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Computer Hardware 20230421 024715 20230421 025644-15

Introduction
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Introduction To Computer Science (CSCI 1300)

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An application (app) software is a computer program suite specifically designed and developed to solve a certain problem, perform a job or execute an activity in various human endeavours. Mostly, applications manipulate or work on data, text, numbers, audio, graphics, and video with respect to the objectives of the operations.

Examples of application software are MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Chrome, Photoshop, MySQL etc.

Firmware

Firmware is a kind of software that enables the low-level control for a specific micro- controller-based hardware device. Firmware software are mostly used for embedded systems operations and control. Today, many electrical/electronic appliances such as washing machines, air conditioning units among others have firmware running in their computing systems.

4 Conclusion It is important to note that a computer system or computing device is broadly divided into hardware and software. While hardware refers to the physical components or parts, the software is the soft part, non-tangible, or simply codes and programs that drive the hardware. The computer hardware machines cannot function without the software. Thus, the software helps to achieve the functions a computer. Types of software include systems software, operating systems, application software and utility software.

5 Summary In this Unit, you have learned about software, types of software and software applications.

6 Self-Assessment Exercises ✓ Give some analogies of computer software ✓ What are the roles of computer software? ✓ State some examples of computer software ✓ Distinguish between firmware and operating systems

7 References and Further Reading

Stallings (2005). Operating Systems, Internals and Design Principles. Pearson: Prentice Hall.

System upgrade

The computer system upgrade often refers to improvement on the hardware and software resource specifications so as to enhance the system capability and overall performance. For instance, in terms of hardware, the RAM size, HDD/SSD capacity, visual display unit, and CPU can be enhanced. In most cases the software and hardware

advancements must match. For instance, it is advisable that the 64-bit software should run on the 64-bit processor, otherwise there may be a speed mismatch, error in computation, or operation failure.

An expansion card, which is a printed circuit board, can be inserted plugged via its socket into an expansion slot of a computer motherboard through the data bus according to the required need of the computer system. Graphics, visual display unit, sound, networks subsystems all have either in-built connections on the motherboard or

expansion cards.

3 Computer Communication Buses

The name bus is an analogy derived from vehicle buses to transport human beings from one place to the other as shown in Figure 15. Computer bus lines, wire, or cables are electrical data paths through which bits of information are transmitted between the CPU and other components. They are communication cables and devices that enable data transfer among the internal and external components or parts of a computer system. Buses are also both hardware and software-based. Hardware buses include wires, optical fibre, etc. while software-based buses include communication protocols. The CPU word size, also known as the bus size refers to the number of bits that can be transmitted at once. In general, this should be the same as. Figures 16 and 17 show some common types of communication buses within computer systems.

7 References and Further Reading

Marilyn Wolf, in Computers as Components (Fourth Edition), 2017

computerscience.gcse/topic/hardware

tutorialspoint/basics_of_computer_science/basics_of_computer_scie nce_types

Linda Null; Julia Lobur (2006). The essentials of computer organization and architecture (2nd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning. pp. 33, 179–181. ISBN 978-0-7637-

3769-

Unit 2: Central Processing Unit

Content

1 Introduction In this Unit, we shall explain the roles and functions of the main internal component of the computer system, which is the Central Processing Unit (CPU). The CPU is metaphorically referred to as the hearth-beat or brains of the computers. The CPU carries out the execution of computer instructions or programs and the manipulation of data. It also controls the functions of other parts of the computer so as to enable the smooth running of the entire computer system. The CPU is also known as the processor, microprocessor or central processor of the computer.

2 Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of this Unit, you will be able to: ➢ Comprehend the central processing unit of the computer systems ➢ Understand the roles and functions of system CPU ➢ Know some types of CPUs

3 Main Content

3 Central Processing Unit

The central processing unit (CPU), also known as the processor is an electronic chip of an integrated circuit that control the computer and also performs arithmetic logical operations. The main function of the CPU in a computer system is to receive, implement and execute all the instruction codes received from the computer hardware and software. The CPU on the satellite onboard computer is popularly known as the central terminal unit. The CPU on the graphic adapter of an image processing computer system is known as the graphic processing unit. All these variants have the same functions and architecture. Figure 18 shows the computer CPU.

Figure 18 The computer CPU

The CPU comprises of the control unit (CU), arithmetic and logical unit (ALU), processor registers, and the program counter. Figure 19 shows the block diagram of the CPU and its internal components.

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Computer Hardware 20230421 024715 20230421 025644-15

Course: Introduction To Computer Science (CSCI 1300)

621 Documents
Students shared 621 documents in this course
Was this document helpful?
An application (app) software is a computer program suite specifically designed and
developed to solve a certain problem, perform a job or execute an activity in various
human endeavours. Mostly, applications manipulate or work on data, text, numbers,
audio, graphics, and video with respect to the objectives of the operations.
Examples of application software are MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google
Chrome, Photoshop, MySQL etc.
Firmware
Firmware is a kind of software that enables the low-level control for a specific micro-
controller-based hardware device. Firmware software are mostly used for embedded
systems operations and control. Today, many electrical/electronic appliances such as
washing machines, air conditioning units among others have firmware running in
their computing systems.
4.0 Conclusion
It is important to note that a computer system or computing device is broadly
divided into hardware and software. While hardware refers to the physical
components or parts, the software is the soft part, non-tangible, or simply
codes and programs that drive the hardware. The computer hardware
machines cannot function without the software. Thus, the software helps to
achieve the functions a computer. Types of software include systems
software, operating systems, application software and utility software.
5.0 Summary
In this Unit, you have learned about software, types of software and software
applications.
6.0 Self-Assessment Exercises
Give some analogies of computer software
What are the roles of computer software?
State some examples of computer software
Distinguish between firmware and operating systems
7.0 References and Further Reading
Stallings (2005). Operating Systems, Internals and Design Principles.
Pearson: Prentice Hall.