Module No.

and Title : Module 1 Types and Components of a Computer

System
Lesson No. and Title : C1- Types and Components of Computer Systems
L1- Hardware & Software
L2- Main Components of Computer System
L3- Operating System
L4- Types of Computers

Learning Outcomes:
In this chapter you will learn about:
● Hardware
● Software
● The main components of a computer system
● Operating Systems
● Different types of computer systems

Time Frame :
Introduction:

Hello my dear students! Welcome to Chapter 1, computer systems are

now commonplace in a every part of our daily life. This first chapter introduces the
basic components that make up these computer systems, most of which will be
described in much greater depth in later chapters. Basic components, including
hardware (both external and internal) and software (both application and system) are
all briefly introduces in the following sections. Keep Fighting! And Enjoy Learning!

Activity:

● Give atleast 10 examples each of hardware devices and software programs

and give a short definition.

Analysis:

● What are the types of computer? Give a short discussion.

Abstraction:
1.1 HARDWARE & SOFTWARE
Hardware is a general term for the physical components that make up a
computer system: the keyboard, mouse, monitor, printer and so on. Hardware can be
either external or internal.
Software is general term for the programs that control the computer system.
There two types of software: Application and System. Examples of each are shon on
the following pages
1.2 MAIN COMPONENTS OF A COMPUTER SYSTEM

A typical computer system is made up of hardware and software. Figure 1.1

shows an example of a computer system consisting of input devices, output devices
and secondary storage. These will be discussed in more detail in Chapter 2, but
examples include:
● input devices: keyboard, mouse
● output devices: monitor, printer
● secondary storage devices: DVD R/W drive, removable hard drive.

However, one part of the computer system has not yet been mentioned. This
is shown as the ‘Processor and internal memory devices’ in the diagram – this
consists of four key components called the central processing unit (CPU), internal
hard disk, random access memory (RAM) and read only memory (ROM).

The central processing unit (CPU) is the part of the

computer which interprets and executes the commands from
the computer hardware and software. CPUs used to be
made up of discrete components and numerous small
integrated circuits, which were combined together on one
or more circuit board/s. However, due to modern
manufacturing techniques, the term microprocessor is
now used instead of CPU. This is a single integrated circuit
(see Figure 1.2) which is at the heart of most PCs and
is also found in many household devices and equipment where some control or
monitoring is needed (e.g. the engine management system in a car).

The internal hard drive is the computer’s main memory; this is where the
applications software, disk operating system and data files are stored. The main
advantage of these memories is the fast data transfer/access times and their large
capacity to store data (this is discussed further in Chapter 3).
Random access memory (RAM) is an internal chip where data is temporarily
stored when running applications. This memory can be written to and read from.
Since its contents are lost when power to the computer is turned off, it is often
referred to as a ‘volatile’ or ‘temporary’ memory.
Read only memory (ROM) is a memory used to store information that needs
to be permanent. It is often used to contain, for example, configuration data for a
computer system. These chips cannot be altered and can only be read from (hence
their name). One of the main advantages is that the information stored on the ROM
chip is not lost even when power is turned off to the computer. They are often
referred to as ‘non-volatile’ memories.
It is worth noting that ROM also contains some coding known as the boot file.
This code tells the computer what to do when it first starts up; it is often referred to as
the BIOS (basic input/output system). When the computer is turned on, the BIOS
carries out a hardware check to find out if all the devices are present and whether
they are functional. Then it loads the operating system into the RAM. The BIOS
stores the date, time and system configuration in a non-volatile chip called a CMOS
(complementary metal oxide semiconductor), which is usually battery powered.

1.3 OPERATING SYSTEMS

Reference to operating systems has already been made earlier in this chapter.
To enable users to communicate with computer systems, special software, known
as operating systems, have been developed. The general tasks for a typical operating
system include:
● control of the operation of the input, output and backing storage devices
● supervising the loading, running and storage of applications programs
● dealing with errors that occur in application programs
● maintaining security of the whole computer system
● maintaining a computer log (which details computer usage)
● allowing communication between the user and the computer system (user
interface).

Computer users need to be able to communicate with the operating system – this
is called the ‘user interface’. There are two main types of user interfaces: command
line interfaces (CLIs) and graphical user interfaces (GUIs).

1.3.1 Command line interface (CLI)

CLIs require a user to type in instructions in order to choose options from menus,
open software etc. There are often a number of commands that need to be typed in,
for example, to save or load a file. The user therefore has to learn a number of
commands just to carry out basic operations. It is also slow having to key in these
commands every time an operation has to be carried out. However, the advantage of
CLI is that the user is in direct communication with the computer and is not restricted
to a number of pre-determined options. For example, Figure 1.3 shows the CLI code
required for importing data into a table called B.
 The above statements show how complex it is just to carry out a fairly
straightforward operation using CLI.

1.3.2 Graphical user interface (GUI)

GUIs allow the user to interact with a computer (or MP3 player, gaming
device, mobile phone, etc.) using pictures or symbols (icons) rather than having to
type in a number of commands. For example, the whole of the CLI code shown in
Figure 1.3 could have been replaced by a single icon: (table update). Simply selecting
this icon would automatically execute all of the steps shown in Figure 1.3 without the
need to type them in each time.
GUIs use various technologies and devices to provide the user interface. One
of the most common is windows icons menu and pointing device (WIMP) which
was developed for use on personal computers (PCs). This uses a mouse to control a
cursor, which then selects icons to open/run windows. Each window contains an
application and modern computer systems allow several windows to be open at the
same time. In the example shown in Figure 1.4, a number of icons can be seen on the
left-hand side and on the bottom right; three windows are open and these are shown
as grey rectangles at the bottom of the screen.
A windows manager looks after the interaction between windows, the
applications and the windowing system (which handles the pointing devices and the
cursor’s position).

In recent years, devices such as touch screen phones use post-WIMP

interaction, where fingers are in contact with the screen. This allows actions such as
pinching and rotating, which would be difficult to do using a single pointer and
device such as a mouse.

Who would use each type of interface?

● CLI: a programmer, analyst or technician; basically somebody who needs to

have direct communication with a computer to develop new software, locate
errors and remove them, initiate memory dumps (contents of the computer
memory at some moment in time), and so on.

● GUI: the end-user who doesn’t have (or doesn’t need) any great knowledge of
how the computer works; a person who uses the computer to run software or
play games or store/manipulate photographs, for example.

1.4 TYPES OF COMPUTER

There are many types of computer systems in existence. The following

sections summarize some of the more common types currently available.

1.4.1 PC/DESKTOP COMPUTERS

PC/desktop usually refers

to a general-purpose computer
that is made up of a separate
monitor, keyboard, mouse and
processor unit.
The term PC (personal
computer) usually refers to
computer systems that are
IBM-compatible, thus
distinguishing them from, for
example, Macintosh/Apple
systems.
It is worth making a comparison here with laptop computers.

The advantages of desktop computers over laptop computers are:

● spare parts and connections tend to be standardised, which usually results in
lower costs
● the desktop tends to have a better specification (for example, a faster
processor) for a given price (often due to size and construction constraints
in laptops)
● power consumption is not critical since they usually plug straight into a
wall socket and the larger casings allow a better dissipation of any heat build-
up
● because they are usually fixed in one location, there is less likelihood of them
being damaged
 ● internet access is also more stable since they are not moved around (the user
will always have the same data transfer rate).

They do also have disadvantages when compared to laptop computers, however:

● the most obvious is that they are not particularly portable since they are made
up of separate components
● because they are not particularly portable, it is necessary to copy files, etc.
when you want to do some work elsewhere (for example, at home) – with a
laptop you simply take the whole computer with you
● they tend to be more complicated since all the components (for example,
keyboard, mouse) need to be carried round with you and then connected to
the computer by wires or wireless connections, which also clutters up the
desk space

1.4.2 LAPTOP COMPUTERS

Laptop (or notebook) refers to

a type of computer where the monitor,
keyboard, pointing device and
processor are all together in one single
unit. This makes them extremely portable.

Key features you would expect to find

in a laptop:

● lightweight (to aid portability)

● low power consumption (and also long battery life)
● the processor shouldn’t generate too much heat (cooling is very important)

The advantages of laptop computers compared to desktop computers:

● the most obvious is their portability; they can be taken anywhere since the
monitor, pointing device, keyboard, processor and backing store units are all
together in one single unit
● because everything is in one single unit, there are no trailing wires, etc.
● they can take full advantage of Wi-Fi
● since they are portable, they can link into any multimedia system

Laptop computers do have disadvantages when compared to desktop computers,

however:
● since they are easily portable, they are also easier to steal
● they have limited battery life, so the user may need to carry a heavy adaptor
● the keyboards and pointing devices can sometimes be awkward to use.

1.4.3 TABLETS

Tablets are a relatively new internet-enabled portable computer. They work

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

Some of the latest tablet devices have been designed as a hybrid between
tablet and smartphone – sometimes referred to as a phablet – which have slightly
smaller screens than tablets (typically between 12cm to 15cm display size). All of the
features of a normal phone are available with some of the features of a tablet (notably
they have a larger screen size than a phone; larger memories – typically 32GB (or
more) memory as standard; use quad core processors; allows multiple windows to be
open and so on)

Advantages of tablets compared to laptops:

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

Disadvantages of tablets compared to laptops:

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

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

1.4.4 SMARTPHONES

Smartphones allow normal phone

calls to be made but also have an
operating system (such as iOS, Android or
Windows), allowing it to run a number of
computer applications. They allow users to
send/receive emails, use a number of Apps,
use a camera feature (to take photos or
videos), MP3/4 players (for music and videos),
and so on.
Smart phones communicate with the
internet either by using Wi-Fi hot spots
or by using 3G/4G/5G mobile phone networks.
They make use of a number of Apps that
allow the following functions, among many
others:
● send/receive emails
● surf the net (for example, so you can
order goods on the move)
● global positioning system (use of maps
to navigate to a location)
● calendar functions
● telephone banking (send and receive
money using banking Apps)
● Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) –
telephone network using the internet,
which also allows video calling
● streaming of videos
● streaming of music (from radio stations, for example)
● instant access to social networks (social contact with friends no matter where
you are in the world)
● instant messaging.
 The next generation of smartphones will use touch screens with OLED (organic
light-emitting diode) technology. The touch screens are coated with a crystalline
layer that allows the phones to be partially solar powered, but this also allows them to
use Li-Fi (similar to Wi-Fi except communication uses visible light rather than radio
waves). Communication using Li-Fi is considerablyfaster than Wi-Fi (it has a much
higher data transfer rate); it is also more secure (it stops internet ‘piggybacking’,
unauthorized use of the internet connection) and can also be used on flights since it
doesn’t use radio waves.
The technology works by switching LED bulbs off and on in
nanoseconds (10−9 of a second) which is too quick for the
human eye to detect. Light on represents the binary value 1,
while light off represents the value 0. This is the basis
behind the method used for communication.

Advantages of smartphones
● they are very small in size and lightweight – therefore very easy to carry
round and have on your person at all times (this is more difficult with laptops
since they are much bulkier and also much heavier)
● can use them to make phone calls as well as connect to the internet while on
the move
● because they use Wi-Fi and mobile phone networks, they can be used almost
anywhere (this is not the case with laptops or PCs, although tablets also use
the same technology)
● they have hundreds of Apps (such as camera facility, MP3/4 players, and so
on) – again this is similar to tablets, but it is an advantage compared to
laptops
● they have a reasonable battery life compared to laptops.

Disadvantages of smartphones:
● the small screens make pages difficult to read and small keyboards make
typing things in more difficult and slower (laptops and PCs have much bigger
screens and much larger keyboards) – this disadvantage is becoming less of a
problem as smartphone screens get larger on newer phablets
● web browsing and photography can drain the battery quickly
● memory size in most phones isn’t very large when compared to laptops and
PCs – although it is comparable with tablets
● not all website features are compatible with smartphone operating systems
● because of their small size, it is much easier to lose a smartphone (or for it to
be stolen) than laptops or PCs
● the data transfer rate using mobile phone networks is slower thanwith Wi-Fi –
this makes streaming of video or music, for example, less than satisfactory
at times.

1.4.5 SMARTWATCHES

Smartwatches essentially allow

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

Smartwatches have the following

functions:

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

● ability to make and take phone calls
● messaging via text or video
● weather forecasts
● fitness and health-monitoring capability
● GPS (finding your location and, using satnav, directions to other locations)

These are just a few of the functions; essentially whatever is available on a

smartphone is available on a smartwatch. Many of the advantages and disadvantages
of smartphones also apply to smartwatches, but the following are additional points to
be considered.

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

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

1.4.6 MAINFRAME COMPUTERS

Mainframe computer is a term used for a large, very powerful, computer

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

The main features of mainframe computers are:

● they can have several CPUs
● they have very fast processor speeds
 ● they can support multiple operating
systems
● they have huge amounts of storage
capacity
● they have huge internal memories
(for example, several hundred
gigabytes of RAM)
● they often operate using time sharing
or batch processing

Application:

1. What are the main difference between CLI and GUI. What are the advantages
and disadvantage of the two? (Create a table)
2. What you have learn in this lesson? Make a short discussion.

References:

IGCSE
Information and Communication Technology
Graham Brown and David Watson

Congratulations! You did a great job for this lesson! You can now proceed to the next
lesson.