Hardware and Operating Systems

The main components

• Processor (CPU) — executes instructions. Speed is measured in gigahertz and by the number of cores, which allow genuinely simultaneous work.
• Memory (RAM) — fast temporary working space holding what is currently open. Contents are lost when power is removed. Insufficient RAM is the most common cause of a computer that feels slow with several applications open.
• Storage — permanent. Solid state drives (SSD) have no moving parts and are far faster than traditional hard disk drives (HDD); replacing an HDD with an SSD transforms an otherwise adequate machine.
• Graphics — integrated for ordinary work, dedicated for design, modelling and video.
• Network interface — wired Ethernet or wireless.
• Peripherals — monitors, keyboards, printers, scanners, headsets, connected by USB, HDMI, DisplayPort or wirelessly.

Reading a specification

A specification such as “i7, 16 GB, 512 GB SSD” describes processor class, memory and storage. For general business work, the memory figure matters more than the processor for perceived speed, and storage type matters more than storage size. For engineering, design or data work, check the specific software vendor’s stated requirements rather than guessing.

Operating systems

The operating system manages hardware, runs applications, controls files and handles users and permissions. The common families are Windows, macOS, Linux, and the mobile systems Android and iOS. Concepts that carry across all of them:

• User accounts and permissions — standard versus administrator. Day-to-day work should not run with administrator rights; that single habit prevents a large proportion of malware from installing.
• Processes and task management — a task manager or activity monitor shows what is running and what is consuming resources, and lets you end an unresponsive program.
• Drivers — software that lets the system talk to hardware. Most hardware problems after an upgrade are driver problems.
• Updates — operating system updates carry security fixes. Deferring them indefinitely is the single most common avoidable vulnerability in an organisation.

Devices in a work setting

Laptops, desktops, tablets, phones and increasingly thin clients connecting to a virtual desktop. Organisations manage these through device management systems that enforce encryption, passcodes, updates and the ability to wipe a lost device remotely. If you use a personal device for work, understand what the organisation’s policy allows it to control and to erase.