Software

What is software?

•         unlike hardware it can’t be physically touched

•         it’s the missing link between the computer hardware and the data which it is processing

•         has to be “loaded” into the computer’s RAM before it can be “run”

•         a set of pre-written instructions which the computer executes in order to perform a particular task

 Systems Software

This type of software helps run and organize the computers hareware.

It includes a number of common features

•Operating System (OS)

•Device drivers

•File Managers

•Graphical ser Interface (GUI) and/or

•Command Line Interface (CLI)

•System utilities (eg diagnostic tools)

Applications software

 Application software is a subclass of computer software that employs the capabilities of a computer directly and thoroughly to a task that the user wishes to perform.Computer Software, or just software, is a collection of computer programs and related data that provide the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it. In other words, software is a conceptual entity which is a set of computer programs, procedures, and associated documentation concerned with the operation of a data processing system. We can also say software refers to one or more computer programs and data held in the storage of the computer for some purposes. In other words software is a set of programs, procedures and its documentation.

 Office Applications

Word Processing

Of all computer applications, word processing is the most common. To perform word processing, you need a computer, a special program called a word processor, and a printer. A word processor enables you to create a document, store it electronically on a disk, display it on a screen, modify it by entering commands and characters from the keyboard, and print it on a printer.

Spreadsheets

Games Software

Utilities

The great advantage of word processing over using a typewriter is that you can make changes without retyping the entire document. If you make a typing mistake, you simply back up the cursor and correct your mistake. If you want to delete a paragraph, you simply remove it, without leaving a trace. It is equally easy to insert a word, sentence, or paragraph in the middle of a document. Word processors also make it easy to move sections of text from one place to another within a document, or between documents. When you have made all the changes you want, you can send the file to a printer to get a hardcopy.

•Office software (eg Word-processor, Spreadsheet, Database etc)

•Educational software (eg CAL – Computer Aided Learning)

•Business & Industrial software (eg CAD – Computer Aided Design)

•Communication software (eg e-mail, chat programs etc)

•Games

•Specical (eg Speech recognition, route planners etc).

Data Flow Diagram

How information flows around a computer system

The informations flows within a computer from the hard disk to the Southbridge chip(drive controller) on the motherboard then it goes to the Northbridge Chip (system memory controller) then it goes to the DRAM Chips (on the memory stick) then it goes to the CPU Chip Level 2 Cache Buffer SRAM then it goes to the CPU Chip Level 1 Primary Execution Cache Buffer SRAM Memory then it goes to the CPU Chip Execution Units for Processing and gets sent back to the Northbridge which either sends it back to the RAM to be stored for later use or through the AGP Slot (Accelerated Graphics Port) into the VRAM, then on to the GPU (graphics controller), then on to the RAMDAC which converts it to a signal which can be interpreted by your display.

 

 

Storage Devices

Memory Stick/Flash drive

A memory stick is a very usefull thing because you can save al your work on it and take the pen drive anywere and work on with your work. the memory stick plugs into the side of the computer. you can put anything you want onto it for example.

CD Rom

A CD is a storage device. They are a very useful piece of  equipment. You can store videos, musican computer files.

A storage device is any type of hardware that stores data. The most common storage device which mostly all computers have is a hard drive.

Devices for Network Connection

3G/4G

3G is the network expansion which allowed direct internet connections, Wideband data access, simultaneous voice, data, music, and telephone, plus network based apps all rolled into one. 3G is the network which allows you to use the cell phone as a credit card. 3G refers to the third generation of mobile telephony technology. The third generation, as the name suggests, follows two earlier generati

ons.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth technology was designed primarily to support simple wireless networking of personal consumer devices and periherals, including cell phones, PDAs, and wireless headsets. Wireless signals transmitted with Bluetooth cover short distances, typically up to 30 feet (10 meters). Bluetooth devices generally communicate at less than 1 Mbps

Network Interace Cards (NIC)

¨In computer networking, a NIC provides the hardware interface between a computer and a network. Some NIC cards work with wired connections while others are wireless. Most NICs support either wired Ethernet or Wi-Fi wireless standards. Ethernet NICs plug into the system bus of the PC and include jacks for network cables, while Wi-Fi NICs contain built-in transmitters / receivers (transceivers)of the unit.

Output Devices

¨An output device is any piece of computer hardware equipment used to communicate the results of data processing carried out by an information processing system (such as a computer) to the outside world.

Monitor

¨A computer monitor is an electronic device that shows pictures. A monitor is usually used to see programs on the computer.

Printer

¨A printer is a machine used by computers to print out documents on paper in order to have a physical copy of text documents, diagrams or photos.

Speakers

¨Some speakers are designed to work specifically with computers, while others can be hooked up to any type of sound system. Regardless of their design, the purpose of speakers is to produce audio output that can be heard by the listener.

Input Devices

¨Any machine that feeds data into a computer. For example, a keyboard is an input device, where as a display monitor is an output device.

Keyboard

A Keyboard is a very good peice of ecuipment because this feeds most of the information into the computer. it is also very easy to learn and write quick. You can get wireless ones but most standard ones have a wire

Mouse
A mouse is a little device thats sits in you computer desk and it is basiclly the same size as your hand. This device has a pointer displayed on your monitor. You use this to move it about with your hand and click the left or right
botton to do a command.


 A Joystick is an input device. Joysticks are often used to control video games, and usually have one or more push-buttons whose state can also be read by the computer.

Different Types of Computer Systems

PC

A PC is a general-purpose tool built around a microprocessor. It has lots of different parts -- including memory, a hard disk, a modem, and more -- that work together. "General purpose" means that you can do many different things with a PC. You can use it to type documents, send e-mail, browse the Internet and play games.

Laptop

They're completely portable, and they use less power and make less noise than a PC. Laptops are also more expensive than than a normall PC.Overall, lap­top and desktop computers are very similar. They have the same basic hardware, software and operating systems.

Netbook

A Netbook is a miniature laptops, with small displays and keyboards, but they don't have some of the features that come standard laptop.For years, these companies have been making portable computers smaller, lighter, and more powerful -- and they've been successful with ultra-portable PCs called netbooks.

PDA

The main purpose of a personal digital assistant (PDA) is to act as an electronic organizer or day planner that is portable, easy to use and­ capable of sharing information with your PC. It's supposed to be an extension of the PC, not a replacement.

Games console

Home video game systems, also known as consoles, are a popular form of entertainment. In 2000, Sony estimated that one out of every four households in the United States had a Sony PlayStation. Since then the numbers have only increased, with systems like the Nintendo Wii luring the Holy Grail of the video game market: the casual gamer.

Tablet

A tablet personal computer or tablet PC is a tablet-sized computer that also has the key features of a full-size personal computer. A tablet PC is essentially a small laptop computer, equipped with a rotatable touchscreen as an additional input device, and running a standard PC operating system like Windows or Linux.

Server

Server is a physical computer (a hardware system) dedicated to running one or more such services to serve the needs of users of the other computers on the network. Depending on the computing service that it offers it could be a database server, file server, mail server, print server, web servers, or other.

 

Hardware

Processor



A processor is your computers brain. This tells it when to do stuff and when not too. Sometimes it is referred to central processor unit CPU. The CPU is were all the calculations take place.  

Processor Speed

The speed that the processor can run at is a function of many different factors. Some of these are related to design of the processor itself, which dictates the internal timing requirements that limit the maximum speed the processor can handle. Manufacturing factors relate to the process technology used, circuit size, die size and process quality.

In general, the smaller the chip, the faster it can run. This is due in part to reduced power consumption and heat generation; heat is generated when transistors switch from a zero to a one or vice-versa, and the faster the chip runs, the more switching in a given unit of time, so the more heat that is produced. A chip that overheats locks up or causes computation errors. Designers move chips to smaller circuit sizes to keep heat down as they ratchet up CPU 's speed.

   Memory Ram And Rom

 RAM- or random access memory, is static memory that does not store information, but helps the memory operate quickly on a computer.

ROM, or Read-Only-Memory, is a type of memory that is as fast as RAM, but has two important differences: It can not be changed, and it retains its contents even when the computer is shut off. It is generally used to start your computer up and load the operating system.

 Storage Devices

A storage device is any type of hardware that stores data. The most common storage device which mostly all computers have is a hard drive. There are many different types of storage devices.

CD

 CD is a storage device. They are a very useful piece of  equipment. You can store videos, music, and compute files.