Games Platform Development Timeline

Welcome To The World Of Computer Systems

CPU - CPU stands for Central Processing Unit. It is the main part of any computer system and it is commonly referred to as the "brains" of the computer. It is also commonly known as the processor and in some cases known as a microprocessor which can be found in phones etc. The CPU has the responsibility to execute a sequence of stored instructions. This is called a program.

A limitation of the CPU is that it overheats very quickly so it needs a fan to keep it an the right temperature.

HDD - HDD stands for Hard Disk Drive. It is commonly referred to as memory or the storage part of a computer. A hard disk stores data internally. It is able to do this by recording the data on to metallic plates that are charged electromagnetically. Hard Drives can store many gigabytes of data. A limitation of the HDD is that if it crashes it can stop the computer from working. Regular crashes can cause loss of data.

RAM - RAM stands for Random Access Memory. It is a form of computer storage that stores frequently used program instructions and this helps to increase the general speed of what the program would normally run at. A limitation of RAM is that all memory stored is lost when the computer loses its power.

Mainboard - The Mainboard is also referred to as the 'motherboard. It is the main printed circuit board found in almost every general computer. It allows and holds communication between all of the important components of the system. For example, the central processing unit and memory etc. The mainboard also provides connectors for other peripherals such as USB ports for flash memory and a mouse etc. A limitation of the mainboard is that if there wasn't one the computer would not be able to operate as it wouldn't be able to communicate the different components with each other.

PSU - PSU stands for Power Supply Unit. It converts the mains alternating current into direct current so that it can provide power for the internal components of the computer. Modern computers now use switched mode power supplies. However, some power supplies have a manual switch for selecting input voltage whereas the others can now adapt automatically. A limitation of a power supply unit is that it might not be powerful enough to run certain types of computers such as scientific super computers.

Operating Systems

Advantages & Disadvantages

Software	Advantages	Disadvantages	Score the Features out of 10
Microsoft Windows	Customisable user interface  All hardware manufacturers support windows.  Easy to understand and use as it has more ways of.	Costly compared to other operating systems.  More prone to viruses and attacks.  Needs to be rebooted periodically to maintain performance.	Stability	7
			Security	5
			Ability to Customise	10
			Managing Peripherals	9
			Installing Applications	10
			File Management	9
			Usability	9
			Built-in Utilities	8
			Cost and Support	7
			Total:	74
Puppy Linux	Cheap cost.  Provides high performance on workstations and networks.  Very strong security.	Limited availability of available software’s.  Doesn’t support many hardware devices.  Need a lot a patience to become familiar with it.	Stability	8
			Security	10
			Ability to Customise	7
			Managing Peripherals	5
			Installing Applications	6
			File Management	7
			Usability	9
			Built-in Utilities	8
			Cost and Support	9
			Total:	69
Apple Mac OSX Mavericks	Resistant to viruses  Very understandable and easy to use.  Incredibly Stable. All parts designed and tested to work together.	Costly to upgrade  Not suitable for gaming compared to other operating systems.  Fewer software options	Stability	10
			Security	10
			Ability to Customise	8
			Managing Peripherals	6
			Installing Applications	7
			File Management	7
			Usability	9
			Built-in Utilities	8
			Cost and Support	5
			Total:	70
The winner is:			Microsoft Windows

Minimum Software Requirements

Operating System	Processor	RAM required  (DDR / MB, GB)	Hard Drive Space Required	Peripherals Required	Remarks / Comments
Microsoft Windows  8.1	1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster	1 gigabyte (GB) (32-bit) or 2 GB (64-bit)	16 GB (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)	Mouse , Keyboard,  Monitor etc.	Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver
Puppy Linux	233MHZ processor.	128 MB RAM	512MB free hard drive space to create an optional save file.	Mouse , Keyboard,  Monitor etc.	No hard drive required to boot a Live Disc.  CD-ROM any speed.
Apple Mac OSX Mavericks	OS X v10.6.8 or later	2GB                      of memory	8GB of available space	Mouse , Keyboard,  Monitor etc.	Some features require an Apple ID; terms apply.  Some features require a compatible Internet service provider; fees may apply.

	Windows	DOS
Interface	The windows interface is a graphical user interface (GUI). The components of this interface are as follows: ·         Desktop ·         Task Bar ·         Menu ·         Icons A mouse and keyboard are the main peripherals as they are used to launch programs and manipulate them. The interface can be altered to match the requirements of certain individuals. For example, the settings of the following can be changed: ·         Desktop Images ·         Sounds ·         Font Size ·         Colour Scheme The image below shows the Windows 7 desktop:	DOS stands for disk operating system. The DOS interface is a command line interface (CLI). The components of the interface is a black box with white text. A keyboard is the main peripheral as it is used to input text and commands. The interface can be altered by changing the colour to help those who are visually impaired. The image below shows the DOS interface:
Usability	The usability of windows is very good in the sense that it has a graphical user interface displaying icons. The icons help the user to identify different applications and then a mouse can be used to open and manipulate these programs.	The usability of DOS is very difficult to use if you’ve never had any experience on how to use it. It can be very boring and it is hard to navigate around because there is no graphical user interface involved i.e. icons, buttons etc. Everything has to be programmed in order to do things such as opening applications.
Security	Windows has good security because a password can be set to different users accounts. Windows includes an administrative account, this is so the owner or the IT specialist can make changes to the computer and settings over everyone’s accounts. Other users can only perform small tasks and in order for them to have more access, they would need the administrator’s password to change anything.	DOS has no security whatsoever. This is because when it first came out there was low threat. DOS does not support multiple users therefore there is no threat from other users on the system.
Launching programs	Windows is good at launching programs because there are multiple ways of achieving the outcome. You can double click on an icon. You can also right click on an icon to open a program. This removes the need for coding and is more inclusive.	DOS is not good for launching programs because you have to type in a command each time you need to open something. You also need to have a knowledge of programming and remember the commands. It takes a lot longer than it would in Windows.
Resources needed	·         gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor* ·         1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit) ·         16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit) ·         DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher drive	·         IBM PC compatible computer ·         80386-SX 16MHz processor ·         4 MB of memory ·         DOS version 4.00 or higher ·         VGA compatible graphics card
My Preference	My preference is the Windows operating system because it has a graphical user interface that is easy to understand unlike DOS which is a command line interface. Also DOS is very dull and boring. Windows usability is very understandable compared to DOS because you don’t need a lot of knowledge to carry out tasks whereas DOS you will need to know every command in order to open and operate different programs. Windows is very fast in the sense that you only have to double click on an icon in order to open the program.