Year 10 · ICT · Autumn 1
Computer systems, devices and storage; document production · Lesson 1 of 5
Hardware, software and user interfaces
Theory1.1 Hardware and software1.3 Operating systems
Year 10 · ICT · Computer systems, devices and storage; document production · Lesson 1 of 5
You will learn to
- Explain the difference between hardware and software, and between application and system software.
- Name the internal components of a computer and say what each one does.
- Describe command line, graphical, dialogue-based and gesture-based interfaces.
- Compare a command line interface with a graphical interface, and choose one for a given user.
Year 10 · ICT · Computer systems, devices and storage; document production · Lesson 1 of 5
Success criteria
You have got it when you can say:
- I can label the CPU, RAM, ROM and motherboard on a photo.
- I can give two examples each of application software and system software.
- I can do the same task in a CLI and a GUI, and give one advantage of each.
Year 10 · ICT · Computer systems, devices and storage; document production · Lesson 1 of 5
Key words (1 of 4)
- Hardware
- The physical parts of a computer system that you can touch.
- Software
- The programs (sets of instructions) that run on the hardware.
- Application software
- Software that lets the user do a task, such as a word processor.
- System software
- Software that runs and maintains the computer, such as the operating system and drivers.
Year 10 · ICT · Computer systems, devices and storage; document production · Lesson 1 of 5
Key words (2 of 4)
- Motherboard
- The main circuit board that connects all the components.
- CPU
- Central processing unit: carries out program instructions.
- RAM
- Random access memory: volatile memory holding the programs and data in use.
- ROM
- Read-only memory: non-volatile memory holding the start-up instructions.
Year 10 · ICT · Computer systems, devices and storage; document production · Lesson 1 of 5
Key words (3 of 4)
- Analogue data
- Data that changes smoothly and can take any value, like temperature.
- Digital data
- Data made of separate values, stored in binary.
- Operating system
- System software that manages the hardware, files and programs, and gives the user an interface.
- GUI
- Graphical user interface: windows, icons, menus and pointers.
Year 10 · ICT · Computer systems, devices and storage; document production · Lesson 1 of 5
Key words (4 of 4)
- CLI
- Command line interface: the user types text commands.
1.1 Hardware and software · The explanation · step 1 of 7 · part 1 of 2
Hardware and software
Hardware is the physical parts of a computer system. You can touch them: a keyboard, a screen, a chip.
Software is the programs that run on the hardware. A program is a set of instructions.
Neither is useful alone. Hardware with no software does nothing. Software needs hardware to run on.
1.1 Hardware and software · The explanation · step 1 of 7 · part 2 of 2
Hardware and software (continued)
Exam questions often ask you to sort a list into hardware and software. Ask yourself: can I touch it? If yes, it is hardware.
1.1 Hardware and software · The explanation · step 2 of 7 · part 1 of 3
Internal components
Internal components sit inside the computer case.
The motherboard is the main circuit board. Every other part plugs into it, so they can talk to each other.
The graphics card and sound card are extra boards that handle pictures and sound, so the CPU has less work.
The network interface card (NIC) lets the computer connect to a network.
1.1 Hardware and software · The explanation · step 2 of 7 · part 2 of 3
Internal components (continued)
| Component | What it does |
|---|---|
| Central processing unit (CPU) | Carries out (executes) program instructions and does the calculations. |
| Motherboard | Main circuit board. Connects the CPU, memory and all other parts. |
| RAM | Holds the programs and data in use right now. Lost when power is off. |
| ROM | Holds the start-up instructions (the BIOS). Kept when power is off. |
| Graphics card | Processes image data and sends it to the monitor. |
| Sound card | Turns digital sound data into signals for speakers, and microphone signals into digital data. |
| Network interface card (NIC) | Connects the computer to a network. Has a unique MAC address. |
1.1 Hardware and software · The explanation · step 2 of 7 · part 3 of 3
Internal components (continued)
Do not say the motherboard "stores" data or "processes" data. It connects parts. Processing is the CPU's job.
1.1 Hardware and software · The explanation · step 3 of 7 · part 1 of 2
Application software and system software
Application software lets the user do a task. Examples: word processor, spreadsheet, web browser, video editor, photo editor, database.
System software runs and looks after the computer itself. It lets application software work. Examples: the operating system, device drivers, utilities such as anti-virus and disk defragmenter, compilers and linkers.
A device driver is a small program that lets the operating system talk to one piece of hardware, such as a printer.
1.1 Hardware and software · The explanation · step 3 of 7 · part 2 of 2
Application software and system software (continued)
| Application software | System software | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Does a job for the user | Controls and maintains the computer |
| Who uses it | The user, directly | Mostly the computer; runs in the background |
| Needed to run the computer? | No | Yes (at least the operating system) |
| Examples | Spreadsheet, browser, graphics editor | Operating system, driver, anti-virus, compiler |
The test is: does it help the user do a task (application), or does it help the computer run (system)?
1.1 Hardware and software · The explanation · step 4 of 7 · part 1 of 3
Analogue and digital data
Analogue data changes smoothly and can take any value. Temperature, sound waves and light levels are analogue.
Digital data is made of separate values, stored as binary (1s and 0s). Computers only understand digital data.
So analogue data from the real world must be converted to digital before a computer can use it. An analogue-to-digital converter (ADC) does this.
1.1 Hardware and software · The explanation · step 4 of 7 · part 2 of 3
Analogue and digital data (continued)
To control something in the real world, such as a speaker or a motor, digital data is changed back with a digital-to-analogue converter (DAC).
1.1 Hardware and software · The explanation · step 4 of 7 · part 3 of 3
Analogue and digital data (continued)
Say "a computer can only process digital data". That phrase is the mark for "why convert".
1.3 Operating systems · The explanation · step 5 of 7
What an operating system does
An operating system (OS) is the system software that runs the computer. It is loaded when the computer starts.
It manages memory, files and folders, input and output devices, security (user accounts) and the running of programs.
It also gives the user an interface: the way the user and the computer communicate.
The explanation · 2 more steps
More on the lesson page
The lesson page has the rest of the explanation, step by step:
- Command line and graphical user interfaces
- Dialogue-based and gesture-based interfaces
Year 10 · ICT · Computer systems, devices and storage; document production · Lesson 1 of 5
Quick quiz · 1 of 3
RAM is…
- A Permanent storage
- B Volatile working memory
- C The hard disk
B. Volatile working memory
It holds what is running now and is wiped when the power goes.
Year 10 · ICT · Computer systems, devices and storage; document production · Lesson 1 of 5
Quick quiz · 2 of 3
A CLI is…
- A A command line interface: typed commands
- B A touch screen
- C Clicking icons
A. A command line interface: typed commands
Technicians use it for precise control. GUI is the icons and windows.
Year 10 · ICT · Computer systems, devices and storage; document production · Lesson 1 of 5
Quick quiz · 3 of 3
Which is application software?
- A The operating system
- B A spreadsheet
- C A device driver
B. A spreadsheet
Applications do jobs for the user. Drivers and the OS are system software.
Year 10 · ICT · Computer systems, devices and storage; document production · Lesson 1 of 5
Exit ticket
Answer on paper before you go. Then check.
A phablet is…
A A serverB Between a phone and a tablet in sizeC A printer
B. Between a phone and a tablet in size A large phone, small tablet.
OMR reads…
A Marks on a form, like an answer sheetB BarcodesC Printed text into editable text
A. Marks on a form, like an answer sheet Optical mark recognition. OCR is the one that reads text.