Understanding Computer Systems

1. Understanding Computer Systems Unit R001Exam60 MARKS

2. Computers and Us This unit will test your knowledge and understanding of computers in today’s world. Computers are now part of everyday life. The majority of UK households now own at least one computer. In the last few years laptops, tablets, smartphones, games consoles and handheld gadgets have become commonplace in our society.

3. The first computers were giant machines that did little more than basic calculations. They were so big they filled entire rooms! People said that it took so much power to use it that the lights in the city dimmed when it was turned on. The computer in this image was called ENIAC and weighed in at over 27 tonnes.

4. During the 1980s and 1990s computers became more popular. Computers in the 1980s and 1990s The first games consoles also appeared during this time from companies like Sega and Nintendo. Children all over the UK were enjoying programming in BASIC (a computer language) and playing simple games like Space Invaders and Pacman.

5. It is now very easy to set up your own website, edit photos, make a movie, create presentations and use the internet for research, entertainment and shopping. Computers at Home These days many people have computers in their home and use them for things like running a small business, keeping in touch with relatives and friends and playing games.

6. One area that has become popular is the use of computers for learning. Computers for Learning Most schools and universities use the internet for learning through the use of a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), email, blogs and for doing research for homework, projects and revision exercises. E-Learning uses computers to teach people in the comfort of their own homes.

7. These devices are not only functional but the large number of apps available make them very useful for business. Smartphones When you are out of the office you can read and send email, keep your appointments and use GPS to visit your clients. You can also read important documents that allow you to keep in touch with the workplace whilst out and about.

8. Local and wide area networks (LAN and WAN) allows employees of even the largest business to stay connected even if they are in different countries. Getting Connected Businesses and organisations connect their computers together to enable the sharing of printers, files and their internet connectivity.

9. Cloud services have become popular in the last few years with iCloud, Skydrive and Dropbox allowing people to backup their important files to the internet. Cloud Services Using Microsoft Web apps and Google Docs it is possible to create, share and edit documents with others allowing for collaborative work to take place.

10. Being Safe and Secure Along with this technology comes the hacker, the virus, malware, pop-ups, adverts and phishing. You need to know how to stay safe and sound as well as the legal framework designed to keep you and your data safe.

11. There are laws that prevent companies from misusing your personal data, stop hackers and ensure anything that is legally yours is protected from abuse and theft. Staying Legal You will learn about how these laws apply to businesses and their day-to-day working practises.