Unit 2

Chapter 2 Stair Hardware and Software

1. Hardware components

a. Input devices

b. Output devices

c. Communications devices

d. Primary and secondary storage devices

e. central processing unit

2. Central processing unit (CPU)

-consist of (elements)

a. arithmetic/logic unit (ALU): performs mathematical computations and logic

comparisions

b. control unit: sequentially accesses program instructions, decodes them, and

coordinates the flow of data in and out of the ALU, primary storage,
and even secondary storage and various output devices

c. register storage areas

>Primary storage: holds program instructions and data

* CPY and memory, housed in the same box, called system unit

3. Attributes that determing capabilities of hardware device

A. Processing Characteristics and Functions

a. Clockspeed: series of electronic pulses at a predetermined rate gigahertz

(GHz)

:shorter interval between pulses = faster each instruction

can be executed

b. Physical Characteristics of the CPU

B. Memory Characteristics and Functions

 a. Storage Capacity: usual 8 bits(byte) represent a character

:Types

i. Random Access Memory (RAM)

:temporary and volatile

: sensitive to changes in electric current

ii. Read only Memory (ROM)

: permanent and non volatile

C. Multiprocessing

:simultaneous execution of two or more instructions

: Forms

a. Multicore Microprocessor

: combines 2 or more independent processors into a single

computer so they share workload and boost processing
capacity

b. Parallel: speeds processing by linking several processors to

operate at the same time

c. Grid: use of a collection of computers, often owned by many

people or organizations, to work in a coordinated manner
to solve a common problem

4. Secondary Storage

-stores larger amounts of data, instructions, and information permanently

-slower than memory

-Primary Characteristics:

a. Access Method

i. Sequential: data must be accessed in the order it is stored

ii. Direct: can directly access data without passing by other data

b. Capacity
 c. Portability

5. Secondary Storage Devices

1.) Magnetic tape : tape found in cassettes

: often used to back up disk drives and to store data off-site for
recovery in case of disaster.

: only sequential access

2.) Magnetic discs: direct access storage devices that enable fast data retrieval and
are used by companies that need to respond quickly to
customer requests

3.) RAID: Redundant array of independent/inexpensive disks

: method of storing data so that if a hard drive fails, the lost data on that
drive can be rebuilt

*Stripping: data is stored redundantly on different physical disk drives to

evenly distribute data

4. ) Virtual Tape: for less frequently needed data, stored entirely on tape cartidges,
some parts located on faster hard disks

5.) Storage Area Network (SAN): uses computer servers, distributed storage devices,
and networks to tie everything together

:provides high speed connections bet. data storage devices

and computers over a network

6.) Optical discs:

e.g. CD-ROM : after data is recorded, cannot be modified

-Drives that write CDs (allow back up of data on CDs)

a. CD-recordable (CD-R) : write CD once

b. CD-rewritable (CR-RW): write CDs repeatedly

7.) Digital Video Disc (DVD)

: stores software programs, pc games, movies

8.) Solid State Secondary Storage Devices (SSDs)

:store data on memory chips rather than magnetic or optical media

 :require less power, provice faster data access

:e.g. Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drive : external to the computer,
removable and rewritable

6. Input Devices

*Input and Output devices are gateways to the computer system; part of
computer's user interface

a.) Personal Computer Input devices

:keyboard and computer mouse

b.) Speech Recognition Technology

:enables microphone to interpret human speech

c.) Digital Cameras

:record and store images or video in digital form

d.) Touch-Sensitive Screens

e.) Optiocal Data readers

-Categories:

1. )Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) : for test scoring, test takers use pencils
to fill in boxes

2.)Optical Character Recognition (OCR): use relfected light to recognize and

scan

: can convert handwritten doc to digital data

f.) Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR)

:system for reading data quickly; remedy to banking industry

: data printed with this ink can be read by both people and computer

g.) Pen Input Devices

h.) Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

:transmit data by mobile device called a tag

7. Output Devices
 a.) Display Monitors: displays output from computer

i. Plasma Display-use pixels turned into plasma to emit light

ii. LCD displays: flat displays that use liquid crystals to form characters and
graphic images

:use less power than plasma screens

iii. Organic light-emitting diode (OLED)- uses a layer of organic material

sandwiched between two conductors,
which, in turn, are sandwiched between a
glass top plate and a glass bottom plate.

:use less power than LCD

b.) Printers and Plotters

-speed of printed is measured by number of pages printed per minute (ppm)

-quality of printer's output depends on the number of fots printed per inch
(dpi) 600dpi printes more clearly than 300dpi printer

-Laser printers: faster and handles more volume than inkjet printers

-Plotters: used for general design work

c.) Digital Audio Player

- device that can store, organize, and play digital music files

-MP3

d.) E-books

8. Computer System Types

9. Software

-Software: consists of computer programs that control the workings of computer

hardware

-Computer programs: sequence of instruction for computer

-Documentation: describes program functions to help user operate the computer system

-Types of Software

a. Systems Software

: set of programs designed to coordinate the activities and functions of the

hardware and various programs throughout the computer system

:each type of systems software is designed for a specific CPU design and class of
hardware

b. Application Software

: programs that help users solve particular computing problems

10. Supporting Individual, Group, and Organizational Goals

-Sphere of influence: scope of problems and opportunities addressed by specific org

a. Personal sphere of influence

:serve needs of individuals

: improving personal effectiveness

: increasing amount of work that can be done and its quality

b. Workgroup sphere of influence

*Workgroup= two or more people working together to achieve a

common goal

:enables group to work togethern and share ideas

c. Enterprise sphere of influence

: support firm in its interaction with its environment

11. Systems Software

:also supports the application program's problem-solving capabilities

:Different types of systems software include:

a. Operating systems (OS)

: set of computer programs that control the computer hardware and act as
an interface with application programs

: Combinations

i. Single computer with single user: allow one user at a time

ii. Single computer with multiple users

iii. Multiple computers with multiple users

iv. Special-purpose computers: specialized functions (military etc)

:plays a central role in the functioning of the complete computer system

*rescue disk- used to start computer if encountered problems with

the primary hard disk

: Activities performed by programs that make up the OS

 i. performing common computer hardware functions

: hardware functions

>get input from keyboard

>retrieve data from disks

>store data on disks

>display info on monitor

*OS acts as intermediary between aplication and hardware

ii. providing a user interface and input/output mgt

*User interface: allows people to access and interact with

the computer system

*Command-based user interface: need text commads for

computer to perform basic activities

* Graphical-user interface: display icons and menus used by

people to send commands to the computer system

iii. providing a degree of hardware independence

:to run, applications request services from OS through a

defined application program interface

iv. managing system memory

:controls how memory is accessed

:maximizes available memory and storage

*Paging: how virtual memory works

:swapping programs between memory and one or

more disk devices

v. managing processing tasks

:task management- allocates computer resources to make

the best use of each system's assets

:Task management software:

>allows user run more than one application at the same

 time (multitasking)

>allows them to use the same computer at the same time

(time sharing)

*Scalability: ability of computer to smoothly handle a

number of concurrent users

vi. providing network capability

: so computers can send and receive data and share

computing resources

vii. controlling access to system resources

viii. managing files

:ensure that files in secondary storage are available when

needed and that they are protected from access by
unauthorized users

b. Utility systems

: help to perform maintenance or correct problems with a computer system

: help secure and safeguard data

12. Application Software

:use computer to solve problems and perform specific tasks

:interact with systems software, and systems software directs computer hardware to
perform the necessary tasks

*Applications: help you perform commom tasks

:Types and Functions

a. Proprietary Software: of a kind program for a specific application

b. Off-the-shelf Software: existing software program

*Application service provider (ASP) :a company that can provide the software,
support, and computer hardware on which to run
the software from the user’s facilities over a
network

*Software as a Service (SaaS): allows businesses to subscribe to Web-delivered

business application software by paying a monthly
service charge or a per use fee.

-Personal Application Software (examples)

-Mobile application software
-Workgroup Application Software

:groupware or collaborative software

:The Three Cs: riles for successful implementation of groupware

-Enterprise Software Applications

:software that benefits an entire organization

:Applications that can be addressed with Enterprise software applications

 13.
Programming languages

:Sets of keywords, symbols, and rules for constructing statements that people can use to
communicate instructions to a computer

:primary function- provide instructions to computer system so it can perform a processing

activity

:coding schemes that OS and application systems are written in

:History

14. Software issues and trends

a. Software bugs: defect that prevents computer program from performing as it is

designed to perform

b. Copyright and Licenses

c. Software Upgrades

d. Global Software Support