The Computer System (1.1) The computer system as an information processing machine. Its tasks of handling information: inputting, processing, outputting, storing, retrieving, sending and receiving information. A computer system is made up of different components which work together in order to perform a required operation. An operation is a set of instructions that the computer can understand. If we look at a Desktop PC (personal computer), the main components that are visible are the system unit (computer tower), the monitor, the keyboard and the mouse. However, these do not represent the complete system; they represent the hardware group. Then software (computer programs) is required to make the hardware work. Hardware Every computer system requires two things for it to operate correctly; these are hardware and software. Hardware refers to the physical parts of the computer system; there are different types of hardware which are required for a computer to work. Hardware includes the physical parts of the computer system such as the monitor, the keyboard and the system unit. Anything related to the computer which can be touched is considered to be hardware. Hard Disk Central Processing Unit Monitor Mr. A. Gatt Page 1 of 6
Usually, the devices which are found outside the system unit such as keyboard, mouse and printer are called peripheral devices. The computer is given information by the user through the input devices (such as clicking on an icon, or entering some text) which pass on to the CPU (Central Processing Unit) which then acts on the supplied information. The results are then returned to the user (such as displayed on the monitor, or on a printed paper). Data can also be saved on storage devices like a hard-disk or a CD (Compact Disk). Also, nowadays the majority of computers are connected to a network such as the Internet which allows data to be sent and received. This can be shown in the image below. The following are some examples of hardware in each group. Input Devices which allow the user to submit information to the computer. Keyboard Mouse Mr. A. Gatt Page 2 of 6
Output Devices which return results back to the user. Speakers Printer Processing Manages and carries out all the processes required by the computer. CPU Storage Devices which allow the user to store data in a permanent manner. Hard Disk DVD Mr. A. Gatt Page 3 of 6
Network Devices which allow the computer to communicate with other computers. Wi-Fi Router ADSL Modem Software A computer cannot operate only on hardware; it requires software to tell the hardware what to do. Software is a group of step-by-step instructions telling the computer what to do. A computer having all the hardware but no software is good for nothing, since there is nothing to tell all the different components what to do. Software can be divided into two groups which are operating systems and applications. For instance, in a typical PC, once the computer is switched on, the operating system software (such as Windows 7) starts and it controls the computer's resources. The Operating System controls all the computer devices, and allows them to communicate with each other. It is essential in a computer system, without it the computer system will not work. Common examples of operating systems include Windows 7 and Ubuntu Linux. Mr. A. Gatt Page 4 of 6
Microsoft Windows 7 Ubuntu Linux 11.04 Mr. A. Gatt Page 5 of 6
Once the operating system is installed, the user must install applications in order to perform specific functions. For instance in order to listen to audio, a music player must be installed such as Windows Media Player or Mozilla Firefox which is a web-browser must be installed to browse the Internet. For every task that is required an application must be installed. Windows Media Player Mozilla Firefox *** Mr. A. Gatt Page 6 of 6