JSS 2 First Term

Learning Objectives

• State the three parts of a computer system.
• Classify hardware into input, processing, output and storage.
• Distinguish between system software and application software.
• Explain how hardware, software and peopleware work together.

What is a Computer System

A computer is more than a box of wires and chips. To be useful it needs three parts working together: hardware, which is the physical body you can touch; software, which is the set of instructions that tells the hardware what to do; and peopleware, which is the people who use and maintain the system.

If you remove the hardware, the software has nothing to run on. If you remove the software, the hardware has no instructions. If you remove the peopleware, no one gives purpose to the system.

Hardware: The Physical Parts

Hardware is every physical part of the computer that you can see and touch. It is grouped by the job it does.

Input hardware sends data in, such as the keyboard, mouse, scanner, microphone and webcam. Processing hardware does the work, such as the CPU, which is the brain of the computer, and RAM, which holds data temporarily while the computer works. The motherboard is the main circuit board that connects all the parts.

Output hardware presents results, such as the monitor, printer, speakers and projector. Storage hardware keeps data permanently, such as the hard disk, solid state drive, flash drive, memory card and optical disc.

Software: The Instructions

Software is the collection of programs and instructions that tell the hardware what to do. It is intangible, which means you cannot touch it, but it is essential. Software falls into two broad families.

System software manages the computer itself. The most important example is the operating system, such as Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. Other examples are device drivers, which help the operating system talk to hardware, and utilities such as antivirus and file compression tools.

Application software helps a user do a task, such as a word processor, a spreadsheet, a presentation program, a web browser, a database and graphics software.

Utility means a program that maintains the computer, such as antivirus software.

Peopleware: The Human Element

Peopleware refers to the people who use, operate, maintain and design computer systems. A computer is a tool, and tools are useful only when a person uses them properly.

The end user interacts directly with the computer, such as a student or a bank cashier. The programmer writes the software. The system administrator maintains the network and keeps the computers running. The technician repairs hardware when it breaks. In a school computer lab, both the teacher and the learners are part of the peopleware.

How the Three Parts Work Together

When you press a key on the keyboard, which is hardware, the operating system, which is system software, receives the signal and sends it to the word processor, which is application software, and the letter appears on the screen, which is more hardware. The learner, who is peopleware, reads it and decides what to type next.

This cycle repeats thousands of times a minute, and it works only when all three parts are present and working together.

Practical Work

1. List three examples each of input, processing, output and storage hardware on the school computers.
2. Open the computer and point to the CPU, RAM and motherboard with your teacher.
3. Write five application programs on the computer and state the task each one does.
4. Make a table with the headings Hardware, Software, Peopleware and place ten items correctly.

Scenario-Based Questions

1. A school buys ten new computers but installs no software. Can the computers be used for teaching? Explain why or why not.
2. A programmer writes a good game but the school computers are too old to run it. Which part of the computer system is failing, and what could the school do?
3. A lab has a skilled technician, fast hardware and the latest software, but no learners come. Is the computer system useful? Why or why not?
4. A student is typing an essay when the screen goes blank, but the computer is still running. Which type of failure is most likely: hardware, software or peopleware? Explain.
5. A shop owner wants to record sales, print receipts and check stock. Which part of the computer system does each task rely on?
6. A school plans to remove the computer technician because the new computers have a two year warranty. Explain why this could cause problems.
7. Explain the difference between system software and application software using two examples of each.