Theory Flashcards
What is the concept of information technology?
It is the combination of computing and telecommunications
What must a device do in order to fall under I.T.?
It must get data, process, store, output and share information
I.T. can also be the study of …?
Devices, programs or systems
I.T. can be used to
1) Generate info in different forms(text, graphics, audio etc.)
2) To send info from one location to another
What is a general purpose computer?
It is one that given the appropriate application and required time, should be able to perform most common computing tasks
How is a general purpose computer able to perform a wide variety of operations?
It can store and execute different programs in its internal storage
Examples of general purpose computers
Personal computers, including desktops, notebooks, laptop, smartphones, and tablets.
What is the difference between mainframes and supercomputers?
Mainframes do smaller task which involves lots of data while a supercomputer usually calculates one or two big tasks
Mainframe divides its processing power into smaller tasks (which involves lots of data) among several users and programs at the same time (multiprocessing). A supercomputer runs very few programs(one or two big tasks) at the same time so that these programs can run as quick as possible.
Where can a supercomputer be used?
NASA
(sending rockets, accurate calculation.)
military ships
weather simulation
nuclear research
Where can a mainframes be used?
In banks(electronic banking) for processing customers accounts ATM
Insurance companies
By utility companies for processing telephone, water and electricity bills
By airlines for making flight arrangements
Anything that is data driven
What is a desktop system?
Devices that stay on top of your desk.
What are mobile devices?
Devices that are portable
Eg. Tablet, laptop
Which type of computer is fast and can be used to solve a very large problem requiring mathematical skill and accuracy ?
Supercomputers
Which type of computer is used to solve a smaller problem driven by data ?
Mainframe
What are the different types of computers?
- Supercomputers
- Mainframes
- Desktop systems
- Mobile devices
What are embedded devices?
An appliance or a machine which has a computer processor built into it and this processor automates some or all of its operations.
Where can embedded systems be found?
- The sound and navigation system of a car
- The controller in an aeroplane
- Calculators
- The processing unit in a washing machine or microwave oven
- AC unit
- GPS
- Digital watch
What does IoT (devices) stand for?
Internet of Things
What does PC stand for?
Personal computer
The type of computer with the greatest processing power
Supercomputer
Has various processing speeds
Embedded systems
Types of computer that are not portable
mainframes, supercomputers
Portability varies for
embedded systems
Types of computers that are portable?
- mobile computers
2. desktops
Has the largest storage capacity
and why
Mainframes
because it is using, storing and driven by data.
Has the least amount of storage capacity
and why
embedded systems
because it tends to hold data long enough to do the calculation to give the result then move on.
Storage capacity (largest to smallest)
- mainframe
- supercomputer
- desktop computers
- mobile computers
- embedded systems
Processing power (fastest to slowest)
- supercomputer
- mainframe
- desktop PCs
- mobile computers
- embedded systems (varies)
What other names does the processing cycle have?
- Hardware components of a computer system
- Input process output diagram
- Input Processing Output Storage (IPOS) cycle