What is a computer?

 A computer is an electronic device capable of taking an

input, processing data, storing information and providing an
output
 Data that is input, is raw, unprocessed information
 Information is data that people understand

Mainframe computers &

microprocessors
What is a mainframe computer?
 A mainframe computer is a computer with huge processing
power and data storage capabilities
 Built to handle enormous amounts of data and carry out complex
calculations
 Designed to be secure, reliable and support large volumes of
simultaneous users
 Carry out critical tasks for large organisations in sectors such as:
o Finance
o Health
o Government etc.

What is a microprocessor?
 A microprocessor is an integrated circuit (IC) that contains a
central processing unit (CPU)
 A microprocessor is embedded into devices to help them carry out
tasks
 The microprocessor is responsible for executing instructions
 Microprocessors are used in a home to monitor and control devices
such as:
 o Central heating systems
o Security alarm systems
o Home entertainment system etc.

Laptops & desktop computers

What is a desktop computer?
 A desktop computer is a computer designed to stay in one place,
for example on a desk
 A desktop computer traditionally consists of a separate:
o Monitor
o Computer
o Keyboard & mouse
 Desktop computers are typically more powerful than mobile
computers
 Desktop computers are upgradable, the parts can be
replaced/changed to increase performance

Uses of desktop computers

Gaming &
Office & Business Education
entertainment
Word processing Online learning Online gaming
Financial modelling Research (www) Streaming music/film/TV
Email Content creation Social media
Data storage & backup Multimedia presentations Online browsing
Video/image editing Online collaboration
Project management Online communication
Video conferencing
What is a laptop computer?
 A laptop computer is a computer designed to be portable
 A laptop computer traditionally consists of built-in:
o Monitor
o Computer
o Keyboard & trackpad or touch screen keyboard & pointer
 Laptop computers are typically less powerful than desktop
computers due to:
o Power constraints due to size
o Focus on extending battery life
  Laptop computers are not easily upgradable, components are
integrated for size and efficiency
 Laptop computers are battery powered
 Some laptops are used as desktop replacements

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages Disadvantages
Easy to carry and use on the go Limited expandability (Difficult to
(Portability) upgrade hardware)
Less powerful (Lower
Access to internet and resources
performance compared to desktop
from anywhere (Flexibility)
computers)
Can be used for various tasks and Shorter battery life (Needs frequent
activities (Multi-functionality) charging)

Mobile phones & tablet

devices
What is a mobile phone?
 A mobile phone is an ultra portable electronic device designed to
be lightweight and fit in a pocket or small bag
 Mobile phones are used to transmit information between people
and devices using radio waves
 Two examples of mobile phones are:
o Smartphones
o Specialist

Smartphones
 A smartphone is a versatile general purpose device
 Smartphones use subscriber identity module (SIM) cards to link the
devices to a network carrier, allowing them to make phone calls and
send messages
 Smartphones include features such as:

Feature Description
 Quick communication
SMS messaging  Messages are stored on the device and can be
read at any time
  Use virtual keyboards and predictive text

 Simple voice communication

Phone calls  Requires cellular reception

 Audio & visual communication via the internet

 Requires extra apps installed on the devices
Voice over internet  Can make & receive calls via smartphone, tablet
protocol (VoIP) and computers
 Requires a forward facing camera for video calls

 Requires cellular reception to access on the

move
 Web pages are optimised for smartphone access
Accessing the internet
 Automatically used Wi-Fi when in range and
connected

 Uses NFC
Mobile payments
 Smartphones have built-in cameras for video
calls
Camera  Camera can act as a barcode scanner for QR
codes

Specialist
 A specialist phone is designed for a particular groups of users or
environment
 They prioritise specific features over general purpose use

Example Specialist features

 Larger buttons
 Easy to read displays
 Simplified user interface
Senior phones
 Emergency alert buttons
 Hearing aid compatibility

 Brightly coloured
 Robust
 Child friendly interface
Children's phones
 Limited app access
 Parental controls
  Designed for tough environments
 Thick screens
 Rugged outer casing
 Built to withstand:
Rugged phones o Water submersion
o Dust
o Extreme temperatures
o Drops

What is a tablet device?

 A tablet is a general purpose device that sits between a laptop and a
smartphone
 A quick comparison shows:

Feature Smartphone Tablet

Portable but the larger screen
Ultra portable, designed to fit
Size means they require a bag or case
in a pocket
to carry around
Communication (calls, texts,
Entertainment & productivity
Focus mobile data), camera for
(games, reading, watching movies)
capturing images & videos
Carry out everyday tasks but Typically more powerful than a
Power &
may lack power for smartphone but not as powerful as
performanc
demanding applications or a laptop, more processing power &
e
tasks RAM.
Due to battery size they
Typically longer battery life
Battery life usually require charging more
depending on usage
often than a tablet

Other digital devices

Device Description Features
 Lens - High quality lens allows
light to pass through without
Uses light sensors to defects
Cameras & capture images  Image processor -
camcorders formed by light Compensates for poor lighting
passing through a lens  Sensors - Capture detail, more
pixels are produced

Games Specialised PC for  Powerful processors &

console playing video games graphics for high quality smooth
 gameplay
 Online capability
 Controllers for interactivity

 Connects TVs, speakers and

media players together
 Receiver processes audio and
Home Hub for connecting
video signals
entertainmen audio and video
 Can
t systems devices
provide immersive experience
(surround sound)

 Connects to TVs or
speakers for playback
 Plays different media such as
A device for
Media players Blu-ray, DVD
multimedia playback
 Portable media players for on
the go

Multifunctional devices
What is a multifunctional device?
 A multifunctional device is a device designed to carry out a wide
range of tasks
 Multifunctional devices combine functions that would usually be
separate
 Examples of multifunctional devices include:
o Smartphones - Communication, photography, gaming, media
playback/streaming, web browsing all in one device
o Printers - Printing, copying and scanning in one device
o Smart TVs - Watch TV, connect to the internet, stream content

What is convergence?
 Convergence is the merging of technologies that would usually be
separate
 Convergence led to the rise of smartphones
Features of digital devices
What are the features of digital
devices?
 The most common features of a digital device are:
o Portability
o Performance
o Storage
o User interface
o Connectivity
o Media support
o Energy consumption
o Expansion capability
o Security features

Feature Description
Portability How easy is the device to carry around
Performance Processing power/memory (RAM)
Storage How much data can the device hold
Connectivity How can the device connect to other devices
Media support What media formats can the device play
Energy
How much energy does the device consume
consumption
Expansion
Can more storage, memory or other features be added
capability
Security What security features does the device have to help protect
features device and user data

What is a user interface?

 A user interface is how the user interacts with the operating
system
  Examples of user interfaces include:
o Command Line Interface (CLI)
o Graphical User Interface (GUI)
o Menu
o Natural language (NLI)

What is a command line interface?

 A Command Line Interface (CLI) requires users to interact with the
operating system using text based commands
 CLIs are more commonly used by advanced users
 Examples of CLIs are MSDOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System) and
Raspbian (for Raspberry Pi)

What is a graphical user interface?

 A Graphical User Interface (GUI) requires users to interact with the
operating system using visual elements such as windows, icons,
menus & pointers (WIMP)
 GUIs are optimised for mouse and touch gesture input
 Examples of GUIs are Windows, Android and MAC OS

What is a menu interface?

 A menu interface is successive menus presented to a user with
a single option at each stage
 Often performed with buttons or a keypad
 Examples include
o Chip and pin machines
o Vending machines
o Entertainment streaming services
What is a natural language interface?
 A natural language interface (NLI) uses the spoken word to respond
to spoken or textual inputs from a user
 Examples include
o Virtual assistants - Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri
o Search engines
o Smart home devices

Digital device comparison

Feature Desktop Laptop Smartphone
Portability ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Performanc
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐
e
Storage ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐
Media
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐
support
Energy
consumptio ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐
n
Expansion
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐
capability
Security
⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐
features
Keyboard & touchpad
User
Keyboard & mouse (touchscreen on some Touchscreen
interface
laptops)
Most common ports
Multiple, wide variety of Wireless
Connectivity available but fewer
ports (USB, HDMI etc.) (Wi-Fi/Bluetooth)
number
⭐ - Low
⭐⭐⭐ - Moderate
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - High

Purpose of application &

system software
What is software?
  Software is the set of programs that control the hardware; they live
on the computer system but cannot be physically touched
 Software can be broken down in to two categories:
o Application software
o System software

What is application software?

 Application software (abbreviated 'apps') is software chosen by a
user to help them carry out a specific task
 Application software is installed on top of system software and is
user-chosen to best suit industry requirements
 Common categories of application software include:
o Word processing: creating and editing text documents
o Spreadsheet: organising and analysing data in a grid format
o Database management systems: storing, retrieving and
managing data in databases
o Control/measurement: uses sensors to measure and control a
system
o Video editing: creating and modifying video files
o Graphics editing: creating and modifying images
o Audio editing: creating and modifying sound files
o Computer-Aided Design (CAD): designing and modelling
objects in 2D or 3D

Examiner Tips and Tricks

When writing about application software, ensure you refer to it by its type
and not a brand name. For example, 'word processing' and not Microsoft
Word

What is system software?

 System software is software essential for the operation of a
computer system
 Without system software, a user has no starting point for giving a
computer instructions
 System software gives users a platform to run applications and
carry out tasks
 Essential services carried out by system software include:
o Compilers: translating high-level programming languages into
machine code
o Linkers: combining object files into a single executable program
o Device drivers: controlling hardware components and
peripherals
o Operating systems: managing the computer's resources and
providing a user interface
o Utilities: tools for maintaining and optimising the computer's
performance

Utility software
What is utility software?
 Utility software is software designed to
help maintain, enhance and troubleshoot/repair a computer
system
 Utility software is designed to perform a limited number of tasks
 Utility software interacts with the computers hardware, for
example, secondary storage devices
 Some utility software comes installed with the operating system
 Examples of utility software and their function are:

Defragmentation (maintain)
 Defragmentation software groups fragmented files back
together in order to improve access speed
 As programs and data are added to a new hard disk drive, it is added
in order, over time as files are deleted this leaves gaps
  As programs and data are added over time, these gaps get filled
and data becomes fragmented
 Defragmentation can only used on magnetic storage

Examiner Tips and Tricks

If the concept of defragmentation still seems a little difficult then hopefully
this analogy will help

 In a tidy bedroom you can find your things faster because they are in
the right place (in order)
 Over time you move things, forget to put them back and/or add new
things
 The time taken to find your things increases, until...
 You tidy your room and finding things becomes quicker again
(defragmentation!)

Compression (enhance)
 Compression reduces the amount of secondary storage required
by performing an algorithm on the original data
 Lossy compression physically removes data from the original data
to reduce its size, the original file can not be re-created
 Lossless compression uses mathematics to order data more
efficiently reducing its size, the original files can be re-created as
no data is lost

Encryption (enhance)
  Encryption is the process of scrambling data using an
algorithm from plain-text into cipher-text in order to make it
unreadable to users without the master key
 Encryption software enhances the security of the computer system
and keeps data safe

Task manager (troubleshoot/repair)

 Task manager is software that is built into the operating system to
allow users to monitor system resources in order to
help troubleshoot potential problems
 Task manager gives system information such as:
o Processes
o Performance
o App history
o Start-up apps
o Users
o Services

Role & function of an

operating system
What is an operating system?
 An operating system (OS) is software that provides an interface
between the user and the hardware in a computer system
 An operating system hides the complexities of the hardware from
the user, for example:
o A user does not need to know 'where' on secondary storage data
is kept, just that it is saved for when they want it again
 There are two main types of operating systems:
o Single User Operating System
o Network Operating Systems (NOS)
 An operating system has many functions, this includes:
o Memory management
o Resource management
o Security
o Print spooling

Single user and network operating systems

 Single user Network
Provide access to network storage and shared
Allow for a single general user
resources
No option to customise user interface Server is sent requests when users log in with
for different users usernames and passwords
Typically used in a household User accounts are kept separate to ensure u
appliances cannot access each other's files
Resource management
 Memory
o Memory management is a process carried out by the operating
system allocating main memory (RAM) between different
programs that are open at the same time
o The OS is responsible for copying programs and data from
secondary to primary storage as it is needed
o Programs and data require different amounts of RAM to
operate efficiently and the OS manages this process
o RAM is allocated based on priority and fairness, for
example, system applications (essential) may have a higher
priority than user applications
o The OS dynamically manages the memory,
adjusting allocation as needed to maintain optimal system
performance
o Memory management makes multitasking possible
 Processor
o Processor management is a process carried out by the operating
system dividing time (time slicing) in to small chunks
and allocating them to different programs
o The CPU can only execute one instruction at a time, it can can
execute billions of them in one second.
o The OS decides what programs get access to the CPU to give a
user the perception of being able to use multiple programs at the
same time (multitasking)
 Inputs & outputs
o Input/output (I/O) management is a process carried out by the
operating system managing the way input and output
devices interact with software
o The OS allocates system resources to inputs/outputs to
ensure efficient operation
o I/O management makes plug-and-play (PnP) functionality
possible, automatically detecting and configuring new
inputs/outputs without the need for manually installing device
drivers or power cycling the system
 Files
 o File management is a process carried out by the operating
system creating, organising, manipulating and accessing
files and folders on a computer system
o The OS manages where data is stored in both primary and
secondary storage
o File management gives the user the ability to:
 Create files/folders
 Name files/folders
 Rename files/folders
 Copy files/folders
 Move files/folders
 Delete files/folders
o The OS allows users to control who can access, modify and
delete files/folders (permissions)
o The OS provides a search facility to find specific files based on
various criteria

Security
 Security management is a process carried out by the operating
system enabling different users to log onto a computer
 A system administrator is able to allocate different access rights for
different users on a network
 The OS is able to maintain settings for individual users, such as
desktop backgrounds, icons and colour schemes
 The OS audits (keeps a log of) files created by users, accesses, edits
and deletes
 Operating systems can provide software firewalls

Print spooling
 Print spooling is a process carried out by the operating system when
printing is required
 The spooler creates a temporary holding area (queue) for the print
job
 Queuing pages increases efficiency

Office-productivity tools
What are office productivity tools?
 Office productivity tools are applications designed to enable common work
related tasks to be carried out
  Office productivity tools are often combined into a single application suite

Word processing
 Word processing software is software used primarily for tasks involving text and
images

 Common tasks include:

o Letters

o Reports

o Essays

o Books

 Examples of word processing applications include:

o Microsoft Word

o Google Docs

Spreadsheet
 Spreadsheet software is software used for tasks involving calculations

 Spreadsheets allow users to model financial situations and answer 'what if'
questions

 Formulas and functions can be used to aid complex arithmetic calculations

 Examples of spreadsheet applications include:

o Microsoft Excel

o Google Sheets

Desktop publishing
 Desktop publishing software is software used for tasks that involve complicated
page layouts

 Common tasks include:

 o Newsletters

o Leaflets

 Examples of desktop publishing applications include:

o Microsoft Publisher

o Adobe InDesign

Database
 Database software is software used to store data

 Common features include:

o Data entry form design

o Perform queries to select data that meet a certain criteria

o Build reports to display data in a readable format

 Examples of database applications include:

o Microsoft Access

o Oracle MySQL

Web authoring software

What is web authoring software?
 Web authoring software is software designed to allow the creation of websites

 Websites are written in HTML and translated by web browsers to display in a

way users can see and read

 Web authoring software gives users with little to no HTML experience tools to
help them create web pages

 Uses a What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) interface

 Examples of web authoring applications include:

 o Adobe Dreamweaver

o Google Sites

Image editing & sound editing

software
What is image editing software?
 Image editing software is software that allows users to manipulate and enhance
digital photographs and images

 Common features include:

o Resizing

o Adjusting brightness & contrast

o Applying filters

o Red-eye removal

o Cropping

 Examples of image editing applications include:

o Adobe Photoshop

o GIMP

What is sound editing software?

 Sound editing software is software that allows users to edit audio files

 Common features include:

o Cut and join audio clips

o Alter volume

o Change tempo
 o Add effects

o Apply audio processing

 Examples of sound editing applications include:

o Audacity

o Adobe Audition

Presentation software
What is presentation software?
 Presentation software is software designed to allow users to create multimedia
content that can be displayed typically on slides

 Common features include:

o Transitions & animations

o Presenter notes

o Automatic or timed navigation

 Examples of presentation applications include:

o Microsoft PowerPoint

o Google Slides

Control software
What is control software?
 Control software is software that users sensors to capture inputs, processes
them and outputs something

 They make something happen in the physical environment

 Outputs can be commands that control devices such as:

 o Actuators

o Motors

 Commonly used in engineering, vehicles and building control

Project management software

What is project management software?
 Project management software is software designed make the organisation of
projects more efficient by tracking individual tasks

 Common features include:

o Timeline - shows a graphical representation of events and the time and

order in which they occur

o Critical path - allows a project manager to see the shortest time a project
will take to complete

o Milestones - a time or date by which a task must be completed

 Gannt charts are often used to visualise project timelines