General
Unit 1
Today’s world is an information-rich spectrum and it has become a necessity for everyone to know about computers. Therefore, in this study session, we will cover a foundational understanding of computer hardware, software, operating systems, peripherals etc. along with how to get the most value and impact from computer technology.
When you have studied this unit, you should be able to:
- define a computer and outline its characteristics.
- state the components of a computer
- differentiate between computer hardware and software
Session Preview
1. Work through the resources below in sequence
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2. Use the forum below and consider the question, "If hardware is the 'heart' of a computer system, then software is its 'soul'. Explain". Please post once and reply to your colleague's posts at least twice.
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3. Work through the resource below
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4. To test your knowledge of Unit 1: Know your device, please attempt the short quiz below.
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We defined computer as an electronic device that accepts input from an input device, the CPU processes it and output the result via the output device (VDU). The characteristics of a computer include speed, accuracy, diligence, versatility, power of remembering, no IQ, no Feeling and storage capacity.
A computer system has various components which can be classified into four groups; input unit, memory unit, central processing unit and the output unit.
The computer hardware is the physical part of a computer that can be touched and seen while computer software are programs that perform a well-defined function. We noted that the two types of computer software are: Application and System software.
