Hardware & Software

The physical parts or components of a computer, including monitors, keyboard, memory, storage devices and more.

Software Development Life Cycle

In this article, we will discuss the software development life cycle. We all are familiar with the term life cycle which means a course of events or stages that bring something into existence. So in simple words, a software development life cycle means a course of events of the development of software. The aim of …

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Client-Server Architecture

In order to establish strategic alliances or to acquire and exchange information between machines, networking is described as the act of making communication and data exchanging with other individuals, agencies, groups and organizations. Experts use networking to expand their networks of friends, to figure out career openings, to digitalize the businesses, marketing of products, and …

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Spiral Model

What is the Spiral Model? The Spiral Model was first introduced in a paper titled “A Spiral Model of Software Development and Enhancement” in 1986 written by Barry Boehm who was an American software engineer. Later on in 1988 he published a similar paper to a wider audience. The model was not the first model …

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Waterfall Methodology

Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) Software Development Life Cycle is a systematic approach to develop software. This cycle creates a structure for the developer to design, create, and produce/deliver high-quality software (that depend on the client requirements or end user). Furthermore SDLC also provides a methodology for improving the quality of the product. The main …

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Interrupts

Originally, hardware interrupts were introduced as an optimisation, which eliminate unproductive waiting time in polling loops whilst waiting for external events. Polling loops: Polling refers to actively sampling the status of an external device by a client program as a synchronous activity. The first system to use this type of approach was in 1954 and …

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Device Drivers

When a user adds a new component to the computer system, for instance a printer, the device drivers will allow the communication and recognition of the component with the operating system, so that the new piece of hardware can function properly. In the early days of programming and computers, device drivers would be created using …

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Virtual Memory

One of the main processes in an operating system is memory management. This technique allows the processes (which allow applications/programs/tasks that you require to function) to move back and forth between the main memory and hard disk memory during the time of execution. Memory management keeps track of all memory locations in order to allocate …

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Multi-Task Operating Systems

An operating system (OS), is a collection of software that manages computer hardware resources and provides common services for computer programs. An operating system is the core software, which allows a computer system to operate and execute its command as it was intended to do so. The operating system manages the user interface, hardware, and …

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Arithmetic Logic Unit

INTRODUCTION Arithmetic Logic Unit is the part of a computer that performs arithmetic operations on binary numbers.  On the contrary, FPU (Floating Point Unit) works on decimal values. This ALU is comprised of CPU (Central Processing Unit), Floating Point Unit (FPU), GPU (Graphical Processing Unit. Thus, a single CPU or FPU might contain many ALU’s. …

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Harvard Architecture

INTRODUCTION Microcontrollers generally use two types of Architecture. Von Neumann Architecture Harvard Architecture  Von Neumann Architecture consists of Control Unit, Arithmetic and LOGIC unit, Input/ Output, and Registers. In Von Neumann Architecture, which is used by many microcontrollers, memory space is on the same bus and thereby instructions and data intend to use the same …

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Computational Thinking

We may think that computers “think” and that they outsmart humans “just like that”. However that’s not the case, computers do exactly what we humans tell them to do, or better said, what we program them to do. Once programmed a computer can only execute problems and produce solutions more efficiently than humans. Computational thinking …

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Von-Neumann vs Harvard Architecture

The term Computer architectures refer to a set of rules stating how computer software and hardware are combined together and how they interact to make a computer functional, furthermore, the computer architecture also specifies which technologies the computer is able to handle. Computer architecture is a specification, which describes how software and hardware interact together …

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RISC and CISC Processors

The general definition of a processor or a microprocessor is: A small chip that is placed inside the computer as well as other electronic devices. In very simple terms, the main job of a processor is to receive input and then provide the appropriate output (depending on the input). Modern-day processors have become so advanced …

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Distributed Operating System

What is an Operating System? An operating system (OS), is a collection of software that manages computer hardware resources and provides common services for computer programs. An operating system is the core software, which allows a computer system to operate and execute its commands as it was intended to do so. The operating system manages …

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Real Time Operating Systems

Before we dig deep into the real time operating systems (RTOS), it is good practice to remind ourselves, what an operating system is. An operating system is the core software, which allows a computer system to operate and execute its command as it was intended to do so. The operating system manages the user interface, …

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Contemporary Processors

What are contemporary processors? We humans use our brain as our processor, however computational devices have contemporary processors. Devices such as desktops, smartphones, or any form of device that receives an input and output have a processor. This processor can be referred to as the CPU (Central Processing Unit). The CPU carries out logical and …

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Embedded Systems

What are Embedded Systems? Embedded systems have become an integral part of human lives, they are designed with a specific function. Characteristics like, compressed size, low cost, and an overall simple design, makes them very popular nowadays. Embedded systems, in today’s society play a vital role in many devices, such as: home appliances, equipment instrumentation, …

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RAM and ROM

Systems require storage units whether it was for short term or long term purposes. Computer systems take advantage of the memory systems they have, whether it was Random Access Memory (RAM), Read-Only Access Memory (ROM), or highly dense storage units like hard drives. You might be thinking why we can’t have one storage unit for …

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BIOS

What is BIOS? BIOS = Basic Input Output System BIOS is identified as a group of programs, which are solidified to the ROM (read-only memory unit, which doesn’t allow for modifications) chip of a computer’s motherboard. BIOS is where the most basic yet important input and output programs of a computer, system settings, and self-triggered …

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Multicore Systems vs Parallel Systems

Both multicore systems and parallel systems processing units refer to the way and the number of computer chips operate in a computational system. To help us understand what multicore and parallel systems are, it is vital to understand what a Central Processing Unit (CPU) is. The objectives of these systems are so that more tasks …

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Graphics Processor Unit (GPU)

What are GPUs? A Graphics Processor Unit (GPU) is a specialised electronic processor, which is programmed to render all images on a computer screen. A GPU is an electronic circuit with is specialised and designed to quickly handle and alter memory to accelerate the formation of images in a frame buffer, which will eventually be …

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