Chapter 4 revision

1) what is ascii

Ascii is the standard binary code that is used in America. It stands for American standard code for
information interchange

2) give three categories of data

Text and hypertext, video, audio, animation

3) explain the difference between primary and secondary storage

Primary the main storage in the computer. The contents of the data are lost when the computer is
turned off. ROM and RAM

Secondary an outside source of storage. Data wont be lost when the computer is turned off if it is
saved. Hard disks, DVDs, CDs

4) compare and contrast lossy and lossless compression. And identify a file type that makes use of
these compression methods (4 marks)

Lossy compression reduces the size of the file by removing some of the original colour information, it
cannot be restored. However, the amount of reduction in picture quality is normally set by the user.
Things such as jpeg.

Lossless data compression is lossless, meaning original quality is maintained in the displayed images.
They work best for graphic images with a few distinct colours, such as line drawings and simple
cartoons. GIFs and PNGs are examples of lossless data compression. The file size is reduced by
looking for repeated patterns.

Chapter three questions

1) Identify the purpose of the following types of software, and give two examples of each.
Application software applications that do a single or limited task. Word processors, web
browsers.

Operating system is needed to work with application software to control the computers
hardware. It provides the interface which asks us to log on or it can display the desktop and
its icons immediately. Some examples of this are Microsoft and Windows

Utility software - They are usually part of the system software, and work at the operating
system level. They include functions such as creating directory structures, copying and
deleting files, performing backups and altering system settings. Other utilities work at the
application level and include virus scanners, file sharing and compression software. Two
examples are windows explorer and disk management tools.

2) According to the IST curriculum, identify three standard features of application software.
3) Compare and contrast the command line user interface, graphical user interface and natural
language interface
Early user interfaces on personal computers were CLIs. They do not require as much
processing power as the GUI, and so they have the advantage of running many tasks
simultaneously. A CLI works a little bit like a chat program, except that you chat with the
computer operating system. To use a CLI, you need to know the commands that can be used,
and you need to type them in at the keyboard.
GUIs have a common user-friendliness yet show a remarkable difference in sophistication.
The main idea of a graphical interface was to create a visual metaphor. The metaphor uses
the screen view to represent the business desktop and small pictures called icons to
represent our working documents. The window is a metaphor for a window into a document
so that we can see and work on the document through the window. The click of a mouse or
the drag and drop functionality is a fairly easy method for a new computer user to learn. The
mouse pointer becomes an electronic extension of the users hand.
Natural language tools use speech recognition technologies so that you can give commands
by speaking to the computer, or request a word processor to take dictation. Many such
interfaces have been developed and may be included in operating systems or as a part of
special packages. The NLI is particularly useful for those who find it difficult to use a
keyboard or mouse, particularly people with disabilities.

4) Identify four features of the quality of the graphical user interface

Allows interaction with the user and computer
They have a common user-friendliness. Instructions are normally given
Borders and white space are given so the design does not look crowded. Borders
can be used to group things together, to focus on some specific controls.
It provides a consistent environment for the user. Colours, texts, forms are all
examples

5) Identify four functions of operating systems

Security management: passwords and usernames
User interface: output of a screen on startup
Device management: devices connected to the computer, such as USBs, printers,
keyboards or mice.
Storage management: locations which files can be stored. The user can choose what
to rename, move or delete documents using the operating user interface. There are
also other bits of information such as date and time of last update, file size and
associated programs that can be used.