Hardware is the machine; software is the set of instructions that makes it useful. And computers become far more powerful when they connect into networks. This chapter covers software types, networking and multimedia (CBSE 165, Unit 1).
1System vs application software
Software is a set of instructions (programs) that tells the hardware what to do. There are two main kinds:
| System software | Application software | |
|---|---|---|
| Job | Runs and manages the computer itself | Helps the user do a specific task |
| Examples | Operating System (Windows, Linux, Android), Device drivers | MS Word, browsers, games, calculator apps |
Application software comes in a few flavours: general-purpose (Word, a browser), custom/utility (made for one organisation, or small tools like antivirus), and mobile apps.
- System software runs/manages the computer (OS, device drivers); application software helps the user do tasks.
- Application software: general-purpose, custom/utility, and mobile apps.
- The Operating System is the key system software; a device driver lets the OS control a specific device.
2Types of networks
A computer network connects two or more computers to share data and resources. Networks are classified by the area they cover:
| Network | Covers | Example |
|---|---|---|
| PAN (Personal Area Network) | A few metres — around one person | Phone ↔ Bluetooth earbuds |
| LAN (Local Area Network) | A building or campus | A school computer lab |
| MAN (Metropolitan Area Network) | A city | A city-wide cable network |
| WAN (Wide Area Network) | Countries/the world | The Internet |
- A network connects computers to share data and resources.
- By size: PAN (person) < LAN (building) < MAN (city) < WAN (countries).
- The Internet is the biggest WAN.
3Wired & wireless communication
Data travels between devices over communication channels, which are wired or wireless:
| Wired | Wireless | |
|---|---|---|
| Carries data by | Cables (twisted-pair, coaxial, fibre optic) | Radio waves / signals through the air |
| Examples | Ethernet/LAN cable, telephone line | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, mobile data |
| Pros | Fast, reliable, secure | Convenient, no cables, mobile |
- Wi-Fi connects devices to a network/Internet wirelessly over a medium range (a home or office).
- Bluetooth connects devices wirelessly over a short range (a few metres) — earbuds, keyboards, file transfer.
- Communication channels are wired (cables: twisted-pair, coaxial, fibre) or wireless (radio signals).
- Wi-Fi gives wireless network/Internet access over a medium range.
- Bluetooth connects devices wirelessly over a short range (a few metres).
4Cloud computing & multimedia
Cloud computing means using computing resources — storage, software, processing — over the Internet instead of on your own computer.
| Cloud type | Who can use it |
|---|---|
| Public cloud | Open to anyone over the Internet (Google Drive, iCloud) |
| Private cloud | Used by a single organisation, kept private & secure |
Multimedia elements
Multimedia combines different kinds of content. The five elements:
- Text — written words
- Images — pictures/graphics
- Audio — sound
- Video — moving pictures
- Animation — drawn movement
- Cloud computing uses storage/software/processing over the Internet rather than your own machine.
- Public cloud is open to anyone (Google Drive); private cloud is for one organisation.
- Multimedia elements: text, images, audio, video and animation.
★ Practical: spot the tech
From your daily life:
- Name one system software and one application software you use.
- Say which network type your school lab is, and which one the Internet is.
- Give one device you connect by Wi-Fi and one by Bluetooth.
- List the five multimedia elements in a video you watched.
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