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| What is Computer Hardware and Software and theirs Parts |
What is Computer Hardware and Software and theirs Parts
A computer is an electronic machine that can be programmed to carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations automatically.
Modern computers can perform generic sets of operations known as programs. These programs enable computers to perform a wide range of tasks.
A computer system is a "complete" computer that includes the hardware, operating system (main software), and peripheral equipment needed and use
A broad range of industrial and consumer products use computers as control systems. Simple special-purpose devices like microwave ovens and remote controls are included, as are factory devices like industrial robots and computer-aided design, as well as general-purpose devices like personal computers and mobile devices like smartphones. Computers power the Internet, which links hundreds of millions of other computers and users for "full" operation.
Hardware is best described as any physical component of a computer system containing a circuit board, ICs, or other electronics. A perfect example of hardware is the screen on which you are viewing this page. Whether it be a monitor, tablet, or smartphone, it is hardware.
Without any hardware, your computer would not exist, and software could not be used.
This hardware device allows users to take videos or pictures, and transmit them over the Internet.
Internal Hardware
- CPU (central processing unit).
- Drive (e.g., Blu-ray, CD-ROM, DVD, floppy drive, hard drive, and SSD).
- Fan (heat sink)
- Modem
- Motherboard
- Network card
- Power supply
- RAM
- Sound card
- Video card
External Hardware
- Flat-panel, monitor, and LCD
- Gamepad
- Joystick
- Keyboard
- Microphone
- Mouse
- Printer
- Projector
- Scanner
- Speakers
USB drive
Most hardware cannot run without software or some form of instructions programmed into the firmware. Hardware that does not require software are very basic devices.
For example, a basic pair of headphones require no software or instructions because they're only passing the audio from a computer to your ears. However, more sophisticated headphones (e.g., wireless headphones) require instructions for connecting wirelessly to a computer.
Computer hardware and software require each other and neither can be realistically used on its own.
Software :
Software is a set of instructions, data or programs used to operate computers and execute specific tasks. It is the opposite of hardware, which describes the physical aspects of a computer.
In computer science and software engineering, computer software is all information processed by computer systems, including programs and data. Computer software includes computer programs, libraries and related non-executable data, such as online documentation or digital media.
Software is a generic term used to refer to applications, scripts and programs that run on a device.
System software can be designed as the software in such a way so that it can control and work with computer hardware. It acts as an interface between the device and the end user.
The System software is a computer program used by the system for the management and the functioning of the computer itself.
It also provides the platform for the running of other software.
Example: operating systems, antivirus software etc.
It is difficult to design.
It is written in the low-level language, or you can say that it is written in machine language which is only understood by the machine.
It is difficult to manipulate.
System software is very close to the system.
The speed of the system software is fast.
System software is generally prepared by the computer manufacturers.
Types of software:
1). Operating system:
The operating system is the central part of the computer system, or we can say that it is the lifeline of the computer. We will install the OS on a computer so that it can function smoothly.
An Operating System (OS) is a software that acts as an interface between computer hardware components and the user. Every computer system must have at least one operating system to run other programs. Applications like Browsers, MS Office, Notepad Games, etc., need some environment to run and perform its tasks.
The OS helps you to communicate with the computer without knowing how to speak the computer's language. It is not possible for the user to use any computer or mobile device without having an operating system.
Some popular Operating Systems include Unix ,Linux Operating System, Windows Operating System, VMS, OS/400, AIX, z/OS, Disk Operating System (MS DOS) etc.
Suppose all the devices like keyboard, mouse, CPU, monitor are connected and now you think as we switch on the power supply, the computer will start working. No, this is not possible until we install the operating system on it.
The earlier OS was MS-DOS which make use of Command Line Interface(CLI). After then, windows was developed by Microsoft which make use of Graphical User Interface(GUI). So, they keep on evolving.
It will allocate resources to each task.
It will keep the all hardware parts of the system in a ready state so that it can follow the instructions given by the user.
It enables the user to access and use application software.
It schedules the multiple tasks by priority.
It controls the improper use of the computer.
It sets the coordination between the different devices.
It prevents the error during the use of the software.
It enables the computer to access network.
It manages different computer resources such as software, hardware etc..
It controls the input and output devices of the computer.
It detects, installs and troubleshoot devices.
Types of Operating System (OS)
Single User and Multi User
Batch Operating System
Multitasking/Time Sharing OS
Multiprocessing OS
Real Time OS
Distributed OS
Network OS
Mobile OS
Batch Operating System
Some computer processes are very lengthy and time-consuming. To speed the same process, a job with a similar type of needs are batched together and run as a group.
The user of a batch operating system never directly interacts with the computer. In this type of OS, every user prepares his or her job on an offline device like a punch card and submit it to the computer operator.
Multi-Tasking/Time-sharing Operating systems
Time-sharing operating system enables people located at a different terminal(shell) to use a single computer system at the same time. The processor time (CPU) which is shared among multiple users is termed as time sharing.
Real time OS
A real time operating system time interval to process and respond to inputs is very small. Examples: Military Software Systems, Space Software Systems are the Real time OS example.
Distributed Operating System
Distributed systems use many processors located in different machines to provide very fast computation to its users.
Network Operating System
Network Operating System runs on a server. It provides the capability to serve to manage data, user, groups, security, application, and other networking functions.
Mobile OS
Mobile operating systems are those OS which is especially that are designed to power smartphones, tablets, and wearables devices.
Some most famous mobile operating systems are Android and iOS, but others include BlackBerry, Web, and watchOS.
What is Kernel in Operating System?
The kernel is the central component of a computer operating systems. The only job performed by the kernel is to the manage the communication between the software and the hardware. A Kernel is at the nucleus of a computer. It makes the communication between the hardware and software possible. While the Kernel is the innermost part of an operating system, a shell is the outermost one.
Device Drivers:
Driver software is a type of system software so that we can use our devices smoothly without any troubleshooting problem. This type of software enables the components to perform their tasks as directed by the OS.
Some tools are there, whose drivers are already installed on the computer by default for ex-mouse, keyboard and touchpad.
If the device is new for the operating system like the printer, then we have to install the drivers so that it get familiar with the OS. We can install them from the websites of the manufacturers or some other alternative source like from the internet.
There are some examples of devices which requires drivers:
Mouse
Keyboard
Touch pad
Printer
Display card
Network card
Sound
Function keys
Firmware Software
Firmware is a special type of computer software that offers low-level control for the specific hardware of a device.
Firmware can act as a complete operating system for less complex devices or provide a standard operating system for more complex software to perform all monitoring, control, and data manipulation functions.
Let’s see some examples of devices containing firmware:
Consumer appliances
Embedded systems
Computers and computer peripherals
TV remote
Beyond the simplest devices, almost electronic devices contain firmware.
Utility Software
Utility software is a kind of system software which acts as an interface between system software and application software. These are those programs which are specifically designed for some particular purpose like maintenance of the computer or diagnose any error in the computer.
Generally, these are third-party tools which come along with the operating system.
The features of the utility software are as follows
To protect us against external threats, the inclusion of a firewall is there.
Example: windows firewall
It can scan hardware diagnostic services like performance monitor, hard disk sentinel.
It can also compress files so that the disk space can be optimized. E.g., WinRAR, WinZip.
Utility can do disk partition services like Windows Disk Management.
Utility can help us in recovering in our lost data. E.g., iCare Data Recovery, Ease Us Data Recovery Wizard etc.,
Utility can back up our data to increase the security of our systems like Cobian and Clonezilla.
Utility can do de-fragmentation of a disk so that the scattered file can be organized on the drive. E.g., Disk Derangement, Little Snitch etc.,
Utility can perform antivirus and security software so that the security of the files and the applications can be maintained. E.g., AVG, Microsoft Security Essentials etc.,
Programming Language Translators
Programming Language Translators are those who convert the high-level language and middle-level language into machine language as machine understands only its language. The high-level language is the language through which the user interacts with the computer. C#, Java, C, C++, PHP, Python all are the examples of high-level language. Machine language is the code which is understood by the processor only. The average human being cannot be able to understand it.
Some famous translators are Compiler, Interpreter and assembler. They are designed by the manufacturers of the computer. Translators can completely translate the code into machine code at once, or they can do it line by line.
Application Software
Application software, or simply applications, are often called productivity programs or end-user programs because they enable the user to complete tasks, such as creating documents, spreadsheets, databases and publications, doing online research, sending email, designing graphics, running businesses, and even playing games! Application software is specific to the task it is designed for and can be as simple as a calculator application or as complex as a word processing application.
Maintenance
Importance of Computer Maintenance:
Computers play a vital role in your daily life and you can use a PC to do many things, for example, surf the Internet, watch movies, play games, deal with work, etc. PC maintenance is very important to ensure your computer runs smoothly.
If you have ever lost important files due to hard drive crash, spending much time in removing a nasty virus or frying a CPU since you didn’t clean the fan, perhaps you clearly know why you need to maintain your computer.
Prevention is better than cure! If you take some time to perform some basic PC maintenance tasks, you can not only make sure the machine has optimal performance but also lengthen the device’s lifespan. Otherwise, the few minutes that you didn’t spend on desktop/laptop maintenance could become hours of unnecessary work in the future.
Computer Maintenance Tips
- Clean Your Computer If dust is on your computer, it looks gross and the PC will trap heat reducing its performance and lifespan. So, you can open the case (for a desktop) and blow the dust out. Besides, use a damp cloth to wipe the case. For a desktop, don’t forget the monitor.
Additionally, dust can clog up your cooling fans and keyboard. So, you should also clean them. A compressed air canister is helpful. Moreover, don’t neglect ports and crevices of a laptop and desktop.
- Don’t Block the Vents
Like people, machines also need to breathe. So, don’t block the vent, which aims to ensure your computer can remain cool enough to work properly.
Keep Your Food and Drink Away from PCs
Don’t eat and drink over your laptop or desktop since the consequence is serious. For example, your keyboard can be destroyed after a single spill or food residues penetrate the case of your device and damage the internal components.
- Don’t Overcharge Your Battery
Don’t keep your device plugged in at all times. This is because unnecessary charging can retard the regenerative capability of the battery. And the ability to hold a charge can drop off a year later.
- Create a Backup for Your Important Files and System
As a computer owner, the most important thing you can do is to back up the important data stored on your hard drive. This tip is also a vital part of regular personal computer maintenance since unexpected hard drive failure, serious computer problems, viruses, etc. can cause data loss. Besides, system also crashes and cannot boot.
- Run Antivirus and Malware Scans Regularly
Any computer should have conventional virus protection and spyware detection software to monitor the system for threats in real time and remove them to keep the PC safe.
In Windows 10, Windows Defender can offer you real-time virus & threat prevention, account protection, firewall & network protection, etc.
Always Run Your Firewall
Windows Firewall in the operating system is the first line of defense against malware. It can filter some information from the Internet and block potentially harmful programs from installing. This tool should always be running. It is pretty useful when you install new apps from a third-party source other than the manufacturer or developer.
Just go to Control Panel, click Windows Defender Firewall > Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off and ensure the Firewall is enabled.
- Uninstall Programs You Don’t Use
When using a computer for a long time, you may have installed all sorts of programs. Sometimes you may forget or not realize you have installed them. These programs slow down your computer over time and take much disk space. Even some run in the background and eat up the system resource.
So, you should uninstall unnecessary programs. To do this work, go to Control Panel > Programs and Features to the app list. Then, right-click each program to choose the Uninstall option.
- Uninstall Programs You Don’t Use
When using a computer for a long time, you may have installed all sorts of programs. Sometimes you may forget or not realize you have installed them. These programs slow down your computer over time and take much disk space. Even some run in the background and eat up the system resource.
So, you should uninstall unnecessary programs. To do this work, go to Control Panel > Programs and Features to the app list. Then, right-click each program to choose the Uninstall option