Chapter 1:

Hardware – Physical component of a computer

Software – Programs that control the computer and process data

Input device – Allows data to be input into a computer

Output device – Allows data to be displayed in a format which humans are able to
understand

Motherboard – Allows computer hardware to function and communicate with each other
CPU – Executes instructions from computer programs
GPU – Allows the computer to send graphical information to a video display device

RAM – Temporarily stores data that is created when running applications; memory is deleted
when the computer is shut down; volatile data
ROM – Stores permanent, read only data; configuration data and BIOS (boot file) is stored
inside; non-volatile data

RAM ROM
Volatile Non-volatile
Temporary memory device Permanent memory device
Can be written to and read from Only can be read from, cannot be altered
Used to store data, files, programs, part of Used to store BIOS and other data needed
OS currently in use at startup
Can be increased in size to improve
operational speed of computer

System software – Provides a platform that other software can run on

 Compliers
 Linkers
 Device drivers
 Operating systems
 Utilities

Application software – Allows user to do specific tasks

 Word processing
 Spreadsheet
 Database
 Control and measurement software
  Apps and applets
 Video editing
 Graphics editing
 Audio editing
 Computer-aided design (CAD)

GUI (Graphical User Interface) – Allows user to interact with a computer using pictures or
symbols
Advantage: Doesn’t require you to learn commands; more user-friendly; simpler than typing
commands
Disadvantage: Uses up more memory than a CLI; limited to icons on the screen; needs
complex operating system to run

CLI (Command Line Interface) – Allows user to type in instructions to the computer using
commands
Advantage: Able to directly communicate with the computer; user is not restricted to pre-
determined options; able to alter computer configuration settings
Disadvantage: User needs to learn a number of commands in order to use; each command
needs to be typed in, which might take some time to do; commands need to be typed in
using the correct format and spelling

Computers:

Desktop computer
Advantage:

 Standardized parts results in lower costs

 Has better specification
 Less chances of getting stolen or damaged
 Easier and cheaper to upgrade
 Internet access is more stable due to having wired internet connection
Disadvantage:

 Takes too much desktop space

 Not very portable
 More complicated
 Necessary to copy files on secondary storage device when work is needed
elsewhere
Laptop:
Advantage:

 Portable compared to desktops

 No trailing wires
 Can link to any multimedia system
 Takes up less space
Disadvantage:

 Limited battery life

 Increased chances of getting stolen
 Not easy to upgrade

Smartphones:
Advantages:

 Able to make calls

 Very portable
 Can be used almost anywhere when connected to Wi-Fi
 Has reasonable battery life compared to laptops
Disadvantage:

 Higher chances of getting stolen

 Small screens make it difficult to read at times
 Slower when typing things due to small size
 Memory size is small

Tablets:

 Advantages:
 Has multiple apps as standard
 Portable
 Battery life is longer
 Even when power button is off, still remains connected to internet
Disadvantages:

 Higher chances of getting stolen

 Tend to be expensive compared to laptops
 Limited memory or storage
 Typing on touch screen can be slow

AI (Artificial intelligence) – Carries out tasks that requires some degree of intelligence
Impact of AI:
  Driverless vehicles
 Robotic research
 Bomb disposal
 Entering nuclear disaster areas
 Welding car bodies
 Decrease in jobs

AR (Augmented reality) – Virtual information overlaid onto the real world; real world is
enhanced with digital details
Use:

 Safety and rescue operations

 Entertainment
 Shopping and retail
 Healthcare

VR (Virtual reality) – Takes user into a virtual environment; must wear VR headset for use
Use:

 Military applications
 Healthcare
 Entertainment
 Fashion
 Heritage
 Business
 Sport
 Media
Chapter 2:

Keyboards:
Use – Inputs data into applications software by typing
Advantage:

 Fast entry of text into document

 Well-known method
 Easy to use for most people
 Easy to do verification checks if data is entered
Disadvantage:

 Could be difficult to use with limited arm/wrist use

 Slow method compared to direct data entry
 Requires valuable desk space

Numeric keypads:
Use – Enters numbers only (POS, ATM)
Advantage:

 Faster than standard keyboards when entering numeric data

 Easy to carry around
Disadvantage:

 Small keys make input difficult

 Order of numbers on keyboard is not intuitive

Mouse:
Use – Controls position of pointer on screen / used to select items
Advantage:

 Easy to use
 Faster method of choosing an option than keyboard
 Does not need big desk space
Disadvantage:

 Can be difficult to use with limited wrist/hand movement

 Easy to damage
 Difficult to use with no flat surface
Touchpad:
Use – Ponting device controlled by finger
Advantage:

 Faster method of choosing options compared to keyboards

 Quick way to navigate
 Does not need separate mouse
Disadvantage:

 Could be difficult to use with limited wrist/hand movement

 Can be difficult to control the pointer
 More difficult to us when doing certain operations

Trackerball:
Use – Controls pointer on screen using ball on device
Advantage:

 Easy to use with limited wrist/hand movement

 More accurate than a mouse
 More robust than a mouse
 Needs less desk space than mouse or keyboard
Disadvantage:

 May need training because it isn’t standard equipment

 More costly

Touch screen:
Advantage:

 Easy method for choosing options

Disadvantage:

 Limited number of input options available

Scanners:
Advantage:

 Image can be stored for editing at later date

Disadvantage:

 Quality can be limited depending on resolution

Direct Data Entry (DDE)

Magnetic stripe readers:

Advantage:

 Fast data entry

 Error-free
 Secure
 No moving parts – very robust
Disadvantage:

 When magnetic stripe is damaged, data is lost

 Does not work at a distance

Contactless card:
Advantage:

 Fast transaction
 No need to worry for errors
 Retails have no access to customer’s card information
Disadvantage:

 More expensive
 Transactions are limited to small maximum value
 Someone can monitor your contactless card transaction

Chip and PIN readers:

Advantage:

 More secure than contactless payment

 More robust than magnetic stripe
Disadvantage:

 Fraud – someone might overlook PIN number and steal it

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) readers:

Advantage:

 Tags can be read from a distance

 Robust and reliable technology
 Very fast read-rate
 Bulk detection is possible
Disadvantage:

 Tag collision
 Easy to jam or interrupt
 Easy to hack into
 More expensive than barcode system

Optical Mark Reader (OMR):

Advantage:

 Fast method of inputting results

 More accurate than keying in data
 More accurate than OCR
Disadvantage:

 Can have problems if not filed in correctly

 Need to be carefully designed
 Shading needs to be correctly positioned

Optical Character Reader (OCR):

Advantage:

 Fast data entry system

 Reduced number of errors
Disadvantage:

 Has difficulty reading some handwriting

 Not very accurate

Barcode reader:
Advantage:

 Faster than keying in data

 Allow automatic stock control
Disadvantage:

 Relatively expensive
 Not fool-proof
 Can be easily damaged

Quick Response (QR) code scanners:

Advantage:
  Holds more information than normal barcodes
 Fewer errors than barcodes
 Easier to read
Disadvantages:

 More than one QR format is available

 QR codes can be used to transmit malicious codes

CRT (cathode ray tube) monitors:

Advantage:

 Allow use of light pens

 Screen can be seen at wider range of viewing angles
Disadvantage:

 Tend to be heavy
 Run very hot
 Consume more power than LCD monitors
 They can flicker

LCD screens:
Advantages:

 Very efficient, low power consumption

 Lightweight
 Does not flicker
 Very sharp image resolution
Disadvantages:

 Colour and contrast from different angles can be inconsistent

 Motion blur is common issue
 Lower contrast than CRT monitors

Multimedia projector:
Advantages:

 Enables many people to see presentation rather than crowding around small
computer screen
 Avoids need for several networked computers
Disadvantages:

 Image sometimes can be fuzzy

 Expensive to buy
 Might be difficult to set up
Laser printers:
Advantage:

 Fast printing
 Can handle large print jobs
 Quality is consistently high
 Cartridges last for a long time
Disadvantages:

 Only fast if several copies are made

 Colour laser printers can be expensive to run
 Produce ozone and volatile organic compounds

Inkjet printers:
Advantages:

 High quality output

 Cheaper than laser printers
 Do not produce ozone and organic compounds
Disadvantages:

 Cartridges can be expensive

 Cannot do large print jobs
 Slow out put if several copies are needed

Dot matrix printers:

Advantages:

 Cheap to run and maintain

 Carbon copies can be produced
 Easy to use
Disadvantages:

 Very noisy
 Very slow
 Poor quality printing

Graph plotter:
Advantages:

 High quality output

 Able to produce large, monochrome and colour drawings to high accuracy
  Able to print variety of materials
Disadvantages:

 Very slow
 Expensive

3D printers:
Advantages:

 Makes manufacturing items easier

 Allows mass production of items
 Can produce medically beneficial items
 Parts that aren’t produced anymore could be printed out
Disadvantages:

 Could be exploited to make counterfeit items

 Could lead to dangerous items being produced
 Could lead to job losses

Sensors:

 Temperature
 Pressure
 Light
 Sound
 Humidity
 pH

Chapter 3:
Magnetic tape drives:
Thin strip of plastic coated in magnetic layer / data is stored as magnetized area and de-
magnetized area
Advantages:

 Generally, less expensive than HDD

 Robust technology
 Huge data storage capacity
 Fast data transfer rate
Disadvantages:

 Slow data access times

 While updating, another tape is needed to store final updated version
 Affected by magnetic fields
HDD (Hard Disk Drive):
Data is stored on the magnetic surface of the hard disk
Advantages:

 Fast data transfer rate and fast access times to data

 Very large memory capacities
Disadvantages:

 Can be easily damaged

 Have many moving parts / not so robust
 Read/write operation can be noisy compared to SSDs

Portable HDD:
External HDD that can be connected to the computer
Advantages:

 Data transfer rate and data access time is very fast

 Large memory capacity
 Can be used as a method of transferring information between computers
Disadvantages:

 Can be easily damaged

 Not as fast as fixed hard drives

Latency – Time taken for data track to rotate around read/write head

Optical storage devices:

CD & DVD – optical media / read from or written to by optical storage devices

R – Read once only; RW – written to or read from many times; ROM – read-only

Data is stored on pits and lands on spiral track

Dual-layering increases storage capacity
If ‘pit’ size and track width is smaller, stores more data can be stored (DVD)
 CD-R / DVD-R CD-RW/DVD-RW CD-ROM/DVD-ROM
Advantages  Cheaper than RW disks  Can be written over  Less expensive than
 Once burned, behaves many times HDD
like ROM  Can use different file
formats each time it’s
used
 Not as wasteful as R
format
Disadvantages  Can only be recorded  Can be relatively  Data transfer rate/data
once expensive access time is slower
 Not all CD/DVD players  Possible to accidentally than hard disks
can read CD-R/DVD-R overwrite data

Blu-ray disks:
Read from or written to using Blu-ray optical storage device

Blue laser is used to carry out Blu-ray read and write operations

Blu-ray has single-layer and dual-layer disks

Advantages:

 Very large storage capacity

 Very fast data transfer rate
 Very fast data access time
 Comes with secure encryption system
Disadvantages:

 Relatively expensive
 Encryption problems when storing video
 Introduction of HD has reduced advantages of using Blu-ray

Solid-state storage devices:

 Does not rely on magnetic properties

 No moving parts

Floating gate and control gate transistors:

Dielectric coating separates two transistors, allowing floating gate transistor to retain charge.
Voltage is applied to control gate and electrons from electron source are attracted to it, but
gets trapped in the floating gate due to dielectric coating. Therefore, we have control over
the bit value stored at each intersection (Note: After 12 months, charge can leak away, which
is why solid-state devices should be used at least once a year to be certain it’ll retain its
memory contents)

SSD (solid state drives):

Rapidly taking over HDDs as main type of backing storage
Advantages:

 More reliable
 Considerably lighter
 Do not have to ‘get up to speed’ before they work properly
 Lower power consumption
 Run much cooler than HDDs
 Very thin
 SSD data access time is only 0.1 milliseconds compared to 10 milliseconds for HDD
 Data transfer speed for SDD is much faster than HDD
Disadvantage:
Longevity of the technology (SSD endurance) – conservatively rated at only 20GB write
operations per day over three-year period

Pen drives (memory sticks):

Advantages:

 Very compact
 Very robust
 Does not need additional software
 Not affected by magnetic fields
Disadvantages:

 Cannot write protect data/files by making it ‘read-only’

 Easy to lose
 Needs to very careful when removing

Memory cards:
SD cards
XD cards
CFast card
Advantages:

 Very compact
 Very durable
 Can hold large amounts of data
Disadvantages:

 Expensive per GB compared to HDD

 Lower storage capacity than hard disks
 More likely to be lost
 Not all computers have built-in memory card readers
 Has finite life

Future of storage devices:

Cloud
MP3
Streaming music on internet

Serial access is used by magnetic disks, optical disks and solid-state media when locating
data

Main storage: ROM and RAM

Backing storage / Secondary storage: Other storage devices in a computer

Why use backup storage?

 You could delete a file by accident

 Your computer could break down
 Your computer could get infected by a virus which could edit
 data
 Your laptop is stolen or becomes damaged.
 Data could be corrupted by hackers.