IGCSE Edexcel ICT

–
Unit 1 Revision
Eng. Dina Abdulrasoul

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Contents
Digital Devices:.......................................................................................................... 4
Mainframe computers & microprocessors...............................................................4
Laptops & desktop computers................................................................................. 5
Mobile phones & tablet devices............................................................................... 7
Multifunctional devices.......................................................................................... 10
What is convergence?........................................................................................... 10
Features of digital devices........................................................................................ 11
What are the features of digital devices?..............................................................11
What is a user interface?....................................................................................... 12
Digital device comparison..................................................................................... 14
Input devices............................................................................................................ 15
Types of Input Devices:......................................................................................... 16
Output devices......................................................................................................... 20
Comparison between different types of printers:..................................................22
Storage devices........................................................................................................ 23
Magnetic storage................................................................................................... 23
Solid state storage................................................................................................ 24
Optical storage...................................................................................................... 24
Capacity of storage............................................................................................... 25
What is storage media?......................................................................................... 26
Tips and Tricks....................................................................................................... 26
Storage Media.......................................................................................................... 26
Hard disks............................................................................................................. 26
Optical media........................................................................................................ 27
Memory.................................................................................................................... 29
RAM....................................................................................................................... 29
ROM....................................................................................................................... 29
Differences between RAM & ROM..........................................................................30
Flash memory........................................................................................................ 30
Processors................................................................................................................ 31
Central Processing Unit (CPU)............................................................................... 31
The processor cycle stages................................................................................... 31
How is the speed of a processor measured?.........................................................32

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 Number of cores.................................................................................................... 32
Software:.................................................................................................................. 33
Purpose of application & system software.............................................................33
What is application software?................................................................................ 33
Role & function of an operating system................................................................34
Single user and network operating systems..........................................................35
Application Software.............................................................................................. 38
Free/open source & proprietary software..............................................................42
Features of open source & proprietary software....................................................43
Tips and Tricks:...................................................................................................... 44
Advantages & disadvantages of open source & proprietary software...................44
Communication Software...................................................................................... 45
Software updates.................................................................................................. 47
Worked Examples from Past Papers:.........................................................................48
Example 1:............................................................................................................ 48
Example 2:............................................................................................................ 48
Example 3:............................................................................................................ 49
Example 4:............................................................................................................ 49
Example 5:............................................................................................................ 49
Example 6:............................................................................................................ 50
Example 7:............................................................................................................ 50
Example 8:............................................................................................................ 51
Example 9:............................................................................................................ 51
Example 10:.......................................................................................................... 51
Example 11:.......................................................................................................... 51

Digital Devices:
What is a computer?
 A computer is an electronic device capable of taking an
input, processing data, storing information and providing an output

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  Data comprises raw, unprocessed facts that need context to become
useful, while information is data that has been processed, organized,
and interpreted to add meaning and value.

Mainframe computers & microprocessors

What is a mainframe computer?
 A mainframe computer is a computer with huge processing
power and data storage capabilities
 Built to handle enormous amounts of data and carry out complex
calculations
 Designed to be secure, reliable and support large volumes of
simultaneous users
 Carry out critical tasks for large organisations in sectors such as:
o Finance
o Health
o Government etc.
What is a microprocessor?
 A microprocessor is an integrated circuit (IC)
that contains a central processing unit (CPU)
 A microprocessor is embedded into devices to help
them carry out tasks
 The microprocessor is responsible for executing
instructions
 Microprocessors are used in a home to monitor and control devices
such as:
o Central heating systems
o Security alarm systems

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 o Home entertainment system etc.

Laptops & desktop computers

What is a desktop computer?
 A desktop computer is a computer designed to
stay in one place, for example on a desk
 A desktop computer traditionally consists of a
separate:
o Monitor
o Computer
o Keyboard & mouse
 Desktop computers are typically more powerful than mobile computers
 Desktop computers are upgradable, the parts can be replaced/changed
to increase performance
Uses of desktop computers
Office & Business Education Gaming & entertainment
Word processing Online learning Online gaming
Financial modelling Research (www) Streaming music/film/TV
Email Content creation Social media
Data storage & backup Multimedia presentations Online browsing
Video/image editing Online collaboration
Project management Online communication
Video conferencing

What is a laptop computer?

 A laptop computer is a computer designed to be portable

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  A laptop computer traditionally consists of built-in:
o Monitor
o Computer
o Keyboard & trackpad or touch screen keyboard & pointer
 Laptop computers are typically less powerful than desktop computers
due to:
o Power constraints due to size
o Focus on extending battery life
 Laptop computers are not easily upgradable, components are
integrated for size and efficiency
 Laptop computers are battery powered
 Some laptops are used as desktop replacements
Advantages and disadvantages of Laptop Computers:
Advantages Disadvantages
Easy to carry and use on the go Limited expandability (Difficult to upgrade
(Portability) hardware)
Access to internet and resources Less powerful (Lower
from anywhere (Flexibility) performance compared to desktop
computers)
Can be used for various tasks and Shorter battery life (Needs frequent
activities (Multi-functionality) charging)

Mobile phones & tablet devices

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What is a mobile phone?
 A mobile phone is an ultra portable electronic device designed to
be lightweight and fit in a pocket or small bag
 Mobile phones are used to transmit information between people and
devices using radio waves
 Two examples of mobile phones are:
o Smartphones
o Specialist
Smartphones
 A smartphone is a versatile general-purpose device
 Smartphones use subscriber identity module (SIM) cards to link the
devices to a network carrier, allowing them to make phone calls and
send messages
 Smartphones include features such as:
Feature Description
SMS messaging  Quick communication
 Messages are stored on the device and can be
read at any time
 Use virtual keyboards and predictive text
Phone calls  Simple voice communication
 Requires cellular reception
Voice over internet  Audio & visual communication via the internet
protocol (VoIP)
 Requires extra apps installed on the devices
 Can make & receive calls via smartphone,
tablet and computers
 Requires a forward-facing camera for video calls
Accessing the internet  Requires cellular reception to access on the
move
 Web pages are optimised for smartphone
access

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  Automatically used Wi-Fi when in range and
connected
Mobile payments  Uses NFC
Camera  Smartphones have built-in cameras for video
calls
 Camera can act as a barcode scanner for QR
codes

Specialist Phones:
 A specialist phone is designed for a particular group of users or
environment.
 They prioritise specific features over general-purpose use.
Example Specialist features
Senior phones  Larger buttons
 Easy to read displays
 Simplified user interface
 Emergency alert buttons
 Hearing aid compatibility
Children's phones  Brightly coloured
 Robust
 Child friendly interface
 Limited app access
 Parental controls
Rugged phones  Designed for tough environments
 Thick screens
 Rugged outer casing
 Built to withstand:
o Water submersion
o Dust

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 o Extreme temperatures
o Drops
What is a tablet device?
 A tablet is a general-purpose device that sits between a laptop and a
smartphone
 A quick comparison shows:
Feature Smartphone Tablet
Size Ultra portable, designed to fit Portable but the larger screen
in a pocket means they require a bag or case
to carry around
Focus Communication (calls, texts, Entertainment & productivity
mobile data), camera for (games, reading, watching movies)
capturing images & videos
Power & Carry out everyday tasks but Typically more powerful than a
performance may lack power for smartphone but not as powerful as
demanding applications or a laptop, more processing power &
tasks RAM.
Battery life Due to battery size they Typically longer battery life
usually require charging more depending on usage
often than a tablet

Other digital devices

Device Description Features
Cameras & Uses light sensors to  Lens - High quality lens allows
camcorders capture images formed light to pass through without
by light passing defects
through a lens.
 Image processor - Compensates
for poor lighting
 Sensors - Capture detail, more
pixels are produced
Games console Specialised PC for  Powerful processors &
playing video games graphics for high quality smooth
gameplay

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  Online capability
 Controllers for interactivity
Home Hub for connecting  Connects TVs, speakers and
entertainment audio and video media players together
systems devices
 Receiver processes audio and
video signals
 Can
provide immersive experience
(surround sound)
Media players A device for multimedia  Connects to TVs or speakers for
playback playback
 Plays different media such as
Blu-ray, DVD
 Portable media players for on the
go

Multifunctional devices
What is a multifunctional device?
 A multifunctional device is a device designed to carry out a wide range
of tasks
 Multifunctional devices combine functions that would usually be
separate
 Examples of multifunctional devices include:
o Smartphones - Communication, photography, gaming, media
playback/streaming, web browsing all in one device
o Printers - Printing, copying and scanning in one device
o Smart TVs - Watch TV, connect to the internet, stream content

What is convergence?
 Convergence is the merging of technologies that would usually be
separate
 Convergence led to the rise of smartphones

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Features of digital devices
What are the features of digital devices?
 The most common features of a digital device are:
o Portability
o Performance
o Storage
o User interface
o Connectivity
o Media support
o Energy consumption
o Expansion capability
o Security features
Feature Description
Portability How easy is the device to carry around
Performance Processing power/memory (RAM)
Storage How much data can the device hold
Connectivity How can the device connect to other devices
Media support What media formats can the device play
Energy How much energy does the device consume
consumption
Expansion Can more storage, memory or other features be added

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capability
Security What security features does the device have to help protect
features device and user data

What is a user interface?

 A user interface is how the user interacts with the operating
system
 Examples of user interfaces include:
o Command Line Interface (CLI)
o Graphical User Interface (GUI)
o Menu
o Natural language (NLI)

What is a command line interface?

 A Command Line Interface (CLI) requires users to interact with the
operating system using text based commands
 CLIs are more commonly used by advanced users
 Examples of CLIs are MSDOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System) and
Raspbian (for Raspberry Pi)

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What is a graphical user interface?
 A Graphical User Interface (GUI) requires users to interact with the
operating system using visual elements such as windows, icons,
menus & pointers (WIMP)
 GUIs are optimised for mouse and touch gesture input
 Examples of GUIs are Windows, Android and MAC OS

What is a menu interface?

 A menu interface (a type of GUI)
is successive menus presented to a
user with a single option at each
stage
 Often performed with buttons or
a keypad
 Examples include
o Vending machines
o Entertainment streaming services

What is a natural language interface (also called voice interface)?

 A natural language interface (NLI) uses the spoken word to respond
to spoken or textual inputs from a user
 Examples include
o Virtual assistants - Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri
o Search engines
o Smart home devices

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Digital device comparison
Feature Desktop Laptop Smartphone
Portability ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Performanc ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐
e
Storage ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐
Media ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐
support
Energy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐
consumptio
n
Expansion ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐
capability
Security ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐
features
User Keyboard & mouse Keyboard & touchpad Touchscreen
interface (touchscreen on some
laptops)
Connectivity Multiple, wide variety Most common ports Wireless
of ports (USB, HDMI available but fewer (Wi-Fi/Bluetooth)
etc.) number
⭐ - Low
⭐⭐⭐ - Moderate
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - High

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Input devices
What is an input device?
 Input devices are hardware components that allow users to
interact with a computer system
 They enable the user to input data or commands into the system,
which the computer then processes to produce an output

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 Types of Input Devices:
Input Device Use Advantages Disadvantages
Keyboard Entering data into a  Easy method of  Repetitive
computer entering data strain injury
 Very common  Slow to enter
data compared
to direct data
entry

Mouse To select on screen  Intuitive and  RSI (strain on

objects precise control wrist)
 Fast to make on-  Requires flat
screen choices surface
 People with
disabilities can
find them
difficult to use

Joystick Moves sprites/  Enhances  Expensive

characters around a gameplay/simulat
 Limited use
game ion experience
outside of
 Improve realism gaming and
simulators
 Accurate

Graphics tablet Use a stylus to draw or  Precise  Cost

write
 Natural feel  Learning curve
 Ergonomic  Battery life

Scanner Convert paper  Accurate  Quality

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 documents to reproduction depends on
electronic resolution
 Easy to share and
store  High quality
means can be
 Combined with
slow
barcodes
becomes a DDE

Digital camera Taking photos/videos  Vast amounts can  Storage

be captured compression
can lead to a
 No developing
loss in quality
 Easy to share
 Need to be
tech-savvy to
use effectively

Webcam Streaming images/  Real-time  Image quality

video communication
 Privacy
 Cheap concerns
 Multipurpose

Microphone Input speech, sensor to  Hands-free input  Variable

pick up sounds quality
 Can be used for
voice recognition  Verbal inputs
can be
 Fast
inaccurate
 Need to
remember key
words and/or
phrases

Resistive Pressure causes layers  Intuitive  Screens can

touchscreen to 'touch' get dirty
 No need for a
Durable separate pointing  Easily
device scratched
Capacitive Conduct electricity
touchscreen  Easy to keep  Less precise
Finger causes a change clean than a mouse
in electrical charge and
can be measured
precisely

OMR Read marks on exam  Fast processing  Limited to

paper in pen/pencil specific forms
Optical Mark  Reduced human
Recognition error  Cannot read

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 handwriting
 Form must be
completed
accurately

OCR Text to digital data  Fast data entry  Can struggle

with complex
Optical  Accurate and less
layouts
Character error prone
Recognition  Font
dependent
 Not always
100% accurate
 Expensive

Barcode scanner Reads barcode labels  Fast and accurate  Requires line-
of-sight
 Low cost
 Barcodes are
 Allows for
easily
automatic stock
damaged
control
 Barcodes can
 Tried & trusted
be
swapped/alter
ed by
consumers

Biometric Fingerprint/facial/voice/  Easier than  Privacy

scanner iris recognition passwords concerns
 More secure  Expensive
 Speed

Magnetic stripe Debit/credit cards  Fast  Magnetic

reader stripes can get
 Simple to use
damaged and
 Secure become
(unreadable) unreadable
 Reader must
be in close
contact

Chip and PIN Retail card payments  Secure  Requires PIN

reader input
 Reduced fraud
risk  Potential for
skimming

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  High payment
limits an issue
for stolen
cards

RFID reader Contactless payments  Fast transaction  Transaction

(no pin) limit is smaller
 Data wirelessly  RFID signals
transferred can be
securely read/intercept
ed
 Retailers don't
have to access
customer
credit/debit
information

Analogue sensor Measure environmental  Generally  May require

s data e.g. temperature, accurate calibration
light, sound, humidity
 Provides real-time  Data must be
etc.
information converted to
digital data
 Automatic
(ADC)
 Can collect data
 Data may
from places
need to be
where they may
checked for
be threat to
accuracy
human life

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Output devices
What is an output device?
 Output devices are hardware components that receive information
from a computer system and present it to the user in a
comprehensible form
 They enable the computer to communicate the results of processed
data or commands
Types of output devices
Output Use/features Advantages Disadvantages
device
CRT Display output from a  Large viewing  Run hot
monitor computer angles
 Heavy
Screen size is  Can be used
 Consume more
measured diagonally with light pens
power (than
in inches
other monitor
Resolution is the types)
number
LCD  Low power  Motion
of pixels measured
monitor blur/ghosting
horizontally across the  Lightweight
screen  Colour &
 No flickering
contrast

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  No image variable from
burn-in different
viewing angles
LED  No motion  More
monitor blur/ghosting expensive
(than LCD)
 Low power
 Contrast can
 Long life
be poor
Laser High volume printing  Fast  Expensive
printer initial cost
Electronically  High-quality
charged toner prints  Limited to flat
surfaces
Dry ink  Lower cost per
page
Inkjet Home printing &  Lower initial  Slower
printer photographs cost
 Higher cost per
Uses wet  High-quality page
ink separated into prints
 Ink may
black, cyan, magenta
 Ink can be smudge
& yellow
refilled
Tiny
dots sprayed onto
paper
Dot Useful when  Low cost  Noisy
matrix printing multiple
 Can print  Low print
printer copies
multi-part quality
Paper forms
 Slow
is impacted through
 Very good for
a ribbon of ink
long print runs
3D Create real-life 3D  Customisable  Limited
printer versions of digital designs materials
models
 Rapid  Slow process
prototyping
 Counterfeit
 Medical items easier to
benefits produce

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  Very expensive
Plotters Create drawings &  High accuracy  Slow
blueprints
 Can print on  Expensive to
various buy
materials
 Large size
 Inexpensive to
run
Multimedi Output computer  Large display  Requires
a usually to much larger darkened room
 Good for
projector display
presentations  Expensive
bulbs
 Space saving
 Need separate
audio
 Quality is
variable
Speakers Output audio  Range of sizes  Expensive for
and power higher quality
outputs output
 Immersive  Varying sound
audio quality
 Helps people
with
disabilities
Actuators Control motors,  Precise  Requires power
pumps, switches etc. movement
 Potential
 Programmable mechanical
wear
 Allow
automatic  Requires DAC
control of interface
many devices

Comparison between different types of printers:

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Storage devices
What is a storage device?
 A storage device is the hardware that reads from and writes
to different storage medias
 Storage devices are non-volatile secondary storage, that retain
digital data within a computer system
 They provide a means of storing, accessing, and retrieving data, which
can include software applications, documents, images, videos, and
more
 There are 3 types of storage device:

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 o Magnetic
o Solid State
o Optical

Magnetic storage
 Magnetic storage is a type of non-volatile
media that uses magnets (polarity) to store
binary 0s and 1s

Advantages Disadvantages
Capacity - High storage Durability - Moving parts can get damaged if
dropped
Cost - Low per gigabyte Portability - Heavy & bulky making them less
convenient for transport
Speed - Moderate Reliability - Prone to mechanical failure
read/write access
Noise - Loud (spinning disks)

Solid state storage

 Solid state storage is a type of non-volatile media
that uses electronic circuits to store binary 0s
and 1s

Advantages Disadvantages
Capacity - Medium/high storage Cost - Very high per gigabyte
Speed - Very fast read/write access Reliability - Limited read/write cycles

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Durability - No moving parts
Portability - Small and no moving parts
Noise - Silent

Optical storage
 Optical storage is a type of non-volatile media that uses lasers to burn
the surface of a disk, creating pits and lands suitable for storing binary
0s and 1s
Advantages Disadvantages
Cost - Very low per gigabyte Capacity - Very low
Durability - No moving parts Speed - Very slow read/write access
Portability - Small and no moving parts Reliability - Prone to scratches
Noise - Silent

Capacity of storage
What is the capacity of storage?
 Capacity of storage describe the amounts of binary digits that can
be stored on a digital device
Unit Symbol Value
Bit b 1 or 0
Nibble 4b
Byte B 8b

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Kibibyte KiB 1024 B (210)
Mebibyte MiB 1,048,576 KB (220)
Gibibyte GiB 1,073,741,824 MB (230)
Tebibyte TiB 1,099,511,626,776GB (240)

Megabyte vs Mebibyte
 1 kibibyte = 1024 bytes - binary prefixes (to the power of 2)
 1 kilobyte = 1000 bytes - decimal prefixes (to the power of 10)

What is storage media?

 Storage media is the physical media that holds non-volatile data
 Storage devices have a specific read/write mechanism built in to
interact with a particular storage media
 For example, magnetic tape media is read by a magnetic storage
device

Tips and Tricks

 Try not to get confused between storage devices and storage media.

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  Think of storage devices as large pieces of furniture in your home e.g.
bookshelf, chest of drawers etc.
 Storage media is what you store in the furniture e.g. books on the shelf
or clothes in the drawers
 The device that actually holds the data is known as the storage
medium ('media' is the plural). The device that saves data onto the
storage medium, or reads data from it, is known as the storage device.
Sometimes the storage medium is removable from the device, e.g. a
CD-ROM can be taken out of a CD drive.

Storage Media
Hard disks
 Hard disks are a magnetic storage media
 Made up of platters that spin on a central spindle
 A read/write head moves on an arm across the platter to read/write
data
 The amount of time taken to read/write data is influenced by:
o How fast the platters spin (measured in revolutions per
minute (RPM))
o How fast the head moves across the platter
 Used in personal computers, servers and backups

Optical media
 Used with an optical storage device
 All optical media is recordable (CD-R, DVD-R, BD-R)
 Some optical media can be re-written (CD-RW, DVD-RW, BD-RE)
 Used for multimedia (music, games & films)
CDs DVDs Blu-ray

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up to 700 MB data 4.7 GB single sided/single layer 25 GB single sided
18 GB double sides/double layer
50 GB double sided

Flash media
 Flash media is a solid state storage media
 More reliable than a hard disk as contains no moving parts
 Very fast read/write speeds
 Used in mobile devices, laptops
Magnetic tape
 Old technology used primarily for recording sound
 Now used to store vast amounts of data (backups)
 Very slow read/write speeds
 Used for whole system backups and archives

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Memory
RAM
What is RAM?
 RAM (Random Access Memory) is primary storage that is directly
connected to the CPU and holds the data and instructions that are
currently in use(temporary)
 RAM is volatile which means the contents of RAM are lost when the
power is turned off
 For the CPU to access the data and instructions they must be copied
from secondary storage
 RAM is very fast working memory, much faster than secondary storage
 RAM is read/write which means data can be read from and written to
 In comparison to ROM, it has a much larger capacity
 RAM capacity can be increased to improve performance

ROM
What is ROM?

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  ROM (Read Only Memory) is primary storage that holds the first
instructions a computer needs to start up (Boot file)
 ROM contains the BIOS (Basic Input Output System)
 ROM is a small memory chip located on the computers motherboard
 ROM is fast memory, much faster than secondary storage but slower
than RAM
 ROM is non-volatile which means the contents of ROM are not lost
when the power is turned off
 ROM is read only which means data can only be read from
 In comparison to RAM, it has a much smaller capacity
 ROM capacity can not be increased
 Some types of ROM can be changed
o EPROM - erasable programmable read only memory
o EEPROM - electronically erasable programmable read only
memory

Differences between RAM & ROM

Feature RAM ROM
Stores Data & programs in use Boot file (start-up instructions)
Capacity Variable Fixed
Contents Temporary Permanent
Read/Write Read & write Read only
Volatile/Non-volatile Volatile Non-volatile

Flash memory
What is flash memory?
 Flash memory is a type of EEPROM (Electronically Erasable
Programmable Read Only Memory)
 Non-volatile
 Fast access times

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  Low power consumption
 Used in solid state drives, USB drives and SD memory cards

Processors
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
What is the purpose of the CPU?
 The purpose of the Central Processing Unit (CPU) is
to executeinstructions
 The CPU achieves thisby completing processor cycles
 A modern CPU is capable of performing billions of processor cycles
in one second

The processor cycle stages

1. Fetch stage
 During the fetch stage of
the cycle, the next
instruction or data must
be fetched from the
computer's
memory (RAM)
 The instruction or data is
brought back to the CPU

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 2. Decode stage
 During the decode stage of the cycle, the CPU needs to work out
what is required from the instruction
 This could be a range of tasks depending on what the instruction or
data included
3. Execute stage
 During the execute stage of the cycle, the CPU will carry out the
instruction that was fetched
 Some examples that would take place at this stage are
o Performing a calculation
o Storing a result or data back in main memory (RAM)
o Going to main memory to fetch data from a different
location

How is the speed of a processor measured?

 The speed of a processor is measured by it's clock speed
 Clock speed is measured in Hertz (Hz)
 The clock speed measures the number of processor cycles that can
take place in 1 second
 The faster the clock speed, the more instructions can be fetched and
executed per second
 Modern computers have a clock speed in Gigahertz (GHz), meaning
billion
 A clock speed of 3.5GHz can perform up to 3.5 billioninstructions
per second

Number of cores
 A core works like it is its own CPU

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  Multiple core processors mean they have multiple separate
processing units that can fetch, decode and execute instructions at
the same time
 Multi-core processors can run more powerful programs with greater
ease
 Multiple cores increase the performance of the CPU by working with
the clock speed
o Example: A quad-core CPU (4 cores), running at a clock speed of
3Ghz
 4 cores x 3GHz
 4 x 3 billion instructions
 12 billion instructions per second

Software:
Purpose of application & system software
What is software?
 Software is the set of programs that control the hardware; they live
on the computer system but cannot be physically touched
 Software can be broken down in to two categories:
o Application software
o System software

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What is application software?
 Application software (abbreviated 'apps') is software chosen by a
user to help them carry out a specific task
 Application software is installed on top of system software and is
user-chosen to best suit industry requirements
 Common categories of application software include:
o Word processing: creating and editing text documents
o Spreadsheet: organising and analysing data in a grid format
o Database management systems: storing, retrieving and
managing data in databases
o Control/measurement: uses sensors to measure and control a
system
o Video editing: creating and modifying video files
o Graphics editing: creating and modifying images
o Audio editing: creating and modifying sound files
o Computer-Aided Design (CAD): designing and modelling
objects in 2D or 3D

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Role & function of an operating system
What is an operating system?
 An operating system (OS) is software that provides an interface
between the user and the hardware in a computer system
 An operating system hides the complexities of the hardware from
the user, for example:
o A user does not need to know 'where' on secondary storage data
is kept, just that it is saved for when they want it again
 There are two main types of operating systems:
o Single User Operating System
o Network Operating Systems (NOS)
 An operating system has many functions, this includes:
o Memory management
o Resource management
o Security
o Print spooling

Single user and network operating systems

Single user Network
Allow for a single general user Provide access to network
storage and shared resources
No option to customise user Server is sent requests when users log in
interface for different users with usernames and passwords
Typically used in a household User accounts are kept separate to ensure
appliances users cannot access each other's files

Resource management

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 Memory
o Memory management is a process carried out by the operating
system allocating main memory (RAM) between different
programs that are open at the same time
o The OS is responsible for copying programs and data from
secondary to primary storage as it is needed
o Programs and data require different amounts of RAM to
operate efficiently and the OS manages this process
o RAM is allocated based on priority and fairness, for
example, system applications (essential) may have a higher
priority than user applications
o The OS dynamically manages the memory,
adjusting allocation as needed to maintain optimal system
performance
o Memory management makes multitasking possible
 Processor
o Processor management is a process carried out by the operating
system dividing time (time slicing) in to small chunks
and allocating them to different programs
o The CPU can only execute one instruction at a time, it can can
execute billions of them in one second.
o The OS decides what programs get access to the CPU to give a
user the perception of being able to use multiple programs at the
same time (multitasking)
 Inputs & outputs
o Input/output (I/O) management is a process carried out by the
operating system managing the way input and output
devices interact with software
o The OS allocates system resources to inputs/outputs to
ensure efficient operation
o I/O management makes plug-and-play (PnP) functionality
possible, automatically detecting and configuring new
inputs/outputs without the need for manually installing device
drivers or power cycling the system

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  Files
o File management is a process carried out by the operating
system creating, organising, manipulating and accessing
files and folders on a computer system
o The OS manages where data is stored in both primary and
secondary storage
o File management gives the user the ability to:
 Create files/folders
 Name files/folders
 Rename files/folders
 Copy files/folders
 Move files/folders
 Delete files/folders
o The OS allows users to control who can access, modify and
delete files/folders (permissions)
o The OS provides a search facility to find specific files based on
various criteria
Security
 Security management is a process carried out by the operating
system enabling different users to log onto a computer
 A system administrator is able to allocate different access rights for
different users on a network
 The OS is able to maintain settings for individual users, such as
desktop backgrounds, icons and colour schemes
 The OS audits (keeps a log of) files created by users, accesses, edits
and deletes
 Operating systems can provide software firewalls
Print spooling
 Print spooling is a process carried out by the operating system when
printing is required
 The spooler creates a temporary holding area (queue) for the print
job

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  Queuing pages increases efficiency

Application Software
Office-productivity tools
What are office productivity tools?
 Office productivity tools are applications designed to enable common
work related tasks to be carried out
 Office productivity tools are often combined into a single application
suite
Word processing

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  Word processing software is software used primarily for
tasks involving text and images
 Common tasks include:
o Letters
o Reports
o Essays
o Books
 Examples of word processing applications include:
o Microsoft Word
o Google Docs

Spreadsheet
 Spreadsheet software is software used for tasks involving calculations
 Spreadsheets allow users to model financial situations and answer
'what if' questions
 Formulas and functions can be used to aid complex arithmetic
calculations
 Examples of spreadsheet applications include:
o Microsoft Excel
o Google Sheets

Desktop publishing
 Desktop publishing software is software used for tasks that
involve complicated page layouts
 Common tasks include:
o Newsletters
o Leaflets
 Examples of desktop publishing applications include:

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 o Microsoft Publisher
o Adobe InDesign

Database
 Database software is software used to store data
 Common features include:
o Data entry form design
o Perform queries to select data that meet a certain criteria
o Build reports to display data in a readable format
 Examples of database applications include:
o Microsoft Access
o Oracle MySQL

Web authoring software

What is web authoring software?
 Web authoring software is software designed to allow the creation
of websites
 Websites are written in HTML and translated by web browsers to
display in a way users can see and read
 Web authoring software gives users with little to no HTML
experience tools to help them create web pages
 Uses a What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) interface
 Examples of web authoring applications include:
o Adobe Dreamweaver
o Google Sites

Image editing & sound editing software

What is image editing software?

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  Image editing software is software that allows users to manipulate
and enhance digital photographs and images
 Common features include:
o Resizing
o Adjusting brightness & contrast
o Applying filters
o Red-eye removal
o Cropping
 Examples of image editing applications include:
o Adobe Photoshop
o GIMP

What is sound editing software?

 Sound editing software is software that allows users to edit audio
files
 Common features include:
o Cut and join audio clips
o Alter volume
o Change tempo
o Add effects
o Apply audio processing
 Examples of sound editing applications include:
o Audacity
o Adobe Audition

Presentation software
What is presentation software?
 Presentation software is software designed to allow users to create
multimedia content that can be displayed typically on slides

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  Common features include:
o Transitions & animations
o Presenter notes
o Automatic or timed navigation
 Examples of presentation applications include:
o Microsoft PowerPoint
o Google Slides

Control software
What is control software?
 Control software is software that users sensors to capture
inputs, processes them and outputs something
 They make something happen in the physical environment
 Outputs can be commands that control devices such as:
o Actuators
o Motors
 Commonly used in engineering, vehicles and building control

Project management software

What is project management software?
 Project management software is software designed make
the organisation of projects more efficient by tracking individual
tasks
 Common features include:
o Timeline - shows a graphical representation of events and the
time and order in which they occur

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 o Critical path - allows a project manager to see the shortest time
a project will take to complete
o Milestones - a time or date by which a task must be completed
 Gannt charts are often used to visualise project timelines

Free/open source & proprietary software

What is a software licence?
 A software licence is a legal agreement that lays out rules for how
software can and can't be used
 There are two main types of software licence, each with very different
rules on usage, distribution and support, they are:
o Free or open source
o Proprietary

Features of open source & proprietary software

Software Features
Licence
Free  Free to modify, study, copy or distribute
Open source  Access to source code to edit/change
 Able to edit and distribute
Proprietary  Costs money

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  Produced by 'professional' companies
 More regular official updates/support/upgrades/fixes

Tips and Tricks:

 In regard to free software, the term 'free' means free from restrictions
and NOT the cost of the software.

Advantages & disadvantages of open source & proprietary software

Software Advantages Disadvantages
Licence
Free or  Allows collaboration with  Relies on support of other

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open other people who may users
source want the same
 To edit the code, you need
modifications
expert knowledge
 Less buggy versions of the
 May not receive regular
software may appear
updates
faster
 Could be more open to
 Usually free, good for
exploitation through users
companies with limited
adding malicious code
budgets
 Generally strong social
support
Proprietar  Generally free customer  Cost can be significant
y support
 Limited expansion, only
 Created to professional what is available
standards
 Relies on one company
 Always someone to go
 May not fully meet the
back to with any problems
need of the user/customer

Communication Software
What is communication software?
 Communication software is software that provides remote access to
systems
 To exchange files and messages in text, images, audio and/or video
formats between different computes or users
 Common examples of communication software include:

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 o Web browsers
o Email
o Social media
o SMS/MMS
o Instant messaging
Web browsers
 A web browser is a piece of software used
to access and display information on the internet
 The purpose of a web browser is to render hypertext markup
language (HTML) and display web pages
 Web browsers interpret the code in HTML documents
and translate it into a visual display for the user
Email
 Email is a method of exchanging messages and files over the
internet
 The main uses of email are:
o Personal communication
o Professional correspondence
o Marketing
 Companies provide guidelines about acceptable use of emails
 Guidelines about emails from a company include:
o Purpose of the email
o Using acceptable language
o Email security, including anti-virus software
Social media
 Social media is a platform where users can connect with others
and share content
 They include platforms such as
o Facebook
o Tiktok

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 o X (Twitter)
o Instagram
o LinkedIn
 Social media platforms usually require users to create a profile and
allow them to share text, images, videos, and links
 They facilitate interaction, collaboration, and information
sharing on a large scale
 Privacy settings allow users to control who can see their content
SMS/MMS
 Short messaging service (SMS) and multimedia messages
service (MMS) are a method of communication using a mobile phone
network
 SMS allows 160 text characters per message
 MMS allows more than 160 characters and can include video,
animations, images and audio
 No internet connection is required
Instant messaging
 Instant messaging requires an internet connection to
allow multimedia communication between single and groups of
users
 Includes extra features such as:
o See when users are typing (online/offline status)
o Include location data

Software updates
Why is software updated?
 Software is updated to:
o Fix bugs or software vulnerabilities
o Increase compatibility with newer operating systems

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 o Improve performance
o Introduce new features
o Improve usability
 Updates are typically downloaded from the internet by a user or
automatically from within the software itself
 Operating system can schedule updates to suit user needs and
minimise disruption
What are the risks of updating software?
 Software updates typically require the removal of components to be
replaced with new ones
 This process can cause
o Incompatibility - may not work with older hardware or software
o Workflow disruption - new features/interface tweaks may need
time to adjust to, slowing down productivity
o Update issues - in rare cases the installation process can go
wrong, leading to data loss
What are the risks of NOT updating software?
 Software is often released in a less than perfect state
and flaws/vulnerabilities may exist which can provide
an opportunity for hackers
 Unpatched/outdated software can lead to:
o Data breaches
o Installation of malware

Worked Examples from Past Papers:

Example 1:
A. Which one of these could be used as a desktop replacement computer?
[1]
A. Laptop

B. Mainframe

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 C. Media Player

D. Server
Answer -> A. Laptop

B. Describe how tablet computers allow people to work from home. [2]
Answer -> A description to include two linked points from:
 Portability
 Internet connectivity
 Cloud storage
 Hosted applications
 Collaboration
Workers can connect to the Internet [1] to access cloud storage [1]

Example 2:
List two peripheral devices that could be used to input text by people who
are unable to use a mouse and keyboard
Answer
Any two from:
 Microphone
 Touchscreen
 Trackpad
 (Graphics) tablet
 Camera / Eye tracker / Gesture sensor/reader

Example 3:
Explain one benefit of using solid state storage with a smartphone [2]
Answer
An explanation such as:
 Data (transfer) will not be negatively affected by movement / less risk
of damage to the drive [1]...

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  ...because solid state storage does not use moving parts [1]
OR
 Smartphones are portable [1]...
 ...because solid state storage takes up less space / has no moving
parts [1]
OR
 Longer battery life [1]...
 ...because solid state storage uses less power [1]

Example 4:
A USB flash memory card has 64 MiB of storage capacity.
Construct an expression to show how many bits are in 64 MiB [3]
Answer
 1 mark for sight of 8
 1 mark for sight of 1024
 1 mark for complete expression: 64 x 10242 x 8
o …including all parts multiplied
 All three marks for the result of the calculation: 536,870,912

Example 5:
Explain one negative impact of a user decreasing the amount of
RAM in a computer [3]
Answer
 Programs will load more slowly / Fewer applications can be open at the
same time [1]...
 ...as they are more reliant on being read from secondary storage /
virtual memory / HDD / SSD [1]...
 ...which has slower read/write times than RAM [1]

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Example 6:
Describe how the speed of the processor affects a users experience when
playing a game [ 4]
Answer
A description to include four from:
 Faster processors fetch/decode/execute more instructions/data / have
more cycles [1] per second [1]
so:
 graphics render more quickly / at greater resolution [1]
 making the visuals smoother / graphics can be displayed at greater
resolution [1]
 making the environment more realistic [1]
 more actions can be carried out [1]
 making the gameplay more immersive/exciting [1]

Example 7:
Explain one reason an administrator would use a network operating system
to manage users. [2]
Answer
A linked explanation such as:
 Multiple people can use the same computer [1] because users can be
added/deleted [1]
 Only specific users can securely access their storage
space [1] because user permissions can be edited [1]
 Only certain users can install programs / access certain
files [1] because user permissions can be enforced [1]
 The limited storage on the machine can be shared [1] because the
amount of resources/storage each user can access can be
controlled [1]

Example 8:
Describe how application software is different from systems software [2]
Answer

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  Application software is used to carry out tasks for the user [1]
 Systems software carries out tasks for the machine/computer [1]

Example 9:
State what is meant by the term ‘open source software’. [2]
Answer
 It is available to users [1] to modify /distribute / viewed [1]
‘Free’ (in relation to cost) is not accepted

Example 10:
Describe the function of a web browser [2]
Answer
A description such as:
 To access/request/render/display [1] HTML / web pages [1]
Website / web content is acceptable for web page

Example 11:
Fyn want to play a game he installed a year ago
A. Describe how Fyn can update the game software [2]
B. Give 2 reasons why Fyn should update the game software [2]
Answers
A.
 Download (the update file) [1]
 Install (the file) [1]
B.
 Any two from:
o To get new features (perfective)

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o Improve compatibility e.g. with operating system/hardware
changes (adaptive)
o To fix/patch bugs (corrective)
o To protect against new security vulnerabilities (preventative)

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