1: ICT in Today’s World 23

WEBLINK they receive. Most hubs have multiple connection ports and all the data
from one port will be sent to all the other ports. They are used to share one
http://www. network wire between a number of computers.
didcotgirls.oxon.sch.
uk/depts/it/gcse/
notes/hardware/
index.htm Software
This provides
explanations of
Software is the set of instructions that the computer follows. The software
hardware. that controls the whole system is called the operating system and this has a
number of specific functions such as:
● manages the CPU usage by hardware and software
● managing the hardware including peripherals such as printers using,
e.g. device drivers
● provides an environment for software applications to run
● provides a suitable user interface
● manages software on the computer system
● provide a multitasking environment that allows a user to carry more
than one task at once
● manages inputs and outputs
● manages memory resources.

Operating systems and utility software

Operating systems on most computers today use windows, icons, menus
and pointing devices for the user to access the facilities but other operating
systems exist, the most common being a command line interface.

A window is an area of the screen used to interact with a software

application. An icon is a small image used to represent an element of the
interface or application. A menu is a list of items to choose from and a
pointer is the on-screen icon or image that is used for selection.

A Graphical User Interface (GUI) has advantages over a command line

interface in that the user does not need to be highly skilled in ICT or even
know how to use the software in any detail to get started. There is help
available from menus if the user needs it. Using a GUI means that the user
does not need to access all the features of the operating system or software
to carry out tasks. A command line interface requires the user to know the
exact commands needed to use it and to have some experience of using
computers. A command line interface usually allows full access to all aspects
of an operating system or software application but can be quite difficult for
inexperienced users.
24 Unit 1 OCR ICT FOR GCSE

Operating systems often have utility software included but occasionally

these are extras and have functions such as:
● managing the hard disk to keep it working at its best, e.g. defrag-
menting the files
● compressing files so that they become smaller
● encrypting files for security
● scanning for viruses.

Utility software is used by users to fine tune their computer system and to
keep it running efficiently. Utility software usually is designed to perform
only a single task.

Applications software
Users of ICT systems often do not seem to notice the operating system at
all – especially if it is really easy to use and performs well – but are more
familiar with the applications that allow them to carry out tasks such as
writing a letter or creating a video. This software is called application
software.
Application software includes:
● applications for creating and managing data and information:
● word-processors
● desktop publishing software
● spreadsheet
● database management software
● multimedia software
● slideshow software
● web authoring software
● applications for creating and managing still, moving and video images:
● photo-editing software
● animation software
● video-editing software
● graphics manipulation software
● applications for communicating with others:
● web browsing software
● communications software, e.g. social networking software, e.g. chat,
instant messaging, web browsers, file transfer and email clients
● gaming software

and more.
 1: ICT in Today’s World 25

Programming
The instructions that are found in all software have to be written by
programmers who use specialised software to create and check their work.
Programmers will create the instructions in a language that computers can
follow. This special software includes the programming software such as:
● editors which programmers use to type and create the instructions
which are known as source code; while the programmers can under-
stand the source code computers systems usually cannot!
● compilers which are special applications that convert the source code
into a language that the computer can understand – this is called the
object code; the code produced depends on the type and make of the
computer it is designed for
● debuggers used to find errors in code
● linkers to link or join parts of the programmers code together with
WEBLINKS
other code.
http://www.
didcotgirls.oxon.sch.
Some software is designed to be used on different types or makes of
uk/depts/it/gcse/ computer and this often involves the use of ‘interpreters’ so that the same
notes/software/ code may be understood on different computers in much the same way as
index.htm interpreters are used to make different human languages understood. Code
http://en.wikipedia. written in interpreted languages is often slower but has the advantage of
org/wiki/Computer_ working on many different computers. This is especially important when
software many applications have to work on different computers over the internet.
These provide An example of an interpreted language is Java which is used by some
explanations of
websites and has to work in many different web browsers on all sorts of
software.
different computers.

User interfaces
All software used to control or create requires a user interface. This is where
the user tells the computer what to do or enters data that the computer
will use. The operating system of modern computers is responsible for
providing the user interface to the computer system and to the software
being used and programmers creating applications have to make sure that
their software sticks to the rules!

Data is raw numbers, letters or other characters. Information is the data put
into context so that it means something.