What is software?

A collection of instructions to produce am particular result

What is system software? It controls the operation of the computer

What is operating system? A group of programs that manages the resources of the computer

What is application software? Software that allow the computer to carry out a specific task

Types of application software: word processing, spreadsheet, data, publisher, multi-media,

communication

-Categories of application software

What is general purpose software? Ready-made software that can be used by anybody

What is another name for general purpose software? Off the shelf

What is specialized/special purpose software? This is made for specific tasks or industry

What is customized software? Software that is often used to modify existing software to perform tasks

What is another name for custom written software? Bespoke

What is custom written software? This is made from scratch to meet specific needs of a company

What is integrated software? This is a program that includes all the major types of application software
like MS word etc.

Which category does Microsoft office belongs? Integrated software

-Mail merge
What is mail merge? This is a feature in a word processor that allows the user to combine a primary
document and a secondary document

Example of primary document? MS Word

Example of secondary document? Spread sheet, table in MS word

-Software processing
What is booting? The process of starting or restarting a computer
What is cold boot? Turning on a computer that has been powered off

What is warm boot? Restarting a computer that is powered on

What is software control? Managing many processors and tasks at the same time to make the computer
faster and more multifunctional

Types of software control? Multi-tasking, multi user, multi programming, multi-processing

What is an interface? This is the point where connection is made between two elements to work
together

What is software user interface? This is a method that enables interaction between the application or
system software being used

What are the types of software user interface?

-Commond driven/command line- this allows the user to interact with the computer system by typing
commands

-Menu driven- this is when commands are chosen from various menus on the screen

•Pull down menu- this is a menu that appears on request after selecting it

•Pop up menu- this appears on the screen when the user positions the cursor

Graphical user- this is a combination of windows, icons, menus and pointers to communicate with the
user

What are hardware interfaces? This is a type of interface that works by physical interaction

What is device interface? This is when Devices are connected to the motherboard/ system unit

What are the types of device interface?

-USB(Universal serial bus)- This is used to connect mouse, keyboard and newer hard drives

-IDE(Integrated Drive Electronics)-This is an interface for mass storage Devices, used to connect older
hard drives and CD's

-SATA(Serial advanced technology Attachment)-This is used to connect newer hard drives

-RAID(Redundant array of independent disks)-This is storing the same data on multiple hard drives
incase of drive failure

-SCSI(Small computer system interface)-This is used to connect printers, projector, monitor and scanners

TROUBLESHOOTING
-Troubleshooting is the process of identifying and solving technical problems.

-Troubleshooting is a systematic approach to problem solving that is often used to find and correct
issues with complex machines, electronics, computers and software systems.

Hardware issues include:

❖ Printer problems

❖ Monitor problems

❖ Battery problems

❖ Peripheral devices problems

❖ Hard drive issues

❖ Cables and power cords not properly connected

HARDWARE TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS

● Reboot - power cycling your computer is one of the best and easiest ways to troubleshoot. It tends to
just reset everything and hopefully get rid of whatever glitch is causing issues.

● Unplug peripheral devices - remove any tool that's connected to a computer like an extra drive, or a
scanner.

● Check your cables and power cords to make sure they are connected properly.

● Memory - do you have enough memory? Various files and applications can

quickly overtake your memory.

● Check printer - make sure you send a document to the correct printer and look for

printer jams. Check that the printer has paper and ink.

● Make sure your software is updated.

● Experiencing slowdowns? Try to make a habit of clearing your cache and cookies,

and stay current with your software updates.

CABLE PROBLEMS

● Check your connections. Loose connections are a common source of cabling woes. Be sure to check
every cable connection associated with the workstation that's experiencing network difficulty, including
connections to the network adapter, router, switch, and so on.

● Check the lay of the line. Loops of cable could be generating an electrical field that interferes with
network communication. Try not to leave your excess cable lying around in coils or loops.

● Inspect the cable for pinching or breaks. A badly pinched cable can cause a short in the wire, which
could lead to intermittent connection problems. Make sure that no part of the cable is pinched,
especially if the back of the computer is situated near a wall.

The Screen is Frozen

Freezes can signify insufficient RAM, registry conflicts, corrupt or missing files, or spyware.

● When your computer freezes, you may have no other option than reboot and risk losing unsaved
work.

● Press and hold the power button until the computer turns off, then restart it and get to work cleaning
up the system so that it doesn’t freeze again.

COMPUTER IS SLOW

● If your computer is slower than usual, you can often fix the problem simply by cleaning the hard disk of
unwanted files (as above).

● You can also install a firewall, anti-virus and spyware tools and by scheduling regular registry scans.

THE COMPUTER WON’T START

● A loose connection is a common culprit; check your computer’s power cable is securely connected to the plug
socket. If that doesn’t work, test the plug socket by connecting a device you know is working. If it no longer works,
the problem is your plug socket.

● If your computer turns on, but suddenly shuts off, it could have a failing power