ICT notes

12 February 2025
Lesson 2

Main components of computer systems

As already mentioned in Section 1.1, a typical computer system is made up of hardware and
software.

The central processing unit (CPU)

is the part of the computer that interprets and executes the commands from the computer
hardware and software. It is normally part of the computer motherboard.
CPUs used to be made up of discrete components and numerous small integrated circuits;
these were combined together on one or more circuit board(s). However, due to modern
manufacturing techniques, the CPU is now referred to as a microprocessor. This is a single
integrated circuit which is at the heart of most PCs and is also found in many household
devices and equipment where some control or monitoring is needed (for example, the engine
management system in a car).
The CPU is made up of a control unit, which controls the input and output devices; an
arithmetic and logic unit (ALU), which carries out calculations and makes logical decisions;
and the immediate access store (RAM).

The internal hard disk drive (HDD) or solid state drive (SSD)

is the computer’s main internal storage; this is where the applications software, disk
operating system and files (for example, text, photos or music) are stored. The main
advantage of these storage devices is the fast data transfer/access times and their large
capacity to store data.

Random access memory (RAM)

is an internal chip where data is temporarily stored when running applications. This memory
can be written to and read from. Since its contents are lost when power to the computer is
turned off, it is often referred to as a volatile or temporary memory.
Read-only memory (ROM)
is a memory used to store information that needs to be permanent. It is often used to
contain, for example, configuration data for a computer system. These chips cannot be
altered and can only be read from (hence their name). One of the main advantages is that the
information stored on the ROM chip is not lost even when power to the computer is turned
off. They are often referred to as non-volatile memories. This was fully defined It is worth
noting that ROM also contains some coding known as the boot file. This code tells the
computer what to do when it first starts up; it is often referred to as the BIOS (basic input/
output system).
When the computer is turned on, the BIOS carries out a hardware check to find out if all the
devices are present and whether they are functional. Then it loads the operating system into
the RAM.
The BIOS stores the date, time and system configuration in a non-volatile chip called a CMOS
(complementary metal oxide semiconductor) – this is usually battery powered.

Operating systems
Operating systems have already been referred to earlier on in this chapter.
To enable computer systems to function and to allow users to communicate with computer
systems, special software known as operating systems (OS) have been developed. The
general tasks for a typical operating system include:

. control the operation of the input, output and backing storage devices.
. supervise loading, running and storage of applications programs.
. deal with errors that occur in application programs l maintain security of the whole
computer system.
. maintain a computer log (which details computer usage).
. allow communication between the user and the computer system(userinterface).

User interfaces
Command line interface (CLI)
Command line interface (CLI) requires a user to type in instructions to choose options from
menus, open software and so on. There are often a number of commands that need to be
typed in, for example, to save or load a file. The
user therefore has to learn a number of commands just to carry out basic operations. Having
to key in these commands every time an operation has to
be carried out is also slow. However, the advantage of CLI is that the user is in direct
communication with the computer and is not restricted to a number of predetermined
options.

Graphical user interface (GUI)

Graphical user interface (GUI) allows the user to interact with a computer
(or MP3 player, gaming device, mobile phone, and so on) using pictures or
icons (symbols) rather than having to type in a number of commands.

Types of computer
There are many types of computer systems in existence. The following sections
summarise some of the more common types currently available.

Types of computer
Types of computer
PC/desktop computers
PC/desktop usually refers to a general-purpose computer that is made up of a separate
monitor, keyboard, mouse and processor unit.
The term PC (personal computer) usually refers to computer systems that are IBM-
compatible, thus distinguishing them from, for example, Macintosh/Apple systems.
It is worth making a comparison here with laptop computers.
The advantages of desktop computers over laptop computers are:
. spare parts and connections tend to be standardised, which usually results in lower
costs
. ● the desktop tends to have a better specification.
. power consumption is not critical since they usually plug straight into a wall socket and
the larger casings allow a better dissipation of any heat build-up
. ● because they are usually fixed in one location, there is less likelihood of them being
damaged
. ● internet access is also more stable since they are not moved around (the user will
always have the same data transfer rate).
They do also have disadvantages when compared to laptop computers, however:
. ● the most obvious is that they are not particularly portable since they are made up of
separate components
. ● because they are not particularly portable, it is necessary to copy files, etc. when
you want to do some work elsewhere (for example, at home) – with a laptop you simply
take the whole computer with you
. ● they tend to be more complicated since all the components (for example, keyboard,
mouse) need to be carried round with you and then connected to the computer by
wires or wireless connections, which also clutters up the desk space.

Laptop computers
Laptop (or notebook) refers to a type of computer where the monitor, keyboard, pointing
device and processor are all together in one single unit. This makes them extremely portable.
Key features you would expect to find in a laptop:
● lightweight (to aid portability)
● low power consumption (and also long battery life)
● the processor shouldn’t generate too much heat
(cooling is very important).

The advantages of laptop computers compared to desktop computers:

● the most obvious is their portability; they can be taken anywhere since the monitor,
pointing device, keyboard, processor and backing store units are all together in one single
unit
● because everything is in one single unit, there are no trailing wires, etc.
● they can take full advantage of Wi-Fi
● since they are portable, they can link into any multimedia system.
● since they are portable, they can link into any multimedia system.
Laptop computers do have disadvantages when compared to desktop computers, however:
● since they are easily portable, they are also easier to steal
● they have limited battery life, so the user may need to carry a heavy adaptor
● the keyboards and pointing devices can sometimes be awkward to use

Tablets
Tablets are a relatively new internet-enabled
portable computer. They work in a similar way to a smartphone. Tablets use touch-screen
technology and don’t usually have a conventional keyboard (although some tablets that are a
cross between tablet and laptop do exist). The keyboard is part of the touch screen and keys
are simply touched by the finger or
a stylus. Internet access is usually through Wi-Fi or 3G/4G/5G (mobile phone) connectivity.
Tablets are equipped with a series of sensors including cameras, microphones,
accelerometers and touch screens.
Some of the typical features of tablets include:
● high-definition, anti-glare displays
● front- and back-facing cameras (which are used to take photos and videos, or
act as a webcam when doing video calls over the internet)
● lower weight and longer battery life than laptops
● Bluetooth connection to printers and other devices
● make use of flash (solid state) memory and cloud storage facilities to backup
and synchronise (often just referred to as ‘sync’) data sources
● they use a number of sensors to carry out the following functions:
• proximity sensors to detect if the device is close to, for example, the ear (which allows it to
block unintended ‘touches’)
• accelerometer, which detects movement and orientation of the device
(for example, moving the display from portrait to landscape to view videos, or to allow it to
be used as a ‘steering wheel’ in car-racing games)
• can use sophisticated speech-recognitions systems (such as Siri) to enable the user to ask
the device to look for things (for example, search the address book).

Advantages of tablets compared to laptops:

● very fast to switch on (no time delay waiting for the ‘windows’ system to load up)
● fully portable – they are so lightweight that they can be carried anywhere
● touch-screen technology means they are simple to use and don’t need any other
input devices
● canuseseveralAppsasstandard(suchasbuilt-incamera,MP3/4playersandsoon)
● don’t generate any heat – they use solid state technology
l battery life of a tablet is a lot longer
● when the power button is pressed it goes into standby but remains connected
to the internet, so the user still hears alerts when emails or other ‘events’ are received.

Disadvantages of tablets compared to laptops:

● they often have limited memory or storage compared to a laptop

● they can be expensive to run if the internet is being accessed frequently via
3G/4G/5G mobile phone networks
● typing on a touch screen can be slow and error prone compared to a standard
keyboard
● transferring of files often has to be done through an ‘Apps store’; the lack of a
‘drag and drop’ facility can prove irritating for users
● laptops tend to support more types of file format than tablets, and are also
better equipped to run different types of software.

Smartphones

Smartphones allow normal phone calls to be made but also have an operating system (such
as iOS, Android or Windows), allowing it to run a number of computer applications. They
allow users to send/receive emails, use a number of Apps, use a camera feature (to take
photos or videos), MP3/4 players (for music and videos), and so on.
Smart phones communicate with the internet either by using Wi-Fi hot spots or by using 3G/
4G/5G mobile phone networks. They make use of a number of Apps that allow the following
functions, among many others:
● send/receive emails
●surf the internet
● global positioning system (use of maps to navigate to a location)
● calendar functions
● telephone banking
● Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) – telephone network using the internet, which also
allows video calling
● streaming of videos
● streaming of music (from radio stations, for example)
● instant access to social networks (social contact with friends no matter where you are in
the world)
● instant messaging.

Smartwatches
Smartwatches essentially allow users to wear a mini-computer on their wrists. They offer the
same functions as a smartphone and make use of OLED technology (see Chapter 2). As with
smartphones, they use touch screen technology but also have the ability to link to
smartphones using Bluetooth technology.
Smartwatches have the following functions:

● internet connectivity (browsing, searches, sending emails and so on)

● ability to make and take phone calls
l messaging via text or video
● weather forecasts
● fitness and health-monitoring capability
● GPS (finding your location and, using satnav, directions to other locations)
These are just a few of the functions; essentially whatever is available on
a smartphone is available on a smartwatch. Many of the advantages and disadvantages of
smartphones also apply to smartwatches, but the following are additional points to be
considered.

Additional advantages:
● they are even more convenient than smartphones since the technology delivers
notifications straight to the user’s wrist
● they are very easy to use for monitoring fitness and health regimes.

Additional disadvantages:
● smartwatches are relatively large and bulky (so that the display can show the Apps clearly
and also permit the use of a battery, which gives an acceptable usage time before
recharging), which can make them uncomfortable to wear
● they tend to be rather unattractive in design, which means there is still some reluctance
for the technology to be adopted.

Mainframe computers

Mainframe computer is a term used for a large, very powerful, computer system. The name
comes from the days when the individual components were housed in large (often room-
sized) frames.
Their main purpose is to run commercial applications, such as banking and insurance, where
huge amounts of data need to be processed every day.

The main features of mainframe computers are:

● they can have several CPUs
● they have very fast processor speeds
● they can support multiple operating systems
● they have huge amounts of storage capacity
● they have huge internal memories (for example,several hundred gigabytes of RAM)
● they often operate using time sharing or batch processing.
Research assignment
Write a report based on the topics bellow :
. Your report must be a maximum of three pages
. Choose only one topic
. It must be in word document format
. It must be printed out
. Submission date 26/02/2025

Impact of emerging technologies

● artificial intelligence (AI) biometrics
● vision enhancement
● robotics
● quantum cryptography
● computer-assisted translation (CAT)
● 3-D and holographic imaging
● virtual reality.