Edexcel International GCSE (9-1)

Information and Communication

Technology

Topic 1: Digital Devices

Sudeepa Herath
0773895542

1
Objectives
At the end of this topic, you are expected to:

1. Know about the range of digital devices available.

2. Understand that the developments in the features and functionality of digital
devices are rapid and this impacts on the way that they are used by individuals,
organizations and society.
3. Understand the principles of these devices and to be able to select suitable
devices and associated hardware and software to use in particular situations.

2
1.1 Types of Digital Devices

Sections in the specification covered under this topic

Section Learning Outcome

1.1.1 Be aware that mainframe computers are used for complex processing
tasks and microprocessors are embedded in products such as washing
machines.

1.1.2 Understand that laptop and desktop computers are types of personal
computers. Some laptops are used as desktop replacements.
1.1.3 Know about types of mobile phones; smartphones and specialist phones
and how they connect to the network (SIM).
1.1.4 Know about tablet devices.
1.1.5 Be able to describe the purpose and use of other digital devices such as:
• cameras and camcorders
• games consoles
• home entertainment systems
• media players.

1.1.6 Know about navigation aids and how they are used.
1.1.7 Understand the terms ‘multifunctional’ (e.g. mobile phones that include
a camera, have limited game playing functionality and GPS) and
‘convergence’ (e.g. functionality of smartphones and tablet devices
becomes more similar) in the context of digital devices.

3
What is a digital device?
A digital device is a physical unit of equipment that contains a computer or
microcontroller. Today, there are numerous digital devices including a smartphone,
tablet and smartwatch. In contrast, there are numerous non-digital (analog) devices,
such as a thermometer, electric fan and bicycle. Automobiles, washing machines and
many other products are both digital and analog.

Types of Digital Devices

Digital devices can range from very powerful and large mainframe computers to
smaller sized microprocessors.

Mainframe Computers

A large, powerful computer that can do a lot of complicated jobs quickly and can be
used by a lot of people at the same time. These computers are used by large
organizations for complex processing tasks such as statistical analysis and bulk data
processing.

o Mainframe vs Supercomputer

The main difference between mainframes and supercomputers is their typical

application domain – mainframes excel in reliable volume computing in
domains requiring integer (non-decimal) operations (e.g, financial, indexing,
comparisons, etc). Supercomputers are design to excel in their ability to
perform floating point (decimal) operations – addition, subtraction, and
multiplication with enough digits of precision to model continuous phenomena
such as weather.

o Mainframe vs Server

A server controls access to the hardware, software, and other resources on a

network and provides a centralized storage area for programs, data, and
information. And a mainframe is a large, expensive, powerful computer that
can handle hundreds or thousands of connected users simultaneously.

4
 Mainframes store huge amounts of data, instructions, and information.
Mainframes can be servers, but they don’t have to be a server.

Microprocessors

Microprocessor is a device that controls what a computer does; it takes data as input,
does something with it (processes) and provides output. Everything a computer does
is described by instructions of computer programs, and microprocessors carry out
these instructions many millions of times a second.

Microprocessors are found in devices like washing machines, televisions, DVD

players, microwaves, toasters, ovens, stoves etc.. The microprocessor unit in your
washing machine controls sensors, valves and actuators responsible for controlling
the parts that clean your clothes.

Digital Devices Covered in this Lesson:

• Personal Computers
o Desktops, Laptops, Single-board computers
• Mobile Phones
o Smartphones, Specialist Phones
• Tablets
• Cameras and Camcorders
• Home Entertainment Systems
o Televisions, Sound Systems, Personal Video Recorders, Blue-ray and DVD
players
• Game Consoles
• Media Players
• Navigation Aids
• Home Automation Devices and Smart Assistants
o Smartphones, Specialist Phones

5
Personal Computers

A personal computer (PC) is a multi-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and

price make it feasible for individual use. Personal computers are intended to be
operated directly by an end user, rather than by a computer expert or technician.
Unlike large costly minicomputers and mainframes, time-sharing by many people at
the same time is not used with personal computers.

Examples of personal computers: Desktops, Laptops, Single-board computers

o Desktops and Laptops

Desktops Laptops
More space for components and provides Compact design. Less space available for
users with the ability to upgrade or add components. Users have limited
hardware components to increase upgrade options.
performance
Needs to have peripheral devices such All-in-one design. Screens, keyboard,
as monitor, printer and keyboard keypad and other essential hardware are
connected. integrated into the device
Not portable and works when plugged Portable and has a rechargeable battery
into electricity.
More hard drive space, faster CPU and Laptop often sacrifice performance for
better graphics performance than the portability. An average laptop has lower
average laptop performance than a desktop priced at
the same value.

o Single-board computers

Single-board computers (SBCs) are affordable computers used in education,

embedded computing projects and physical computing projects. The Raspberry Pi
Zero is an example of an SBC. The unit itself costs very little and uses a cheap
microSD card as its storage.

6
Mobile Phones and Tablets

o Cell Phones

The classical phones only used for the purpose of making calls, texts and little less.
These phones have less advanced features and they generally focus on the ease of
use. They come in a variety of different form factors and designs, allowing the user
to have plenty of options. These phones are often cheap.

o Feature Phones

They compromise the features of the smartphones and the conventional phones.
They have limited properties of OS. A feature phone focuses on texting, multimedia,
a full web browser and GPS. A less expensive feature phone is a great alternative to
a smartphone.

o Smartphones

Smartphones have become the standard option for most consumers. With an
advanced operating system (OS), GPS, 4G internet speeds, a smartphone is closer
to a computer than a cell phone. They've advanced far beyond simply making calls.
Modern smartphones feature a highly responsive touch-screen, Wi-Fi connectivity,
HD cameras and data streaming. Smartphones allow users to perform tasks
previously reserved for a desktop or laptop: edit documents, use social media, handle
email and create spreadsheets. Applications (or apps) can be downloaded onto the
smartphone, which allow users to customize their smartphones with entertainment,
educational and business features. A virtual keyboard is used to enter text, numbers
and other characters.

o Specialist Phones

Specialist phones are designed for a very specific target market, e.g. elderly people,
people who are partially sighted and those operating in challenging environments.
For example, some phones have an emergency button that is linked to a list of
emergency contacts. When this button is pressed, the phone will call each person on
the list until someone answers.

7
Screen readers (read-out-loud) can make mobile phoned accessible for the blind,
those with low vision and the illiterate. Visual or vibrating alerts, relay services and
hearing aid compatibility devices make mobile phones accessible for the deaf and
hard of hearing, while features such as voice recognition and auto text are needed
by those with physical disabilities. Other phones provide fewer, larger buttons and
connections for hearing aids.

o Tablets

Tablets can be thought of as small, handheld computers. They're smaller than a

laptop but larger than a smartphone. Tablets take features from both devices to
form a kind of hybrid device, somewhere between a phone and computer, but they
don't necessarily function the same way as either. A tablet device has a touch screen,
apps and Wi-Fi connectivity to provide access to the internet. Some tablet devices
have SIM card slots to allow internet connectivity using the mobile phone network,
so that they can be online when they are not within range of a Wi-Fi signal.

Cell Phone Feature Phone Smartphone

Specialist Phone Tablet

8
Smartphones vs Tablets

o Tablets have much larger screens than smartphones

o Smartphones are more portable than tablets
o Smartphones have call and SMS functionalities while many tablets do
not
o Some applications may only run in tablets and not smartphones
o Smartphones have both WiFi and 3G while only some tablet models have
both.

How does a mobile phone connect to a network?

After you buy a mobile phone, you can’t make calls with it until you connect it to a
mobile phone network. When you choose a network, you usually sign up to an account
plan with that company. Then, you need to activate the plan. The Subscriber Identity
Module (SIM) card is how that is done. SIM cards link a certain account to a certain
phone; they tell the phone network company which account is joined up to which
person’s phone. Phone network companies usually call customers “subscribers”. A
SIM card is a customer card that lets your phone connect to the network.

The SIM card contains an identifier, the International Mobile Subscriber Identifier
(IMSI) that identifies your handset (your phone) to the network. The IMSI is how the
network links what you do on your handset to your account.

SIM cards are also used to make sure no one can eavesdrop on your communication
between the phone and the network. All messages between the phone and network
are encrypted using a key. This key is stored in the SIM card.

9
Cameras and Camcorders

Digital cameras, DSLR (digital single-lens reflex camera), mirrorless cameras, action
cameras and camcorders are different types of cameras available. all these devices
use light sensors to capture images formed by light passing through the device lens.
These devices use different technologies and are suited for different purposes. For
example, action cameras are used during sports, biking or diving; and camcorders
are used mainly for vlogging and event video recording.

▪ Factors that affect image/video quality of a camera

• Quality of the lens

• Quality and the resolution of the sensor
• Quality of the image processor

Keywords:
Pixel - Images are formed using tiny dots called pixels. The more pixels used to
represent an image, the closer the result can resemble the original.

Resolution - Number of pixels used by a screen to display an image. Eg: 24MP

(24megapixel)

Pixelate - Typically, the separate square pixels in digital images do not appear
individually. When the image is displayed too large or at a low resolution the image
becomes pixelated.

10
Home Entertainment Systems

Home Entertainment Systems are offered in different digital devices.

▪ Televisions

Televisions display still and moving images on a screen. Television used to be a very
simple set up. As shown below.

An aerial was mounted outside. This was connected to the television with a standard
television cable. The viewer had to use buttons on the television itself to tune into
the program they wanted to watch and to change the volume.

That type of television is an example of an analog rather than a digital system.

Sometime later the tv 'remote control' came along. People no longer had to even get
off the couch to control the television. The term 'couch potato' became familiar!

Analog television channels were with us for decades, first as a black and white low
resolution, then later as a full colour higher quality service. But for the past few years,
television companies have switched over to a fully digital system. These digital
televisions have the following benefits

• More channels are available

• Better quality pictures
• Better quality sound

11
 • Makes it possible to have interactive services.
• Smart televisions use apps and can download and stream content from the
internet

▪ Sound Systems

Sound systems can produce loud, rich sounds using high quality speakers and
amplifiers. Some speakers contain built in amplifiers. Sound systems can be
connected to personal devices like smartphones, TVs, tablets or music players using
wired connections like USB or wireless connections like Bluetooth. Certain sound
systems can also connect to the internet to play online music.

▪ Personal Video Recorders

A Personal Video Recorder (PVR) is a generic term for a device that is similar to a
VCR but records television data in digital format as opposed to the VCR's analog
format. VCRs utilize analog tapes to record and play programs broadcast over
television, but PVRs encode video data in MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 formats and store the
data in a hard drive.

▪ Blu-ray and DVD Players

Blu-ray and DVD players connect to a television in order to play films and other
content stored on DVD or Blue-ray disks. Blue-ray players will support the playback
of DVD disks but DVD players will not play Blue-ray disks.

12
Games Consoles

Gaming is so popular that machines have been developed that are dedicated to
playing computer games. They are called 'consoles'. They are extremely powerful
graphics machines with excellent sound capabilities as well. For example

▪ Sony PlayStation
▪ Microsoft Xbox
▪ Nintendo Wii

A console is different from a standard computer in that it does not include a keyboard,
mouse or monitor. Instead they come with their own dedicated input devices. Game
consoles use controllers which are often wireless as input devices. Some consoles
use motion sensors to allow the player to control the game with gestures and body
movements. Other games use virtual reality (VR) controllers and headsets to
immerse the player in a realistic gaming environment.

You are expected to have your own output devices already - namely a television or a
monitor with a sound system.

Handheld versions of gaming consoles provide mobile gaming. They have built-in
screens and less storage than a full-sized console.

13
Advantages of using Game Consoles than PCs

▪ Consoles are easier to set up than a PC.

▪ Ready-made controllers.
▪ Designed specifically for gaming. New gaming technology games always
appear on console first

Media Players

Media players (Eg: Apple TV) provide video and audio content to a television. These
content could be streamed directly from the internet or accessed from networked or
local storage. Media players can be connected to a TV using wired (HDMI) or wireless
(wi-fi) networks. Media players are controlled using remote controls or in some cases
a smartphone app.

Personal media players (Eg: i-pod) are compact, portable devices with local storage
to hold media files for playback. They are portable and are great for travelling due
their small size and long battery life. They often use solid state flash memory for
storage.

14
Navigation Aids

Navigation Aids are used to calculate the best route between two or more locations
and can provide updates to the route if it is not followed accurately. Navigation aids
which are used in cars typically uses a satellite navigation device to get its position
data which is then correlated to a position on a road. When directions are needed
routing can be calculated. On the fly traffic information can be used to adjust the
route. These devices typically display the real-time location of the vehicle on a map
and play spoken prompts when drivers need to turn.

Navigation aids use the information from GPS. GPS stands for Global Positioning
System. It's a technology owned by the U.S. government and overseen by the
country's Air Force. GPS is a radio navigation system. It uses radio waves between
satellites and a receiver inside your device to provide location and time information
to any software that needs to use it. You don't have to send any actual data back
into space for GPS to work; you only need to be able to receive data from four or
more of the 28 satellites in orbit that are dedicated for geo-location use.

GPS technology combined with map data can be used for navigation. Map data can
either be stored permanently on the device or could be downloaded from the internet.
Maps have to be constantly updated using internet to provide users with the most
accurate traffic and route information. Smartphones are now replacing specialist-in-
car navigation aids.

In addition to GPS receivers, smartphones also use Accelerometers, Gyroscopes and

Magnetometers to aid in device location.

15
Advantages of using Navigation Aids

▪ Less chance of getting lost.

▪ Easier to find destination
▪ Shorter travel time.
▪ Highlights points of interest e.g. petrol station.
▪ Less chance of being distracted e.g. looking at maps.
▪ Reduces number of miles driven.
▪ Saves petrol.
▪ Can get traffic updates / recalculates routes.

Disadvantages of using Navigation Aids

▪ Might be a distraction whilst driving.

▪ Can become too reliant.
▪ Does not always offer best route.
▪ Might not use up-to-date maps

16
Home Automation Devices and Smart Assistants

The smart home lets you control a range of connected devices in your home from
your smartphone. From lights to alarms, the idea is that as long as both your home
and your phone are connected to the internet, you have control.

Multifunctional Devices and Convergence

Multifunctional devices have the ability to do many different things on one device.
Example of this might be a printer that also makes copies, faxes, and scans.

A mobile phones primary function is to make phone calls. Smartphones now have the
capability to take photographs, function as navigation aids, fitness tracker, music
player or handheld game consoles. A smartphone is therefore a multifunctional
device.

Advantages of multifunctional devices

▪ They reduce cost

▪ Lower space requirement
▪ Provide a more practical solution than having separate machines to
complete the same tasks.

17
As they develop, devices like smartphones often adopt technologies and features
from other types of devices. This is called convergence.

18
1.2 Features of digital devices

Sections in the specification covered under this topic.

Section Learning Outcome

1.2.1 Understand features of digital devices: portability, performance, storage,
user interface, connectivity, media support, energy consumption,
expansion capability, security features.
1.2.2 Be able to discuss the features of identified digital devices.

19
Digital devices have multiple features including:

▪ Portability ▪ Media support

▪ Performance ▪ Energy consumption
▪ Storage ▪ Expansion capability
▪ User interface ▪ Security features
▪ Connectivity

Portability

A portable device is any device that can easily be carried. It is a small form factor of
a computing device that is designed to be held and used in the hands. Portable
devices are becoming an increasingly important part of personal computing as the
capabilities of devices like laptops, tablets and smartphones continue to improve. The
portability of a device directly depends on the size and the weight. Portable devices
are usually powered by batteries.

Performance

Digital devices operate by processing data using instructions. The speed at which a
device performs is determined by the speed at which it can carry out instructions
from its software. Software instructions are carried out by the processor, which
means that a faster processor will increase performance.

Data and programs are stored in RAM, ready for use by the processor. But there is
only a limited amount of RAM available in any computer system. You must have
enough RAM installed in the computer to run the applications you intend use. This
minimum is usually stated on the side of the box it came in. Even the operating
system has to have a minimum amount of RAM for it to run.

Faster RAM will allow instructions to be loaded into the processor more quickly. RAM
holds all software instructions to be carried out, so a large capacity RAM will allow
the system to have more programs running at the same time.

20
Although the amount of RAM is limited, the operating system uses some clever tricks
to make part of the hard disk appear as extra RAM. This is called 'virtual memory'.
But it is very slow compared to 'real' RAM.

The software itself can also be written in an efficient way that makes the most of the
processor’s capabilities. Inefficient software can slow down the whole system and
therefore has an impact on a device’s performance.

Processor RAM

Storage

Files and programs are stored in storage. More available storage allows users to store
more files and programs. Storage speed also affects performance. Mostly storage is
on each individual device but now can be on the internet or the cloud.

Hard drives (HDDs) are the most common type of storage devices. Hard disk drives
consist of one or more magnetically sensitive platters, an actuator arm with a
read/write head on it for each platter, and a motor to spin the platters and move the
arms.

Solid state drives use flash memory to deliver superior performance and durability.
Without moving parts, SSDs are more durable, run cooler and use less energy.

21
 HDD (Hard disk drive) SSD (Solid State Drive)

User Interface

Users give commands and interact with the device using the user interface. There
are several types of user interfaces.

o Command line interface (CLI)

o Menu Driven Interface
o Graphical User Interface
o Voice Interface
o Gesture Interface

o Command line interface (CLI)

Before the mouse, users interacted with an operating system (OS) or application
with a keyboard. Users typed commands in the command line interface to run
tasks on a computer. Typically, the command line interface features a black box
with white text. The user responds to a prompt in the command line interface by
typing a command. The output or response from the system can include a
message, table, list, or some other confirmation of a system or application action.
The MS-DOS operating system is an example of a command line interface.

22
The advantages of a command line interface are:

▪ Higher level of control and security for an OS or application.

▪ faster management of a large number of operating systems.
▪ ability to store scripts to automate regular tasks.
▪ basic command line interface knowledge to help with troubleshooting,
such as network connection issues.

The disadvantages of a command line interface are:

▪ GUI is more user-friendly.

▪ steeper learning curve associated with memorizing commands and
complex syntax/arguments.
▪ different commands used in different shells.

o Menu Driven Interface

An interface consisting of a series of screens which are navigated by choosing
options from lists, i.e. menus. (“Menu” is not used here to refer to pull-down
menus, but to lists of options on the screen that lead to other screens.)
Because of their simplicity, menu-driven interfaces are commonly used for
walk-up-and-use systems, such as information kiosks and ATMs.

o Graphical User Interface

GUI (Graphical User Interface) uses windows, icons, menus and buttons and
provides users with a more user-friendly interface.

▪ Windows are areas of the screen that are dedicated to

applications or operating system tasks.
▪ Icons are small images that represent an application. They can
be selected with the pointer to open the application.
▪ Menus provide options for tasks relating to the operating system
or open application.

23
 Disadvantages of GUI.

▪ GUIs take more memory, hardware resources and storage when

compared to CLI or menu driven interfaces.
o Voice Interface
Users give spoken commands to the device. There is a voice recognition
software which matches the spoken words against a library of words to find a
match.
Advantages of voice interface
▪ Allows hands-free operation
▪ Speaking can be faster than typing

Disadvantages of voice interface

▪ Voice recognition software may detect instructions incorrectly and
produce unwanted results.
▪ Uncomfortable to use in public places.

o Gesture Interface
Users control the device by swiping, touching, or pinching using their fingers.
These devices are associated with touch screens. Certain devices also allow
control through movement detection.
Eg: Palm shutter

Connectivity

Digital devices can be connected to each other and the internet via wired or wireless
methods. These connections allow sharing of data, updating software, downloading,
and streaming media and backing up files.

Media Support

Media items such as SD cards, microSD flash memory cards, CDs and DVDs can be
used with digital devices to read or write data. With devices getting smaller in size,

24
space is not available to incorporate a built-in media reader, so adapters are usually
connected to existing ports of the device.

Energy Consumption

All digital devices rely on electricity to work. Some devices need to be plugged into a
wall socket to operate, while other have rechargeable batteries. Battery life on a
device depends on the energy consumption of the device. With the const of energy
increasing, manufacturers have focused on creating low energy consuming devices.

Expansion Capability

The functionality, performance and storage capacity of digital devices can be

extended by installing or connecting additional components. Eg: MircoSD cards can
increase the storage of mobile phones.

Computer systems can connect extra devices called peripheral devices to extend their
capabilities.

Security Features

Digital devices use a range of features to prevent unauthorized access to data.

o User has to enter a password or PIN (personal identification number) when the
deice is turned on.
o Device gets locked when it has not been used for a specific period of time.

PINs, patterns, biometric scans such as facial recognition and fingerprint are different
security features present in digital devices. These devices can also be set to wipe
data when multiple incorrect login attempts are made.

25
1.4 Types of peripheral devices – input and output

Sections in the specification covered under this topic.

Section Learning Outcome

1.4.1 Know about types of output peripheral such as monitor (screen size,
resolution), printer (laser, inkjet, 3D), plotter, data projector,
speaker, control device and when they would be used.
1.4.2 Know about types of input peripheral such as keyboard, mouse, tracker
ball, joystick, graphics tablet, scanner, digital camera, webcam,
microphone, touch screen, OMR reader, OCR reader, bar code scanner,
biometric scanner, magnetic stripe reader, chip and pin, sensor and when
they would be used.

26
Peripheral Devices
Devices that can be connected to a computer are known as peripheral devices. They
can be grouped into three types:

▪ input,
▪ output
▪ storage

Output Devices
Output devices will output the results of the computer’s processing in various forms
including

o electronic display
o printed text
o video
o audio
o tactile (touch) forms.

▪ Monitor
Monitors show the output of the computer in an electronic display. The screen size
(measured diagonally) and screen resolution (number of pixels in the screen) are
two important characteristics that we should consider when choosing a monitor.

▪ Printer
Printers are used to print text or images or even 3D models. There are several
types of printers available in the market.

o Dot matrix printers / Impact printers

Print is made by impacting the paper through a ribbon of ink.

27
 o Inkjet printers

Uses black and colour ink cartridges. Dots of ink are sprayed onto
the paper to form the image or text.

o Laser printers

A laser discharges certain points on a rotating drum. Electrically

charged toner gets attached onto the discharged points on the
drum and is heated onto the paper that is passed over the drum.
They can print large amounts of pages at a very quick rate.

o 3D printers

These printers can print real life 3D models. Items that require
precise features such as airplane parts, artificial limbs and
prototypes can be printed using 3D printers.

▪ Plotters
Plotters draw high quality images created in Computer Aided Design (CAD)
software onto large sheets of paper. Plotters are mainly used by engineers,
product designers and engineers.

28
 ▪ Data Projector
Data projectors are used to project content to be viewed by a large audience.
They are mainly used for giving presentations in classrooms and business
meetings. Data projectors are also used for home entertainment such as watching
television or playing games.

Features of Data Projectors

o Light bulb
o Resolution
o Zoom functionality – Optical or Digital
o Portability

Advantages Disadvantages
Many people to clearly view the same Lower image quality compared to a
presentation. computer screen.
Enhance the viewers experience.
For example: watching movies on a large
Very expensive to buy.
screen is better than a
small TV screen.
Cooling fans in the projector are noisy.

▪ Speaker
Allows a computer to output sound. Can be either stereo (sound comes from
left and right) or surround sound (sound comes from for or more sides).
Mono sound (sound comes from a single speaker) is used in alarms and
buzzers.
o Used to output sound from multimedia presentations (like famous
speeches etc).
o Used in home entertainment (surround sound etc).
o Can be used by blind people to listen to words on the screen instead of
reading (screen readers).
o Can be used to play downloaded music files

29
▪ Control Device
Devices that are usually mechanical and can make something happen. The
work in conjunction with sensor input devices and commands from computers
in order to control a process. Control devices are also known as actuators.
o Data gathered by a sensor is input into a computer which then decides
what to do with the data (processes it).
o Once the computer has decided what to do with the data it sends
instructions to the control device.
o The control device then physically changes something in response to
commands received from the computer.

Consider this example

INPUT - A burglar breaks the infrared light sensor on a security system.

PROCESS - This data is sent to a small computer inside a security light.

The computer sends instructions to an 'actuator' telling it to switch on
the security light.

OUTPUT - The actuator switches on the security light

Examples of actuators

o valves
o pistons
o heaters
o coolers
o motors

30
Input Devices
Input devices will send data to the computer and they also allow users to control
the computer.

▪ Keyboards
Keyboards have keys which the user can press to input text or interact with
software. Keyboards are used to input the following into the computer:
o Text
o Numbers
o Instructions

Most keyboards use a QWERTY key layout. The name 'QWERTY' comes from
the first five letters keys on the top row of the keyboard - Q-W-E-R-T-Y. Special
keyboards called 'Ergonomic Keyboards' have been developed to help reduce
health problems (such as repetitive strain injury) linked with typing.

Combinations of key presses allow users to access common software

commands called shortcuts.

o CTRL + P to print
o CTRL + S to save
o CTRL + C to copy
o CTRL + V to paste

▪ Pointing Devices
Pointing devices are pieces of hardware that are used to control a pointer
(curser) on a screen. Pointing devices are frequently used with Graphical User
Interface (GUI) operating systems where pointers are used to input commands
by selecting icons.
Different types of pointing devices are available
o Mouse
The ball (in a ball mouse) and the reflected light (in an optical
mouse) allows the user to
direct and control an on-screen pointer.

31
 o Tracker ball

A ball on the top is used to move the pointer. Tracker balls use
less wrist movement, so they are more ergonomic than mouse.

o Track pad
Used as a replacement to a mouse in many laptops. Users lightly
brush their finger over the touchpad in order to control a pointer.
Touchpads are built into laptops so there is no need for a separate
mouse. This helps improve portability.
People with wrist and hand problems (like RSI) can find touchpads
painful to use.
o Joystick
Joysticks are also popular devices for gaming. The handle allows
gamers to control onscreen characters and the buttons are used
for things like firing weapons. Joysticks are also used to control
industrial machinery (cranes for example).
o Graphics Tablet

Graphics tablets are used by artists and designers to easily create

and store digital graphics in a computer. A graphics tablet can be
drawn on with a special pen called a 'stylus'.

▪ Scanner
Scanners are used to enter information on paper (hard copies) into a
computer. Scanners reflect light off the hard copy in order to capture an
analogue image of the document. The scanner then converts the received
analogue data into a digital format. Once the hard copy has been converted to
digital data, it can be stored on a computer and manipulated using Graphics
Editing Software (such as Photoshop).

▪ Digital Camera
Digital cameras store digital photographs on a memory card (flash memory)
and these images can easily be transferred onto a computer for viewing or
editing. Most digital cameras have a built-in screen to allow for previewing the

32
 digital photograph. This is useful so that the photographer can decide which
images to keep and which to delete.
Digital camera image quality is measured in 'Megapixels'. These are the
number of dots that make up the image. The higher the Megapixels, the higher
the detail quality of the image. 3 Megapixel cameras produce images made up
of 3 Million pixels (dots).

▪ Web Camera
Web cameras are similar to digital cameras in their function, but they are
directly connected to a computer and do not have memory storage. They have
built in microphones. Webcams are used to conduct face-to-face conversations
with friends and family online over VoIP applications such as Skype. Web cams
can be left running constantly which makes them useful as security devices
(as a form of security camera).

▪ Microphone
Microphones are used to input analogue sounds into a digital computer. Sounds
exist in the form of sound waves (analogue signals that change slowly). The
job of the microphone is to input analogue sound signals into the computer
where the sound card will convert analogue sound into digital (ADC - analogue
to digital converter).
Microphones are used in voice recognition software for speech into text
conversion and to issue commands.

▪ Touch Screen
Touch screens allow users to input commands into a computer by pressing or
touching buttons/icons on the screen. This removes the need to use a mouse.
Mobile phones and PDA's use touch screens as a way of saving space (a
separate keyboard would make the devices quite large).

33
▪ OMR Reader
System which automatically reads marks made in pen or pencil. Typically used
to read multiple choice examinations where students shade in (mark) answers.
The OMR reader shines a light onto the form and less light is reflected where
a pencil mark has been made. This allows the reader to tell which options have
been chosen and sends the results back to a computer. Forms need to be
accurately designed to make sure that the marks/shading are in correct
position to be read by the device.

▪ OCR Reader
Optical character readers consist of a scanner along with special software.
OCR's allow us to scan text on paper (hardcopy) into a computer. Once into
the computer, OCR software converts the scanned text into a digital format.

Advantages

▪ Very fast way of entering hard-copy text into a computer.

▪ Avoids typing errors as the process is automatic (no typing involved)

Disadvantages

▪ The system can have difficulty reading handwriting

▪ Not 100% accurate therefore information needs to be manually checked
for errors.

▪ Barcode scanner
A barcode is a pattern on lines and gaps that can be read by a barcode scanner.

Barcode - linear QR (Quick Response) code – matrix

More information than linear barcodes

34
 The barcode scanner reads the information stored on the barcode using a
visible red light which is reflected and translated into digital information.
Barcode scanners are usually built into EPOS (electronic point of sale)
terminals in supermarkets.

The barcode usually stores the product ID (not the price). The product ID along
with the product information (price, country pf origin, manufacturer etc.) is
stored in a database. Once a barcode has been scanned, a computer can read
the information stored on the barcode, identify the product ID and access
details about the product that is stored in the database.

Advantages

▪ Quick and easy to change product prices. Only the price data in the
database needs to be updated. There is no need to change individual
prices on each of the items.

Disadvantages

▪ Quite an expensive way to gather information. Each item needs a

barcode and the scanners / computer technology / database needed is
also expensive.

▪ Biometric scanner
Biometric identification is known as the process by which a person can be
identified by their physical characteristics. These scanners are used to take
several samples of the physical characteristics and an average result is stored
in a database. When authentication is needed, the user gets scanned. The
existing samples are compared with the new scan to find a match. If a match
is found access is granted.

Characteristics for biometric authentication can include:

▪ Fingerprints
▪ Facial recognition
▪ Retina or Iris patterns

35
 ▪ Voice recognition
▪ DNA
▪ Pulse / ECG
▪ Gestures / tap pattern (behavioural)

▪ Magnetic Stripe Reader

Reads information from magnetic stripes found on Bank Cards, Membership
Cards and Hotel Door Cards etc. Data on the magnetic strip can easily be stolen
by criminals who put the card through a card reader without the card owner’s
knowledge.

Advantages

▪ Entering data is very fast.

▪ No data entry errors as there is no typing involved.

Disadvantages

▪ Less secure as the card can be stolen and used without the owner’s
knowledge.
▪ If the stripe gets damaged, then the data is lost
▪ The magnetic stripe on cards can only hold a small amount of data

36
▪ Chip and Pin Reader
The chip and pin reader works by inserting a bank/credit card into a slot and
then entering a PIN (personal identification number). The PIN ensures that the
person with the bank card is the genuine owner. Only the owner of the card
should know the PIN and money can only be transferred with the correct
number.

Advantages

▪ More secure than magnetic stripe readers as the user needs to know
the correct PIN
▪ Chips can hold more data than magnetic stripes

Disadvantages

▪ It is possible to forget your PIN which means you cannot make payments
with your card.

▪ RFID chips (radio frequency ID chips) and NFC (Near Field

Communication)

37
 These are a basic type of wireless communication. When passed through a
special electrical field, they broadcast data through a high-frequency radio
wave. This non-contact method of one-way communication is used in tracking
and identification. The chips can be easily implanted into animals and are
already used in supermarkets and department stores to track purchased
goods.

An RFID tag is attached to the surface of an item (or even sometimes inside
the item). The RFID reader is used to read the data held on the tag and input
this data into a computer for processing. RFID is used in asset tracking,
inventory management, access control

NFC is a branch of RFID with the main difference that it allows for two-way
communication. NFC technology can be embedded in smartphones, increasing
opportunities to integrate with contactless payment systems. NFC is similar to
Bluetooth. It is an effective method of communicating between mobile devices.
NFC is used for information sharing, contactless payments.

▪ Sensors
A device Used to detect data in the surrounding environment that constantly
changes. For example:

▪ Light
▪ moisture and humidity
▪ temperature
▪ proximity and distance
▪ motion and movement (such as Passive Infrared (PIR) sensors)
▪ pressure
Type of
Used For:
Sensor:
Automatic washing machines, Central heating systems,
Temperature
Automatic greenhouses, Cookers.
Burglar alarm systems, Washing machines, Robotics,
Pressure
Environmental monitoring.
Automatic greenhouses, Automatic doors, Burglar alarm
Light
systems, Street lighting control.
Burglar alarm systems, Voice recognition systems (like using a
Sound
voice command to start a car).

38
 Automatic greenhouses, Environmental monitoring, Agriculture,
Humidity/Mois
Factories that manufacture items that can be ruined by too
ture
much air moisture (microchips etc).
Automatic greenhouses, Chemical manufacturing,
pH
Environmental monitoring, Aquariums (wrong pH can kill fish).

Advantages

▪ Readings taken using sensors are more accurate than those taken by a
human.
▪ Sensors can respond to information immediately and can monitor
continually
▪ No need for humans to operate the sensor. This can be useful if data is
gathered in remote or dangerous places like in detecting radiation levels

Disadvantages

▪ Faulty sensors can give incorrect results.

39
1.5 Types of peripheral devices – storage

Sections in the specification covered under this topic.

Section Learning Outcome

1.5.1 Be able to differentiate between storage devices and the media used to
store data.
1.5.2 Know the characteristics of hard disk drives (HDD), solid state drives
(SSD), optical disk drives.
1.5.3 Know that storage devices can be internal or external.
1.5.4 Know about types of storage media such as hard disks, optical disks (CD,
DVD, Blu-ray), flash memory devices, magnetic tape
1.5.5 Know that storage media can be recordable/write once (R) and rewritable
(R/W)
1.5.6 Understand the terms describing the capacity of storage such as bit, byte
and multiples of these (kibibytes, mebibytes, gibibytes, tebibytes) (using
1KiB = 1024 bytes).

40
Storage vs. memory
These are two terms that are often mistakenly used for each another, though they
are two very different things.

• Storage, is where the information (such as Word documents, photos,

movie clips, programs, and so on) is stored. In a computer, the whole
operating system itself, such as Windows 7 or Mac OS, is also stored on
the internal storage device. Storage is nonvolatile, meaning that the
information is still there when the host device (a computer, for example)
is turned off and is readily accessible when the device is turned back on.
It's like a book or a paper notebook that's always there, ready for you
to read or write on.
o storing a document for future use
o storing an application, ready to be loaded into RAM when the user
opens the application
o virtual memory
• Memory, can be accessed faster than secondary storage. Memory is
used to store instructions so that the processor can fetch the instructions
quickly in order to process them.
There are three types of memory that you need to know about:
o Random Access Memory (RAM)
o Read Only Memory (ROM)
o Flash memory.
Data in the RAM is volatile, meaning that when the computer is turned
off, it's gone; the memory becomes blank, as if nothing has been there
before. It's somewhat like the short-term memory part of your brain,
where images or ideas are being formed and processed when you read
a book -- those that disappear the moment you stop reading.

41
 1.5.1 Be able to differentiate between storage devices and the media used to
store data.

Storage Device vs Storage Media

A storage device contains the storage media and accesses the data stored on it.

Storage Device Storage Media

Optical disk drives Optical disk media
CD drive CD-R (Recordable) / CD-RW (Re- Rewritable)
DVD drive DVD-R / DVD-RW
Blu-ray drive Blu-ray disks
Hard disk drive (HDD) Hard disk media
Solid state drive (SDD) Flash memory
USB drive Flash memory

1.5.2 Know the characteristics of hard disk drives (HDD), solid state drives
(SSD), optical disk drives.
1.5.3 Know that storage devices can be internal or external.

Storage Devices

Storage devices are used to store data or software that is used in a computer system.

Storage devices can be either internal or external. Internal drives connect directly to
the computer’s motherboard. External devices are connected to the computer’s
motherboard through the different ports and adapters on the computer’s exterior.

42
There are three types of storage devices

• Hard disk drives

Hard disk drives or HDD uses magnetic media. They are widely used in
many computers to store data. This is because they are capable of very
fast direct access of files and have very large storage capacities.

The drives provide a connection from the disk to the motherboard, either
directly or using a wireless adapter like Wi-Fi or a wired port like USB.

• Solid state drives

Solid state drives or SSD contain flash memory media. SSD technology
is known as 'flash memory' and this is the smallest form of data storage.
They store data as 1’s and 0’s within millions of electrical transistors
instead of on films of magnetic substance or as dots on discs.

43
 Advantages Disadvantages
Last longer than magnetic hard Smaller storage capacity than
disks (no moving parts). magnetic hard disks.
Faster data access/transfer
times.
More expensive than magnetic
Note: Computers even boot up
hard disks.
faster using solid state hard
drives.
Use less power and produce less
heat.
Run silently.

• Optical disk drives (Optical media)

Optical disk drives use optical disk media. The drive contains the
following:
o A mount for the disc
o A laser (to read/write the data bumps)
o A motor (to spin the disc across the laser
Newer drives are often compatible with older media. For example, a disk
drive that can read Blu-ray media can also read DVD and CD media.
This is known as backwards compatibility.

44
1.5.4 Know about types of storage media such as hard disks, optical disks (CD,
DVD, Blu-ray), flash memory devices, magnetic tape
1.5.5 Know that storage media can be recordable/write once (R) and rewritable
(R/W)

Storage Media

• Hard disks
The disc surface (Platter) is coated in a magnetic film which is where
the data is stored. These platters make up a cylinder that spins on a
central spindle. A read/write heads which moves on an arm across
tracks on the platter allow data to be written to (saved) or read (used)
from the disc.

Hard Discs are used to store operating systems, software applications

and all other files. Typical storage spaces are 250 gigabytes up to 4
terabytes.

45
• Optical disks
Optical storage media stores data on a disc as a number of data dots
that can be read using light (usually a laser beam). Each dot represents
1’s and 0’s (Bits of information).
o CD-ROM and DVD-ROM
ROM stands for 'read only memory'. This means that the
data cannot be written over (added to) and can only be
read. CD-ROM's and DVD-ROM's are bought with pre-
loaded data already on them. Usually pre-loaded with
software, music, movies or games.

o CD-R and DVD-R

The letter ‘R’ means that the disc is recordable once only.
Once the disc has data recorded on it becomes a CD/DVD
ROM (read only). Data can be added to the disc (once) but
NOT erased when it is on there. Data is ‘burnt’ onto the
discs using a disc burner.
▪ CD-R have a maximum capacity of about 700MB
▪ DVD-R (single side, single layer) have a maximum
capacity of about 4.7GB

46
 o CD-RW and DVD-RW
The letters ‘RW’ stand for Re-Writeable. This means that
the disc can be recorded on over and over again. Unlike
CD/DVD-R’s these discs DO NOT become ROMS (not read
only) once burned.
o Blu-ray Disc
Work in a similar way to DVD ROMS but the laser used to
read the data is blue (in fact violet) rather than red. This
blue laser colour is why the name ‘Blu-ray’ was used. Blue
lasers are capable of reading data dots that are positioned
closer together on the disk surface. As a result, more data
dots (1's and 0's) can be stored and read.
They can store 25 GB on a single-sided disk, and double-
sided disks can store 50 GB

• Flash media
Flash memory is solid. There are no moving parts, unlike the spinning
disc inside a magnetic drive. Flash media are more energy-efficient than
hard disks as they do not have moving parts. For the same reason, they
are also less likely to fail when they are moved around. This makes them
suitable for use in portable devices.

47
• Magnetic tape

This is one of the oldest forms of computer data storage. Magnetic tape
is a thin strip of magnetic coated plastic which is wrapped onto a reel.

Data is stored on the magnetic plastic in the form of 1’s and 0’s (binary
numbers).

Data is written to and read from in sequence (i.e. in order) which is also
known as 'serial access'. This type of storage media has a very slow data
access rate. They are used where extremely large amounts of data need
to be backed up.

48
 1.5.6 Understand the terms describing the capacity of storage such as bit, byte
and multiples of these (kibibytes, mebibytes, gibibytes, tebibytes) (using
1KiB = 1024 bytes).

Units of storage capacity

A bit is a binary digit, the smallest increment of data on a computer. A bit can hold
only one of two values: 0 or 1, corresponding to the electrical values of off or on,
respectively.

Because bits are so small, you rarely work with information one bit at a time. Bits
are usually assembled into a group of eight to form a byte. A byte contains enough
information to store a single ASCII character, like "h".

49
50
1.6 Memory

Sections in the specification covered under this topic.

Section Learning Outcome

1.6.1 Know that RAM stands for Random Access Memory and that ROM stands
for Read Only Memory.
1.6.2 Be able to describe the characteristics of RAM and ROM, the differences
between them and the impact on the user of the size of ROM/RAM.
1.6.3 Be able to describe the characteristics and uses of flash memory.

51
 1.6.1 Know that RAM stands for Random Access Memory and that ROM stands
for Read Only Memory.

The Central Processing Unit (CPU) needs to store data whilst it is carrying out the
processing required. The hardware that carries out this task is called 'memory'.
Memory can be classed into three types:

• Read Only Memory (ROM)

• Random Access Memory (RAM)
• Flash memory

Memory can be accessed faster than secondary storage. Memory is used to store
instructions so that the processor can fetch the instructions quickly in order to process
them.

1.6.2 Be able to describe the characteristics of RAM and ROM, the differences
between them and the impact on the user of the size of ROM/RAM.

Random Access Memory

RAM is used to temporarily store information that is currently in use by the computer.
This can include anything from word documents to videos. RAM can be read from and
written to and so the information stored in RAM can change all the time (it depends
what tasks you are using the computer for).

Software is loaded into RAM from a computer’s secondary storage. The processor
then fetches software instructions from memory and executes them.

52
RAM is a fast memory. Data can be written to and read from RAM very quickly. RAM
is generally measured in GB (Gigabytes). RAM is Volatile Memory. This means that
information stored in RAM is deleted as soon as the computer is turned off.

The more RAM you have installed in your computer -- the faster it can perform. You
can open and use more programs at the same time without slowing the computer
down.

Impact of the size of the RAM on the user

RAM temporarily holds data and instructions for computer programs that are in use.
RAM provides faster access to these instructions than a hard drive.

When the computer system does not have enough space in RAM, the operating
system creates virtual memory by using an area of secondary storage. Virtual
memory is a section of volatile memory created temporarily on the storage drive. It
is created when a computer is running many processes at once and RAM is running
low.

Swapping is the process the OS uses to move data between RAM and virtual
memory. The OS moves data from processes that are not immediately needed out of
the RAM and stores them in virtual memory. It copies the data back into RAM when
the process is needed again. Secondary storage is much slower than RAM, so the
user will notice a big decrease in system performance when the processor has to
access instructions from virtual memory.

Having a large RAM means less swapping with the hard disk and therefore allows
programs to run more smoothly. Large RAM also allows multitasking (more programs
to be open at the same). A user can add more RAM to a system, but only up to the

53
maximum supported by the computer and operating system. Adding more RAM can
improve the performance of a computer system.

Read Only Memory

ROM is used to permanently store instructions that tell the computer how to boot
(start up). It also loads the operating system (e.g. Windows). These instructions are
known as the BIOS (Basic input/output system) or the boot program.

Information stored in ROM is known as READ ONLY. This means that the contents of
ROM cannot be altered or added to by the user.

ROM is fast memory. Data stored in ROM can be accessed and read very quickly.
ROM is Non-Volatile memory. This means that stored information is not lost when the
computer loses power.

ROM is used in computer systems that store only one programme (single purpose
computers), such as calculators, digital watches and washing machines.

Types of ROMs:

• ROM is generally used to refer to memory that cannot be changed after

manufacture. Its full name is Mask Programmed Read Only Memory.
• PROM stands for Programmable Read Only Memory. It is manufactured
with the ability to be written to, but it can only be written to once.
• EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory). Data stored in EPROM
can be erased by exposing it to strong ultraviolet (UV) light.
• EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory). Data stored
in EEPROM is erased by applying a voltage to one of the pins on the ROM chip.

54
Comparing the characteristics of RAM and ROM

1.6.3 Be able to describe the characteristics and uses of flash memory.

`
Flash memory is a type of EEPROM. Like other types of ROM, it is non-volatile.
It does not have any moving parts, so it has a fast access time and low power
consumption. Because of its low power consumption, flash memory is used in
the SSDs that are used in portable devices, such as laptop computers, as these
devices often rely on internal batteries for their power. Flash memory is often
used as removable storage in USB drives and SD cards.

55
1.7 Processors

Sections in the specification covered under this topic.

Section Learning Outcome

1.7.1 Understand the function of the processing unit (CPU).
1.7.2 Know how the speed of a processor is measured.

56
 1.7.1 Understand the function of the processing unit (CPU).

The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the brain of the computer. The CPU 'controls'
what the computer does and is responsible for performing calculations and data
processing. It also handles the movement of data to and from system memory.

In processors that are made up of more than one CPU, each CPU is referred to as a
core. For example, in a quad-core processor, four cores are working during each
processor cycle. This means that it can do up to four times as much work as a single-
core processor.

1.7.2 Know how the speed of a processor is measured.

CPU's come in a variety of speeds which are known as 'clock rates'. Clock rates are
measured in 'Hertz'. Generally, the faster the clock rate, the faster the performance
of the computer.

57
1.3 Software

Students need to know the types of software used in digital devices. They need to be
able to identify the differences between system software and application software.
They need to know the types of software applications that are available.

Sections in the specification covered under this topic.

Section Learning Outcome

1.3.1 Be able to identify the purpose of systems software and applications software.
1.3.2 Know about operating systems and system software tools such as utilities.
1.3.3 Know about the role/function of the operating system, including basic knowledge of:
o single user and network
o memory management
o resource management
o security
o print spooling.
1.3.4 Know about software applications (apps), including office-productivity tools, web
authoring, image and sound editing, presentation software, control software, project
management software.
1.3.5 Know about software licensing types (free/open source and proprietary software).
1.3.6 Understand that the purpose of communication software is to provide remote access to
systems and to exchange files and messages in text, images, audio and/or video formats
between different computers or users.
1.3.7 Know why software is updated, how it is done and possible risks to data/systems.

58
Software
Software refers to a set of instructions (written in computer code) that tells the
hardware what to do. These instructions are carried out or executed by the
computer’s processor, which provides other instructions for the rest of the computer.

There are two basic groups of software:

▪ System software
▪ Application software

1.3.1 Be able to identify the purpose of systems software and applications software.

System Software

System software often manages the computer's resources. This type of software
includes operating systems and different utilities to allow your system to run
smoothly.
Utility software (also known as utilities) is a category of system software that carries
out configuration and maintenance tasks.
o Operating Systems
o Disk Cleaners
o Disk Defragmenter
o Disk formatting
o Virus Protection
o Graphic Drivers
o Debuggers to identify system errors
o Compression Software
o Encryption Software
o Disk Check

59
Application Software

Application software caries out user-related tasks. Application software are used to
produce something useful. Microsoft Word and PowerPoint are examples of
application software. Each type of application software has particular features that
make it suitable to perform a particular function.

Application suite a collection of application software that share the same look and
user interface; often, they can share data between each other and share some
functionality. Example: Microsoft Office, Apple's iWork, LibreOffice, Adobe Creative
Suite.

1.3.2 Know about operating systems and system software tools such as utilities.

Utilities

Utility software is a smaller sub type of system software which is used to manage
and protect the data on a system, carries out configuration and maintenance tasks.
There are a number of different types of utility program, some of which are
automatically installed along with your operating system as they are vital to
maintaining the smooth running of the computer.

• Backup
o This allows the user to restore the system to a previous state which is
saved as a backup. This is only usually used if a system malfunctions.
• Defragmentation
o Fragmentation occurs on a hard drive, or other media when data is not
written closely enough physically on the drive. Those fragmented,
individual pieces of data are referred to generally as fragments.
Defragmentation is the process of un-fragmenting or piecing together,
those fragmented files so they sit closer, physically, on the drive or other
media, potentially speeding up the drive's ability to access the file.

60
 • Compression
o Compression software is used to reduce the size of a file in order to save
disk space or before sending over a network. Compression software may
be specific to a particular file type, or generic allowing us to compress
any file using a lossless system like a zip file. Compression utilities also
have the ability to decompress (extract) the data from a compressed
file so it can be read by the original application again.
• Formatting
o Storage drives need to be formatted to be compatible with an OS. The
OS usually formats storage media when it is connected to the computer.
It is often the case that a storage drive cannot be compatible with both
Windows and Mac OS X.

Operating Systems

The operating system (OS) allows the user to control and manage the computer’s
hardware. An operating system manages computer resources, allow components to
communicate with each other and enables the computer to run software applications.
Examples of common operating systems:

o Windows
o Mac OS X
o Linux
o Android (based on Linux)
o iOS

61
 1.3.3 Know about the role/function of the operating system, including basic
knowledge of:
o single user and network
o memory management
o resource management
o security
o print spooling.

Single User Operating Systems

A single-user operating system is a type of system that has been developed and
designed to use on a computer. It is the most common system used for home
computers. It is also used in offices and other work environments. There are two
types of this operating system – single-task and multitask.

Network Operating Systems

It is quite common to have your computer attached to a network of some kind. For
example, most of the computers in school will be networked. There may be many
users making use of the same machine.
A network operating system has the following features
o Deal with users logging on.
o Maintain the network connection to the server(s)
o Expand the file system to view folders on other computers
o Provide security to separate user accounts from each other.

Memory Management
The amount of memory that you have in your RAM is limited. And so, like any limited
resource, it needs to be managed. This is the task of the memory manager which is
part of the operating system.

When you open an application, the operating system loads the necessary parts of the
application into memory. As you start using the application, the operating system will

62
load extra modules into memory as they are required. If you do not use some of the
features of the application for a while, the operating system will remove them from
memory to try to free up space.

While you are doing your work, your data will be stored in memory. When you have
finished your task and close the application, the operating system will remove it from
memory.
Memory management is one of the main duties of the operating system. The
operating system also handles the creation of virtual memory.

Resource Management
Operating system ensures that system resources are made available to applications
when they are required. Typical resources include the central processing unit (CPU),
computer memory, file storage, input/output (I/O) devices, and network connections.
If a system resource is already being used by another application, then the operating
system may say that the required resource is in use and place the additional request
in a queue. For some resources, such as printers, the operating system can tell the
user when the resource becomes available.

Security
Authentication the process of confirming that a user is permitted to access certain
files, hardware and software. Operating systems uses user accounts, usernames and
passwords, personal access cards, and biometric scans to authenticate users.
Operating systems can provide software firewalls to authorise or prevent network
data from remotely accessing a service or application.

Print Spooling
During large print jobs, the computer will have the pages ready for the printer faster
than the printer can produce them. The operating system keeps each page in a queue
ready for printing. This process is called print spooling.

63
 1.3.4 Know about software applications (apps), including office-productivity
tools, web authoring, image and sound editing, presentation software,
control software, project management software

Office-productivity tools
Office productivity software is any application that can carry out work-related tasks.
They are often available as an application suite.
• Word processing
A word processor can be used to write, edit, format and print text. Some
word processing applications allow people to work together on a
document. Comments can be added to the text so that others can
understand the writer’s intention and give feedback.
• Desktop publishing (DTP)
DTP software has many similar features to those in word processing
software. The main difference is the way in which the software allows
users to work with complicated page layouts. An example of DTP
software is Adobe® InDesign®
• Spreadsheet
Spreadsheet applications are used to do calculations. Users can use and
create formulae and functions to perform automatic calculations on
values that can be entered and changed later. These features allow
spreadsheets to be used to model financial scenarios and do ‘what if’
analysis.
• Database
Database is store of data that has been organised (sorted) in some way.
Databases are so useful because they store data in a structured way.
When data is structured (organised) it can be manipulated easily and
then output in different ways.
Databases consist of the following:
o Tables
o Records
o Fields

64
 Database management systems (DBMS) are used to enter, edit and
search data. Some systems can also produce reports that dynamically
display real time changes to the data as it updates. DBMS software
features include:
• data entry forms so that users can input data
• query editors so that users can select all data that meets certain
criteria
• report builders so that users can display data in a more readable
format.

• Presentation
Most presentation software packages allow you to create your
multimedia product using a series of slides. Text, images, video,
animations, links and sound can be combined on each slide to create a
sophisticated final product.

Web Authoring
Web authoring software lets users create web pages that include text and
images. The pages are output as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML).
HTML is read by web browser software. Web browsers translate HTML into
pages that people can see and read. Web pages can be linked together to
create a website for people to view on an intranet or on a web server on the
internet.
Although some people prefer to create or customise web pages by writing their
own HTML, some applications will allow users to produce complex websites with
little or no experience of HTML coding. These applications are sometimes called
‘What You See Is What You Get’ (WYSIWYG) editors, because the published
page will look very similar to the page that the user edits in the web authoring
application. An example of web authoring software is Adobe® Dreamweaver®5.

65
Image editing
Image editing applications let users create and change bitmap images (a computer
image that is stored or printed as an arrangement of bits) such as digital
photographs, or vector graphics (a graphical image made up of points and lines),
such as drawings or logos.
o Image Editors
These allow users to edit and enhance digital photographs and images.
Cropping, resizing, adjusting brightness, contrast, saturation, red-eye
removal are a few image editing options.
o Graphic Editors
Graphics editing applications allow users to create or edit vector
graphics. Features of graphics editors include drawing lines and shapes,
place graphics on top of others (layers), tracing bitmap to vector
graphics (vectorizing), altering shape and color of shapes.

Sound Editing
Sound editing software allows users to edit audio files or to join together different
audio files in order to create multitrack music or soundtracks for video. Features of
these software include changing tempo, cut and join audio clips, mute tracks, add
audio filters and effects, volume fading.

Control software
Control applications are used to make something happen in the physical environment.
This type of software is often used to automate the movement of control devices or
actuators, such as motors.

Project management software

This software is used to track the progress of various tasks. Some tasks cannot be
started until a previous task is completed or has been partly completed, so it is
important for a project manager to see which tasks are dependent on others. When
all of these dependent tasks are combined together into a timeline, it is easy for the
project manager to see the critical path. These applications can also be used to set

66
milestones. Gantt charts are often used to visualise the timelines and milestones for
the individual tasks in a project.

1.3.6 Understand that the purpose of communication software is to provide

remote access to systems and to exchange files and messages in text,
images, audio and/or video formats between different computers
or users.

Communication Software

Communication software provides remote access to systems and allows users to

contact people using the internet. It can be used to send files and messages as text,
images, audio and video. There are several communication media and applications
available,

o Web browsers
o Email

67
 o Social media
o SMS
o MMS
o Instant Messaging

1.3.5 Know about software licensing types (free/open source and

proprietary software).

All software development takes time and expertise, but there are many models for
funding software development, and different models of ownership.

o Proprietary software
Proprietary software (sometimes referred to as closed source software) is
software that legally remains the property of the organisation, group, or
individual who created it. The organisation that owns the rights to the product
usually does not release the source code, and may insist that only those who
have purchased a special licence key can use it.

o Free software
give users the right to study, modify, copy or distribute a program. The user
can decide if, and how much, to charge for a copy of the software or any
service provided by the software. This means that free software can be made
available for a fee or free of charge. ‘Free’ refers to the user’s freedom to
charge whatever they want because there are no restrictions on the use of the
software. The term ‘free’ does not refer to whether or not users have to pay
for the software. It refers to the fact that the software is free from usage
o Open source software
Open source software is free and openly available to everyone. People who
create open source products publish the code and allow others to use and
modify it. Communities of programmers often work together to develop the
software and to support users. Open source products are usually tested in
public by online contributors.

68
 1.3.7 Know why software is updated, how it is
done and possible risks to data/systems.

Updates to software are released by software developers for the following reasons:

o fixing security vulnerabilities or bugs

o increasing compatibility with newer operating systems
o improving performance and efficiency
o introducing new features
o improving usability.

Software updates are usually made available for download from a server on the
internet. Some updates can be scheduled to happen automatically when they are
released.
It is important to back up a system and files before updating software in case the
update introduces problems, such as removing components that other software
needs in order to function.

69