SUMMARY

• Mainframe computer

  Large, powerful computer that carries out complex tasks and can be used by organisations
• Microprocessor


  Controls what the computer does. It takes data as input, processes it, and gives out an output
• Example of Microprocessor

  • Washing Machine
  • Television
  • Household appliances
• Laptops and desktops


  Types of personal computers. Laptops can be used as desktop replacements
• Types of software


  • System software
  • Application software
• Uses of Single Board Computers

  • Education
  • Embedded Computing
  • Physical Computing
• System software


  Programs that are designed to maintain or operate the computer system.
• Types of system software

  • Utility software
  • Operating system
• Embedded computing


  Computing hardware that's fixed in position and carries a specialist task
• Types of utility software

  • Backup
  • Defragmentation
  • Compression
  • Formatting
• Physical computing


  Interactive systems that can detect and respond to the surrounding environment
• Backup

  Creates a copy of files and data
• Memory

  Accessed faster than secondary storage, used to store instructions so the processor can quickly fetch, decode and execute them
• SIM Card


  Subscriber Identity Module, used to identify the device on the mobile phone network
• Defragmentation


  Reorders the fragments of data so that they are closer together and easier to locate
• Types of memory


  • ROM (Read Only Memory)
  • RAM (Random Access Memory)
  • Flash Memory
• Compression


  Decreases the size of data files to reduce the amount of space taken up by storage
• RAM (Random Access Memory)


  Stores instructions and programs currently in use, volatile (data lost when power is lost), size impacts user experience, virtual memory used when RAM is full
• Specialist Phones


  Phones with special features that meet the user's needs, such as accessibility or emergency features
• RAM is full


  Virtual memory is created, data moved to secondary storage, impacts performance by slowing down device
• Formatting


  Makes all data on a disk unreadable
• Network operating system


  Where multiple users use the same device/OS
• ROM (Read Only Memory)


  Non-volatile (data not lost when power is lost), used to store data for single use computers and boot information for PCs, contents can be adjusted in some types (PROM, EPROM, EEPROM)
• Features of a network operating system

  • Separate user accounts through usernames and passwords
  • Separate user files and software
  • Access to networks servers and shared peripherals
• Smartphones


  In addition to the features of a mobile phone, they have Wi-Fi Connectivity and can access the internet. Their operating system is more complex, and hence they use more energy, and require charging sooner than other mobile phones
• EEPROM


  Developed into flash memory
• Resource management


  Makes sure certain aspects of hardware are available when required
• ROM stores permanent data and cannot be upgraded, RAM stores temporary data and can be upgraded
• Bandwidth


  The number of bits that can carried by a connection in one second
• Memory management


  To move program instructions between storage and memory so that as many programs as possible can run at same time
• Flash Memory


  Type of EEPROM, no moving parts so portable and low power consumption, used in devices with SDs
• Tablets


  Slightly bigger than smartphones but carry out mostly the same functions
• Print spooling


  The process of keeping pages queued in order ready to be printed by a printer
• Processor


  Central Processing Unit (CPU), can have multiple cores
• Security


  Separate usernames and passwords, which can be used and sent to authentication software to gain access
• Processor cycle


  Fetch from memory, decode and execute instructions
• Application software


  Software that helps a user create a digital product or carry out specialist tasks
• Latency


  The amount of time it takes to send data between devices
• Wi-Fi


  A way of connecting computers or machines to a network or the internet using radio signals
• Examples of application software


  • Word processing
  • Spreadsheet
  • Presentation software
  • Desktop publishing
  • Database
  • Web authoring
  • Image editing
  • Photo editing
  • Sound editing
  • Project management
  • Control applications