-Measured diagonally
Resoloution- pixels per inch determine how clear and detailed the output
Colour- number of colours that can be displayed , more colour smoother the display
Cursor/pointer- symbol to show where u are working on the screen
Scrolling allows the text or grahpic to me moved up or
down on the screen

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23
Q

Priniting devices

A

Impact printer- hitting page like type writer, they uses carbon paper, used for printing payroll and financial reports need continuous sheets of paper

Example: Dot-matrix printer- very loud and uses pins to print a pattern of dots on paper,
advantage used for multiple copies

disadvantage can be read but not used for reproduction or business letters

Non impact printer- does not touch the page, ink is sprayed or toner powered is used, the characters are fixed onto pages by heating

Example: Ink jet printers they are low priced good quality printer that print in black and white or colour by spraying ink on page

Laser printer- this uses toner powder, high resolution and faster than ink printers they are quiet, stocked with multiple sheet

Thermal printer: this uses heat, used in Automatic banking machine (ABMS) receipts, debit and credit card slips and even ultrasound scanned images uses this printer. They are quiet and recent ones print quickly however paper is expensive and the print fades if exposed to light or heat

3D Printer- has layers from bottom upwards and the model is created in hours and melted plastic that sticks to each new layer

Plotter- used by car designer, architects and engineers who wish to print accurate charts, diagrams and 3D drawings. Colour pens or toner is used to draw image on paper.
Three types of plotter- Flatbed, Drum (bigger diagram) and Pinch-Roller (mixture of 2)

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24
Q

Primary memory

A

Primary memory is computer memory that a processor or computer accesses first or directly

Main memory or RAM is located directly on computer’s main circuit board so data can travel quickly to and from the CPU

Data stored a specific memory location is called an address, can have its address contents accessed to read from or written to or processed.

Word is the largest amount of data that can be moved together to be processed

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25
Q

Types of memory

A

RAM- Random access memory,computer access data held in RAM almost immediately, data is lost when u lose power(RAM is volatile)

ROM- Read only memory- the basic input/output instructions put in a computer when the computer is made, these instructions are read but cannot be changed (Non-volatile)

Hybrid memory/ Flash memory- U can both read and write the data

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26
Q

How data is represented

A

The computer sees in binary, 1= on and 0=off

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27
Q

Storage Unit

A

Unit Abbreviation Storage
Bit B single 1 or 0
Nibble 4 bits
Byte/Octet B 8 bits
Kilobyte KB 1024 bytes
Megabyte MB 1024 KB
Gigabyte GB 1024 MB
Terabyte TB 1024 GB
Petabyte PB 1024 TB

28
Q

Secondary Storage

A

Secondary storage refers to the media and methods used to keep programs, data, and information available for later use

Examples

29
Q

Secondary storage media and storage devices

A

Secondary storage media keep data, instructions and information on physical hardware of a computer for future use examples Hard disks, compact disks ad tapes

Storage devices record and retrieve data instructions, and information to and from storage media. Example hard disk drives and tape drives

30
Q

Types of storage

A

Local storage involves users having storage devices or media with data in their possession

Local storage-
*Magnetic media such as magnetic tape and hard disk
*Optical disks such as CD-ROM, CD-R AND DVD
*Flash memory

Cloud storage

31
Q

Magnetic Media

A

This is the cheapest way to store and back up data

Magnetic tape- Backing up media but slow store a large amount of data for long, stores data sequentially not random access

Hard disk-

32
Q

Optical disk

A

CD- ROM
CD- R (Recordable)
CD-RW
DVD- Digital versatile disk
Blue- ray

33
Q

Flash memory

A

Combines best features of memory devices. Store large amounts of data, are low cost, non-volatile. fast(to read not to write) and electrically re-programmable

Flash memory cards

34
Q

Cloud based storage

A

storage of data by users on multiple computers anywhere in the world
Examples Dropbox, Google drive

35
Q

Booting

A

How the computer starts up,
1.bio chip (ROM) starts up that checks the entire system, one beep means everything ok
2.Looks for operating systems and loads operating onto RAM
3.The data goes back from RAM to CPU

36
Q

Hardware Control

A

The operating system controls all the data in your hardware

37
Q

Software contol

A

The operating system controls how all the software applications, games and other programs work

38
Q

Memory management

A

virtual memory is an extension of the ram, when the ram full the operating system delegates some of the data into the hard drive

39
Q

Input Output management

A

The flow of information among devices must be managed and coordinated

40
Q

Process management

A

Time for processes to use the CPU, checks on processed waiting to use the CPU and signals when the CPU is available

41
Q

File managent

A

Operating system checks amount of memory need to perform the task of files needed to be saved copied renamed and deleted and manages the organisation of the files in secondary storage

42
Q

Types of operating system processing

A

Batch processing- system in which data is collected together in a batch before processing starts, it is used when large amount of data is processed on a regular basis
Example: utility bills

Advantage once data is is submitted for batch processing the computer can be left running without human interaction

Jobs can be scheduled for a time when the computer is not busy

Disadvantage
There is always a delay before work is processed and returned since batch jobs are usually stored up over time

Time-sharing allows many users to share time on a single computer. Each user is given a slice of CPU time by the computer

43
Q

Other types of operating system control

A

Multitasking- allowing more than one program to run at the same time

Multiprocessing- executing programs using 2 or more processors simultaneously

Multi-programming: executing 2 or more programs at the same time with only one processor

MULTI-USER: ALLOWING MORE THAT ONE USER ON A COMPUTER NETWORK TO ACCESS THE SAME FILE

44
Q

Online and real time processing

A

The device is on and is processing data
Real time processed data without delay making it up to date

The difference is online means the device is on but real time means the device accept the data right away and give out the data right away

Advantages: No significant delay
Information up to date

Dis advantage: system have to be dedicated to the task
The computer must be online

Real time is online but online doesn’t mean real time example forecast

45
Q

What is uploading

A

tranfer data from ur device to another device

46
Q

Downloading

A

when u recieve

47
Q

File transfer protocol (FTP)

A

a network protocol for transmitting files between computers

48
Q

File compression

A

reducing the size of a file or combining files
The bigger the file the longer it take to transfer

49
Q

File types

A

Graphics- JPEG (JOINT PHOTOGRAPHIC EXPERT GROUP)
PNG (Portable Network Graphic)
Music- (MP3)
Video- (MP4)

50
Q

Types of application software

A

General purpose software- not for a specific organisation and can be used by anybody like spreadsheets

Customised software- general purpose software that has been modified to perform specific task for the user

Custom written software also know as tailor made software is software written for the use in specific organisations such as the military and banks (basically from scratch)

Specialised software is wrtten soley for a specific task rather than a range of functions

Integrated software is a term for a computer program that includes all the major types of application

51
Q

What are interfaces

A

Interfaces are basically how we interact with and use technology

52
Q

What should interface have

A

An attractive design
be simple to use
have quick response time
have instructions that are easy to understand
have a consistant layout if there are multiple screens

53
Q

Hardware interfaces

A

anything u physically touch like touchpad

54
Q

Software interface

A

allow user to interact with the computer through interface

There are four main types of software interface
Command line interface

Menu driven interface- a list of options which u can choose what u want to do

Graphical user interface (WIMP Windows, icons, menu,pointer) very user friendly

pointers-

55
Q

How to improve interfaces

A

WORKS EXACTLY THE SAME WAY EACH TIME THEY ARE USED
visually soothing and pleasing

56
Q

When choosing a computer you should consider

A

what hardware is used
what software is used
what processing takes place
what human computer interface is used
which people are involved and what they do
what data is required

57
Q

Types of computers

A

Workstation-

Supercomputer-

Mainframe- These are

Desktop systems

Mobile devices

Embedded system- only created for certain task example traffic light, dont need internet

58
Q

Data

A

raw unprocessed facts

59
Q

Information

A

processed data

60
Q

Information system

A

system used to record data

61
Q

Validation

A

is the computerised checking of input data for errors(data may be unreasonable or incomplete) before it is processed. It does not confirm the accuracy of the data

62
Q

Method of data validation check

A

range check- data entered within a certain range

Reasonableness check- check to see if data obeys specified criteria

Data type check- correct type of date

Consistency check- checks the contents of two or more fields to make sure they make sense

Presence check- ensures data is actually entered

Format check- correct format

Length check- correct length of data is entered

check digit- detect data arising from transcription and also ensure the code originally produced by a computer are re entered in another computer correctly

63
Q

Verification

A

is checking for mistakes such as transcription errors when one data is copied from one medium or device to another. Verification checks do not guaranteed that the entered data is correct, it only checks that the data entered matches the source document

64
Q

Methods of Verification

A

Double entry- data is entered twice using a program that checks them against each other

visual checks- user checks to confirmed it written correctly

65
Q

Data logging

A

sensor is input at regular intervals so the data can processed to provide analysis of environment

used by scienctist to automatically record changes in conditions