detailed course notes for AS Information Technology (IT). Written for Edexcel but can be used for other exam boards. Notes with links to other resources and websites for further information
UNIT ONE
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BY ZAINAB
2024
,Topic 1: Hardware and software
1.1 Hardware
1.1.1 Understand the features and functions
of contemporary digital devices
Features and functions
a. portability
in software:
Portability is the ability of software to be transferred from one machine or system to another. It
enables applications to function on different platforms aside from the one they were originally
designed for. Porting is the process that may be required in order to alter and make certain
applications executable with other operating systems, although the general function of the application
remains the same. Each application is created using programming languages and what makes an
application compatible on other platforms is the programming language itself. If an application is not
compatible on a device with a certain operating system involved, a separate operating system regarded
as a computing machine can be installed, which will provide an environment on a device for the
application to run on, where it is also isolated from the device’s main operating system. Java Virtual
Machine (JVM), is an example of a virtual machine that can be used to run Java applications on
devices with a non-Java compatible operating system installed.
in hardware:
In hardware, portability refers to how simple it is to transfer devices between different physical and
geographical locations. A laptop, for example, can be transferred between different locations because
of its small size in comparison to a desktop computer that also weighs more.
b. performance
The performance of hardware is dependent on the functionality of each of its components. All
components require consistent upgrading in order to improve performance and to enable devices to
function in a system that includes updated hardware. The processor speed/rendering speed of a CPU
significantly influences the computer's overall performance and ability to complete larger tasks such
as video malfunctions, video encoding or encryption. More minor tasks such as selecting an icon with
a mouse cursor requires around one percent of the CPU’s overall power. A lot of processing power is
also required for a device’s boot time, when an operating system, kernel and device drivers are set up
when the device is activated by an end user.
The amount of RAM (Random Access Memory) that a device has affects the device’s performance
too, as fewer programs can function fully at any instance of the device being active. A shortage of
capacity in the RAM could result in the secondary storage units such as HDD or USB plus cache
memory being used as storage units for the running programs; this will be much slower than primary
storage units such as RAM and ROM, that maintain a closer connection to the CPU. If a computer’s
RAM size is too small to facilitate all data and applications requested by an end user, an operating
,system’s flash memory feature can enable data to be moved from main (primary) memory to paging
files in secondary storage. This will however result in slower data access speeds.
The speed at which secondary storage functions can also affect performances of hardware. SSD has a
greater seek time of data on your computer in comparison to HDD as SSDs contain no moving parts
and accesses data with virtual memory chips. The memory size of secondary storage doesn’t affect the
overall performance of the device itself.
c. storage
Data storage is the collective methods and technologies that capture and retain digital information on
electromagnetic, optical or silicon-based storage media. Storage is frequently used to describe devices
that connect to a computer – either directly or over a network – and that support the transfer of data
through input/output operations. Storage devices can include hard disk drives (HDDs), flash-based
solid-state drives (SSDs), optical disc drives, tape systems and other media types.
RAM vs Storage
Random access memory (RAM) is computer hardware that temporarily stores data that can be quickly
accessed by the computer's processor. The data might include OS and application files, as well as
other data critical to the computer's ongoing operations. RAM is a computer's main memory and is
much faster than common storage devices such as HDDs, SSDs or optical disks. A computer's RAM
ensures that the data is immediately available to the processor as soon as it's needed.
d. user interface
A point where end users communicate and interact with computing devices, websites and
applications. The goal of effective UI is to make the user's experience easy and intuitive, requiring
minimum effort on the user's part to receive the maximum desired outcome. The interaction is made
possible by input devices that engage with physical and audio signals from human users that could be
typed with a keyboard or spoken to a microphone, for example. Subsequent interactions from the end
user will depend on feedback from computers such as results from calculations that can be provided
with output devices such as monitors and speakers.
GUI:
The graphical user interface (GUI) is a popular user interface. It is the interface that allows users to
interact with electronic devices, such as computers, laptops, smartphones and tablets, through
graphical elements. It’s a valuable part of software application programming in regards to
human-computer interaction, replacing text-based commands with user-friendly actions. Its goal is to
present the user with decision points that are easy to find, understand and use.
A good quality user interface with interpretable content and adaptability depending on the end user’s
device will help ensure that devices and apps are used accurately, appropriately and efficiently across
various platforms.
This is a suitable GUI because users can easily access
different applications by clicking on them with a mouse. The
layout is simple, neat and easily understandable, and the
names of the applications are clearly visible and there are
logos that make it more convenient to identify an app
quickly.
, Features of a GUI:
- Input controls (e.g. buttons, checkboxes, date picker, dropdown lists, list boxes, text boxes,
toggles)
- Navigational components (e.g. icons, image carousel, pagination, search field, slider, tags,
tabs)
- Informational components (e.g. message box, notifications, pop-up windows, progress bar,
tool tips)
- Containers (e.g. accordions; stacked lists of items that have a show and hide functionality)
- Cursors
- Selections
- Adjustment handles
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CLI:
The other user interface is command line interface, which is a text-based interface that is used to
operate software and operating systems while allowing the user to respond to visual prompts by
typing single commands into the interface and receiving a reply in the same way.
e. connectivity
In order for IT systems to function, communication methods should exist for hardware and software.
Data needs to be transferred back and forth between nodes in order for various computing transactions
to be complete, such as a computer forwarding a print request signal to a printing device. Bridges,
routers, hubs, switches and gateways enable networks of devices, including those in different physical
locations, to function together. Internet connectivity enforces this practice as well as extensive
upgrading installations.
Two technologies that have been developed to enable hardware connections and data transfers
between these are USB (Universal serial bus) and HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface).
USB enables the connection of peripherals to computers for the purpose of transferring data and files
but also to supply electric signals such as charge to a mobile phone.
High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) provides an audio/video interface for transmitting
digital video and audio data from an HDMI-compliant source device, such as a DVD player or laptop,
to a compatible video projector, monitor or audio device.
f. media support
In information technology, when programs, settings/modes and applications are installed or run on
devices, media support refers to the capability that these have to run on the relevant device.
Multimedia presentations, for example, can be accessed in Microsoft PowerPoint where textual and
graphical content can be previewed and manipulated. Certain web browsers support apps and web
pages that contain content programmed with the Java language. Software manufactured for the latest
Windows operating systems may not function on older versions such as Windows XP. Updates or new
device installations may be required if certain files and applications can’t be accessed on a device
although these upgrades may require more storage, memory and processing power by the device itself
in order to run.
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