ICDL Module 1 Concepts Information Technology: Important Notice

ICDL Module 1
Concepts
of
Information
Technology
David Varley
IMPORT!T !OTIC"
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e taken and the candidate will not e ale to otain an International Com!uter
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Ta'le of Contents
Module 1( Concepts of Information Technology )IT*
SBLLAB9S I$EC
1+1 ,eneral Concepts
..... 7ardware" Software" Information $echnolog# 1+-
....... 9nderstand the terms hardware" software" Information $echnolog# %I$'.
....+ $#!es of Com!uter 1+-
....+.. 9nderstand and distinguish etween mainframe com!uter" network com!uter"
!ersonal com!uter" la!to!" !ersonal digital assistant %?DA' in terms of ca!acit#"
s!eed" cost" and t#!ical users.
....6 Cain ?arts of a ?ersonal Com!uter 1+.
....6.. Anow the main !arts of a !ersonal com!uter such as4 central !rocessing unit
%C?9'" hard disk" common in!ut and out!ut devices" t#!es of memor#.
9nderstand the term !eri!heral device.
....5 Com!uter ?erformance 1+1%
....5.. Anow some of the factors that im!act on a com!uterDs !erformance such as4
C?9 s!eed" EAC si&e" the numer of a!!lications running.
1+$ /ard0are
..+.. Central ?rocessing 9nit 1+11
..+.... 9nderstand some of the functions of the C?9 in terms of calculations" logic
control" immediate access memor#. Anow that the s!eed of the C?9 is
measured in megahert& %C7&' or gigahert& %>7&'.
..+.+ Cemor# 1+11
..+.+.. 9nderstand different t#!es of com!uter memor# such as4 EAC
%random-access memor#'" E@C %read-onl# memor#' and distinguish etween
them.
..+.+.+ Anow how com!uter memor# is measured4 it" #te" AB" CB" >B"
$B. Eelate com!uter memor# measurements to characters"
files and directories/folders.
..+.6 In!ut Devices 1+12
..+.6.. Identif# some of the main devices for in!utting data into a com!uter such as4
mouse" ke#oard" trackall" scanner" touch!ad" light!en" Fo#stick" digital
camera" micro!hone.
..+.5 @ut!ut Devices 1+1.
..+.5.. Identif# common out!ut devices for dis!la#ing the results of !rocessing
carried out # a com!uter" such as4 monitors" screens" !rinters" !lotters"
s!eakers. Anow where these devices are used.
..+.3 In!ut/@ut!ut Devices 1+$1
..+.3.. 9nderstand some devices are oth in!ut/out!ut devices such as4
touchscreens.
..+./ Storage Devices 1+$1
..+./.. Com!are the main t#!es of memor# storage devices in terms of s!eed"
cost and ca!acit# such as4 diskette" Gi! disk" data cartridges" CD-E@C"
internal" e<ternal hard disk.
..+./.+ 9nderstand the !ur!ose of formatting a disk.
1+3 4oft0are
..6.. $#!es of Software 1+$&
..6.... Distinguish etween o!erating s#stems software and a!!lications
software. 9nderstand the reasons for software versions.
..6.+ @!erating S#stem Software 1+$&
..6.+.. Descrie the main functions of an o!erating s#stem and name some
common o!erating s#stems.
..6.6 A!!lications Software 1+$2
..6.6.. List some common software a!!lications such as4 word !rocessing" s!readsheet"
dataase" We rowsing" deskto! !ulishing" accounting" together with
their uses.
..6.5 >ra!hical 9ser Interface 1+$2
..6.5.. 9nderstand the term >ra!hical 9ser Interface %>9I'.
..6.3 S#stems Develo!ment 1+$.
..6.3.. 9nderstand how com!uter-ased s#stems are develo!ed. Anow aout the
!rocess of anal#sis" design" !rogramming and testing often used in
develo!ing com!uter-ased s#stems.
1+5 Information !et0or6s
..5.. LA2" WA2 1+31
..5.... 9nderstand the terms" local area network %LA2'" wide area network
%WA2'. 9nderstand the term client/server.
..5...+ List some of the advantages associated with grou! working such as4
sharing !rinters" a!!lications" and files across a network.
..5.+ Intranet" E<tranet 1+3$
..5.+.. 9nderstand what an intranet is and understand the distinction etween the
Internet and an intranet.
..5.+.+ 9nderstand what an e<tranet is and understand the distinction etween an
intranet and an e<tranet.
..5.6 $he Internet 1+33
..5.6.. 9nderstand what the Internet is and know some of its main uses.
..5.6.+ 9nderstand what the World Wide We %WWW' is and distinguish it
from the Internet.
..5.5 $he $ele!hone 2etwork in Com!uting 1+35
..5.5.. 9nderstand the use of the tele!hone network in com!uting. 9nderstand
the terms ?ulic Switched $ele!hone 2etwork %?S$2'" Integrated Services
Digital 2etwork %ISD2'"
As#metric Digital Suscrier Line %ADSL'.
..5.5.+ 9nderstand the terms analogue" digital" modem" transfer rate" %measured
in !s H its !er second'
1+1 The 7se of IT in "veryday Life
..3.. Com!uters at Work 1+3-
..3.... Identif# some situations where a com!uter might e more a!!ro!riate
than a !erson for carr#ing out a task and where not.
..3...+ Anow some of the uses of large-scale com!uter a!!lications in usiness such
as4 usiness administration s#stems" airline ooking s#stems" insurance
claims !rocessing" online anking.
..3...6 Anow some of the uses of large-scale com!uter a!!lications in government
such as4 !ulic records s#stems %census" vehicle registration'" revenue
collection" electronic voting.
..3...5 Anow some of the uses of large-scale com!uter a!!lications in hos!itals/
healthcare such as4 !atient records s#stems" amulance control s#stems"
diagnostic tools and instruments" s!ecialist surgical eIui!ment
..3...3 Anow some of the uses of com!uter a!!lications in education such as4
student registration and timetaling s#stems" com!uter-ased training
%CB$'" distance learning" homework using the Internet.
..3.../ 9nderstand the term teleworking. List some of the advantages of
teleworking such as4 reduced or no commuting time" greater ailit# to focus
on one task" fle<ile schedules" reduced com!an# s!ace reIuirements.
List some disadvantages of teleworking such as4 lack of human
contact" less em!hasis on teamwork.
..3.+ Electronic World 1+53
..3.+.. 9nderstand the term electronic mail %e-mail' and know its main uses.
..3.+.+ 9nderstand the term e-Commerce. 9nderstand the conce!t of !urchasing
goods and services online" including giving !ersonal details efore a
transaction can e carried out" !a#ment methods" consumerDs asic
right to return unsatisfactor# goods.
..3.+.6 List some of the advantages of !urchasing goods and services online"
such as4 services availale +5 hours a da#" o!!ortunit# to view a wide
range of !roducts. List some of the disadvantages of !urchasing goods and
services online such as4 choosing from a virtual store" no human contact"
risk of insecure !a#ment methods
1+& /ealth and 4afety8 "nvironment
../.. Ergonomics 1+52
../.... 9nderstand what elements and !ractices can hel! create a good working
environment such as4 a!!ro!riate !ositioning of monitors" ke#oards and
adFustale chairs" use of a mouse mat" use of a monitor filter" !rovision of
adeIuate lighting and ventilation" freIuent reaks awa# from the com!uter.
../.+ 7ealth Issues 1+5-
../.+.. List some common health !rolems which can e associated with using a
com!uter such as4 inFuries to wrists caused # !rolonged t#!ing" e#e strain
caused # screen glare" ack !rolems associated with !oor seating or ad
!osture.
../.6 ?recautions 1+5-
../.6.. List some safet# !recautions when using a com!uter such as4 ensuring
!ower cales are safel# secured" !ower !oints are not overloaded.
../.5 $he Environment
../.5.. Be aware that rec#cling !rinted out!uts" rec#cling !rinter toner cartridges"
using a monitor that consumes less !ower while the com!uter is inactive
can hel! the environment.
../.5.+ 9nderstand that using electronic documents can hel! reduce the need for
!rinted materials.
1+2 4ecurity
..,.I Information Securit# 1+11
..,.... 9nderstand the term information securit# and the enefits to an organisation
of eing !roactive in dealing with securit# risks such as4 ado!ting an
information securit# !olic# with res!ect to handling sensitive data"
having !rocedures for re!orting securit# incidents" making staff memers
aware of their res!onsiilities with res!ect to information securit#.
..,...+ Anow aout !rivac# issues associated with com!uters" such as ado!ting
good !assword !olicies. 9nderstand what is meant # user ID and
differentiate etween user ID and !assword. 9nderstand the term access rights
and know wh# access rights are im!ortant.
..,...6 Anow aout the !ur!ose and value of acking u! data" software to a
removale storage device.
..,...5 Be aware of !ossile im!lications of theft of a la!to! com!uter" ?DA" moile
!hone such as4 !ossile misuse of confidential files" loss of files" loss of
im!ortant contact details if not availale on a se!arate source" !ossile misuse
of tele!hone numers.
..,.+ Com!uter =iruses 1+11
..,.+.. 9nderstand the term virus when used in com!uting and understand that there
are different t#!es of virus. Be aware when and how viruses can enter a
com!uter s#stem.
..,.+.+ Anow aout anti-virus measures and what to do when a virus infects a
com!uter. Be aware of the limitations of anti-virus software. 9nderstand
what JdisinfectingD files means.
..,.+.6 9nderstand good !ractice when downloading files" accessing file attachments"
such as4 use of virus scanning software" not o!ening unrecognised
e-mail messages" not o!ening attachments contained within unrecognised
e-mail messages.
1+- Copyright and the La0
..K.. Co!#right 1+1-
..K.... 9nderstand the conce!t of co!#right when a!!lied to software" and also to
files such as4 gra!hics" te<t" audio" video. 9nderstand co!#right issues
involved in downloading information from the Internet.
..K...+ 9nderstand co!#right issues associated with using and distriuting materials
stored on removale media such as CDDs" Gi! disks" diskettes.
..K...6 Anow how to check the ?roduct ID numer for a software !roduct. 9nderstand
the terms shareware" freeware" end-user license agreement.
..K.+ Data ?rotection Legislation 1+&%
..K.+.. Anow aout data !rotection legislation or conventions in #our countr#.
9nderstand the im!lications of data !rotection legislation for data suFects and
data holders. Descrie some of the uses of !ersonal data.
Module 1(
Concepts of Information
Technology )IT*
4ection 1( ,eneral Concepts
999999999999999999999999999999999
IMPORT!T !OTIC"
All candidates who follow an ICDL/ECDL course must have an official CDL/ECDL
Skills Log Book or Skills Card. Without such a Log Book or Skills Card no tests can
e taken and the candidate will not e ale to otain an International Com!uter
Driving Licence" nor an# other form of certificate or recognition for the course.
Log Books/Skills Cards are otainale from ICDL/ECDL $raining and $esting Centres
%see www.icdl.org.&a' or directl# from the ICDL (oundation of South Africa.
%info)icdl.org.&a" !hone *+,-+.-/,.-.0,0'
1.1 Concepts of Information Technology: Basic Concepts
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
1+1+1 /ard0are8 4oft0are8 Information Technology
1+1+1+1 7nderstand the terms hard0are8 soft0are8 Information Technology
)IT*+
/ard0are
/ard0are refers to the !h#sical com!onents of a com!uter. $hese are the !arts that #ou can
see" feel and hear. E<am!les are the C?9" the ke#oard" the monitor" memor#" cales" mouse"
!rinter and !ower su!!l#.
4oft0are
4oft0are refers to the programs that control the com!uter and make it function.
2ote the s!elling is !rogram and not !rogramme.
A program is a set of instructions that the com!uter oe#s. Com!uter !rograms can e
e<tremel# long and com!le< sets of instructions. It is Iuite common for com!uter !rograms to e
tens of thousands of lines long. $he a!!lication !rograms that #ou use on #our ?C for word
!rocessing and s!readsheets are in fact even longer.
Information Technology
Information Technology is a road term which covers all as!ects of the use of com!uter
technolog#. It includes not onl# hardware and software" ut also communication technolog#
a!!lied to linking com!uter s#stems" software engineering" and the administration and use of
com!uter s#stems.
1+1+$ Types of Computer
1+1+$+1 7nderstand and distinguish 'et0een mainframe computer8 net0or6
computer8 personal computer8 laptop8 personal digital assistant )PD*
in terms of capacity8 speed8 cost8 and typical users+
In the earl# da#s of com!uter technolog#" it was eas# to categorise com!uters. $oda#" even the
asic deskto! machines are e<tremel# !owerful # the standards of a few #ears ago and rival the
earl# mainframes in com!uting !ower.
Mainframes
$hese are the largest and most !owerful of com!uters. $he iggest of these are sometimes called
4upercomputers. Cainframes are usuall# onl# found in large cor!orate institutions" research
organisations" government ministries and tertiar# academic institutions.
$he# !rovide centralised !rocessing and storage of data. $he# are usuall# used for large
dataase s#stems such as the accounts of a munici!alit#" !atient information at a large hos!ital
or student records at a universit#.
Because deskto! %!ersonal com!uters' and la!to!s are relativel# chea!" man# activities such as
word !rocessing" creation of s!readsheets and general office tasks are carried out using these
t#!es of com!uters. $his frees the mainframe for !rocessing large dataases.
!et0or6ing" in which com!uters are connected together and are ale to communicate" allows
data to e do0nloaded from the mainframe to the !ersonal com!uter or e uploaded from the
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
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!ersonal com!uter to the mainframe. In effect" networking creates one large s#stem com!rising
all the different com!uters linked together.

Capacity and speed( Cainframes have the largest ca!acit# in terms of data storage and
!rocessing s!eed. $he ca!acit# of a modern mainframe can e hundreds or even thousands of
times that of a modern !ersonal com!uter.
Cost( Cainframes are also the most e<!ensive machines in terms of oth initial cost and
maintenance. A mainframe can cost millions of Eands.
Typical users( Because the mainframe !rovides services to all sectors of a large cor!oration or
institution" users can include s#stems anal#sts" !rogrammers" dataase administrators" data
ca!turers" accountants" accounts administrators
!et0or6 computer
!et0or6 computers are also sometimes known as thin clients or dum' terminals. $he#
!rovide access to a mainframe via a network and have little" if an#" com!uting ca!acit# of their
own. 2etwork com!uters !rovide remote access to a mainframe. $he# allow the user to in!ut
data or commands and receive out!ut. $he actual !rocessing would e done on the mainframe.
Capacity and speed( 2etwork com!uters do not have an# !rocessing ca!acit# of their own.
$heir s!eed will de!end on i4 the s!eed and ca!acit# of the mainframeM ii4 the s!eed of the
network to which the# are attachedM iii4 the numer of users accessing the mainframe. $hus in
!eriods of low demand" the# will a!!ear to function ver# Iuickl# ut would a!!ear to slow down
when the demand on the s#stem is high.
Cost( 2etwork com!uters are relativel# sim!le devices" hence the# are fairl# chea!.
Typical users( $hese would generall# e the end-users of the s#stem such as managers"
accountants" rece!tionists" accounts clerks and data ca!turers.
Personal computers
Personal computers or PCs for short are the t#!e of com!uter that most users are familiar
with. Because the# are usuall# found on users desks" the# are also sometimes called des6top
computers. Operating systems such as Linu: and ;indo0s were designed s!ecificall# for
!ersonal com!uters. $he same a!!lies to the thousands of a!!lication !ackages that are
availale including OpenOffice+org and Cicrosoft Office+ A t#!ical ?C consists of a main unit
housing the C?9 and disk drives" a =D9 %=ideo Dis!la# 9nit'" a ke#oard and a mouse. ?Cs are
self contained com!uting s#stems that can e used for thousands of different tasks from creating
a sim!le document to controlling a large industrial machine.
Capacity and speed( Because of the ra!id advances in technolog#" the ?C of toda# is more
!owerful than man# mainframes of a few #ears ago. $here is little sign that the rate of
develo!ment is slowing down. $#!icall#" a modern ?C can store the eIuivalent of a few million
!ages of !rinted te<t and carr# out millions of instructions in a second. What com!licates the
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issue of s!eed in talking aout ?Cs is the use of gra!hics. Cost a!!lications make intensive use
of gra!hics. $his demands enormous com!uting !ower. Com!uters" which would otherwise
a!!ear to e ver# fast" can a!!ear to e Iuite slow ecause of the demands !laced on them #
the gra!hics used in an a!!lication. @ther com!onents" such as the gra!hics card" also !la# a
role in the s!eed of a ?C.
Cost( $here has een a stead# decline in the cost of com!uting !ower. Although the cost of ?Cs
has een fairl# stead#" the com!uting !ower that has een su!!lied has increased drasticall#.
$he cost of a !ersonal com!uter is greater than that of a network com!uter or ?DA ut less than
that of a la!to! and a ver# small fraction of the !rice of a mainframe.
Typical users( Ever#one is a !otential user of a !ersonal com!uter since there is virtuall# no
s!here of human activit# that does not make use of information technolog#. $he list could include
scientists" researchers" mathematicians" statisticians" technologists" engineers" students"
teachers" accountants" actuaries" managers" doctors" lirarians" rece!tionists" ook-kee!ers"
writers" and Fournalists. $hese are Fust a ver# few.
Laptop
Laptops are similar to !ersonal com!uters e<ce!t that the# com!rise an integrated unit. Instead
of a se!arate monitor" the lid contains a screen. $he ke#oard is uilt into the ase. 9suall# the#
make use of a touch!ad instead of a mouse. $he term note'oo6 computer is often used instead
of la!to! com!uter.
$he main feature of a la!to! is its !ortailit#. $his is !ossile" not onl# ecause of the reduced
si&e and weight" ut also through the use of a uilt-in atter# which is ale to !ower the
com!uter for a few hours without eing connected to a mains !ower su!!l#. La!to!s are also
designed around low !ower and smaller devices. (or e<am!le" la!to!s use small +N: hard drives
as o!!osed to the 6N; drives of deskto!s. In addition" these drives have s!ecial com!onents
uilt-in to !rotect them against movement.
Capacity and speed( $hese are the same as for !ersonal com!uters.
Cost( Because of the more e<!ensive com!onents and the smaller market for la!to!s" these are
usuall# Iuite a it more e<!ensive than !ersonal com!uters. Increased volumes and
im!rovements in manufacturing techniIues will ring the !rice of la!to!s down in the future.
Typical users( Although the users could e an# of those mentioned under !ersonal com!uters"
cost tends to limit the users to those who need !ortailit# or who can afford the cost. Bou would
find them most commonl# used # !eo!le such as managers and Fournalists. It is Iuite common
to see a la!to! and the desk of senior memers of staff and !ersonal com!uters on the desk of
staff. $his is not alwa#s a matter of status ut often due to the fact that managers tend to take
work home with them.
PD < Personal Digital ssistant
$he PD is the smallest of all com!uters. $heir main task is to maintain a diar# and kee! contact
lists. @n man# #ou are ale to make use of a word !rocessor or s!readsheet" ut" ecause of
!h#sical constraints" the amount that can e done is far more limited than on a ?C. ?DAs var#
consideral# in the features the# contain. $o! of the range cell !hones now contain a ?DA.
9suall#" all the com!onents of a ?DA are solid state H the# do not contain an# moving !arts.
Some of the larger ?DAs" often called sunoteooks" ma# contain a miniature .N: hard drive.
@ne feature that distinguishes a ?DA from a sunoteook is that the latter has a uilt-in
ke#oard whereas the ?DA makes use of a light !en and character recognition for data in!ut.
Cost ?DAs are ale to connect to a !ersonal com!uter so that data can e e<changed. A common
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feature is synchronisation where software on the ?C automaticall# u!dates oth the ?C and
?DA at the same time # using the most u!-to-date data on each.
Capacity and speed( ?DAs have much less storage ca!acit# and are slower than !ersonal
com!uters. $he# were designed with convenience and low !ower reIuirements in mind rather
than !ower.
Cost( 9suall# a ?DA is less e<!ensive than a !ersonal com!uter" ut to! of the range ?DAs can
actuall# e more e<!ensive than an average !ersonal com!uter.
Typical users( $#!ical users are those with high moilit# who need to kee! track of their
agendas. $hese would include managers" re!resentatives and doctors.
Cost comparisons
$he cost of a com!uter de!ends on a range of factors including the com!onents" laour and
demand. As a result" an# !rice that is Iuoted will e out of date within weeks. (urther" as
demand increases for one t#!e of com!uter and decreases for another" their relative !rices will
change.
$he following tale attem!ts to give a gra!hical re!resentation of the relative !rices of different
t#!es of com!uter4
Most e:pensive Least e:pensive
Mainframe
Laptop computer
Personal computer
!et0or6 computer
PD
1+1+3 Main Parts of a Personal Computer
1+1+3+1 =no0 the main parts of a personal computer such as( central
processing unit )CP7*8 hard dis68 common input and output devices8
types of memory+ 7nderstand the term peripheral device+
Central Processing 7nit
$he Central Processing 7nit or CP7 can e thought of as the
rain of the com!uter. $he function of the C?9 is to e<ecute the
instructions in the !rograms. At the heart of its o!erations are
arithmetic and logical operations.
$he C?9 is made u! of millions of electronic com!onents called
transistors" ca!acitors and resistors. $ransistors are the active
com!onents of the C?9. Codern C?9s contain millions of
transistors.
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It was the miniaturisation of com!onents and the creation of the
integrated circuit that has made the develo!ment of modern
com!uters !ossile. Although integrated circuits contain
enormous numers of com!onents and connectors" the whole
oFect is manufactured as a single item through s!ecial
manufacturing techniIues. (rom the outside" the integrated
circuit looks like a small lack o< with a numer of electrical
connectors on the outside.
/ard dis6
$he hard disk is the com!onent that stores data and
!rograms even after the com!uter has een switched
off. It consists of a numer of rotating !latters which
are covered with a magnetic film. Information is stored
using the magnetic !ro!erties of the film. $he !latters
rotate from etween 3000 and K000 r!m or faster.
7eads are attached to the end of arms that are ale to
move ackwards and forwards across the surface.
$hese heads move ver# close to the surface" t#!icall#
onl# a s!eck of smoke could fit etween the head and
the surface.
Because a hard drive is oth mechanical and electronic
in construction" it is called an electro>mechanical
device.
Input devices
In!ut devices are com!onents which are used to feed commands and data into the com!uter.
$hese include devices such as ke#oards and mice.
Output devices
@ut!ut devices are devices that the com!uter uses to send us the results of the !rocessing.
$hese include the =D9 %monitor' and !rinters.
Peripheral devices
A com!uter s#stem com!rises the case which houses the motheroard" C?9" hard drives" !ower
su!!l# and various other com!onents. Devices such as !rinters" monitor" ke#oard and mouse
which are connected to the main unit # various t#!es of cales and connectors are called
peripheral devices.
Memory
$here are two general categories of memor#4 !rimar# and secondar#.
4econdary memory consists of the various devices that are ale to store data and !rograms
even when the !ower is off. $his includes devices such as hard drives" flo!!# drives" ta!e drives"
CD drives and D=D drives.
Primary memory is the memor# that is intimatel# associated with the actual working of the
com!uter. $his includes memor# that holds the start-u! routines as well as the current !rogram
and data it is working with. $here are various forms of !rimar# memor#4 EAC" E@C and Cache
Page 12
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memor#.
RM or Random ccess Memory holds the current running !rogram and its associated data.
ROM or Read Only Memory contains certain ke# routines %small !rograms'. @ne e<am!le" is
the set of start-u! routines. $hese take control of the com!uter when #ou switch on and ensure
that the com!uter 'oots>up. Booting-u! is the !rocess of starting the com!uter u! so that it is
ale to load and run com!uter !rograms.
Cache memory is ver# high s!eed memor# that is used # the C?9 in e<ecuting the individual
instructions of the !rogram. It is used to hold items such as instructions that are ne<t in line to
e e<ecuted and data that is likel# to e needed # the C?9.
All of these conce!ts will e dealt with in more detail in the ne<t cha!ter.

1+1+5 Computer Performance
1+1+5+1 =no0 some of the factors that impact on a computer?s performance
such as( CP7 speed8 RM si@e8 the num'er of applications running+
$he !erformance of a com!uter is determined # a numer of factors" all of which work together.
@ften a single item that is functioning !oorl# will cause a ottleneck resulting in !oor
!erformance.
CP7( $he model of the C?9 and its s!eed are the first factors that determine com!uter
!erformance. >enerall#" the C?9 so far out!erforms the other com!onents" that !oor
!erformance is usuall# due to other factors. @ne im!ortant factor in the !erformance of the C?9
is the amount of on-oard cache memor#. If the C?9 has sufficient cache memor# it can Iueue
future instructions and data in cache. Since access to cache memor# is far faster than that to
EAC" the overall !rocessing !erformance is im!roved. @n-oard cache memor# hel!s es!eciall#
where the C?9 is involved in !rocessing of gra!hics.
RM( If a com!uter does not have sufficient EAC" it has to make use of the hard disk to store
intermediate data that it would normall# store in EAC. $his is referred to as virtual memory.
Since hard disk access is much slower than access to EAC" this will slow down the com!uter. $he
more EAC a com!uter has" the less need there will e to make use of virtual memor#.
!um'er of applications( Codern com!uters are designed to run more than one a!!lication at a
time and to allow a!!lications to e working on multi!le sets of data at the same time. (or
e<am!le" a user ma# e working on four documents at once. 7owever" the more o!en
a!!lications and documents there are" the more this will !lace a urden on the !rocessing !ower
of the com!uter. (or est !erformance" onl# o!en the a!!lications and documents #ou need.
Close others.
,raphics cards( $he gra!hics card is the unit that converts the signals from the C?9 into a form
that can e dis!la#ed on the monitor. A good gra!hics card can take over man# of the tasks of
the C?9 in generating the out!ut. $his leaves the C?9 free to do other !rocessing tasks. $he
Iualit# of the gra!hics card is a ke# factor in the !erformance of a com!uter" #et is one which is
often overlooked.
Page 13
Module 1(
Technology )IT*
4ection $( /ard0are
999999999999999999999999999999999
1.2 Concepts of Information Technology: ar!"are
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
1+$+1 Central Processing 7nit

1+$+1+1 7nderstand some of the functions of the CP7 in terms of calculations8
logic control8 immediate access memory+ =no0 that the speed of the
CP7 is measured in megahert@ )M/@* or gigahert@ ),/@*+
Parts of the CP7
$here are three main com!onents to the C?94 the arithmetic-logic unit %AL9'" control unit and
on-oard cache memor#.
Control unit( $he control unit is res!onsile for loading and inter!reting the individual
instructions that com!rise the com!uter !rogram. $hese instructions are in a language called
machine code. Cachine code is a !attern of ones and &eros. $he control unit also has the task of
getting the data needed # the instructions and returning the results of the !rocessing after the
instruction has een e<ecuted.
rithmetic>logic unit( $he AL9 is res!onsile for carr#ing out arithmetic o!erations such as
addition and sutraction as well as logical decisions such as whether one numer is igger than
another. All !rograms consist of com!le< sets of arithmetic and logical o!erations. Another wa#
of thinking of a logical o!eration is as a decision making o!eration.
On>'oard cache memory( Because the C?9 can !erform its o!erations much faster than data
can e transferred from EAC" man# C?9s have on-oard cache memor#. $his is memor# that the
control unit can access ver# Iuickl# and use for intermediate storage. (urther" data and
instructions can e loaded into cache efore the# are actuall# needed. When the# are needed" the
transfer is much faster than it would have een if EAC had een used.
4peed of the CP7( $he C?9 o!erates as a result of electronic !ulses sent to it # another device
on the motheroard called the clock. $he s!eed of a C?9 is measured # the ma<imum numer
of !ulses it is ale to handle. $his is measured in C7& %megahert&' or millions of !ulses !er
second or >7& %gigahert&' thousands of millions of !ulses !er second. A good !ersonal com!uter
will use a C?9 with a clock s!eed of over + >7&. $his means it receives + 000 000 000 million
!ulses ever# second from the C?9.
?reviousl# C?9s could onl# do one o!eration !er !ulse. With im!rovements in technolog#" the#
have een ale to im!rove on this. (or e<am!le" the# can do one o!eration at the start of the
!ulse and one at the end of the !ulse.

1+$+$ Memory
1+$+$+1 7nderstand different types of computer memory such as( RM
)random>access memory*8 ROM )read>only memory* and distinguish
'et0een them+
As mentioned in the first cha!ter EAC is used to store the current data and !rograms whereas
E@C is used to store the routines that enale a com!uter to oot u!.
$he following tale com!ares EAC and E@C.
Page 1#
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RM ROM
#unction Store the currentl# active !rograms
and their data.
Stores certain fi<ed routines such as
the oot-u! routines.
Volatility EAC is volatile4 When the com!uter is
switched off" the contents are lost.
E@C is non-volatile4 When the
com!uter is switched off" the contents
are not lost.
Changea'le $he contents of EAC can e changed
or deleted.
$he contents of E@C cannot e
changed or deleted.

1+$+$+$ =no0 ho0 computer memory is measured( 'it8 'yte8 =A8 MA8 ,A8 TA+
Relate computer memory measurements to characters8 files and
directories<folders+
Aits
In all the com!onents of a com!uter" data and instructions are stored as !atters of ones and
&eros. $hese individual ones and &eros are called its.
In electronic com!onents the one is stored # switching an electronic switch on and a &ero #
switching it off. @n a magnetic material" such as the surface of a hard disk" the one ma# e
stored with a clockwise magnetic field and a &ero with a counter-clockwise field.
$he reason for the use of onl# ones and &eros stems directl# from the fact that modern circuitr#
makes use of electronic switches and these can onl# e on or off. $he term for circuitr# ased on
switches is digital. Arithmetic ased on the use of onl# ones and &eros is called 'inary
arithmetic.
Aytes
Bits are grou!ed together into sets of eight. A set of eight its is called a 'yte.
4CII or merican 4tandard Code for Information Interchange was a s#stem of
re!resenting all the characters of the western al!haet and certain s!ecial characters in a single
#te. Bou can think of the #te as the amount of memor# reIuired to store a single character.
As there are onl# +3/ !ossile variations within eight its" this is not sufficient to re!resent other
al!haets. As a result a new s#stem" called uni>code" has een develo!ed to re!resent all the
al!haets of the world. $his makes use of two #tes or si<teen its. With two #tes" /336/
different characters and s#mols can e re!resented.

7nits of memory
Because we use ver# large numers of #tes for storage" areviations are used for large
numers. $hese are ased on !owers of two and are set out in the following tale.
kB kilo#te
+
.0
O . 0+5 #tes
a!!ro<. . 000 #tes
C Cega#te
+
+0
O . 05K 3,/ #tes
a!!ro<. . 000 000 #tes
> >iga#te
+
60
#tes
a!!ro<. .000 000 000 #tes
$ $era#te
+
50
#tes
a!!ro<. .000 000 000 000 #tes
Page 1$
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$he ca!acit# of hard drives is measured in #tes. A modern hard drive has a ca!acit# of 50 > or
more.
When files are stored on disk" the amount of s!ace the# occu!# is measured in #tes. $he
following screen shows a !artial listing of files in a director#. 2otice the fourth column which
contains the si&e of the file in #tes. %DonPt e concerned with the detail of this screen H it is
shown !urel# for illustrative !ur!oses.'
When we work with files and directories" we often need to know how large the files are or how
much s!ace a director# and its files occu!ies.
@ne 'yte is one character which is a numer" letter or s#mol. It consists of eight its
%inar# digits' and is the smallest unit of information a com!uter can !rocess.
@ne 6ilo'yte is ."0+5 characters and is a!!ro<imatel# eIual to one !age of te<t in doule-
s!acing.
@ne mega'yte is ."05K"3,/ characters and is a!!ro<imatel# eIual to one ook.
@ne giga'yte is ."0,6",5."K+5 characters and is a!!ro<imatel# eIual to .000 ooks.
@ne tera'yte is ."088"3.."/+,",,/ characters and is a!!ro<imatel# eIual to a whole lirar#.
1+$+3 Input Devices
1+$+3+1 Identify some of the main devices for inputting data into a computer
such as( mouse8 6ey'oard8 trac6'all8 scanner8 touchpad8 lightpen8
Boystic68 digital camera8 microphone+
An# device which allows us to send data or instructions to the com!uter can e regarded as an
in!ut device. We can use an# mechanical movement" sound" light" heat or electronic signals to
in!ut data and instructions.
=ey'oard
$he most familiar in!ut device is the ke#oard.
9sers t#!e the te<t directl# into the com!uter.
$here are a numer of la#outs of the ke#oard.
$he most im!ortant are the language
variations. (or e<am!le" the 9S and 9A
ke#oards are Iuite similar ut are ver#
different from the (rench ke#oard.
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Mouse
$he mouse is a !oint and click device. As #ou move the mouse
across a surface" it senses this movement either mechanicall# or
o!ticall#. $his is translated into the movement of a !ointer on the
screen. (unctions are re!resented as icons on the screen. When
#ou click on these using a mouse utton" the function is e<ecuted.
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Touchpad
A touch!ad is a device that senses !ressure to guide the !ointer on the com!uter screen. It is
generall# a small sIuare area elow the ke#oard. As the user moves his/her finger across the
touch!ad" the !ointer moves on the screen. 2e<t to the !ad are two uttons used for clicking in
e<actl# the same wa# as those on a mouse.
Trac6'all
A trackall acts as a t#!e of overturned mouse. $he all is on the
to! side of the oFect. B# rolling the all #ou can move the
!ointer across the screen. Some ke#oards have an in-uilt
trackall.
$he trackall has een su!erseded # the touch!ad.
Lightpen
A light !en is a device which is sensitive to variations in !atterns on a surface.
Light !ens act like a miniature scanner and can read te<t as the# are dragged
across the !rinted !age. $his can e transferred directl# to the current o!en
document.
Aar code reader
A ar code is a !attern of vertical lines in which the s!acing and thickness can
e used to re!resent data. A ar code reader is a device that can read and
inter!ret ar codes and in!ut the data into the com!uter.
Coystic6
A Fo#stick is a device that is familiar for use in games to move oFects on the
screen. 7owever" it is also used to control the movements in com!uterised
industrial machines such as lathes. It consists of a small vertical lever which
can move in an# direction. $hese movements are translated to the com!uter
which in turn uses them to control the movements of machiner#.
Digital camera
Instead of film" a digital camera uses a light sensitive screen at the ack of the camera. A small
com!uter inside the camera converts the !attern on the screen into a standard gra!hics file
which can then e transferred to a com!uter.
Microphone
A micro!hone translates s!eech into an electronic signal. Codern s!eech recognition software is
ale to translate this into either commands or data. $his enales the user to use a micro!hone as
an alternative to the ke#oard.
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4canner
A scanner is similar to a !hotoco!ier" e<ce!t that instead of
!roducing a !a!er co!# of the document #ou !lace on it" #ou get an
electronic co!# which a!!ears on #our com!uter screen.
Te:t recognition soft0are can e used with a scanner. $his
software is ale to recognise the individual letters in the image.
Instead of creating a single image of the document" the software
inserts actual te<t into #our a!!lication which can then e edited.
1+$+5 Output Devices
1+$+5+1 Identify common output devices for displaying the results of
processing carried out 'y a computer8 such as( monitors8 screens8
printers8 plotters8 spea6ers+ =no0 0here these devices are used+
An out!ut is an# device that the com!uter uses to send the results of !rocessing to the user. $he
out!ut can e a hard co!# %!a!er'" visual or sound.
Visual Display 7nit )VD7*
=irtuall# all com!uters use some t#!e of screen as their !rimar# out!ut device. $here are two
categories of screen4 cathode ra# tue and LCD.
CRT screens( $he cathode ra# tue %CE$' t#!e screen is usuall# called a monitor and makes
use of the same technolog# as a television screen. A eam of electronics is fired from an
electronic gun at the ack of the tue. $his strikes the front of the tue which is covered in a
!hos!horescent material which glows when struck # electrons. Between the electron gun and
the screen the eam is modulated # a signal to !roduce the image #ou see on the screen.
With CE$ t#!e screens" an im!ortant measure is the refresh rate. Eoughl# s!eaking" this is the
numer of times the image is refreshed ever# second. A low refresh rate makes the image a!!ear
to flicker. Bou need a refresh rate of at least ,+ 7& %,+ times a second' to avoid the a!!earance
of flicker.
4olid state screens( Solid state screens" also known as LCD or LiIuid Cr#stal Dis!la#s" make
use of tin# transistors to emit light and create an image. @riginall#" LCD screens were confined to
la!to!s" ut the# are increasingl# used with deskto!s. $he# are usuall# called flat screens when
used as se!arate units with deskto!s.
Resolution( An im!ortant characteristic of all screens is their resolution. Each !oint of light on
the screen is called a pi:el. $he resolution of a screen is the ma<imum numer of !i<els that the
screen can dis!la#. $his is given as the numer of !i<els across %hori&ontal resolution' # the
numer of !i<els down %vertical resolution'. (or e<am!le" K00 < /00. $he greater the resolution
the etter. Codern screens can dis!la# .0+5 Q ,/K or etter.
Printers
?rinters !roduce a hard co!# of the out!ut on !a!er. $here are three main t#!es of !rinter4 Dot
matri<" InkFet and Laser. $he following tale com!ares the three t#!es.
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Dot matri: In6Bet Laser
Initial cost Low Cedium 7igh
Cost per printed page Low 7igh Cedium
4peed Low Cedium 7igh
/igh volumes 2o 2o Bes
!oise level 7igh Low Low
Print Duality Low Cedium 7igh
Print graphics 2o Bes Bes
Print in colour 2o Some Some
Print source Ink rion Ink $oner !owder
Plotters
A !lotter consists of a device that can move !a!er
oth ackwards and forwards. @n the to! of the
device one or more !ens are ale to move
hori&ontall# across the !a!er. $he comined
movement of the !ens hori&ontall# across the
!a!er and the vertical movement of the !a!er
allows com!le< continuous diagrams to e drawn.
Some !lotters allow different colour !ens to e
used to create diagrams in multi!le colours.
In other t#!es of !lotters" the !a!er lies on a flat
ed. $he mechanics of the !lotter are so designed
that the !ens can move oth across and down the
!a!er to create the diagram.
?lotters are usuall# used in conFunction with CAD %Com!uter Assisted Design' !rograms. $hese
are used in ever#thing from the design of shi!s and machines to uildings.
4pea6ers
Codern com!uters using the a!!ro!riate software can turn te<t in a document into audile
s!eech. $his is known as speech synthesis. @ther t#!es of software allow music and other
sounds to e created and !la#ed ack.
$he line etween the com!uter and a home entertainment s#stem is ecoming lurred.
Com!uters are ale to !la# music directl# from a CD or !la# a film from a D=D. Bou can even fit
#our com!uter with a radio or $= card to add these functions.
In all cases" the sound is transmitted through a s!eaker in the same wa# it is in a sound s#stem
or radio.

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1+$+1 Input<Output Devices
..+.3.. 9nderstand some devices are oth in!ut/out!ut devices such as4 touchscreens.
Some devices function as oth in!ut and out!ut devices.
A touchscreen is a s!ecial t#!e of screen in which the screen not onl# dis!la#s out!ut ut also
res!onds to eing touched.
A t#!ical e<am!le is their use in autotellers at anks. ?art of the screen contains information.
@ther !arts ma# contain a menu. When #ou touch one of the icons on the screen" the s#stem
res!onds to the associated command.
Another e<am!le is to e found in information screens in sho!!ing malls. $he lower half of the
screen consists of a numer of icons re!resenting menu items. If #ou touch one of these" either
information will e dis!la#ed in the to! half or a su-menu will a!!ear allowing #ou to refine #our
search for information.
?DAs have touch sensitive screens. Bou would use a s!ecial st#lus to touch icons on the screen or
to write. Character recognition software then converts #our writing to in!ut te<t for the ?DA.
1+$+& 4torage Devices
1+$+&+1 Compare the main types of memory storage devices in terms of speed8
cost and capacity such as( dis6ette8 Eip dis68 data cartridges8 CD>ROM8
internal8 e:ternal hard dis6+
Dis6ette
A diskette com!rises a !lastic fle<ile disk enclosed inside a
tough !lastic cover. At one end is a window. When the diskette
is !laced inside a diskette drive" the window is !ushed to the
side. $he read-record head inside the drive makes contact with
the magnetic disk.
Diskettes are slow and have a low ca!acit# %."55 C'. Since the# are chea!" the# still tend to e
commonl# used for storing small amounts of data. Another advantage is that the# can e used
over and over again. 9nfortunatel#" man# are not ver# good Iualit# and data can ecome
corru!ted and unusale. Because of this the# are not suited to acku! !ur!oses. $he disks can
ecome corru!t through man# causes including disk" heat" magnetism or moisture.
Eip dis6
A &i! disk is a removale magnetic disk which fits into a s!ecial &i! drive. $he surface is coated
with a s!ecial scratch resistant material which makes a &i! disk a ver# roust storage device. It
comes in a numer of ca!acities4 .00" +30 and ,30 C. $he s!eed of a &i! drive is faster than all
ut the ver# fastest of CD drives. Its roustness and s!eed make it an e<cellent acku! device.
7owever" its ca!acit# is much less than that of hard drives and ta!e drives which limits its use
for ver# large amounts of data.
Data cartridge
A data cartridge is a ta!e ver# similar to that found in a ta!e recorder" onl# much higher Iualit#.
$hese are used in a device called a tape streamer to record data. Data cartridges" es!eciall# if
good Iualit#" are reliale and chea! devices for creating acku!s of large Iuantities of data. $he#
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are" however" rather slow. Data cartridges are seDuential devices which means that to access
an item of data on them" all the !receding data reads to e read first. $he# are tending to
ecome osolete as newer faster and more reliale technologies are availale. A single ta!e can
stored man# > of data.
CD ROM
A CD E@C uses o!tical technolog#. When data is written" small !its are urned into the surface
using a highl# focussed laser eam. $hese are read # another laser eam.
$here are two t#!es of CD E@C used for storage. $he CD-W disks can onl# e written to once.
@nce data has een written to !art of the surface" this !art can no longer e used. CD-EW disks
are designed so that one set of data can overwrite another. $his allows the disks to e re-used
man# times.
CD E@C !rovides a reliale and storage medium for acking u! and storing data. $he s!eed is
greater than that of a diskette ut slower than that of a hard drive. Writing to a CD E@C is a
much slower !rocess than reading it. $he ca!acit# of a CD E@C is /50 C. It is sometimes
!ossile to store aout ,00 C on a disk.
CD E@C technolog# is im!roving all the time with continued im!rovements in Iualit# and s!eed.
DVD
$he Digital Versatile Dis6 is a develo!ment of the storage technolog# of the CD E@C. 9sing
newer storage methods and higher Iualit# media" a D=D can store aout 5 > of data. $his is
enough to store a full length film.
/ard dis6 drive
A hard disk drive can e internal or e:ternal. An internal drive is housed inside the main unit
and is connected directl# to the motheroard of the com!uter. An e<ternal drive is housed inside
a s!ecial cadd# which connects to the com!uter through one of its !orts. Cost now use the 9SB
or firewire !orts to achieve ma<imum !erformance.
An e<ternal hard drive is a good acku! medium and allows large Iuantities of data to e stored.
Since the same drive can e connected at different times to different com!uters" these drives
!rovide a useful wa# of transferring data etween com!uters that are not connected through a
network. As the# are electromechanical devices" the# are suFect to mechanical failure if not
handled with care. $he small +N: drives used in la!to!s make e<cellent e<ternal hard drives
since the# are constructed to e moved around.
Codern hard drives have ca!acities from 50 C to .+0 C. $he# are also relativel# chea! in
terms of the storage ca!acit# the# offer.
Because the# contain moving !arts" the# do eventuall# fail. When a hard drive fails is Iuite
un!redictale. An# sus!icious noise coming from a hard drive should e viewed with great
caution and the data it contains should acked u! immediatel#. $he e<!ected life s!an of a hard
drive is measured as the mean time 'et0een failures. $his is a ver# rough average of the
working life. (igures of +30 000 hours are often Iuoted ut these should e viewed with caution.
2umerous s#stems have een develo!ed to !rotect data on hard disks. @ne of these is mirroring
where the data is stored simultaneous on two disks. $he one disk ecomes the mirror image of
the other. If one fails" the data is still one the other. In this case" the first disk is re!laced" the
s#stem creates a mirror image of the first disk automaticall# and the s#stem continues.
$here are a numer of measures of !erformance of a hard disk. @ne is the s!eed at which the
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!latters turn. $#!icall# this is somewhere etween 5K00 and ,+00 r!m. $here are faster" more
e<!ensive disks. Another is the access time. $his is the time it takes the disk to access an item of
data. A good figure here would e around .0 ms. An ms or millisecond is one thousandth of a
second. Disks are also sometimes com!ared in terms of their data transfer rates. $his is a
measure of how man# #tes can e read or written !er second.
#lash memory and memory stic6s
A new t#!e of e<ternal memor# is the flash disk or memor# stick. $his is a solid state device %no
moving !arts' that connects to the com!uter via the 9SB !ort. It !rovides a ver# fast and reliale
method of storing data e<ternall#.
$he# are at the moment fairl# e<!ensive" es!eciall# the larger ca!acit# devices. $he# tend to e
limited to a ma<imum of aout + >. $his figure can e e<!ected to increase Iuite dramaticall#
over time.
Relative cost of storage
As in the case of com!uters" the cost of memor# is continuall# changing. $he !rice varies from
countr# to countr# as well as according to international demand. In order to com!are the cost of
memor#" a common measure is to calculate the cost !er C. $he following tale com!ares the
cost !er C of the different media.
Medium 7ard disk CD Data
cartridge
Gi! disk (lash disk (lo!!# disk
Relative
cost
per M'
0.05 0..3 0.6 0.6 6 5
$his tale tells #ou that it is aout .00 times as e<!ensive to store a C of data on a flo!!# disk
as it is on a hard drive.
9se this tale with caution. $reat the values as ver# a!!ro<imate relative values. In other words
use them as com!arative values" not as monetar# values.
1+$+&+$ 7nderstand the purpose of formatting a dis6+
A new diskette or hard disk is not ale to record data immediatel#. $he disk first needs to e
!re!ared # a !rocess known as formatting. $his marks out concentric circles called tracks. Each
track is divided into a numer of sectors. $he tracks and sectors are marked out using magnetic
markers.
As data is recorded on a disk" it fills u!. $o e ale to re-use a disk" it ma# also e formatted.
$his releases the areas that contain data so that new data ma# e stored in its !lace. When a
disk is reformatted" the old data is lost.
When data is stored on a disk" it is not alwa#s stored in a continuous !attern. Eather" the s#stem
stores data in the first free area it finds. When this has een filled" it looks for additional free
s!ace and continues storing the data. A file ends u! eing stored as a series of segments across
the disk. $his reaking u! a a file into man# segments is called fragmentation.
(ragmentation slows down the o!eration of the disk as the s#stem needs to kee! track of all the
different segments. A disk ma# e re-organised to reduce fragmentation # a !rocess called
defragmentation.
Page 2&
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
$here are different file systems availale" ut in all cases the disk needs to e !re!ared with the
inde< area" tracks and sectors through formatting.
As mentioned !reviousl#" disk can e reformatted. In this !rocess ever#thing on the disk is
erased and the disk is formatted as if it was a new disk.
$he following diagram re!resents the tracks %green' and sectors %red triangular area' that are
created when the disk is formatted and read# to store data.
Page 2#
Module 1(
Technology )IT*
4ection 3( 4oft0are
999999999999999999999999999999999
1.3 Concepts of Information Technology: 'oft"are
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
1+3+1 Types of 4oft0are
1+3+1+1 Distinguish 'et0een operating systems soft0are and applications
soft0are+
7nderstand the reasons for soft0are versions+

Software is divided into two road categories4 systems soft0are and application soft0are.
4ystems soft0are is the term used to descried !rograms that enale the com!uter to
function" im!rove its !erformance and access the functionalit# of the hardware. S#stems software
sole function is the control of the o!eration of the com!uter. Bou can think of s#stems software
as !roviding the foundation for a!!lications software.
S#stems software is further sudivided into operating systems and utilities. $he o!erating
s#stem is the !rogram that actuall# makes the com!uter o!erate. 9tilities are !rograms which
either im!rove the functioning of the o!erating s#stem or su!!l# missing or additional
functionalit#.
pplications soft0are is the term used for !rograms that enale the user to achieve s!ecific
oFectives such as create a document" use a dataase" !roduce a s!readsheet or design a
uilding.
Versions( Software develo!ers continuall# strive to im!rove the !erformance of their !roducts
and add new features. Es!eciall# in a world of com!eting !roducts" each develo!er needs to
make their !roduct !erform etter" have fewer !rolems and have more features. $he new
releases of software !roducts are called versions. $he versions use a numering s#stem such as
Candrake Linu< 8.+ or @!en@ffice.org .... A change in the first numer re!resents a maFor new
version while a change in the second numer re!resents a less significant change.

1+3+$ Operating 4ystem 4oft0are
1+3+$+1 Descri'e the main functions of an operating system and name some
common operating systems+

As mentioned aove" it is the o!erating s#stem that actuall# makes the com!uter function. $he
following is a list of some of the functions of the o!erating s#stem4
Boot-u! the com!uter.
Control the hard drives4 $his includes such features as formatting and defragmenting disks as
well as saving files to and retrieving files from disk.
Control in!ut devices such as ke#oards" mice and scanners.
Control out!ut devices such as the video dis!la# and !rinter.
Control the e<ternal !orts4 ?orts are the e<ternal connections that enale !eri!heral devices to
e connected to a com!uter. Common t#!es of !orts are serial" !arallel" us and firewire. @f
these the 9SB !orts are the most im!ortant.
?rovide the functionalit# for com!uters to e linked in a network.
?rovide the foundation for a!!lication software to e launched.
Enale a!!lication software to access and use the hardware.
$he following list names some o!erating s#stems. $he# are grou!ed according to similarit#.
9ni<M Linu<M (ree BSD
Windows 83M Windows 8KM Windows Ce
Windows 2$5 Workstation / ServerM Windows +000 Workstation / ServerM Windows Q?M Windows
+006 Server.
Page 2%
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
1+3+3 pplications 4oft0are
1+3+3+1 List some common soft0are applications such as( 0ord processing8
spreadsheet8 data'ase8 ;e' 'ro0sing8 des6top pu'lishing8
accounting8 together 0ith their uses+
$he following tale lists some t#!es of a!!lication software" rand names and function.
pplication Arand names #unction
;ord processor @!en@ffice.org Writer
StarWriter" AWord
Cicrosoft Word
Lotus Ami ?ro
Corel Word?erfect
Create" store" format and edit
documents" letters and articles. Word
!rocessors are used where the em!hasis
is on mani!ulation of te<t.
4preadsheet @!en@ffice.org Calc
StarCalc" AS!read
Cicrosoft E<cel
Ruattro ?ro
Lotus .+6
Create financial statements" alance
sheets" !erform statistical and numerical
anal#sis of data" make forecasts ased on
numeric data. S!readsheets are used
where the em!hasis is on arithmetic.
Presentation @!en@ffice.org Im!ress
StarIm!ress
A?resenter
Cicrosoft ?ower?oint
Create slide shows" lectures" seminars
and other t#!es of !resentation.
Data'ase S#ase" C#SRL
Cicrosoft Access
Store and convert data into information.
Dataases are !articularl# useful in
working with large Iuantities of data.
"mail client Evolution" ACail
Cicrosoft @utlook
Send" receive" store and organise
electronic mail.
;e' 'ro0ser Co&illa" 2etsca!e
Cicrosoft Internet E<!lorer
Surf the Internet and view we sites.
Des6top pu'lishing
DTP
Cicrosoft ?ulisher
?age Caker
D$? is similar to word !rocessing e<ce!t
that there is more em!hasis on !age
la#out and the integration of diagrams.
ccounting >nuCash
?astel Accounting
Store accounting information and !roduce
re!orts" statements and invoices.
;e' development Dreamweaver
Cicrosoft (ront?age
Create we sites that can e read # a
rowser.
,raphics and imaging $he >IC?
Adoe ?hotosho!
Create and mani!ulate gra!hics images
and store images in a variet# of formats.
1+3+5 ,raphical 7ser Interface
1+3+5+1 7nderstand the term ,raphical 7ser Interface ),7I*+
A graphical user interface or ,7I is designed to sim!lif# the work of the user whether the# are
using the o!erating s#stem or an a!!lication !ackage. $he interface consists of a screen with a
numer of icons or menus. (unctions are e<ecuted # !ointing and clicking with the mouse.
Page 28
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Some of the advantages of using a >9I are4
Less work for the user. $o e<ecute a function all #ou have to do is !oint and click on an icon
instead of t#!ing out an instruction.
Ruicker to learn.
Eas# access to the asic functionalit# of the o!erating s#stem or a!!lication !ackage.
7ides the underl#ing com!le<it# from the user.
Sim!lifies and integrates multitasking. Cultitasking refers to using several a!!lications at the
same time. @!ening a new a!!lication or document involves a cou!le of mouse clicks. Likewise
switching etween tasks also involves onl# a cou!le of mouse clicks.

$here are some disadvantages to using a >9I ased o!erating s#stem.
2ot all the functionalit# is availale. $he icon re!resents the most commonl# used form of a
function. A te<t ased s#stem gives #ou access to all the o!tions associated with a function.
?ower users tend to switch etween the >9I and the s#stem !rom!t as needed.
Being gra!hics ased" a >9I runs more slowl# than a te<t ased s#stem. 7owever" with the
!ower and s!eed of modern com!uters this is not the !rolem it once was.
$he following screens illustrate a >9I in Linu< and Windows.
Linu:( ;indo0s(
$he following two screens illustrate the use of menus4
In each case" clicking on an icon will either e<ecute a function or dis!la# another set of icons
containing the function.
Page 29
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
1+3+1 4ystems Development
1+3+1+1 7nderstand ho0 computer>'ased systems are developed+ =no0 a'out
the process of analysis8 design8 programming and testing often used
in developing computer>'ased systems+
Program development life cycle
$he develo!ment of com!uter !rograms is a highl# develo!ed and structure !rocess involving a
numer of distinct stages as shown in the tale elow. $he stages of develo!ment are known as
the program development life cycle.
4tage Description
nalysis $he !rolem or task is anal#sed and clarified. $his involves anal#sis of the
wa# the task is currentl# eing done and consultation with end users.
$he !roFect is set out in road outline. $he work of this stage is !erformed
# s#stems anal#sts.
Design $he !roFect is roken down into smaller sections. $hese too ma# e further
roken down until there are units. $he method of !rogramming each unit is
then s!ecified in great detail. $he most suitale !rogramming language for
each unit is then chosen. $he com!lete s!ecification is the final design. $he
work of this stage is also !erformed # s#stems anal#sts.
Programming $he design is handed over to !rogrammers who code the design into
!rogramming languages such as C or Sava. $he work of this stage is carried
out # com!uter !rogrammers.
Testing Since !rograms are long and com!le<" the# ma# contain errors called ugs.
$hese ma# e s#ntactical errors" in which the !rogrammer made a mistake
in the structure of the command" or logical errors. In these the !rogram
a!!ears to work" ut works incorrectl#. $he !rocess of testing is designed to
find and eliminate ugs. $his stage involves end users to tr# out the
!rogram" !rogrammers to fi< s#ntactical mistakes and s#stems anal#sts to
fi< errors in the logic of the !rogram.
$he following are often also included as !art of the develo!ment c#cle.
Implementation @nce the s#stems anal#sts are satisfied that the s#stem is o!erating
correctl#" it is installed and im!lemented. 9suall# this is done using a pilot
group. In this im!lementation" the s#stem is im!lemented on a limited
scale to start with. If an# further ugs are found" these can e eliminated
efore full scale im!lementation.
#urther
development
@nce the s#stem has een in use for a while" further !rolems" limitations or
!erformance !rolems ma# ecome a!!arent. $he s#stem will then e
modified and new versions released with the changes.
Page 30
Module 1(
Technology )IT*
4ection 5( Information !et0or6s
999999999999999999999999999999999
1.& Concepts of Information Technology: Information (et"or)s
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
1+5+1 L!8 ;!
1+5+1+1 7nderstand the terms8 local area net0or6 )L!*8 0ide area net0or6
);!*+ 7nderstand the term client<server+
!et0or6s
A set of com!uters connected together so that the# can communicate is called a com!uter
network. $his involves installing net0or6 cards in each com!uter. Each com!uter is then
connected through caling to a central device called a hu'. @!erating s#stems contain
com!onents that are dedicated to the task of enaling com!uters to communicate over a
network. $his software makes use of s!ecial rules of communication called protocols. $here are
man# different t#!es of !rotocols used for a variet# of !ur!oses. $he most commonl# used
!rotocol for estalishing and maintaining communication across a network is called TCP<IP or
Transmission Control Protocol < Internet Protocol.
Client>server and peer>to>peer net0or6s
2etworks on which all com!uters have eIual status are called peer>to>peer networks.
@n most networks" certain com!uters have s!ecial dedicated tasks. Since these machines !rovide
services to other com!uters" the are called servers. $he com!uters that make use of the
services or servers are called clients or 0or6stations. A network such as this is called a client>
server network.
A server which is used for the central storage of files is called a file server. 9sing a file server"
users can access their work from an#where on the network. $he# can also make these files
availale to users on other com!uters. (ile servers also enale users to co-o!erate on a task #
centralising the results of their work.
A com!uter attached to a !rinter which users can access is called a print server. 7aving a single
!rinter rather than a !rinter attached to each com!uter oviousl# saves ca!ital.
An increasingl# im!ortant t#!e of server is an applications server. In the case of a!!lications
servers" a!!lication !ackages are not installed on the workstations ut on the a!!lications server.
A communications server is a com!uter dedicated to connecting a network to the outside
world. $hese are often called pro:y servers.
As the case of !rint servers illustrates" one of the values of having a network is that it enales
resources to 'e shared.
L!
A L! or Local rea !et0or6 is a grou! of com!uters within the same uilding" or within a
grou! of uildings that are in close !ro<imit#" that are connected together.
;!
A ;! or ;ide rea !et0or6 is a grou! of widel# dis!ersed com!uters that are connected
together. $hese could e across the same town" or across a countr# or even across the world.
A!art from distance" the other feature that distinguishes as WA2 from a LA2 is that the WA2
would make use of a range of communication technologies such as tele!hone" microwave and
satellite links.

Page 32
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1+5+1+$ List some of the advantages associated 0ith group 0or6ing such as(
sharing printers8 applications8 and files across a net0or6+
dvantages of sharing printers and files
A !eer-to-!eer network is where two or more com!uters are linked together in order to share
information and hardware.
It is a maFor advantage to e ale to share !rinters" !lotters and scanners. When com!uters are
networked together" there can e man# !cPs sharing a !rinter as o!!osed to each one having to
have itPs own !rinter which is much more costl#.
It is also !ossile to share data files across the network # creating a share on the harddrive and
allowing other !eo!le access to that information.
If #ou want to share a!!lications #ou would need to investigate a client/server network solution
and some of the advantages are listed elow.
dvantages of file servers
9sers can access their work from an# workstation connected to the network.
9sers can easil# e<change work with colleagues.
9sers can easil# co-o!erate on tasks.
Backing u! is centralised and can e !laced under the control of e<!erts who will follow the
correct !rocedures.
dvantages of print servers
Instead of having !rinters attached to each com!uter" !rinters onl# need e !urchased for the
!rint servers. $his results in financial savings.
As there are fewer !rinters to look after" there is lower maintenance.
As far fewer !rinters need to e !urchased etter Iualit# !rinters with advanced features can
e !urchased.
dvantages of applications servers
Software onl# needs to e installed on the a!!lications server instead of each workstation.
$he software is configured in the same wa# for all users.
9!grading of software onl# needs to e done on the server.
Cost of licensing software for an a!!lications server is less than the cost of man# stand-alone
versions.
Centralising a!!lications software sim!lifies the !rocess of im!lementing software !olicies in an
organisation. Software !olicies refer to what software ma# e installed on com!uters and how
it ma# e used.
dvantages of pro:y servers
?ro<# servers contain a re!ositor# of internet sites recentl# visited and cached for Iuicker access
at a future date.
?ro<# servers can e configured with fire0all software. $his hel!s !rotect the network from
attack # hackers.
(iles can e filtered for com!uter viruses efore eing !assed on to the network.
Page 33
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
@rganisations can control access of users to outside sites.
Since there is onl# one !oint of communication" there is a large saving on line costs.

1+5+$ Intranet8 ":tranet
1+5+$+1 7nderstand 0hat an intranet is and understand the distinction
'et0een the Internet and an intranet+
Internet
$he internet is the collection of all com!uters across the world which can access each other in
some wa#. $he links etween com!uters might include tele!hone" fire o!tic cale" radio"
microwave or satellite. $oda# tens of millions of com!uters are ale to access each other. $he
Internet has no central organisation which controls its use. Because the Internet knows no
orders" man# governments have tried to control the flow of information across the Internet.
7owever" communications technolog# is so varied and so wides!read that this is a near
im!ossile task.
Intranet
An intranet is similar to the Internet in o!eration. 7owever" it is limited to an organisation. 9sers
ma# rowse com!uters within an intranet using a rowser ut will usuall# not e ale to access
the wider Internet. In the same wa#" outsiders will not e ale to access the intranet of an
organisation. An intranet can e thought of as a !rivate Internet.

1+5+$+$ 7nderstand 0hat an e:tranet is and understand the distinction
'et0een an intranet and an e:tranet+
":tranets
An e:tranet is an e<tension of a organisationPs intranet to include outside users. In an e<tranet"
outside organisations or individuals are allowed access to certain !arts of the intranet. $his
access is usuall# controlled # means of !asswords and access rights. $hese restrict which users
can access the e<tranet and what the# can do once the# have access. $he !ur!ose of the
e<tranet is to facilitate usiness transactions with other organisations.

1+5+3 The Internet
1+5+3+1 7nderstand 0hat the Internet is and 6no0 some of its main uses+
$he Internet was descried in section ..5.+...
Some of its main uses are to4
Integrate the o!erations of multinational cor!orations.
?rovide access to and share information and dataases.
$ransfer and share files etween com!uters.
(acilitate usiness transactions.
Share resources.
?romote scientific co-o!eration etween research institutions.
?rovide a communications channel for the militar#.
Page 3&
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

1+5+3+$ 7nderstand 0hat the ;orld ;ide ;e' );;;* is and distinguish it
from the Internet+
;orld ;ide ;e'
$he ;orld ;ide ;e' or ;;; is a !art of the Internet. $he WWW consists of all the sites that
can e accessed using a 0e' 'ro0ser such as Co&illa" 2etsca!e" Internet E<!lorer or @!era. In
order for a rowser to access a we site" the we site must contain files that have a !articular
format constructed using /yperTe:t Mar6up Language or /TML. $hese sites are develo!ed
using s!ecial we develo!ment a!!lications. It is !ossile to create sim!le we sites using a word
!rocessor # saving the document in 7$CL format.
$he 7$CL documents are stored as 0e' pages on s!ecial servers known as 0e' servers. $hese
run s!ecial we server software such as pache ;e' 4erver or Internet Information
4ervices.
$he WWW enales the free flow of information across the world. Develo!ments in technolog#
have made access easier and faster. As a result the WWW also ecame known as the
Information 4uperhigh0ay.
Cost of the activities listed under the Internet in the !revious section are now actuall# carried out
using the Internet. In other words" the sites are created in 7$CL" or a similar format" are
installed on we servers and are accessed # we rowsers.
1+5+5 The Telephone !et0or6 in Computing
1+5+5+1 7nderstand the use of the telephone net0or6 in computing+
7nderstand the terms Pu'lic 40itched Telephone !et0or6 )P4T!*8
Integrated 4ervices Digital !et0or6 )I4D!*8 symmetric Digital
4u'scri'er Line )D4L*+
Communications etween com!uters rel# heavil# on the !ulic tele!hone s#stem. 2ewer
tele!hone line technologies have im!roved the standard of communications etween networks
consideral#. $he following is a rief descri!tion of some of the technologies that are availale.
P4T!
$he P4T! or Pu'lic 40itched Telephone !et0or6 refers to the originall# tele!hone network.
(rom a communications !ers!ective it was slow and unreliale. Some of the e<changes on a
?S$2 ma# still make use of mechanical switches to route tele!hone calls. $hese add additional
noise to the line. When lines are nois#" signals have to e resent re!eatedl# etween the source
and the destination. $he ?S$2 makes use of analogue technolog#. Analogue technolog# uses
continuousl# variale signals. An e<am!le of an analogue signal is ordinar# s!eech. 2ewer digital
technologies make use of !ulses of fi<ed magnitude and duration.
In order to im!rove connections" it is !ossile to have an analogue leased line. $his is a
dedicated !ermanent tele!hone connection etween two com!uters using the ?S$2.
In order to connect a com!uter to a tele!hone network" #ou need a modem. $his is an
areviation for modulator>demodulator. $he function of the modem is to convert the digital
signals from the com!uter into an analogue form suitale for transmission on the ?S$2.
I4D!
Page 3#
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
I4D! or Integrated 4ervices Digital !et0or6 is a technological develo!ment that is ale to
make use of the e<isting ?S$2 caling to transmit digital signals.
$echnicall# ISD2 is an international standard for the transmission of data" voice and video or
normal voice or digital tele!hone lines. ISD2 su!!orts rates of u! to /5A!s. An ISD2 connection
consists of two lines which can e used inde!endentl# or together to give a comined rate of
.+KA!s.
If #ou wish to connect a com!uter to an ISD2 line #ou need a s!ecial ISD2 modem. $his is a
different t#!e of modem to the one used with an analogue line. Its !ur!ose" however" is the
same" to convert the digital signals of the com!uter into a form suitale for transmission on an
ISD2 line.
It is !ossile to get a dedicated connection etween two com!uters using ISD2. $his is called a
diginet connection.
$he older tele!hone s#stems make use of electrical currents transmitted through co!!er caling.
As electric signals are suFect to interference" the# are not the ideal method of transmitting data.
2ewer tele!hone s#stems make use of fire o!tic cale. In fire o!tic technolog#" light is
transmitted along the cale. As light signals are not suFect to the same interference !rolems as
electrical signals" fire o!tic is a far more efficient and reliale s#stem.
D4L
D4L or symmetric Digital 4u'scri'er Lines allow the transmission of high s!eed digital
data over ordinar# tele!hone lines using a modulation technolog# called DC$ or Discrete
Culti$one. Ideall#" fire-o!tic is the ideal medium for high s!eed digital transmission. As the
installation of fire-o!tic is e<!ensive" ADSL !rovides solution until co!!er cale is re!laced #
fire-o!tic.

1+5+5+$ 7nderstand the terms analogue8 digital8 modem8 transfer rate8
)measured in 'ps F 'its per second*+
nalogue signals
Analogue signals are used on the ?S$2 as well as for normal AC and (C radio transmissions. An
analogue signal is one which varies continuousl# as" for e<am!le" in ordinar# s!eech. An
analogue signal has a gra!hical form as shown in the following diagram.
Digital signals
Digital signals are used in ISD2 and ADSL connections. 2ewer television and radio transmission
techniIues are also making using of digital technolog#.
Digital signals are two state signals corres!onding to a switch which is on or off. $he same two
state signal can also re!resent $E9E and (ALSE or . and 0.
Page 3$
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
>ra!hicall# a digital signal is re!resented as in the diagram aove.
Modems
A modem or modulator>demodulator is a device connected
etween a com!uter and a tele!hone line. Its function is to convert the
digital signals of the com!uter into a form suitale for transmission
over a tele!hone line. It must also do the reverse and convert the
tele!hone line signals into a form suitale for the com!uter. 2ote that
the modem used to connect to an ISD2 line is different to that used to
connect to an analogue line.
Data transfer rates
Each . or 0 that is transferred is referred to as a 'it. $he s!eed of a data transfer is measured #
the numer of its that can e transferred each second or 'ps %its !er second'. $his is also
sometimes called the 'aud rate or 'and0idth.
7igh s!eed lines have their s!eed measured in k!s or C!s.
. k!s O . 0+5 !s %roughl# . 000 !s'
. C!s O . 0+5 k!s O . 05K 3,/ !s %roughl# . 000 000 !s'
$o !ut these figures in !ers!ective" the ma<imum theoreticall# attainale s!eed with an analogue
line is 3/k!s. $his figure is ver# seldom attained and the realit# is usuall# sustantiall# lower.
ISD2 lines o!erate at /5 k!s.
Page 3%
Module 1(
Technology )IT*
4ection 1( The 7se of IT in "veryday Life
999999999999999999999999999999999
1.# Concepts of Information Technology: The *se of IT in +,ery!ay -ife
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
1+1+1 Computers at ;or6
1+1+1+1 Identify some situations 0here a computer might 'e more appropriate than a
person for carrying out a tas6 and 0here not+
Com!uters are ideal for re!etitive work reIuiring s!eed and accurac#. $his is es!eciall# true of
those situations where human eings would ecome ored or sim!l# cannot work fast enough.
Some e<am!les include4
Cor!orate data !rocessing including functions such as sorting" selecting" summarising
Anal#sis of census and other demogra!hic data
Administration of the national revenue s#stem
Actuarial calculations
Statistical anal#sis
Cor!orate accounting functions
Creation of animations for films
Weather forecasting
(orensic anal#sis such as D2A and finger!rint matching
Canufacture of electronic com!onents and circuitr#

1+1+1+$ =no0 some of the uses of large>scale computer applications in
'usiness such as( 'usiness administration systems8 airline 'oo6ing
systems8 insurance claims processing8 online 'an6ing+
Corporate uses of computer applications
Cor!orations have to kee! records of their staff" details of their clients" the levels of their stocks"
!roduction schedules" detors" creditors and a m#riad of other details. Can# of these activities
are themselves linked in one or more wa#s. (or e<am!le" stock levels of raw materials and
!roduction schedules are ver# closel# linked.
$he ideal solution in a cor!orate environment is "nterprise soft0are. $his is a com!le< suite of
a!!lications that are created to work together. Enter!rise software is designed to automate all
the activities of an organisation in one s#stem. $he different com!onents or modules interact
with each other. (or e<am!le" if !roduction reIuires certain raw materials" the a!!ro!riate
!roduction module will send a message to the stock module that certain materials are needed
and when the# will e needed. If the stock module determines that e<isting levels are too low" it
will send a message to another module res!onsile for orders. $his module will then check which
su!!lier to use and automaticall# generate an order stating the Iuantit# needed and a deadline
for deliver#. @rganisations do not u# an entire enter!rise !ackage" ut onl# the modules that
are relevant to the o!eration. Because of cost and com!le<it#" enter!rise software is usuall#
found onl# in large organisations.
All organisations" no matter their si&e" can enefit from com!uter a!!lications. E<am!les found in
usiness include4
@ffice a!!lication suites such as @!en@ffice.org" Aoffice" Star@ffice or Cicrosoft @ffice for
creating documents" s!readsheets and !resentations.
Accounting !ackages such as ?astel Accounting for kee!ing detors and creditors records and
creating statements and invoices.
Inventor# s#stems for kee!ing track of stock.
Deskto! !ulishing !ackages such as Cicrosoft ?ulisher and ?age Caker for creating
newsletters and !ress releases.
Client tracking software such as >old Cine for re!resentatives to maintain regular contact with
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clients and record their activit#.
Airline ookings s#stems which manage large amounts of data and reservation details and also
have the fle<iilit# to handle freIuent changes to ookings.
Insurance claims s#stems to manage the !rocessing and !a#ment of claims.
@nline anking s#stems enale cor!orates and individuals to have eas# access to funds
transfer and account maintenance.

1+1+1+3 =no0 some of the uses of large>scale computer applications in
government such as( pu'lic records systems )census8 vehicle
registration*8 revenue collection8 electronic voting+
Inland Revenue
$he De!artment of Inland Eevenue needs to kee! records on millions of ta< !a#ers" oth
individual and cor!orate. It also needs to calculate the ta< each has to !a# and send out ta<
assessments. So!histicated com!uter s#stems manage these tasks. SAES has a wesite that a
ta<!a#er can register on and sumit returns electronicall# # filling in the return online and
authorising !a#ment directl# from their ank account.
!ational census and other demographic data
2ational economical and social !lanning reIuire that governments have a good idea of the
numer of !eo!le in the countr# and in each region. $he# need to know income and health levels
and si&e of families. $he# also need to know the skills and educational levels of different sections
of the !o!ulation.
$his information is otained # means of a national census. ?art of this involves !eo!le filling in
census forms and these eing collected and checked # census officials. In other cases" figures
are otained # indirect methods such as aerial !hotogra!hs. In all cases the data has to e
anal#sed to !roduce summaries that !lanners can use. $his task can onl# e done # s!ecialised
software designed for the !ur!ose.
@ther organisations also collect data for s!ecific research !ur!oses. (or e<am!le" the Cedical
Eesearch Council will conduct research to determine the !revalence of aids. $his research relies
on so!histicated statistical software to anal#se the data.
Vehicle Registration
Ever# vehicle has a uniIue registration numer. $his numer" together with the vehicle and
owner details is ke!t in a central dataase. $his dataase can e accessed not onl# # the
munici!al officials" ut also # other interested !arties such as the !olice.
Voting registers
In order to vote" a !erson must e recorded on the voting register. $his register of voters
contains millions of records. Eecords need to e changed" deleted and added on a regular asis.
Because of the sheer volume" it would e difficult to maintain in an# other wa# than a
com!uterised s#stem.
"lectronic voting
$his is a s#stem that is eing introduced which will allow voters to register their choice online to
sumit their allot instead of the traditional method of marking a !iece of !a!er with a !en.
!ational Identity 4ystem
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$he De!artment of 7ome Affairs kee!s records of all the citi&ens in a countr#. It kee!s records of
irths" marriages and deaths. It also issues identit# documents and !ass!orts. All this is onl#
!ossile through the use of com!uterised s#stems.

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1+1+1+5 =no0 some of the uses of large>scale computer applications in
hospitals<healthcare such as(
patient records systems8 am'ulance control systems8 diagnostic tools
and instruments8 specialist surgical eDuipment+
Patient records
?atient records need to record not onl# !ersonal details such as name" address" relatives and
em!lo#er" ut most im!ortantl# detailed health histor#" record of o!erations and medication. $he
more efficientl# this information can e stored and retrieved" the more efficientl# the health care
s#stem can e administered.
4cheduling
7os!itals are e<tremel# us# organisations which usuall# function amidst considerale stress. In
order to use the facilities efficientl#" where !ossile" activities need to e scheduled. (or
e<am!le" the availailit# or surgeons needs to e co-ordinated with the availailit# of o!erating
rooms and the urgenc# of treatments. With good scheduling s#stems" much of the stress of the
more routine activities can e reduced.
m'ulance control systems
B# their ver# nature" amulances do not work to a schedule. $he# are needed at une<!ected
!laces and une<!ected times. $he est a s#stem can do is to o!timise their use. $hat means
knowing which amulance is nearest to a scene at an# given moment. In addition" modern
software gives an amulance driver details of the shortest route. $he latest on-oard software
makes use of s!eech s#nthesis which actuall# tells the driver how to get to a destination as he is
driving. $his technolog# makes use of in-uilt ma!s and gloal !ositioning %>?S'.
Diagnostic tools
With diagnostic tools" a doctor feeds information aout a !atient s#m!toms into the s#stem. $he
s#stem will res!ond with a series of !ossile causes. It ma# ask for further information to refine
the diagnosis. At the moment these tools are not re!lacing the diagnostic skills of a doctor" ut
rather hel! him/her e<!lore alternative diagnoses.
@ther diagnostic tools connect the !atient directl# to the com!uter. $his is commonl# used in the
diagnosis of cardiac !rolems. 2ot onl# are all the different heart waves dis!la#ed on the screen"
ut the !h#sician has the o!tion of magnif#ing or anal#sing an# of the !atterns in more detail.
$he# can also e stored and com!ared with the heart !atterns at a later stage.
4pecialised surgical eDuipment
A modern trend is towards less invasive surger#. $his involves inserted catheters into different
!arts of the od#. $hrough these miniature cameras and surgical instruments are !laced. $he
out!ut from the cameras are dis!la#ed on large screens. @ther relevant data is also anal#sed and
dis!la#ed on screens. All of the activities are assisted # s!ecial com!uter !rograms.

1+1+1+1 =no0 some of the uses of computer applications in education such as(
student registration and timeta'ling systems8 computer>'ased
training )CAT*8 distance learning8 home0or6 using the Internet+
4tudent records
Education institutions have electronic registration that allows students to e registered on the
s#stem first and then further information such as !ersonal records and results as the# !rogress
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through the course.
Student records kee! !ersonal details of students as well as their academic records and fees
accounts. Where students have had disci!linar# !rolems" these are also recorded. Some
institutions offering health and accommodation services to students. All this information needs to
e recorded on a centralised s#stem that can e accessed according to the rights different users
have. (or e<am!le" although health data ma# e recorded on a centralised s#stem" onl# health
workers would have access to it.
$he same student administration s#stem would need to send out e<amination results and
accounts.
Timeta'ling
$he !rocess of timetaling involves scheduling staff" students and lecture rooms at the same
time. $he scheduling also needs to take into account the correct total amount of time allocated to
staff" students and courses. (urther !ulic holida#s and term holida#s need to e taken into
account. $he larger the organisation" the more com!le< the !rocess ecomes. Software !rograms
are now availale which can factor in all the different !arameters and !roduce a timetale. $his
can still e fine-tuned manuall#.
CAT
Computer Aased Training makes use of the com!uter to instruct students. $he Iualit# of CB$
material varies widel#. Some CB$ material is little more than a te<t ook on the screen" ut other
makes use of interaction or simulation to instruct. (or e<am!le" if a student were learning word
!rocessing" a simulated version of the word !rocessor would a!!ear on-screen. $he !rogram
would demonstrate how to !erform a task # showing the activit# of the cursor and the dis!la# of
the menus. Cost of this software !roduces an audile out!ut so that the student is ale to listen
to a commentar# on head!hones as the activit# is taking !lace on-screen.
utomated e:aminations
Automated e<aminations allow com!uterised s#stems to test students skills. $hese are most
relevant to knowledge ased or skills ased courses. Courses reIuiring critical anal#sis such as
literature or !hiloso!h# are not suited to this t#!e of testing.
Anowledge ased courses can e tested using randomised multi!le choice" true/false or similarl#
highl# structured t#!ed of Iuestioning. If there is a sufficientl# large test ank" students can e
given a randomised set of Iuestions. $his would mean that no two students would get the same
set of Iuestions.
Skills ased courses can e tested using a simulated environment. (or e<am!le" a !ilot could
take a test on fl#ing an aircraft # taking a test in a simulator. $his would a!!ear e<actl# like the
inside of the cock!it. Instead of windows" there would e com!uter screens with a simulation of
the outside. An e<aminer would control all as!ects of the simulation from a com!uter. $he !ilot
would e reIuired to res!ond # actuall# :fl#ing; the simulator. $he com!uter in turn would e
ale to anal#se the Iualit# of the :fl#ing;.
Distance learning
In distance learning" the student controls the learning environment4 when and where to learn
and how long to take over a course. Information technolog# can facilitate the whole !rocess. $he
student can send assignments and Iuestions to the lecturer using email and the lecturer can
res!ond using email. An institution ma# !ut the courses on a we site that is !assword !rotected.
A student either reads the coursework directl# on the Internet or downloads it from the Internet.
$his has ovious cost and administrative savings for the institution.
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It also means it can recruit students from all over the world. Eegistration and !a#ment of fees
can also e done on-line.
/ome0or6 using the Internet
$he Internet contains enormous Iuantities of information. Some of this is e<cellent" some ver#
!oor and much incorrect. $o access information on the Internet" a student makes use of a
search engine such as >oogle. (eeding in a numer of ke# words can result in a list of man#
thousands of sites eing dis!la#ed. Each of these is re!resented # a hyperlin6. $his is a link to
another site. When #ou click on a h#!erlink" #ou are immediatel# taken to the site.
$here are two im!ortant as!ects to using the Internet to search for information to do
assignments4
$he skilled use of a search engine4 (irst #ou need to ecome familiar with the different wa#s of
using ke#words and the various criteria #ou can set. $his comes with !ractice.
Sifting the good from the ad4 $here is no control over the Internet. ?eo!le can and do !ost
delieratel# incorrect or iased information on the Internet. Bou need to e ale to assess the
Iualit# of what #ou read. (or e<am!le" does the site give references to its sources or is the
information corroorated # that on another inde!endent site. Develo!ing a critical mind in
determining the Iualit# of information is as im!ortant as eing ale to access information in
the first !lace.

1+1+1+& 7nderstand the term tele0or6ing+ List some of the advantages of
tele0or6ing such as( reduced or no commuting time8 greater a'ility to
focus on one tas68 fle:i'le schedules8 reduced company space
reDuirements+ List some disadvantages of tele0or6ing such as( lac6 of
human contact8 less emphasis on team0or6+
Tele0or6ing
$eleworking means literall# doing work at a distance. $his means instead of going into an office"
#ou work from home" a holida# cottage" another countr# or an# other location. When #ou do
teleworking" #ou can e thought of as having a virtual office.
Codern technolog# such as email" the Internet and =irtual ?rivate 2etworks %=?2s' have made
teleworking a realit# for man# !eo!le. A VP! makes use of the Internet and various securit#
!rotocols to enale remote users to connect to a com!an# network. A!art from s!eed limitations"
it will a!!ear as if the# are working on the network inside the organisation.
2ot all occu!ations lend themselves to teleworking" ut there are man# that do. E<am!les
include Fournalists" writers" com!uter !rogrammers" gra!hic artists" consultants and
re!resentatives. @ften teleworking is associated with contract work. ?rofessionals are !aid to do
s!ecific tasks and are given deadlines within which these have to e created. Where the# do it is
not relevant as long as it is done !rofessionall# and on time.
dvantages of tele0or6ing
?rofessionals
do not waste time on commuting etween home and work.
are free to undertake work where ever the# are.
greater ailit# to focus on one task.
have fle<iilit# to arrange their work time according to their needs and inclinations.
generall# have ta< advantages as the# can claim usiness e<!enses.
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@rganisations4
save on office s!ace" eIui!ment and facilities.
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Disadvantages of tele0or6ing
?rofessionals4
ma# suffer from lack of human contact.
need to e highl# self-disci!lined.
@rganisations4
will not get the enefits of teamwork.
will have less control over workers.
$he disadvantages of teleworking can e overcome # reIuiring !rofessionals to s!end a certain
amount of time at the office. $his does not reIuire that the# actuall# have a workstation or office
of their own. $he# could e reIuired to attend meetings or seminars. If the# are structured as
!art of a team working on a !roFect" the# could e reIuired to attend team meetings which focus
on !lanning" allocation of tasks" feedack or general motivation.
1+1+$ "lectronic ;orld
1+1+$+1 7nderstand the term electronic mail )e>mail* and 6no0 its main uses+

Email refers to the transmission of messages etween com!uters across a network or across the
Internet. Email allows te<t" gra!hics and sometimes sound. 9sers are ale to send files together
with messages. $hese are sent as attachments to the email.
$o use email" #ou need to have access to a network or the Internet. A mail client is installed on
the com!uter. $his is used for the creation" sending" receiving and storage of email messages.
Well known email clients include Evolution" ACail" Cicrosoft @utlook and @utlook E<!ress.
We ased email s#stems onl# reIuire that #ou have access to the Internet. Can# of these such
as Bahoo" 7otmail and Eudoramail are free. We ased mail s#stems act as remote mail clients.
Effectivel#" #ou log on to the mail client on the server using a we rowser. (rom that !oint on" it
acts in much the same wa# as a mail client installed on #our own com!uter. Bou can log on to
#our we ased mail s#stem where ever in the world #ou ha!!en to e.
"mail addresses
Email address consist of two !arts se!arated # an G s#mol. $he first !art is the name of the
user and the second !art is the name of the mail server.
(or e<am!le" in the email address david)icdlafrica.com" the user name is david and the name of
the mail server is icdlafrica.com. $his is the address of the com!uter which holds his mail.
dvantages of email
It is ver# fast and efficient. Cail is transmitted from the sender to reci!ient in a matter of
seconds. Eeci!ients can re!l# immediatel#. If oth ha!!en to e on-line at the same time" the#
can conduct a conversation using email.
Documents and files can e sent with the email. $he onl# limitation is the ma<imum si&e of
attachments that #our s#stem will !ermit.
It is ver# cost effective. $he cost of sending an email is a fraction of the !rice it would e to
send it as a letter.
$here is a saving on !a!er" !rinting and envelo!es.
Email clients can e organised so that co!ies of emails that have een sent can e stored
under a!!ro!riate directories.
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Disadvantages of email
If there is a !rolem with the tele!hone lines" email cannot e sent or received.
$here are certain securit# !rolems such as the interce!tion of email # hackers. $his can e
overcome # encrypting email. $his reIuires the email to e coded into an unintelligile form
using a ke#. $he reci!ients s#stem has access to the ke# and is ale to decr#!t the email.
@ccasionall# !rolems in the com!le< s#stem etween the sender and reci!ient occur which
cause email to disa!!ear. $o know when this has occurred" it is !ossile for #our s#stem to
reIuest a recei!t of deliver# from the reci!ients com!uter.
9nsolicited email or spam is ecoming a !rolem. Because it is sim!le to send thousands of
identical emails to users at the same time" some merchants acIuire lists of email addresses
and com!ile these into distri'ution lists. $he# then send the same advertising email to
ever#one on the distriution list. $o overcome this" anti-s!amming software is now availale
which identifies certain addresses as sources of s!am and discards an# mail that comes from
them.

1+1+$+$ 7nderstand the term e>Commerce+ 7nderstand the concept of
purchasing goods and services online8 including giving personal
details 'efore a transaction can 'e carried out8 payment methods8
consumer?s 'asic right to return unsatisfactory goods+
">Commerce
">commerce is the name given to the !rocess of carr#ing out commercial transactions over the
Internet.
@ne of the est known e<am!les is Ama&on.com. Bou can !urchase ooks an#where in the world
from this we site. Bou make !a#ment using #our credit card at the same time as making the
!urchase. Ama&on.com e<em!lifies man# of the characteristics of e-commerce. Bou are entitled
to !ost a comment on the site" whether good or ad" aout an# ook #ou u#. Before #ou
!urchase a ook" #ou can look through the comments of other !urchasers. $he# also have a
!rocedure in !lace that allows #ou to return ooks under certain circumstances.
$o !urchase goods using an e-commerce site #ou need to !rovide a name and !h#sical address
to which the goods must e sent and a credit card. Bou can also s!ecif# the deliver# method. $his
will de!end on how urgentl# #ou need the goods and how much #ou are willing to s!end on
deliver#. >ood e-commerce sites will tell #ou in advance" the availailit# of the goods" how long
the# will take using the different deliver# methods and the cost of deliver#.
$here are two t#!es of e-commerce site. Ausiness to consumer or A$C sites sell directl# to the
consumer. @ther sites involve transaction etween usiness themselves. $hese are are Ausiness
to Ausiness or A$A sites.
C!P transactions
When a !urchaser uses a credit card to !urchase goods" this is known as a Card !ot Present or
C!P transaction" since the vendor does not !h#sicall# see the credit card. A !urchaser not onl#
has to give the credit card numer ut also the three digit securit# code. $his means that there
are a numer of dangers associated with C2? transactions.
In utilising C2? transactions4
=endors need to e sure that4
$he card is not eing used fraudulentl#.
?urchasers need to e sure that4
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$he# can afford the goods the# are u#ing. It is ver# eas# to s!end mone# using a credit card
on the Internet.
$he vendor will not ause the information and make unauthorised deits. $he# should not deal
with an# unknown sites.
$he information will not e stolen # em!lo#ees and used fraudulentl#. @nce again" well known
re!utale sites will have measures in !lace and will generall# take res!onsiilit# if an#thing
does go wrong.
$he information will not e stolen and used # hackers. @nl# use sites that are ale to encr#!t
the information #ou send using a secure link such as 44L. $his eliminates the risk of insecure
!a#ment methods.

1+1+$+3 List some of the advantages of purchasing goods and services online8
such as( services availa'le $5 hours a day8 opportunity to vie0 a 0ide
range of products+ List some of the disadvantages of purchasing goods
and services online such as( choosing from a virtual store8 no human
contact8 ris6 of insecure payment methods
dvantages of on>line purchasing
2o restriction on sho!!ing hours. Bou can !urchase goods +5 hours a da#" seven da#s a week.
Bou are not !ut under !ressure # a sales!erson and have time to make a more rational
!urchase decision.
Bou are not restricted to sho!!ing in an area to which #ou have !h#sical access. Bou can sho!
across the world.
9suall# it is much chea!er to !urchase goods on-line from a virtual store. If #ou !urchase at
source #ou can eliminate the mark u! of intermediaries. (urther" on-line sites have lower
overheads than conventional sho!s.
Bou have access to a wider range of alternatives.
Disadvantages of on>line shopping from a virtual store
It is more im!ersonal as #ou do not interact with a human eing with whom #ou can discuss
the !roduct #ou wish to u#.
Bou cannot !h#sicall# see and touch the item #ou are u#ing.
$here are certain risks associated with !urchasing goods on the Internet with a credit card. See
the section on C2? transactions aove.
Eeturning defective or incorrect goods can e a !rolem. $his is es!eciall# the case if the#
have come from another countr#.
Page &8
Module 1(
Technology )IT*
4ection &( /ealth8 4afety and "nvironment
999999999999999999999999999999999
1.$ Concepts of Information Technology: ealth. 'afety an! the +n,ironment
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
1+&+1 "rgonomics
1+&+1+1 7nderstand 0hat elements and practices can help create a good
0or6ing environment such as( appropriate positioning of monitors8
6ey'oards and adBusta'le chairs8 use of a mouse mat8 use of a monitor
filter8 provision of adeDuate lighting and ventilation8 freDuent 'rea6s
a0ay from the computer+
"rgonomics is the science of co-ordination the !h#sical and !s#chological as!ects of human
eings with their working environment. Although com!uters !resent us with great o!!ortunities
for making our work easier" the# do !resent some health and safet# risks if used incorrectl#. $he
science of ergonomics tells us how to use com!uters correctl#.
Monitors
If #ou work with a monitor" tired" sore or lood-shot e#es indicate e#e strain. $he following !oints
indicate some as!ects of monitors to e aware of.
Eefresh rate4 $he refresh rate of a monitor is the rate at which it u!dates the images on the
screen. When the refresh rate is too low" the screen a!!ears to flicker. A!art from the
anno#ance factor" this causes e#e strain. $he refresh rate should e at least ,+ 7& %,+ times a
second' and !referal# higher.
Conitor filter %Anti-glare screen'4 Eeflections on the screen can cause e#e strain. $his can e
overcome # using a monitor filter with an anti-glare screen or # !lacing a s!ecial anti-glare
cover in front of the screen.
(ocus4 $he image on the screen should e shar!. ?oor Iualit# monitors have a slightl# lurred
effect. $his causes the e#es to continuall# attem!t to reduce the lur.
Low radiation4 $he eam of electrons that strikes the screen to dis!la# the image also sends
out electromagnetic radiation. $here is some fear that this can e a health ha&ard" !articularl#
to !regnant women. 9se a monitor with low electromagnetic radiation.
?osition4 ?lace the monitor in a !osition where #ou can look into the distance at regular
intervals. $o the side of a window is an ideal !osition. Bou need to change the focus of #our
e#es on a regular asis to !revent e#e strain.
Angle4 $he monitor should e slightl# elow e#e level. Looking u! at a monitor can cause
strain in the neck.
Eest4 $ake regular rest !eriods where #ou do not look at the monitor.

=ey'oards and mouse
Ee!eated use of the same muscles and Foints can result in a t#!e of inFur# called R4I or
Repetitive 4train InBury. $his t#!e of inFur# can range from inflammation of Foints" to damaged
ligaments and muscles or even hairline fractures in ones. ESI is usuall# caused # the incorrect
use of the ke#oard and mouse.
Ergonomic ke#oards4 Ergonomic ke#oards are designed in such a wa# that the strain on the
hands and finger are reduced.
$ouch t#!ing4 Learning to touch t#!e can hel! reduce strain as it distriutes the work evenl#
etween the fingers. 9sers who can touch t#!e also tend to use far less force when striking the
ke#oard.
Couse mats %!ads'4 Couse mats or !ads are availale with a cushion for the wrist to rest on.
Ee!eated clicking of the mouse uttons can lead to inflamed finger Foints. Eesting the wrist on
the cushion reduces this effect.
Eest4 $ake regular reaks to rest the muscles and Foints.
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Des6s and chairs
7eight and !osition of chairs4 $he height and !osition of the chair is an im!ortant factor in
reducing strain. $hese should e adFusted so that4
- the feet can rest flat on the floor. $his maintains lood circulation.
- the thigh is hori&ontal to the floor.
- the head can e ke!t u!right in line with the s!inal column. If the chair is too high" the head
will e ent. $his will in turn cause ackache.
A chair with adFustale height will allow #ou to find the most a!!ro!riate and comfortale
height for #our uild.
?osture4 $he ack should e slightl# ent forward. Sitting rigidl# u!right for long !eriods can
cause stress in the ack and shoulders.
Su!!ort4 $here should e su!!ort for the lower ack to avoid sitting in a hunched !osition.
Eest4 It is im!ortant to get u! and move around on a regular asis. Ideall# should do some
stretching e<ercises to hel! rela< tense muscles.
7eight of the desk4 A common !rolem is having a desk which is too high. $his is largel# a
matter of trial and error. A good test is whether the elows are ale to rest comfortale on the
work surface.

1+&+$ /ealth Issues
1+&+$+1 List some common health pro'lems 0hich can 'e associated 0ith
using a computer such as( inBuries to 0rists caused 'y prolonged
typing8 eye strain caused 'y screen glare8 'ac6 pro'lems associated
0ith poor seating or 'ad posture+
Lighting and ventilation
It is im!ortant to ensure that there is adeIuate lighting" ut does not cause a glare on the
screen. Another im!ortant consideration is whether there is enough air circulation in the room as
com!uters generate a lot of heat and if a room is not adeIuatel# ventilated it can ecome stuff#
and cause fatigue. It is also not good for the eIui!ment so most com!anies make use of air
conditioning.
@ther health !rolems associated with using a com!uter as discussed in the !revious section are
listed elow4
re!etitive strain inFur#
e#e strain caused # the glare on the screen
ack !rolems due to !oor seating or ad !osture
1+&+3 Precautions
1+&+3+1 List some safety precautions 0hen using a computer such as(
ensuring po0er ca'les are safely secured8 po0er points are not
overloaded+
A!art from health issues" there are a numer of safet# issues associated with the use of
com!uters.
deDuate earthing
A fault# earthing s#stem can cause electrical shock. A good s#stem will e !ro!erl# earthed and
will incor!orate earth>lea6age detection. If the s#stem detects a fault that could lead to
Page #1
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electrical shock" a switch will tri! efore an# damage can e done.
Ca'ling
It is common to see electrical caling l#ing on the floor of offices. A!art from the fact that it looks
untid#" workers can tri! over caling. Electrical caling should e installed # electricians so that
there is the minimum of o!en caling. Electrical !ower sockets should e installed close to
workstations so that there is no need to run caling across the floor. $he caling etween the
!ower !oint and the com!uter should e secured using cale ties.
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Load on po0er points
$here should e adeIuate !ower !oints for the eIui!ment. @verloaded !ower sockets are a fire
ha&ard. If there is an# sound of s!arking in a !ower socket" the cause should e investigated #
a Iualified electrician.

1+&+5 The "nvironment
1+&+5+1 Ae a0are that recycling printed outputs8 recycling printer toner
cartridges8 using a monitor that consumes less po0er 0hile the
computer is inactive can help the environment+
Paper
@ne of the goals on information technolog# was the paperless office. $he realit# is Iuite
different and users are often careless and wasteful in the use of !a!er. $he cost factor will e
considered in the ne<t section. (rom an environmental !ers!ective" waste of !a!er is ver#
damaging. 7ere are some things that #ou can do to reduce the environmental im!act.
Do not throw !a!er awa#. Set u! a storage area for !a!er that cannot e re-used. 7ave this
collected on a regular asis for rec#cling.
?rint on oth sides of the !a!er. 9nless #ou are !roducing a document in final form" !rint on
the reverse side of used !a!er.
Alternativel#" look for organisations that can make use of this !a!er. Can# !oor schools would
e ver# glad to get su!!lies of !a!er that can still e used on one side.
Consuma'les
@ften users throw used toner and ink cartridges awa#. $here are two alternatives. Bou can have
them refilled. If this is not an o!tion ecause of guarantee restrictions on !rinters" #ou could
resell them to com!anies which refurish cartridges for resale. In either case" #ou reduce the
waste out!ut from #our organisation.
Po0er
Another area where users are often careless is electrical !ower consum!tion. (or e<am!le" man#
users switch onl# their monitors off at the end of the da# so the# do not have to oot u! in the
morning. A!art from the securit# risk" this means that the com!uter is running all night and
wasting electrical !ower. Switch off an# eIui!ment that does not need to e on.
When !urchasing eIui!ment" low !ower o!tions could e selected. An e<am!le" would e the
!urchase of flat LCD screens over conventional monitors as these consume less !ower.
It is also !ossile to configure the com!uter to save !ower. When a com!onent" such as the
monitor" has not een used for a while" the com!uter shuts it down.

1+&+5+$ 7nderstand that using electronic documents can help reduce the need
for printed materials+
9sing networks and email" there is little need to send !rinted documents. Eather send them in
electronic format. In addition to avoiding !rinting" it is faster and more efficient.
Avoid !rinting documents even for #ou own use unless it is necessar#. It is Iuite !ossile to do
much of #our reading on-screen. Set the &oom and font si&e to facilitate on-screen reading.
Page #3
Module 1(
Technology )IT*
4ection 2( 4ecurity
999999999999999999999999999999999
1.% Concepts of Information Technology: 'ec/rity
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
1+2+I Information 4ecurity
1+2+1+1 7nderstand the term information security and the 'enefits to an
organisation of 'eing proactive in dealing 0ith security ris6s such as(
adopting an information security policy 0ith respect to handling
sensitive data8 having procedures for reporting security incidents8
ma6ing staff mem'ers a0are of their responsi'ilities 0ith respect to
information security+
Information 4ecurity
Because information and information technolog# are fundamental to Fust aout all as!ects of
modern life" the modern era is often referred to as the Information age. B# its ver# nature"
much information is !rivate and confidential. Information security refers to all the !rocedures
which are used to !rotect information for delierate or accidental misuse or dissemination.
$echnicall#" it refers to the maintenance of the integrity of information. Integrit# means that the
information remains correct at all times and cannot e accessed # unauthorised agents.
Personal privacy
If !ersonal information such as health or finance status" !ersonal or famil# issues and
ackground details ecame availale to unauthorised agents" this could lead to the standing of
individuals eing seriousl# com!romised. In some cases it ma# have little more effect than a
feeling of invasion of !ersonal !rivac#" while in other cases in ma# lead to serious
emarrassment" loss of status or Fo and even lackmail.
Company confidentiality
Business functions # tr#ing to achieve a com!etitive edge. $his is achieved # making etter
!roducts and having etter marketing strategies. If com!etitors found out the formulation of
!roducts or details of manufacturing or the marketing !lans for new !roducts" a com!an# would
lose its com!etitive edge. $here is a whole dark area to usiness known as industrial
espionage in which a variet# of means are used to discover trade secrets and usiness dealings.
@viousl#" there is an asolute im!erative to maintaining the confidentialit# of all com!an#
information.
A less ovious reach of information securit# occurs through industrial es!ionage where
information is either changed or deleted to saotage the functioning of the organisation.
Protecting company information
$here are a numer of !rocedures com!anies can take to !rotect their information and these
would usuall# e detailed in a com!an# !olic# document which would e e<!lained to the staff on
a!!ointment. @ften a !ersonal co!# of this document is given to each em!lo#ee for their
records.
4taff employment practices( Basic to good com!an# securit# are lo#al and trustworth# staff. If
staff are likel# to have access to sensitive information" the# should e thoroughl# screened efore
the# are em!lo#ed. $he more sensitive the information the# have access to" the more vital is this
!rocess. ?romotion to more sensitive !ositions can e ased on a good histor# or lo#alt# and
trust. ?art of the staff induction !rocess and on-going staff training should inculcate in staff the
im!ortance of securit# and an awareness of the conseIuences of its violation.
4ecurity procedures( Information should e classified on the asis of its sensitivit#. Access
rights to this information should e limited to those who need to know. $o access certain
information" an em!lo#ee might need a s!ecial securit# clearance. All access to sensitive
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information should e recorded. $he Iuestion of access rights is discussed further in the ne<t
section. Where sensitive information is stored in the form of !a!er files" these should e ke!t in a
secure vault. ?rocedures should e in !lace that enale staff to re!ort reaches or sus!ected
reaches of securit#. $he# should e ale to re!ort these without fear of re!risal. In large
organisations securit# de!artments can e estalished s!ecificall# for the !ur!ose of !roviding
such channels and monitoring securit# on an on-going asis. $his is often done in conFunction
with forensic auditing. $his is a s!ecial form of auditing to detect mismanagement and
corru!tion.

1+2+1+$ =no0 a'out privacy issues associated 0ith computers8 such as
adopting good pass0ord policies+ 7nderstand 0hat is meant 'y user
ID and differentiate 'et0een user ID and pass0ord+ 7nderstand the
term access rights and 6no0 0hy access rights are important+
Information stored on computers
All com!uters from la!to! com!uters to mainframes contain information. Cuch of this" whether
cor!orate or !ersonal" is confidential. Can# thousands of la!to! com!uters containing im!ortant
com!an# or state information have een stolen. Since most cor!orate records are now ke!t in
electronic form on com!uter s#stems" !rocedures need to e !ut in !lace to !rotect the
com!uters.
A!art from delierate violations # !eo!le" com!uters are also suFect to accidental damage and
natural disasters.
Physical procedures
?h#sical access to mainframes should e restricted to o!erators and s#stems administrators.
(acilities should e fire and flood !roof. 7ighl# sensitive installations should also have adeIuate
!rotection from criminal and terrorist activities.
Deskto! and la!to! com!uters are ver# vulnerale to theft. A sim!le !rocedure is to onl# allow
authorised !eo!le access to offices. $he use of securit# cameras can also act as a deterrent.
Deskto! com!uters can e !h#sicall# attached to the floor or a work surface.
La!to! com!uters !resent the greatest risk. $he# are not onl# light and eas# to !ick u!" ut the#
are also more e<!ensive and valuale than deskto!s. $he est !rotection is not to let them out of
site. If a manager is sta#ing at a hotel" he or she can leave the com!uter in the hotel safe rather
than their room.
4oft0are procedures
Information can e stolen" altered or deleted without the com!uter eing !h#sicall# removed.
$he information ma# even e accessed across the Internet.
#ire0alls( A firewall is the first line of defence against hackers. It is a com!uter !rogram that is
installed on a com!uter that connects a network to the Internet. $he firewall anal#ses the
!ackets that !ass in and out of the network. It is !rogrammed to follow certain rules which
enale it to decide whether or not to allow a !acket to !ass. $here is firewall software that can e
installed on a stand-alone ?C.
ccess rights( Access rights can refer to oth !h#sical and software. In a !h#sical sense" these
refer to different memers of staff who have to gain !h#sical access to certain areas. (or
e<am!le" access to the room containing the mainframe ma# e restricted to o!erators. Software
rights refer to the level of access different users have to different levels of data and information.
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(or e<am!le" some users ma# have no access to certain data" others ma# onl# e ale to read
the data ut not change it. @thers in turn ma# have full rights to create and change data. Access
rights are associated with a user id and !assword. A user id could e a user name or a
comination of letters and numers. $o log on to a s#stem a user would need a user id and a
!assword. As other users ma# know the user id of colleagues" another level of securit# in terms
of !asswords needs to e added in the form of a !assword. ?asswords are !rivate and should
never e divulged to an#one else. 9sers could have several user ids" each with a different level of
securit#. $he# would log on each time with the lowest level of securit# the# need to accom!lish a
given task.
Pass0ord policies( ?assword !olicies refer to guidelines or reIuirements on the structure and
use of !asswords. $he# can e reIuired for access to a com!uter s#stem or a grou! of files or a
single file. $he following are some guidelines for !assword !olicies4
$he# should never e lank.
$he# should not e the names of famil# memers or !ets or an#thing else that would e eas#
for an intruder to tr# out.
Ideall# the# should never e words" es!eciall# words like administrator" admin or root.
$he# should never e less than five characters and !referal# longer. Short !asswords can
easil# e determined # a 'rute force pass0ord crac6er. $his is a !iece of software that
re!eatedl# feeds in all cominations of letters and numers until accessed is gained. With short
!asswords this can e done in seconds.
A good !olic# is to use a meaningless comination of letters and numers that is seven or eight
characters long. What some users do is to take a meaningful word such as loo6ing and re!lace
the o with the numer % and the letter i with the numer 1 so that the !assword ecomes
l%%61ng. Bou could also make a less ovious change" for e<am!le re!lace 6 with 3 and g with
. so that the !assword ecomes loo3in..
?asswords should e changed on a regular asis. Administrators can set a !olic# that
automaticall# causes !asswords to e<!ire after a certain !eriod of time" for e<am!le , da#s.
When using a ?C" #ou would need to use an o!erating that !rovides genuine access !rotection
with a user id and !assword. $his means using Linu< or Windows 2$/+000/Q?/+006. In Windows
83/8K/Ce the logon !rocedure can e #!assed. If Windows 2$" +000" Q? or +006 are used" it
should e in conFunction with the 2$(S file s#stem.
Data encryption( Data should e encrypted. Encr#!tion scramles the data and makes it
unintelligile without the use of a 6ey. $he ke# is used to deci!her the data.
1+2+1+3 =no0 a'out the purpose and value of 'ac6ing up data8 soft0are to a
remova'le storage device+
Vulnera'ility of data
Data is vulnerale in man# wa#s4
$he s#stem on which it is stored can fail. (or e<am!le" a hard drive ma# crash due to
com!onent failure.
$he medium itself ma# ecome corru!t. Where data is stored on a magnetic medium" this can
ecome corru!t due to a numer of factors including moisture" heat" magnetic fields and
electromagnetic radiation. Even o!tical storage which is highl# reliale should never e
regarded as infallile.
$he s#stem can e stolen.
$he s#stem could e !h#sicall# damaged through war" criminal activit#" vandalism or
carelessness.
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$he s#stem could e damaged as a result of a natural disaster such as a flood" fire or
earthIuake.
$he data could e deleted or changed through criminal activit#" vandalism or carelessness.
2o matter what care #ou ma# take to !rotect a s#stem" additional co!ies of data need to e
made and stored on a regular asis. Co!ies of data are referred to as 'ac6ups. $he following are
some guidelines to working with acku!s.
@nce acku!s have een created" the# should e store in a secure area at a different site.
2ever kee! acku!s on the same site as the s#stem. $he# could e stolen or destro#ed along
with the rest of the s#stem.
Backu!s should e made on a ver# regular asis. Even for a small organisation" this should e
done dail#. Even the loss of a single da#Ps work would e a maFor !rolem. In large
organisations acking u! ma# take !lace on an on-going asis. A schedule of acking u!
should e clear !olic# and adhered to.
Core than one co!# of data should e made. If the data is ver# valuale" the different co!ies
could e stored in different secure locations.
Different versions of the acku! should e retained. $he following is an e<am!le of a acku!
schedule that could e followed.
$he c#cle of acking u! starts on the first Conda# of the month. At the end of each da# of the
week a acku! is made. At the end of the week" there is a Conda#" $uesda#" Wednesda# ...
Saturda# acku!. @n Sunda# a acku! is created and laelled week . acku!. $his is ke!t for
the rest of the month. $he weekda# ta!es are then reused and the !rocess re!eated. At the
end of the month #ou end u! with a series of weekl# acku!s. $he last one ecomes the
acku! for the month and the !rocess starts over the ne<t month. At the end of the #ear #ou
then have a series of monthl# acku!s.
An a!!ro!riate medium for acking u! must e used. In the case of com!anies this would
generall# e done using ta!e" although o!tical storage is ecoming more common. (or
!ersonal use" a CD or D=D makes an e<cellent acku!. D=D writers are still Iuite e<!ensive.
2ever use diskettes for acku! !ur!oses. $he# are not reliale for this !ur!ose. Even when
acking u! a ?C" makes multi!le co!ies and kee! them at another site for safe storage. Bou
could" for e<am!le" use a safet# de!osit o< at a ank.
@ften a network server has two identical hard drives" one eing a mirror image of the other. $his
means that if one fails the other one can take over. In other words all the software on the first is
identical to the software on the second.
Software can e acked u! # making a co!# of the cd/dvd media and then storing the originals
and using the acku!s to install from. $his is allowed # most software manufacturers. $he
original is ke!t under lock and ke# along with the licence numers.

1+2+1+5 Ae a0are of possi'le implications of theft of a laptop computer8 PD8
mo'ile phone such as( possi'le misuse of confidential files8 loss of
files8 loss of important contact details if not availa'le on a separate
source8 possi'le misuse of telephone num'ers+
7ighl# !ortale devices such as cell !hones" ?DAs and la!to! com!uters can containing vital and
confidential information. Even if the information is not confidential" it could e vital to #our work.
Losing #our contact list or diar# will ver# seriousl# com!romise #our usiness o!erations.
?DAs" cell !hones and la!to!s usuall# contain contact lists and diaries. Cake sure that co!ies of
these are ke!t else
where. Cell !hones and ?DAs come with synchronisation soft0are. $his software links the
device with a !ersonal com!uter or la!to! and u!dates each of them with the latest data. In
other words" if #ou kee! #our diar# on #our ?DA" s#nchronising will automaticall# u!date the
diar# %and contacts' on the ?C or la!to!. Bou should make sure that #our diar# and contact list
Page #8
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are on two different devices. $hese should e ke!t a!art so that the# are unlikel# to e stolen at
the same time. Ideall#" #ou should make acku!s of these at the end of ever# da# and kee!
these acku!s in a safe location.
Although #ou can at least retain #our diar#" contacts and files through the use of acku!s" loss of
these can com!romise #ou seriousl#. If for e<am!le" #ou kee! information of #our ank and
credit cards details on #our ?DA" cell !hone or la!to!" a criminal could make use of these if the#
steal these devices.
?ersonal information and tele!hone numers of friends and usiness colleagues could make them
vulnerale to the activities of criminals.

1+2+$ Computer Viruses
1+2+$+1 7nderstand the term virus 0hen used in computing and understand
that there are different types of virus+ Ae a0are 0hen and ho0
viruses can enter a computer system+
Computer viruses
A computer virus is a !rogram that is delieratel# created to cause anno#ance or alter or delete
data. Some viruses cause com!uter s#stems to slow down to the !oint where the# are not
usale. @ne of the features of viruses is that the# are designed to re!licate and s!read.
TroBan( A $roFan %or $roFan horse' is a virus that hides itself inside another legitimate !rogram.
When the !rogram is used" the virus is released and can egin its work of re!lication and
anno#ance or damage.
;orm( A Worm is a !rogram that re!licates itself over and over in the com!uterPs memor# until
the com!uter can arel# function. @ne of the signs of invasion # a worm is the slowness of
com!uters.
Time 'om'( A time om is a virus which lies dormant until a certain date or time or for a
!eriod of time. At this date or time" the virus suddenl# ecomes active and carries out whatever
task it is !rogrammed to do. $his can include the deletion of ever#thing on the hard drive.
Logic 'om's( A logic om is similar to a time om" e<ce!t that instead of ecoming active at
a certain time" it ecomes active when a !articular activit# ha!!ens. (or e<am!le" instead of
formatting a diskette" the virus causes the hard drive to e formatted.
Macro>viruses( Cacro-viruses make use of a s!ecial customisation feature in a!!lications called
macros. Cacros allow #ou to create mini-!rograms to carr# out certain tasks in #our a!!lications.
4pread of computer viruses
=iruses are s!read in a numer of wa#s4
Downloads from the Internet.
?irated software.
E<change of diskettes.
In attachments to emails and in emails themselves.
In documents. Cacro-virus" descried aove" can e hidden in ordinar# documents"
s!readsheets and !resentations.

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1+2+$+$ =no0 a'out anti>virus measures and 0hat to do 0hen a virus infects a
computer+ Ae a0are of the limitations of anti>virus soft0are+
7nderstand 0hat Hdisinfecting? files means+
$he actions of com!uter viruses were discussed in the !revious section. $he measures #ou can
take to !rotect #ourself against viruses will e discussed in the ne<t section. @ne of the main
measures to !rotect against viruses" anti-virus software" is discussed in this section.
nti>virus soft0are
Anti-virus software scans files for !ieces of code" called signatures" which it recognises as !art
of a virus. 9!dating anti-virus software mostl# involves u!dating the signatures file. $his should
e done on as freIuent as asis as !ossile. $his is even more the case when #ou receive files
regularl# from outside sources. $he actual anti-virus !rogram itself will e u!dated from time to
time. $hese u!dates will include additional features and im!roved methods of scanning.
It is im!ortant to kee! in mind that no anti-virus software is !erfect. It is onl# as good as the
techniIues it uses for detecting viruses and the currenc# of the signature file. $here is alwa#s the
chance that a virus will go undetected. 7owever" a good anti-virus s#stem installed on #our
s#stem is essential and will usuall# detect most viruses.
When a virus is detected" the software will attem!t to remove the virus. $his is called cleaning
or disinfecting. It sometimes ha!!ens that the s#stem can detect the virus ut not get rid of it.
In this case" #ou will usuall# e given the o!tion of deleting or Duarantining the infected file.
When a file is Iuarantined" it is made unusale and so unale to s!read the virus. A future
u!date of the software ma# e ale to remove the virus. If it can the Iuarantine is removed.

1+2+$+3 7nderstand good practice 0hen do0nloading files8 accessing file
attachments8 such as( use of virus scanning soft0are8 not opening
unrecognised e>mail messages8 not opening attachments contained
0ithin unrecognised e>mail messages+
$here are a numer of measures #ou can take to !rotect #ourself from viruses4
Install good anti-virus software and u!date it on a regular asis" for e<am!le at least once a
month ut !referal# once a week. But alwa#s rememer" anti-virus software is not !erfect. It
cannot e the onl# measure #ou take.
Scan all diskettes efore reading them.
Enale the auto-!rotection feature on the anti-virus software to scan emails.
Be war# of emails from unknown sources" !articularl# if the# contain attachments. Some ver#
careful users delete emails the# are unsure of without o!ening them.
9se an Internet Service ?rovider than scans emails efore deliver#.
Do not download files/software from unknown Internet sites.
Be careful of using diskettes from unknown sources.
Do not install !irated software.
Page $0
Module 1(
Technology )IT*
4ection -( Copyright and the La0
999999999999999999999999999999999
1.8 Concepts of Information Technology: Copyright an! the -a"
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
1+-+1 Copyright
1+-+1+1 7nderstand the concept of copyright 0hen applied to soft0are8 and
also to files such as( graphics8 te:t8 audio8 video+ 7nderstand
copyright issues involved in do0nloading information from the
Internet+
Copyright
Co!#right refers to the legall# !rotected right to !ulish and distriute an# literar#" musical"
artistic or software material. $his means that onl# the develo!er and authorised sellers have the
right to co!# and distriute com!uter software" video materials" music or te<t.
Because there is no control over the Internet" there are hundreds of sites where software" music
and videos can e downloaded. Access to !ermanent connections makes downloading of large
files !h#sicall# !ossile. Can# of these sites are located in countries that do not !rotect
co!#right.
$he fact that it is !ossile to do something does not make it legall# and ethicall# right. Authors
and develo!ers are entitled to a return on their creative efforts. Downloading !irated material is
oth ethicall# and legall# wrong. B# reducing revenue" !irac# can ham!er the develo!ment of
software. Software develo!ment is e<!ensive and !art of the ro#alties are needed for future
develo!ment.
Software !irac# is a form of theft. It is oth a criminal and a civil offence. Develo!ers are entitled
to claim damages in cases of !irac#. Increasingl# the# are making use of all legal avenues to
reduce !irac# and otain com!ensation where it has occurred. $he# are entitled to claim
damages against not onl# sites" organisations and individuals who make !irated software
availale" ut also those who make use of it.
Downloading from the Internet is not the onl# form of software !irac#. Caking co!ies of software"
other than for !ersonal use" as well as installing software on more com!uters than s!ecified in
the licence agreement are oth forms of !irac#.

1+-+1+$ 7nderstand copyright issues associated 0ith using and distri'uting
materials stored on remova'le media such as CD?s8 Eip dis6s8
dis6ettes+
When #ou !urchase software" #ou are actuall# !urchasing the right to install the software on a
s!ecified numer of machines. Software usuall# comes out in two forms4 standalone and
network. When #ou !urchase standalone software" #ou are !urchasing the right to install it on a
single machine. >enerall# there are further restrictions that are s!ecified in the licence
agreement. Licence agreements are covered in the ne<t section.
When #ou !urchase a network version of the software" #ou !urchase the right to install the
software on com!uters attached to a !articular network. $his ma# give #ou the right to install it
on all the com!uters on the network or a certain ma<imum numer.
It is im!ortant to realise that #ou do not !urchase the actual !rogram. $he !rogram remains the
intellectual property of the develo!er. $he conce!t of intellectual !ro!ert# is used as the
develo!er owns something astract" something which is the result of considerale intellectual
effort. $his also means that #ou do not have the right to alter the !rogram in an# wa# other than
the configuration allowed in the installation.
7owever #ou ma# store the !rogram" on CD" D=D" &i! disk" diskette" hard drive or ta!e" the
Page $2
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!rogram still remains the intellectual !ro!ert# of the develo!er. $his does not mean that #ou ma#
lend the stored !rogram out to others" though. $his would e a reach of co!#right. $he stored
version is for that !ur!ose onl# as a acku! and for the licensed user onl#.
$he section on licence agreements in the ne<t section s!ecifies some of the co!#right issues in
more detail.

1+-+1+3 =no0 ho0 to chec6 the Product ID num'er for a soft0are product+
7nderstand the terms share0are8 free0are8 end>user license
agreement+
Licence agreements
As mentioned in the !revious section" when #ou !urchase software" #ou onl# !urchase the right
to use the software suFect to certain conditions. $hese conditions are s!ecified in the licence
agreement. When #ou install the software onto a com!uter" there is alwa#s a stage where #ou
have to make a selection that #ou have read and acce!t the terms and conditions of the licence
agreement. When #ou do this" #ou are agreeing to the develo!erPs rights under co!#right law.
$he terms of the licence agreement include the following4
Clarification of the licence as meaning right to use the software not ownershi! of the
intellectual !ro!ert#.
$he numer of machines on which the software ma# e installed.
Eestrictions on co!#ing the distriution CD.
Eestriction on the resale of the software.
?rohiitions on altering the code and reverse engineering. Eeverse engineering involves a
!rocess of uncovering the logic and algorithms used to develo! the !rogram.
4hare0are
Shareware is software" generall# downloaded from the Internet" which can e freel# used and
distriuted. 7owever" it does reIuire that if users would like to continue using it" the# !a# the
develo!er a fee. $his is nearl# alwa#s done # means of a credit card transfer across the
Internet. When !a#ment is received" users get a serial numer which the# insert into the
software.
$o attem!t to enforce !a#ment" develo!ers usuall# em!lo# a numer of methods4
2ag notices. $hese are notices that a!!ear on a regular asis reminding the user that the
software has not #et een registered.
$ime limitations. $he software can e used for a certain !eriod of time. At the end of this
!eriod it ceases to work.
(unction limitations. $he shareware version ma# e<clude certain ke# features.
$hese limitations would e removed when a valid serial numer is entered.
#ree0are
(reeware is software which can e freel# co!ied and distriuted. 9suall# there are certain
restrictions such as it ma# not e resold or its source should e acknowledged.
Open 4ource soft0are
Page $3
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
An interesting evolution in software develo!ment is the Open 4ource Movement. $his
movement has the oFective of creating software that can e distriuted freel# and used at no
charge. Develo!ers all over the world are encouraged to ecome !art of the movement. Can#
cor!orations are !la#ing an active role in the develo!ment of o!en source software. $wo
e<am!les are Linu< and @!en@ffice.org. $he develo!ment of Linu< is eing activel# su!!orted #
cor!orations such as IBC and Sun Cicros#stems. Sun Cicros#stems are central to the
develo!ment of @!en@ffice.org.
@!en source software is still suFect to a licence agreement. 7owever" the licence agreement is
Iuite different in tone and !ur!ose to that attached to commercial software. $he following is an
e<tract from the licence agreement of A@ffice" another @!en Source office a!!lication suite.
Pream'le
$he licenses for most software are designed to take awa# #our freedom to share and change it.
B# contrast" the >29 >eneral ?ulic Licenses are intended to guarantee #our freedom to share
and change free software--to make sure the software is free for all its users.
$his license" the Lirar# >eneral ?ulic License" a!!lies to some s!eciall# designated (ree
Software (oundation software" and to an# other liraries whose authors decide to use it. Bou
can use it for #our liraries" too.
When we s!eak of free software" we are referring to freedom" not !rice. @ur >eneral ?ulic
Licenses are designed to make sure that #ou have the freedom to distriute co!ies of free
software %and charge for this service if #ou wish'" that #ou receive source code or can get it if
#ou want it" that #ou can change the software or use !ieces of it in new free !rogramsM and
that #ou know #ou can do these things.
$o !rotect #our rights" we need to make restrictions that forid an#one to den# #ou these rights
or to ask #ou to surrender the rights. $hese restrictions translate to certain res!onsiilities for
#ou if #ou distriute co!ies of the lirar#" or if #ou modif# it.
(or e<am!le" if #ou distriute co!ies of the lirar#" whether gratis or for a fee" #ou must give
the reci!ients all the rights that we gave #ou. Bou must make sure that the#" too" receive or
can get the source code. If #ou link a !rogram with the lirar#" #ou must !rovide com!lete
oFect files to the reci!ients so that the# can relink them with the lirar#" after making changes
to the lirar# and recom!iling it. And #ou must show them these terms so the# know their
rights.

1+-+$ Data Protection Legislation
1+-+$+1 =no0 a'out data protection legislation or conventions in your country+
7nderstand the implications of data protection legislation for data
su'Bects and data holders+ Descri'e some of the uses of personal data+
Because of the all-!ervading nature of information and communications technolog# as well as the
ease with with data can e accessed and transferred" some countries have introduced legislation
to !rotect the !rivac# of individuals and organisations.
$he !ur!ose of data !rotection legislation is to s!ecif# how data ma# e otained" stored and
used. $his t#!e of legislation can e ver# technical and com!le<. Some of the ke# !oints of the
Page $&
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Data ?rotection Act of .88K of the 9nited Aingdom are set out elow as an illustration of the
issues covered.
$he !rovisions of the act refer to data in whatever wa# it is stored" whether electronic or
!a!er.
?ersonal data should e otained in a fair and lawful wa#.
Data should e !rocessed in accordance with its original !ur!ose. If data is to e used for
!ur!oses other than for which it is collected" safeguards need to e !ut in !lace to avoid
ause.
Data must e u!-to-date and accurate.
Data must not e ke!t for longer than is necessar#.
A!!ro!riate securit# measures must e in !lace to !revent4
9nlawful or unauthori&ed !rocessingM
Accidental lossM
DamageM
$heft.
?ersonal data ma# not e transferred.
Data ma# not e used for certain !ur!oses such as direct marketing.
In addition" suFects of the data have certain rights. $hese include the right to access data held
aout themselves.
Page $#

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