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Fundamentals of Computer Systems (Importance (Safety (controlling trains,…
Fundamentals of Computer Systems
Computer Systems
A system is a collection of parts that work together for a common purpose
Inputs --> Processes --> Outputs
Based on processing data and producing data
Found in most electronic gadgets
Some are dedicated for a fixed purpose
Some are general purpose (PCs)
Embedded system
A computer system that forms part of an electronic device
Kernel
The lowest level of an operating system that controls the hardware
Importance
Safety (controlling trains, guiding aircraft)
Travel (GPS system)
Business (stock control)
Retail (online ordering of more or less anything)
Entertainment (DVDs, Blu Ray)
Communication (Email, Phones)
Education (Exam marking)
Politics and Government (Voting, Payment of taxes)
Science (Simulations)
Reliability
Unreliable system can cause lots of promblems
Can result in loss or theft of data
NHS IT
Cost £12 million
Failures (Staff didn't want to use it, Hard to understand)
Testing
You cannot test everything as it takes too long and it is too expensive (bound to be errors)
Testers try to break a system to show weakness
Design faults are harder to fix than faults in th coding
Standards
Proprietary
Standards owned by a company (etc software that run under Windows)
Familiar to users
Work in a predictable way
Industry
Standards agreed across the computing industry
Universal Serial Bus (UBS)
De facto
Standards developed through common usage until they become the accepted way of making or doing things
html
HTML, PDF
Open
Standards that are publicly available
Ethical Considerations
Ethics refer to what is right or wrong
Privacy
Environmental Considerations
Energy
A lot is wasted through inefficient generation
Disposal
Computer equipment is referred as e-waste
Legal Considerations
Defined by law
The Data Protection Act (1998)