System Technologies

• Hardware


  The collection of physical components attached to or forming part of the computer system, those items that you can see and touch
• Software


  The collection of non-physical parts of the system, the operating system, application programs and the data
• Hardware needs software to tell it what to do and software needs hardware to perform tasks
• General Processing Cycle


  1. Input data

  2. Process the data

  3. Store the data

  4. Output information to a device or communicate elsewhere
• CPU


  The component that performs tasks at high speed
• RAM


  Where instructions are stored and fed to the processor one at a time
• Secondary Storage


  Where data can be copied from RAM
• ICT


  Information and Communication Technology
• Advantages of using computers

  • Fast access to data
  • Time-critical transactions can take place at high speed
  • Online shopping/banking
  • Mail services
  • Less use of paper
  • Less traveling, hence less pollution, if you can work from home
  • Your computer is up to date and you can keep abreast of rapidly changing technology. The Internet facilitates efficient updating of software
• Disadvantages of using computers

  • Electrical failures cause much loss of productivity
  • Unauthorised access to data is possible
  • Injuries related to poor working conditions
  • Scams and online fraud
  • Toxic waste is generated by dumping of old equipment
  • Greater energy hence more electrical requirements
  • Hardware quickly becomes outdated, software constantly needs to be upgraded with versions constantly changing. As the software develops so your hardware becomes obsolete
• Data


  Raw unorganised facts that need to be processed to make it useful and meaningful
• Information


  Processed data - organised, structured or presented in a given context
• Types of computers


  • Desktop
  • Laptop
  • Tablet
  • Single Board Computer
  • Smartphone
  • Smart wear
  • Server
  • Embedded Computer
  • Super Computer
• Desktop computers


  • Processor is contained in one chip called the microprocessor, or more commonly, the CPU
  • Primary use is for applications that need a lot of memory, speed and/or graphics capabilities
• Laptops


  • Smaller to desktop computers but performance has become quite comparable with the introduction of microprocessors specially made for mobile computers
  • High graphics capabilities are limited because of the screen size
• Tablets


  • Lightweight, low-powered laptop-shaped mobile computer, with a touch screen or graphics tablet screen
  • Good for demonstration applications and those where a stylus or digital pen is used for emphasis and exploration
• Single Board Computers


  • Much smaller than a desktop computer
  • Essential peripherals are integrated in the casing
• Smartphones


  • Offer more advanced computing and connectivity than a conventional phone
  • Allow users to install and run advanced applications
• Smart wear


  • Wearable devices (e.g. watches) that contain a computer smartphone operating system capable of connectivity and smart apps
• Servers


  • Powerful computers with large storage capacity, to which other computers in a network connect to use the server's resources
  • Provide services to the machines in the network
• Embedded Computers


  • Designed to perform one or more dedicated functions
  • Embedded as part of a device, often including hardware and mechanical parts
  • Control many devices in common use today
• Super Computers


  • Largest type of computer, used in computational science, quantum mechanics, weather forecasting and a host of other high-level computing environments
• Operating System


  A collection of many programs that manages the hardware and allows the user to run software applications
• Types of Operating Systems

  • Desktop OS
  • Mobile OS
  • Embedded OS
• Desktop Operating Systems


  • Support hardware functions such as input, processing and output
  • Act as interface between application programs and the computer hardware
• Mobile Operating Systems


  • Specifically designed to run on mobile devices such as mobile phones, smartphones, tablets and other handheld devices
  • Designed to use the limited resources of the mobile device more efficiently
• Embedded Operating Systems


  • Specialised OS for use in the computers built into larger systems
  • More compact than a desktop OS
  • Often designed for real-time operations where data is processed immediately without any delays
• Application Software


  Carries out tasks for computer users, such as allowing them to create documents, compute or play games or update a database
• Stand-Alone or Desktop Applications

  • Run on a computer without any need to interact with any other software
  • Use the hardware and operating system of the computer to perform its functions
• Network Applications


  • Designed to run on multiple computers that are connected via a network, usually the Internet
  • The network is classified as a client-server network, where the server provides a service to the client computers
• Synchronisation


  A process where the data on your desktop and mobile device is consistent, with both devices seeing the latest version of the data
• Mobile devices need to have a way of loading apps, doing updates and updating their operating systems or settings, usually via a USB port, wireless connections using the Internet, wireless network or even slower 'Bluetooth'
• You can use your computer to backup data from your mobile device, transfer data between the two and synchronise contacts, email and calendars
• The data transfer can be a two-way process, with the mobile device able to update data on the computer (or any other device that it is connected to, e.g. a Tablet) and vice versa