Operate a personal computer system
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
116932 Operate a personal computer system
ORIGINATOR
SGB Computer Sciences and Information Systems
QUALITY ASSURING BODY
–
ORIGINATING PROVIDER
rudimentary dev ce and is not commonly thought of as a computer in modern times. Our idea of computers involves electricity and ele tronics.
Electricity makes computers much more efficient. The first computers used an incredible amount of electricity, which changed voltages in vacuum tubes t operat the computer. These computers were given instructions using punch cards, and were behemoths, taking up entire f oors of buildings. Only the more privileged
universities and government facilities had access to them. In the 1960’s, the vacuum tube was replaced by the integrated circuit and transistor. These greatly reduced the size and power consumption of computers. They were still very large by today’s standards, but more institutions h d access to computing power than ever before. At the end of the decade, the microchip was invented, which reduced the size of the computer even more. By the end of the 1970’s, computers were widespread in businesses. Using a computer involved typing on a terminal (a keyboard and monitur connected to a large central computer). Soon, parts became small enough to allow many users to have a computer at t eir home. Thus the Personal Computer, or PC, was born.
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 10 – Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life Sciences
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE
Undefined Regular Fundamental
REGISTRATION STATUS
Reregistered
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT
201 06-30
PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD
NQF LEVEL CREDITS STATUREPLACEMES NT
02 NQF Level 6 Complete
This unit standard is intended for people who need to be able t operate a personal computer either as a user of computers or as b sic knowledge for a career in the ICT industry.
People credited with his unit standard are able to:
Start up and shut down a personal computer system using standard and non-standard methods.
Change the configuration of a personal computer.
Use personal computer operating system functions.
Use operating system utilities.
