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Unit 3 Ict 111 Intro

The document provides an overview of computer systems, detailing the distinction between hardware and software, and categorizing software into system software and application software. It explains the functions of operating systems, user interfaces, device drivers, and system utilities, emphasizing their roles in managing hardware and facilitating user interaction. Additionally, it highlights the importance of antivirus software in protecting computers from viruses.

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Peter Parker
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5 views

Unit 3 Ict 111 Intro

The document provides an overview of computer systems, detailing the distinction between hardware and software, and categorizing software into system software and application software. It explains the functions of operating systems, user interfaces, device drivers, and system utilities, emphasizing their roles in managing hardware and facilitating user interaction. Additionally, it highlights the importance of antivirus software in protecting computers from viruses.

Uploaded by

Peter Parker
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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UNIT 3

INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTING

ICT 111

MR CHOLA A

http://chola07.github.io/chola-Resume/
SOFTWARE COMPONENTS
OF A COMPUTER
INTRO

A computer system consists of hardware and software. The computer hardware cannot
perform any task on its own. It needs to be instructed about the tasks to be performed.
Software is a set of programs that instructs the computer about the tasks to be performed.
Software tells the computer how the tasks are to be performed; hardware carries out these
tasks. Different sets of software can be loaded on the same hardware to perform different
kinds of tasks.
For example, a
user can use the same computer hardware for writing a report or for running a payroll
program.
TYPES OF SOFTWARE
Software can be broadly classified in two categories:
 System Software, and
 Application Software.

System software provides the basic functions that are performed by the computer. It is necessary
for the functioning of a computer.
Application software is used by the users to perform specific
tasks. The user may choose the appropriate application software, for performing a specific task,
which provides the desired functionality. The system software interacts with hardware at one end
and with application software at the other end. The application software interacts with the system
software and the users of the computer. Figure 2 shows the hierarchy of software, hardware and
users.
SYSTEM SOFTWARE
System software provides basic functionality to the computer.
System software is required for the working of computer itself.
The user of computer does not need to be aware about the
functioning of system software, while using the computer.
The purposes of the system software are:
 To provide basic functionality to computer,
To control computer hardware, and
To act as an interface between user, application software and
computer hardware
APPLICATIONS SOFTWARE
This is software in a computer used by people to accomplish specific tasks.
Whereas systems software is directed towards the computer hardware in
general, applications software is directed towards the user.
Some common kinds of application software are:
a) Microsoft office (word, excel, power point)
b) Web browsers (Google chrome, opera, Mozilla firefox)
c) Media players (VLC, Windows media player)
d) Games
OPERATING SYSTEM
The operating system (or OS in short) is part of the systems software. This is
the major software in a computer because it performs many very important
functions. Without it the computer cannot do anything. The main functions of
the operating
a) Coordinating and controlling the work of the hardware, e.g. mouse,
keyboard, monitor, printer and hard disk.
b) Configuring and controlling the random access memory, e.g. which
memory addresses should be used by what, when and how.
OPERATING SYSTEMS
Functions…
c) Directing the flow of data between input and output systems,
e.g. which buses should be used and by what signals.
d) Loading applications software into memory and attending to its
requests such as displaying data on the screen and printing.
OPERATING SYSTEMS
e) It provides an environment in which users and application
software can do work.
f) It manages different resources of the computer like the CPU
time, memory space, file storage, I/O devices etc.
g) It controls the execution of different programs to prevent
occurrence of error.
h) It provides a convenient interface to the user in the form of
commands and graphical interface, which facilitates the use of
computer.
OPERATING SYSTEMS
Examples of operating system software

a) MS-DOS (i.e. Microsoft Disk-Operating System)


b) PC-DOS (i.e. Personal Computer-Disk Operating system)
c) OS/2 (i.e. Operating System 2)
d) Microsoft Windows (95, 98, Me, 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10)
e) Unix
f) Linux
g) MacOS
OPERATING SYSTEMS

What is a memory resident program, and what does this mean?


Every operating system is a memory resident program. This means that
when the computer is started (or booted), the OS is copied or
transferred to memory (i.e. RAM) from which it performs its functions. It
stays in RAM throughout the session.
USER-INTERFACE

Every operating system has what is known as the user-interface. The user-
interface is the part of the OS with which we interact, or the part the OS
presents itself to the computer user.
OPERATING SYSTEM
The following are some of the details about the user interface:

1. The user interface is how the computer's operating system presents


information to the user, and how the user gives instructions (commands) to the
computer.
2. There are two kinds of User Interface: text user-Interface and graphical
user-interface (GUI).
The text user-interface presents information to the user in the form of text.
Because the user has to type in commands, it is hard to use since he/she has
to master the commands. Look at the picture insert of a text user-interface
given below. The user has to type and enter commands at an insertion point
called the Command Prompt.
USER INTERFACE

Examples of operating systems with text user-interface are MS-DOS and


PC-DOS.

Unlike the text user-Interface, the GUI presents information to the user in the
form of pull-down menus and icons. (See a screenshot of a window below.)
USER INTERFACE

The user clicks on pull-down menus to display the menu commands.


Icons are small pictures that represent something such as a file, a folder
or a computer program.
With a GUI, the user gives commands to the computer by selecting items
from a menu or by clicking on an icon when using a pointing device
such as a mouse. GUIs are easier to use.
DEVICE DRIVER
A device driver acts as a translator between the hardware and the
software that uses the devices. In other words, it intermediates between
the device and the software, in order to use the device.

Some devices that are commonly connected to the computer are—


keyboard, mouse, hard disk, printer, speakers, microphone, joystick,
webcam, scanner, digital camera, and monitor. For proper working of a
device, its corresponding device driver must be installed on the
computer.
For example, when we give a command to read data from the hard disk,
the command is sent to the hard disk driver and is translated to a form
that the hard disk can understand. The device driver software is
typically supplied by the respective device manufacturers.
SYSTEM UTILITIES
System utility software is required for the maintenance of computer.
System utilities are used for supporting and enhancing the programs
and the data in computer. Some system utilities may come embedded
with OS and others may be added later on. Some examples of system
utilities are:

 Anti-virus utility to scan computer for viruses.


 Data Compression utility to compress the files.
 Cryptographic utility to encrypt and decrypt files.
SYSTEM UTILITY
 Disk Compression utility to compress contents of a disk for
increasing the capacity of a disk.
 Disk Partitioning to divide a single drive into multiple logical
drives. Each drive is then treated as an individual drive and has
its own file system.
 Disk Cleaners to find files that have not been used for a long
time. It helps the user to decide what to delete when the hard
disk is full.
 Backup Utility to make a copy of all information stored on the
disk. It also restores the backed up contents in case of disk
failure.
SYSTEM UTILITY

 System Profiling Utility provides detailed information about the software


installed on the computer and the hardware attached to it.

 Network Managers to check the computer network and to log events.


ANTI-VIRUS UTILITIES
One of the things that complicate the use of computers is
computer virus. A computer virus is a computer program
designed to provide sort of negative consequences when it is run
on a computer. Some viruses can cause very serious havoc such
as deletion of data, corruption of programs and flooding of
storage or memory. No one likes these experiences.
Therefore, a computer needs some defense against viruses. One
form of defence is through use of antivirus software. Antivirus
software is meant to identify and remove viruses from the
infected computer
APPLICATION SOFTWARE

The software that a user uses for accomplishing a specific task is the
application software. Application software may be a single program or a
set of programs. A set of programs that are written for a specific
purpose and provide the required functionality is called software
package.
Application software is written for different kinds of applications—
graphics, word processors, media players, database applications,
telecommunication, accounting purposes etc.
SOME EXAMPLES OF APPLICATION
SOFTWARE PACKAGES ARE AS FOLLOWS:

 Word Processing Software: For writing letter, reports, documents


etc. (e.g. MS-WORD).
 Image Processing Software: For assisting in drawing and
manipulating graphics (e.g.
Adobe Photoshop).
 Accounting Software: For assisting in accounting information,
salary, tax returns (Tally
software).

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