Topics

Heathcote

exercises in Heathcote

1.1 Components of a Computer System and modes of use

Components of computer; hardware and software; different types of software; operating systems – the software which makes up an operating system and the three main modes of use : batch, real-time, on-line and examples

CH 1-2

CH33

Ch 1,1-2

Ch 2,1-6

1.2 Systems software

main functions of an operating system; describe batch processing, real-time, single-user, multi-user (network / time-sharing), multi-tasking, distributed;

CH 33

CH 55 (not multi-programming);

Handout

Ch 33,1,2,3

Ch55 1-2

User interface : command-line, GUI, WIMP, form, menu, natural language;

CH 39

CH56 on GUI

Ch 39, 1-8

Ch 56 1

Utility software

CH 2; Handout

1.3 programming tools and techniques

How to design algorithms, top-down design, modules and their advantages; programming constructs (Jackson Structured Programming)

CH 8

Ch 8 1-4

Procedures, recursion

CH 11

Ch 11 5-6

Program translation, source code, object code

Ch 4

Ch 4 1,3,4

Programming errors: syntax, logic, arithmetic;

Ch 6

P24 q3

Testing methods : white box, black box, alpha / beta testing;

Ch 63

Ch 63 3

Debugging tools; translator diagnostics (= error messages from the compiler); dry running;

handout

Good programming practice and annotation: comments, choice of variable names, indentation, structure

handout

1.4 data, its representation, structure and management *

Number systems : denary, binary, hexadecimal, octal; representation of data : binary integers, negative numbers (twos complement, sign and magnitude), ASCII, boolean, floating point, bitmaps

Ch 3

Ch 16

Ch 41

Ch 3 1,2

Ch 16 1-4

Ch 41 1-4

Ch 16 4

Ch 35 2

Data structures : arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues

Ch 10

Ch 51

Ch 14

Files, records and fields; primary key; sizing a file; File access methods : serial, sequential, indexed – sequential, random; adding to / deleting from / searching files; uses of files / data structures

Ch 26 – 28

Ch 26 1-2

Ch 28 1-5

Backing up / archiving

Ch 29, Ch 33

Handout

Ch 33 6

1.5 Hardware

Control unit, memory unit, arithmetic logic unit

Ch 17, handout

Types of memory : ROM, RAM, uses in loading o/s and running programs

(Ch 40)

Ch 2 6

Secondary storage : magnetic tape, floppy disk, hard disk, CD-ROM, ZIP, DVD; relative speed of access and capacity, typical uses

Ch 36

Ch 36 1-3

How buffers are used to help transfer data between memory and peripherals; simple interrupts

(Ch 17) (Ch 57) handout

Peripherals : input

Ch 34

Ch 34 1-4

Peripherals : output

Ch 35

Ch 35 1,3

1.6 Data transmission and networking

Introduction; LAN, WAN, advantages

How you network computers together (LAN, WAN)

Topologies

Ch 19

Ch 19 1

Ch 68 1,2

Serial / parallel transmission; simplex, duplex, half duplex; transmission rates : baud, bps

CH 18

Ch 18 1-5

Error checking and correction: echoing, parity, checksum

Switching (packet / circuit switching)

Ch 67

Ch 67 1

Protocols, layering (OSI model)

Ch 67

Ch 67 2

Pros / cons

Ch 19

Ch 19 2