Fundamentals of Hardware and

Software

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 What is a computer
⚫A computer is an electronic device that
executes the instructions in a program.
Laptop Desktop

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Classification of Systems:
• Supercomputers
• Mainframe
• Minicomputer
• Microcomputer

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Supercomputers
⚫Very powerful and fast
⚫High processing speed
⚫Holds large amount of data
⚫Specifically used for complex
applications by big organization.
Example NASA and ISRO uses
supercomputers to track and control space
discovery.
• Example : Cray supercomputer

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Super computer

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 Mainframe Computers
⚫high processing speed and data storage but
not powerful as super computers.

⚫Wired in air-conditioned rooms.

⚫Example: ISP (Internet Service Providers)

use mainframe computers to process
information about millions of internet
users.
• Example : IBM ES/9000, IBM 370, IBM
390. 7
Picture of Main Frame

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Desktop
⚫fit comfortably on top of a desk,

⚫limited to three internal mass storage

devices.

⚫very small are sometimes referred to as

slimline models.

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Desktop Computer

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Mobile device
⚫A mobile device is a general term for any
type of handheld computer. These devices
are designed to be extremely portable, and
they can often fit in your hand.

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Examples of mobile devices

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What are embedded systems
⚫Embedded systems come in a variety of
shapes and sizes, from the largest
multiple-rack data storage or networking
powerhouses to tiny modules such as your
personal MP3 player or cellular handset.

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 Types of Embedded Systems
⚫General Computing
-Video games, wearable computers,
ATM
⚫Control Systems
-Vehicle engines, chemical processes, nuclear
power, flight control
• Signal Processing
-Radar, sonar ,Video Compression
⚫Communication &Networking
-Telephone system, internet
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15
 Explain the functions of the major hardware
components of a computer system;
⚫CPU (Central Processing Unit)
The central processing unit (CPU) is the brain of the
computer system. It takes raw data, and converts it
into information.

Control Unit (CU)

⚫This is the main part of the CPU. It directs and
coordinates all activities within the CPU.

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 Explain the functions of the major hardware
components of the computer system
⚫ALU(Arithmetic Logic Unit)-
Responsible for performing all the tasks
pertaining to arithmetic.

⚫Main Memory
Also called computer memory, immediate access
storage (IMAS/IAS) or primary storage. . It holds data
and instructions that the computer is processing
at the time.

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 Secondary Storage
• Also referred to as backing storage or
auxilliary storage.
• Refers to media and methods used for
storing information permanently.
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 Terms you should know
Peripheral Devices
⚫Peripheral devices are any device controlled or
monitored by the CPU. It includes both input and
output devices.
⚫Hardware- Physical parts of a computer that you
can see and touch.

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 Input Devices
⚫Input devices- They get data into a computer.

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 Output Devices
⚫ Output devices- They get processed information out of a computer. e.g. printer,
monitor, speakers.

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 Types of Output Devices

There are two types of output devices:

Hardcopy (permanent) – it is tangible.

E.g. Data printed on paper

Softcopy (temporary) – such as displays on

a screen or speech from a speech synthesizer
⚫ Software-Programs (instructions) that tell the computer what to do

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⚫Memory-enables a computer to
temporarily store instructions and data

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Outline the functions and uses of
primary storage devices.

⚫Primary storage consists of two types of memory

chips

⚫RAM (Random Access Memory)-Contains

temporary or volatile memory which is lost
(erased) when the computer's power supply is
turned off.

⚫ROM-Read Only Memory

A memory chip that stores instruction and data
permanently. Contents are non-volatile (not lost
when the computer's power supply is lost).
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Outline the functions and use of Primary Storage Devices

⚫Variations of ROM

⚫PROM(Programmable Read Only Memory)

Once programmed cannot be erased.

⚫EPROM(Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory)

Erased by exposure to ultra-violet lights.

⚫EEPROM - (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read

Only Memory)
⚫Erased by exposure to electrical charge
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 Manipulate units of storage
⚫ Bit - a unit of storage that has two possible values 0 and 1. It is the
smallest unit. It is derived from Binary Digit

⚫ Byte - a group of eight bits and has the ability to represent one character

⚫ Word - the size of the data (or instruction) that the CPU can handle in a
single cycle.

⚫ Word length/word size - the number of bits in a word.

⚫ Address - the identification of a particular location in the memory where

a data item or an instruction is stored.

⚫ Address content - the data or instruction that is stored in a given address.

⚫ Bistable Devices-a device that can exist in one of two possible states.
It can be compared to an on/off switch.

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Larger Units of Storage
Name Symbol Number of bytes Equal to

Kilobyte KB 1024 1024 bytes

Megabyte MB 1048576 1024 KB

Gigabyte GB 1073741824 1024 MB

Terabyte TB 1099511627776 1024 GB

Petabyte PB 1125899906842624 1024 TB

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Functions of a computer?
A computer has four functions:

Input a. accepts data

Processing b. processes data

Output c. produces output

The Information
Processing Cycle

Storage d. stores results

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 CPU

Input CU Output
devices devices
ALU

Main
Memory

Secondary
Storage
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Evaluate the relative merits of cloud storage
and local storage
⚫Cloud Storage
-data is remotely maintained, managed, and backed up.
🗉 available to users over a network, which is usually the
internet.
🗉 -It allows the user to store files online so
that the user can access them from any location via the
internet.

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Local Storage
⚫Local Storage includes physical
hardware such as external hard drives,
flash drives, and CDs. It is kept nearby.

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 Advantages of Cloud Storage
⚫Cost-cloud storage costs about 3 cents per
gigabyte to store data internally.
⚫Accessibility – Stored files can be accessed
from anywhere via Internet connection
⚫Capacity-You can avoid emailing files to
individuals and instead send a web link to
recipients through your email
⚫Security-has security protocols in place to
protect sensitive information and transactions

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Explain the uses of various input devices
and media;
Optical Mark Reader(OMR): “

Computer device for reading examinations

completed by students who fill in boxes with
their responses.”

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⚫Optical Character Recognition/Reader
(OCR)
⚫ The identification of printed characters
using photoelectric devices and computer
software

Magnetic Ink Character Recognition

(MICR): is mainly used by the banking
industry to read cheques.

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⚫Mouse: An input device that controls the
movement of the cursor. The cursor moves
in response to the movement of the mouse
on a flat surface.

Joystick: An input device that uses a lever

to control movement of the cursor or graphic
images.

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 mouse
buttons wheel
button

b
a
ll

mous
e pad

Flatbed

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⚫Barcode Reader (Scanner):  is an electronic
device for reading printed barcodes.

⚫Document Scanner: process of converting

text and graphic paper documents,
photographic film, photographic paper or other
files to digital images.

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⚫Light pen: A light-sensitive input device
which when it touches the screen detects the
presence or absence of light. It is used to
select an entry or indicate a position.

Touch Terminal/Touch Screen:

A device that allows data to be input by
touching a screen with the finger or other
object.

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⚫Voice Response Unit (Interactive Voice Response):
“A device that enables output from a computer system in
the form of user-recorder words, phrases, music, or
anything that might be recorded on tape.”

Pads And Tablets: “A “tablet computer”, or simply

“tablet”, is a complete computer contained entirely in a
flat touch screen that uses a stylus, digital pen, or
fingertip as the primary input device instead of a
keyboard or mouse which may or may not be included.”

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⚫Point Of Sale (POS): “This is the
combination of a barcode reader and
computerized cash register.

Keyboarding: The process of rapidly and

accurately entering data into a computer
as an input device

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⚫Digital camera and camcorder - devices
used to enter a full motion recording into
a computer and store on a hard disc or
some other medium.

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⚫Microphone
⚫Audio data input, which is analysed for
commands and processed.

⚫Smart Card
⚫Magnetic Strip on a plastic card containing
information about the cardholder which is
accessed when swiped. E.g. Bus cards,
debit, credit, phone.

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⚫Musical Instrument Digital Interface
(MIDI)
⚫It is a connectivity standard that musicians
use to hook together musical instruments
(such as keyboards and synthesizers) and
computer equipment.

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⚫A biometric device- is identifying an
individual through their body characteristics
such as face geometry and hand geometry e.g.
fingerprints, iris or retinal scans, vein and
voice patterns

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⚫A sensor is a device that converts a real-world property
(e.g. temperature) into data that a computer can process.

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⚫Remote Control
Emits a beam of infra-red light that
carries data signals

⚫Sound Capture
⚫Capture is the process or means of
obtaining and storing external data,
particularly images or sounds, for
use at a later time.

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 Pointing Devices
These devices are used by graphical operating
systems such as Windows to show the
movement of the pointer or the cursor.
Examples of pointing devices include the
mouse, trackball, light pen, pen for graphic
tablet, joystick, touch screen,.

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⚫Point Of Sale (POS) terminal
Records purchases, processes credit or debit cards,
and updates inventory.

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 Input for Tablet PCs

What is a Tablet PC?

⮚ Mobile computer that
includes handwriting
recognition software

⮚ Primary input device is a

pressure-sensitive digital
pen

p. 249 – 250 Fig. 5-23 Next

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 What is a Web cam?

This is a video capture device connected to a

computer or computer network

p. 253 - 254 Fig. 5-28 Net

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 Terminals
What is an automated teller machine (ATM)?

⮚ Self-service banking
machine that connects to a
host computer through a
network

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Printers(Hard Copy output Devices

⚫Printers are output devices that produce

text and graphics on a physical medium
such as paper or transparency film.

⚫Impact Printers form characters and

graphics on paper by striking a
mechanism against an inked ribbon that
physically contacts the paper.

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Types of Impact Printers
⚫Dot Matrix
⚫Daisy Wheel
⚫Line Printer

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 Dot Matrix Printer
SPEED Slow
RESOLUTION Low DPI
TYPE Impact
VOLUME One Tray
MEMORY Low Memory
NOISE High Noise

Advantages:
Inexpensive
Can Print multi part stationery (more than one pages at a time)

Disadvantages:
Very Slow

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Dot Matrix

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 Daisy Wheel Printer
⚫Forms characters on petals like typewriter
keys. The petals strike and inked ribbon to
produce a character.
Advantages
⚫ More reliable
⚫ Better quality
Disadvantages
⚫ Slower
⚫ Noisy

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Daisy Wheel Printer

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Line Printer
⚫ is a high speed impact printer that prints an entire line at
a time.
SPEED Fast
RESOLUTION Medium
TYPE Impact
VOLUME Multiple Trays
MEMORY Low Memory
NOISE High Noise

Advantage: Very fast

Prints up to 3000 lines per minute

Disadvantage: Very Loud

Very Expensive

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Line Printer

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Non-Impact Printers
Non- Impact Printers form characters and
graphics without actually striking the
paper. Some spray ink while others use
heat and pressure to create the images.
The most commonly used non-impact
printers are:

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Types of Non Impact Printers
⚫Ink Jet Printer
⚫Laser Printer
⚫Thermal Printer

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 Ink-jet Printer
⚫ Forms characters and graphics by spraying tiny drops
of ink onto paper.
SPEED Fast
RESOLUTION Medium
TYPE Impact
VOLUME Multiple Trays
MEMORY Low Memory
NOISE High Noise

Advantages Disadvantages

Quiet Cannot print multi copies

Print colour Ink can smear when get wet

Fast 65
Ink Jet Printer

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Laser Printer
⚫Creates images using laser beam and
powdered ink called toner.
Advantages
∙ Very fast
∙ High quality printing
∙ Extremely quiet
∙ Can print in colour
Disadvantages
∙ Very expensive

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Laser Printer

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 Thermal Printer
⚫ Forms characters using chemically treated
paper.

Advantages
∙ Quiet
∙ Inexpensive

Disadvantages
◦ Print tends to fade over time.

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Thermal Printer

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More Output Devices

⚫Microfilm is a roll of film

⚫Microfiche is a rectangular sheet of film

on which many frames/pages of
information can be stored.

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⚫Speakers are devices that produce audio
output, such as music, speech and other
sounds.

⚫Headphones

⚫Earphones

⚫Plotters are sophisticated printers used to

produce high-quality drawings, such as
blueprints, maps, circuit diagrams and signs.)

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Types of Output
⚫Softcopy output is temporary output e.g.
information displayed on a screen or in
voice or audio form through speakers.

⚫Hardcopy output is permanent output

e.g. information printed onto paper or
film. It is tangible – you can hold it in
your hands

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Softcopy output devices

Visual Display Unit (monitor)

Monitors are output devices that visually

convey text, graphics and video
information.
Information exists electronically and is
displayed for a temporary period of time.

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Features of monitors
⚫Size: The dimension of the screen, which is
measured diagonally.

⚫Resolution: is the clearness or sharpness of an

image on a screen. The more pixels there are on
screen, the greater the resolution (A pixel is the
smallest unit on the display screen.)

⚫Colour: The number of colours displayed varies

from 6-256 to 64 thousand-16.7M. The more
colours, the smoother the graphic.

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Types of monitors available
⚫Cathode Ray Tubes (CRT): these screens looks
like a standard television set.

⚫Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)these screens are

used mainly with portable computers like laptops,
in some desktop computers and even in the latest
television sets.

⚫Gas plasma - This is a type of monitor

technology that works by creating a matrix of red,
green and blue pixels from plasma bubbles that
are turned on or off by selectively powering them.

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CATHODE RAY TUBE

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 Compare the types of secondary storage media with
respect to portability, speed and capacity
⚫Magnetic tape
⚫Portability: “The magnetic tape itself is fairly small
and would fit into a pocket or a bag.”

⚫Speed: “The slowest of all of the storage media from

which to access data, which is why it is fine for
archiving but not for immediate data retrieval.”

⚫Capacity: “Can be a Terabyte or more.”

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 Floppy Diskette
⚫Portability: Portable, insert into disk-
drive.

⚫Speed:  45KB per second maximum.

⚫Capacity: ~(approximately) 80KB

(kilobytes) – (to) 200 MB(megabytes

Diskettes are available in two sizes: 51/2

and 31/2 .
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Fixed Hard Disk

⚫Portability: Not Portable

⚫Speed: Faster than external storage

devices. 7,200 revolutions per minute.

⚫(Capacity: A terabyte or more

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Flash drives

⚫Portability: Portable

⚫Speed: ~(approximately) 30 to 100′s  of

MB (megabytes per second)

⚫Capacity: ~(approximately) 1 to  64

GB(gigabytes)

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Flash Memory Card

⚫Portability: Portable

⚫Speed: 160 Kbps(kilobytes per second)

 to 20 Mbps (megabytes per second)

⚫Capacity: Max around 32 GB(gigabytes)

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Optical Disc –CD (Compact Disk)
⚫Portability: Portable

⚫Speed: Slower than hard disk or flash

memory, faster than magnetic tape.

⚫Capacity: 650 Megabytes

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 Optical Disc –DVD (Digital
Versatile Disc)
⚫Portability: Portable

⚫Speed: Faster than a magnetic tape,

slower than hard disk and flash memory.

⚫Capacity: 4 to 9 GB(gigabytes)

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Use Terms Associated With Storag
e Devices
⚫Read/Write Head: A tiny electromagnetic
coil and metal pole used to write and read
magnetic patterns on a disk.

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Track, Track Sector, Disk Sector
Sector
The tracks are also divided into wedge shaped pieces
and they are also numbered

Track 
Tracks are a set of numbered concentric rings

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⚫Buffer: is a region of memory used to temporarily hold
data while it is being moved from one place to another.

⚫Cylinder: “A cylinder is made up of all the tracks of the

same number from all the disks that make up the hard
disk.

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⚫Access Time: The amount of time it takes a
computer to locate an area of memory for data
storage or retrieval.

⚫Sequential Access: means that data is

retrieved in the order which it was stored.e.g.
magnetic tape, cassette

⚫Direct Access: The facility of retrieving data

immediately from any part of a computer file,
without having to read the file from the
beginning e.g Flash drive, memory card, CD
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 Device Interfaces
⚫Small Computer System Interface, or SCSI
(pronounced scuzzy), It is a set of standards
for physically connecting and transferring
data between computers and peripheral
devices
⚫Integrated Drive Electronics
This interface is used specifically for mass
storage devices, in which the controller is
integrated into the disk or CD-ROM drive
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⚫Serial Advanced Technology Attachment:
A computer bus primarily designed for
transfer of data between a computer and
storage devices (like hard disk drives or
optical drives).

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 State the types and functions of output
devices
⚫Output devices are equipment used to get
information or any other response out of the
computer.

⚫There are two types of output:

⚫Softcopy output
⚫Hardcopy output

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What are the difference between Human Readable and Machine
Readable

⚫Human Readable: Data that can be

understood by humans. Printers and monitors
produce human- readable copies.

⚫Machine Readable: Data that can be

understood by computers. Disc drives and tape
drives produce machine-readable copies

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Interpret the hardware specifications of a
computer system
⚫Features of CPUs
⚫CPU:
⚫Types:
◦ Make / Brand: Intel or AMD
◦ Models: Pentium, Athlon, Celeron, Duron etc.
⚫Speed:
⚫Gigahertz (GHz) ranging from 4 GHz up
⚫Word size:
⚫ How many bits it can input/output and process
at a time, 32-bit or 64-bit
 Hard drive
⚫Hard Disk Drive (HDD):
interface connector/controller: PATA Parallel ATA
or SATA Serial ATA

⚫ Capacity:
Gigabytes(GB) ranging from 80GB to 500GB

Speed:
●Revolutions /rotations per minute (rpm)
usually 7200 rpm for desktops and 5400 rpm
for laptops
 Main Memory
⚫Memory:
Types of Random Access Memory (RAM):
● DDR: Double Data Rate 1,2,3 SDRAM
⚫Capacity:
Gigabytes(GB) ranging from 2 GB up
⚫Speed:
Megahertz (MHz) ranging from 533 MHz and up
 Expansion slots:
⚫Slots on motherboard used to attach
additional devices. Examples are
⚫PCI slots (Peripheral Component
Interconnect) for attaching general hardware

⚫AGP slot (Accelerated Graphics Port or

Advanced Graphics Port) for attaching video
cards

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 Ports
⚫ A port is a piece of technology that is used to connect external devices
to a computer.
⚫ TYPES
◦ Parallel:
● Used to connect printers ,scanners and external hard disks.
◦ Serial:
● Used to connect mouse, modem and printers.
◦ Universal Serial Bus (USB)
● Used to connect most devices mouse, keyboards, printers, scanners
● USB-1, USB-2, USB-3 (this one is faster).
◦ Firewire/IEEE 1394:
● used to transfer video images from digital devices
 Ports:
An interface on a computer to which you can
connect a device.
∙ Serial ∙ Parallel
∙ USB (Universal Serial ∙ FireWire
Bus) ∙ PCMCIA (Personal
∙ Audio Computer Memory
∙ International Card
Association). ∙ PCI
∙ PS/2 ∙ Ethernet

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TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
⚫ A ad in a news pagers gave the following description of a
computer system
⚫ Intel Pentium IV 64 bit 3.6 GHz, 2GB 533MHz SDRAM
(Max - 4GB) and a 160GB SATA HDD 7200 rpm.
Answer the following
⚫ what is the processor speed?
⚫ what is the type?
⚫ what is the word size?
⚫ what is the speed of the RAM?
⚫ what is the RAM type?
⚫ what is the memory capacity?
⚫ what is the storage capacity?
⚫ what is the storage speed?
⚫  what is the hard disk controller
 Correct
⚫ QUIZ
responses
⚫ 1. what is the processor speed?
⚫ Answer: 3.6 GHz
⚫ 2. what is the type?
⚫ Answer : Pentium IV
⚫ 3.what is the word size?
Answer : 64 bit
⚫ 4. what is the speed?
 Answer : 533 MHz
⚫ 5. what is the RAM type?
⚫  Answer: SDRAM
⚫ 6. what is the capacity?
⚫  Answer: 2GB and can allow up to 4 GB
⚫ 7. what is the storage capacity?
⚫  Answer: 160GB
⚫ 8. - what is the speed?
⚫  Answer: 7200 rpm
⚫ 9. - what is the hard disk controller?
⚫ Answer: SATA
 What is a parallel port?

⚫What is a serial port?

Next
101
Troubleshoot basic computer hardware
problems
⚫ CHECK FOR LOOSE CABLES TO
TROUBLESHOOT SOME PC PROBLEMS

⚫One of the most common causes of

computer problems is that a connector
comes loose.
⚫Two types of cables are inside the
console: power and data. Some devices,
like disk drives, require both.

102
HOW TO DO THIS?
Check to make sure that
⚫The power cable(s) have been unplugged
from the mains, or are not pushed in firmly
enough into the back of the unit.
⚫The data cable between the display and
computer is loose or unplugged.
⚫The cable between the computer and the
network socket is loose or unplugged.

103
continued
⚫The cable between your modem and the
phone socket is faulty or of the wrong
type
⚫A vital cable is missing or plugged into an
incorrect socket.
⚫If a faulty cable is a possibility, try out a
substitute if one is available - ideally one
that is known to be working.

104
Adjusting brightness using your
laptop's keys
⚫ The keys are usually marked with the
brightness symbol ( ).
⚫ the brightness keys are function keys which have a
special function if you press them while holding down
the Fn key.
⚫ The Fn key is usually located to the left of your
spacebar. The brightness function keys may be located
at the top of your keyboard, or on your arrow keys.

105
 Remove the old ink cartridge and install the
new ink cartridge.
Step one: Replace the old ink cartridge
Remove the old ink cartridge and install the new ink cartridge.
1.Make sure the printer is turned on. If necessary, press the Power button
(     ) to turn the printer on.

2.Open the top cover of the printer.

3.Wait until the carriage moves to the right side of the printer and is idle
and quiet.

4.Press down on the old ink cartridge, and then slide it out of the carriage.

5.To replace the tri-color ink cartridge, remove the ink cartridge from the
left slot.
6.To replace the black ink cartridge, remove the ink cartridge from the
right slot.
7.Remove the new ink cartridge from its packaging and pull the pink tab
to remove the protective tape from the ink cartridge.
106
 Battery problems (for example, loose or
dead battery)
These include problems that present the following types of
symptoms:
⚫ You receive warning messages about the battery not
charging.
⚫The computer experiences intermittent system shut downs
when operating with only the battery.
⚫ The computer does not recognize its network connection
when operating with only the battery.
⚫The computer and input devices are slow when operating
with only the battery.
⚫ The computer loses the time and date information when
operating on battery power
107
Distinguish between system programs
and application programs.
⚫Software
Software is the name given to all programs
that computers use to perform different
tasks.
⚫ Types of software
There are two main categories of software:
⚫1) Application software
⚫2) System software
 Software Categories
⚫Application Software
⚫These programs are developed to perform
specific tasks or solve a particular problem. E.g
◦ Entertainment software,Home & personal software
◦ Productivity software ,Specialist software

⚫System Software
◦ Manages and supports the resources and operations of
a computer system. It enables the running of
application software and management of system
resources.
Application packages can also be
grouped as follows:
⚫General purpose software
⚫Integrated software
⚫Specialized software
⚫Customized software
⚫Custom written or tailor-made software

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General-purpose software
⚫Also called “off-the-shelf” This is
software that is not written for any
specific business. It can be used to suit
specific needs
⚫Example Spreadsheet and word-
processing packages.
Integrated software
This offers many single purpose programs
together as one
⚫Examples Microsoft Office, Microsoft
Works, Sun OpenOffice, iWorks
Specialised software
⚫Software written for a specific task rather
than for a broad application area.

⚫Example payroll, expert systems,

accounting programs, theatre and airline
booking systems
 Customised software
⚫General-purpose software which has been
modified to meet the needs of an individual
or organization better.

⚫Custom written software: tailor made

This is software that has been created to meet
the unique requirements of a particular
individual or company.
⚫E.g. Airport, Port, Tstt, Digicel, Bank etc
System Software
⚫There are two major categories of system
software:
⚫Operating System
⚫Utility programs

One textbook has a third…

⚫Language translators
Operating System
⚫A set of programs managing the
operations of a computer, without which
the computer cannot function.
Types of Operating System
⚫Linux
⚫Microsoft Windows
⚫MSDOS
⚫Mac
⚫Ubuntu
⚫Microsoft NT Server
⚫Unix
⚫Language TranslatorsA translator is a
program that translates one programming
language instruction(s) into another
programming language instruction(s) without
the loss of original meaning.

Utility Programs -are used for routine, repetitive

tasks; they are common to all computer system
software.

e.g Desktop utilities- are available from the

taskbar, computer directory, and recycle bin;

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⚫ The menu bar and toolbar-provide utilities to manage files and
folders and for customizing the desktop and windows.

⚫ Disk formatting-removes information from the disk and prepares

it for the operating system.

⚫ Disk defragmentation -increase the speed of access and retrieval

from a disk by rewriting parts of a file to contiguous sectors on a
disk.

⚫ Disk checkers can scan the contents of a hard disk to find files or
areas that are corrupted in some way, or were not correctly saved,
and eliminate them for a more efficiently operating hard drive.

Anti-virus utilities scan for computer viruses.

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 Functions of the OS
⚫Managing computer resources: it allows
software and hardware to communicate with
each other and manages the use of input and
output devices.
⚫Managing files and memory: It keeps track of
the locations where programs and data are
stored within the computer’s memory and on
secondary storage devices. It is also responsible
for the copying, deleting, renaming and
backing-up of files.
🞂Maintaining security: It prevents
unauthorized users from accessing a computer.
🞂Managing tasks (processes): It allows the
computer to facilitate multitasking,
multiprogramming and multiprocessing.

🞂Providing User Interface

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 User Interfaces
🞂Command-driven
◦ User enters a command by typing in codes or words.
◦ E.g. C :\> dir tells the OS to list all the files on the hard
drive.
🞂Menu-driven
◦ Allows the use of either a mouse, cursor-keys or
keyboard to make a selection from a menu.
⚫e.g. Print, Save As, Open.
⚫ There are two (2) types of menus:
⚫Pull-down menu – usually drops down from the menu
bar when it is clicked.
⚫Pop-up menu – pops up from nowhere when the right
mouse button is clicked.
🞂.
Character of GUI
🞂Graphical (GUI or WIMP)
◦ Windows
◦ Icons
◦ Menus
◦ Pointers
◦ Use graphic images, menus and keystrokes to
choose commands, start programs, folders,
files, tasks, procedures

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 Hardware user interfaces:

⚫Touch screens
⚫To communicate with the computer, the user
touches the display of the device by a finger or
stylus. This interface incorporates aspects of
GUI and allows the user to make selections and
send commands by touching icons on the
screen.

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⚫Non-visual interfaces
⚫This type of interface utilizes audio
(sound) and gestures (head, hand and
device) to send commands and make
selections.
⚫Sensors
⚫This type of interface utilizes changes
(chemical or physical) in the environment
to communicate with the computer
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⚫Braille keyboards
⚫This device aids the blind in
communicating with the computer. The
keys have raised dots which represent
different characters.

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 Distinguish among multitasking, multiprocessing
and multiprogramming;
⚫Multiprogramming The ability of a computer to
execute two or more programs at the same time,
using one CPU (or processor).

⚫Multiprocessing The ability of a computer to

execute programs on two more processors
simultaneously.

⚫Multitasking allows the computer to appear to

perform many tasks simultaneously (at the same
time) e.g. you can play music and type your IT
project at the same time. 127
explain the different types of processing modes

⚫Batch processing system is one where data is

collected together in a batch before processing
starts e.g. Utility bills
Advantage
1.Jobs can be scheduled for a time when the
computer is not busy
Disadvantage
2.An expensive computer is required and a well
trained staff

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Real Time processing system- processes data
without significant delay making it always
up to date.
e.g. airplane landing control system, ticket
reservation, electronic funds transfer
Advantage
1.No significant delay for response
Disadvantages
1. The computer must be dedicated solely to
the task.

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Online Processing- a system in this mode
has access to a network. Unlike the real-
time processing system, an online
processing system is not updated
automatically, so information is not
always current and must be updated
frequently

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⚫Time Sharing system- allows many
users to share time on a single computer.
e.g. banks bank card system, universities
where students and lecturers are allowed
access to a central CPU on a mainframe
via different terminals throughout the
campus.

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