Caie Igcse: Updated To 2017 Syllabus

ZNOTES.
ORG
UPDATED TO 2017 SYLLABUS
CAIE IGCSE
ICT (0417)
SUMMARIZED NOTES ON THE SYLLABUS
CAIE IGCSE ICT (0417)
Immediate access store (IAS) - holds data and

program
instruction in current use
1. Types and Components of Microprocessor:
Used instead of CPU
Computer Systems Single integrated circuit
1.1. Hardware & Software Internal/Main Memory
Hardware Stores all data: application software, operating system,

data files
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 off
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 configuration data for a computer etc.
Chips cannot be altered, only read from
Software Data not lost when computer is turned off
Referred to as non-volatile memory
Programs that control computer systems BIOS:
Set of instructions that make computer do something ROM contains boot file, 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 first 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 configuration
Programs that allow the user to do specific 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
meaning
1.2. The Main Components of Computer
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
Significantly 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 find 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
Made up of separate monitor, keyboard, mouse and
Deals with error in application programs
Maintains security of whole computer system processing unit
Maintains a computer log Advantages
Spare parts standardized results in low costs
Two main types of interfaces: CLI & GUI
Tend to have better specifications
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 files 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
Extremely portable systems
Uses much less RAM than any other interface type
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
Portable because monitor, pointing device, keyboard,
Commands must be typed precisely, if there is a
processor &
backing store units are together in one
spelling error the command will fail
If you mistype an instruction, it is often necessary to box
start all over again No trailing wires
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 difficult due to laptop structure
Uses a mouse to select the icons
Screen divided into windows allows different 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 find your way around the system Often use touch screens to operate
On-screen virtual keyboard replaces physical keyboard
Do not have to learn complicated commands
Often used by graphic designers to digitalize their content
Exchange data between different software
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 difficult to use Must be added initially to a system to use as identification
Touchscreen may be difficult 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
fingerprint 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 difficult to use NVE: Night vision enhancement: amplifies visible and
Not as powerful as other devices infrared light.
Light passed through image intensifier tube
Often has the lowest battery life where light is converted
to electrons, then amplified
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
Artificial 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 different human languages
Increased manufacturing efficiency 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
difference
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 artificial
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
Different 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 find them easy to use
bank notes
use holograms to prevent forgery Easy to do verification 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 find 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 artificial 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 fight
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 files
customers can
key in their personal identification 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 flat surfaces are available
Disadvantages Disadvantages
Can be difficult to use due to the very small keys People with limited hand/wrist movement can find
Difficult to use for entering text touchpads hard
to use
Sometimes the order of numbers isn’t very intuitive It can be more difficult to control the pointer when
compared to
a mouse
They are more difficult 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 files 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 fine control as a
Mice are small and don’t take much area mouse
Disadvantages People with limited hand/wrist movement find easier
People with restricted hand/wrist movement can find 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 flat 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 finger
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 find 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 difficult 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 film and print out
railway stations photographs
(saves paper and no longer needs the
Used in PDA’s chemicals to produce
photographs from films)
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 fill up computer memory very quickly Automatic doors, street lighting
with
several photos of the same subject (to find the Light control, Burglar alarm systems,
perfect snap
shot) automatic greenhouses
Burglar alarm systems, monitoring
Sound
liquid and powder flow 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 file
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 films.
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 offer an accurate method of drawing
Sound files 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 Identification (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 unaffected 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 find 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 offers 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 different
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
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 filled 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 staff 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 difficulty 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 fires if left unattended –

especially if
they are old LED Monitor:
Consume more power than TFT monitors
They can flicker, 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 magnified and projected
monitors. onto a large
screen
Advantages The devices usually work with a remote control, but can
Colour can be seen accurately from different 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
fluorescent lamp)
technology to light up the screen. audience to
see the images from a computer)
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
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 buffers 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 buffer, 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 difficult 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
buffer
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 buffer 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
office
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-effective 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 diffuser 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 office long print
jobs such as wage slips
Disadvantages
Very noisy – not good in an office environment
Inkjet Printer Cost more than an inkjet printer to buy
Very slow
Printing is of poor quality
Wide Format Printer
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
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
different 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 amplified
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 files
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
modified
inkjet technology called tomography
Very thin layers of fine 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
first
(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 off 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 fixed 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 off by the actuator Can be used to transfer data, files 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 off 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
off 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 files and software.
Available on all computers and is the main method used Very large storage capacity and are used to store
for data
storage films.
Uses a read/write head to write and read data from it Advantages
Disk surface coated in magnetic film, storage is done by Holds more data than floppy 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 fixed hard
drives
Used in file servers for computer networks CD-R/DVD-R
Advantages
Very fast data transfer rate and fast access times to
data
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
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 reflector 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 films
and films
(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 verification software
Cheaper than RW disks to
ensure accuracy of data
Once burned (and finalized) they are like ROM Access is very fast
Disadvantages No need to finalize 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 reflectivity to Used for storing and playing back films
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 film 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
Different file formats can be used each time
Less wasteful than R format since files 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 flash 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 different tech
program at
the same time as a different 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
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
Used in file servers for computer networks

4.1. Routers
Advantages
Faster than hard disks because they do not need to
A device that enables data to be sent between different
‘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 specific 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 files 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 different routes to other
Disadvantages networks
Not possible to write protect the data and files 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 different
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 finite 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 Effects of
Using them Hubs
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
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 different 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 different 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
different
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 efficient 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 identifies
it uniquely Uses
MAC Address: a number unique to each device connected Transfer photos from camera to mobile phone
to the
network (like fingerprints) Wirelessly connect different 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 buffer between a WAN and a
LAN
Wi-Fi Retrieves web pages and passes them onto the computer
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
different computer requests the same page it
Examples: would be available
WLANs Speeds up the browsing process
PDAs
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
Websites Intranet
Web is made up of millions of websites and web pages Like the internet but only accessible to specific 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 files 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/filename
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 Specific 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
Not over a large geographical area (e.g. in one building)
Possibility of virus threats and hacking
Typical LAN will consist of several computers and devices
Need for the email address to be correct
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
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
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 flexible
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 affect 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) smartphones
easier to carry
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 Different Types of Computers Advantages Disadvantages

Smallest most portable of all Websites are often not fully
to Access the Internet
devices displayed
People more likely to carry Small screen size makes
LAPTOP COMPUTERS
this wherever they go viewing websites difficult
Advantages Disadvantages Much easier to connect to Small keyboards make it
internet on-the-go difficult 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 find info on how to become hackers
or make
bombs
Prevent children from accessing undesirable websites
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
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
Difficult 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 finding 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
eye as they look through the scanner's
eyepiece.
4.11. Password Interception
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 finds 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: Verifies 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 identifies 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 fingers and verifies it against a stored database of

Weak & Strong Passwords authenticated
fingerprints 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 fines 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
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
Lock all filing cabinets when leaving an office Fax Email

Do not leave computer without locking or logging off 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 first 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 files 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)
More secure (user id and Phishing attacks (illegitimate scams)
Singed faxes are legally
password needed to access
acceptable
files)
Digital files (no need to print –
5. The Effects of Using ICT
Poor quality prints at times
eco-friendly)
Delay is telephone line busy Better quality 5.1. Effects 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
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
Labour intensive work - printing industry and filing 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
Effects on People: Clicking on mouse
Use a wrist rest
rapidly/extendedly
People need to be retrained due to new technology
Ensure sufficient 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
Effect 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. Effects 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 flat on floor
positioning
Flexible working (flexi-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.
Headaches are a potential consequence
Compressed hours: Employees can work longer hours per
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/flicker Use anti-glare screens
Positive effects Negative effects 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 off Newsletters
devices thrown away if they
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 effects; sound/video/animation
There are printing costs; paper/ink
This is when joints such as the shoulder, wrist or fingers
swell,
causing pain

Damage gets worse if left untreated
Can lead to hand/arm immobility
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
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 difference 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 final 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 modified 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 flier 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 effects The photos are saved to a file
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 file 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 modified 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
effects
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
VOIP (Voice over internet protocol) is a method used to
Music notes are automatically printed out in the correct
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
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
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 official 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 specific audience Clubs & Society Records
Brochures:
Also called leaflets & are like flyers Need to keep a record on members usually in a database
Difference 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 specific 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 official 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
6.3. Measurement Applications
If open questions are used limit the amount of space
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 files 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
Scientific experiments
How will the data be collected?
Weather stations
Paper surveys are scanned using OMR or OCR
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG

Analogue & Digital Data Intensive Care Units in Hospitals
Digital data: discrete, fixed 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 off
this data
also needs to be converted to analogue using a
digital to analogue
converter (DAC) so that the computer
can effectively 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
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG

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/off
The use of ‘repeat’ instructions makes a piece of code Inputs from the system
more
efficient 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 off
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
Burglar alarms detect any intrusion.
at
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
(vibration, shutter,
and temperature) measure the
Actuator to turn the outlet valve on to let the water
out of
the machine when the wash is complete physical quantity and inputs the
value to a
An actuator to control the pump microprocessor.
The microprocessor compares the input values with
Processing
Software to make decisions which will allow the the preset
values, if changes are detected, the
clothes to
be washed microprocessor sends
signals to the actuator
Time taken before next inputs The actuator activates the sirens or gives a phone call
Timer as part of the software or
messages the input mobile number.
Time different cycles (when to add
soap/conditioner/etc.)
Time delay in measuring temperature Glasshouse
Needs to be time for changes to have effect
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
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
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 find 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
remembered so that the robot can automatically
carry
6.5. Modelling Applications
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 figures.
gather important
information about their surroundings
Used to find 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 different tasks (e.g. making
Near-impossible tests involving space and volcanic
specialist
glassware for some scientific 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
figure to
be computed by letting the computer change
other variables that
affect 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 off a
production
line is identical
They can do boring, repetitive tasks, leaving humans free
to do more
skilled work
Disadvantages
Robots find it difficult to do ‘unusual’ tasks (e.g. one-off

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.
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
Biometrics: Every student’s fingerprint 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 finger on a fingerprint 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 fingerprint initially is time- total price
somebody else, like with an ID consuming. If customer is happy with this, they select ‘confirm’
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
fingerprints 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 fields can affect an Damages on the finger will
name
ID card. deny access.
The final 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 fingerprints 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 different 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 sufficiently
decision making of the
quickly to influence
the input source
administration department
6.9. Banking Applications

6.8. Booking Systems
Online banking systems rely on the ability to update files
Booking systems are used for transport (flights, 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:
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
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 staffs
are notified.
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 find
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 artificial
mobile, see balance, get body parts such as false tooth, artificial 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 sufficient funds, it is checked to
with traditional methods.
different 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 files:
Patient records: Database that holds patient details and Book file, containing fields for example: barcode, book
can be
accessed from any computer within the hospital title,
name of author etc.
intranet. Borrower’s file, containing fields for example:
Patient identification: 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 file
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 file is linked to the borrower’s file and both files
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 file 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 file
Graphs are produced to show trends over time. It compares the date due back with the current date
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
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 file is linked to the borrower’s file… making
processes
…and the corresponding record is read from the Errors in the knowledge base can lead to incorrect
borrower’s file decisions being
made
The customer details are then found and a letter or It can be expensive to set up in the first place
email is
automatically sent out Considerable training is necessary to ensure the system
The next record in the book file is then read… is sued
correctly by the operators
…until the whole file 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 field
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 (finding faults in a car engine, finding Often requires training to operate effectively
faults on a
circuit board, etc.)
Knowledge base
Prospecting for oil and minerals
Tax and financial calculations This is a database designed to allow the complex storage
Chess games and
retrieval requirements of a computerized knowledge-
Identification 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 effort to find a
conclusion to a given
Expert System Setup problem
The inference engine is a type of reasoning engine
Experts in the field are interviewed to find 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
The rules base is designed and created country is in South America AND the language used is
Portuguese THEN
the country must be Brazil)
The inference engine is designed and created
The input screen and output format are also designed and These inference rules are used by the inference engine to
created –
this is known as the user interface draw
conclusions
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
specification Suggesting Diagnoses
Experts are interviewed about how effective 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 find 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
afford
Automatic Stock Control
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
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 identification 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 files 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 fixed 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 specific 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
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
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 files 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 office 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 find 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)
Traffic 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 fine can be imposed. geographically
referenced information.
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
Use to determine distance between two places. 4 Common Methods of Fact Finding
Used to find 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 find 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 different 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
Interviews
7. System Life Cycle
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 specific to the interviewee
7.2. Analysis It is a good method if the analyst wants to probe
deeply into
one specific aspect of the existing system
Disadvantages
The basic steps in the analysis stage can be summarized
as follows: It can be rather time consuming
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 find out views of the existing
system and find 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 finding/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. Identification of the problems with the current system The questions are rather inflexible 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-benefit analysis
Looking at Existing Paperwork
8. Producing a data flow diagram
Allows the analyst to see how the paper files 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
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
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 specific
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 field 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 fields 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 field called title then
Designing data capture forms/input forms
the
gender field 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 flowcharts 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 verification
An incorrect digit entered twice
methods
A digit missed out altogether
Designing and agreeing the file structures and tables
Selecting and designing the hardware requirements
Selecting and designing the software requirements 7.4. Development & Testing
Producing algorithms or program flowcharts
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
Verification 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
different people
The computer compares the two entries, either after If the system contains files (e.g. a database) then the file
data entry
or during the data entry process, and structure needs to be finalized at this stage (e.g. what
identifies any differences type of
data is being stored in each field, length of each
Visual check: checking for errors by comparing entered field, which
field will be the key field, how the data files will
data on
the screen with the data in the original document be linked,
etc.)
(not the same as
proof reading) Once the file 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 files,
Validation there
are certain techniques that need to be adopted to
make sure the data
populating the file and database is at
Process where data is checked to see if it satisfies 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 verification 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 field needs six digits then inputting a five- or interface
seven-digit number, for example should cause an The types of hardware were chosen in the design stage
error message
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
How these are used to interface with the final system now chosen for a particular
application
needs to
be identified, 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 finalize 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 benefits 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 staff
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, file and database structures, validation This method can be disastrous if the new system fails
and verification
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 different 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 fields in a database is the date It is possible to train staff gradually
and this
must be in the form dd/mm/yyyy, where each Staff 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 staff
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: affected
Negative numbers (e.g. -1, -15) It is possible to train staff 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
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
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 files
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 efficiency 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 final 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
flowchart/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
file 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 modifications to the Bank fraud
software Damages to personal property
changes in legislation may need modifications to the Kidnapping (if kidnappers get access to the victim’s
software address.
Etc.
To prevent the above, it is essential that personal data is
8. Safety & Security protected.
Personal data can be leaked intentionally and
unintentionally.
Electronic data is at risk due to: hacking,
8.1. Physical Safety 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 off edge
information
or send pictures of oneself to them.
Have a CO2 fire 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 identified

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 confirming with the sender
of the email. Think
before opening an email from an
Banking details (A/C no, pin, etc.)
Medical history (suffered 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,
etc.)
criminal
activity, mental health history,
Sexual orientation and religion can be used to Ask their ISP to eanble email filtering to classfy spam
blackmail victims
of data breaches mails as
spam.
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
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 verification
check, in case of input errors
Use appropraite language To help protect the system, user has a finite 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 off the internet for the first time on If password is forgotten on a website, it will be sent to
your own,
or atleast speak to a trusted adult first. your
e-mail
Do not missue images (of someone to blackmail them, for
e.g.) Biometric Data
Respect the confidentiality of other users
Uses features of the human body unique to every
individual, such as
fingerprints, retina, iris, face and voice
recognitions. It is used
in authentication techniques as it is
Online Games very difficult / 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 off (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 fingerprints can deny access
Cyber-attacks involving viruses, ransomware, etc. Some people worry about their personal
information being
stored
8.3. Security of Data
Digital Certificate
Hacking
A digital certificate 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 identifies
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 certificate
User ID assigns user privilege once user logs in Web browser checks if certificate is authentic
The top-level privilege for a network is an administrator: Sends signal back to web browser
Able to set passwords and delete files 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’.
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
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 financial 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 filter out phishing emails entered on
website like this.
Pharming Effects 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 first 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 offensive
Anti-spyware, anti-virus software or anti-pharming rude and offensive 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 confidential 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 filtering out spam, and prevent the
Do not download random .exe (executable file 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 filtered 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
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
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
efforts 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 fires, etc.
spread through downloadable
files, external store media
(e.g. pen drives, etc.) Firewalls
May cause the computer to crash
Loss of files, corruption of the data A firewall sits between the user’s computer and an
Viruses infect computers through email attachments, external
network (internet) and filter information in and
illegal software
or downloaded files out of the computer
Prevention of Viruses Tasks carried out by firewall:
Anti-virus software - Detects and then removes or Examining ‘traffic’
isolates and
use firewalls Checking weather incoming or outgoing data meets
Do not use illegal software criteria
Only download from reputable sites If data fails the criteria, the firewall blocks ‘traffic’
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 firewalls. 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
Verification 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 Affected 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
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG

9. Audience
Potential Problems
9.1. Audience Appreciation If products are not built towards a specific 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 find content interesting
Age: since it is
not relevant enough to them
Can affect audience’s interests in your product Several audiences may not find 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 specific 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
specific 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 specific thing created and written on a
computer
Audience Needs
Needs to be protected as it is so easy for people to
After finding 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
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
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 different 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 offended. If
certain computer games mock religion Don’t plagiarize
or cultural beliefs, then
again this could cause offence. 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
10.2. Internet Fundamentals
Abusive language
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.
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
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/file when
clicked. socially
File Transfer Protocol(FTP): Used
to upload website files to They allow people to communicate across the world and
the web hosting space. To upload these
files 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 find 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 difficult for the user to
find
relevant information
Search Engine: Ensure use of reliable websites that properly cite all their
sources
A search Engine is used to find 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 Effectively
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 offensive comments css Cascading Stylesheet
webpages
Comma Separated
csv Store tabular data
Value
Wiki Graphics Interchange
gif 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 files
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
Extension Verification: checking of data when copied from one

Full form Used for/in: medium to
another to prevent errors.
name
Verification is also important and is a way of preventing a
Sending multiple files
zip as one compressed file difference 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 file 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 file databases are tables that have data sorted in
rows and
columns, whereas relational databases are
several tables grouped
together to from a link, thus
14. Styles preventing unnecessary repetition of
data.
Primary key: The key field of a table which is unique and
Several organisations use a ‘corporate house style or identifies
each record
corporate
branding, which is used to print on websites, Foreign key: The field linked to the primary field of the
visiting cards,
letters, etc. It refers to a specific style of table
linked to through a relationship
fonts and formats
used in the making of ICT solutions by
organisations. Relational database Flat-file database
A corporate house style when used effectively identifies 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 inefficient
Data is only stored once Potential duplication
15. Proofing 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 efficient. 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. Proofing Techniques to ensure that
all results computed are accurate. The test
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
plan must be justified

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
Definitions:
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 justified
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.
Definitions:
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 defined by the user
to perform a
function, whereas functions are predefined 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 efficient 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 file paths are used for attached stylesheets as
Definitions: 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 file path says.
Rows: Horizontal boxes that divide the table in Definitions:
segments Relative file path: A path referring to a file in the same
Columns: Vertical boxes that divide the table in directory relative to the page the reference is made in.
segments Absolute file path: The full path of a file, 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
file or a file 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
‘profit
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 file
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
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
To upload and publish content on a website using FTP, a

19.3. Use stylesheets
user must
have:
FTP client software
CSS (cascading stylesheet) is a text-based language which
All files in one folder
is
attached to webpages to set their format. CSS files have
Host Name/URL/IP address for ftp
a “.css”
extension
Host port to be used for upload
These should be attached using relative file 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 justified
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
WWW.ZNOTES.ORG
CAIE IGCSE
ICT (0417)
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ZNOTES.

UPDATED TO 2017 SYLLABUS

Immediate access store (IAS) - holds data and

1.1. Hardware & Software Internal/Main Memory

Hardware Stores all data: application software, operating system,

Good help facilities provided with GUIs

1.4. Types of Computers

Impacts on everyday life: General VR equipment:

3D & Holographic Imaging QWERTY- layout

When computers create an artificial environment that Numeric Keypads

Uses Used for opening, closing and minimising software

An example of a pointing device

Can be connected directly to a computer

Type of sensor Applications

RFID readers work in similar ways to a bar code reader

If somebody writes over the magnetic ink characters,

Cathode Ray Tube monitors

Run very hot, can cause fires if left unattended –

Wide Format Printer

Slow at producing their output

Used in many domestic appliances Have very large memory capacities

Actuators are connected to switches which turn the

3. Storage Devices & Media CD-ROM/DVD-ROM

Read only memory – cannot be overwritten

Used in file servers for computer networks

Modems User can access by web browser

It stands for modulator demodulator. Type of access Description

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

APs usually use spread spectrum technology (larger Advantages Disadvantages

4.9. Using Different Types of Computers Advantages Disadvantages

on fingers and verifies it against a stored database of

Do not leave personal information lying around

Lock all filing cabinets when leaving an office Fax Email

4.14. Network Communication

Labour intensive work - printing industry and filing Causes Prevention

Effect on Companies: Headaches are a potential consequence

Can employ less people Causes Prevention

Websites With 3D animations objects are designed on a computer

Surveys School Reports

Analogue & Digital Data Intensive Care Units in Hospitals

Expensive to purchase and set up

Turtle Graphics Central Heating System

Based on computer language called LOGO and is now Applying factors

Computer then decides to turn the water supply to bodies, welding

Robots can work in environments harmful to human

Robots find it difficult to do ‘unusual’ tasks (e.g. one-off

6.6. Applications in Manufacturing 6.7. School Management Systems

performance over the academic year.

6.9. Banking Applications

6.12. Expert Systems Components of an Expert System

These systems have been developed to mimic the User Interface

This is software that attempts to derive answers from the

Involves sending out questionnaires to the work force

A way of preventing errors when data is copied from one

4 Common Methods of Changing Systems

Testing strategies Direct

Any data regarding a living person who can be identified

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

they should be reported