Hardware and Software Flashcards
What is hardware?
Hardware is the physical stuff on a computer
What is software?
Software is the programs that run on a computer
Where does the hardware store the software when it is being used?
In the RAM
What are the two main types of software?
Systems software
Application software
Name some things you can do on application software
Make a poster
Write an email
Doing homework
Messaging friends
What is general software?
It is a software where you can carry out a lot of different tasks
Name some general software
Word processors
Spreadsheets
Desktop publisher
What is special-purpose software?
It is a software that performs one specific task
Name some examples of special-purpose software
Flight simulator, payroll software or an application for revising maths
What are the three types of system software?
Operating systems, Utility programs and program translators
Name some operating systems
Android OS, IOS, Linux, Google chrome OS, MS-DOS, Windows and OS X
What is an operating system?
It is a software that manages a computer’s hardware and provides a user interface
What are some of the functions of an operating system
It provides a user interface and manages memory, Multi-tasking, peripherals, files, user access rights.
What is a UI?
The UI (User Interface) allows the human to interact with the computer, in particular using peripherals.
What is GUI?
GUI (Graphical User Interface) is a visual way of interacting with the computer using icons, buttons etc.
What is CLI?
CLI (Command Line Interface) is a way of communicating with the computer using text.
What types of Interfaces are there?
GUI, CLI, Real-time, Voice-activated, Menu-driven interface.
What is the CPU?
The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is like the brain of the computer, it tells all the other parts how to run and, manages the software.
What is the GPU?
The GPU (Graphical Processing Unit) is what displays everything on a screen.
What is RAM?
RAM (Random Access Memory) is short term storage that the computer uses when it is running things like games and software, but when you close the game or software all data is removed from it.
What is Cache?
The cache is dedicated storage in the CPU used only for things that the computer does many times and so doesn’t want to waste time getting it from the Hard Drive or RAM.
