CSCI 1412
Tutorial 1
Introduction to Hardware, Software
Parminder Kang
Email: Pkang@dmu.ac.uk
Home: www.cse.dmu.ac.uk/~pkang
Q1: Difference between hardware and software?
Hardware:
Hardware is best described as a device that is physically connected to your
computer or something that can be physically touched.
plastic, metal and glass components
Example:
• display devices; LCD.
• storage; hard drive, CD, DVD, FDD.
• Input; Keyboard, mouse, scanner, bar code reader.
• Output; printer, display devices.
• Communication; NIC.
Software:
software is a general term used to describe a collection of computer
programs, procedures and documentation that perform some tasks on a
computer system.
• set of instructions and data
• processed by the hardware
• used to control the hardware
Example: Application Software (word processors)
System Software (Operating Systems), to provide the necessary
services for application software.
Middleware which controls and co-ordinates distributed Systems.
What is Firmware?
Q2: Software, Program and Data?
Program: In order to do any specific job you have to give a sequence of
instructions to the computer. This set of instructions is called a computer
program.
Software: software is a general term used to describe a collection of computer
programs, procedures and documentation that perform some tasks on a
computer system.
Software refers to the set of computer programs, procedures that describe the
programs, how they are to be used.
The process of software development is called programming.
Example: Application Software (word processors)
System Software (Operating Systems), to provide the necessary
services for application software.
Middleware which controls and co-ordinates distributed Systems.
Data: Distinct pieces of information, usually formatted in a special way.
Programs are collections of instructions for manipulating data.
Data can exist in a variety of forms .
1.
numbers or text on pieces of paper
2.
bits and bytes in electronic memory
3.
facts stored in a person's mind.
Types: ASCII, binary.
For example: database and metadata.
Set of instructions
set of Programs
software
System software
Application software
Q4: Application, System/Utility and Programming
Language software?
Application Software: Application software is set on programs to carry out
Operations for specific application.
Example: MS office
COBOL (Common Business Oriented Language ) for business applications
FORTRAN (Formula Translation) is useful for scientific application.
System Software: system software is defined as a set of one or more
programs designed to control the operation of computer system.
Also knows as Operating System.
Main Function:
controlling all operations required to move data into and out of the
computer.
essential for the development of applications software
Example:
DOS, UNIX and WINDOWS
Utility Software:
• Manage and tune computer hardware, Operating system and application software.
•maintenance & problem solving tools - housekeeping
Example:
• Virus Scanner, Disk Defragmenter.
• System Mechanic, Register cleaner etc.
• Network Managers.
Programming Language: A programming language is artificial language that can be
used to write programs.
Programs are used to control the behaviour of machine.
Types:
High Level and Low Level.
Programming Language
Low Level
High Level
• easier to learn and use.
• hardware independent.
• efficiency; source code
needs to convert into
machine code before
execution
Machine
language
• Written in machine code
• no translation required by CPU.
Hence fast execution.
• difficult to learn and debug the
code.
• Hardware dependent.
Assembly
Language
• program consist of set of letters
and symbols.
• one-to-one translation between
Assembly language and machine
code. Hence retain efficiency.
• easier to learn and debug than
machine language.
• still Hardware dependent.
Q5: Define Supercomputer, Mainframe, minicomputer and dedicated computer?
Supercomputer:
• very expensive machines.
• used for complex applications that requires immense amount of
mathematical calculations.
Uses:
• Climate research, weather forecasting,
• molecular modelling, quantum mechanical physics.
• Simulation.
Mainframe:
• A very large and expensive computer.
• Simultaneously supports hundreds or thousands of users.
• and provides greater availability and security.
Uses:
• bulk data processing eg. Financial transaction processing.
Difference between mainframe and supercomputer?
Minicomputer:
• It is a multiprocessing system.
• lies between workstation and mainframe.
• supports ten to hundreds of users.
Uses:
• the functions are similar to the mainframe but at smaller scale.
Eg:
• SPARC (by Sun Microsystems) and POWER (by IBM)
Dedicated computer:
• Special purpose computer, dedicated for one or few tasks.
• often used in real time control.
• also known as Embedded systems.
Eg:
• industrial automation and control (nuclear power plant controller)
• cars
•Washing machine, security alarms, GPS etc.
Q6: functionality of components of CPU?
Control Unit:
• Fetch
• Decode
• and Execute.
ALU:
• Performs arithmetic and logical operations
Memory:
• Registers
• Hold data, instructions and intermediate results.