SYLLABUS

Hardware
• define the term hardware
• evaluate internal hardware devices (including: centra1 prDcessing unit
(CPU), motherboard, random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM),
graphics card, sound card, hard disk drive (HDD), solid state drive (SSD))
• evaluate external hardware devices (including: cloud, monitor, keyboard, mouse.
printer (laser, inkjet, dot matrix, plotter), speakers, camera (digita!,
video). scanner, magnetic ink character reader (MICR), optical mark
reader
(OMR), optical character reader (OCR), barcode reader, pen drive. portable hard
SYLLABUS
Hardware
• explain the purpose of storage devices
• evaluate storage devices (including: magnetic tape drive, optical, hard disk drive
(HDD), solid state drive (SSD))
• explain the purpDse of input and output devices
• evaluate different input, storage or output devices for a given task

3
SYLIABUS
System, application anduser interface software
• define the term software
e evaluate typœ of software(system software and appllcationsoftwarel
e explain the purpose of system software (including: compilers, linkers, device
drivers, Dperating systems and utilities, interpreters)
e evaluate application software(inctuding: wDrd processing, spreadsheet,
database management systems, œntrol software, measuring software, applets
and apps, photo editing software, video editing software, graphics
manipulation software, œmmunications software, web authoring software)
SYLIABUS
System, application and user interface software
• evaluate application software for a given task
e evaluate the characteristics of different types of user interface (including:
command line interface, graphical user interface, didlDgue interface, gesture
based interface)
e evaluate the use of colour, layout, font size, quantity of information and controls
when designing a user interface

• t e mental models and how they can be used when designing a uses
C e
SYtABUS
Utility software

o delii1e u tility software

e desci ibe the i ale of clifferent utility software (including: anti-virus, back-up, data
compression. disk clefragicentation, formatting, file-copying. deleting)
 HARDWARE
Hardware Is categorised Into input, output and storage
devices.

a Input devices allow data to besenttoacomputer

(egkeyboard)
a Output devices allow the
communication of data/information from a
CDmputer{eg.monitor).
e Storage devices store data onto a storage medium so
that it can beused at a later time.
FARD¥/ARE

fe r n e m n • r
in item of hardware is a physical component that forms
part of a computer system. Items of hardware are often
known as dc¥lccs because they comprise electronic
components. Hardware devices can be internal to the
computer system (such as the central processing unit,
memory or motherboard) or they can beexternal to the
computer system (such as the monitor, keyboard or
mouse).
 lNTERNAtBARDWAREDEVlCES
CENTRAL PROCESSiNo uuiT
• The ALM performs
calculations and
logical operations.

• The CU runs the fetch -

execute cycle which fetches
instructions from memory and
executes them.

• |neut data is taken from input

devices (such as a
keyboard) or storage and
processed by the CPU.
which produces output data that can
 INTERNALMARDWAREDEVICES
CEMTRAL P R O C K S I N G UNIT
• CPUs usually consist of multiple cores
• Each cere is a separate processor, so a
quad-core CPU has four processors.
• Processors are measured by the
number of instructions they can
process per second(hertz).
• A 3GHz (gigahertz) processor can process
upto 3 billion instructions per second.
 INTERNALMARDWAREDEVICES
CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT

The central processing unit(CPU) is the brain ofa

computer. It is the part of the computer that carries out
calculations, executes instructions and processes data.
it includes thearithmetic logic unit(ALU) and control
unit(CU).
 lNTERNAtBARDWAREDEVlCES
MOTHERBOARD
• The motherboard is a printed circuit board (PCB)
which connects the main components
of a computer.
• Some of these camponents may be an Integral
part of the motherbaard. Such components can
include Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports, a
network port and an integrated graphics card.

• A motherboard will always include the

main bus which Ts used to transfer data
between hardware
 HARDWARE
IvlOTHERBOARD
• Other hardware components can
be connected dlrectty to the
motherboard, Including random access
memory (RAI•1], Ge CPU and expansion
cards.
• Expansion cards offer additional
functlonality, such as enhanced
graphics processing and additional
USB pot
 RANDOMAOCESSMEMORY-RAM
• Random access memory (RAM) is memory that Ts used to store currently
active programs and data. The more RAM that is available to the computer, the
more data and programs can be uced at the same time.

e This is particularly important in multitasking environments, when several prDgrams

maybe open at the sametime.

e When the RAM becomes full, programs or data that are nD longer active will be
removed to make space for new programs or data. If the RAM becomes full and
there are nD inactive programs or data to remove, then an area of secondary
storage (eg.hard disc drive (HDD) er solid state drive(SSD)) known as virtual memory
is used to expand the amount of memory available to the CPU. ‘*
 RANDOMAOCESSMEMORY-RAM
• Virtual memory Is very slowbecause secondary storage access times are
thousands
of times slower than RAM access times.
e RAM ls vo\atiIe, which means the content ofthe memory is lost îfthere
\s no power to the RAM.When you are using a computer and experience a power
eut, this iswhy the data you are currently using is lost unless it has reœntly been
saved to secondary storage.
 READ ONLY MEMORY - ROM
• Read only memory(ROM) is memory that, once it has
been written to, can no longer be changed. It is
permanent and it is non-volatile, which means
that when there is no power to the computer,
the contents of the ROM will be retained.
• This is because it is powered by a small long-life battery.
• ROM is also used in small devices such as calculators
where there isonly one program or set of instructions.
READ0NYMEü0RY-R0M

RAM Vs
TASK

TASK
Find out what Is the purpose of programmable read
only memory (PROIvl) and erasable programmable read
only memory(EPRON).
 3RAPFICS CARD
e A graphics card \s also known as a video card, display
adapter or graphics adapter. It is a printed circuit board
that connects to oneof the motherboard's expansion
slots.
e Its purpose is to generate the signals needed
to display the output image from the computer.
• Often the graphics adapter is integrated into the
motherboard and does not require a separate
card. However, by using a separate card,
the graphics performance can be improved
as a separate processor can be used for ›
 3RAPFICS CARD
e Graphics cards include a variety of options for output.
Standard video graphics array(VGA} output to a monitor is
achieved through the RGB port which transmits red, green
and blue signals to the monitor in an analogue format.
• High definitien display is achieved through
a
high-definition multimedia interface(HDMI) port.
• Another option is Digital Video Interface(DVI)
which supports high resolutlondlsplaysusing digital
signals.
 SOUNDCARD
a The purpose of a sound card is to generate the
signals needed to eutput sound from the computer toa speaker
or set ef speakers.
• It is often an Integrated part of the motherboard and will
Include a single output for audio (greensocket), a single
input for a microphone (red socket) and a slngle Input for
line level devices(bIuesocket).
e If hlgher quality or surround sound is required, then it is usually
necessary to have a separate sDund card which connects to one
of the motherboard's expansiDn slow This will enable multiple
outputs for front, rear, centre and sub-wooferspeakew zi
 MARDDIS[DRIVE
• Hard disk drives are magnetlc media that store and retrieve
digital data. Its architecture \s rigid rapidly rotating disks, or
platters, held in placeby spindle
e The platters are not magnetic but are coated with magnetic

• Magnetic heads on actuator arms move over the platter

surface to read and write binary data bits
detem\ng changes magnetization on the platter.
e This Is randDm access storage that does not require sequential
blocks to work. Disks are of course non-volatile and will not lose
stored data when the drive powers off.
 MARDDIS[DRIVE
e Modem HDDs spin from a low consumer speed of 4200 revolutions per
minute (rpm) to enterprise-grade 15K rpm.

e HDDs usually have two motors: one for the spindle to spin the disks and
the motor that positions the arms and read/write heads.
HARD DISK DRIYE CFARÂCTERISTICS
Highcapacity and performance are primary HDD characteristics, with
re\iabiIity a closeseœnd.

Capacity
• The Industry measures capacîty in powers of 1.000, so a 1TB drive stores 10ŒIGB.
Not all this room ts availabte for user data Storage tl›anks to the file system and
computer OS, arxl on most disks reserved space for RAID ogeratioris or other
re<overy op0ons. The OS will report ava\IabIe storage correctly to the user.
• Commercial avallabÎe HDD capactty vastes wildly from a few hundred GBs to 12TB
for enterprise drîves.
zs
 HARD DISK DRIYE CHARACTERISTICS
Performance Iscalculated by three measurements: averageaccesstIme.average latency,
and average data rate.
• Access time \s the time It takes for the dlsk drive to more the heads to a
track t¢i read or write the data. Access time Includes the actual seek time (how long it
takes the heads to get ta the rlght track), rotational latency, and sufftc)ent tlme to
complete command

• Rotational latency is the time ft takes for the requested sector to more
under the head. Latency Is calculated from seek ttme and the rpm of the sptnning disk
and is measured \n mllllseconda Typical rotational speeds range from 625 me at 4800
rpm to 2 ms at t5K
 HARD DISK DRIYE CHARACTERISTICS
Reliability

• HDD rellabflity does not directly correlate to HDD failures. Many external factors
can cause a disk failure, including power loss, wildfire or floods, magnetic
interference, malware, dropping a drlve (it happens), or envlronmantal
contamination that causes a head crash.
• HDD rellabllity ia concerned with Internal threats to the HDD, including equipment
failures, data errora, and head crashes.
 FARD OISK DRIVE CHARACTERISTICS

» The hard disk drive consists of two main parts: the device that is the electronics
which store the data, and the disk that is the medium on to which the data is
stored.
• The device (or drive) includes a read-write head which sit sat the end of an access
arm end magnetises sectors on the disk (platter).
• There is usually more than one platter and therefore there will be several read-write
heads for each side of each platter.
 FARD BISK DRIVE CHARACTERISTICS
» Each platter wil( have tracks and each track will be split into sectors.The tracks
that are in the same position on each platter form a cylinder.
• Wherever possible, a computer will attempt to store data on a single cylinder as this
requires the least access arm movement and the access arm is the slowest part of the
hard disk.
 HARD DISK DRIVE CHARACTERISTICS

» Data stored on a hard disk is non-voletiIe.This

means that when the computer is turned off and there
is no power then the data will still be safely stored on
the hard disc.
• Hard discs can be Internally connected to the
computer using a Serial Advanced Technology
Attachment (SATA) or Integrated Drive Electronics
(IDE} cable.
DISCUSSONPOINT

DISCUSSION POINT
Do you know where the phrase’my computer has
crashed’ comes from? tt relates to when the read-wrlte
head crashes into a platter and causes damage to the
hard disk, meaning that daFa and programs can no longer
be retrieved.

J2
 SOLID STATE DRIVE
• SSD
A solid state drive(USD) ic another secondary storage
device that is non-volatile.
• However, there are no moving parts and the data is stored
onto flash memory.
• it is also not nececsary to store data in the came
cylinder in order to maximise access speed as the data
can be stored anywhere on the flash memory and access
speeds will not be affected.
SSDs are 6Iso non-magnetic and so are not
eusceptible to damage from to close, strong magnetic
fields. ?3
 SOLID STATE DRIVE - SSD
+ They are used in higher performance
computerc.
• A frequent compromise between speed,
capacity and price is to have a smaller SSD to
store the operating system and software (for
speed of access) and use a larger HDD to store SSD HD
data. D
• SSDs also require a lot less power than HDDs
and so are preferred in laptop and tablet
computers. ›‹
TASK

TASK
Have a look at the inside of an old computer. Identify
each of the main components that can be seen on the
motherboard, the hardware devices that are connected to it
and any available connection ports.
 EXTERNAtMARDWAREDEVlCES

CLO D OneDrive IeDrñ

0F0{Ib0X
a Cloud computing is a term that refers to anything where computing services are hosted
over the internet and not in the same physical location as the computer being used.
• Data is stored on banks of servers that are accessed remotely. The physical
devices that store the data are owned by a hosting company rather than the person or
organisation using the data.
 EXTERNAtMARDWAREDEVlCES
CLOUD
a When data is stored in the cloud, the hosting company takes all responsibility for
storing the data, managing the data, securing the data and backing up the data, so that
people or organisations no longer have to be concerned with this.
• As the data is stored remotely, it also means that it can be accessed at any time in any
place, so people do not have to be sitting at a specifie computer or within an organisation
to access that data.

42GB
 EXTERNAtMARDWAREDEVlCES
CLOUD
a The downside is that it takes longer to access the data as access times are limited by the
bandwidth aveilable to the hosting compeny and other users who maybe accessing data
on the same servers at the sametime.
• It can also be quite costly to store large amounts of data on cloud storage.
» Some cloud storage options aI)ow synchronisation to a computer, so the cloud ects as a
backup to the data stored on the computer. it also meens that when eccessing the data
from the eI!ocated computer, access times will be faster than accessing from cloud
storage.
EXAMPLE

E xan ples al cloud stDrage lor personal use include:

• OneDrive
• Google Di ive
• Dropbox
 MONTOR

a Although not en essential part of every computer system, a monitor is certainly an

essential part of most computer systems as it enables the user to visualise the output.
• It is connected to the computer using one of the ports on a graphics card. Monitor
sizes are measured diagonally and, apart from some very old 'legacy' monitors, they
now have flat screens which minimatise the amount of desk space that is used and they
are light enough to be mounted on a wall or a desk using a bracket or on a shelf.
 MONTOR
• A monltor wilt be limited by Its resolution. This ie
the number of pixels it can display and is measured
horizontally by vertically.
» For example, a high definition (HD) monitor can display
1920xJ 080 pixels. Some monitors also include a touch
interface (known as a touchscreen), which means that the
user can select items by directly interacting with the display
on the ccreen.
• These are often integrated into tablet computers and
mobile phones. „
 KEYBOARD

• A keyboard consists of a number of buttons which are used to input test

or to control parts of an interface.
• Its maln limitation is the number of keys ayaileble.
• With a Roman alphabet, this i8n1tno much of a problem because the alphabet
only
contains 26 letters end ten digits.
• However. some a l p h a s such as Arabic or Chinese contaln many
more characters end so comblnagons of keys heve to be used.
 KEYBOARD

• A keyboard can be connected to a computer using a USB port, by wirale

Bluetooth or by other wireleea technology.
• Keyboards vaiy Tn style and shape and ergonomic keyboards are available
to
provide mora comfort and protection for thR user fFom repetitiYe strain injury(RSS).
• A mouse in a pointing device which allows objects to
be selected and manipulated on the screen.
e The mouse eontrols a pointer whieh is displayed on the

• When the mouee In moved, the pointer moved and objects

such as menu scan be selected on the screen using one of the
mousebuttons.
• Like a keybD8rd, a mouse can be connected using a USB
port, by wiretess Bluetooth or by mher wireless technology.
 PRINTER
• A printer produces a hard copy (printout) from a
computer usually on to paper.
• A simplex printer can print on a single side of paper,
where as a printer with a duplex unit can print on
both sides of each sheet of paper.
• Some printers include additional functions such as a
scanner.
 LASERFBNTER
• A laser primer negatively charges a cyIIndr\cal drum which then attracts electrically
charged tonar (powdered Ink). The toner Is then heated so that It melte onto the paper.
 1N€ETPRNTER
• Canridgec full of Ink in four different colours (b!acL, cyan, magenta, yellow) are
used to 'squirt' ink onto the paper to form the required printout.
 D0TMATR|XPR|NTER
• Beñâre laser and inkjet printers, dot matrix printers were
commonplace.
• They are a type of impact primer which means that the
printout is achieved by hitting the paper and the operation is
very noisy.
• Thh hs
ivenonto a ribbon
nhe ,hdnteabsf r s ink. { ped'
• The main advantage of dot matrix printers is that they can
print on duplicate and triplicate paper (carbon copies) due to
the impact.
» They are also very robust printers and so last for a long time. <
6
 PLOTTER
• in the 1990s, a plotter used to 'plot’ lines on to large
cheetc of paper by moving the paper backwards and
forwards and drawing using pens to create vector
drawings.
• Today, plotters are inkjet printers designed to be used
with large sheets of paper, typically A2, A1 and AO. If
only black and white printouts are required, then
light-emitting diode (LED) plotters are much faster and
have cheaper running coets than inkjet plotterc.
 3DFRNTER
• A 3D Printer is a manufacturing tool used to
create three-dimensional artifacts that have been
designed on a computer.
e 3D printers have a wide range of shapes, sizes, and types,
but in essence they are all computer controlled additive
manufacturing machines.
• Similar to how paper printers lay down ink in one layer to
create an image, 3D printers lay down or cure material
layer by layer to create a three-dimensional object.
DVFfRENTTYPESOfPRNTER
l
SPEAKERS
• Speakers are used to provide sound output from a computer. These can be as
simple as a pair of stereo speakers or full surround sound.

TASK
I' nd oul the d'Werence between mono sound, stereo
soun‹I, s.1 surround sound, 6,1 suiioanb sound and T1
surround sounrl.
e A camera can be used to capture still or moving images
(movies). When connected to the computer, the images or
movies can be transferred from the camera to the
computer's storage.
e The images can then be viewed Dn screen, manipulated and
shared.
• A digital still camera is optimised for capturing still
jmages but usually has the capability of capturing
movies too, where as a digital vfdeo camera \s
optimised for capturing mov\esbutcan also capture
stillImages.
¥IEBCAM
e A webcam isa camera that isconnected to the computer for
the purpose of capturing still or moving images while using
the cemputer.
e It will not be as high quality as a dedicated digital camera or
digital video camera. It will usually have an integrated
microphone for capturing sound.
• Its main purpose is for users to engage in online video chat
or video conferences. They can also be used as security
cameras
SCANNER

e A scanner is used to capture two dimensional(20) documents in the form of

animage.
e They perform a similar function to a digital camera but are specifically
designed to take cIDse-up Images of 2D documents.
• Flat-bed scanners can capture a full-colour image and save the image as a file
on the computer's storage. If the image centains lots of text, then it is
possible to run optical character recognition(OCR) to recognise the
text.
e Some flat-bed scanners include an autDmatlc document feeder (ADF) that „
enables documents with multiple pages to be scanned inDne operation.
OPTlCAtCARDRtADER
• An optical character reader (OCR) is a device that enables
characters on a document to be identified and understood by
the computer as letters, numbers, characters and words.
• This isn't really a device in itself, but is a scanner combined
with software that performs optical character recognition
(also OCR).
• The picture of the document is analysed and characters
are recognised by the software and turned into a
document so that the text can be searched or edited.

fi8
MA@NET|CINC0ARDREADER
e Magnetic ink is used to print numbers at the
bottom of checks. The numbers are printed
using the lv\ICRE-13B or CMC-7font
e The Ink contains iron oxide which means that it is
easily detected when using amagnetic ink character
reader(MICR) and the characters can be
understood.
• It is important that mistakes aren't made and
so MICR provides a much better level of accuracy
than OCR.
OPTICAL MARK R£ADER
e An optical mark reader (OtdR) detects the marks a multiple
choice document such as a multiple choice answer paper for an
examination.
e A scanner-like device is used to reflect a beam of light onto the
marked sheet and detect where the marks have been made.
e Software is then used to translate the pasitien efthe mark to the
informatien that it represents.
e OMR devices are only really suitable fDr multiple choice
responses as they cannot interpret letters that form words.
BAROODEREADER
e A barcode reader is used to detect the width of lines and gaps
that form abarcode.
e A laser beam Is shone onto the barcode and a photodiode is used
to measure the amount of light that \s reflected back. Blacklines
will not reftect any light but white gaps will.
e A barcode represents letters and numbers which usually identify
something, such as a book or ether product. The barcode scanner
usually includes its own hard coded circuitry so that it can send the
letters and numbers directly to the computer without the need for
additional software.
DISCUSSONPOINT

oiscussion no tr
Barcodes are limited in terms of the amount of data that can
be stored, which lswhy qulck response(QR) codes are now
bclng used for items of data beyond a string olletters and
numbers.
PEN DRIVE
• A pen drive is a nickname for a USB flash drive. It is a small data storage
device about the size of a thumb which stores data on flash memory and
includes an integrated USB interface.
• The USB interface means that the flash drive is recognisable on all computers
with a USB port and therefore data can be transported easily between computers.
• Flash mempry is very fast and so the limiting factor is the speed of the USB
port. As a flash drive does not haVE' any moving parts it is safe to transport,
although its size means that it can be easily lost. It also does not rely on
magnetising and therefore is not susceptible fo damage if it comes in contact with a
strong magnetic field.
53
FORTABtEHARDDlSKDRlVE

e Hard disk drives were introduced earlier in this chapter. As well as an

internal HDD, it is possible to have an external CDO.
e An external HDD can be connected to the computer using a USB or
External Serial Advanced Technology Attachment eSATA) port.
e An external HOD can store a lot more data than a USB flash drive, but it
is more susceptible to damage due to it having moving parts and
its vulnerability to strong magnetic fields.
BU-RAY DISC DRIVE

e A Blu-ray disc is an optical storage medium. It is the same size and shape
as
acompact disc(CD) and digital versatile disc(DVD).
e The Blu-ray disc was introduced because it can store HDvideo and
therefore a whole film can be stered on the Btu ray disc.
e A single layer Blu-ray disc can store 2SGB of data and a dual-layer Blu-
ray
disc can store SOGB of data.
DSCUSSON

DI S C U S S t O N P O I N T
Find out about the next advancement In optical
storage, the holographlc versatile disc(HVD).
DSCUSSON
Holographic Versatile
Disc

The klolographic Versatile Disc \s an opMcal disc technology developed

beween AqriT 2004 and mid 2008 iha‹ can store up Io several terabytes of
data on an apical disc 10 cm of 12 cv \n diameter The reduced radlus
reduces cosl and materials used Wikipedia
Capecfty: 6 TB
Developed by: HSO Forum
Encoding: MPEG-2 MPEG-4 AVC \H 264) HEVC EH 26SI and VC- t
Usege: Oala storage High definition video. OH0/\'rQHD 8 Ihe g-essibiTity
of ultra ID
MEMORY CARD
• A memory card is flash memory on a small card.
• They are typically used in digital cameras, digital video cameras and
mobile phones.
e They take up very littlE' space so are well suited to fitting into a
small
device, as well as being portable so that data can be transferred to a
computer.
• There are many different formats of cards, but most devices favour Secure
Digital(SD) and micro SDcards. MicroSD cards are only
15x11x0.1mm in size.
SECONDARYSTORAGEDEVIOES

ke»e‹i tir‹
The main purpose of astorage devlce is to store data or
software that can beused by a computer. A storage
device Is known as secondary storage, which is non-
volatile and so data is not lost when tt›e computer is
turned off.
REAS0NSf0RUS|NG SECONDARYSTORAGEDEWCES
• When creating a document, a user is likely to want to make
changes to that document in the future and therefore it is necessary
to save it to secondary storage.
e The usE'r may want somebody else to edit or read the document and so it
will be saved to secondary storage to allow the person to do that.
• Users are likely to want to keep documents for archive purposes so they
can be referred to in the future.
• When using a database, each new record or change to a record will be
saved to the database in sE'condary storage.
0
REAS0NSf0RUS|NG StC0NDARYST0RAGEDEV1CES
• The user may want to backup the data so that a spare copy is available.
» Each program will be stored on secondary storage ready to be loaded
into RAM whin the program is opE^ned.
e The computer will use secondary storage to save a virtual memory file
which extE'nds the amount of RAM available, albeit making the virtual part
of the memory very slow.
MAGNETICTAPEDRIVE
• Magnetic tape isused for backing up and archiving data.
» Data is stored serially which means one item after another.
e The tape is wound through the tape drive and as it winds through data is
written to it.
• The low cost and high capacity of tapes makes them ideal for
backing up and archiving data because the data is simply stored tn a
se9uential manner.
MAGNET|CTADE0RlVE
• When retrieving data, it does take a while to find the data that is
required because the tape has to be wound to the exact pDSition where
the data is stored.
• This makes it unsuitable for everyday use. Backups and archives are not
intended for everyday use.
• If data does need to be restored from backup, it may take a while but it is
at least available when needed.
• If the whole of a computer s secondary storage needs to be restored. then
this can be done by reading the tape sequentially.
MAGNETICTAPEDRIVE
• Tapes are ideal for backing up
the whale of secondary
storage for a computer
or server because they can hold
several terabytes(TB) of
data.
e In 2014, Sony developed a tape
capable of storing 185 TB of data.
TASK

Find out how the grandfather-father-son backup

rotation system works using magnetic tapes. How
many tapes would be needed if the monthly backups
were kept for three months at a time?
TASK

Granfilatter Father Sox

TASK

First In, First Out

OPTICAL
• Optical storage was introclriced ear|ier in this chapter uncler the heading Blri ray.
• Iit 2015. tllei e were three main Eypes of optical storage.
00M£ARSDNBEIWEENMAGNRl0TAFE&0FMCAtDRNE
• Optical storage has been a popular medium to distribute software due to the low cost of
each disc, the fact that lead-only versions of each disc exist and the low cost of posting
them
• Usingrecordable and rewritable versions ofoptical discs makes ther«suitable for backups
and archive
• It)s quicker torestoreasingle file from anopticaldisc backuprathertI\anatape
backup because thefilecanbeaccesseddlrecttyrathetthanhaving to read through
awhole tape.
• This alsomakesoptical discs more suitable for archlved data because Rles can be found

• The capacity of optical discs Is much Tess than tapes,whlch means they are only
TASK

TASK
Compare the prices of SSDs and HDDs. Work out an
approximate cost per megabyte(MB) for each,
TASK

Hard Drive SSD RAM Disk

....... . .:..::... . - . .
.. .
.. .
- 112.3 109.3
. • 477.9 235.7 .. .
'°•• 5766
7760
' 41.69 402.7 248.9 5649
0.543 0.693 -••- 30.49 64.67 657.0
1.004 0.698 200.3 233.2 631.9
COMFARlSON ST0RAGEDEV|CES
OOMPARISONSTORAGEDEVICES
a c c e s s than
ttard dix. bandwfdTh afuser 3 pans. Us8ñ
anrl Ihai oPe•erI oRers faser
fly Appl+I.
dam \ransfe‹
tT an uS07.
lneqpemb y linmnacanoñy If internal. can on|y Can logon morn any C.an be connected \o
beuseUindice de used in deyice die including aFIg YEg W\ h a
conne<ted‹ovWess connected to moblle dwlces. USB
moved unless moved porr.
manenT|y, permanenHy. but If
bucif‹nenaIcao external can be
used in any device
bc with a US0 port.
uedinanyimevW
fi
TYplcal use Tn a daktop Lap oq and cables ColTabora Dn with for \ransIasring data
computer. computers. oiher users, d u p e , between dices.
TASK

TASK
Complete a tdble similar to that shown in Table 2,03 for
memory cards. magnetic tapedrives and Blu-
raydiscdrives.
• Input devises allow data to be sent to a
œmputer (e.g keyboard).
• Output devises allow the communicatton of
data/information from a
œrnputer(e.gmonitor).
e When data is input into a computer, it is
processed and then either output from the
computer or stored for later use.
• Data that has bœn stored can also be
processed and then output from the
computer.
EXAMPLE
MULTIPLE CHOICE ANSWERING & PROCESSING

rlgure z.12 - Multiple choice IPOS

diagram.
setvers evety day and lezep rhe ba¢kupdata Dlf Site. • It's important io know theda i is
Eyaluate the use of an externaT hard disc dtive lat belngbacked up from servers because this telJs you
ihtstask. that a targe capacity will be reqvired.
The rs\ thlng you should dołs/der Ify theIm Tam • łtnow!ng Ihe data isa bad‹up meens you
u of tho scenc o ft w!M ghre know tmmedlate access to thedata is not
Uues as@ essential.
Asu›ool r*eeds io ba.k updala T i\ssenersevery • The facc that d ta has to be kept effslte isessential
day and lx b+d«g data on do. fvawtt ‹he
b@au$e this me n5 Ihy devłce used must be abie to be
useoł anexTmnal hard d l i x ft lhis task
mdaway from \he schogl,
E@MPLE - SOLUTION
W An młefnat HDD is IightweIgh\ and Storing £he backup on a single ex\ernaI ł-iDD
portable meaning tha\ i\ w!Il beensy fax ihe means lhat i\ would have \ocome back \o
schoai to take the backuP off size. theschool each day,which defeats Ihe object
A$ TA HOOconfaia m@ng paris, theł›ea‹JscuuId olkeep!ng it offsite. TherafQe,severaT ex£ernat
c ashcaunrgdatatobekctwhe trareqorti-gitaffate. HODswoułd be requlred to ensure thąt thme is
The iJDD ulJhaw areasonably always a backup o4dte and this could becoine
lar8ecapac'Iywhi‹h vefy expensive.
codd bearourd BAB.Tile maybeenough losiae in cotcIush<i,altIvxi@ \Ix•atenaI H00can be IaI‹m
all of thedata froma small olf sIte,1-uId suggest fhaf it is nad stiitatiłedue to \
schaoI”sserver,bulalargei sckeslwould require he cost ofmulIip!ednves and because lhecapaclty
mo‹e thanoreexternal HDD. may
is Ir Tsa sdlod, sgme gif Ehe dW beifig bdcked upis
d u ww, it a w iieumust t•‹ de kelx kate ho•• the answer makes reference lothe
Il›ely\a bepersonal darawI1Ich
due aztcs size. fiffsvever,en¢ryptiweouIdbeused to scenąrio and1inks to the features of an external
,‹um a¢¢0fdlng IO weOaid PTotecda W. then
secu‹e
HOD.
make ihedare
taking the unreadable lflt waslost or
slolen.
TASK

TA5\t
Analyse and d scuss the use of the following devices
IOf each scenario given. Remember that you only
need to give positive reasons.
 Scenario
TASK nO Of An architect ispreparlngdrawings foranev/
house
that is to bebulk. Different colourswlll beused
to
identifyefe¢triCity,waIerand gasservi
Digital An employee tfawls regularly as paft Of
camefa her job. She is required to keep a record of
expenses and to email copies of all receipts
to lhe finance department.
Pen A church records fhe preacher's \aIk each weeL,
drlve The computer that is used is not connected to
the internet, dut the talk needs to be uploaded
to a website akef thechurch service.
Turn your answers inlo evaluations by also looking at
reasons why eaCh devlce'n'ould not be suitable for
each tasL and give aconcluslon.
SYSTEM,APPUCATIONANDUSERINTERFACE

Software: programs which give Instructions to the

computer
Usor interface: communication between the user and
the computer system
 SYSTEM SONJ¥ARE

e Programs that aredesigned to maintain or operate the computer

system are known as system software.
e The software that operates the computer hardware is known as the
operating system.
• Programs that are used to maintain a computer system (eg.anti-malware
software)
are knowi as utility software.
OPERATNGSYSTEMS

An operating system manages the hardware within a

computer system. Y/hen a computer is turned on and
alter the Basic Inpul/output System (BIOS) has loaded,
the operaung system is the first pie¢e of sok•are that
will

and manages any communication befwee• he two.

0PERAT|NGSYSTEMS
An operating system manages hardware by carrying out tasks such as:
• Allocating memory to software
• Sending data and instructions to output devices
• Responding to input devices such as when a key Is pressed
• Opening and closing files on storage devices
• Giving each running task a fair share of processor time sending error messages
or status messages to applications or users
• Dealing with user logons and security.
TASK

TACK
NicrosoR Windows is an example of an operating
system. Find at least two other operating systems used
by desktop computers and at least three operating
systems used by mobile phones or tablets.
 DEVICE DRIVERS
e Whlle the operating system can manage
the general instructions to deal with
hardware such as displaying graphics on a
screen, it requires the use of device
drivers to deal with specific makes and
models of hardware.
• A device driver is the software that
comes with an external hardware
component and sends customised
Instructions to that specific component.
 DEVICE DRIVERS
e By using common device drivers, software
applications are able to issue generic
commands such as 'print’ to the
operating system without having to
know the different instructions
required for every different make and
model of external hardware
components.
 UTILITIES
• Utilities are part of system software. They are designed to perform functions
which maintain the computer system.
 COMPILERS

e A compiler translates a program written in a high-level programming language in

to machine code which a computer can understand.
• The file containing the machine code is known as an executable file because
it can beexecuted by the processor.
• It can also be referred to as the object file. The original h\gh-level programming
language file Is known as the source file.
 COMPILERS

e When a program is compiled, the whole source code is translated into the
executable file at once and can then be distributed to resellers, customers and
lndlvldual computers.
• As it is In an executable format, It can only run on operating systems for
which the compiler has translated in
e For example, programs that have been cDmpiled fDr Windows will not work on
Linux unless they are compiled again for Linux. The same situation exists with
mobile phone and tablet operatir›gsystems. "’
 INTERFRDERS

• interpreters also translate a program written in a high level programming

language into machine code, but use a different method, instead of
translating the whole source code at once, it is translated one line at a time.
• This can be less efficient than a compiler because it takes time to do the
translating as the program is being executed and also because statements
within programming loops (e.g. FOR, REPEAT, WHILE) have to be analysed
each time round.
e Interpreters are often used to translate
macros or application-based script languages
(e.g Visual Basic for Applications), which can
be particularly useful when a document
needs to be opened on a variety of
operating systems.
• Interpreters are also used when testing
programs so that parts of the program can be
executed without having to compile the
whole program. u
DVFfRENCEBZWEtNC0MPkER&lNTfRPRdER
How Comp•!°.r U’•rks

How Ir‘ero•-.te‹ Works

 ussl0Fl POINY
Javo uses both a compiler and aninterpreter. The orig‹naT
)eua sourCe Code(files with a.java extensionl is compiled
into Java bytecodc lflles with a .class extension) wftich is an
intermediaie code. In order that the Java program can work
on any operatlng system, a Java Virtual klachlnr installed pn
the computer Is used to Interpret the bytecode at the tlme of
execution.

Figure 2,16 - Java dl^8°^^

LINKERS

» Computer programs often consist of several modules(parts) of programming

code.
• Each module carries out a specified task with in the program.
• Each module will have been compiled inta a separate Dbject file.
• The function of a linker(also known as a link edttor)is to combine the
object files together to form a single executable file.
e In addition to the modules used,the program may make reference to a commDn
library.
e A common library contains code for common tasks that can be
used inmore than one program, such as mathematical functions, memory
management, progress bars/output. The linker is able to link modules from a
library fife into the executable fiIe,too.
• Not all modules are always needed and a \\nker isable to select which modules
will form part of the executable file.
LINKER 5our-
IIIe
Source
file
Source
file
Seurce
lilø

S "Gór piler

Linker
APPLICATION SOFMARE
e Programs that are intended for productivity or to carry out at ask
for the user are known as application software.
• Examples Include word processor,games,web browser and graphics software.
• On amobile phone or tablet,th\stypeofsoftware \susually referred to as an
app.
WORDPROCESSING
e The function of a word processor is to primarily process
words.
• It is therefore appropriate for tasks such as:
Writing a letter
• Producing a report
Producing course

_•pro« si
work
- Creating a
menu Mail

e Eng
merging
WORDPROCESWNG
Features afword processing software
include:
Tables, HeadR£S dnd footers, Footnotes and
endnotes,Sections, Formattingtext.Styles
Spellchecker, Bullets and automatic numbering,
Automatic contents page,

Tracking changes. Frames forImages,Text ’-

alignment
m
 . A gnment cou beused to centre \t e
n•me oNkc resturani and tl›e a d ’Menu’ a\
lf›+ log of the n^&

Fz ames tou!d be used to include im. oT earh

disk on \fi'emenu.

Quectjon4 Grre reasons for lie useol w‹x‹l pro the images ol each a•sh.
¢essJng sdtwarefor coating amenu for
W\omaTed numbering could be used Io Ave each
arestaurant.
duh a amdnr thai can be used when o*dwing
Think of the feAtUres you would expect to find on
a menu and hcnv it might be produced. Then
rela\e them to the features of word processing €oolmumcould be usedto âvntiiydmTm
sok •are that could be used to create the menu. hich
con\atn nu\ser are wgeTarian options.
Style could bnused so \ha\ subfiteedings ate
tfutm.using each subheading
TASK

TASK
Give reasons for the use of word processing sołiware for
writing a book.
SPREADSMEET
• Spreadsheet software is used mainly for performing calculations and modelling

e Spreadsheets are often used for financial and statistical information.

e Spreadsheets wDrk on the basis of input-process-output whereby data is input,
then formulae and functions process that data to generate an output.
• When input data changes,the output data automatically changes because the
formulae and functions are automatically recalculated.
• This allows users to experiment with values and ask'What-If questions such
as' What will happen if we try to sell another 100D0 cars this month?'
• Spreadsheets contaln œllswhich form the intersection of rows and columns.
DATABASEMANAGEMENTSYSTEM

' ”t“f n‹ ’ I›* \

Database management systems (DBk\S) are used for
viewing and editing data wlthin a database. A database
is a structured collection of data in the form of tables
which ace related to each otheF. For example, an
Invoicing databaSP would include tables for customI^r,
products. orders and order-lines (orders for each
product).
DATABASEMANAGEMENTSYSTEM
A DBMS can provide features including:
e Data entryscreens/forms for inputting data
e Filters and queries for selecting data that meets specified
criteria e Reports for displaying information in an easily
readable format
e Graphs for analysing data
e Security features so that users can only access the parts of
• thedatabase
RelatinnShips they
to link related
have beentables
authorised toaccess u
3RAPFICS MANIPJLATIDN SDF/NARE
The features included in graphics manipulation software vary depend\ng upon the
complexity of the software.
Features for both bitmap and graphics manipulation software can include:
• Drawingshapes
• Changing the canvas site
• Resi2jng the image
• Addfnglayers
e Addlngtext to an image
• Selecting a colour based onpicking anexist\ng colour
cRAPFICS MANIPJLATIDN SDF/NARE
Feature forbitmap graphics manipulation software can
include:
• Filling anarea with a colour
• Novtng part of the Image
e Reslz\ng part of the
Image
• Erasingparts of an imcge
e Cloningparts ofan
image
e Softening(blurring) and
sharpening animage
cRAPFICS MANIPJLATIDN SDF/NARE
Features for vectDr graphics manipulation software can include:
• Filling a shaPe with colour
• Changlngfeaturesof the border of a shape such as thickness and
colour
e Combining shapes together Into a group
• Moving a shape or group of shapes
e Resizing a shape or group of
shapes e Aligning objects
TASK

TASK
Investigate the features available in Paint.NET, IrfanView
and CorelDRAW.
PH0T0EDTNGS0l/WARE

Photo editing software is a specific type of graphics

manipulation software that is focused on editing
photographs. This can be used by professional
photographers and enthusiasts to enhance
photographs or by people at home to make m‹nor
changes.

*4
3
PFOTO EDITIN£ SßFMARE
Features ofphoto ed\tingsoftware
include:
• Cropping partsofthephoto
• Adjusting the brightness orcontrast
• Residing thecanvas
• Changing the colour balance
• Closing parts of the photo
• Identifying common areas of an image{e background) using a'magic wand'tooI
• Apply)ngeffects such as black and whfte
orsep)a
• Softening(blurrin@l and sharpening a photo
Photo edlting softwarcrequtres alarge amount of RAM and comptex operations can useupa
Ioto£
VlDEOEDlTlNBSO€WARE

When videos arc recorded, they are known as'raw'video

(iles(footage). There are many enhancements that can
be made to a raw video file and this is where video
editing software comes in useful.
 VIDEO EDITI5£ S0FI¥IARE
Features of video editing software include:
e Importing or capturing raw video
e Clipping the beginning and end ofa
video e Clipping sections within a
video
• Adding titles to the beginning or credits
at the end
• Overlaying videoswlth text or images
• Spending up er slowing down J@otage
• Rotatingfootage usingmore than one
izs
video track
 VIDEO EDITI5£ S0FI¥IARE
Video ed\t1ng software does have same downsides and these
include:

« Using upa lot of processing tlme

e Requiring alarge amount of RAM
• Importingraw video files can take a IDng time
e Encoding the final video takes a very IDA time
C0MMUMCAT0NSS08WARE

Communications sokware can cover a range of tasks

including instant messaging, audio conferencing,
video conferencing and email.
 00M|MUN|0AT0NSSOFT ARE

e Instant messaging software allows aucer to communicate with

another user by sendlngtext-basedmessages which are instantly sent and
received.
• This can be a slow form of communication because of the need for typing, but
some people prefer it to having a real conversation.
a Audio conferencing allows users to speak and listen toeach other in a similar way
to a telephonecall.
• The malndlfference is that more than twopeople can be included inthe
conference. This is usually achieved with voice over internet protocol(VOIP).
 00M|MUN|0AT0NSSOFT ARE
• A popular example is Skype.
e Making conferencecatlsover the internet is usually free of charge but it does
require every participant to be logged on at the same time.
• Durfng an audio cenference it can bedifficult to know whose turnIt is to sPeak.
« Video œnferencing expands upon audio conferencing by including real-timevideo
of the people involved in the confèrent
• Email clients provide users with alarger range of features than web mail and
enable emails to be read and composedwhlle offline.
« This can be useful when nofixed intemetconnection is available and
3G/4G coverage is poor or non-existent
 FEATURES OF EMAIL CLIENTS
• Address booL of contacts • Using more than one email account at once
• Ability to send and receive emails • Adding attachments to messages
• $ignatures • Digital signatures and encrypted messages
• Prioritising of emails • Integration with a calendar
• Delaying delivery of emails • Inviting contacts to a meeting in the
• calendar artd receiving responses.
Delivery and read receipts
• Rules that can be applied to email messages(e.g.moving messages that contain
a
specific subject to a specific folder)
WiBAUTM0R|NGS0GWARE

Web authoring software is used for the creation

and editing of websites.
 ¥/EB AUTF0RIN£ SOFMARE

e There are now many online content management systems and other tools that are
used to create and update websites, but so›rie web developers sometimes prefer to
use offline web authoring software such as Dreamweaver.
Web authoring software can be very complex to use because of the vast number of
configurations available for web pages, which is why using an online tODI like
www.wiacom enables people with little experience of websites to create a site
quickly, although it can be difficult to customise ittD exact requirements.

« Web authoring software gives the most flexibilitY and websites can be configured
FEATURES OF ¥/EB AUTHDRI53
SOFMARE
• common navigation bar
• ablllty to publish individual ffles or sites to a web server ,preview of web pages
o v)ew)ng and editing \neither what you seeIs what you get(WYSIWYG)
view or Hypertext Markup Language(HTMIJcode view or a mixture ofboth
• adding basic HTh1L features such astables, horizontal lines and headings
• management of a webpage's metadata
• designtr›gtempIates thac can be ap/›tied to ali pages
• Interactive features such as interactive buttons
• forr«s and form ftetds, validation o£fow› 6elds ,
C0NTR0tANDMEASURlNGS0l/NARE

• ..• • •‹-•
Control software is used for controlling devices that are
not part of the computer system. Ivteasuring software is
used to measure values in the real world.
C0NTR0tANDMEASURlNGS0RNARE

An autamated house would require control

software to turn tights on and oR, open a garage
door, turn on the heating, open blinds and Sound
a burglar alarm. The measunng aspect of the
software would measure the leve! of light and time
of day and turn on the lights when appropriate. It
would also detect whether security sensors were
triggered before sounding lhe burglar alarm,
Heating would only be turned on based on the
measurement of ihe current temperature.
00NTR0LANDMEASURlNGS0RWARE
Control and measuring software is used in awide variety of situations including
automated features of cars(eg. automatic windscreen wipers), science
experiments, weather stations, pollution management and traffic lights.
00NTR0LANDMEASURlNGS0RWARE
Measuring software will measure values from sensors
including:
• Pressure(amount of pressure applied)
• Moisture
• Temperature
• Wlndspeed
• Dlstance (measured by lasers)
• pH(acid/alkaIine}levels
Control software will control devices such as:
• Motors (eg.to make windscreen wipers
move)
• Speakers/sirens ‘
APPS
e An app is anDther name for a program. It is a piece of software
that can run on a desktopcomputer,over the internet, on
atabletcomputerorena mobile phone.
e The most œmmon referenœ to 'apps' is when referring to software that ls
designed towDrk on mobile devices such as tablets Drmobite phone
e In this case, apps are optimised to work with touch screen interfaces and smaller
screens.
e They will provide essential features that can be carried out using the limited
interface of IT\Dbile devices, but often lack more complex features due tD the need
for mDre processing power or accurate input devices such as a mouse and
APPLETS
e An applet \s a small program that is designed tD
carry out a speciRc task. An applet cannot run
on Its own but must be executed from a
within another piece of software.
e Applets are often known as add-ink add-ons or
extensions They can carry out additional tasks
that the original software is not capable of
doing or they can simplify tasks within the
original
TASK

TASK
Explore some of the extensions available to Google
Chrome and add-ins available to Microsoh Excel.
 AnawaT: Spreadsheel software wlll
Exem@ enable the customer to experiment with
diRmnt variables (inpuls}, Fch as the
e purchase cosl of Ihe moblle phone, number ol
rrtinUtes they normally use and the amount ol
Question: Evaluate and discuss the use data needed.
of spreadsheet software for deciding that lhe Formulae and fun¢tion5 Cdn be used to cakulate
best tariff is for a customer to use for a each tarlff, inclvdlng the total cost owr the
mobile phone. period of the contract.
Start by Ident|fying theImportant parts of the Graphs could he used to compare the cost ol
question that you will relate toIn your answer. buying a mobile phone up front wi\h a SIN-
These should Include tarlP, customer only tadPand buying a tariff which includes a
andmobite phone. then consider what data mobile phone.
mlght beused in thissqreadsheetmodel and A separa\e worksheet can be used to store a
relate features of a spreadsheet to that data. table ol tariffs and another worksheet for the
customer lnte‹lace.
TASK

TAStt
A supermarket needs to decide how best to use
the space within the shop. Store space should be
allocated to profitable items. Give reasons for the use
of spreadsheet software to assist with deciding how
much space to allocate to each type of product.
Murn• fry inst¢<k ard towhae ah product
hasbeen de!weied
Italsoneedsekrowwhenmstc<k isdue\a
Evaluate the use of a
database management system (DBNS) for
this
Starttask.
by identifying the impor tank parts of the
question thaF you will relate to in your answer.
These should include warehouse, records, products,
stock and stock(euels Then consider what data
mi@t be used in this database and relate
features of a DBMS ro how that data might
beused. You should also consider
theproblemswilh using a DBNS or other software
that wo‹iId be appropriate.
An6wen A DBMS will be able to relatedata
s‹ored in jablcs loi products, detivefies,
destinations and sources. For example, a foreign
key of Productlo in the delivery table could reIa\e
to a primary key of ProductlD in the product
table.
A query could be created in a DBMS to find all
the stock where stock levels are low so that
more stock can be ordered. Ihis would be
achieved by using criteria to compare the current
stock level with a field that stores the minimum A DBNS could produce grapbs to show how
slack level that should be main\ained, If The much shock hqs been dellvered by the warehouse
currenl stock level falls be1ow lhe minimum to each rlestinallon. For eachrecord in
stock level, lhen the product wlll be included in chedestination table, ihe number of producls
a re-order query. that have been delivered \o ihat destination would
be counted.
Mowevevspreadsh ñEanzL&oheu&rdto
create graphs of Ihe slack and Ills' @f0§Its
Can becuslofnised in more detail when
using.a SpyeadShWt such a$df cid‹ng on
\itIes, grouptng ąes\inations based on ihei‹
geographical locatlon and choosing the intervals
to display on axes.
Databases can be very complex to set up whereas a
spreadsheet could be set up qulckly wi(h
worksheets for products, destinations and
deliverles. Oatabases require tables, fidd types,
field lengths, primary keys, foreignkeys,
relationships, queries and reports all Io be set up
following a wry clearly defined structure.

conclusion: Although the spreadsheet wortld

be simpler io set up, i\ would not be able to
easily
manage the complex relationships needed for
stock
control and deliveries and so a DBMS would be
approp‹late for the wa«house in thus case.
DIFFERENTTYPESOFUSEDlNTERFACE
e Ao interface is the boundary
between two systems

e A user interface is the boundary

between the user and the computer system.
o A user interface represents the communication
between a user and the computersyste»i.
• This communicatlon can take many forms.
00MMANDlJNE1NTERFA0E
• A command line interface(CLI)allows auser toenter text commands te which
the
computer system will respond.
e The computer system will respond by producing results in a text format.
• CLIs use very little memory so they are useful in old systems or for
maintenance of very small systems/devices(e,genginemanagement systemsl.
e They are also useful for technical users who need tocarry out
complex operations whichcannot be performed using more user-
friendlyinterfaces.
• However, CLIs can be difficult to leam and use because users haveto
DOS COUMANbS
• DATE
• TIM
E
• DIR
• CLS
3RAPFICAL JSERINTERFACE (ßUI)
e The most common type of interface thatwe use is a
graphical user interface (GUI).
• GUIs are found on desHop computers, tablet computers, mobile
phones, televisions,set-top boxes, photocopiers and same in-car
entertainment systems.
GRAFH|CAtUSERlNTtRfACE
(GU)
GUls can include some or all of the
elements

The acronym WIMP is commonly '’

used to remember these elements.
GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE (GUI)
• Complex GUIs require a lot of memory to operate, but simpler GUIs can be
used where memory is limited.
• Although CLIs don't require much memory, simple GUIs can be
used instead of a CLI in small systems such as embedded systems.
e It is common place to find simplR web-based GU\s for the maintenance
of
devices such as routers, switches and printers.
e GUls are intuitiVE' tO MSe which mRans they are easy to learn
because commands are represented by pictures and menus provide options that
can be selected.
e However, they can be restrictive for some technical users who need to
DIALOGJE INTERFAC£

e A dialogue interface refers tousing the spoken word to

communicate with a computer system.
e A user can give commands using their voice and the
computer system can respond by carrying out an action or with further
information using a synthesised voice.
• Dialogue interfaces are very popular with mobile devices, includlng
mobile phones and in-carentertainmentsystems.
• The main problem with this type of interface is the computer system's
ability to recogn\se the spoken word. ”
GESTURE-BASEDINTERFACE

e Gesture-based interfaceswlllrecogn\se human motion.

• This could include tracking eyes and lips, identifying hand signals or
monitoring
whole body movement.
• There are many applications of gesture-based Interfaces, Including
gaming, which have led to the developmentofothergesture-based
interface
e Gestures can beanessential form of interaction for some disabled userswho
cannotuse cDnventional input devices.
Important Features sf User Interface Design
• Colotsr - Text must be legible This means using a light font ona dark background or
a dark font on a light background.

» Layout- Careful consfderatlon should be given to the layout of information, Icons

and
inputs on a screen. Similar irdormation, icons or inputs should be grouped together.
• Font slze -The standard siae pf font for reading is 11 or 12 pDintswhich is legible
for
most users
• Quality of Informafilon - lft oo much information is provided to a user, then this can
cause information overload and may mean that much of \t is Ignored.
CONTROLS

s have 6een
rompTeted To c\eai Inputs. ro gain Wpafid o accesr. any Figure 2.28 - Confirm button.
s ti r aT °’ “’ inTerT.
Badly besiçreć Input
Screen
I"ISO[C
i
 MENTAtMODEtS A menLal model o fi a r Io acress 0 p a p i Jocument
fnay be somelhing likr:
1 £ inrj Ihr appropriaTr fiTing cahinpt.
2 Find Thr.a[ ptopriatn fnlUer frnm thP f+ Tdeis s\ored
in aIphaber‹c al order.
Looh lhrough the folder until [he docuzn+nt iS T\xir\
A person ‹understands that a professional socce‹ player in
d. I his ronrept has therefore been used fur
a up league earns a lot of monry. They thwefore
acrcsing LtUcUmunt ¥ un a LOfTlpotcf :ys\PfIJ!
may assume \hat ali spor\ sn er in \he top leagu€'s
j p„,ą thę app+ęp, ale s\orae area [ęg @y
get paid a lot of nlonEy. 8ut ii may hr Ffillr cricket
ix „„,t , ,may I'ictu, s, shared D
players and bowls players get paid a I• les›.
cumenr,
2 Find II+e appropria r folder (I s•alIysto e‹I
in afphabet‹c al or lee but this «a ybe char\
gn‹\].
! 3 Look hrough \he foldet until rhe Uvument
ffije/
• nri
UTILIN S0Ffł¥ARE

Oparating syctem• sokware yhat manages the

hardware within a computer system
UTILIN S0N¥IARE

UtiUty aoRwara is sysFem software that performs some

sort of maintenance on the computer system. Utility
softwafR does not include the oparating syatem, but an
operating system may come pre-installed with some utili(y
sotware.
AflTI-VIRUS
a Antl-virussoftware is sometimes referred to as anti-malware
software as it deals with other threats such as adware and spyware as well as
viruses.
• It has two main functions. The first is an anti-virus monitor that is continually
monitoring the system for viruses and malware.
a If the anti-virus monitor detects any unusual behavlourortell-tale
signs of viruses or malware then it will prevent them from being executed so they
cannot cause damage to files or programs
• The second function is to check for viruses or malware that may already be
on a system. This is usually known as scanning the system.
BACkU
P
a Backup utilities create a second copy of data
and programs that are in storage.
• A backup utility can be executed by the user,
in which case the backup takes place when the
user asks it to, or it can be scheduled toexecute at
a predetermined tlme so that the backup takes
place automatically.
a Theuser is usually able to select
which fDlders and files will be backed up and can
usually decide where the backup will be stored.
DATA COMPRESSION
e Data compression utilities will reduce the original
size of files so that tfiey use up less storage space.
• This can be achieved on a file-by-file basis or
for a set of files or even a set of folders.
e It will be slower to open the compressed file, but
as it is smaller Tt will use up less storage and
can be transferred from one Ic•cAtinn to
another more quickly.
DISCDEFRAGMENTATION
• As a hard disc gets used, files are kept together in storage on the same cylinder
or
adjacent cylinders.
• As files grow in size, they use up more space on the disc and this may no langer be
an the same or adjacent cilinder.
• The problem with this is that when opening the file, the access arm of the
hard disc drive has to keep mDViPlg tO different locations which makes opening
the file a slow process.
• When files are deleted, gaps are left on the disc. When all the cylinders have
been used, the only space to store files is within the gaps. If the gaps are
not big enough. then files have to be split across gaps, meaning that
 InF@‹e 3.33, filesQ and S f'a e been deleted.

The next dlagram shams low each cñ the flies hat Vol
h .First of allIiIe A get bigget
with an ex ra M sectors. in a new
file 0 was added, tT\en TIIe B got bgger by a sec
or.ificn like A • bya sertor ard Ilnallyfile
C.
rgurezzt Fr e«ted nies. 0eI agntentat/uncan solve Ihis kiuhI+n by
iernpo‹ariIY rro=ng Ua, ngall of
TO files ate fragrnmted and so they wed la be R not io P. rr›ovinga4I ol 7 r+eel \o R and lhen
delra enied a› i• r‹tu›e 7.32. many aTlof U next To each orher, as shown in F-
igure 2.35.

Igure 2.35 • Dear ented NTes.

DISODEFRAGMENTATON
• A defragmentatlonutility will reorganise all the files so that each file
iscontiguous
(kept together).
e lt will dD this by moving fragmented parts offiles and small files to free spaœ on
the dise and creating space on whale cylinders or adjacent cylindew
• lt will then move the defragmented files to a place where the whole file is kept
together.
» This can significantly Improve the performance of a computer
system, especially if program files have become fragmented and can
bedefragmented.
F0RMATT|NG
• When a disc is prepared for first time use, it needs to be formatted.
« Formatting is the process of organising the tracks on the disc into sectors. Each
sector is where data will be stored.
• A used disc can also be formatted, in which case all data will be last and the tracks
prepared again as if the disc was being used for the first time.
MtEC0PYlNG
• Files can be copied using features within an operating system's own interface.
However, this can be slow and options are limited.
« File-copying utilities enable users to have more control over which files are
copied and how they are copied.
• For example, a user m ay only want to copy word processing dDcuments that are
within a series of folders and they may want aI! the files to be copied to a single
folder on the destination storage.
• It is also possible to synchronise files across multiple storage locations or even
multiple computer systems, so that yvhen a change is made ID a file in one
location, it will then be updated in all other locations.
DELETING
• Some files become locked by an operating system and it becomes almost
impossible to delete them.
• Deleting utilities can overcome this problem by deleting locked files and folders.
• When files are deleted using normal deletion methods, the data is still on the
disc although the user can't see it.
• Therefore another function of deleting utilities is being able to delete files
permanently so that they cannot be restored or accessed.
• Some deletion utilities will remove temporary files that are no longer needed
by the computer system, or files that are no langer used but haven't been
deleted when a program has been uninstalled or a user profile removed.
CUST0M-WRMENVS0FFTMiSMEtFS0l/WARE

Cuctom-written: software that is written especially to meet

the requirements of a client
Off-the-shefft general purpose sokware available to a large
market
CUST0M-WRMENVS0FFTMtSHEtFS0l/WARE
• When a client requires a software solution that will carry out a specific purpose
that is unique to their organisation, they will ask for the software to be
written for them. This is known as custom-written software because it is
customised to the needs of the client and will meet the requirements of
the client.

• When software already exists and is purchased online or from a shop, it is

known as off-the-shelf software. The software will have been written for a
general purpose that js likely ¿a be useful to a large market. Anybody can
purchase the software for a specified price.
 0UST0M-WRlNENVS0FFTHESMEtFS0FTWARE

The entire development cost of cusiom-written 1'he development cost of oP-the shelf software is spread
software iS met by the cllent lor whom it Is writ\ between all thecuslorriers who purchase it at a
an, which Makes it very expensive. speclfled pñ¢e, which means the cost is much lower.
Custom-written software Lakes a long tlrrie ro develop, Ofl the<helI sokware Is immedlafely available, so the
so the client will have towai\ before belng able la customer can start using it stra!@I away.
use lhe software.
Tke requirements of Ihe client can be met Some tasks that the customer needs to carry out may
precisely wi\li no addltional features tAat are no\ not he possible and there wilt be lotsot features thai the
necessary. customer
 CUST0M-WRMENVS0FFTMtSHEtFS0l/WARE
Cu Lom•written software
QUESTIONS

14 Describe off-the shelf software.

15 Describe twodrawbacksofcustom-written
sokware.
C0MPkERSAND|NTERFRETERS

Cempllen translates high-level programming language into

an executable file in machine code
Interpretan translates high-level programming language into
machine code, one lineof sourcecode at a time
COMPKERANDINTERPRETERDFFERENCES
Intel
eter
REVEW@UESTI0NS
REVIE\¥ gUESTI0HS
A local council with over 5Qlemployees and sm'amT overs backs up in data usingmagnetic

'Thecouncil carries ou\ regularsuweys ol resident

4 Explain why an opteal mad nder (OLTP} would be appropriate lar inputting the results of
the suw [4]
The couvil needs sgme new sofMaie Io‹ waste management that MII link In Ash Uleif we@tc
where eidents can Tag problems suth asmissed collections.
5 Evaluate be use of a cus\om•wfi£Ten soWare soluLlon for £ho purpow. (6}

Thecouncil uses video ediilng software to prepare public information videos. s

a Tdendfy MO IeaMes of video editing
software. [2]
6 b Give Evo cxampIcsofI+ow lie counElI could use th'ose Mo laatuw l2j