Computer Systems
- Created by: gurge
- Created on: 07-04-14 21:14
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- Computer Systems
- Made of:
- Hardware
- physical: eg, keyboard, mouse, monitor, hard disk, etc
- Software
- programs, operating systems + application software, eg spreadsheet or presentation
- Hardware
- Input, output, CPU and storage
- input - anything that inputs data, eg mouse, keyboard, webcam
- output - allows data to be sent beyond computers, usually to human. eg monitors, speakers
- CPU - performs calculations then executes program instructions
- storage - contains programs and data. eg USB flash drives, DVD drives, internal hard disks
- Embedded systems
- Computer integrated into another system, eg mobile phones
- Importance of Computers
- Safety
- partially responsible for controlling and monitoring nuclear power stations
- Travel
- satellite navigation, online ticket booking, autopilots
- Business
- moving funds, transmitting books and music
- Education
- aid distance learning, marking tests, administer tests, info on grades, tests, punctuality
- Retail
- Barcode scanners, selfservice, track stock, re-order automatically
- Entertainment
- Hand-help, desktop, play games, read books, watch movies, listen to music
- Communication
- email, forums, IM, social networks, tele conference, video conference
- Safety
- Professional Standards
- rules, computers made of many individual contributions
- eg USB ports fit the same specifications
- in programming
- variables have sensible names
- comments added to code
- some lines indented for easier reading
- a new programmer may have to edit or write a program interacting with it
- rules, computers made of many individual contributions
- Professional Standards 2.0
- Open standards
- Publicly available, flexible. eg anyone can create web resources adhering to W3C (worldiwde web consortium) standards, without paying
- Proprietary standards
- Defined by particular company that dominates market. Other developers find they have to produce, eg, software compatible with a certain OS
- Industry standards
- Formally defined, specify how hardware and software from dif. developers interact. Agreed by many organisations. eg USB
- De facto standards
- Evolve from what works well from practice, eg QWERTY keyboard layout
- Open standards
- Ethical and Legal Considerations
- Ethical
- should gov store DNA profile of entire population?
- Cheap labour in foreign countries for software?
- Challenges of not living in a world where all have access to computers for financial, political, disability reasons?
- Legal
- Computer Misuse Act
- makes hacking illegal. eg stealing passwords
- Data Protection Act
- if company stores personal data, must be secure and up to date
- Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act
- illegal to copy publications without permission of owner
- Health and Safety at Work Act
- cables trip hazard, eye strain, RSI from typing, chair position and back problems, monitor level and neck
- Computer Misuse Act
- Ethical
- Environmental Considerations
- negatives
- production requires raw material and energy
- Energy to run, burning fossil fuels
- Old computers hard to dispose of, not always recycled, landfill
- positives
- emails do not waste paper or ink
- working from home, no fossil fuels burned travelling
- industrial processes overseen by computers are more efficient and less polluting
- negatives
- Made of:
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