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Caie igcse ict 0417 theory v2

Iinformation and communicatio technology (Cambridge College)

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UPDATED TO 2017 SYLLABUS

CAIE IGCSE
ICT (0417)
SUMMARIZED NOTES ON THE SYLLABUS

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Immediate access store (IAS) - holds data and

1. Types and Components of

program instruction in current use
Microprocessor:

Computer Systems
Used instead of CPU
Single integrated circuit

1.1. Hardware & Software Internal/Main Memory

Hardware Stores all data: application software, operating system,

data les
Tangible physical components of a computer system Consists of ROM and RAM
You can feel it or touch it Both RAM and ROM are integrated chips
Internal Hardware Devices: RAM:
Processor Random access memory (RAM) is an internal chip
Motherboard where data is stored temporarily
RAM & ROM Memory can be written to and read from
Video & Sound Cards RAM > ROM (usually; except washing machines)
Internal Hard Disk Drives Stores anything that needs to be changed
External Hardware Devices: All program and data being used are on RAM
Monitor Contents lost when computer is turned o
Keyboard Referred to as volatile memory
Mouse ROM:
Printer Read only memory (ROM) is memory used to store
External Storage Devices permanent information
Used to contain con guration data for a computer etc.
Chips cannot be altered, only read from
Software Data not lost when computer is turned o
Referred to as non-volatile memory
Programs that control computer systems BIOS:
Set of instructions that make computer do something ROM contains boot le, referred to as BIOS (basic
You cannot physically touch software input/output system)
Relates to ideas & instructions for using physical objects Tells computers what to do when it rst starts
Does hardware check when computer is turned on
Two types of software:
Then it loads operating system into RAM
Application software: BIOS stores date, time and system con guration
Programs that allow the user to do speci c task
Design to carry out tasks
Can be general purpose software or custom-made
software (specialist software) Input & Output Devices
E.g. Spread sheets, databases, word processing
System Software: Input devices:
Programs that allow the hardware to run properly Purpose is to provide data for processing
Control computer's hardware and application Data is raw facts which alone have no meaning
program Examples: keyboard, mouse
Communicate with user Output devices:
E.g. Operating system, device drivers, compilers Displays result of processing
Information is processed data which has been given
1.2. The Main Components of Computer meaning
Examples: monitor, printer
Systems
CPU Secondary/Backing Storage

Processing done by central processing unit Stores data/information & programs not being used at
Three main components: current time
Control unit - coordinates input and output devices Backing store device = reader or recorder
and carries out program instructions Example: Hard disk drive
Arithmetic and Logical Unit (ALU) - performs Backing store media = hardware containing data
calculations and logical comparison: A < B? Example: Hard disk

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Good help facilities provided with GUIs

Basic Computer Model Disadvantages
Larger amount of hard disk space than other
interfaces
Signi cantly more memory (RAM) to run than other
interface type
GUI use more processing power than other types of
interfaces
GUI can be slow for experienced programmers to use,
they nd CLI much faster

1.4. Types of Computers

1.3. Operating Systems
Desktop/Personal Computers
Enables users to communicate with computer systems
Refers to general purpose computers
Controls operation of input, output & backing storage
Supervises loading, running & storage of application PC refers to IBM compatible computers, distinguishing
program them from the Macs
Deals with error in application programs Made up of separate monitor, keyboard, mouse and
processing unit
Maintains security of whole computer system
Maintains a computer log Advantages
Spare parts standardized results in low costs
Two main types of interfaces: CLI & GUI
Tend to have better speci cations
Large casing allows good dissipation of heat build up
CLI - Command Line Interface Disadvantages
Not portable since they are made up of separate
Types commands to tell the computer what to do components
The user must know all the commands Wiring clutters up desk space
Must not make typing errors Necessary to copy les as they aren't portable
Used by technicians
Can access everything on the computer system
GUI users can only access places they have icons for Laptop/Notebook Computers
Advantages
Knowing the correct commands, this can be much Refers to computers where monitor, keyboard, pointing
faster than any other interface type device and processor together in a single unit
Uses much less RAM than any other interface type Extremely portable systems
Low resolution, cheap monitors can be used Low weight
CLI does not require Windows to run Low power consumption
Disadvantages Processor doesn't generate too much heat
Can be confusing Advantages
Commands must be typed precisely, if there is a Portable because monitor, pointing device, keyboard,
spelling error the command will fail processor & backing store units are together in one
If you mistype an instruction, it is often necessary to box
No trailing wires
start all over again
Large number of commands need to be learned Full advantage of Wi-Fi
Can link into any multimedia system
Disadvantages
GUI - Graphical User Interface Easy to steal
Limited battery; need to carry charger
Uses graphics to stand for the complicated actions Keyboard and pointing device awkward to use
Uses icons Heat dissipation is di cult due to laptop structure
Uses a mouse to select the icons
Screen divided into windows allows di erent things on
each Tablet Computer
WIMP - Windows Icons Menus Pointers
Advantages These are small hand-held devices that can perform
Easy to use because requires little IT knowledge many functions that PCs & laptops do
Easy to explore and nd your way around the system Often use touch screens to operate
Do not have to learn complicated commands On-screen virtual keyboard replaces physical keyboard
Exchange data between di erent software Often used by graphic designers to digitalize their content
with a stylus pen

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Can be used like a PC and/or a Smartphone A part of a person’s body is used to identify that individual
Advantages: Can be:
Small light & portable Fingerprints
Built in cameras for photos & videos Retina
Touchscreen can be used with a stylus pen Iris
Long battery life Face
Disadvantages: Voice
Less storage spaces These are all unique to everyone thus can be used as an
Lacks power of laptop/PC authentication technique
Digital keyboard can be di cult to use Must be added initially to a system to use as identi cation
Touchscreen may be di cult to use for detailed work Impacts on everyday life:
Better security at the airport since most use at least
one form of biometric check if not more
Smartphone Increased security in certain places as only authorized
personnel can gain entry
Modern phones that can perform similar tasks to all the Reduced vehicle theft since newer car doors come
above with a ngerprint lock on the door handle
Main use of smartphones is social media & day-to-day More secure mobile devices as most now have some
planning sort of biometrics integrated into them
Use varies from person to person
Advantages:
Smallest lightest most portable Vision Enhancement
Integrated/virtual keyboard
Often the least expensive device LVES: low vision enhancement systems: video projected
More practical for day-to-day use inside a headset in front of the user’s eyes. Brings the
Disadvantages: objects closer for the viewer.
Small screen may be di cult to use NVE: Night vision enhancement: ampli es visible and
Not as powerful as other devices infrared light. Light passed through image intensi er tube
Often has the lowest battery life where light is converted to electrons, then ampli ed
Small size makes it easy to steal/lose (increase in no.) and then light up screen with phosphor
dust.
1.5. Impact of Emerging Technologies
Robotics
This is technology that is being newly developed
These can have several impacts on our society Programmed machinery widely used to do physically
demanding tasks
Can be automated or manually operated
Arti cial Intelligence (AI)
Used to perform several tasks:
Dangerous jobs such as bomb disposal
Technology that focuses on creating a computer system
Exploring extreme environments such as volcanoes
that can closely mimic or simulate human intelligence
Repetitive manufacturing jobs such as welding
AI can be used to:
Moving heavy objects such as large engines
Enhance video games and computer tactics
Impacts on everyday life:
Help decision making steps in expert systems
Increased personal time since robots can take over
Make robots to imitate human behaviour
domestic chores
Understand di erent human languages
Increased manufacturing e ciency since robots are
Impact on everyday life:
much faster and less expensive than human labour
Can be used to accurately predict hazardous weather
Unemployment as robots replace humans in
conditions and signal warnings automatically
autonomous jobs
Take over menial tasks for humans; increasing our
Safer working environments since robots can perform
leisure time
tasks that are too dangerous for humans
Can be used for safer automated travel; cars that can
drive and park by themselves
Increases home safety by being able to tell the
Quantum Cryptography
di erence between owner & intruder; call authorities
automatically Technology that allows messages and data to be sent with
Improved medical care as decision making skills and complete privacy; basically, advanced encryption
precision can be enhanced Older encryption is based on mathematics, but this new
tech uses physics
Makes it much more complex to decrypt
Biometrics

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Impacts on everyday life: General VR equipment:

Completely secure voting ensuring that votes cannot Eye goggles that produce 3D images to develop the
be tampered with or changed arti cial environment
Completely secure communication eliminating the risk Special gloves or controllers to perform precise
of being read/heard by the wrong eyes/ears actions inside the simulation
Completely secure bank transactions so money goes Headphones to control what is heard in the virtual
exactly where it is intended world
Completely secure personal information preventing Powerful computer to run the entire VR system in real
hackers access to intrusive details about a person time
Impacts on everyday life:
Improved medical surgeons/soldiers
Computer Assisted Translation (CAT) Stronger buildings
Treatment of phobias as certain situations can be
When human translators use computer software to help treated using simulations
in the translation process More realistic education as students can learn in a
Can reduce translation time more interactive environment
May not be 100% accurate
Common CAT tools:
Spell checkers 2. Input & Output Devices
Translation memory software
Language search-engine software
Impacts on everyday life: 2.1. Input Devices & their Uses
More accurate documents since most software can
automatically detect errors Keyboards
More multilingual society since anyone with an
internet connection can now essentially learn multiple
languages using translators
Quicker translations

3D & Holographic Imaging QWERTY- layout

Ergonomic- reduces health related problems
Technology that makes images appear to be 3- Uses
dimensional by adding a layer of depth Keyboards are used to input data into application
Holograms use 2 regular 2D images and manipulate software
them to produce a 3-dimensional image Also used to for typing commands to the computer
Di erent laser beams are used to record the 2D images (CTRL + P)
onto a single photographic plate Advantages
This creates an illusion of one 3D images Enables fast entry of new text into a document
Impact on everyday life: Well-tried technology & well-known method of entry
Improved security since majority of credit/ID cards & Most people nd them easy to use
bank notes use holograms to prevent forgery Easy to do veri cation check as data is entered, as it
Better movie experiences since 3D viewing can appears on the screen simultaneously
provide a more immersive experience for the Disadvantages
audience Users with limited arm/wrist use can nd keyboards
Greater data storage since holographic layers can hard to use
potentially decrease the thickness of disc storage Entering data is slow when compared to direct data
entry (e.g. Optical mark recognition)
They use up desk space as they are quite large
Virtual Reality (VR)

When computers create an arti cial environment that Numeric Keypads

users can virtually interact with
Uses:
Allow architects to walk around a virtual version of
their design
Training soldiers for combat by allowing them to ght
against virtual enemies
Training surgeons by allowing them to operate on A numeric keypad is used to enter numbers only
virtual patients Although some have function key to allow input of
Playing games and enhance the level of immersion alphabetical characters

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Uses Used for opening, closing and minimising software

Used in Automatic teller machines (ATMs), where Used for grouping, moving and deleting les
customers can key in their personal identi cation Useful when editing images (e.g. controlling the size
number (PIN), or an amount of money and position of the image)
Used to key in phone numbers into telephones Used for controlling the position of a pointer on the
Electronic point of sale (EPOS) terminals have numeric screen to allow:
keypads in case the barcode reader fails Selection from a menu
Used in Chip and PIN devices to key in PIN, or amount Selecting an icon
of money Advantages
Used to enable fast entry of numeric data into a Faster to select an option by a touchpad than a
spread sheet keyboard
Advantages Enables rapid navigation through applications and the
Numeric keypads are faster than standard keyboards internet
for entry of numeric data Since the touchpad is integrated into laptop computer,
Since many are small devices (e.g. mobile phones), there is no separate mouse, aiding portability
they are easy to carry around They can be used when no at surfaces are available
Disadvantages Disadvantages
Can be di cult to use due to the very small keys People with limited hand/wrist movement can nd
Di cult to use for entering text touchpads hard to use
Sometimes the order of numbers isn’t very intuitive It can be more di cult to control the pointer when
compared to a mouse
They are more di cult when doing operations such as
Mouse ‘drag and drop’

An example of a pointing device

The ball underneath the mouse is used to detect Tracker Ball
movement
The left button is for selecting by double on it and the right
is to bring drop-down menus
There is usually a scroll button which speeds up the
process of moving through a document
Uses Tracker ball is like a mouse except that it has a ball on the
Used for opening, closing and minimising software top of the device
Used for grouping, moving and deleting les Users control the pointer on the screen by rotating the
Useful when editing images (e.g. controlling the size ball
and position of the image) Uses
Used for controlling the position of a pointer on the Have the same pointing/cursor control capability as a
screen to allow: mouse
Selection from a menu Used in applications where the user has a disability
Selecting an icon (RSI)
Scrolling up/down and right/left Used in a control room environment, where it is faster
Advantages than a mouse to navigate through process screens
Faster to select an option by a mouse than a keyboard and more robust than a mouse
Enables rapid navigation through applications and the Advantages
internet Tracker balls don’t need the same ne control as a
Mice are small and don’t take much area mouse
Disadvantages People with limited hand/wrist movement nd easier
People with restricted hand/wrist movement can nd it to use than a mouse
hard to operate a mouse The pointer can be positioned more accurately on the
Easily damaged and can easily be clogged up with dirt screen than with a mouse
They are hard to use if there is no at surface They take less desk space than mice since they are
available stationary
Disadvantages
Tracker balls are not supplied with the computer as
Touchpad standard, so they are more expensive
User may need training since they are not standard
Touchpads are used in many laptop computers as a equipment
pointing device
The pointer is controlled by the user moving their nger
on the touchpad Remote Control
Uses

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A remote control is used to control the operation of other They are tamperproof, preventing people from
devices remotely by using infra-red signals keying in information (which could corrupt the
Uses system)
In home entertainment devices such as Televisions, Disadvantages
DVD player/recorder and satellite system There is a limited number of options available
Used to control multimedia systems Using touchscreens often can lead to health problems
Used in industrial applications to remotely control e.g. (straining of arm muscles and RSI)
processes, stop and start machinery The screen can get very dirty with constant touching
Advantages
Enable devices to be operated from any distance,
which is useful for people with disabilities Scanners
Some chemical processes are hazardous, so it is safer
to operate equipment from a distance Used to input information on hardcopy e.g. text document
Disadvantages Uses
People with limited hand/wrist movement can nd Used to scan in documents and convert them into a
them hard to use format for use in various software packages
The signal between the control and the device can be Old and valuable documents and books can be
easily blocked scanned, protecting the original copies from damage
Non-digital photographs can be scanned for storing on
a computer
Joystick Advantages
Images can be stored for editing later
Scanners are much faster and more accurate than
typing in documents again
It is possible to recover damaged documents and
photographs by scanning them and then using
appropriate software to produce an acceptable copy
By gripping the stick, a pointer on the screen can be Disadvantages
controlled The quality can be limited depending on how good the
Buttons are used to make selections scanner resolution is
Uses
Video/computer games are often controlled by
joysticks Digital Cameras
They are used in simulators to mimic actual controls
Advantages
Easier to navigate round a screen compared to a
keyboard
Control is in three dimensions
Disadvantages
More di cult to control the on-screen pointer with a Photographs are stored in memory
joystick than with other devices such as mice They can be easily transferred to a computer using a USB
Uses
Digital cameras can produce photographs for direct
Touch Screen transfer to a computer or to print out
Digital cameras allow short video clips to be produced
User can choose an option by simply touching a Photographs can be uploaded directly into application
button/icon on the screen software such as word processor
The selection is automatically made without the need for Advantages
any pointing device Easier to produce better quality photographs than with
Use a tradition camera
Used for service tills e.g. petrol stations Easier and faster to upload photographs to a
Used where selections are made on a screen e.g. computer
ATMs, public information systems, airports and There is no need to develop lm and print out
railway stations photographs (saves paper and no longer needs the
Used in PDA’s chemicals to produce photographs from lms)
Used in Interactive white boards Easy to delete an image from the memory if it’s not
Used in computer-based training (CBT) satisfactory
Advantages The memory card can store several hundred
Enable faster entry of options than a keyboard/mouse photographs
Very easy to choose options Disadvantages
User friendly method for inputting data

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The camera user needs to be computer literate to use Type of sensor Applications
the camera properly Automatic washing machines, central
There is some artistry lost since clever software Temperature heating systems, automatic green
corrects errors in the photographs houses, ovens
The resolution is not yet as good as traditional
Burglar alarm systems, robotics,
cameras
Pressure environmental monitoring, Automatic
Images often need to be compressed to reduce the
washing machines
amount of memory used
It is possible to ll up computer memory very quickly Automatic doors, street lighting
with several photos of the same subject (to nd the Light control, Burglar alarm systems,
perfect snap shot) automatic greenhouses
Burglar alarm systems, monitoring
Sound
liquid and powder ow in pipes
Video Camera Automatic greenhouses,
Humidity/moisture environmental monitoring, factories
DV (digital video) camera store compressed photo frames where moisture levels are crucial
at 25 MB/s – motion jpeg.
Automatic greenhouse, chemical
Light turned into electronic signal through light sensitive pH
processes, environmental monitoring
sensors and automatically converted to a digital le
format.
Advantages
Advantages
Readings by sensors are more accurate than taken by
Easy to edit footage in a video editing.
humans
High quality video captured, therefore
Readings are continuous, there is no break in
Disadvantages
monitoring
Storage medium (Memory cards) more expensive to
Because it is a continuous process any necessary
buy than lms.
action or warning will be initiated immediately
The system can be automatic, removing the need for
Microphone human intervention, this is particularly important if the
process is hazardous
Disadvantages
Faulty sensors can give spurious results

Graphic Tablet

Can be connected directly to a computer

Sounds can be inputted and manipulated
Uses
Microphones are used to input speech/sounds to be A graphic tablet is used with a stylus to produce freehand
used in various applications drawings
They are used in voice recognition software- for Uses
conversion of speech into text, and recognition of Graphics tablets are used to produce drawings,
commands computer graphics
AdvantagesFaster to read in text than to type it using a In countries where characters are complex e.g. japan,
keyboard they are used as a form of input
Possible to manipulate sound in real time using They are used in computer aided design (CAD) work
special software Advantages
If used in a voice activation system, this has the It is possible to modify drawings before they are input
advantage of improving safety They o er an accurate method of drawing
Disadvantages Disadvantages
Sound les can use up a lot of computer memory They are more expensive than other pointing devices
Voice recognition software isn’t as accurate as typing
in manually
Web Cam

Sensors

Type of sensor Applications

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Connected directly to a computer via a USB port The device has a slot where the card is placed, and the
Uses chip is read
While chatting online webcams can be used to have A small screen is part of the reader which gives
conversations instructions to the operator
Used to enable video conferencing to take place Uses
Advantages Chip and PIN readers are used where payments are
Can be left on constantly and activated when required made using cards e.g. travel agents
Allow people to keep in contact with each other Advantages
without the need to travel, particularly useful for Provide a more secure payment system than requiring
disabled or elderly people a signature or using magnetic stripe, since the PIN
Disadvantages typed in must match up with the PIN stored on the chip
Webcams have limited features and the picture is Provide a more robust system than magnetic stripe
often of poor quality since the chip does not need to be in contact with the
They need to be connected to a computer reader
Disadvantages
2.2. Direct Data Entry & Associated Customer needs to be careful when typing in the PIN,
so nobody reads it giving an opportunity for Fraud
Devices
Magnetic Stripe readers Radio Frequency Identi cation (RFID) Readers

RFID readers work in similar ways to a bar code reader

An RFID tag is attached to/inside a surface
The reader reads the data held on the tag which is then
input into the computer system for processing
Radio waves are used to transmit data thus can be used
Used to read information on the magnetic stripe
through most materials
The stripe contains useful information such as start and
Uses
expiry date
Used in retail or supermarkets as barcode
Uses
alternatives
Credit and debit cards have magnetic stripes that are
Used to identify pets
used by ATMS or EFTPOS (electronic funds transfer
Used in passports
point of sale) terminal
Advantages
Security cards for entering building e.g. hotel rooms
Can hold a lot of data
Travel systems e.g. train and underground tickets
Can be read from long distances
Advantages
Does not require direct line of sight
Data entry is fast compared with keying in using a
Information can be read faster than barcodes
keyboard or keypad
Can alter information
System is error free, no typing involved
Disadvantages
Information is secure since there is no typing and the
Thieves can steal information easily
information can’t be read directly by a person
RFID tags are expensive
Can prevent access to restricted/secure areas
Radio waves can experience interference
Magnetic stripes are una ected by oil water and
\
moisture
No moving parts therefore physically robust
Disadvantages Magnetic Ink Character Reader (MICR)
If the magnetic stripe is damaged the data is lost
Card needs to be in close contact with the reader
Since the information is not human readable, they
need to nd a way to show the information to the
customer (e.g. hotel room number not printed on
cards)
Magnetic ink character recognition is a system which can
read characters printed in a special ink
Chip & PIN readers Uses
Used to process cheques in banking operations –
cheque is read using a batch processing method
Advantages
MICR o ers great security than OCR since the oriented
characters cannot be altered
There is no manual input, thus errors are reduced

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If somebody writes over the magnetic ink characters,

it can still be read
Disadvantages
Only certain characters can be read, and the number
of di erent characters is very limited
It is a more expensive method than other methods Used to read information in the form of a barcode
used for direct data entry Handheld scanners or wands are very common for
reading barcodes
Optical Mark Reader Uses
Used in supermarkets and other shops where the
goods are marked with a barcode
Used in libraries to scan user’s library card and
barcodes on books (to keep track of books on loan)
Used as a safety function in many companies to
Optical mark recognition is a system which can read ensure that electrical equipment is checked on a
marks written in pen or pencil regular basis
Uses Advantages
OMR devices are used to read questionnaires, Faster than keying in information, and fewer mistakes
multiple choice examinations papers and other types are made
of forms in the form of lines or shaded areas Used as a way of recording data, can improve safety
Advantages Barcodes enable automatic stock control
A very fast way of inputting results of a survey Barcode scanning is a tried and trusted technology
Since there is no typing, it is more accurate than When an item price is changed, only the central
keying in data database needs to be updated, there is no need to
OMR is more accurate than OCR change the prices individually on each item
Disadvantages Disadvantages
Forms need to be carefully designed to make sure that Barcode scanning is an expensive system to
the marks/shadings are correctly positioned to gather administer since every item in the shops needs a
accurate information barcode and every barcode needs to be entered on
There can be problems if forms aren’t lled correctly, the system
sometimes they must be checked manually before Also, there is a need to invest in the computer
being read by an OMR, this is both time consuming technology together with sta training, which can all
and expensive be expensive
The system is not fool proof- barcode can be swapped
around on items
Optical Character Reader
2.3. Output Devices & their Uses
CRT Monitor

Cathode Ray Tube monitors

Optical Character recognition is a software that takes
Least expensive type of monitor, becoming rarer as TFT
scanned text and converts it into a computer readable
monitors take over
form
Come in various sizes
Uses
Picture created is made up of tiny dots (red green or
Processing of passports and Identity cards
blue), the intensity of the colour of the dot determines the
OCR is used when scanning documents to modify
colour perceived by the eye
them using a suitable software
Uses
Advantages
Primary output device for computers, user can
Much faster data entry system than manually keying
immediately see what they are typing in
in data
Used with light pens to allow designs to be created on
Since there is no manual data entry, the number of
screen
errors is reduced
Advantages
Disadvantages
Produce higher quality images than TFT monitors
The system has di culty reading handwriting
Angle of viewing is better than a TFT monitor
It is still not a very accurate technique
They work with light pens in CAD and CAM
applications (Computer Aided Design/Manufacturing)
Disadvantages
Tend to be heavy, weight hazard if not supported
Barcode readers properly

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Run very hot, can cause res if left unattended –

especially if they are old LED Monitor:
Consume more power than TFT monitors
They can icker, this leads to headaches and eyesight Front layer made from liquid crystal diodes; grouped
problems with prolonged use together to form pixels (RGB or RGBY-more vivid colours)
For the image to show up on-screen a light source of LED
backlight is used.
TFT Monitor Advantages (over LCD monitors):
Lighter and thinner
Longer life
Lower power consumption
Greater contrast and more vivid colour
Relatively more robust
Disadvantages
Glare gives viewers headaches
Images too sharp, so can cause eye strain
Thin Film Transistor monitors
Taking over from CRT monitors as the main output device
The progress in TFT technology is one of the reasons for Touch Screen
the rapid development of laptop computers
The screen is made up of thousands of tiny pixels which Automatic selection without a pointing device
are made up of transistors controlled by a Uses
microprocessor Automatic teller machines
Each pixel has three transistors-red, green or blue; the EFTPOS (electronic fund transfer point of sales)
intensity of each determines the colour of the pixel seen. PDA
Uses Smartphones
Primary output device for computers, user can Public information points
immediately see what they are typing in Advantages
Integral part of laptop computers Faster data entry
Advantages Easy to choose options
Lightweight, so no weight hazards like CRT monitors User-friendly and intuitive
Less glare produced than in CRT monitors; also emit Disadvantages
less radiation Limited options
Consume much less power and generate less heat Frequent usage can lead to RSI, etc.
than CRT monitors Constant usage results in the screen getting dirty;
Disadvantages visibility and sensitivity decreases
Angle of viewing is critical; image appears unclear if
viewed slightly from the side
This is an issue if several people are looking at the Multimedia Projector
screen at the same time
They cannot yet be used with light pens,

IPS/LCD Monitor

Front layer made from liquid crystal diodes; grouped Receive analogue and digital signals, although most
together to form pixels (RGB or RGBY-more vivid colours) modern projectors only work with digital inputs
Receive analogue and digital signals, although most The signal source is usually from a computer, television,
modern projectors only work with digital inputs or DVD player
IPS (In-plane switching) is the technology used in LCD The image from the source is magni ed and projected
monitors. onto a large screen
Advantages The devices usually work with a remote control, but can
Colour can be seen accurately from di erent viewing also use virtual mouse technology – cordless PC mouse
angles (has a laser pointer)
No lightening on touching It is then possible to direct the presentation without
Disadvantages being tied to the computer
Expensive Most multimedia projectors take input from various
High power consumption types of video format e.g. PAL, NTSC or SECAM
Slow response time Uses
Note: Old LCD monitors used CCFL (cold cathode Used for training presentations (allows the whole
uorescent lamp) technology to light up the screen. audience to see the images from a computer)

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Also used for advertising presentations (shown at Used to produce good quality hard copies – the quality is
exhibitions, shopping malls etc.) not as good as in laser printers but much better than that
Home cinema systems (projecting the images from a of dot matrix printers
DVD or television) use multimedia projectors Do not have large bu ers like laser printers, so printing is
Advantages done a bit at a time
Enables many people to see a presentation rather Therefore, printing is sometimes paused – the whole page
than all of them crowded around a small computer can’t be stored in the bu er, it must wait for the computer
screen to send more data
Avoids the need for several networked computers Uses
e.g. when looking at a video clip on the internet, Used where low volume outputs are needed
everybody can see the video on the large screen Ideal for high quality printing for small print jobs or
rather than logging on to several computers single pages e.g. for photo quality printouts
Disadvantages Advantages
Images can sometimes be fuzzy High quality output
Expensive to buy Cheaper to buy than laser printers
Setting up projectors can be a little di cult Very lightweight and take up little space (small
footprint)
Do not produce ozone and volatile organic
Laser Printer compounds, unlike laser printers
Disadvantages
Output is slow if several copies needed – there is little
bu er capacity to store the pages
The ink cartridges run out too quickly to be used for
large print jobs
Printing can smudge if the user is not careful
Can be expensive to run if they are used a lot –
Produce very high-quality hard copy output original ink cartridges are expensive
Print rate per page is fast if many pages are being printed
Rely on large bu er memories – the data for the whole
document is stored before pages can be printed out Dot Matrix Printer
Uses
Used where noise levels need to be kept low e.g. in an
o ce
The best option for fast, high quality, high volume
printing
Advantages
Printing is fast for high volumes, slightly faster than A type of impact printer
inkjet if only a few pages are to be printed A print head made up of a matrix of pins presses against
Can handle very large print jobs an inked ribbon
Quality is consistently high Uses
Toner cartridges last for a long time; laser printers Can be used in noisy environments e.g. garage
can be a cost-e ective option if colour outputs are not workshops
required Can be used in applications were the print quality is
Disadvantages not very important
Expensive to buy Advantages
Only fast if several copies are being made Can be used in environments which would be a
Colour laser printers tend to be expensive to run since problem for laser and inkjet printers – dusty, dirty or
four cartridges are needed as well as di user kits, etc. moist atmospheres
Produce ozone and volatile organic compounds Carbon copies or multi-part outputs can be produced
because of their printing method and type of toner/ink Very cheap to run and maintain
used Easy to use if continuous stationary is required e.g.
These have been linked to health hazards in the o ce long print jobs such as wage slips
Disadvantages
Very noisy – not good in an o ce environment
Inkjet Printer Cost more than an inkjet printer to buy
Very slow
Printing is of poor quality

Wide Format Printer

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Slow at producing their output

Product is sometimes a little rough, often further work
needs to be done

Speakers
Devices that produce hard copies but operate in a
di erent way to printers
Not limited to normal printer paper size and can produce
highly accurate, very large drawings and posters
The most common types are pen plotters, electrostatic
(similar method to laser printers) and inkjet plotters
With pen plotters, coloured pens are controlled by a
computer and the paper can move backwards and
forwards to allow accurate shapes to be drawn Can be connected directly to a computer or are built into
Uses the monitor or casing (as in laptop computers)
Used to produce large drawings e.g. blueprints of Uses a digital to analogue converter (DAC) to convert
buildings; are often used with CAD applications digital data from the computer to analogue from so the
Used to produce large pictures for use on billboards speakers can process it; the signal is then ampli ed
or giant posters through the speakers.
They can also print on plastic coated paper Uses
If the pens are replaced by cutting tools, it is possible to Used to output sound from multimedia presentations
make large signs Used in home entertainment centres
Advantages They can help blind people through audio output of
Can produce huge printouts text on the screen (together with speech generation
Print quality is extremely high software)
Disadvantages Used to play downloaded sound les
Slow in operation Advantages
Expensive to buy and maintain Usually long lasting and durable (if operated within
their intended power levels)
Often provided with the computer/laptop although
3D Printer these may not be the best quality
Disadvantages
Can take up a lot of desk space, compared to
headphones
Can distract people around you, everyone can hear
what you are playing
May not be able to hear the full sound spectrum, this
requires multiple speakers
A new type of printer that produces solid 3D models using
modi ed inkjet technology called tomography
Very thin layers of ne powder (plaster, resin, starch) are
Actuators
bonded together as a 3D model is slowly built up
Items produced are known as prototypes A type of controlling device
Uses Transducers that are used to take signals from a
Used to produce prototypes which work from CAD computer and convert them into some form of motion e.g.
packages, photograph images, stored drawings etc. operating motors, pumps, switches and valves
Scale models are produced in colour before the real Digital signals are sent from the computer to an actuator
thing is manufactured to operate a device
The ultimate objective is to produce organic objects Conversion of the digital signal to analogue is required
using this layering technology (such as replacement
rst (using a DAC)
human organs)
Advantages
Save a lot of money, other methods of making Motors
prototypes are very time consuming and expensive
The powders used can often be ground up and reused
Physical scale models are produced with working
parts, which gives a better idea of how the product will
look
Disadvantages Turned on or o by the actuator
Expensive to buy Uses

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Used in many domestic appliances Have very large memory capacities

Automatic washing machines (to make the drum Disadvantages
rotate) Can be easily damaged
Cookers (to switch on fans) They lack portability
Water pumps in central heating systems
Automatic greenhouses to open windows and switch
on fans Portable & Removable Hard Disks/Drives
Used to control robot arms in the industry
Operate fans, disk drives and DVD drives in computers Like xed hard disks but are usually connected via
universal serial bus
Uses
Buzzers Can be used as backup systems to prevent loss of
data
Switched on or o by the actuator Can be used to transfer data, les and software
Uses between computers
Used in cookers and microwave ovens to tell the Advantages
operator when the cooking process is complete Data access time and transfer rate is very fast
Used in burglar alarm systems to warn if intruders are Large memory capacities
present Can be used to transfer information between
computers
Disadvantages
Heaters Can be easily damaged

Actuators are connected to switches which turn the

heater on or o Magnetic Tapes & Drives
Uses
Used in automatic washing machines, cookers and Thin strip of plastic which is coated in a magnetic layer
central heating systems Read and written by read/write head
Used in automatic greenhouses to control the Uses
temperature Application where batch processing is used
Used as a backup media
Advantages
Lights Generally, less expensive and very robust technology
Data transfer rate is fast
The actuator is connected to the switch that turns the Disadvantages
lights on or o Access time is very slow
Uses When updating another tape is needed
Security lights
Used in greenhouses to control the lighting conditions
3.2. Optical Backing Storage Media
3. Storage Devices & Media CD-ROM/DVD-ROM

Read only memory – cannot be overwritten

3.1. Magnetic Backing Storage Media Data is stored as a series of pits and lands formed by a
laser beam etching the surface at manufacturing stage
Fixed Hard Disks/Drives Uses
Store music les and software.
Available on all computers and is the main method used Very large storage capacity and are used to store
for data storage lms.
Uses a read/write head to write and read data from it Advantages
Disk surface coated in magnetic lm, storage is done by Holds more data than oppy disks
altering binary codes to 1s or 0s Less expensive than hard disk drives
Uses Disadvantages
Used to store operating systems and working data Data transfer rate and data access time are slower
Used for storing application software
Real time systems and online systems used xed hard
drives
Used in le servers for computer networks CD-R/DVD-R
Advantages
Very fast data transfer rate and fast access times to
data

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The letter ‘R’ means the disc is recordable only once and Shiny and dull marks represent data to a computer where
then it becomes ROM they are interpreted
Use a thin layer of an organic dye as the recording media Uses
DVDs also use an additional silver alloy or gold re ector DVD-RAMs are used in recording devices such as
Laser beam produces heated spots and unheated spots satellite receivers to allow simultaneous recording
Uses and playback
They are used for home recording of music (CD-Rs) They are used in camcorders to store lms
and lms (DVD-Rs) Advantages
They are used to store data for later use Have a long life (30 years)
Used in applications where it is necessary to prevent Can be re written on more than the DVD-RWs (100,000
the deletion or over-writing of important data times)
Advantages Very reliable as they have built in veri cation software
Cheaper than RW disks to ensure accuracy of data
Once burned (and nalized) they are like ROM Access is very fast
Disadvantages No need to nalize the disk
Can only be reordered once Very large capacities
Not all CD/DVD players and can read CD-R Ability to read and write data at the same time
Disadvantage
DVD-RAMS are not as compatible as R or RW, many
CD-RW/DVD-RW systems will not recognize this format
More expensive than DVD-RW
‘RW’ means that these disks are re-writable media can be
written over several times
Unlike CD-R/DVD-R they don’t become ROMs Blu-Ray Discs
The recording layer uses a special phase-changing metal
alloy Uses
The alloy can switch between crystalline and amorphous Blu-ray disks are used in home video consoles
(non-crystalline) phases, thus changing its re ectivity to Used for storing and playing back lms
light, depending on the laser beam power PCs can use this technology for data storage or
Spots are produced which can be read by a laser backing up hard drives
System allows data to be written, erased and re-written Camcorders can use this media to store lm footage
many times Advantage
Uses Very large storage capacity
CD-RWs and DVD-RWs are used to record radio and Data transfer rate is very fast
television programs Data access speed is faster than with other optical
They are used in closed circuit television (CCTV) media
systems Disadvantage
Advantages Disks are relatively expensive
Can be re used many times Blu-ray disks still have encryption problems
Di erent le formats can be used each time
Less wasteful than R format since les or data can be 3.3. Solid State Backing Storage
added at a later stage
Disadvantages
Solid state systems control the movement of electrons
Relatively expensive media
within a microchip: if the transistor conducts a current,
Possible to accidentally overwrite
this is equivalent to a 1, otherwise it is a 0
Have no moving parts, consume much less power and are
extremely robust
DVD-RAM
Used primarily as removable storage devices and are
collectively known as ash memory
Recent addition to optical media group
Unlike other CD and DVD formats, DVD-RAMs have
several discrete concentric tracks rather than a single
Solid State Drives
spiral track
Gives them advantage that writing, and reading can occur
Supports reading/writing data & maintains stored data in
at the same time
a permanent state even without power
Makes it possible to watch an already recorded television
Functions much like a hard drive but di erent tech
program at the same time as a di erent program is being
Built with an array of semiconductors that form its
recorded
memory and operated using an integrated circuit
Recording layer is made from similar phase-changing
Uses
material to that used in RW technology
Used to store operating systems and working data
Used for storing application software

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Used in le servers for computer networks

Advantages
4.1. Routers
Faster than hard disks because they do not need to
A device that enables data to be sent between di erent
‘spin up’ the disk
types of networks
Robust because no mechanical parts
Commonly used to connect computers and other network
Read performance is fast even when data fragmented
capable devices to the internet
Less susceptible to data loss
They can be connected to through cables or wirelessly
Lighter, quieter and require less power than hard
disks
Disadvantages
Function
More expensive than hard disks
Have a smaller capacity than modern hard disks Makes decisions on messages being passed between the
Lower number of write cycles causing performance to networks
diminish over time Reads information about the message and decides where
the message should go and the best route for it to get
there
Flash Drives/Memory Sticks Formats the messages making it suitable for the new
network
Otherwise called pen drive/memory stick/USB stick
Can store several GBs of data and use solid state
technology
How it Works
Connected to a computer through USB port and power to
operate drawn from host computer To send data to a speci c device, a router needs a
Some expensive software increasingly uses these storage something like an address
methods as a form of security Internet Protocol Address: a unique number assigned to
Uses all computers and devices connected to the internet which
Used to transport les between computers can determine its exact physical location
Used as a security device – a dongle – to prevent A router can use this IP to send data from the internet to
software piracy the exact device that requested it
Advantages Storing IP Addresses:
Very compact and portable media Routers store IP addresses in a routing table
Very robust Routing tables list all the di erent routes to other
Disadvantages networks
Not possible to write protect the data and les Routing table determines best route for data
Small physical size and are easy to lose.
Lower storage capacity than hard disk
Sending Data between Devices
Flash Memory Cards Routers can also send ‘packets’ of data between devices
on di erent networks
A form of electrically erasable programmable read only Each packet contains the data itself and the IP address of
memory (EEPROM) the device being sent to
Uses Occurs globally using multiple routers & re-routing until
Used to store photos on digital cameras the data reaches its intended IP address
Mobile phones use them as memory cards
Used in MP3 players to store music
Used as a backup in hand held devices 4.2. Common Network Devices
Advantages
Very compact Network Interface Cards
Very robust
Disadvantages Used to connect individual computers/devices to a
Very expensive per Gb of memory when compared to network
hard drive disks NICs come in two distinct types:
Has a nite life in terms of the number of times they Wired: cards that have ports which allow network
can be read from/written to. cables to be plugged in directly
Wireless: cards that connect to networks using Wi-Fi
signals
4. Networks & the E ects of
Using them Hubs

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They are devices that can have multiple devices Laptop computers
connected to them Peripheral devices such as printers
Main task is to receive data from di erent ports and send Wi-Fi Hotspots
it to each device Wi-Fi systems rely on AP (radio frequency technology)
The information will be received to the device whether its to enable the device to receive and send signals
relevant, or not Wi-Fi hotspots are places where you can access Wi-Fi
(free or paid)
Hotspots are found in public places like Airports,
Bridges hotels, and cafés
War driving: The act of driving and searching for
It connects 2 di erent types of networks together e.g. a unsecured Wi-Fi hotspots
bus and star network This gives a risk to the Wi-Fi system
It can only connect networks that use the same way for
handling messages
They do this by changing the form of message to suite the Bluetooth
di erent type of network
Bluetooth is an example of wireless personal area
networking (WPAN) technology
Switches Spread spectrum transmission (radio waves) is used to
provide wireless links between to devices such as mobile
More e cient than hubs in distributing data phones and allow connection to the internet
Each device has an access control media address MAC A small home network can be created with this system
which identi es it uniquely Uses
MAC Address: a number unique to each device connected Transfer photos from camera to mobile phone
to the network (like ngerprints) Wirelessly connect di erent external devices
Data sent will have a mac address which tells the source
and receiving device
4.4. Accessing the Internet

Modems User can access by web browser

It stands for modulator demodulator. Type of access Description

Converts computer’s digital signals (modulates it) into Slowest type (60kbps), Telephone
analogue for transmission through telephone lines Dial up internet access line gets tied up while a dial up
Reverse this process- analogue signal from a telephone modem is in operation
line into digital for a computer to process the data Local cable television operators
(demodulates it) Cable internet access give user access through cable
The main use it to connect to computer networks over networks
long distances using existing telephone lines Fastest download speed
Internet access via DSL
connections (at least 11000kbps)
Types of Modems:

Dial-up modems: operate at 60 kilobits/sec 4.5. Web Browser

slow compared to modern standards
Asymmetric: faster at downloading than uploading Software used to retrieve, present & traverse the World
(ADSL) asymmetric digital subscriber line modems
Wide Web
operate at 11,000 kilobits/sec World Wide Web: system of interlinked hypertext
Don’t tie up line while accessing internet, which allows documents accessed via the Internet
simultaneous internet access and usage of telephone
Cable modems: allow cable TV users to receive TV signals
as well as internet access HTTP Proxy Server

4.3. Wi-Fi & Bluetooth Type of server that acts as a bu er between a WAN and a
LAN
Retrieves web pages and passes them onto the computer
Wi-Fi
that made a request
Any system which allows you to connect to a network or Stores any page retrieved on the server, which means
computer through wireless communication that when a di erent computer requests the same page it
Examples: would be available
WLANs Speeds up the browsing process
PDAs

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Websites Intranet

Web is made up of millions of websites and web pages Like the internet but only accessible to speci c users
Web pages are documents on a computer screen Basically, a private internet where outsiders cannot
containing various multimedia and text, pictures connect to it
A website consists of many of these pages linked together Uses of an Intranet:
Web Browsing
Email
Uniform Resource Locator (URL) File Sharing
Schools: share information and learning resources
Web browsers use URLs to retrieve les with students
They are multiple ways of locating on the internet Businesses: share private information within a large
Standard form: 4 numbers e.g. 194.106.220.19 company securely
Alphanumeric form:
protcol://web address/path/ lename
Where; Protocol is usually http Comparing Internet & Intranet
Site address consists of: computer name, domain
name, domain type, and country code Internet Intranet
Path is the web page Phrase Internal Restricted
Filename is the item on the page International Network
Origin Access Network
Purpose Globally share data Privately share data
4.6. Email Speci c company or
Audience Wide range of people
organisation
A method for sending text and attachments from one
Anywhere if you are Only from within the
computer to another over a network Access
connected company
Advantages
Speed of sending and receiving replies is quick
Low cost (no stamps, paper etc.)
Not needing to leave home to send the mail Local Area Networks (LAN)
Disadvantages
Possibility of virus threats and hacking Not over a large geographical area (e.g. in one building)
Need for the email address to be correct Typical LAN will consist of several computers and devices
Inability to send bulky objects via emails Devices and computers will be connected to hubs or
switches
One of the hubs or switches will usually be connected to a
4.7. Internet Service Provider (ISP) router/modem to allow LAN to connect to the internet
In doing so it then becomes part of a wide area network
These are companies that provide users with access to Advantages
the internet The sharing of resources
Provider in return for these services is charged a monthly Communication between users
or annual fee Network administrator can control and monitor all
After paying this fee, a username and password are aspects of the network
issued which can be used to connect to the internet Disadvantages
Easier spread of viruses throughout the whole
4.8. Common Network Environments network
Development of printer queues
Slower access to external networks e.g. internet
Internet
Increased security risk
A worldwide collection of networks and computers that If main server breaks down, usually the networks will
have joined together no longer function
Uses of the Internet:
Web Browsing
Email
Wireless LANs (WLANs)
File Sharing
Do not involve any wiring or cabling
Entertainment
Provide wireless network connection overs a short
Video Conferencing
distance
Online Banking
They use radio or infrared signal's instead of cables
Advertising & Blogging
Devices known as Access Points (APs) are used for a
Social Media
larger range

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APs usually use spread spectrum technology (larger Advantages Disadvantages

range)
Cannot usually connect to
Advantages Usually use wired internet
devices like Bluetooth
All computers can access the same services and connections which is more
speakers without external
resources stable/reliable than Wi-Fi
adapter
No cabling is involved
Robust Take up large desk space
The system is more exible
Adding new computers and devices is very easy Good heat dissipation- large
Bulky to carry around
Cost is reduced, and safety is improved body.
Disadvantages
Security is an issue TABLET COMPUTERS
Problems and interference can a ect the signal
The data transfer is slow than in the wired LAN Advantages Disadvantages
Smaller & lighter than
Larger & less portable than
desktops & laptops making it
Wide Area Networks (WAN) easier to carry
smartphones

WAN is formed by several LANs being connected through Uses Wi-Fi to connect to the
Larger screen than
a router or a modem internet which is less reliable
smartphones
Some companies set up Private WANs, it is expensive than wired
however it comes with a more enhanced security On-screen keyboards larger Screens are smaller than
It is common to use an Internet service provider (ISP) for than those on smartphones those on laptops & desktops
connections to the internet and communicate via this On-screen keyboard is not
network system easy to type on
Additional hardware is needed for a WAN: Routers,
modems and proxy servers MOBILE PHONES

4.9. Using Di erent Types of Computers Advantages Disadvantages

to Access the Internet Smallest most portable of all

devices
Websites are often not fully
displayed
People more likely to carry Small screen size makes
LAPTOP COMPUTERS
this wherever they go viewing websites di cult
Advantages Disadvantages Much easier to connect to Small keyboards make it
internet on-the-go di cult to type
More portable than desktops
Less portable than Allow children access to
can access internet in more
tablets/smartphones internet anywhere; can be
locations
dangerous
Larger screen than tablets & Screens not as large as
smartphones which allows desktop PCs may not appear
easier reading as clearly 4.10. Network Security Issues
Keyboards are bigger than CPUs are not as powerful as
those on tablets/smartphones those in desktops Connection to a network exposes a user to:
Touchpads allows easy Hacking: Unauthorised access given to computer.
navigation even on slanted Phishing: Phishing involves getting sensitive
surfaces information such as usernames, passwords, and
credit card detail, for malicious reasons, by mimicking
a reliable webpage on the network
DESKTOP COMPUTERS Pharming: Explained in chapter 8 card 2 (E-Safety)
Viruses: Explained in chapter 8 card 2 (E-Safety)
Advantages Disadvantages
Most websites are designed Not portable so are limited to
to be viewed on a desktop use in one room Policing the Internet
Have larger keyboards Require keyboard and mouse
making it easier to type on as extra peripheral devices Currently, the internet has no boundaries
Screens are larger so giving Anything and everything can be put online
Screen and Monitor consume For Policing:
an easier and better viewing
separate power. Prevent illegal material being posted
experience
People can easily nd info on how to become hackers
or make bombs
Prevent children from accessing undesirable websites

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Could reduce the amount of incorrect information Passports: Have an RFID chip on it that
Against Policing:
Material already available in other sources i.e. books responds to a signal sent by a RFID reader that sends
Very expensive information about the passport holder to the computer
Users would have to fund system
Di cult to enforce rules
Physical Tokens: A security token
Against freedom of information
Laws already exist to deal with perpetrators (sometimes called an authentication token) is a small
hardware device that the owner carries to authorize access
to a network service. The device may be in the form of a
Inappropriate Websites smart card or may be embedded in a commonly used object
such as a key fob.
Risk of nding undesirable websites
Risk of doubtful websites which are not genuine Retina Scans: Scans the
They could lead to problems such as undesirable web
links, security risks unique pattern of blood vessels in the eye of a user using an
unperceived beam of low-energy infrared light into a person's
4.11. Password Interception eye as they look through the scanner's eyepiece.

Iris Scans: A scanner scans and

Spyware
compares the pattern in the iris of a user to a database of
Spyware is software that gathers user information stored iris patterns, if it nds a match, the user is
through their network connections without them being authenticated. Iris scans are generally more accurate than
aware that this is happening retinal scans.
Once spyware is installed, it monitors all key presses and
transmits the information back to the person who sent out Face Recognition: Veri es the face of
the spyware
the person attempting to access the data using a face
This software can install other spyware software, read
recognition algorithm and identi es facial features by
cookies and personal information, and change the default
extracting landmarks, or features, from an image of the
home page or web browser
subject's face.
Anti-spyware can be used to search out this software and
correct the corruption Fingerprint Scanning: Scans the pattern

on ngers and veri es it against a stored database of

Weak & Strong Passwords authenticated ngerprints using pattern-matching software
to allow access to a user.
Strong passwords: A random mix of alphabets (uppercase
and lowercase), numbers, and keyboard symbols (@, %, ^
etc.)
4.13. Data Protection Act
Weak passwords: Easy to guess, e.g. users name or date
Failure to abide to rules can lead to nes or imprisonment
of birth or 1234556, etc.
Frequent password changes can help reduce the chances
of password interception too
Rules (SAREF DES SAS)
Passwords must not be shared; their strength is then of
little use.
1. Data must be Fairly and lawfully processed
2. Data can only be processed for the Stated purpose
4.12. Authentication Techniques 3. Data must be A**dequate, Relevant and not Excessive
4. Data must be Accurate
Magnetic Stripes: Card swiped through a 5. Data must not be kept longer than necessary (Short
time)
magnetic stripe reader that authenticates the user after 6. Data must be processed in accordance with the data
reading iron-based magnetic particles on a band of magnetic Subject’s right
material on the card which is also called a magstripe. 7. Data must be kept Secure
8. Data must not be transferred to another country
ID Cards: Usually a photo ID with a QR
unless (Domestic) they have adequate protection
or barcode that authenticates the user.

Guidelines

Do not leave personal information lying around

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Lock all ling cabinets when leaving an o ce Fax Email

Do not leave computer without locking or logging o
Faster sending of documents
Protect passwords Every recipient must be
per document and even if
Change passwords regularly dialled up one by one
multiple recipients
Do not fax or email anything of sensitive nature.
Expensive to buy No dedicated device needed

4.14. Network Communication

4.15. Web-Conferencing
Facsimile (Fax)
Video-Conferencing
A system that scans documents electronically and
converts them into a bit map image (a bit is a binary digit This is a method of communication between people at 2
and is a 1 or a 0) or more separate locations
Then transmitted as a series of electrical signals through It is done in real time and makes use of LAN, if internal, or
the telephone network WAN if through the internet
Receiving fax machine converts the electronic image and Uses hardware like; webcam, microphones, speakers and
prints it out on paper monitors
It is also possible to generate fax signals from a computer It also uses special software like CODEC converts and
to allow documents to be sent to a fax machine compresses analogue data into digital data to send down
Saves printing out the document rst and then passing it digital lines
through the fax machine How it works:
Fax/modem software in the computer converts the image Delegates at one end speak into a microphone and
into a form fax machines can be recognized consider the webcam
Physical Faxing: dedicated fax machine connected via The other delegates can see them and hear them
telephone line that copies and electronically sends les to using speakers and monitors
the dialled recipient However, there are several problems with these as
Electronic Faxing/Online Faxing: uses the internet to send the conference call often lags and quality not always
documents through computers. high.
Also, as travelling tickets increase in price, terrorists
Physical Faxing Electronic Faxing can use this way of communicating with each other,
Associated with a phone no. Associated with an email increasing risk
Only address and phone no.
Need actual fax machine, Cheaper- no fax machine, Audio-Conferencing
paper, etc. paper and ink
No encryption Better safety- encryption Same as video-conferencing but without webcam
The signal can get busy No busy signal issues VOIP is often used
VOIP (Voice over internet protocol) is a method used to
talk to people over internet
Email VOIP converts sound (picked up by a microphone) into
discrete digital packets that can be sent to a destination
A method for sending text and attachments from one via internet
computer to another over a network Advantage: free and can be used all over the world
Disadvantage: sound quality is usually bad
Security Issues:
Comparing Faxing & Email Identity and service theft
Viruses and malware
Fax Email Spamming (sending junk mail)
Phishing attacks (illegitimate scams)
More secure (user id and
Singed faxes are legally
password needed to access
acceptable
les)
5. The E ects of Using ICT
Digital les (no need to print –
Poor quality prints at times
eco-friendly)
Delay is telephone line busy Better quality 5.1. E ects of IT on Employment
Files can be transferred
Slow if several documents IT led to unemployment in many areas
between any device
need to be sent Manufacturing - robots have taken over many tasks
connected to the internet
and are much faster
Computer controlled warehouses – automatic, does
not need people

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Labour intensive work - printing industry and ling Causes Prevention

New jobs have been created in ICT Typing for extended periods
Writing software Take periodic breaks
of time
Maintenance of robots
Use ergonomic keyboard &
Internet related jobs Typing with incorrect posture
mouse
E ects on People: Clicking on mouse
Use a wrist rest
rapidly/extendedly
People need to be retrained due to new technology Ensure su cient space for
Cleaner working environment Holding mouse incorrectly
comfortable work
De-skilling of workforce
Working in a cramped space
Computers can now do tasks that required high skill level
Safer working environment
Fewer manual tasks such as heavy lifting Back Problems

E ect on Companies: Headaches are a potential consequence

Can employ less people Causes Prevention

Robots do not take holiday, get sick or need breaks Not sitting upright while
Greater consistency in products made Take periodic breaks
working
Use adjustable chairs with
5.2. E ects of IT on Working Patterns Sitting with poor posture
good back support
Working in a cramped space Sit upright with good posture
Part-time working: A contract where someone works
Incorrect computer screen
fewer hours per week than a full-time employee, in shifts. Keep feet at on oor
positioning
Flexible working ( exi-time): Workers can choose their
working time but will have to complete the day’s work.
Job sharing: Two or more part-time workers divide their Eye Problems
job, replacing one full-time worker.
Compressed hours: Employees can work longer hours per Headaches are a potential consequence
day but over fewer days, completing the workload sooner.
Causes Prevention
Staring at a computer for
5.3. Microprocessor-Controlled Devices extended periods of time
Take periodic breaks

in the Home Working with poor room lighting Use TFT rather than CRT
Computer screen glare/ icker Use anti-glare screens
Positive e ects Negative e ects Dirt can cause eye strain Ensure good room lighting
Lead to more leisure time No direct light on screen
since devices can be Unhealthy diets Clean dirt
programmed to do tasks
People become lazy and rely
More time to socialize
on devices 6. ICT Applications
Becoming very sophisticated
Dependency on technology
and can make use of
embedded web technology
increases 6.1. Communication Applications
More wasteful society since
Save energy - switch o
devices thrown away if they
Newsletters
automatically
fail, not economic to repair
Paper-based communication used to inform people about
Easier to program device their interests
Leaving on standby wastes
rather than set timings & Schools use these to inform parents about events/dates
resources
dates manually Advantages
Released regularly
5.4. Potential Health Problems The recipients have a permanent copy
Disadvantages
Requires distribution
Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)
There are no special e ects; sound/video/animation
This is when joints such as the shoulder, wrist or ngers There are printing costs; paper/ink
swell, causing pain
Damage gets worse if left untreated
Can lead to hand/arm immobility

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Websites With 3D animations objects are designed on a computer

and a 3D skeleton is produced
Collection of webpages, text, graphics, video and sound Parts of the skeleton are moved by the animator using key
Hosted on a web server on the internet frames
Need to write code or use a web authoring application The di erence in appearance of the skeleton in these key
Hyperlinks to other pages can be added frames is automatically calculated by the software and is
Interactive websites require programming knowledge known as tweening or morphing
Can use a camera, scanner, microphone to input data The nal stage is to make a realistic image by a technique
Usually hire space from web hosting company known as rendering
Advantages
Ability to add sound/video/animation
Links to other websites/hyperlinks
The use of hot spots Flyers & Posters
Buttons to navigate/move around the website
Hit counters to see who has visited the websites A Word processor/Desktop publisher is used to create it
Disadvantages Need to hold minimum amount of information and be
accessible very quickly
Can be hacked and modi ed or viruses introduced
Need for a computer and internet connection Need to make an immediate impact when people look at
them
Lack of portability compared with paper-based system
Need to maintain website once it is set up Anyone can produce them but there are highly skilled
professionals who can produce expert posters
Some posters require larger printers than A4
Sequence in which a ier or poster is produced on a
Multimedia Presentations computer system
A word processor or DTP application is opened
Uses a mixture of media to present information: The user creates frames, boxes and text boxes
animations, video, sound, transitions, hyperlinks If necessary, photos are taken, using a camera
Produced using software packages The images are uploaded from the camera, loaded
Used with a projector so large audience can view from a CD/DVD, scanned from hard-copy photos or
Advantages downloaded from the internet
Use of sound and animation/video e ects The photos are saved to a le
Interactive/hyperlinks built into presentations The photos are imported or copied and pasted into the
More likely to hold audience’s attention document
Disadvantages The photos are edited and typed in or imported from a
Need for special equipment – expensive le and then put into required style
May require internet access

Mobile Phones
Music Scores
Wireless devices that allow users to make phone calls
Music samplers and mixers allow original tracks that were from anywhere with cell reception
recorded in a studio to be modi ed They connect to the telephone system using radio signals
Electronic instruments can play back through electronic This requires them to be in range of a mobile tower
e ects machines Used for communication via
Synthesizers combine simple wave forms to produce Phone calls
complex music creations Text messaging
Electronic organs can mimic any other instrument Social Media
Music scores can be generated from music itself using
software
Software can automatically correct music notes in a score
There is no need to understand music notation to write a Internet Telephony/VOIP
music score
Music notes are automatically printed out in the correct VOIP (Voice over internet protocol) is a method used to
format talk to people over internet
VOIP converts sound (picked up by a microphone) into
discrete digital packets that can be sent to a destination
via the internet
Cartoons

Animations can be produced using computer hardware

and software Publicity & Corporate Image

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Publications Advantages
Faster to get results
Business Cards: Fewer errors
Miniature printed documents that provide information It is easier to do statistical analysis
about the business/organisation Less expensive to carry out; requires fewer people
Usually printed on thick cards Online questionnaires
Easily distributable to potential clients Usually use radio buttons
Information includes company logo, services, address, No data preparation needed
contact numbers, email, website Results sent directly to database for analysis
Gives a professional impression
Letterheads:
Found at the top of o cial printed documents to be
mailed to clients or for internal use Address Lists
Makes it clear to reader who the sender is
Information includes company logo, name, address, An address book on a computer or mobile phone might have
contact numbers a contact’s home address, phone number, email address,
Gives a professional impression personal information like the date of birth etc.
Easy to reply to
Flyers:
Generally printed on single sheets of A4 paper
Handed out directly to people for promotions
Cheap to produce and easily distributable (locally)
Information includes company logo, promoted product
or service, contact details
Makes it easier to target a speci c audience Clubs & Society Records
Brochures:
Also called lea ets & are like yers Need to keep a record on members usually in a database
Di erence is that they are often folded into sections Usually payment details, contact details and interests
Left on counters for pick up rather than handed out It makes it easy to match people with interests and send
Information includes company logo, promoted product information about what they are interested in
or service, contact details This can be done my using mail merging
Makes it easier to target a speci c audience Easy to check memberships and send out reminders
It is important to follow the data protection act

6.2. Data Handling Applications

Surveys School Reports

All data handling starts with data collection Database applications such as SIMS store large amounts
Data capture forms can be used for many applications of data which can be used to create annual and termly
Decide what needs to be collected and then what school reports
questions should be used to collect it Things able to be gathered from here are:
Paper or electronically Data individual to student – tests/exam results
Rules for creating forms Student progress – target grades being met or not
Make them look o cial Number of absences – create a percentage of amount
Spaces should be thought about giving enough space of days attended school
for answers Teacher comments – adds comments on to report
Restrict the amount of possible answers, do not use
open questions
If open questions are used limit the amount of space
6.3. Measurement Applications
available for answers
Sensors are used to send data to a computer where the
Asking for ‘Name’ needs to be carefully thought about
data is processed
Are you asking for sensitive information?
The computer simply reviews the data from the sensors
People may not feel comfortable being truthful
(by comparing it to data stored in memory) and updates
What names do you want?
its les and/or gives a warning signal if the values are
First name, family name etc.
outside given parameters
Date of Birth
No changes to the process are made
What format do you want it in?
Examples:
Give instructions about how to answer questions
Scienti c experiments
How will the data be collected?
Weather stations
Paper surveys are scanned using OMR or OCR

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Analogue & Digital Data Intensive Care Units in Hospitals

Digital data: discrete, xed value (used by computers) Sensors read key vital signs (such as pulse/heart rate,
Analogue data/signals: continuous value that varies temperature, blood pressure, respiration, etc.)
smoothly The data from the sensors is converted into digital using
Analogue device = measure length, weight, an ADC
temperature etc. The data is stored in the computer memory
E.g. Thermometer – represents temp. by the height of The computer compares the data from the sensor with
the liquid column the values stored in its memory
Sensors: measure physical and analogue qualities The results are output on a screen in the form of graphs
Analogue data from sensors needs to be converted into and/or digital read-outs
digital data using an analogue to digital data converter An alarm is activated if any of the data is outside
(ADC) so that the computer can understand and process acceptable parameters
the data from the sensors The system continues to monitor the patient until the
If the computer sends signals to motors, valves, etc. then computer is turned o
this data also needs to be converted to analogue using a
digital to analogue converter (DAC) so that the computer
can e ectively control these devices
Advantages of Using Computers in

Measurement
Analogue to Digital Converter (ADC)
The computer will not forget to take readings
Used when you want to attach an analogue input device to The computer’s response time is much faster, which is
a digital device such as a computer. particularly important in the patient monitoring example
This is so the analogue data can be Doctors, nurses, scientists, etc. can all get on with other
understood/processed by the computer since computers tasks while the monitoring is done automatically
only work w/digital data Computer give 24 hours cover every day (i.e. 24/7)
E.g. When processing data sent from a sensor The readings will tend to be more accurate
Readings can be taken more frequently if they are done
by a computer and sensors
It could also be safer if whatever is being monitored may
Digital to Analogue Converter (DAC) have potential hazards (e.g. children falling into the river
whilst attempting to take readings)
Used when you want to attach an analogue output device
to a digital device such as a computer
E.g. If the computer is being used to control a device
(motor/valve) the device will be controlled by variable Disadvantages of Using Computers in
voltages; the DAC will be used to send out analogue
signals Measurement

Expensive to purchase and set up

If performed for educational purposes, reduced practical
Pollution Monitoring hands-on experience and learning.
Will not function in a power cut if no backup power
Example: monitoring oxygen levels in a river present (expensive to have reliable backup power)
Sensors read data from the river (oxygen levels and
acidity levels using a pH sensor) 6.4. Microprocessors in Control
The data from the sensors is converted into digital using
an ADC Applications
The computer stores the received data
The oxygen levels and acidity levels are compared to the Sensors are used to send data to a computer where the
historical data stored in memory and they are also data is processed
compared to alarm levels stored in memory The computer reviews the data from the sensors (by
One of two things will now happen: either the data is comparing it to data stored in memory)
transferred to a CD/DVD or to a memory stick and taken If the values are outside the given parameters/pre-set
away for analysis later or the computer is connected into value it acts to try and get the values within acceptable
a mobile phone network and transmits the data back ranges
automatically to the monitoring station It does this by sending signals to devices controlling the
process

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Turtle Graphics Central Heating System

Based on computer language called LOGO and is now Applying factors

usually known as turtle graphics Inputs
It is the control of the movement of a ‘turtle’ on a Inputs from the user
computer screen by several key instructions which can be Room temperature required
typed in Time systems turns on/o
The use of ‘repeat’ instructions makes a piece of code Inputs from the system
more e cient Actual room temperature
Clock giving the time
Command Meaning Outcome
FORWARD x Move x cm forward Heating or cooling room during the required times
BACKWARD x Move x cm backward Outputs
Boiler
LEFT d Turn left through d degrees
Air conditioner
RIGHT d Turn right through d degrees Processing
REPEAT n Repeat next set of instructions n times Check time against the one input and switches on
ENDREPEAT Finish the repeat loop when that time is reached
Same done to check when to turn o
PENUP Lift the pen up
When on, microprocessor reads temperature from
PENDOWN Lower the pen sensor and compares it with desired temperature
If too low, it will heat up by turning the boiler on
and if it’s too high it will turn the air conditioner
on
Automatic Washing Machines These will stay on until desired temperature is
reached
Have a microprocessor in them which contains the
software which controls the washing machine
Appling the factors
Inputs Automatic Cookers
Pressure sensor on the door to detect if open or
closed Have temperature sensors and timers with manual
Sensor to detect if the required level of water is in controls to set start and end times, and temperature for
Temperature sensor to check temperature cooking.
Outcome Working similar to Central Heating System.
Clothes have been washed
Outputs
Heater
Motor to spin drum Burglar Alarms
Lights on machine to show user stage the cycle is
at Burglar alarms detect any intrusion.
Actuators to turn the inlet valves on to allow hot Sensors such as motion sensors, door and window
and cold water into the machine sensors, magnetic sensors, multi-functional sensors
Actuator to turn the outlet valve on to let the water (vibration, shutter, and temperature) measure the
out of the machine when the wash is complete physical quantity and inputs the value to a
An actuator to control the pump microprocessor.
Processing The microprocessor compares the input values with
the preset values, if changes are detected, the
Software to make decisions which will allow the
microprocessor sends signals to the actuator
clothes to be washed
The actuator activates the sirens or gives a phone call
Time taken before next inputs
or messages the input mobile number.
Timer as part of the software
Time di erent cycles (when to add
soap/conditioner/etc.)
Time delay in measuring temperature Glasshouse
Needs to be time for changes to have e ect
Unmanageable situations Temperature controlled the same as central heating
Door may not be shut system
Needs to draw user’s attention Humidity must also be controlled
Usually a buzzer and light Humidity sensor tells computer how humid it is

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Computer then decides to turn the water supply to bodies, welding bodywork, manufacturing of microchips
sprayers etc.
Windows also operated by the computer Control of robots is either through embedded
Need to nd the balance of how often to have windows microprocessors or linked to a computer system
open Programming of the robot to do a task is generally done in
Blinds that can be computer controlled two ways:
Light sensor measures light intensity The robot is programmed with a sequence of
When sun is strong the computer actuates electric instructions which allow it to carry out a series of tasks
motors which close blinds Alternatively, a human operator manually carries out
Control in glasshouse is more likely to be used in a series of tasks and how each task is done is relayed
commercial areas or large glasshouses not in gardens back to the robot (embedded processor) or controlling
computer. The sequence of instructions is
6.5. Modelling Applications remembered so that the robot can automatically carry
out each task identically each time (e.g. assembling
parts in a television)
A mathematical computer model is created to manipulate
Robots are often equipped with sensors so they can
variables and see real time changes in terms of gures.
gather important information about their surroundings
Used to nd how mechanisms control a system.
Sensors also prevent them from doing ‘stupid things’, such
Advantages:
as stopping a robot spraying a car if no car is present, or
Cheaper than building physical system to test
stopping the spraying operation if the supply of paint has
Safer than building system and experimenting
run out etc.
Easier to experiment with various scenarios
Robots are very good at repetitive tasks
Quicker as no need to build system
However, if there are many di erent tasks (e.g. making
Near-impossible tests involving space and volcanic
specialist glassware for some scienti c work) then it is
scenarios can be modelled risk-free
often better to still use human operators
What if analysis can be conducted that allow a certain
gure to be computed by letting the computer change
other variables that a ect the value needed to be set.
Advantages
E.g.
Robots can work in environments harmful to human
operators
The can work non-stop (24/7)
They are less expensive in the long term (they don’t need
wages) however they are expensive to buy initially
Productivity is higher, since they do not need holidays, are
not ill etc.
There is greater consistency – every car coming o a
production line is identical
They can do boring, repetitive tasks, leaving humans free
to do more skilled work

Disadvantages

Robots nd it di cult to do ‘unusual’ tasks (e.g. one-o

glassware for a chemical company)
They replace skilled labour, leading to unemployment
Since robots do many of the tasks once done by humans,
there is a risk of de-skilling
When making a computer model, consider: Because robots are independent of the skills base,
What and how data should be collected factories can be moved anywhere in the world, again
Working of the system in real life. causing unemployment

6.6. Applications in Manufacturing 6.7. School Management Systems

Industries Learner registration and attendance
ID cards with magnetic tapes: The students will have
Robotics to swipe their ID cards, which contain the student’s
name, school’s name, date of birth and the
Robots are used in many areas of manufacturing, from registration ID, when they enter and leave the school,
heavy work right through to delicate operations e.g. car this way time is saved and the attendance is more
accurate.

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Biometrics: Every student’s ngerprint is stored on a Customer clicks on performance they wish to see
database along with their personal information, the They enter date and time of performance and required
students must put their nger on a ngerprint scanner number of seats
to enter or leave the school premises. A seating display at theatre is then shown on screen and
user clicks where they want to sit
Advantages Disadvantages Database searched to check availability of selected seats.
Fingerprints are unique, so If seating plan shown on screen, this isn’t required
another student can’t give Collecting every student’s If seats available, seat numbers are shown together with
their attendance for ngerprint initially is time- total price
somebody else, like with an ID consuming. If customer is happy with this, they select ‘con rm’
card. The seats are now temporarily set at ‘no longer available’
Fingerprint scanners are The customer then enters their personal details or
ID cards can be lost, whereas indicates that they are a returning customer
more expensive than
ngerprints can’t be. They select a payment method and make the payment
magnetic stripe readers.
The theatre seats are then booked in the customer’s
Magnetic elds can a ect an Damages on the nger will
name
ID card. deny access.
The nal details are shown on the screen, together with a
There is an invasion of privacy reference number
Copies of ID cards can be
in storing ngerprints on a An email is sent to the customer which they print out as
made easily.
school database. their proof of purchase. In some cases, this also acts as
their printed ticket when they go to the theatre – an e
Learner performance ticket
Spreadsheets can be used to record students’ The database is updated with the transaction
performances. It is easier to compare each other’s
performances and an individual student’s
performance over the academic year.
Disadvantages
Advantages
Organising examinations No double booking as very Set-up and Maintenance
Makes sure that the students are enrolled for the right minimal delay. expensive
exams.
Immediate booking and Computer and reliable
Prints the exam timetables.
selection of seats internet access required
Allots examination rooms and the invigilator.
Gathers the results and puts them into the student Sever crashes can result in
Bookings can be made any
database. the bookings completely
time
Creating timetables and managing teaching stopping
cover/substitution Digital ticket; printing and Need for website to be well
Considers the student’s choices, availability of postage costs designed to ensure ease of
teachers and rooms, subject clashes and the number reduced/eliminated use
of hours needed for each subject to produce accurate QR codes for authentication; No special relation built with
timetables that can easily be made changes to and no need for human, can use booking agent who can give
cover with teacher to be substituted. scanner; reduced costs special promotions etc.
School management systems:
in booking seats if the response is not immediate then can
Advantages Disadvantages cause problems like double booking)
Absenteeism can be Operating the software will
addressed more easily. need some training.
The initial cost of the software Real-time Process Control
Parents are kept updated.
is expensive.
Unauthorised access will have An example of online processing
Reduced workload for Very di erent to real-time (transaction) processing
to be prevented as there is
teachers. System usually involves sensors and feedback loops
lots of personal information.
In real-time process control, physical quantities are
They are helpful for the
continually monitored and input is processed su ciently
decision making of the
quickly to in uence the input source
administration department

6.9. Banking Applications

6.8. Booking Systems
Online banking systems rely on the ability to update les
Booking systems are used for transport ( ights, trains and immediately, thus preventing double booking, which could
buses), cinemas and theatres happen if the system response time was slow
Theatre booking system example:

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The use of computer technology has revolutionized how The readings are constantly compared with the pre-
we do our banking transactions, for example: set values, if the values aren’t in the prescribed range,
Internet banking the medical sta s are noti ed.
The use of automated teller machines (ATMs) Hospital management system: All the above-mentioned
Chip and PIN technology points come under the hospital management system
which holds all of them, and can be used to access data
from all the departments.
Expert systems:
Automated teller machines (ATMs) The interactive screen asks a series of question for
the doctor to answers, using a keyboard or a touch
Automated teller machines (ATMs) are places where screen.
customers can get cash (or carry out certain other The inference engine compares the symptoms with
banking activities such as order a statement) using their the knowledge base, using the rule base to nd
credit or debit card matches
The system suggests the possible illness with a
What goes on behind the
Sequence at ATM probability of each, cures and recommendations on
scenes
the next step to be taken.
Customer puts card into Contact is made with bank’s The explanation system will explain how that
ATM computer particular diagnosis was suggested.
PIN is checked to see if it is Using 3D printers in medicine:
PIN is entered using the correct Surgical and diagnostic aids: A CT or MRI is used to
keypad Card is checked to see if it is produce images of the internal parts of the body. A 3D
valid printer can then be used to reproduce the internal
A number of options are organs as a solid object.
given: change PIN, top up Prosthetics: 3D printers are used to print out arti cial
mobile, see balance, get body parts such as false tooth, arti cial limbs, hearing
money aids, etc. This is a less expensive method of replacing
The customer selects the body parts.
cash option & several cash Tissue engineering: Used to produce layers of cells to
options are shown replace damaged tissues.
Design of medical tools and equipment: Tools can be
The customer’s account is
made faster and with reduced costs. They can also be
The customer accepts one of accessed to see if they have
made changes to easily, whereas it wasn’t the same
the options or types in a su cient funds, it is checked to
with traditional methods.
di erent amount see if they are withdrawing
more than their daily limit
The customer is asked if they 6.11. Computers in Libraries
want a receipt
Many library systems are computer controlled
The card is returned Transaction is okay
They usually involve the use of barcodes on the books
Money is dispensed Customer’s account is updated being borrowed and on the borrower’s library card
The following describes a computerized library system
6.10. Computers in Medicine based on barcodes
There are two les:
Patient records: Database that holds patient details and Book le, containing elds for example: barcode, book
can be accessed from any computer within the hospital title, name of author etc.
intranet. Borrower’s le, containing elds for example:
Patient identi cation: Barcodes on wristbands of the borrower’s number, borrower’s name etc.
patients can be used to access their patient record. When a borrower takes out a book, the book’s code is
Pharmacy records: scanned
Generates labels for drugs The book details are then found on book le
Checks if the patient is allergic to a particular drug. The borrower’s library card barcode is then scanned for
Patient monitoring: the borrower’s unique number
Sensors measure changes in temperature, heart rate, The book le is linked to the borrower’s le and both les
breathing rate, brain activity, blood pressure, blood are updated to indicate which book has been borrowed
sugar levels and oxygen levels in the patient’s body. and when it is due back
The analogue signals from the sensors are converted The borrower’s le is interrogated daily by the computer
into digital signals using an analogue to digital to see which books are overdue for return:
converter. The computer reads a record from the book le
Graphs are produced to show trends over time. It compares the date due back with the current date

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If the date due back is less than (or equal to) the Disadvantages
current date (i.e. earlier date) …
…using the barcode number of the book… They tend to lack common sense in some of the decision-
…the book le is linked to the borrower’s le… making processes
…and the corresponding record is read from the Errors in the knowledge base can lead to incorrect
borrower’s le decisions being made
The customer details are then found and a letter or It can be expensive to set up in the rst place
email is automatically sent out Considerable training is necessary to ensure the system
The next record in the book le is then read… is sued correctly by the operators
…until the whole le has been checked

6.12. Expert Systems Components of an Expert System

These systems have been developed to mimic the User Interface

expertise and knowledge of an expert in a particular eld
Examples include: This is the only thing that the end user sees
Diagnosing a person’s illness Allows the user to interact with the system
Diagnostics ( nding faults in a car engine, nding Often requires training to operate e ectively
faults on a circuit board, etc.)
Knowledge base
Prospecting for oil and minerals
Tax and nancial calculations This is a database designed to allow the complex storage
Chess games and retrieval requirements of a computerized knowledge-
Identi cation of plants, animals and chemical based management system (in support of an expert
compounds system)
Road scheduling for delivery vehicles
Inference engine

This is software that attempts to derive answers from the

knowledge base using a form of reasoning
It is how expert systems appear to use human-like
reasoning when accessing information from the
knowledge base in an e ort to nd a conclusion to a given
Expert System Setup problem
The inference engine is a type of reasoning engine
Experts in the eld are interviewed to nd out what is
needed in the expert system Rules base
Data is then collected from these experts
A knowledge base is designed and then created This is made up of a series of ‘inference rules’ (e.g. IF the
country is in South America AND the language used is
The rules base is designed and created
The inference engine is designed and created Portuguese THEN the country must be Brazil)
These inference rules are used by the inference engine to
The input screen and output format are also designed and
draw conclusions
created – this is known as the user interface
They closely follow human-like reasoning
The expert system is tested against known conditions and
scenarios
It is also checked to see if it meets the original
speci cation
Suggesting Diagnoses
Experts are interviewed about how e ective it is before
the expert system goes out on general release The interactive screen asks a series of question for the
doctor to answers, using a keyboard or a touch screen.
Advantages
The inference engine compares the symptoms with the
Expert systems provide consistent answers knowledge base, using the rule base to nd matches.
They never ‘forget’ to answer a question when The system suggests the possible illness with a probability
determining the logic of each, cures and recommendations on the next step to
Using expert systems reduces the time taken to solve a be taken.
problem The explanation system will explain how that particular
A less skilled worker force is needed, which gives the diagnoses was suggested.
potential of saving money, but also allows areas of the
world access to expertise which they could not normally 6.13. Computers in the Retail Industry
a ord
Automatic Stock Control

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Automatic stock control systems rely on the use of You can shop 24/7
barcodes Shop from any part of the world
Barcodes now appear on most products sold in shops You save the travelling costs of going for shopping
They allow quick identi cation of product details once the Disadvantages
barcode has been scanned by a barcode reader Quality isn’t assured
Supermarkets use electronic point of sale (EPOS) People are worried about giving their card details
terminals, which incorporate a barcode reader that scans online.
the barcode, retrieve the price of the article and relay Packing and postal charges are added
information back to the computer system allowing it to Personal services that you get from stores are
update its les missed.
Barcodes are made up of alternating dark and light lines Returning the products is harder
of varying thickness No relaxation that you get from actual shopping
A number underneath the barcode usually consists of four Bogus sites are present where you pay and never
parts: country code, manufacturer’s code, product code, receive the product
and a check digit To seller:
The check digit is a form of validation which is used to Advantages
make sure no errors occurred during the reading of the No need to pay rents
barcode No xed working hours
Every time the barcode is read, this calculation is Less/no shoplifting
performed to ensure that it has been scanned correctly Sell goods to customers anywhere in the world
Cheaper to contact customers (via e-mail)
Site warehouse where rental is cheap
Sell goods 24/7
Electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sale (EFTPOS) Disadvantages
ICT knowledge needed to set up website
Many credit cards are equipped with a chip as well as a Unemployment
magnetic stripe – containing the PIN Business abroad is lost if the prices are cheaper
This system is designed to enhance security since it is there
better than relying only on a signature At times of network failures, there will be no
When paying for items using a chip and PIN card, a form access
of electronic funds transfer (EFT) takes place Not everybody can access the internet, so a few
customers are lost
Paying for a meal example
Customer’s personal data can be hacked
Waiter inserts card into chip and PIN reader Postal charges discourage people at times
Restaurant’s bank contact customer’s bank
Card is checked to if valid 6.14. Recognition Systems
If card is stolen or expired, then transaction is terminated
Customer enters PIN using keypad Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems:
PIN is read from chip on card and is compared to one just A sensor sends signals to a microprocessor, which
keyed in instructs a camera to capture the front of a vehicle.
If they are the same, the transaction can proceed OCR software is used to read the number plate from
Check is then made on whether they have enough funds the image. The characters are then converted to text
If there are not enough funds available, transaction is format in order to store it in a database
terminated. Otherwise, transaction is authorized Processing of cheques:
Authorization code is sent to restaurant The value of a cheque is printed in special ink
Price of meal is deducted from customer’s account containing iron particles when a cheque is presented.
Same amount of money is credited to restaurant’s bank MICR is used to read the characters at the bottom of
account the cheque.
Receipt is produced as proof of purchase A batch processing method is then used to process all
the cheques at the end of a speci c time period.
OMR media in schools:
School registers: Paper-based registers are fed into
Internet Shopping
OMR to be scanned and are then stored on a
database.
Online shopping: Shopping over the internet.
Multiple-choice examination papers: The position of a
To customer:
mark is stored in a computer’s memory after being
Advantages
read by the OMR device using a template that maps
Cheaper goods (the company doesn’t have to pay
out the X-Y coordinates of each lozenge (pen/pencil
rent for stores and doesn’t need more employees)
mark).
Wide range of products
RFID in passports:
Delivery at your doorstep

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The data on the RFID chip is read when the passport is Car park management: the system reads the
scanned. registration number and if allowed into the car park,
A photo of you is clicked which is then compared with the barrier is raised.
the image stored in the RFID chip. Electronic toll collection: the system recognizes the
If the face-recognition passes, some checks are made vehicle and deducts the fare accordingly.
in turn to make sure you are eligible to enter the
country, and if you are, the gate opens automatically.
RFID in contactless payments:
The embedded chip on credit/debit cards and the Cookies
antenna enable customers to wave their card over a
reader at the point of sale terminals to make Cookies are small les sent to a user’s computer via their
payments web browser when they visit certain websites
Smartphone apps can also be used to make They store information about the users and this data is
contactless payments. accessed each time they visit the website
For example:
They remember who the user is and send messages
6.15. Monitoring & Tracking Systems such as “Welcome Sarah” each time they log onto the
website
Public monitoring/tracking: They recognize the user’s buying preferences e.g. if a
Ankle monitor: uses RFID chip to give out the person’s user buys CDs, pop ups related to their buying habits
location and other details. It is tamper proof and will will appear on the user’s screen each time they visit
alert authorities if tried to remove. the website
Phone call tracking: the service provider tracks the Without cookies, web server would have no way of
calls and the exact position from which they were knowing that the user had visited website before
made For this reason, cookies could be used to monitor one’s
Worker monitoring/tracking: Workers are internet activity
monitored/tracked in the following ways:
Supermarket workers: have the number of items
passing through the tills over a period of time
6.16. Satellite Systems
monitored.
Internet use is monitored by network managers: they Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
can check sites visited and time spent on that site
during working hours. Used to determine the exact location of several modes of
Emails can be read: Employers can check that no transport
personal mails are sent during o ce hours. Cars usually refer to GPS as satellite navigation systems
Delivery drivers: Their location can be tracked using Satellites surrounding the Earth transmit signals to the
GPS systems. It can also be checked if they are surface
following the shortest route and aren’t speeding. Computers installed in the mode of transport receive and
Key logging: Software that records the keys pressed by a interpret these signals
user on the keyboard. They are used to nd username Knowing their position on the Earth depends on very
and passwords of a user. accurate timing – atomic clocks are used in the satellites
Employee call monitors: Allows the employer to listen to which are accurate to within a fraction of a second per
employee’s telephone calls. There are three ways it can day
be used: Each satellite transmits data indicating its position & time
Monitor: The manager/supervisor can listen to calls The computer on board the mode of transport calculates
without the employee or the customer’s awareness. its exact position based on the information from at least
Whisper: The manager can help the employee with the three satellites
call, but the customer can’t hear the manager speak.
Barge: Both the employee and the customer can hear
the manager
Satellite Navigation
Employee call monitors: Allows the employer to listen to
employee’s telephone calls. Call monitors can be used:
Used to determine the exact location of a car.
to improve the employee’s performance
The computers onboard can be used to show
to allow the manager/supervisor to join a call where
directions to a destination.
necessary
as a training tool
Uses of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR)
systems: Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Tra c enforcement: the system can check if a vehicle
is taxed, recognize cars parked illegally, cars speeding Used to capture, manage, analyse and display
or going through red lights so a ne can be imposed. geographically referenced information.

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Use to determine distance between two places. 4 Common Methods of Fact Finding
Used to nd the nearest petrol station or restaurant,
etc. Observation
To protect animal and plant life in certain vulnerable
places. Involves watching personnel using the existing system to
Can be used in geography, science or engineering nd out exactly how it works
lessons. Advantages
The analyst obtains reliable data
It is possible to see exactly what us being done
It is a relatively inexpensive method
Media Communication Systems Disadvantages
People are generally uncomfortable being watched
Using satellite signals for communication. and may work in a di erent way
Used by media companies when sending If workers perform tasks that violate standard
stories/videos/pictures from remote locations. procedures, they may not do this while being watched

7. System Life Cycle

Interviews

Involves a one-to-one question-and-answer session

between the analyst and the employee/customer
7.1. Introduction Advantages
It gives the opportunity to motivate the interviewee
A systems analysis team is often brought in to review an into giving open and honest answers to the analyst’s
existing system and suggest several improvements questions
The existing method used may be either a manual paper- It allows the analyst to probe for more feedback from
based system or a computer-based operation that is no the interviewee, as it is easier to extend a question
longer regarded as adequate for the task It is possible to modify questions as the interview
proceeds and ask questions speci c to the interviewee
7.2. Analysis It is a good method if the analyst wants to probe
deeply into one speci c aspect of the existing system
The basic steps in the analysis stage can be summarized Disadvantages
It can be rather time consuming
as follows:
It is relatively expensive, due to the use of the analyst’s
time
The interviewee cannot remain anonymous

Questionnaires

Involves sending out questionnaires to the work force

and/or to customers to nd out views of the existing
system and nd out how some key tasks are carried out
Advantages
The questions can be answered quite quickly
It is a relatively inexpensive method
Individuals can remain anonymous if they want
1. Fact nding/collecting data from the current system It allows quick analysis of the data
2. Description of the current system – establishing the Disadvantages
inputs, outputs and processing being done Often the number of returned questionnaire is low
3. Identi cation of the problems with the current system The questions are rather in exible since they have to
4. Agreeing the objectives with the customer be generic
5. Identifying and agreeing the customer’s requirements There is no immediate way to clarify a vague or
6. Interpreting the customer’s requirements incomplete answer to a question
7. Producing a cost-bene t analysis
Looking at Existing Paperwork
8. Producing a data ow diagram
Allows the analyst to see how the paper les are kept, look at
operating instructions and training manuals, check the
accounts, etc.

Advantages
It allows information to be obtained which was not
possible by any of the other methods

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The analyst can see for themselves how the paper Character/type Check: Checks that the input data does not
system operates contain invalid characters
It allows the analyst to get some idea of the scale of E.g. A person’s name should not contain any numbers,
the problem, memory size requirements, type of but a person’s height should only contain digits
input/output devices needed Format/picture Check: Checks that data is in a speci c
Disadvantages format
It can be very time consuming E.g. Date should be in the form dd/mm/yyyy
Because of the analyst’s time, it is a relatively Limit Check: Similar to range check except that only one of
expensive method the limits (boundaries) is checked
E.g. Input data must be > 10
7.3. Design Presence Check: Checks if data is actually present and
has not been missed out
E.g. In an electronic form, a person’s telephone
Once the analysis has taken place and the systems
number may be a required eld and if no data is
analyst has some idea of the scale of the problem and
present this should give rise to an error message
what needs to be done, the next stage is to design the key
Consistency Check: Checks if elds correspond (tie up)
parts of the recommended system
with each other
A list of tasks is summarized here
E.g. If ‘Mr’ has been typed into a eld called title then
Designing data capture forms/input forms
the gender eld must contain either ‘M’ or ‘Male
Designing screen layouts
Check Digit: Look at an extra digit which is calculated from
Designing output forms and reports
the digits of a number and then put on the end of the
Producing systems owcharts and/or pseudo code
number
Selecting and designing validation rules that need to
E.g. Check digits can identify three types of error:
be used
If two digits have been inverted during input
Selecting the most appropriate data veri cation
An incorrect digit entered twice
methods
A digit missed out altogether
Designing and agreeing the le structures and tables
Selecting and designing the hardware requirements
Selecting and designing the software requirements 7.4. Development & Testing
Producing algorithms or program owcharts
Designing a testing strategy/plan Once the design stage is completed, it is then necessary
to create the system and fully test it
This section considers some of the development stages
and testing strategies which are often adopted by system
Veri cation analysts

A way of preventing errors when data is copied from one

medium to another
Double entry: data is entered twice, sometimes by two Development stages
di erent people
The computer compares the two entries, either after If the system contains les (e.g. a database) then the le
data entry or during the data entry process, and structure needs to be nalized at this stage (e.g. what
identi es any di erences type of data is being stored in each eld, length of each
Visual check: checking for errors by comparing entered eld, which eld will be the key eld, how the data les will
data on the screen with the data in the original document be linked, etc.)
(not the same as proof reading) Once the le structure has been determined, it is then
created and fully tested to make sure it is robust when the
system actually goes live
Since it is important that correct data is stored in les,
Validation there are certain techniques that need to be adopted to
make sure the data populating the le and database is at
Process where data is checked to see if it satis es certain least of the right type & that it conforms to certain rules
criteria when input into a computer, for example to see if Validation routines and veri cation methods are used to
the data falls within accepted boundaries ensure this happens
Range Check: Checks whether data is within Again, routines have to be fully tested to ensure they trap
given/acceptable values. unwanted data but also to make sure any data
E.g. A person’s age should be in range > 0 but < 150 transferred from a paper-based system to an electronic
Length Check: Checks if the input data contains the system has been done accurately
required number of characters Any system being developed will have some form of user
E.g. If a eld needs six digits then inputting a ve- or interface
seven-digit number, for example should cause an The types of hardware were chosen in the design stage
error message

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How these are used to interface with the nal system now chosen for a particular application
needs to be identi ed, for example how the screens will
be used to collect the data and the way the output will be
presented
If specialist hardware is needed (e.g. for people with
disabilities), then it will be necessary to nalize how these
devices are used with the system when it is implemented
This will be followed by thorough testing to ensure the
user screens are user friendly and that the correct output
is associated with the inputs to the system

4 Common Methods of Changing Systems

Testing strategies Direct

Testing of each module needs to be done to ensure each The old system is stopped overnight and the new system
one functions correctly on its own introduced immediately
Once the development of each module is completed, the Advantages
whole system needs to be tested (i.e. all modules The bene ts are immediate
functioning together) Costs are reduced - since only one system is used
Even though each individual module may work there is no need to pay for two sets of sta
satisfactorily, when they are all put together there may be There is less likelihood of a malfunction since the new
data clashes, incompatibility and memory issues system will have been fully tested
All of this may lead to a need to improve the input and Disadvantage
output methods, le and database structures, validation This method can be disastrous if the new system fails
and veri cation methods
Parallel Running
Then the system will need to be fully tested again
It is a very time-consuming process but the system must The old and new systems are run side by side for a time
be as perfect as possible before it goes live before the new system takes over altogether
Testing will use many di erent types of data, which will Advantages
fall into one of three categories: normal, extreme or If the new system fails, the old system is still available
abnormal as a back-up
Let us suppose one of the elds in a database is the date It is possible to train sta gradually
and this must be in the form dd/mm/yyyy, where each Sta have time to get used to the new system
element of the date must be numeric: Disadvantage
Normal: this is data which is acceptable/valid and has It is more expensive than direct changeover, since
an expected (known) outcome, e.g. the month can be extra sta are needed to run both systems together
any whole number in the range 1 to 12
Extreme: this is data at the limits of Pilot Implementation
acceptability/validity, e.g. the month can be either of
the two end values i.e. 1 or 12 The new system is introduced into one part of the
Abnormal: this is data outside the limits of company (e.g. into a warehouse of a supermarket) and its
acceptability/validity and should be rejected or cause performance assessed
an error message Advantages
For example, all the following values are not allowed If the new system fails, only one part of the company is
as inputs for the month: a ected
Negative numbers (e.g. -1, -15) It is possible to train sta in one area only, which is
Any value greater than 12 (e.g. 32, 45) much faster and less costly than parallel running
Letters or other non-numeric data (e.g. July) The costs are also less than parallel running, since
Non-integer values (e.g. 3.5, 10.75) only one part of the system is being used in the pilot
Disadvantage
It is more expensive than direct changeover, since
7.5. Implementation each pilot scheme needs to be evaluated before the
next stage is introduced
Once the system is fully tested, the next stage is to fully
implement it Phased Implementation
We will now consider changeover to the new system in
more depth Initially, only part of the new system is introduced
There are four common methods used for changing over Only when it proves to work satisfactorily is the next part
from the old system to the new system introduced, and so on, until old system is fully replaced
Each one has advantages and disadvantages which need Advantages
to be weighed up before the most appropriate method is

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If the latest part fails, it is only necessary to go back in User documentation is designed to help users to learn
the system to the point of failure, hence failure is not how to use the software or system
disastrous This can consist of any of the following:
It is possible to ensure the system works properly the purpose of the system/program/software package
before expanding how to log in/log out
Disadvantages how to load/run the software
This is more expensive than direct changeover, since how to save les
it is necessary to evaluate each phase before moving how to do a search
to the next stage how to sort data
how to do printouts
how to add, delete or amend records
screen layouts (input)
Comparing Changeover Methods print layouts (output)
hardware requirements
Changeover method Direct Parallel Pilot Phased software requirements
Relative costs Low High Medium Medium sample runs (with test data and results)
Input needed by the user Medium High Low Medium error handling/meaning of errors
Input needed by systems troubleshooting guide/help lines/FAQs
Low* Low Medium Medium tutorials
team
Impact of failure High Low Low Medium
7.7. Evaluation
7.6. Documentation Once a system is up and running it is necessary to do
some evaluation and carry out any maintenance, if
Once the new system is fully developed, a considerable necessary.
amount of documentation needs to be produced This is done to ensure the e ciency of the system, the
For the end user ease of use of the system, and the appropriateness of the
For people who may need to modify or develop the system.
system further at some later stage The following is a list of some of the things considered
There is some overlap between the two types of when evaluating how well the new system has worked.
documentation, but the basic requirements are shown This can ultimately lead back to a re-design of part of the
below system if there is strong evidence to suggest that changes
need be made.
To evaluate the system, the analyst will:
compare the nal solution with the original
Technical Documentation
requirement
identify any limitations in the system
Technical documentation is designed to help
identify any necessary improvements that need to be
programmers & analysts who need to make
made
improvements or repair/maintain to the system
evaluate the user’s responses to using the new system
This can consist of any of the following:
compare test results from the new system with results
purpose of the system/program/software
from the old system
program listing/coding
compare the performance of the new system with the
programming language used
performance of the old system
owchart/algorithm
observe users performing set tasks, comparing old
input formats
with new
hardware requirements
measure the time taken to complete tasks, comparing
software requirements
old with new
minimum memory requirements
interview users to gather responses about how well
known bugs in the system
the new system works
list of variables used (and their meaning/description)
give out questionnaires to gather responses about the
le structures
ease of use of the new system
sample runs (with test data and results)
Some results from the evaluation may require changes to
output formats
either hardware or software. Hardware may need to be
validation rules
updated because:
meaning of error messages
of feedback from end users
new hardware comes on the market, making change
necessary
User Documentation there are changes within the company which require
new devices to be added or updated

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Software may need to be updated because: If personal data is leaked (data breach), the following can
of feedback from end users occur:
changes to the company structure or how the Identity theft
company works may need modi cations to the Bank fraud
software Damages to personal property
changes in legislation may need modi cations to the Kidnapping (if kidnappers get access to the victim’s
software address.
Etc.

8. Safety & Security

To prevent the above, it is essential that personal data is
protected.
Personal data can be leaked intentionally and

8.1. Physical Safety unintentionally. Electronic data is at risk due to: hacking,
viruses, spyware, phishing, pharming, Smishing, vishing,
ransomware (A malicious program that encrypts data on
Ways of eliminating or minimizing a computer system and demands for a ransom to provide
Safety hazard
hazard and decrypt the data), spam, moderated and un-
Use a residual circuit breaker moderated forums, cookies, etc.
(RCB), Check insulation on wires If a student shares a photograph of themselves in their
Electrocution from
regularly, Do not allow drinks near school uniform on social media, then paedophiles, child
spilling drinks
computers, Check equipment predators, kidnappers, etc. can physically reach the
regularly student. This should not be done
Cable ducts- make wires safe,
Tripping over trailing
Cover wires/tuck them away, Use
wires
wireless connections
Internet Safety
Strong desk/tables to support
heavy hardware, Use large desks
Heavy equipment falling To keep personal data safe, one must:
and tables so that hardware
Not give unknown people (on the internet) personal
doesn’t fall o edge
information or send pictures of oneself to them.
Have a CO2 re extinguisher Maintain privacy settings to control which cookies are
nearby, Don’t cover equipment on their computer
Fire risk from
vents- can cause equipment to Use learner friendly search engines and websites
overloading sockets or
overheat, Make sure hardware is recommended by your educational institution, e.g.
equipment overheating
fully maintained, Do not overload znotes.org
sockets with too many items The website being accessed is from a trusted source,
or has a padlock symbol/ https protocol (s for secure):
8.2. E-Safety
E-safety refers to the safety of data and personal
information while using the internet.
E-safety is required to make sure a user’s personal
information is not made vulnerable and even leaked to
hacker’s for e.g., which can lead to identity fraud, bank A/C
issues, etc.

Personal Data

Any data regarding a living person who can be identi ed

against the data or the data along with any other
information. Email Safety
Examples of personal data:
Full Name Open emails from known sources, and do not click on an
Home Address emails wit hyperlinks without con rming with the sender
Banking details (A/C no, pin, etc.) of the email. Think before opening an email from an
Medical history (su ered from depression, etc.) unknown person, never send any other sensitive
Personal data like ethnic origin, political views, information (picture in school uniform, credit card PIN,
criminal activity, mental health history, etc.)
Sexual orientation and religion can be used to Ask their ISP to eanble email ltering to classfy spam
blackmail victims of data breaches mails as spam.

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After typing in user ID, the user will be requested to type

in their password
Social Media Safety Generally, it is a combination of letters and numbers
Passwords are shown as stars (***) so nobody
Blcok and report users who seem suspicous or use overlooking can see it
inappropriate language Many systems ask for password to be typed in twice as a
Never use you real name, only use a nickname veri cation check, in case of input errors
Use appropraite language To help protect the system, user has a nite number of
Do not enter private chat rooms, as users can lure you attempts
into giving personal inforamtion by seeming too nice. If password is forgotten, administrator must reset it
Do not meet anyone o the internet for the rst time on If password is forgotten on a website, it will be sent to
your own, or atleast speak to a trusted adult rst. your e-mail
Do not missue images (of someone to blackmail them, for
e.g.) Biometric Data
Respect the con dentiality of other users
Uses features of the human body unique to every
individual, such as ngerprints, retina, iris, face and voice
recognitions. It is used in authentication techniques as it is
Online Games very di cult / impossible to replicate.
Advantages
Similar measures apply to that taken when using social Usernames and passwords don’t have to be
media. remembered
Additionally, players should be careful about: Almost impossible to replicate body parts.
In-game violence Somebody else can’t gain access, like with a stolen
Cyber bullying card
Keeping their webcams o (other potentially They can’t be forgotten, like a card
dangerous players have direct access to your image) Disadvantages
Predators may use voice masking technology to lure a The readers are expensive
user to reveal their age, sex etc. Damages in ngerprints can deny access
Cyber-attacks involving viruses, ransomware, etc. Some people worry about their personal
information being stored
8.3. Security of Data
Digital Certi cate
Hacking
A digital certi cate is an electronic passport used in the
Hackers are people who get into your computer system security of data sent over the internet.
without having the rights. It can lead to corruption or loss They can be attached with mails so that the receiver can
of data or a data breach know that the mail is sent from a trusted source.
Some prove that a system is vulnerable - maybe
employed to test (ethical hacking) Secure Socket Layer (SSL)
Some want to steal data
Alter or destroy data Type of protocol that allows data to be sent and received
For fun or a challenge securely over the internet
Prevention: When a user logs onto a website, SSL encrypts the data
Protect with authentication techniques (user ID and https or padlock in the status bar
password, etc.) When user wants to access a secure website:
Have a backup of data in case of damage User’s web browser sends a message, so it can
Firewalls connect with required website which is secured by SSL
Web browser requests that the web server identi es
User IDs itself
Web server responds by sending a copy of its SSL
To log on to a network, a user must type in a user ID certi cate
User ID assigns user privilege once user logs in Web browser checks if certi cate is authentic
The top-level privilege for a network is an administrator: Sends signal back to web browser
Able to set passwords and delete les from server etc. Starts to transmit data once connection is established
User privilege may only allow to access their own work If not secure, browser will display an open padlock
area
Features of a Secure Web Page
Passwords
Webpage URL: If the webpage is secure, it will start with
‘https’ instead of ‘http’.

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they should be reported to cyber security agencies, or

one’s parents/guardians.
Padlock sign
Websites/pop-ups can be made to mimic legitimate ones,
Phishing or seem too good to be true, for e.g.lotrei.net instead of
lottery.com
Phishing is a fraudulent operation involving the use of
emails
The creator sends out a legitimate looking email hoping to
gather personal and nancial information from the
recipient of the email
The message appears to be from a legitimate source (e.g.
a famous bank)
When the user clicks on the link, they are sent to a spoof
website
They will be asked for personal info e.g. credit card
details, PINs
This could lead to identity theft Banks and organisations will never ask for a PIN to be
ISPs attempt to lter out phishing emails entered on website like this.

Pharming E ects of phishing, pharming and Smishing on a

user
Pharming is a scam in which malicious code is installed on
a computer hard disk or a server Personal and sensitive information is lost, which can be
This code can misdirect users to fraudulent websites used for previously stated purposes.
without their knowledge
Phishing requires an email to be sent to every person who Moderated & Unmoderated Forums
has been targeted, while pharming does not require
emails to be sent out to anyone Online forums are places on the internet where people can
Pharming can target a larger group of people more easily join discussions on almost any topic and also add their views.
How pharming works:
A hacker will infect the computer with a virus, either by There are two types of forums:
sending an email or installing software on their
computer when they rst visit their website Moderated Forums Unmoderated Forums
Once infected, the virus sends user to a fake website Has a moderator who checks
No moderator who checks the
that looks identical to the one they wanted to visit comments before they are
comments
Personal info. from the user’s computer can be picked posted
up by the pharmer/hacker There will be no spams or Spams, rude and o ensive
Anti-spyware, anti-virus software or anti-pharming rude and o ensive comments comments present
software can be used to identify this code and correct Diversions from topic are
the corruption No diversions from the topic
possible
Highly secure due to Personal information can be
Smishing
moderation obtained from you
An attempt to extract a user’s con dential information via Not secure due to lack of
SMS (short message service) by tricking the user into moderation
downloading a Trojan horse (a virus that masks itself).
It is phishing via SMS. Spam

Preventing Phishing, Pharming & Smishing Spam is electronic junk mail and is a type of advertising
from a company sent out to a target mailing list
User education Harmless but can clog up networks and slow them down
Set up anti-malware and anti-spyware software It is more of a nuisance than a security risk
Enabling protocols such as SPF and DKIM Many ISPs are good at ltering out spam, and prevent the
Do not download random .exe (executable le formats), user from getting these spam emails.
.php, .bat, .com etc. It is often necessary to put a legitimate email address into
Users should be alert and look out for clues when being a contact list to ensure wanted emails are not ltered out
redirected to other websites. by mistake
Therefore, technology enables unauthorised users to gain
access to otherwise inaccessible information. Encryption
If a person on the internet is asking for personal
information, or to meet in real life or acting suspicious, The conversion of data to code by encoding it

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Done by using encryption software your data.

Since data is encoded, it appears meaningless to a hacker Some of the data stored may be personal data which are
This technique prevents illegal access open to hackers, and have to be encrypted in order to
Necessary to use decryption software to decode the data prevent hackers from obtaining them.
Used to protect sensitive data e.g. banking details The company providing the storage may go out of
Encryption keys are complex algorithms which makes business. In this case what has to be done to the data will
codes almost unbreakable have to be considered.
The company providing the storage will have to put in all
Computer Viruses its e orts and safety measures in order to keep your data
safe.
It is a malicious program that replicates itself and is If the company providing the storage doesn’t backup your
designed to cause harm to a computer system. They data, you may lose it in case of power cuts or res, etc.
spread through downloadable les, external store media
(e.g. pen drives, etc.) Firewalls
May cause the computer to crash
Loss of les, corruption of the data A rewall sits between the user’s computer and an
Viruses infect computers through email attachments, external network (internet) and lter information in and
illegal software or downloaded les out of the computer
Prevention of Viruses Tasks carried out by rewall:
Anti-virus software - Detects and then removes or Examining ‘tra c’
isolates and use rewalls Checking weather incoming or outgoing data meets
Do not use illegal software criteria
Only download from reputable sites If data fails the criteria, the rewall blocks ‘tra c’
Firewall can keep a list of all undesirable IP addresses
The threats of using credit cards online and Helping to prevent viruses or hackers entering the
prevention: user’s computer

Key logging/spywares: records the keys pressed on a Methods of Internet Security

keyboard.
Can be used to obtain credit card details, passwords Authentication
Advantages Disadvantages
and personal information. Method
Use virtual keyboards to type in password. Inexpensive, as
Install anti-spyware software. Can be easily hacked,
Passwords nothing other than a
Bogus sites: sites that look exactly like the original sites,
can be forgotten
computer is required
but aren’t. Highly recognized
They can steal your card details and personal everywhere, very
information when you make purchases. Fingerprint Intrusive, Damages
high accuracy, Easy
Always type in URLs, sometimes links in the mails can scans will prevent access
to use, Relatively low
be of bogus sites. storage requirement
Phishing, pharming and Smishing:
Non-intrusive, very Problems occur if
They trick you to reveal card and personal details as
Signature little time to identify, sign is not consistent,
responses to messages or mails.
recognition Relatively low High error rate (one
Open attachments only from trusted sources.
expensive in 50)
Install anti-spyware software.
Hacking into secure sites to obtain the details: Very intrusive,
Very high accuracy,
Encrypting the details will make it of no use to the relatively slow to
no known way to
hacker. Retina scans verify retina scans,
replicate a person’s
Use strong passwords. very expensive to
retina
Use rewalls. install and set up
Tapping into wireless networks: Very intrusive, Lot of
Very high accuracy,
Always use a password-controlled Wi-Fi since it is memory needed for
Veri cation time is
relatively hard to tap into a secured Wi-Fi. Iris recognition storage, very
usually less than 5
expensive to install
*ALL PREVENTION TECHNIQUES WRITTEN HERE ALSO APPLY seconds
and set up
FOR THE THREATS IN GENERAL (NOT SPECIFIC TO CREDIT A ected by changes
CARDS) * Non-intrusive,
Face in lighting, person’s
Relatively
recognition hairstyle, age and
Cloud Storage inexpensive
spectacles

Your data is stored remotely and not on your computer,

so you don’t have control over the physical security of

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9. Audience
Potential Problems
9.1. Audience Appreciation If products are not built towards a speci c audience well
then problems may arise
Knowing Your Audience An older audience may not be able to understand or read
text due to poor font design
When designing ICT solutions, you must consider A younger audience may not be able to understand
audience certain text due to complex wording & structure
There are 4 main characteristics of an audience Several audiences may just not nd content interesting
Age: since it is not relevant enough to them
Can a ect audience’s interests in your product Several audiences may not nd content attractive enough
Large fonts and colours attract children and thus not purchase or use it at all
More stylish and trendy layout attracts young adults Younger & older audience may not understand how to use
Gender the product due to lack of simple instruction
Design product for a speci c gender
Younger girls are often attracted to pink
Males generally prefer blue spectrum 9.2. Legal, Moral, Ethical & Cultural
Income Appreciation
Knowing this will help in attractive pricing strategies
Promoting certain products are targeted for people
Copyright Legislation
within a speci c range of incomes
Interests A law that protects books, music art and other media that
Can help with advertising content are written is copyright law
Content that meets the exact description of audience’s It is an automatic right and does not need applying for
interest is more likely to attract them to your product
The person who owns the rights must be asked before
it can be used again
Software is a speci c thing created and written on a
Audience Needs computer
Needs to be protected as it is so easy for people to
After nding out about your targeted audience you need copy
to aim to meet those demands This is a way of protecting software from being used
Developers of the ICT product must ensure that they meet without permission
as many of these needs as possible Users create a license which determines the terms
Common Needs for Common Audiences: and conditions

Audience Needs
Bright/cheerful colours Copyright Laws
Animations/sounds/pictures
Less text It is not legal to make a copy of software, then sell it or
Young children Simple wording give it away to other people
Software cannot be used on a network unless a network
Large text
license has been acquired
Games/activities Not legal to use coding from software in your own
Easy to use software without permission
Attractive/stylish colours Renting out software without permission is illegal
Interesting content It is illegal to use the name of copyrighted software
Teens & adults Balance of pictures and text without permission

Clear fonts
Bullet points
Contrasting/easy-to-read colours Software Protection
Include clear instructions
Installed software will require a unique reference number
Use slightly larger font sizes User will have to accept license agreement
Seniors
Fewer technical terms Holograms are used to indicate software is original
Consistent design Software may only run if CD-ROM or DVD-ROM is actually
Easy to use in the drive

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Some software will only run if a memory stick is plugged Copyright laws apply to text in emails. Forwarding a block
in USB ports of text or an image without the copyright owner’s
permission, it would be illegal.

Creating ICT Solutions

Employer Guidelines
ICT solutions, for e.g. a website should be made in
accordance to the legal, moral, ethical and cultural beliefs If the rules in the ‘contract of employment’ set out by the
of the target audience. employer is not obeyed, you would be in breach of your
contract and could be dismissed.

Implications of ICT Solutions

Security
When creating an ICT solution, all the following have to be
considered and the solution must be made in response Emails containing personal information should be
and respect to these factors: encrypted to prevent hackers from understanding the
Legal: Ensure copyright laws are abided by including information if they manage to hack into the email.
not using any coding or branding from existing
copyrighted software.
Morality: To distinguish from right or wrong.
Sometimes it may not be illegal to carry out an act Netiquette
however it could be against your morals. For example,
setting up a fake website to deceive is not illegal but Some of the rules that the netiquette contains is:
questions your level of morality. Don’t be abusive
Ethics: Is to break a code of conduct. For example, Don’t send spam
disclosure of information about the new software to a Be precise
rival software publisher or to the press. Check spelling and grammatical errors
Culture: When software is released in di erent Ensure attachments are not too large
cultures then care must be taken so that people are Don’t use CAPITAL LETTERS to highlight comments
not o ended. If certain computer games mock religion Don’t plagiarize
or cultural beliefs, then again this could cause o ence. Don’t use too many emoticons

10. Communication User ID and Password Protection

10.1. Email Email services require a user ID to authenticate users

Passwords should contain alphabets, numbers and
National Laws special characters (#, *).
Email Groups
In some countries, emails are monitored or read, thus Easier to send out multiple mails by grouping them under
limiting the topics on which you can speak. one name.
Companies and organization can group people according
to their target group for marketing purposes.
Spammers can create email groups by buying addresses
Acceptable Language of people from a certain company and send in easier
ways.
Language used in emails must lie within an acceptable Companies use email groups to set up meetings. Typing
code of practice. The following is a list of unacceptable out individual addresses may leave out a few mail IDs.
content that are beyond the code of practice:
Obscene images
Abusive language
10.2. Internet Fundamentals
Racist, exploitative and violent messages
*INTERNET AND INTRANET EXPLAINED IN CHAPTER 4*
Use of illegal materials in messages
The world wide web (WWW) is a system of interlinked
hypertext documents accessed via the Internet
Protocols are a set of rules that are followed between the
Copyright
sender and recipient of data which is being transferred
between devices.

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HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP): A protocol that is These sites focus on building online communities of users
followed between the sending and receiving devices when who share the same interests
data is being transferred using the internet. Enable people to share photos of themselves, their
HyperText Transfer Protocol secure variant (HTTPS): favourite music and videos, what they like to do, what they
HTTP that is followed when data being transferred is like to eat etc.
encrypted.** Example: Facebook
Hyperlink: Data that redirects the user to another These are becoming the modern way of interacting
webpage/section of same webpage/ le when clicked. socially
File Transfer Protocol(FTP): Used to upload website les to They allow people to communicate across the world and
the web hosting space. To upload these les successfully, share their interests and views with many people.
the user needs:
An FTP client 10.3. Information on the Internet
Login details to the web hosting server (host and port
used, username and password for FTP.
Information is more likely to be up to date than in books,
since websites can be updated very quickly
Much easier to get information from websites- search
Cloud storage: engines link key words together and nd information that
matches the criteria- cause for popularity
The storage of data (remotely) on the internet. Vast amount of information on the internet- easier to
This data is accessible by the user with the requirement of locate than using indices in books
an appropriate authentication technique (e.g. user ID and Information on the internet however may be relevant or
password). correct, not reliable, inaccurate or even biased- it does
not go through any checking process
Information overload can make it di cult for the user to
nd relevant information
Search Engine: Ensure use of reliable websites that properly cite all their
sources
A search Engine is used to nd information on the internet Always look for primary sources of information & form
without knowing the (Uniform Resource Locator) of the own conclusions
webpage holding the information. Do not quote/use secondary often biased opinions or
gossip
Do your research

Blog
11. File Management
Personal internet journals where the writer posts their
observations on a topic
No training is needed to do this 11.1. Manage Files E ectively
Blogs range from minor projects (e.g. people gossiping
about a topic) to important subjects such as politics or Extension
Full form Used for/in:
advertising products name
Comments are not immune from the law Stylesheets in
Bloggers can be prosecuted for o ensive comments css Cascading Stylesheet
webpages
Comma Separated
csv Store tabular data
Value
Wiki gif
Graphics Interchange
Moving images
Format
Software allowing users to easily create and edit web Hypertext Mark-up
pages without using any web browser htm Webpages
(Language)
A wiki will support hyperlinks and has a very simple syntax Joint Photographic
(language rules) for creating pages jpg Standard for images
Experts Group
Wikis are described as ‘web pages with an edit button’
Documents to be
Anyone can use wikis- content should be treated with Portable Document
pdf circulated over the
caution Format
internet/email
Example of a wiki: Wikipedia
Portable Network
png Compressed images
Graphic
Word processed
Social Networking rtf Rich Text Format
documents
txt Text (File) Simple Text les

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Extension Veri cation: checking of data when copied from one

Full form Used for/in: medium to another to prevent errors.
name
Sending multiple les Veri cation is also important and is a way of preventing a
zip as one compressed le di erence in data when it’s being transferred from one
over the internet system to another. This tries to make sure data entered is
correct, relative to the source.

Generic le formats can be opened by any software to

access the data held in them. 16. Document Production
11.2. Reduce File Sizes for Storage or Widow: A paragraph-ending line that falls at the beginning
Transmission of the following page or column, thus separated from the
rest of the text.
Orphan: A paragraph-opening line that appears by itself
Files that are smaller in size upload and download faster
at the bottom of a page or column, thus separated from
than larger ones and thus are better for transferring data.
the rest of the text.
Page, section and column breaks are used to ensure that
12. Images widows and orphans are not present in a document (these
show poor typography).
A mail merge document is created in order to create a
An image should be edited when doing so will enhance its
standard template and then use it to send documents
usefulness.
personalised (by the computer system) for the respective
recipient of the document
13. Layout
17. Data Manipulation
Headers and footers ensure each page has all the
required information like the page numbers, logos, titles,
etc. 17.1. Create a Database Structure
A common mnemonic is "An orphan has no past; a widow
has no future" Flat le databases are tables that have data sorted in
rows and columns, whereas relational databases are

14. Styles
several tables grouped together to from a link, thus
preventing unnecessary repetition of data.
Primary key: The key eld of a table which is unique and
Several organisations use a ‘corporate house style or identi es each record
corporate branding, which is used to print on websites, Foreign key: The eld linked to the primary eld of the
visiting cards, letters, etc. It refers to a speci c style of table linked to through a relationship
fonts and formats used in the making of ICT solutions by
organisations. Relational database Flat- le database
A corporate house style when used e ectively identi es Complex queries can be
Poor at complex queries
the users of the style. carried out
Consistent styles enable users to associate a particular Better security Poor at limiting access
organisation with a style and also show consistency in the Harder to update, so
ICT solutions created by the organisation Cater for future requirements
inherently ine cient
Data is only stored once Potential duplication
15. Proo ng Require more planning Easy to design
Non-unique records

15.1. Software Tools Harder to change data

format.
When a person’s/organisation’s name is entered or
sometimes newly coined terms are used, spell checkers At times placeholders for media such as images, sound
might pick these up as errors, because they are not found bites and video clips are used to enhance the usability of a
in the dictionary. This makes spell checkers less e cient. database
Validation ensures that the data being entered into an ICT
solution is reasonable and makes sense. Entered data is 17.2. Test the Data Model
checked against set criteria to be validated.
A model prepared needs to be tested before being used
15.2. Proo ng Techniques to ensure that all results computed are accurate. The test

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plan must be justi ed to be apt for the model. E.g. all the name.
mathematical operations must be tested in a model that Nested formulae/function: A formula/function used
relies on calculations. inside a formula/function as an argument
De nitions:
Testing: Checking if the designed model delivers the
18.2. Test the Data Model
expected outcome when tested with data.
Test data: The input data used for testing model.
A model prepared needs to be tested before being used
Expected outcome: The output a model is supposed to
to ensure that all results computed are accurate. The test
give with the test data.
plan must be justi ed to be apt for the model. E.g. all the
Actual outcome: The output a model actually gives the
mathematical operations must be tested in a model that
user when the test data is input.
relies on calculations.
De nitions:
18. Data Analysis Testing: Checking if the designed model delivers the
expected outcome when tested with data.
Test data: The input data used for testing model.
18.1. Create a Data Model Expected outcome: The output a model is supposed to
give with the test data.
Charts: A graphical representation of (usually tabulated) Actual outcome: The output a model actually gives the
data user when the test data is input.
Accurate data ensures the results obtained by the
processing of data is relevant, which is essential to the
usability of the model 19. Website Authoring
Formulae are mathematical operators de ned by the user
to perform a function, whereas functions are prede ned
19.1. Web Development Layers
logical and mathematical operations a user can use in a
spreadsheet
Content/Structure layer: Holds the content of the
Mathematical operations are performed in the order
webpage structure.
PEMDAS (Parenthesis [Brackets] Exponents Multiplication Presentation layer: The layer responsible for the
Division Addition Subtraction). Brackets are used to formatting of a webpage(s) or elements (using a
notate data used by a function, e.g. =SUM (A2:A10). stylesheet).
Relative cell referencing is made when the cell reference Behaviour layer: scripting language of a web page or an
is supposed to change when the cell it is referred to in is individual element
changing. It aids more e cient designing of models.
Absolute cell referencing is made when the cell
referenced stays constant when the cell it is referred to in 19.2. Create a Webpage
is changing. This aids the preparation of a model when a
set of data is constantly being referred to throughout the Tables make the basic structure of a webpage and
model. Cell reference or relative cell reference describes organise page layout.
how far away a cell or group of cells is from some other Anchor: An element in a webpage that creates a hyperlink
cell in the same spreadsheet. Basically, the cell’s address between a source anchor and a destination anchor. These
A model prepared needs to be tested before being used can be used to link 2 resources together.
to ensure that all results computed are accurate. Relative le paths are used for attached stylesheets as
De nitions: the stylesheet is going to be stored on a server in the
Cells: A space for data to be entered a table; a box same directory as the webpage, and not where it an
formed by the intersection of columns and rows absolute le path says.
Rows: Horizontal boxes that divide the table in De nitions:
segments Relative le path: A path referring to a le in the same
Columns: Vertical boxes that divide the table in directory relative to the page the reference is made in.
segments Absolute le path: The full path of a le, which is not
Sheets: A table of data relative to anything, whereas relative links only point
Tabs: A module of a database program that holds the to a le or a le path, the browser then redirects the
tables on the computer, user to that location on the current site.
Pages: Full pieces of papers that contain information Absolute paths always include the domain name of
held on one sheet of paper. the website
Ranges: A group of cells in a table These should not be used to refer to locally saved
Named cell: A cell in a table that is given a name (like webpages as the computer the webpage is stored
‘pro t margin’) and can be referred to using that on (the server) is not the same as where the
name. webpage was developed and thus an absolute le
Named range A group of cells in a table that are given path would point to the wrong address.
a name (like ‘Pricing’) and can be referred to using that

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19.3. Use stylesheets To upload and publish content on a website using FTP, a
user must have:
FTP client software
CSS (cascading stylesheet) is a text-based language which
All les in one folder
is attached to webpages to set their format. CSS les have
Host Name/URL/IP address for ftp
a “.css” extension
Host port to be used for upload
These should be attached using relative le paths as they
Username and password
are stored along with the webpage and thus can be linked
The test plan used to test a webpage must be justi ed
relative to them.
based on the elements being tested. E.g. If hyperlinks are
Internal CSS have more preference over Inline CSS
being tested, it makes to check if all the hyperlinks are
If several external stylesheets are attached to one web
redirecting the user to the correct webpage/ section of
page, the stylesheet attached last (at the bottom of that
webpage.
part of the code) is given preference over the other
attached ones).

19.4. Test and Publish a Website

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