SlideShare una empresa de Scribd logo
1 de 88
Descargar para leer sin conexión
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 1 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
MAY JUNE 2011
QUESTION 1
a) Differentiate hardware and software.[10]
HARDWARE SOFTWARE
Devices that are required to store and execute (or
run) the software.
Collection of instructions that enables a user to
interact with the computer. Software is a program
that enables a computer to perform a specific task,
as opposed to the physical components of the
system (hardware).
Input, storage, processing, control, and output
devices.
System software, Programming software, and
Application software.
CD-ROM, monitor, printer, video card, scanners ,
label makers, routers , and modems.
Quickbooks, Adobe Acrobat, WhatsApp , Internet
Explorer , Microsoft Word , Microsoft Excel
Hardware serves as the delivery system for
software solutions. The hardware of a computer is
infrequently changed, in comparison with
software and data, which are “soft” in the sense
that they are readily created, modified, or erased
on the computer
To perform the specific task you need to complete.
Software is generally not needed to for the
hardware to perform its basic level tasks such as
turning on and reponding to input.
Hardware starts functioning once software is
loaded.
To deliver its set of instructions, Software is
installed on hardware.
Hardware failure is random. Hardware does have
increasing failure at the last stage.
Software failure is systematic. Software does not
have an increasing failure rate.
Hardware wears out over time.
Software does not wear out over time. However,
bugs are discovered in software as time passes.
Hardware is physical in nature. Software is logical in nature.
b) Outline advantages and disadvantages of information technology.[15]
Globalization
• IT has not only brought the world closer together, but it has allowed the world's economy
to become a single interdependent system. This means that we can not only share
information quickly and efficiently, but we can also bring down barriers of
linguistic and geographic boundaries. The world has developed into a global
village due to the help of information technology allowing countries like Chile and
Japan who are not only separated by distance but also by language to shares ideas
and information with each other.
Communication
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 2 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
• With the help of information technology, communication has also become cheaper,
quicker, and more efficient. We can now communicate with anyone around the globe
by simply text messaging them or sending them an email for an almost
instantaneous response. The internet has also opened up face to face direct
communication from different parts of the world thanks to the helps of video
conferencing.
Cost effectiveness
• Information technology has helped to computerize the business process thus streamlining
businesses to make them extremely cost effective money making machines. This in turn
increases productivity which ultimately gives rise to profits that means better pay and
less strenuous working conditions.
Bridging the cultural gap
• Information technology has helped to bridge the cultural gap by helping people from
different cultures to communicate with one another, and allow for the exchange of views
and ideas, thus increasing awareness and reducing prejudice.
More time
• IT has made it possible for businesses to be open 24 x7 all over the globe. This means
that a business can be open anytime anywhere, making purchases from different countries
easier and more convenient. It also means that you can have your goods delivered right to
your doorstep with having to move a single muscle.
Creation of new jobs
• Probably the best advantage of information technology is the creation of new and
interesting jobs. Computer programmers, Systems analyzers, Hardware and Software
developers and Web designers are just some of the many new employment
opportunities created with the help of IT.
Disadvantages of information technology
Unemployment
• While information technology may have streamlined the business process it has
also created job redundancies, downsizing and outsourcing. This means that a lot
of lower and middle level jobs have been done away with causing more people to
become unemployed.
Privacy
• Though information technology may have made communication quicker, easier and
more convenient, it has also bought along privacy issues. From cell phone signal
interceptions to email hacking, people are now worried about their once private
information becoming public knowledge.
Lack of job security
• Industry experts believe that the internet has made job security a big issue as since
technology keeps on changing with each day. This means that one has to be in a constant
learning mode, if he or she wishes for their job to be secure.
Dominant culture
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 3 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
• While information technology may have made the world a global village, it has also
contributed to one culture dominating another weaker one. For example it is now argued
that US influences how most young teenagers all over the world now act,
QUESTION 2
a) Write short notes on the following devices:
i. Central processing unit (CPU). [3]
• A central processing unit (CPU) is the electronic circuitry within a computer that carries out the
instructions of a computer program by performing the basic arithmetic, logical, control and
input/output (I/O) operations specified by the instructions
• It processes instructions that it gathers from decoding the code in programs and other such files.
• A CPU has four primary functions: fetch, decode, execute, and write back
The Four Primary Functions of the CPU
The CPU processes instructions it receives in the process of decoding data. In processing this
data, the CPU performs four basic steps:
1. Fetch Each instruction is stored in memory and has its own address. The processor takes
this address number from the program counter, which is responsible for tracking which
instructions the CPU should execute next.
2. Decode All programs to be executed are translated to into Assembly instructions.
Assembly code must be decoded into binary instructions, which are understandable to
your CPU. This step is called decoding.
3. Execute While executing instructions the CPU can do one of three things: Do
calculations with its ALU, move data from one memory location to another, or jump to a
different address.
4. Store The CPU must give feedback after executing an instruction and the output data is
written to the memory.
.
ii. Control unit (CU) [3]
• The control unit (CU) is a component of a computer's central processing unit (CPU) that
directs operation of the processor.
• It tells the computer's memory, arithmetic/logic unit and input and output devices how to
respond to a program's instructions.
• It directs the operation of the other units by providing timing and control signals.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 4 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
• Most computer resources are managed by the CU.
• It directs the flow of data between the CPU and the other devices
• A control unit works by receiving input information that it converts into control signals, which
are then sent to the central processor. The computer's processor then tells the attached hardware
what operations to carry out.
iii. Keyboard [3]
• A computer keyboard is an input device that allows a person to enter symbols like
letters and numbers into a computer. It is the main input device for most computers.
There are different types of keyboards. The most popular type is the QWERTY design,
which is based on typewriter keyboards.
• Keyboard is the most common and very popular input device which helps in inputting
data to the computer. The layout of the keyboard is like that of traditional typewriter,
although there are some additional keys provided for performing additional functions.
• Keyboards are of two sizes 84 keys or 101/102 keys, but now keyboards with 104 keys or
108 keys are also available for Windows and Internet.
iv. Modem [3]
• A modem (modulator-demodulator) is a network hardware device that modulates one or more
carrier wave signals to encode digital information for transmission and demodulates signals to
decode the transmitted information.
• The goal is to produce a signal that can be transmitted easily and decoded to reproduce the
original digital data.
• Modems can be used with any means of transmitting analog signals, from light emitting diodes to
radio.
• A common type of modem is one that turns the digital data of a computer into modulated
electrical signal for transmission over telephone lines and demodulated by another modem at the
receiver side to recover the digital data.
v. Light pen [3]
• A light pen is a computer input device in the form of a light-sensitive wand used in
conjunction with a computer's CRT display.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 5 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
• It allows the user to point to displayed objects or draw on the screen in a similar way to a
touchscreen but with greater positional accuracy.
• A light pen can work with any CRT-based display and other display technologies,
• A light pen detects a change of brightness of nearby screen pixels when scanned by
cathode ray tube electron beam and communicates the timing of this event to the
computer. Since a CRT scans the entire screen one pixel at a time, the computer can keep
track of the expected time of scanning various locations on screen by the beam and infer
the pen's position from the latest timestamp.
LIGHT PEN
• Light pen is a pointing device which is similar to a pen. It is used to select a displayed
menu item or draw pictures on the monitor screen. It consists of a photocell and an
optical system placed in a small tube. When the tip of a light pen is moved over the
monitor screen and pen button is pressed, its photocell sensing element detects the screen
location and sends the corresponding signal to the CPU.
b) Differentiate between the following input devices
i. Joystick and touch screen.[5]
Joystick
• Joystick is also a pointing device which is used to move cursor position on a monitor screen. It is
a stick having a spherical ball at its both lower and upper ends. The lower spherical ball moves in
a socket. The joystick can be moved in all four directions.
• The function of joystick is similar to that of a mouse. It is mainly used in Computer Aided
Designing (CAD) and playing computer games.
Touchscreen
• A touchscreen is a monitor or other flat surface with a sensitive panel directly on the screen that
registers the touch of a finger as an input. Instead of being touch-sensitive, some touchscreens use
beams across the screen to create a grid that senses the presence of a finger.
• A touchscreen allows the user to interact with a device without a mouse or keyboard and is used
with smartphones, tablets, computer screens, and information kiosks.
ii. Barcode reader and magnetic ink character recognition.[5]
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 6 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
Bar code readers
• Bar Code Reader is a device used for reading bar coded data (data in form of light and dark lines).
Bar coded data is generally used in labeling goods, numbering the books etc. It may be a hand
held scanner or may be embedded in a stationary scanner. Bar Code Reader scans a bar code
image, converts it into an alphanumeric value which is then fed to the computer to which bar code
reader is connected.
• A barcode reader, also called a price scanner or point-of-sale ( POS ) scanner, is a hand-held or
stationary input device used to capture and read information contained in a bar code . A barcode
reader consists of a scanner , a decoder (either built-in or external), and a cable used to connect
the reader with a computer. Because a barcode reader merely captures and translates the barcode
into numbers and/or letters, the data must be sent to a computer so that a software application can
make sense of the data. Barcode scanners can be connected to a computer through a serial port ,
keyboard port , or an interface device called a wedge . A barcode reader works by directing a
beam of light across the bar code and measuring the amount of light that is reflected back. (The
dark bars on a barcode reflect less light than the white spaces between them.) The scanner
converts the light energy into electrical energy, which is then converted into data by the decoder
and forwarded to a computer.
Magnetic ink card reader (MICR)
• MICR input device is generally used in banks because of a large number of cheques to be
processed every day. The bank's code number and cheque number are printed on the cheques with
a special type of ink that contains particles of magnetic material that are machine readable. This
reading process is called Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR). The main advantage of
MICR is that it is fast and less error prone.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 7 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
QUESTION 3
Outline any 5 data storage devices and how they work. [25]
Magnetic storage devices
Today, magnetic storage is one of the most common types of storage used with computers and is
the technology that many computer hard drives use.
• Floppy diskette
• Hard drive
• Magnetic strip
• SuperDisk
• Tape cassette
• Zip diskette
Optical storage devices
Another common storage is optical storage, which uses lasers and lights as its method of reading
and writing data.
• Blu-ray disc
• CD-ROM disc
• CD-R and CD-RW disc
• DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, and DVD+RW disc
Flash memory devices
Flash memory has started to replace magnetic media as it becomes cheaper as it is the more
efficient and reliable solution.
• Jump drive or flash drive
• Memory card
• Memory stick
• SSD
Online and cloud
Storing data online and in cloud storage is becoming popular as people need to access their data
from more than one device.
• Cloud storage
• Network media
Paper storage
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 8 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
Early computers had no method of using any of the above technologies for storing information
and had to rely on paper. Today, these forms of storage are rarely used or found. In the picture to
the right is an example of a woman entering data to a punch card using a punch card machine.
• OMR
• Punch card
HARD DISK STORAGE
Spinning hard disk (HD) drives are today the most common means of high capacity computer
storage, with most desktop and laptop computers still relying on a spinning hard disk to store
their operating system, applications programs and at least some user data. Traditional, spinning
hard disk drives consist of one or more disk "platters" stacked one above the other, and coated in
a magnetic media that is written to and read by the drive heads. hard disk drives can transfer data
directly to other computer hardware via a range of three interface types (SATA, IDE/UDMA, or
SCSI) and come in a range of speeds from 4200 to 15000 revolutions per minute (RPM).
RAID
This stands for "redundant array of independent disks" (or sometimes "redundant array of
inexpensive drives"), and stores the data in each user volume on multiple physical drives.
Many possible RAID configurations are available. The first is called "RAID 0". This divides or
"strips" the data in a storage volume across two or more disks, with half of each file written to
one disk, and half to another. This improves overall read/write performance without sacrificing
capacity. So, for example (as shown above), two 1TB drives may be linked to form a 2TB array.
Because this virtual volume is faster than either of its component disks, RAID 0 is common used
on video editing workstations.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 9 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
In contrast to RAID 0, "RAID 1" is primarily intended to protect data against hardware failure.
Here data is duplicated or "mirrored" across two or more disks. The data redundancy so created
means that if one physical drive fails there is still a complete copy of its contents on another
drive. However, this does mean that drive capacity is sacrificed. For example (as shown above),
a 1TB RAID 1 volume requires two 1TB disks. While data write performance is not improved by
using RAID 1, data read times are increased as multiple files can be accessed simultaneously
from different physical drives.
EXTERNAL HARD DISKS / DIRECT ATTACHED STORAGE (DAS)
Except where two internal hard disks are considered essential on the basis of performance (and
possibly convenience), a second hard disk is today most advisably connected as an external unit,
or what is sometimes now known as a "DAS" or direct attached storage drive. DAS external
hard disks connect via a USB, firewire or an E-SATA interface (see the hardware section), with
USB being the most common. The highest quality external hard drives routinely include at least
two of these interfaces as standard, hence maximising their flexibility for moving data between
different computers. As explained in the networking section, today some external hard disks can
also be purchased as NAS (network attached storage) devices that can easily be shared between
users across a network.
OPTICAL DISK STORAGE
Almost all optical storage involves the use of a 5" disk from which data is read by a laser.
Optical media can be read only (such as commercial software, music or movie disks), write-one,
or rewritable, and currently exists in one of three basic formats. These are compact disk (CD),
digital versatile disk (DVD)and Blu-Ray disk (BD). A fourth format called High-Definition
DVD (HD DVD) is now dead-in-the-water.
SOLID STATE DRIVES
Solid state storage devices store computer data on non-volatile "flash" memory chips rather than
by changing the surface properties of a magnetic or optical spinning disk. With no moving parts
solid state drives (SSDs) -- are also very much the future for almost all forms of computer
storage.
Sometime in the second half of this decade, solid state drives are likely to replace spinning hard
disks in most computers, with several manufacturers now offering hard-disk-replacement SSDs.
These are often very fast indeed, extremely robust and use very little power. As pictured above,
typically today most hard disk replacement SSDs are the same size -- and hence a direct
replacement for -- a 2.5" hard drive. They also usually connect via a SATA interface.
FLASH MEMORY CARDS
The above discussion of hard-disk replacement SSDs noted, at present for most people most
solid state storage devices come in two basic forms: flash memory cards and USB memory
sticks.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 10 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
Flash memory cards were developed as a storage media for digital cameras and mobile
computers. They consist of a small plastic package with a contact array that slots into a camera
or other mobile computing device, or an appropriate memory card reader. Such readers usually
have several slots (to accommodate the various formats of flash memory cards now available),
and can either be integrated into a desktop computer or laptop's case, or connected via a USB
port as an external hardware unit. In addition to still and video digital cameras, many mobile
phones, tablets, netbooks, media players, audio recorders and televisions now also have slots for
reading and writing a flash memory card.
The capacity of flash memory cards on the market currently ranges from 8MB to 64GB. There
are also six major card formats, each with its own type of card slot. The most common format is
the secure digital or SD card (see below). Next most popular are compact flash (CF) cards,
which were the first popular format introduced, and which are used by many professional digital
cameras and audio recorders. Finally come Sony's Memory stick format (and not to be confused
with a USB memory stick), the multi-media card (MMC) and the xD picture card (XD card).
Adapters are available to allow a compact flash card to be connected to a computer's
motherboard instead of a hard disk, and these are becoming popular on small-format computers
running the Linux operating system. As another aside, Panasonic have their own video recording
flash memory card format called the P2 card. This is internally based on four high-speed SD
cards, currently available in 16, 32 or 64GB capacities, and is used instead of tape on some
professional video equipment. In April 2007, Sandisk and Sony also released an alternative flash
memory card format -- the SxS card -- currently also available in 16, 32 and 64GB capacities.
This said, even in professional video, compact flash and even SD cards are becoming the
dominant recording media.
SD CARDS
SD cards are as noted above the most popular flash memory cards now on the market, and come
in so many variants that they do require some explanation. For a start, SD cards come in three
physical sizes. These comprise standard-size SD cards (first developed in 1999), smaller mini
SD cards (introduced on some mobile phones in 2003), and the even smaller micro SD cards.
The latter were invented in 2005 and are becoming increasingly popular on smartphones and
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 11 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
tablets. While the larger cards cannot fit in smaller card slots, adapters are available to enable
micro and mini cards to be accessed by any device that accepts a standard-size card.
SD cards also come in three capacity types known as SD, SDHC and SDXC. The first of these
can store up to 2GB of data. SDHC (SD high capacity) cards are then available in capacities of
between 4 and 32 GB, while SDXC (SD extended capacity) cards range from 32GB up to a
theoretical 2TB (although at present only 64GB cards are on the market).
Because SD cards now come in three capacity styles, not all SD devices can access all SD cards
of the same physical design. While standard SD cards can be read by anything, SDHC cards
should only be inserted into SDHC or SDXC devices. SDXC cards must then only be used with
the latest SDXC hardware. If you try to use an SDXC or SDHC card in a device that does not
support it then you may lose data or even damage the card.
To further add to the confusion(!), SD cards are currently also available in five speed classes.
These are known as class 2, class 4, class 6, class 10, and UHS-1 (ultra high speed 1). Many
manufacturers also label cards with a speed multiple that compares them to a CD-ROM drive.
Absolute data transfer ratings are sometimes also included. However, in practical terms it is the
speed class that really matters.
As may be expected, the higher an SD card's speed class, the faster it will be but the more it will
cost. For most purposes class 4 or class 6 cards are fine. This said, class 10 or UHS-1 are best for
high definition video or when otherwise handling large quantities of data. You can learn lots
more about SD cards in my Explaining SD Cards video, as well as from the SD Association.
USB MEMORY STICKS
USB memory sticks (or USB memory keys, USB memory drives, or whatever you choose to call
them!) are basically a combination of a flash memory card and a flash memory card reader in
one handy and tiny package. Over the past five years, USB memory sticks have also become the
dominant means of removable, re-writable portable data storage, and look set to remain so for
some time. Not least this is because of their size, ever-increasing capacity (which currently
ranges from about 512MB to 256GB), and perhaps most importantly their inherent durability.
As with other storage devices, there are two key factors to consider when selecting a USB
memory stick: capacity and data transfer speed. Whilst most consumer attention remains on the
former, the later can be at least as critical. It is not uncommon for some USB memory sticks to
transfer data at least ten or more times slower than others (I recently compared transferring 1GB
of files between a high-specification Corsair Voyager USB memory stick and a cheaper "own
brand" model and measured transfer times of under 2 minutes and approaching 30). The extent to
which this matters depends as discussed previously on whether the data in your archive is only
updated incrementally (with each new document), or more completely (with a large number or a
few large files replaced on a regular basis). A USB memory stick that takes 30 minutes to shift a
gigabyte of data is fine if you only copy a few tens of MB or less to it per day. However, if you
regularly have to back-up multiple GB, you need a fast USB memory key if you are not to lose
your sanity.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 12 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
Fortunately, just why some solid state disks are slower than others is not a mystery. Rather, it is a
function of the type of flash memory chips used to hold the data. Without going into great
technicalities, these chips come in two varieties called single level cell (SLC) and multi level
cell (MLC). Basically, MLC flash chips store two or more bits of data in each memory cell,
whilst SLC chips store only one. MLC solid state disks are therefore cheaper to produce than
SLC disks at any given capacity, but due to storing more than one bit of information in each
memory cell take longer to write and read data. If you need a fast USB key, memory card or
indeed hard-disk replacement SSD then you need to pay more to obtain an SLC device.
NETWORK AND ONLINE STORAGE
Many computer users may never have to back-up their data to a removable media or external
hard drive (and indeed may be discouraged or banned from doing so) because their files will be
stored and backed-up on their company's network servers. Even in the home (and as discussed in
the networking section), back-up to a server is also now an option for many. Far more
fundamentally, all of those switching in whole or part to cloud computing are now storing at
least some of their data out on the Internet. And even those not using online applications and
processing power now have the option of backing up moderate amounts of data online, and often
for free!
Files stored and/or backed-up online are still saved to a hard disk rather than to some magic, new
alternative media. However, the fact that the disk is located remotely to your computer, can be
accessed from anywhere, and is probably backed up by the service provider(?), can make online
storage and back-up very attractive. Indeed, when Google added 1GB of free online storage for
any type of file to its Google Docs online office suite it even stated in the press release that one
of their intentions was to remove the need for people to use and carry USB memory keys.
Cloud data storage services come in two flavours. Some simply provide online filespace, whilst
others additionally include a back-up synchronization service. An online filespace can be thought
of as a hard disk in the cloud that can be accessed with a web browser to upload or download
files. One example is Microsoft's Windows Live Skydrive, which provides 25GB of personal
storage absolutely free (although there is a maximum file size limit of 50MB). As already noted,
Google Docs offers 1GB of free online storage to which any kind of file can be uploaded up to a
maximum size also of 1GB. Google then charge $5 a year for each additional 20GB. Another
popular online filespace provider is box.net.
For those people who may forget to regularly back-up their data to one of the above, there are
cloud storage services that automate the process. These require the installation of a piece of
software on each computer that uses them. This local application then automatically backs up
data to the cloud, and may also synchronize it across PCs. Such a service is offered by Dropbox,
which describes itself as a kind of 'magic pocket' that becomes available on all of your
computing devices. For a more extensive listing of online storage services, please look in the
cloud computing directory.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 13 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
QUESTION 4
a) Differentiate between primary and secondary computer
memory.[15]
The following table list out some of the key differences between the primary and secondary
memory:
PRIMARY MEMORY SECONDARY MEMORY
• The memory devices used for primary
memory are semiconductor memories
• The secondary memory devices are
magnetic and optical memories.
• The primary memory is categorized as
volatile and non volatile memories,
RAM is the volatile memory and ROM
is the non volatile memory
• The secondary memory is always non
volatile
• The primary memory is composed of
programs and data that are presently
being used by the micro processor
• The secondary memory is enough
capable to store huge amount of
information
• The primary memories are more
effective and fast to interact with the
micro processor
• The secondary memories are somewhat
slow in interacting with the micro
processor, when compared with the
primary memory.
• Primary memory is known as main
memory
• Secondary memory is known as
additional memory or back memory
• These memories are also called as
internal memory
• These memories are also called as
external memory
• Primary memory is temporary • The secondary memory is permanent
• Commonly used primary memory (main
memory) available in the range of 512
MB to 8 GB RAMs.
• Generally secondary memories range
between 80 GB to 4 TB Hard Disc
Drives.
• The primary memory devices are
connected to the computer through
“slots”
• The secondary memory devices are
connected to the computer through
Cables
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 14 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
b) Differentiate between Random Access Memory (RAM) and Read Only
Memory (ROM).[10]
RAM ROM
• Stands for Randon-access
Memory
• Stands for Read-only memory
• RAM is a read and write memory
• Normally ROM is read only memory and it can
not be overwritten. However, EPROMs can be
reprogrammed
• RAM is faster • ROM is relatively slower than RAM
• RAM is a volatile memory. It
means that the data in RAM will
be lost if power supply is cut-off
• ROM is permanent memory. Data in ROM will
stay as it is even if we remove the power-
supply
• There are mainly two types of
RAM; static RAM and Dynamic
RAM
• There are several types of ROM; Erasable
ROM, Programmable ROM, EPROM etc.
• RAM stores all the applications
and data when the computer is up
and running
• ROM usually stores instructions that are
required for starting (booting) the computer
• Price of RAM is comparatively
high
• ROM chips are comparatively cheaper
• RAM chips are bigger in size • ROM chips are smaller in size
• Processor can directly access the
content of RAM
• Content of ROM are usually first transferred to
RAM and then accessed by processor. This is
done in order to be able to access ROM content
at a faster speed.
• RAM is often installed with large
storage.
• Storage capacity of ROM installed in a
computer is much lesser than RAM
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 15 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
Options RAM ROM
Elaboration • Random Access Memory • Read Only memory
Accessibility • In reference with the
processor, the information
stored in the RAM is easily
accessed
• The processor cannot directly access
the information that is stored in the
ROM. In order to access the ROM
information, first the information will
be transferred into the RAM and then
it gets executed by the processor
Working type • Both the read and write
operations can be
performed over the
information that is stored in
the RAM
• The ROM memory only allows the
user to read the information. User
cannot make any changes to the
information.
Storage • RAM memory is only used
to store the temporary
information.
• ROM memory is used to store
permanent information and cannot be
deleted.
Speed • the accessing speed of
RAM is faster, it assist the
processor to boost up the
speed
• Speed is slower in comparison with
RAM, ROM cannot boost up the
processor speed
Data
preserving
• Electricity is needed in
RAM to flow to preserving
information
• Electricity is not needed in ROM to
flow to preserving information
structure • The RAM is an chip, which
is in the rectangle form and
is inserted over the mother
board of the computer
• ROMs are generally the optical
drivers, which are made of magnetic
tapes.
Cost • The price of RAMs are
comparatively high
• The price of ROMs are comparatively
low
Chip size • Physically size of RAM
chip is larger than ROM
chip
• Physically size of ROM chip is smaller
than RAM chip.
Types • The RAM memory is
categorized into two types
they are the: Statistic RAM
(SRAM) and Dynamic
RAM (DRAM)
• The ROM memory is categorized into
three types, they are: PROM
(Programmable Read Only memory),
EPROM (Erasable Programmable
Read Only memory) and EEPROM
(Electrically Erasable Programmable
Read Only memory)
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 16 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
QUESTION 5
a) Define the term network and outline the types of computer
networks.[10]
• A computer network or data network is a telecommunications network which allows
computers to exchange data.
• In computer networks, networked computing devices exchange data with each other
using a data link.
• The connections between nodes are established using either cable media or wireless
media.
• The best-known computer network is the Internet.
• Network computer devices that originate, route and terminate the data are called network
nodes.
• Nodes can include hosts such as personal computers, phones, servers as well as
networking hardware.
• Two such devices can be said to be networked together when one device is able to
exchange information with the other device, whether or not they have a direct connection
to each other
Local Area Network (LAN)
This is one of the original categories of network, and one of the simplest. LAN networks
connect computers together over relatively small distances, such as within a single building or
within a small group of buildings.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 17 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
Homes often have LAN networks too, especially if there is more than one device in the home.
Often they do not contain more than one subnet, if any, and are usually controlled by a single
administrator. They do not have to be connected to the internet to work, although they can be.
Wide Area Network (WAN)
This is another of the original categories of network, and slightly more complex in nature. WAN
networks connect computers together over large physical distances, remotely connecting them
over one huge network and allowing them to communicate even when far apart. The Internet is a
WAN, and connects computers all around the world together.
LANs connect to WANs, such as the internet, using routers to transfer data and information
quickly and securely. WANs are usually too large to be controlled by one administrator, and so
usually have collective ownership, or in the case of the internet, is publicly owned.
Metropolitan Area Network –MAN
This is a network which is larger than a LAN but smaller than a WAN, and incorporates
elements of both. It typically spans a town or city and is owned by a single person or company,
such as a local council or a large company.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 18 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
Wireless Local Area Network – WLAN
This is a LAN which works using wireless network technology such as Wi-Fi. This type of
network is becoming more popular as wireless technology is further developed and is used more
in the home and by small businesses. It means devices do not need to rely on physical cables and
wires as much and can organise their spaces more effectively.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 19 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
b) Distinguish between internet and intranet.[6]
Internet Intranet Extranet
It is a Global system of
interconnected computer
network.
It is a Private network
specific to an
organisation.
It is a Private network that uses
public network to share information
with suppliers and vendors.
Not regulated by any
authority.
It is regulated by an
organization.
It is regulated by multiple
organization.
Thus content in the
network is accessible to
everyone connected.
Thus content in the
network is accessible only
to members of
organization.
The content in the network is
accessible to members of
organization & external members
with access to network.
It is largest in terms of
number of connected
devices.
It is small network with
minimal number of
connected devices.
The number of devices connected is
comparable with Intranet.
It is owned by no one. It is owned by single
organization.
It is owned by single/multiple
organization.
It is means of sharing
information throughout
the world.
It is means of sharing
sensitive information
throughout organization.
It is means of sharing information
between members and external
members.
Security is dependent of
the user of device
connected to network.
Security is enforced via a
firewall.
Security is enforced via a firewall
that separates internet & extranet.
Example: What we are
normally using is internet.
Example: TCS using
internal network for its
business operations.
Example: HP and Intel using
network for business related
operations.
Users can access Internet
anonymously.
Users should have valid
username/password to
access Intranet.
Users should have valid
username/password to access
Extranet.
Internet is unregulated
and uncensored.
But Intranet is regulated
by the organization
policies.
Extranet is also regulated by
contractual agreements between
organizations.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 20 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
c) What do you understand by satellite communication?[4]
• A communications satellite is an artificial satellite that relays and amplifies radio
telecommunications signals via a transponder; it creates a communication channel
between a source transmitter and a receiver at different locations on Earth.
• Communications satellites are used for television, telephone, radio, internet, and military
applications.
• There are over 2,000 communications satellites in Earth’s orbit, used by both private and
government organizations.
• Satellite communication is basically a microwave link repeater.
• A satellite receives energy from an earth station, amplifies it and returns it to each at a
frequency about 2 GHz away from the upper frequency (earth to satellite).
• This prevents interference between the uplink and the downlink (satellite to earth).
• Satellite so used is a geostationary satellite which appears to be stationary at a given
spot above the equator.
• Actually, it moves with the same angular velocity as the earth. i.e, it completes one
revolution per 24 hours hence appears to be stationed over one spot on the globe.
• Satellite orbiting the earth will be geostationary when it is about 36,000 km away from
the earth.
d) What are the advantages of satellite communication?[5]
Advantages of Communication satellites
• Mobile communication is simplified and made effective using satellites.
• Cheaper compared to terrestrial networks in long distant communication establishment.
• Data loss and quality is maintained in satellite communication.
• User has complete control over the network as less relays are involved.
• Search Rescue and other large area coverage is made easy via Satellite communication.
• Mobile communication can be easily established by satellite communication.
• Satellite communication is economical compared with terrestrial communication
particularly where long distances are involved.
• Compared to the optical fiber communication, satellite communication has the
advantages that, quality of transmitted signal and location of sending and receiving
stations are independent of distance.
• User has control over their own network.
• For thin traffic remote areas, satellite communication is most economical.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 21 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
Disadvantages of Communication satellites
• Time laps between communication is a major disadvantage of Satellite communication.
This major draw back reduces the efficiency of satellite communication.
• An imperfect impedance may cause echo and delay in communication
• Initial set up cost is comparatively very high and takes a good lot of time and risk.
• Repair and maintenance is expensive and hard, often they are brought down.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 22 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
NOV/ DEC 2012
QUESTION 1
Discuss the key features of the Microsoft Word and PowerPoint
computer application packages and outline their main uses. [25]
FEATURES OF THE MICROSOFT WORD
Ability to correct mistakes
Ability to view documents on screen before printing
Ability to incorporate diagrams
Ability to move parts of text to other sections of the document.
Ability to save or store documents for future reference or use.
Ability to alter or change document layout.
Ability to print a lot of copies [ no retyping]
Ability to insert tables
Ability to format document [font, paragraphs, bullets etc] Spelling and grammar checker
Import files
Mail merge
WYSIWYG capability
Creation of templates
Automatic creation of index and table of contents OR
• Word wrap: automatic arrangement of text in lines of specified length without the necessity
of touching the return key.
• Discretionary Hyphenation: option of inserting a hyphen to break a word that ends a line:
the hyphen does not print if later editing moves the word to the middle of a line.
• Justification: automatic alignment of text to both the left and right margins.
• Adjustment: realignment of text to new margin and tab settings.
• Alignment: positioning text or numbers to specified margin and tab settings.
• Decimal Alignment: positioning columns of numbers with the decimal points vertically
aligned.
• Indents: the setting of temporary margins within a document differing from the primary
margins used.
• Centering text on a line.
• Insertion: the entry of new text within previously typed material without erasing the existing
material.
• Overstriking: the substitution of new text for old by typing over the old text.
• Deletion: erasure of text from the screen, or of whole documents from the disk.
• Search and Replace: moving directly to specified words or parts of words within a
document and replacing them with different words or word portions.
• Copying or Cutting: the duplication or moving of blocks of text within a document.
• Boilerplate: the separate storage and retrieval of blocks of text from which standard
documents can be built.
• Pagination: automatic division of a document into pages of specified numbers of lines.
• Page Numbering: automatic sequential numbering of pages.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 23 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
• Headers and Footers: option of creating standard blocks of text that will automatically
appear at the top or bottom of each page in a document.
• Footnoting: automatic sequential numbering of footnotes and positioning of the footnotes at
the bottom of their appropriate pages during pagination.
• Table of Contents and Index Generators. Programs that create these based on the text of a
document.
• Mail Merge: automatic combining of a form letter with a mailing list to generate multiple
copies of the letter with the different addresses and other variable information filled in.
• Automatic Spelling Checker and Corrector. Program that compares words in the text
against an on-line dictionary, flagging items not found in the dictionary and offering
alternative spellings and a means of correcting the errors.
FEATURES OF THE MICROSOFT POWERPOINT
• PowerPoint provides basic slide templates such as schedules and diagrams and offers ready-
made themes with professional images, font groups and preselected color schemes.
• PowerPoint has its own library of shapes and objects, and users can create custom charts and
graphs to share data with an audience.
• Users can also apply different backgrounds to slides and insert their own diagrams and
pictures.
• Basic grammar and spell-checking tools.
1) Adding Smart Art
2) Inserting Shapes
3) Inserting an Image
4) Slide Transitions
5) Adding Animations
USES FOR MICROSOFT WORD
Letters
• Microsoft Word enables you to create a range of correspondence from a simple office memo
to mail-merged form letters with hundreds of addresses. Special programming in the software
senses when you are typing a business letter and will pop up a guide to help format the letter
correctly.
Desktop Publishing
• People often use Word's extensive formatting features to create professional newsletters.
Word is not as powerful as Microsoft Publisher, but you can manipulate text, insert headings,
create borders, add tables and move images wherever you like using Word. Use your own
pictures to design your newsletter or include images from the clip art library. Add colorful
flair to publications using WordArt.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 24 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
Labels
• Microsoft Word comes with pre-defined templates for dozens of adhesive label sizes or you
can customize your own by entering the label measurements. A special label "wizard" walks
you through creating a new sheet of labels and printing them on your printer.
Envelopes
• Envelopes can be created or Word can read a letter you have typed in the program, collect the
address information and automatically create a matching envelope. An address bar code can
be added to the envelope to assist with mailing.
Templates
• Microsoft Word comes with a number of templates to help you design different documents
such as resumes or invitations, but you also can create your own templates in Word if you
there is a type of document you reuse often such as a letterhead, invoice or monthly report.
Image Editing
• While not as full-featured as Photoshop, Word's image editing features can often help you
transform bad pictures into good ones and good ones into excellent ones. After importing an
image or pasting one from the clipboard, you can resize the image, crop it and enhance your
picture using a variety of formatting tools. Drag the Brightness slider, for instance, and
transform pictures that are too dark into lighter ones you can use. Access Word's picture
formatting window by right-clicking an image and clicking "Format Picture." Save the image
by selecting "Save Picture" from the right-click menu.
Mailing
• When you need to send out a newsletter or other material, you can use Word's label wizard to
generate and print your own labels. If you have a mailing list in Excel, or another data source,
use Word's mail merge feature to extract that data and generate customized letters that
contain personalized information. You might, for example, design a generic form letter that
contains basic information and have mail merge generate unique letters for each customer by
adding their names and addresses.
USES OF POWERPOINT
• Guided Presentations
• Self-Running Presentations
• Recorded Videos
• Use PowerPoint to Make Tutorials
• Use PowerPoint Presentations as a Digital Portfolio
• Prepare nice Animations using PowerPoint
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 25 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
QUESTION 2
Identify any five social networking facilities and explain how
individuals and organizations can benefit from them. [25]
FIVE SOCIAL NETWORKING FACILITIES
• Social Networking Facilities use web-based and mobile technologies on smartphones and
tablet computers to create highly interactive platforms through which individuals,
communities and organizations can share, co-create, discuss, and modify user-generated
content or pre-made content posted online.
• They introduce substantial and pervasive changes to communication between businesses,
organizations, communities, and individuals.
• Social Networking Facilities changes the way individuals and large organizations
communicate.
• These changes are the focus of the emerging field of technoself studies.
• Social Networking Facilities differ from paper-based or traditional electronic media such
as TV broadcasting in many ways, including quality, reach, frequency, usability,
immediacy, and permanence.
• Social Networking Facilities operate in a dialogic transmission system (many sources to
many receivers).
• This is in contrast to traditional media that operates under a monologic transmission
model (one source to many receivers), such as a paper newspaper which is delivered to
many subscribers. Some of the most popular Social Networking Facilities are:
1. WhatsApp
2. Facebook
3. Twitter
4. LinkedIn
5. Instagram
6. YouTube
7. Google+
8. Pinterest
9. Tumblr,
10. Viber
11. Snapchat
BENEFITS OF SOCIAL NETWORK FACILITIES
• Instant Communication
• Better, Faster Feedback
• Keep Current & Connected
• Worldwide Connectivity
• Commonality of Interest
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 26 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
• Real-Time Information Sharing
• Targeted Advertising
• Increased News Cycle Speed
1. Gain valuable customer insights
Social Networking Facilities generates a huge amount of data about your customers in real time.
Every day there are over 500 million Tweets, 4.5 billion Likes on Facebook, and 95 million
photos and videos uploaded to Instagram. Behind these staggering numbers is a wealth of
information about your customers—who they are, what they like, and how they feel about your
brand.
2. Increase brand awareness and loyalty
When you have a presence on Social Networking Facilities, you make it easier for your
customers to find and connect with you. And by connecting with your customers on social,
you’re more likely to increase customer retention and brand loyalty. A study by The Social Habit
shows that 53 percent of Americans who follow brands on social are more loyal to those brands.
3. Run targeted ads with real-time results
Social ads are an inexpensive way to promote your business and distribute content. They also
offer powerful targeting options so that you can reach the right audience. For example, if you run
an ad campaign on LinkedIn, you can segment by things like location, company, job title,
gender, and age—the list goes on. If you’re running a Facebook ad, you can target based on
location, demographics, interests, behaviors, and connections. You can track and measure the
performance of your social ads in real time.
4. Generate higher converting leads
Social Networking Facilities increases sales and customer retention through regular interaction
and timely customer service. In the 2015 Sales Best Practices Study from research institute MHI
Global, world-class companies rated Social Networking Facilities as the most effective way to
identify key decision makers and new business opportunities. In the State of Social Selling in
2015, nearly 75 percent of companies that engaged in selling on Social Networking Facilities
reported an increase in sales in 12 months.
5. Provide rich customer experiences
Even if you aren’t on Social Networking Facilities, most of your customers expect you to be.
Over 67 percent of consumers now go to Social Networking Facilities for customer service. They
expect fast response times and 24/7 support—and companies that deliver win out. A study by
Aberdeen Group shows that companies engaging in social customer service see much bigger
annual financial gains (7.5 percent YOY growth) vs. those without (2.9 percent).
6. Increase website traffic and search ranking
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 27 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
One of the biggest benefits of Social Networking Facilities for business is using it to increase
your website traffic. Not only does Social Networking Facilities help you direct people to your
website, but the more Social Networking Facilities shares you receive, the higher your search
ranking will be. For example, if every person who follows Social Networking Facilities on
Twitter Retweets this post, it’s more likely to rank higher in Google’s search engine results page
for variations of “Social Networking Facilities for business.”
7. Find out what your competitors are doing
With Social Networking Facilities monitoring you can gain key information about your
competitors. This kind of intel will allow you to make strategic business decisions to stay ahead
of them. For example, you can create search streams in Social Networking Facilities to monitor
industry keywords and mentions of your competitors’ names and products. Based on your search
results, you can improve your business to offer product enhancements, service, or content that
they may be missing.
8. Share content faster and easier
In the past, marketers faced the challenge of ensuring their content reached customers in the
shortest possible time. With the help of Social Networking Facilities, specifically when it comes
to sharing content about your business or for content curation, all you need to do is share it on
your brand’s social network accounts.
9. Geotarget content
Geo-targeting is an effective way to send your message out to a specific audience based on their
location. Social networks like Facebook and Twitter have tools that allow you to communicate
the right kind of content to your audience. For example, in Social Networking Facilities you can
target Twitter messages to followers in specific countries, or send messages from Facebook and
LinkedIn company pages to specific groups based on geographical and demographic
parameters. You can also use Social Networking Facilities geotargeting to find conversations
relevant to your brand.
10. Build relationships
Social Networking Facilities isn’t about blasting your company’s sales pitch on social, it’s a two-
way channel where you have the opportunity to enrich relationships with your customers. For
example, Social Networking Facilities allows tourism brands to create dialogue with travellers,
therefore creating relationships with customers before, during, and after they have booked a trip
with the company. This kind of Social Networking Facilities dialogue between brands and
customers is something traditional advertising cannot achieve.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 28 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
QUESTION 3
Explain what a computer virus is and describe how viruses affect
the operation of a computer and suggest ways of minimizing or
eliminating the effects of computer viruses. [25]
Computer virus
• An executable computer program written intentionally to alter the way a computer
operates without permission, to do harm to the computer.
• A virus is a computer program designed to enter your computer and tamper with your files
without your knowledge. Once the program containing the virus is open, the activated virus can
not only infect other programs and documents on your computer, it can duplicate and transmit
itself to other computers that are connected to yours, just like a physical virus can move from one
human host to another.
How viruses affect the operation of a computer?
• Reduced memory or disk space
• Files are overwritten or damaged
• Hard drive may be erased
• Data is modified /corrupted.
• Change files & date stamp
• Drive lights blink without reason
• Longer times are experienced when loading programs
• Slower system operation.
• Deletion of data files
• The computer completely fails to work
• Erasure or deletion of executable files
• Formatting of the hard disks
• Filling up of disk space
• Programs suddenly take longer to load.
• The size of a program changes.
• The disk runs out of free space when it seems to have plenty.
• The CHKDSK command does not show the correct amount of bytes available.
• Bit errors frequently occur while running Windows.
• The disk drive is active when it should not be.
• The hard drive is inaccessible when booting from a floppy drive.
• Unrecognized files appear.
• File names change.
• The keyboard makes a clicking noise.
• The screen becomes distorted.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 29 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
• Text on screen does unusual things.
• CMOS settings, AUTOEXEC.BAT, or CONFIG.SYS files change unexpectedly
(Symantec).
• Your computer behaves strangely, i.e. in a way that you haven’t seen before.
• You see unexpected messages or images.
• You hear unexpected sounds, played at random.
• Programs start unexpectedly.
• Your personal firewall tells you that an application has tried to connect to the Internet
(and it’s not a program that you ran).
• Your friends tell you that they have received e-mail messages from your address and you
haven’t sent them anything.
• Your computer ‘freezes’ frequently, or programs start running slowly.
• You get lots of system error messages.
• The operating system will not load when you start your computer.
• You notice that files or folders have been deleted or changed.
• You notice hard disk access (shown by one of the small flashing lights) when you’re not
aware of any programs running.
• Your web browser behaves erratically, e.g. you can’t close a browser window.
Suggest ways of minimizing or eliminating the effects of computer viruses
Install a reliable antiviral package, Install antivirus software, e.g. Avira, Eset
Nod32, AVG, Norton, Dr. Solomon
Avoid Software piracy thus buy software from authorized dealers.
Never download unknown files from the internet
Boot the system from virus free disks
Using write protect tabs on floppy disks
Scan every floppy diskette for viruses before use. Unknown floppy diskettes
should not be used
Avoid using foreign storage media
Use genuine software
Avoid opening e-mails from suspicious or unknown sources
• Install a reliable anti virus program – From the first moment you turn your computer
on, you should have a trusted anti virus program by your side. Even if you have a
machine that isn’t hooked up to the Internet, a reliable anti virus program is a low cost
and common sense addition to any machine. There are even free anti virus programs you
can download that work almost as well as industry giants like Norton and McAfee.
• Install anti-spyware and anti-malware programs – As good as the best anti virus
programs are, they sometimes need a little bit of help. Thankfully, many of the top anti-
spyware programs are completely free. Spybot Search and Destroy and CCleaner are just
two free programs that can help prevent computer viruses from doing any damage on
your machine. As helpful as these programs are, however, you must update them and run
them on a regular basis for them to do any good.
• Avoid suspicious websites – A good virus protection program will alert you when you
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 30 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
visit a website that attempts to install or run a program on your computer. Many less than
reputable adult websites do this, so if you get a warning, don’t go back, you may end up
with a bug you can’t get rid of.
• Never Open Email Attachments Without Scanning Them First – The most common
way viruses are spread throughout the Internet is still via email. Some attachments, like
pictures, now display in emails and don’t require an attachment to be manually opened,
but other documents do. Make sure you use an email client that scans all email
attachments before you are allowed to open them. This will help prevent computer
viruses from getting a foothold on your machine.
• Set up Automatic Scans – Many of the top anti virus programs, as well as the best anti-
spyware programs, now have settings that will let them automatically run during down
times or in the middle of the night. Of course, your computer must be on for this to
happen, but having daily scans run when nothing else is going on is a great way to
prevent even the latest computer viruses from sticking around too long.
• Watch Your Downloads – Part of the fun of the Internet is downloading music, movies
and other items. However, since these downloads are so massive, it can be easy to sneak
a virus along for the ride. Only download these files from trusted sites that you can count
on, or, at the very least, scan them before you open them.
• Updates, Updates, Updates – There is a reason why Windows has a feature called
Critical Updates. There is an entire branch of Microsoft dedicated to staying one step
ahead of the hackers out there so when they manage to fix a possible security loophole,
you need to download the patch right away. Help Microsoft help you prevent computer
viruses from causing too much trouble.
• Know What To Look For – Even if you are just a casual computer user, you should
have an idea of how your machine operates, what normal pop up windows look like and
what popular viruses are out there, that way, when your computer begins exhibiting tell
tale signs, you’ll know. You can help prevent computer viruses by staying updated and
educated.
• Stay Away From Cracked Software – It is so secret that you can download illegal,
cracked versions of some programs online. As tempting as it may be, these files are
almost always infested with advanced and difficult to detect bugs. Play it safe and get
your software from the source.
• Install a Firewall – A firewall is a program that screens incoming Internet and network
traffic. Along with your virus program, it can help prevent unauthorized access to your
computer.
• Be prepared to Lock Down – If you hear of a virus that is spreading like wildfire
through the Internet, make an extra effort to be careful. Don’t open any suspicious emails
or accept any downloads for a week or two until your virus protection program has been
updated and you are, once again, safe.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 31 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
QUESTION 4
Briefly describe the functions of the following parts of a computer
a) CPU [5]
• The central processing unit (CPU) of a computer is a piece of hardware that carries out
the instructions of a computer program.
• It performs the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of a computer
system.
• The CPU is like the brains of the computer - every instruction, no matter how simple, has
to go through the CPU.
• So let's say you press the letter 'k' on your keyboard and it appears on the screen - the
CPU of your computer is what makes this possible
The Four Primary Functions of the CPU
• The CPU processes instructions it receives in the process of decoding data. In processing
this data, the CPU performs four basic steps:
1. Fetch Each instruction is stored in memory and has its own address. The processor takes
this address number from the program counter, which is responsible for tracking which
instructions the CPU should execute next.
2. Decode All programs to be executed are translated to into Assembly instructions.
Assembly code must be decoded into binary instructions, which are understandable to
your CPU. This step is called decoding.
3. Execute While executing instructions the CPU can do one of three things: Do
calculations with its ALU, move data from one memory location to another, or jump to a
different address.
4. Store The CPU must give feedback after executing an instruction and the output data is
written to the memory.
b) Monitor [5]
• The main function of a computer monitor is to display video and graphical information
generated by the computers graphics adapter, allowing the user to interact with the
computer.
• It is categorized as an output device.
• Computer monitor is a display adapter that displays information processed by the
computer's video card.
• When a video card or graphics card converts binary information from 1s and 0s into
images, these images are displayed onto the directly connected monitor.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 32 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
• There are different types of monitors, including cathode ray tube (CRT) and liquid crystal
displays (LCD).
• Monitors have display functions that include powering it on and off, controlling
brightness, contrast and position, among others.
c) Keyboard [5]
• A computer keyboard allows an operator to give commands to the computer in a simple
way by pressing keys.
• The keys on a keyboard are typically labeled with their input function, ranging from
letters of the alphabet to numbers and symbols.
• A computer keyboard is an input device used to enter characters and functions into the
computer system by pressing buttons, or keys.
• It is the primary device used to enter text.
• A keyboard typically contains keys for individual letters, numbers and special characters,
as well as keys for specific functions.
• A keyboard is connected to a computer system using a cable or a wireless connection.
d) Mouse [5]
• A computer mouse enables its user to move a cursor smoothly and intuitively across a
two-dimensional plane.
• It's therefore an essential input device for selecting, dragging, hovering, and clicking.
• The mouse allows users to switch between applications, select options and buttons, and
move around the screen with a great degree of accuracy and fluidity.
• It is used to move between and select links on a website, buttons on an options screen,
entries on a menu, and many more tasks that would be far more difficult using a keyboard
alone.
• It is a device used for computer input. It points and click on icons, menus, command buttons or
activates something on a computer. The GUI (Graphical user interface) of current applications
and programs are user friendly and easier to navigate using computer mouse.
A computer mouse has many functions that help a user use their computer. Below are the most
common functions of a mouse.
• Move the mouse cursor - The primary use of a computer mouse is to move the mouse
cursor on the screen.
• Open or execute a program - Once you've moved the mouse to an icon, folder, or other
object clicking or double clicking that object opens the document or executes the
program.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 33 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
• Select - A mouse also allows you to select a file or highlight and select multiple files at
once.
• Scroll - When working with a long document or viewing a long web page you may need
to scroll up or down on that page. Using a mouse wheel or clicking and dragging the
scroll bar is another function of the mouse.
e) CD-ROM [5]
• CD-ROM stands for Compact Disc Read-Only Memory.
• It functions as a CD that stores computer data of graphics, text and audio.
• They are popular for software and other multimedia applications.
• It is an optical disk that has the capacity to store data, music files, video files etc.
• Once it is filled up with data, new data cannot be entered on it. First of all it was designed to store
only the music and video files, but later this format has also been adapted to store the binary data
of the computer.
• They are particularly used to distribute the computer software that can include, games,
multimedia application etc.
• CD-ROMs commonly store up to 700MB of information. This data comes pre-stamped by the
manufacturer so it cannot be erased nor edited.
CD Rom Drive - Functions
1. Data Reading
CD-ROM drives can open documents on data CDs, such as music files, pictures, word documents
and other files. However, CD-ROM drives cannot write information to a CD (burn) because they
are read-only drives; writing information to a CD is done with a CD-R drive.
2. Music Playback
CDs can be created in two forms, an audio CD and a data CD. Data CDs can only be opened by
computers and other CD players. However, audio CDs can be played by any CD player, such as
in most new car stereos or a portable CD player.
3. Software Installation
CDs are widely used as installation discs. Whenever there is software included with a product that
you buy in a store, or just the software itself, it is highly likely that it is stored on a CD. Before
software could be downloaded off the Internet, it was exclusively distributed in CDs and floppy
diskettes.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 34 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
QUESTION 5
Explain briefly the following
a) Systems software [5]
• The system software is collection of programs designed to operate, control, and extend the
processing capabilities of the computer itself.
• System software are generally prepared by computer manufactures.
• These software products comprise of programs written in low-level languages which interact with
the hardware at a very basic level.
• System software serves as the interface between hardware and the end users.
• Some examples of system software are Operating System, Compilers, Interpreter, and Assemblers
etc.
Features of system software are as follows:
• Close to system
• Fast in speed
• Difficult to design
• Difficult to understand
• Less interactive
• Smaller in size
• Difficult to manipulate
• Generally written in low-level language
b) Operating system [5]
• An operating system is a program that acts as an interface between the software and the computer
hardware.
• It is an integrated set of specialized programs that are used to manage overall resources and
operations of the computer.
• An operating system (OS) is the program that, after being initially loaded into the computer by a
boot program, manages all the other programs in a computer.
• Examples include MSDOS, Windows, Android, Linux, Unix, Mac Os, IOS
•
• Functions Of Operating Systems Include;
1. Controls and coordinates the computer system
2. Scheduling and loading of jobs to provide continuous processing. So that no parts of the
computer system are idle for any significant period of time.
3. It is a platform for application programs
4. Provides user interface
5. Acts as an interface between hardware and application programs
6. Provides error correctional routines
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 35 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
7. Control over selection and operation of input-output devices & file handling.
8. Records details of processing for control analysis
9. File management, control the creation, deletion, saving and access of files
10. Memory management, allocates memory to various jobs or tasks
11. Multiprogramming, multiprocessing, multitasking, timesharing, housekeeping & handling
errors.
12. Resource management manages processor time, memory space, disk space and peripheral
devices.
13. Reports errors when they occur.
14. Task management. Manage the accomplishment of the computing tasks of end users. It may
involve multitasking capability where several computing tasks can occur at the same time.
15. Minimizes the amount of human intervention required during processing.
c) Computer hardware [5]
• Computer hardware is the collection of physical components that constitute a computer
system.
• Computer hardware is the physical parts or components of a computer, such as monitor,
keyboard, computer data storage, hard disk drive (HDD), graphic card, sound card,
memory (RAM), motherboard, and so on, all of which are tangible physical objects.
• By contrast, software is instructions that can be stored and run by hardware.
• Hardware is directed by the software to execute any command or instruction.
• A combination of hardware and software forms a usable computing system
d) RAM [5]
• RAM (Random Access Memory) is the internal memory of the CPU for storing data, program
and program result.
• It is read/write memory which stores data until the machine is working.
• As soon as the machine is switched off, data is erased.
• Access time in RAM is independent of the address that is, each storage location inside the
memory is as easy to reach as other locations and takes the same amount of time.
• Data in the RAM can be accessed randomly but it is very expensive.
• RAM is volatile, i.e. data stored in it is lost when we switch off the computer or if there is a
power failure.
• Hence a backup uninterruptible power system (UPS) is often used with computers.
• RAM is small, both in terms of its physical size and in the amount of data it can hold.
RAM is of two types
• Static RAM (SRAM)
• Dynamic RAM (DRAM)
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 36 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
e) ROM [5]
• ROM stands for Read Only Memory. The memory from which we can only read but
cannot write on it.
• This type of memory is non-volatile.
• The information is stored permanently in such memories during manufacture.
• A ROM, stores such instructions that are required to start a computer.
• This operation is referred to as bootstrap.
• ROM chips are not only used in the computer but also in other electronic items like
washing machine and microwave oven
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 37 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
NOV/ DEC 2013
QUESTION 1
a) Describe the main hardware components of a computer [15]
• INPUT UNIT
o Any computer peripheral used to enter data and/or control signals into a computer
system. Some devices, such as modems, are capable of both input as well as output.
Examples of Input Devices
o Digital Camera—record photographs in the form of digital data that can be stored on a
computer.
o Digitizer—converts points, lines, and curves from a sketch, drawing, or photograph to
digital impulses and transmits them to a computer
o Electronic Whiteboard—captures anything drawn on special whiteboard
o Joystick—uses the movement of a vertical stem to direct the pointer. These are often
used with computer games and have buttons you can press to activate events, depending
upon the software.
o Graphics Tablet—similar to a digitizer, but it also contains unique characters and
commands that can be generated automatically by the person using the tablet
o Image Scanner (page scanner)– an input device that can electronically capture an entire
page of text or images such as photographs or art work.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 38 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
o Keyboard—most commonly used input device. You enter data by pressing keys on the
keyboard
• CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU)
o The component in any computing system that represents the circuitry necessary to
interpret and execute program instructions, it consists of the Control Unit,
arithmetic/logic unit and the controller.. It is the corollary to the brain in organic
systems.
• ARITHMETIC/LOGIC UNIT
o Contains the electronic circuitry necessary to perform arithmetic and logical operations
on data.
• CONTROL UNIT
o The component in any computing system that works in coordinatin with the central
processing unit to instruct, maintain and control the flow of information.
• MEMORY UNIT
o Integrated circuits that temporarily store program instructions and data that can be
retrieved. Basic unit of memory is a byte.
o RAM (Random Access Memory) – a volatile form of memory, RAM generally functions
as a computers "desktop" - the space in which data that is actively under review and/or
manipulation can be processed. As a result and as a general rule, the more RAM with
which a computer is fitted, the more and faster data can be viewed and
manipulated. RAM needs to be cyclically "refreshed" from an outside power source in
order to maintain the information contained therein. When external power is removed,
the data contents held in RAM disappears. For this reason, RAM is sometimes referred
to as short term memory.
o ROM (Read Only Memory) – a non-volatile form of memory, ROM stores data that does
not commonly change, like startup instructions and data used when a computer if first
turned on.
o CMOS –used to store information about the computer system, such as the amount of
memory, the type of keyboard and monitors, and the type and capacity of disk drives.
• OUTPUT UNIT
o Devices that convert the results of processed data into a form that can be used and
understood by the user. A computer display is an example of an output device, as is a
printer. Whereas a computer display uses a screen to present visual information in virtual
form, a printer produces hardcopy - a tangible form of the data or information. Audio
speakers are another form of output device, converting electronic programming into
human-audible sound. Some devices are capable of being output as well as input devices.
Examples of Output Devices
o Computer display or monitor
o Plotter- Designed for line drawing; often used for computer-aided design; some units can
handle large paper sizes
o Modem—a device that converts data into a form suitable for both receipt and
transmission by wire or radio such that it can be reconstructed at the destination point.
o Multifunction Devices—Combines printer, fax, scanner, and copier
o Printers
o Projectors
• BACKING/ AUXILIARY / SECONDARY STORAGE
o Store instructions and data when they are not being used by the system unit.
o Examples of Storage Devices
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 39 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
CD-ROM (compact disk read-only) — a smaller optical disk that can store about
450 times the data on a floppy
Data Cartridges—removable hard disk drives that provide both the storage
capacity and fast access
Floppy disk/drive—a flexible platter coated with material that allows data to be
recorded magnetically on the surface of the platters.
Hard Disk—one or more rigid platters coated with material that allows data to be
recorded magnetically on the surface of the platters.
b) Examine any three benefits of having internet in a sports
organization. [10]
1. Global Audience
Content published on the World Wide Web is immediately available to a global audience of
users. This makes the World Wide Web a very cost-effective medium to publish information.
Reaching more than 190 countries.
2. Operates 24 hours, 7 days a week
You don't need to wait until resources are available to conduct business. From a consumer's
perspective as well as a provider's business can be consummated at any time. The fact that
the Internet is operational at all times makes it the most efficient business machine to date.
3. Relatively Inexpensive
It is relatively inexpensive to publish information on the Internet. At a fraction of the cost to
publish information by traditional methods, various organizations and individuals can now
distribute information to millions of users. It costs only a few thousand dollars to establish an
Internet presence and publish content on the Internet.
4. Product Advertising
You can use the World Wide Web to advertise various products. Before purchasing a
product, customers will be able to look up various product specification sheets and find out
additional information. You can use the multimedia capabilities of the World Wide Web to
make available not only various product specification sheets but also audio files, images, and
even video clips of products in action. The beauty of the Web is that it allows customers to
explore products in as much detail as they desire. If the client just wants a general overview,
he or she can look at the advertising information. For those wanting more in depth
information, you can provide white papers and product descriptions for download. The Web
allows a business to provide timely information, you can simply place the information on the
Web page and it is available immediately for your customers.
5. Distribute Product Catalogs
The World Wide Web is a very effective medium for distributing product catalogs. In the old
days, putting together a product catalog used to be very costly in terms of time and money
needed to publish and distribute it. The World Wide Web changes all this by allowing
content developers to put together a sales catalog and make it available to millions of users
immediately. Furthermore, unlike printed product catalogs that are usually updated around
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 40 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
once a month, product catalogs on the World Wide Web can be updated as needed to respond
to various changing market conditions.
6. Online Surveys
Traditional methods of performing surveys are often relatively slow and expensive compared
to online surveys conducted on the Internet. For example, in order to fill out various needs of
customers or what they would like to see in a future product, it's often necessary to compile a
list of address and mail a questionnaire to many customers. The success of such an attempt is
not always guaranteed and can be very costly in terms of mailing the questionnaires and
entering responses to a databases and analyzing it. On the other hand, you can use the World
Wide Web to automate the whole process. For example, you can set up a CGI script to
conduct online surveys. Results of such a survey can be automatically updated to a database.
This database can then be used to keep a pulse on various opinions and needs of customers.
7. Announcements
With the World Wide Web, you can distribute various announcements to millions of users in
a timely manner. Because there is virtually no time lag from the time it takes to publish
information to making the information available to users, the Web is an ideal medium to
publicize announcements. As more people discover the virtues of the Web and get connected
to the Internet, the Web will become the medium of choice for many organizations and
individuals to publicize various announcements.
8. Provide Technical Support
You can also use Web site to provide technical support to users. Because Web pages can be
updated immediately with new information, various technical support literature can be
immediately modified in light of new findings and developments. This can be accomplished
without having to distribute changes to all users affected by any changes using traditional
mediums of information distribution, which are often quite costly compared to the World
Wide Web.
9. Create Online Discussion Forums
By using applications such as WebBoard, it's possible to set up online discussion forums on
the Web.
10. Obtain Customer Feedback
The interactive nature of the World Wide Web is ideal for obtaining customer feedback. You
can easily set up a CGI script to obtain customer feedback about a product or service.
Because customer feedback submitted by customers can be read immediately, it's possible to
respond to various customer concerns in a timely manner, increasing customer satisfaction
and quality of customer service.
11. Immediate Distribution of Information
When information is added to a Web site, it's immediately available for browsing by millions
of Internet users. The World Wide Web is an ideal medium of information distribution
because it takes away the time lag associated with publishing content and actually making it
available to users
12. Easy Integration with Internal Information Systems
Internet information systems deployed on the Internet can be easily integrated with internal
information systems managed with office productivity applications such as Microsoft Office.
13. Powerful Content Publishing Tools
A new breed of Internet aware applications will start emerging in software stores by the time
you read this. These applications will enable users to develop content for the World Wide
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 41 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
Web by simply saving as an HTML file. In addition to software developers making existing
applications Internet aware, various new, powerful, and easy-to use Internet content
publishing applications are also being developed. These applications will make the task of
publishing content on the Internet even easier. Most of these applications are developed
for Windows users.
14. Multimedia
The capability to incorporate multimedia into Web pages is a major advantage of using
World Wide Web to publish information. For example, many Web sites use sounds and video
clips to make the content easier and more interesting to browse.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 42 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
QUESTION 2
a) Using practical examples explain the basic functions of an
operating system. [10]
1. MANAGEMENT OF THE PROCESSOR:
• The operating system is responsible for managing allocation of the processor between the
different programs using a scheduling algorithm. The type of scheduler is totally dependent
on the operating system, according to the desired objective.
• The OS is responsible for managing the allocation of processor time to the different programs
that will be using the computer. The processor can only execute one instruction at a time and
in a multi-user system, conflicts are bound to arise when several user programs request usage
of the processor at the same time. The OS therefore allocates processor time to all users
either in a round robin fashion or using a system of priorities.
2. MANAGEMENT OF THE RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY:
• The operating system is responsible for managing the memory space allocated to each
application and, where relevant, to each user. If there is insufficient physical memory, the
operating system can create a memory zone on the hard drive, known as "virtual memory".
The virtual memory lets you run applications requiring more memory than there is available
RAM on the system. However, this memory is a great deal slower.
• The OS is responsible for managing the memory space allocated to each application. If there
is insufficient physical memory the OS can create a memory zone on the hard drive known as
virtual memory which lets you run applications requiring more memory than is available on
the system.
• The operating system is responsible for the following activities in connections with memory
management.
• Keep track of which parts of memory are currently being used and by whom.
• Decide which processes to load when memory space becomes available.
• Allocate and deallocate memory space as needed
3. MANAGEMENT OF INPUT/OUTPUT:
• The operating system allows unification and control of access of programmes to material
resources via drivers (also known as peripheral administrators or input/output
administrators).
4. MANAGEMENT OF EXECUTION OF APPLICATIONS:
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 43 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
• The operating system is responsible for smooth execution of applications by allocating the
resources required for them to operate. This means an application that is not responding
correctly can be "killed".
5. MANAGEMENT OF AUTHORISATIONS:
• The operating system is responsible for security relating to execution of programmes by
guaranteeing that the resources are used only by programs and users with the
relevantauthorizations.
6. FILE MANAGEMENT:
• The operating system manages reading and writing in the file system and the user and
application file access authorizations.
• The OS manages reading from and writing to files and also controls the creation,
manipulation and access to files.
• The operating system is responsible for the following activities in connections with file
management:
File creation and deletion
Directory creation and deletion
Support of primitives for manipulating files and directories
Mapping files onto secondary storage
File backup on stable (nonvolatile) storage media
7. INFORMATION MANAGEMENT:
• The operating system provides a certain number of indicators that can be used to diagnose
the correct operation of the machine.
8. ERROR DETECTION
• The OS is responsible for detecting and any hardware or software malfunctioning and
reporting them to the user
9. USER/SYSTEM INTERFACE
• The OS acts as an interface between the computer and the user, hiding all the complexities of
the computer from the user and making the computer more user friendly
10. PREPARATION OF A SYSTEM LOG
• The OS compiles a report on the events that take place in a computer from the time a user
logs on to a computer, what he/she does up to the time he/she logs off
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 44 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
b) Analyze any 5 ways in which computer viruses can be
transmitted.
Use of infected floppy diskettes on uninfected computers. Floppy disks or other
media that users can exchange.
Downloading unknown files, when your computer is connected to the Internet.
Opening an E-mail attachment. Email attachments.
Accepting unknown program installations from the internet
Use of network files/direct connection/through networks.
Software piracy [buying software from unauthorized agents]. Pirated software.
Booting a PC from an infected medium.
Executing an infected program.
Opening an infected file.
Shareware.
Viruses may be sent by opening email attachments,
clicking on spam,
visiting corrupt websites and links online,
• Opening spreadsheets or even the original method—infected disks.
• But the Internet is now the superhighway for virus transmission.
Sharing of storage media
• Through e-mail attachments
• Networks – if your computer is connected to a home network or if your work computer is
part of network, you may find yourself with an infection through no fault of your own.
There isn’t much you can do to stop these kinds of infections, short of having your
network administrator ensure that everyone’s antivirus software is up to date so that the
invading bug can be removed as quickly as possible.
• Internet downloads including software piracy
• Rogue Websites. It is depressing to know that you may become infected with spyware or
a virus by doing nothing more than simply visiting a website, but it istrue. Many adult
websites, gambling websites and other less than trustworthy websites will attempt to
automatically access your computer when you visit them. They often install adware bugs
that will cause a flurry of pop ups to appear on your screen. This adware will often allow
for other programs with even more nefarious purposes to be installed and before you
know it, your computer will be swamped. To stop these rogue websites, adjust the
settings on your antivirus software and firewall so that no outside connections can be
made and no programs can be installed without your express permission.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 45 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
QUESTION 3
a) Discuss any two benefits which a named sports organization
can derive from using a database management system (DBMS)
[10]
1. Centralized Management and Control - One of the main advantages of using a
database system is that the organization can exert, via the DBA, centralized management
and control over the data.
2. Reduction of Redundancies and Inconsistencies - Centralized control avoids
unnecessary duplication of data and effectively reduces the total amount of data
storage required. Removing redundancy eliminates inconsistencies.
3. Data Sharing - A database allows the sharing of data under its control by any
number of application programs or users.
4. Data Integrity - Data integrity means that the data contained in the database is both
accurate and consistent. Centralized control can also ensure that adequate checks are
incorporated in the DBMS to provide data integrity.
5. Data Security - Data is of vital importance to an organization and may be confidential.
Such confidential data must not be accessed by unauthorized persons. The DBA who has
the ultimate responsibility for the data in the DBMS can ensure that proper access
procedures are followed. Different levels of security could be implemented for various
types of data and operations.
6. Data Independence - Data independence is the capacity to change the schema at one
level of a database system without having to change the schema at the next level. It is
usually considered from two points of view: physical data independence and logical data
independence. Physical data independence is the capacity to change the internal schema
without having to change conceptual schema. Logical data independence is the
capacity to change the conceptual schema without having to change external schemas
or application programs.
7. Providing Storage Structures for Efficient Query Processing - Database systems
provide capabilities for efficiently executing queries and updates. Auxiliary files
called indexes are used for this purpose.
8. Backup and Recovery - These facilities are provided to recover databases from hardware
and/or software failures
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 46 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
b) Analyze any 3 of the following
i. Voice recognition software.[5]
• Voice or speech recognition is the ability of a machine or program to receive and
interpret dictation, or to understand and carry out spoken commands.
• For use with computers, analog audio must be converted into digital signals. This
requires analog-to-digital conversion.
• For a computer to decipher the signal, it must have a digital database, or vocabulary, of
words or syllables, and a speedy means of comparing this data with signals.
• The speech patterns are stored on the hard drive and loaded into memory when the
program is run. A comparator checks these stored patterns against the output of the A/D
converter.
• In practice, the size of a voice-recognition program's effective vocabulary is directly
related to the random access memory capacity of the computer in which it is installed.
• A voice-recognition program runs many times faster if the entire vocabulary can be
loaded into RAM, as compared with searching the hard drive for some of the matches.
• Processing speed is critical as well, because it affects how fast the computer can search
the RAM for matches.
• All voice-recognition systems or programs make errors.
• Screaming children, barking dogs, and loud external conversations can produce false
input.
• Much of this can be avoided only by using the system in a quiet room.
• There is also a problem with words that sound alike but are spelled differently and have
different meanings -- for example, "hear" and "here." This problem might someday be
largely overcome using stored contextual information. However, this will require more
RAM and faster processors than are currently available in personal computers.
ii. Screen reader software.[5]
• Screen readers are software programs that allow blind or visually impaired users to read the text
that is displayed on the computer screen with a speech synthesizer or braille display.
• A screen reader is the interface between the computer's operating system, its applications, and the
user.
• The user sends commands by pressing different combinations of keys on the computer keyboard
or braille display to instruct the speech synthesizer what to say and to speak automatically when
changes occur on the computer screen.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 47 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
• A command can instruct the synthesizer to read or spell a word, read a line or full screen of text,
find a string of text on the screen, announce the location of the computer's cursor or focused item,
and so on.
• In addition, it allows users to perform more advanced functions, such as locating text displayed
in a certain color, reading pre-designated parts of the screen on demand, reading highlighted text,
and identifying the active choice in a menu.
• Users may also use the spell checker in a word processor or read the cells of a spreadsheet with a
screen reader.
• Screen readers are currently available for use with personal computers running Linux, Windows,
and mac, IOS, Android, and more.
• Screen readers are used mainly by people who do not have useful vision to read text on the
screen.
• A screen reader can also be the product of choice for someone with vision that is useful for
travel, but not for reading. In the long run, learning to listen to speech output will prove more
productive for such individuals than struggling to read text while leaning close to the computer
screen.
iii. On screen keyboard.[5]
• A soft keyboard (sometimes called an onscreen keyboard or software keyboard ) is a
system that replaces the hardware keyboard on a computing device with an on-screen
image map .
• Soft keyboards are typically used to enable input on a handheld device so that a keyboard
doesn't have to be carried with it, and to allow people with disabilities or special needs to
use computers.
• The displayed keyboard can usually be moved and resized, and generally can allow any
input that the hardware version does.
• Other features, such as speech synthesis or word completion or prediction, may be
included. A soft keyboard is perhaps the most common type of virtual keyboard (a term
that encompasses all types of software keyboards).
• With a soft keyboard, you enter data by tapping keys on the keyboard display, usually
with a stylus , so that accuracy depends only on hitting the right key.
• Some soft keyboards include programs that recognize the likelihood of certain keystrokes
in context, so that they can choose the most likely choice when a keystroke is ambiguous.
• For people who are unable to use a regular keyboard, soft keyboards allow input through
a variety of means, including mouse or trackball control, touch screen , and head-pointing
devices.
COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY
Page 48 of 87
rmmakaha@gmail.com
iv. Presentation application.[5]
• A presentation program is a software package used to display information in the form of a slide
show.
• Examples include Microsoft PowerPoint
• It has three major functions: an editor that allows text to be inserted and formatted, a method for
inserting and manipulating graphic images, and a slide-show system to display the content
• A presentation program is supposed to help both the speaker with an easier access to his
ideas and the participants with visual information which complements the talk.
• There are many different types of presentations including professional (work-related),
education, entertainment, and for general communication.
• Presentation programs can either supplement or replace the use of older visualaid
technology, such as pamphlets, handouts, chalkboards, flip charts, posters, slides and
overhead transparencies.
• Text, graphics, movies, and other objects are positioned on individual pages or "slides" or
"foils".
• Slides can be printed, or (more usually) displayed on-screen and navigated through at the
command of the presenter.
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory
Computers: Questions & Answers Theory

Más contenido relacionado

La actualidad más candente

Introduction to information technology
Introduction to information technologyIntroduction to information technology
Introduction to information technologyHaider Ali Malik
 
Introduction to ICT - lecture 1
Introduction to ICT - lecture 1Introduction to ICT - lecture 1
Introduction to ICT - lecture 1Mohamed Thawuship
 
Introduction to Operating Systems
Introduction to Operating SystemsIntroduction to Operating Systems
Introduction to Operating SystemsMukesh Chinta
 
Computer architecture
Computer architectureComputer architecture
Computer architectureBurhan Ahmed
 
operating system
operating systemoperating system
operating systemKadianAman
 
Operate personal computer
Operate personal computer Operate personal computer
Operate personal computer Abenezer Abiti
 
Computer hardware and maintenance
Computer hardware and   maintenanceComputer hardware and   maintenance
Computer hardware and maintenanceImran Khan
 
Microsoft Office Package: Practical Questions
Microsoft Office Package: Practical QuestionsMicrosoft Office Package: Practical Questions
Microsoft Office Package: Practical QuestionsMakaha Rutendo
 
Build internet infrastructure LO1
Build internet infrastructure LO1Build internet infrastructure LO1
Build internet infrastructure LO1Abenezer Abiti
 
Chapter 1 introduction to computers
Chapter 1   introduction to computersChapter 1   introduction to computers
Chapter 1 introduction to computershaider ali
 
What Is Computer
What Is ComputerWhat Is Computer
What Is ComputerLUZ PINGOL
 
OPERATE DATABASE APPLICATION
OPERATE DATABASE APPLICATIONOPERATE DATABASE APPLICATION
OPERATE DATABASE APPLICATIONYoomiLaataBekele
 
Operating system.ppt (1)
Operating system.ppt (1)Operating system.ppt (1)
Operating system.ppt (1)Vaibhav Bajaj
 
Function of Operating system
Function of Operating systemFunction of Operating system
Function of Operating systemAmit Mehla
 

La actualidad más candente (20)

Introduction to information technology
Introduction to information technologyIntroduction to information technology
Introduction to information technology
 
Operating System PPT
Operating System PPTOperating System PPT
Operating System PPT
 
Computer System Organization
Computer System OrganizationComputer System Organization
Computer System Organization
 
Introduction to ICT - lecture 1
Introduction to ICT - lecture 1Introduction to ICT - lecture 1
Introduction to ICT - lecture 1
 
Introduction to Operating Systems
Introduction to Operating SystemsIntroduction to Operating Systems
Introduction to Operating Systems
 
Computer architecture
Computer architectureComputer architecture
Computer architecture
 
operating system
operating systemoperating system
operating system
 
Application software
Application softwareApplication software
Application software
 
Computer maintenance
Computer maintenanceComputer maintenance
Computer maintenance
 
Operate personal computer
Operate personal computer Operate personal computer
Operate personal computer
 
Computer hardware and maintenance
Computer hardware and   maintenanceComputer hardware and   maintenance
Computer hardware and maintenance
 
Microsoft Office Package: Practical Questions
Microsoft Office Package: Practical QuestionsMicrosoft Office Package: Practical Questions
Microsoft Office Package: Practical Questions
 
Chapter 2 operating systems
Chapter 2 operating systemsChapter 2 operating systems
Chapter 2 operating systems
 
Types Of Operating Systems
Types Of Operating SystemsTypes Of Operating Systems
Types Of Operating Systems
 
Build internet infrastructure LO1
Build internet infrastructure LO1Build internet infrastructure LO1
Build internet infrastructure LO1
 
Chapter 1 introduction to computers
Chapter 1   introduction to computersChapter 1   introduction to computers
Chapter 1 introduction to computers
 
What Is Computer
What Is ComputerWhat Is Computer
What Is Computer
 
OPERATE DATABASE APPLICATION
OPERATE DATABASE APPLICATIONOPERATE DATABASE APPLICATION
OPERATE DATABASE APPLICATION
 
Operating system.ppt (1)
Operating system.ppt (1)Operating system.ppt (1)
Operating system.ppt (1)
 
Function of Operating system
Function of Operating systemFunction of Operating system
Function of Operating system
 

Destacado

Packages Computer Application in Business
Packages Computer Application in BusinessPackages Computer Application in Business
Packages Computer Application in BusinessNethan P
 
A proposal to have a conducive learning computer lab.
A proposal to have a conducive learning computer lab.A proposal to have a conducive learning computer lab.
A proposal to have a conducive learning computer lab.hewhuiyi
 
Foundation of information system in business
Foundation of information system in businessFoundation of information system in business
Foundation of information system in businessAmrit Banstola
 
Business information system with explaination
Business information system with explainationBusiness information system with explaination
Business information system with explainationAlana Abraham
 
MCQ on Computer and ICT
MCQ on Computer and ICTMCQ on Computer and ICT
MCQ on Computer and ICTMd. Gias Uddin
 

Destacado (6)

Packages Computer Application in Business
Packages Computer Application in BusinessPackages Computer Application in Business
Packages Computer Application in Business
 
OPERATIONS RESEARCH
OPERATIONS RESEARCHOPERATIONS RESEARCH
OPERATIONS RESEARCH
 
A proposal to have a conducive learning computer lab.
A proposal to have a conducive learning computer lab.A proposal to have a conducive learning computer lab.
A proposal to have a conducive learning computer lab.
 
Foundation of information system in business
Foundation of information system in businessFoundation of information system in business
Foundation of information system in business
 
Business information system with explaination
Business information system with explainationBusiness information system with explaination
Business information system with explaination
 
MCQ on Computer and ICT
MCQ on Computer and ICTMCQ on Computer and ICT
MCQ on Computer and ICT
 

Similar a Computers: Questions & Answers Theory

Basics Of Computers | The Computer System
Basics Of Computers | The Computer SystemBasics Of Computers | The Computer System
Basics Of Computers | The Computer SystemNehaRohtagi1
 
performing computer operations.pptx
performing computer operations.pptxperforming computer operations.pptx
performing computer operations.pptxCARMELINEPRECYLLORCA
 
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER .pptx
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER .pptxINTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER .pptx
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER .pptxRamjeyDavocRony
 
IT-Fundamentals-Presentation BSIT 1.pptx
IT-Fundamentals-Presentation BSIT 1.pptxIT-Fundamentals-Presentation BSIT 1.pptx
IT-Fundamentals-Presentation BSIT 1.pptxMark Dave Morco
 
Connecting Hardware Peripherals Level 1 Ver 2 - Copy.pdf
Connecting Hardware Peripherals Level 1 Ver 2 - Copy.pdfConnecting Hardware Peripherals Level 1 Ver 2 - Copy.pdf
Connecting Hardware Peripherals Level 1 Ver 2 - Copy.pdfEYOHAICTMEDIA
 
Power Point Lesson 01
Power Point Lesson 01Power Point Lesson 01
Power Point Lesson 01drussell54
 
COMPUTER SKILLS AND COMPUTER APPLICATIONS.pptx
COMPUTER SKILLS AND COMPUTER APPLICATIONS.pptxCOMPUTER SKILLS AND COMPUTER APPLICATIONS.pptx
COMPUTER SKILLS AND COMPUTER APPLICATIONS.pptxkisakitaemmanuel1
 
ABUBAKIR MUHAMMED.docx
ABUBAKIR MUHAMMED.docxABUBAKIR MUHAMMED.docx
ABUBAKIR MUHAMMED.docxSOMOSCO1
 
Basics of Computers.docx
Basics of Computers.docxBasics of Computers.docx
Basics of Computers.docxAlfred Salazar
 
Basic computer skills | Brad Steven Solvie
Basic computer skills | Brad Steven SolvieBasic computer skills | Brad Steven Solvie
Basic computer skills | Brad Steven SolvieBrad Steven Solvie
 
Computer material
Computer materialComputer material
Computer materialRS Rafi
 
IT and Computing
   IT and Computing   IT and Computing
IT and ComputingMiXvideos
 

Similar a Computers: Questions & Answers Theory (20)

Basics Of Computers | The Computer System
Basics Of Computers | The Computer SystemBasics Of Computers | The Computer System
Basics Of Computers | The Computer System
 
performing computer operations.pptx
performing computer operations.pptxperforming computer operations.pptx
performing computer operations.pptx
 
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER .pptx
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER .pptxINTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER .pptx
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER .pptx
 
IT-Fundamentals-Presentation BSIT 1.pptx
IT-Fundamentals-Presentation BSIT 1.pptxIT-Fundamentals-Presentation BSIT 1.pptx
IT-Fundamentals-Presentation BSIT 1.pptx
 
Computer fundamentals
Computer fundamentalsComputer fundamentals
Computer fundamentals
 
Connecting Hardware Peripherals Level 1 Ver 2 - Copy.pdf
Connecting Hardware Peripherals Level 1 Ver 2 - Copy.pdfConnecting Hardware Peripherals Level 1 Ver 2 - Copy.pdf
Connecting Hardware Peripherals Level 1 Ver 2 - Copy.pdf
 
Power Point Lesson 01
Power Point Lesson 01Power Point Lesson 01
Power Point Lesson 01
 
COMPUTER SKILLS AND COMPUTER APPLICATIONS.pptx
COMPUTER SKILLS AND COMPUTER APPLICATIONS.pptxCOMPUTER SKILLS AND COMPUTER APPLICATIONS.pptx
COMPUTER SKILLS AND COMPUTER APPLICATIONS.pptx
 
Itc lecture
Itc lectureItc lecture
Itc lecture
 
ABUBAKIR MUHAMMED.docx
ABUBAKIR MUHAMMED.docxABUBAKIR MUHAMMED.docx
ABUBAKIR MUHAMMED.docx
 
Comp App Lect 1.ppt
Comp App Lect 1.pptComp App Lect 1.ppt
Comp App Lect 1.ppt
 
Basics of Computers.docx
Basics of Computers.docxBasics of Computers.docx
Basics of Computers.docx
 
Basic computer skills | Brad Steven Solvie
Basic computer skills | Brad Steven SolvieBasic computer skills | Brad Steven Solvie
Basic computer skills | Brad Steven Solvie
 
Computer material
Computer materialComputer material
Computer material
 
It advance 2016
It advance 2016It advance 2016
It advance 2016
 
IT and Computing
   IT and Computing   IT and Computing
IT and Computing
 
IT130 - U1L1.pptx
IT130 - U1L1.pptxIT130 - U1L1.pptx
IT130 - U1L1.pptx
 
Welcome to Basics
Welcome to BasicsWelcome to Basics
Welcome to Basics
 
Lec1 ict
Lec1 ictLec1 ict
Lec1 ict
 
Chapter 1
Chapter 1Chapter 1
Chapter 1
 

Más de Makaha Rutendo

MYSQL Practical Tutorial.pdf
MYSQL Practical Tutorial.pdfMYSQL Practical Tutorial.pdf
MYSQL Practical Tutorial.pdfMakaha Rutendo
 
Basic Communication Revision
Basic Communication RevisionBasic Communication Revision
Basic Communication RevisionMakaha Rutendo
 
Duties & Responsibilities of IT Department Staff
Duties & Responsibilities of IT Department StaffDuties & Responsibilities of IT Department Staff
Duties & Responsibilities of IT Department StaffMakaha Rutendo
 
Computer Operations & Packages
Computer Operations & PackagesComputer Operations & Packages
Computer Operations & PackagesMakaha Rutendo
 
Microsoft Office: Practice Questions
Microsoft Office: Practice Questions Microsoft Office: Practice Questions
Microsoft Office: Practice Questions Makaha Rutendo
 
COMMUNICATION & COMPUTER SKILLS
COMMUNICATION & COMPUTER SKILLSCOMMUNICATION & COMPUTER SKILLS
COMMUNICATION & COMPUTER SKILLSMakaha Rutendo
 
PRINCIPLES OF LAW : LAW OF CONTRACT
PRINCIPLES OF LAW : LAW OF CONTRACTPRINCIPLES OF LAW : LAW OF CONTRACT
PRINCIPLES OF LAW : LAW OF CONTRACTMakaha Rutendo
 
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENTHUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENTMakaha Rutendo
 
CORPORATE COMMUNICATION
CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONCORPORATE COMMUNICATION
CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONMakaha Rutendo
 
Advanced Systems Analyis Design (UML)
Advanced Systems Analyis Design (UML)Advanced Systems Analyis Design (UML)
Advanced Systems Analyis Design (UML)Makaha Rutendo
 

Más de Makaha Rutendo (17)

MYSQL Practical Tutorial.pdf
MYSQL Practical Tutorial.pdfMYSQL Practical Tutorial.pdf
MYSQL Practical Tutorial.pdf
 
Basic Communication Revision
Basic Communication RevisionBasic Communication Revision
Basic Communication Revision
 
Duties & Responsibilities of IT Department Staff
Duties & Responsibilities of IT Department StaffDuties & Responsibilities of IT Department Staff
Duties & Responsibilities of IT Department Staff
 
Computer Operations & Packages
Computer Operations & PackagesComputer Operations & Packages
Computer Operations & Packages
 
Introduction To ICTs
Introduction To ICTsIntroduction To ICTs
Introduction To ICTs
 
Construction Law
Construction LawConstruction Law
Construction Law
 
Microsoft Office: Practice Questions
Microsoft Office: Practice Questions Microsoft Office: Practice Questions
Microsoft Office: Practice Questions
 
Communication Basics
Communication BasicsCommunication Basics
Communication Basics
 
COMMUNICATION & COMPUTER SKILLS
COMMUNICATION & COMPUTER SKILLSCOMMUNICATION & COMPUTER SKILLS
COMMUNICATION & COMPUTER SKILLS
 
PRINCIPLES OF LAW : LAW OF CONTRACT
PRINCIPLES OF LAW : LAW OF CONTRACTPRINCIPLES OF LAW : LAW OF CONTRACT
PRINCIPLES OF LAW : LAW OF CONTRACT
 
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENTHUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
 
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONSINDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
 
CORPORATE COMMUNICATION
CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONCORPORATE COMMUNICATION
CORPORATE COMMUNICATION
 
BUSINESS ETHICS
BUSINESS ETHICSBUSINESS ETHICS
BUSINESS ETHICS
 
PUBLIC RELATIONS
PUBLIC RELATIONSPUBLIC RELATIONS
PUBLIC RELATIONS
 
C++ & VISUAL C++
C++ & VISUAL C++ C++ & VISUAL C++
C++ & VISUAL C++
 
Advanced Systems Analyis Design (UML)
Advanced Systems Analyis Design (UML)Advanced Systems Analyis Design (UML)
Advanced Systems Analyis Design (UML)
 

Último

NO1 Top Black Magic Specialist In Lahore Black magic In Pakistan Kala Ilam Ex...
NO1 Top Black Magic Specialist In Lahore Black magic In Pakistan Kala Ilam Ex...NO1 Top Black Magic Specialist In Lahore Black magic In Pakistan Kala Ilam Ex...
NO1 Top Black Magic Specialist In Lahore Black magic In Pakistan Kala Ilam Ex...Amil baba
 
Beyond_Borders_Understanding_Anime_and_Manga_Fandom_A_Comprehensive_Audience_...
Beyond_Borders_Understanding_Anime_and_Manga_Fandom_A_Comprehensive_Audience_...Beyond_Borders_Understanding_Anime_and_Manga_Fandom_A_Comprehensive_Audience_...
Beyond_Borders_Understanding_Anime_and_Manga_Fandom_A_Comprehensive_Audience_...Pooja Bhuva
 
ICT Role in 21st Century Education & its Challenges.pptx
ICT Role in 21st Century Education & its Challenges.pptxICT Role in 21st Century Education & its Challenges.pptx
ICT Role in 21st Century Education & its Challenges.pptxAreebaZafar22
 
Fostering Friendships - Enhancing Social Bonds in the Classroom
Fostering Friendships - Enhancing Social Bonds  in the ClassroomFostering Friendships - Enhancing Social Bonds  in the Classroom
Fostering Friendships - Enhancing Social Bonds in the ClassroomPooky Knightsmith
 
Sensory_Experience_and_Emotional_Resonance_in_Gabriel_Okaras_The_Piano_and_Th...
Sensory_Experience_and_Emotional_Resonance_in_Gabriel_Okaras_The_Piano_and_Th...Sensory_Experience_and_Emotional_Resonance_in_Gabriel_Okaras_The_Piano_and_Th...
Sensory_Experience_and_Emotional_Resonance_in_Gabriel_Okaras_The_Piano_and_Th...Pooja Bhuva
 
Sociology 101 Demonstration of Learning Exhibit
Sociology 101 Demonstration of Learning ExhibitSociology 101 Demonstration of Learning Exhibit
Sociology 101 Demonstration of Learning Exhibitjbellavia9
 
REMIFENTANIL: An Ultra short acting opioid.pptx
REMIFENTANIL: An Ultra short acting opioid.pptxREMIFENTANIL: An Ultra short acting opioid.pptx
REMIFENTANIL: An Ultra short acting opioid.pptxDr. Ravikiran H M Gowda
 
COMMUNICATING NEGATIVE NEWS - APPROACHES .pptx
COMMUNICATING NEGATIVE NEWS - APPROACHES .pptxCOMMUNICATING NEGATIVE NEWS - APPROACHES .pptx
COMMUNICATING NEGATIVE NEWS - APPROACHES .pptxannathomasp01
 
Towards a code of practice for AI in AT.pptx
Towards a code of practice for AI in AT.pptxTowards a code of practice for AI in AT.pptx
Towards a code of practice for AI in AT.pptxJisc
 
Google Gemini An AI Revolution in Education.pptx
Google Gemini An AI Revolution in Education.pptxGoogle Gemini An AI Revolution in Education.pptx
Google Gemini An AI Revolution in Education.pptxDr. Sarita Anand
 
2024-NATIONAL-LEARNING-CAMP-AND-OTHER.pptx
2024-NATIONAL-LEARNING-CAMP-AND-OTHER.pptx2024-NATIONAL-LEARNING-CAMP-AND-OTHER.pptx
2024-NATIONAL-LEARNING-CAMP-AND-OTHER.pptxMaritesTamaniVerdade
 
Key note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdf
Key note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdfKey note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdf
Key note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdfAdmir Softic
 
How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17
How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17
How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17Celine George
 
How to Add New Custom Addons Path in Odoo 17
How to Add New Custom Addons Path in Odoo 17How to Add New Custom Addons Path in Odoo 17
How to Add New Custom Addons Path in Odoo 17Celine George
 
Jamworks pilot and AI at Jisc (20/03/2024)
Jamworks pilot and AI at Jisc (20/03/2024)Jamworks pilot and AI at Jisc (20/03/2024)
Jamworks pilot and AI at Jisc (20/03/2024)Jisc
 
Application orientated numerical on hev.ppt
Application orientated numerical on hev.pptApplication orientated numerical on hev.ppt
Application orientated numerical on hev.pptRamjanShidvankar
 
Food safety_Challenges food safety laboratories_.pdf
Food safety_Challenges food safety laboratories_.pdfFood safety_Challenges food safety laboratories_.pdf
Food safety_Challenges food safety laboratories_.pdfSherif Taha
 
FSB Advising Checklist - Orientation 2024
FSB Advising Checklist - Orientation 2024FSB Advising Checklist - Orientation 2024
FSB Advising Checklist - Orientation 2024Elizabeth Walsh
 
HMCS Max Bernays Pre-Deployment Brief (May 2024).pptx
HMCS Max Bernays Pre-Deployment Brief (May 2024).pptxHMCS Max Bernays Pre-Deployment Brief (May 2024).pptx
HMCS Max Bernays Pre-Deployment Brief (May 2024).pptxEsquimalt MFRC
 
Graduate Outcomes Presentation Slides - English
Graduate Outcomes Presentation Slides - EnglishGraduate Outcomes Presentation Slides - English
Graduate Outcomes Presentation Slides - Englishneillewis46
 

Último (20)

NO1 Top Black Magic Specialist In Lahore Black magic In Pakistan Kala Ilam Ex...
NO1 Top Black Magic Specialist In Lahore Black magic In Pakistan Kala Ilam Ex...NO1 Top Black Magic Specialist In Lahore Black magic In Pakistan Kala Ilam Ex...
NO1 Top Black Magic Specialist In Lahore Black magic In Pakistan Kala Ilam Ex...
 
Beyond_Borders_Understanding_Anime_and_Manga_Fandom_A_Comprehensive_Audience_...
Beyond_Borders_Understanding_Anime_and_Manga_Fandom_A_Comprehensive_Audience_...Beyond_Borders_Understanding_Anime_and_Manga_Fandom_A_Comprehensive_Audience_...
Beyond_Borders_Understanding_Anime_and_Manga_Fandom_A_Comprehensive_Audience_...
 
ICT Role in 21st Century Education & its Challenges.pptx
ICT Role in 21st Century Education & its Challenges.pptxICT Role in 21st Century Education & its Challenges.pptx
ICT Role in 21st Century Education & its Challenges.pptx
 
Fostering Friendships - Enhancing Social Bonds in the Classroom
Fostering Friendships - Enhancing Social Bonds  in the ClassroomFostering Friendships - Enhancing Social Bonds  in the Classroom
Fostering Friendships - Enhancing Social Bonds in the Classroom
 
Sensory_Experience_and_Emotional_Resonance_in_Gabriel_Okaras_The_Piano_and_Th...
Sensory_Experience_and_Emotional_Resonance_in_Gabriel_Okaras_The_Piano_and_Th...Sensory_Experience_and_Emotional_Resonance_in_Gabriel_Okaras_The_Piano_and_Th...
Sensory_Experience_and_Emotional_Resonance_in_Gabriel_Okaras_The_Piano_and_Th...
 
Sociology 101 Demonstration of Learning Exhibit
Sociology 101 Demonstration of Learning ExhibitSociology 101 Demonstration of Learning Exhibit
Sociology 101 Demonstration of Learning Exhibit
 
REMIFENTANIL: An Ultra short acting opioid.pptx
REMIFENTANIL: An Ultra short acting opioid.pptxREMIFENTANIL: An Ultra short acting opioid.pptx
REMIFENTANIL: An Ultra short acting opioid.pptx
 
COMMUNICATING NEGATIVE NEWS - APPROACHES .pptx
COMMUNICATING NEGATIVE NEWS - APPROACHES .pptxCOMMUNICATING NEGATIVE NEWS - APPROACHES .pptx
COMMUNICATING NEGATIVE NEWS - APPROACHES .pptx
 
Towards a code of practice for AI in AT.pptx
Towards a code of practice for AI in AT.pptxTowards a code of practice for AI in AT.pptx
Towards a code of practice for AI in AT.pptx
 
Google Gemini An AI Revolution in Education.pptx
Google Gemini An AI Revolution in Education.pptxGoogle Gemini An AI Revolution in Education.pptx
Google Gemini An AI Revolution in Education.pptx
 
2024-NATIONAL-LEARNING-CAMP-AND-OTHER.pptx
2024-NATIONAL-LEARNING-CAMP-AND-OTHER.pptx2024-NATIONAL-LEARNING-CAMP-AND-OTHER.pptx
2024-NATIONAL-LEARNING-CAMP-AND-OTHER.pptx
 
Key note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdf
Key note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdfKey note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdf
Key note speaker Neum_Admir Softic_ENG.pdf
 
How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17
How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17
How to Give a Domain for a Field in Odoo 17
 
How to Add New Custom Addons Path in Odoo 17
How to Add New Custom Addons Path in Odoo 17How to Add New Custom Addons Path in Odoo 17
How to Add New Custom Addons Path in Odoo 17
 
Jamworks pilot and AI at Jisc (20/03/2024)
Jamworks pilot and AI at Jisc (20/03/2024)Jamworks pilot and AI at Jisc (20/03/2024)
Jamworks pilot and AI at Jisc (20/03/2024)
 
Application orientated numerical on hev.ppt
Application orientated numerical on hev.pptApplication orientated numerical on hev.ppt
Application orientated numerical on hev.ppt
 
Food safety_Challenges food safety laboratories_.pdf
Food safety_Challenges food safety laboratories_.pdfFood safety_Challenges food safety laboratories_.pdf
Food safety_Challenges food safety laboratories_.pdf
 
FSB Advising Checklist - Orientation 2024
FSB Advising Checklist - Orientation 2024FSB Advising Checklist - Orientation 2024
FSB Advising Checklist - Orientation 2024
 
HMCS Max Bernays Pre-Deployment Brief (May 2024).pptx
HMCS Max Bernays Pre-Deployment Brief (May 2024).pptxHMCS Max Bernays Pre-Deployment Brief (May 2024).pptx
HMCS Max Bernays Pre-Deployment Brief (May 2024).pptx
 
Graduate Outcomes Presentation Slides - English
Graduate Outcomes Presentation Slides - EnglishGraduate Outcomes Presentation Slides - English
Graduate Outcomes Presentation Slides - English
 

Computers: Questions & Answers Theory

  • 1.
  • 2. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 1 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com MAY JUNE 2011 QUESTION 1 a) Differentiate hardware and software.[10] HARDWARE SOFTWARE Devices that are required to store and execute (or run) the software. Collection of instructions that enables a user to interact with the computer. Software is a program that enables a computer to perform a specific task, as opposed to the physical components of the system (hardware). Input, storage, processing, control, and output devices. System software, Programming software, and Application software. CD-ROM, monitor, printer, video card, scanners , label makers, routers , and modems. Quickbooks, Adobe Acrobat, WhatsApp , Internet Explorer , Microsoft Word , Microsoft Excel Hardware serves as the delivery system for software solutions. The hardware of a computer is infrequently changed, in comparison with software and data, which are “soft” in the sense that they are readily created, modified, or erased on the computer To perform the specific task you need to complete. Software is generally not needed to for the hardware to perform its basic level tasks such as turning on and reponding to input. Hardware starts functioning once software is loaded. To deliver its set of instructions, Software is installed on hardware. Hardware failure is random. Hardware does have increasing failure at the last stage. Software failure is systematic. Software does not have an increasing failure rate. Hardware wears out over time. Software does not wear out over time. However, bugs are discovered in software as time passes. Hardware is physical in nature. Software is logical in nature. b) Outline advantages and disadvantages of information technology.[15] Globalization • IT has not only brought the world closer together, but it has allowed the world's economy to become a single interdependent system. This means that we can not only share information quickly and efficiently, but we can also bring down barriers of linguistic and geographic boundaries. The world has developed into a global village due to the help of information technology allowing countries like Chile and Japan who are not only separated by distance but also by language to shares ideas and information with each other. Communication
  • 3. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 2 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com • With the help of information technology, communication has also become cheaper, quicker, and more efficient. We can now communicate with anyone around the globe by simply text messaging them or sending them an email for an almost instantaneous response. The internet has also opened up face to face direct communication from different parts of the world thanks to the helps of video conferencing. Cost effectiveness • Information technology has helped to computerize the business process thus streamlining businesses to make them extremely cost effective money making machines. This in turn increases productivity which ultimately gives rise to profits that means better pay and less strenuous working conditions. Bridging the cultural gap • Information technology has helped to bridge the cultural gap by helping people from different cultures to communicate with one another, and allow for the exchange of views and ideas, thus increasing awareness and reducing prejudice. More time • IT has made it possible for businesses to be open 24 x7 all over the globe. This means that a business can be open anytime anywhere, making purchases from different countries easier and more convenient. It also means that you can have your goods delivered right to your doorstep with having to move a single muscle. Creation of new jobs • Probably the best advantage of information technology is the creation of new and interesting jobs. Computer programmers, Systems analyzers, Hardware and Software developers and Web designers are just some of the many new employment opportunities created with the help of IT. Disadvantages of information technology Unemployment • While information technology may have streamlined the business process it has also created job redundancies, downsizing and outsourcing. This means that a lot of lower and middle level jobs have been done away with causing more people to become unemployed. Privacy • Though information technology may have made communication quicker, easier and more convenient, it has also bought along privacy issues. From cell phone signal interceptions to email hacking, people are now worried about their once private information becoming public knowledge. Lack of job security • Industry experts believe that the internet has made job security a big issue as since technology keeps on changing with each day. This means that one has to be in a constant learning mode, if he or she wishes for their job to be secure. Dominant culture
  • 4. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 3 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com • While information technology may have made the world a global village, it has also contributed to one culture dominating another weaker one. For example it is now argued that US influences how most young teenagers all over the world now act, QUESTION 2 a) Write short notes on the following devices: i. Central processing unit (CPU). [3] • A central processing unit (CPU) is the electronic circuitry within a computer that carries out the instructions of a computer program by performing the basic arithmetic, logical, control and input/output (I/O) operations specified by the instructions • It processes instructions that it gathers from decoding the code in programs and other such files. • A CPU has four primary functions: fetch, decode, execute, and write back The Four Primary Functions of the CPU The CPU processes instructions it receives in the process of decoding data. In processing this data, the CPU performs four basic steps: 1. Fetch Each instruction is stored in memory and has its own address. The processor takes this address number from the program counter, which is responsible for tracking which instructions the CPU should execute next. 2. Decode All programs to be executed are translated to into Assembly instructions. Assembly code must be decoded into binary instructions, which are understandable to your CPU. This step is called decoding. 3. Execute While executing instructions the CPU can do one of three things: Do calculations with its ALU, move data from one memory location to another, or jump to a different address. 4. Store The CPU must give feedback after executing an instruction and the output data is written to the memory. . ii. Control unit (CU) [3] • The control unit (CU) is a component of a computer's central processing unit (CPU) that directs operation of the processor. • It tells the computer's memory, arithmetic/logic unit and input and output devices how to respond to a program's instructions. • It directs the operation of the other units by providing timing and control signals.
  • 5. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 4 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com • Most computer resources are managed by the CU. • It directs the flow of data between the CPU and the other devices • A control unit works by receiving input information that it converts into control signals, which are then sent to the central processor. The computer's processor then tells the attached hardware what operations to carry out. iii. Keyboard [3] • A computer keyboard is an input device that allows a person to enter symbols like letters and numbers into a computer. It is the main input device for most computers. There are different types of keyboards. The most popular type is the QWERTY design, which is based on typewriter keyboards. • Keyboard is the most common and very popular input device which helps in inputting data to the computer. The layout of the keyboard is like that of traditional typewriter, although there are some additional keys provided for performing additional functions. • Keyboards are of two sizes 84 keys or 101/102 keys, but now keyboards with 104 keys or 108 keys are also available for Windows and Internet. iv. Modem [3] • A modem (modulator-demodulator) is a network hardware device that modulates one or more carrier wave signals to encode digital information for transmission and demodulates signals to decode the transmitted information. • The goal is to produce a signal that can be transmitted easily and decoded to reproduce the original digital data. • Modems can be used with any means of transmitting analog signals, from light emitting diodes to radio. • A common type of modem is one that turns the digital data of a computer into modulated electrical signal for transmission over telephone lines and demodulated by another modem at the receiver side to recover the digital data. v. Light pen [3] • A light pen is a computer input device in the form of a light-sensitive wand used in conjunction with a computer's CRT display.
  • 6. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 5 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com • It allows the user to point to displayed objects or draw on the screen in a similar way to a touchscreen but with greater positional accuracy. • A light pen can work with any CRT-based display and other display technologies, • A light pen detects a change of brightness of nearby screen pixels when scanned by cathode ray tube electron beam and communicates the timing of this event to the computer. Since a CRT scans the entire screen one pixel at a time, the computer can keep track of the expected time of scanning various locations on screen by the beam and infer the pen's position from the latest timestamp. LIGHT PEN • Light pen is a pointing device which is similar to a pen. It is used to select a displayed menu item or draw pictures on the monitor screen. It consists of a photocell and an optical system placed in a small tube. When the tip of a light pen is moved over the monitor screen and pen button is pressed, its photocell sensing element detects the screen location and sends the corresponding signal to the CPU. b) Differentiate between the following input devices i. Joystick and touch screen.[5] Joystick • Joystick is also a pointing device which is used to move cursor position on a monitor screen. It is a stick having a spherical ball at its both lower and upper ends. The lower spherical ball moves in a socket. The joystick can be moved in all four directions. • The function of joystick is similar to that of a mouse. It is mainly used in Computer Aided Designing (CAD) and playing computer games. Touchscreen • A touchscreen is a monitor or other flat surface with a sensitive panel directly on the screen that registers the touch of a finger as an input. Instead of being touch-sensitive, some touchscreens use beams across the screen to create a grid that senses the presence of a finger. • A touchscreen allows the user to interact with a device without a mouse or keyboard and is used with smartphones, tablets, computer screens, and information kiosks. ii. Barcode reader and magnetic ink character recognition.[5]
  • 7. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 6 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com Bar code readers • Bar Code Reader is a device used for reading bar coded data (data in form of light and dark lines). Bar coded data is generally used in labeling goods, numbering the books etc. It may be a hand held scanner or may be embedded in a stationary scanner. Bar Code Reader scans a bar code image, converts it into an alphanumeric value which is then fed to the computer to which bar code reader is connected. • A barcode reader, also called a price scanner or point-of-sale ( POS ) scanner, is a hand-held or stationary input device used to capture and read information contained in a bar code . A barcode reader consists of a scanner , a decoder (either built-in or external), and a cable used to connect the reader with a computer. Because a barcode reader merely captures and translates the barcode into numbers and/or letters, the data must be sent to a computer so that a software application can make sense of the data. Barcode scanners can be connected to a computer through a serial port , keyboard port , or an interface device called a wedge . A barcode reader works by directing a beam of light across the bar code and measuring the amount of light that is reflected back. (The dark bars on a barcode reflect less light than the white spaces between them.) The scanner converts the light energy into electrical energy, which is then converted into data by the decoder and forwarded to a computer. Magnetic ink card reader (MICR) • MICR input device is generally used in banks because of a large number of cheques to be processed every day. The bank's code number and cheque number are printed on the cheques with a special type of ink that contains particles of magnetic material that are machine readable. This reading process is called Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR). The main advantage of MICR is that it is fast and less error prone.
  • 8. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 7 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com QUESTION 3 Outline any 5 data storage devices and how they work. [25] Magnetic storage devices Today, magnetic storage is one of the most common types of storage used with computers and is the technology that many computer hard drives use. • Floppy diskette • Hard drive • Magnetic strip • SuperDisk • Tape cassette • Zip diskette Optical storage devices Another common storage is optical storage, which uses lasers and lights as its method of reading and writing data. • Blu-ray disc • CD-ROM disc • CD-R and CD-RW disc • DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, and DVD+RW disc Flash memory devices Flash memory has started to replace magnetic media as it becomes cheaper as it is the more efficient and reliable solution. • Jump drive or flash drive • Memory card • Memory stick • SSD Online and cloud Storing data online and in cloud storage is becoming popular as people need to access their data from more than one device. • Cloud storage • Network media Paper storage
  • 9. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 8 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com Early computers had no method of using any of the above technologies for storing information and had to rely on paper. Today, these forms of storage are rarely used or found. In the picture to the right is an example of a woman entering data to a punch card using a punch card machine. • OMR • Punch card HARD DISK STORAGE Spinning hard disk (HD) drives are today the most common means of high capacity computer storage, with most desktop and laptop computers still relying on a spinning hard disk to store their operating system, applications programs and at least some user data. Traditional, spinning hard disk drives consist of one or more disk "platters" stacked one above the other, and coated in a magnetic media that is written to and read by the drive heads. hard disk drives can transfer data directly to other computer hardware via a range of three interface types (SATA, IDE/UDMA, or SCSI) and come in a range of speeds from 4200 to 15000 revolutions per minute (RPM). RAID This stands for "redundant array of independent disks" (or sometimes "redundant array of inexpensive drives"), and stores the data in each user volume on multiple physical drives. Many possible RAID configurations are available. The first is called "RAID 0". This divides or "strips" the data in a storage volume across two or more disks, with half of each file written to one disk, and half to another. This improves overall read/write performance without sacrificing capacity. So, for example (as shown above), two 1TB drives may be linked to form a 2TB array. Because this virtual volume is faster than either of its component disks, RAID 0 is common used on video editing workstations.
  • 10. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 9 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com In contrast to RAID 0, "RAID 1" is primarily intended to protect data against hardware failure. Here data is duplicated or "mirrored" across two or more disks. The data redundancy so created means that if one physical drive fails there is still a complete copy of its contents on another drive. However, this does mean that drive capacity is sacrificed. For example (as shown above), a 1TB RAID 1 volume requires two 1TB disks. While data write performance is not improved by using RAID 1, data read times are increased as multiple files can be accessed simultaneously from different physical drives. EXTERNAL HARD DISKS / DIRECT ATTACHED STORAGE (DAS) Except where two internal hard disks are considered essential on the basis of performance (and possibly convenience), a second hard disk is today most advisably connected as an external unit, or what is sometimes now known as a "DAS" or direct attached storage drive. DAS external hard disks connect via a USB, firewire or an E-SATA interface (see the hardware section), with USB being the most common. The highest quality external hard drives routinely include at least two of these interfaces as standard, hence maximising their flexibility for moving data between different computers. As explained in the networking section, today some external hard disks can also be purchased as NAS (network attached storage) devices that can easily be shared between users across a network. OPTICAL DISK STORAGE Almost all optical storage involves the use of a 5" disk from which data is read by a laser. Optical media can be read only (such as commercial software, music or movie disks), write-one, or rewritable, and currently exists in one of three basic formats. These are compact disk (CD), digital versatile disk (DVD)and Blu-Ray disk (BD). A fourth format called High-Definition DVD (HD DVD) is now dead-in-the-water. SOLID STATE DRIVES Solid state storage devices store computer data on non-volatile "flash" memory chips rather than by changing the surface properties of a magnetic or optical spinning disk. With no moving parts solid state drives (SSDs) -- are also very much the future for almost all forms of computer storage. Sometime in the second half of this decade, solid state drives are likely to replace spinning hard disks in most computers, with several manufacturers now offering hard-disk-replacement SSDs. These are often very fast indeed, extremely robust and use very little power. As pictured above, typically today most hard disk replacement SSDs are the same size -- and hence a direct replacement for -- a 2.5" hard drive. They also usually connect via a SATA interface. FLASH MEMORY CARDS The above discussion of hard-disk replacement SSDs noted, at present for most people most solid state storage devices come in two basic forms: flash memory cards and USB memory sticks.
  • 11. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 10 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com Flash memory cards were developed as a storage media for digital cameras and mobile computers. They consist of a small plastic package with a contact array that slots into a camera or other mobile computing device, or an appropriate memory card reader. Such readers usually have several slots (to accommodate the various formats of flash memory cards now available), and can either be integrated into a desktop computer or laptop's case, or connected via a USB port as an external hardware unit. In addition to still and video digital cameras, many mobile phones, tablets, netbooks, media players, audio recorders and televisions now also have slots for reading and writing a flash memory card. The capacity of flash memory cards on the market currently ranges from 8MB to 64GB. There are also six major card formats, each with its own type of card slot. The most common format is the secure digital or SD card (see below). Next most popular are compact flash (CF) cards, which were the first popular format introduced, and which are used by many professional digital cameras and audio recorders. Finally come Sony's Memory stick format (and not to be confused with a USB memory stick), the multi-media card (MMC) and the xD picture card (XD card). Adapters are available to allow a compact flash card to be connected to a computer's motherboard instead of a hard disk, and these are becoming popular on small-format computers running the Linux operating system. As another aside, Panasonic have their own video recording flash memory card format called the P2 card. This is internally based on four high-speed SD cards, currently available in 16, 32 or 64GB capacities, and is used instead of tape on some professional video equipment. In April 2007, Sandisk and Sony also released an alternative flash memory card format -- the SxS card -- currently also available in 16, 32 and 64GB capacities. This said, even in professional video, compact flash and even SD cards are becoming the dominant recording media. SD CARDS SD cards are as noted above the most popular flash memory cards now on the market, and come in so many variants that they do require some explanation. For a start, SD cards come in three physical sizes. These comprise standard-size SD cards (first developed in 1999), smaller mini SD cards (introduced on some mobile phones in 2003), and the even smaller micro SD cards. The latter were invented in 2005 and are becoming increasingly popular on smartphones and
  • 12. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 11 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com tablets. While the larger cards cannot fit in smaller card slots, adapters are available to enable micro and mini cards to be accessed by any device that accepts a standard-size card. SD cards also come in three capacity types known as SD, SDHC and SDXC. The first of these can store up to 2GB of data. SDHC (SD high capacity) cards are then available in capacities of between 4 and 32 GB, while SDXC (SD extended capacity) cards range from 32GB up to a theoretical 2TB (although at present only 64GB cards are on the market). Because SD cards now come in three capacity styles, not all SD devices can access all SD cards of the same physical design. While standard SD cards can be read by anything, SDHC cards should only be inserted into SDHC or SDXC devices. SDXC cards must then only be used with the latest SDXC hardware. If you try to use an SDXC or SDHC card in a device that does not support it then you may lose data or even damage the card. To further add to the confusion(!), SD cards are currently also available in five speed classes. These are known as class 2, class 4, class 6, class 10, and UHS-1 (ultra high speed 1). Many manufacturers also label cards with a speed multiple that compares them to a CD-ROM drive. Absolute data transfer ratings are sometimes also included. However, in practical terms it is the speed class that really matters. As may be expected, the higher an SD card's speed class, the faster it will be but the more it will cost. For most purposes class 4 or class 6 cards are fine. This said, class 10 or UHS-1 are best for high definition video or when otherwise handling large quantities of data. You can learn lots more about SD cards in my Explaining SD Cards video, as well as from the SD Association. USB MEMORY STICKS USB memory sticks (or USB memory keys, USB memory drives, or whatever you choose to call them!) are basically a combination of a flash memory card and a flash memory card reader in one handy and tiny package. Over the past five years, USB memory sticks have also become the dominant means of removable, re-writable portable data storage, and look set to remain so for some time. Not least this is because of their size, ever-increasing capacity (which currently ranges from about 512MB to 256GB), and perhaps most importantly their inherent durability. As with other storage devices, there are two key factors to consider when selecting a USB memory stick: capacity and data transfer speed. Whilst most consumer attention remains on the former, the later can be at least as critical. It is not uncommon for some USB memory sticks to transfer data at least ten or more times slower than others (I recently compared transferring 1GB of files between a high-specification Corsair Voyager USB memory stick and a cheaper "own brand" model and measured transfer times of under 2 minutes and approaching 30). The extent to which this matters depends as discussed previously on whether the data in your archive is only updated incrementally (with each new document), or more completely (with a large number or a few large files replaced on a regular basis). A USB memory stick that takes 30 minutes to shift a gigabyte of data is fine if you only copy a few tens of MB or less to it per day. However, if you regularly have to back-up multiple GB, you need a fast USB memory key if you are not to lose your sanity.
  • 13. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 12 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com Fortunately, just why some solid state disks are slower than others is not a mystery. Rather, it is a function of the type of flash memory chips used to hold the data. Without going into great technicalities, these chips come in two varieties called single level cell (SLC) and multi level cell (MLC). Basically, MLC flash chips store two or more bits of data in each memory cell, whilst SLC chips store only one. MLC solid state disks are therefore cheaper to produce than SLC disks at any given capacity, but due to storing more than one bit of information in each memory cell take longer to write and read data. If you need a fast USB key, memory card or indeed hard-disk replacement SSD then you need to pay more to obtain an SLC device. NETWORK AND ONLINE STORAGE Many computer users may never have to back-up their data to a removable media or external hard drive (and indeed may be discouraged or banned from doing so) because their files will be stored and backed-up on their company's network servers. Even in the home (and as discussed in the networking section), back-up to a server is also now an option for many. Far more fundamentally, all of those switching in whole or part to cloud computing are now storing at least some of their data out on the Internet. And even those not using online applications and processing power now have the option of backing up moderate amounts of data online, and often for free! Files stored and/or backed-up online are still saved to a hard disk rather than to some magic, new alternative media. However, the fact that the disk is located remotely to your computer, can be accessed from anywhere, and is probably backed up by the service provider(?), can make online storage and back-up very attractive. Indeed, when Google added 1GB of free online storage for any type of file to its Google Docs online office suite it even stated in the press release that one of their intentions was to remove the need for people to use and carry USB memory keys. Cloud data storage services come in two flavours. Some simply provide online filespace, whilst others additionally include a back-up synchronization service. An online filespace can be thought of as a hard disk in the cloud that can be accessed with a web browser to upload or download files. One example is Microsoft's Windows Live Skydrive, which provides 25GB of personal storage absolutely free (although there is a maximum file size limit of 50MB). As already noted, Google Docs offers 1GB of free online storage to which any kind of file can be uploaded up to a maximum size also of 1GB. Google then charge $5 a year for each additional 20GB. Another popular online filespace provider is box.net. For those people who may forget to regularly back-up their data to one of the above, there are cloud storage services that automate the process. These require the installation of a piece of software on each computer that uses them. This local application then automatically backs up data to the cloud, and may also synchronize it across PCs. Such a service is offered by Dropbox, which describes itself as a kind of 'magic pocket' that becomes available on all of your computing devices. For a more extensive listing of online storage services, please look in the cloud computing directory.
  • 14. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 13 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com QUESTION 4 a) Differentiate between primary and secondary computer memory.[15] The following table list out some of the key differences between the primary and secondary memory: PRIMARY MEMORY SECONDARY MEMORY • The memory devices used for primary memory are semiconductor memories • The secondary memory devices are magnetic and optical memories. • The primary memory is categorized as volatile and non volatile memories, RAM is the volatile memory and ROM is the non volatile memory • The secondary memory is always non volatile • The primary memory is composed of programs and data that are presently being used by the micro processor • The secondary memory is enough capable to store huge amount of information • The primary memories are more effective and fast to interact with the micro processor • The secondary memories are somewhat slow in interacting with the micro processor, when compared with the primary memory. • Primary memory is known as main memory • Secondary memory is known as additional memory or back memory • These memories are also called as internal memory • These memories are also called as external memory • Primary memory is temporary • The secondary memory is permanent • Commonly used primary memory (main memory) available in the range of 512 MB to 8 GB RAMs. • Generally secondary memories range between 80 GB to 4 TB Hard Disc Drives. • The primary memory devices are connected to the computer through “slots” • The secondary memory devices are connected to the computer through Cables
  • 15. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 14 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com b) Differentiate between Random Access Memory (RAM) and Read Only Memory (ROM).[10] RAM ROM • Stands for Randon-access Memory • Stands for Read-only memory • RAM is a read and write memory • Normally ROM is read only memory and it can not be overwritten. However, EPROMs can be reprogrammed • RAM is faster • ROM is relatively slower than RAM • RAM is a volatile memory. It means that the data in RAM will be lost if power supply is cut-off • ROM is permanent memory. Data in ROM will stay as it is even if we remove the power- supply • There are mainly two types of RAM; static RAM and Dynamic RAM • There are several types of ROM; Erasable ROM, Programmable ROM, EPROM etc. • RAM stores all the applications and data when the computer is up and running • ROM usually stores instructions that are required for starting (booting) the computer • Price of RAM is comparatively high • ROM chips are comparatively cheaper • RAM chips are bigger in size • ROM chips are smaller in size • Processor can directly access the content of RAM • Content of ROM are usually first transferred to RAM and then accessed by processor. This is done in order to be able to access ROM content at a faster speed. • RAM is often installed with large storage. • Storage capacity of ROM installed in a computer is much lesser than RAM
  • 16. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 15 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com Options RAM ROM Elaboration • Random Access Memory • Read Only memory Accessibility • In reference with the processor, the information stored in the RAM is easily accessed • The processor cannot directly access the information that is stored in the ROM. In order to access the ROM information, first the information will be transferred into the RAM and then it gets executed by the processor Working type • Both the read and write operations can be performed over the information that is stored in the RAM • The ROM memory only allows the user to read the information. User cannot make any changes to the information. Storage • RAM memory is only used to store the temporary information. • ROM memory is used to store permanent information and cannot be deleted. Speed • the accessing speed of RAM is faster, it assist the processor to boost up the speed • Speed is slower in comparison with RAM, ROM cannot boost up the processor speed Data preserving • Electricity is needed in RAM to flow to preserving information • Electricity is not needed in ROM to flow to preserving information structure • The RAM is an chip, which is in the rectangle form and is inserted over the mother board of the computer • ROMs are generally the optical drivers, which are made of magnetic tapes. Cost • The price of RAMs are comparatively high • The price of ROMs are comparatively low Chip size • Physically size of RAM chip is larger than ROM chip • Physically size of ROM chip is smaller than RAM chip. Types • The RAM memory is categorized into two types they are the: Statistic RAM (SRAM) and Dynamic RAM (DRAM) • The ROM memory is categorized into three types, they are: PROM (Programmable Read Only memory), EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only memory) and EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only memory)
  • 17. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 16 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com QUESTION 5 a) Define the term network and outline the types of computer networks.[10] • A computer network or data network is a telecommunications network which allows computers to exchange data. • In computer networks, networked computing devices exchange data with each other using a data link. • The connections between nodes are established using either cable media or wireless media. • The best-known computer network is the Internet. • Network computer devices that originate, route and terminate the data are called network nodes. • Nodes can include hosts such as personal computers, phones, servers as well as networking hardware. • Two such devices can be said to be networked together when one device is able to exchange information with the other device, whether or not they have a direct connection to each other Local Area Network (LAN) This is one of the original categories of network, and one of the simplest. LAN networks connect computers together over relatively small distances, such as within a single building or within a small group of buildings.
  • 18. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 17 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com Homes often have LAN networks too, especially if there is more than one device in the home. Often they do not contain more than one subnet, if any, and are usually controlled by a single administrator. They do not have to be connected to the internet to work, although they can be. Wide Area Network (WAN) This is another of the original categories of network, and slightly more complex in nature. WAN networks connect computers together over large physical distances, remotely connecting them over one huge network and allowing them to communicate even when far apart. The Internet is a WAN, and connects computers all around the world together. LANs connect to WANs, such as the internet, using routers to transfer data and information quickly and securely. WANs are usually too large to be controlled by one administrator, and so usually have collective ownership, or in the case of the internet, is publicly owned. Metropolitan Area Network –MAN This is a network which is larger than a LAN but smaller than a WAN, and incorporates elements of both. It typically spans a town or city and is owned by a single person or company, such as a local council or a large company.
  • 19. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 18 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com Wireless Local Area Network – WLAN This is a LAN which works using wireless network technology such as Wi-Fi. This type of network is becoming more popular as wireless technology is further developed and is used more in the home and by small businesses. It means devices do not need to rely on physical cables and wires as much and can organise their spaces more effectively.
  • 20. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 19 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com b) Distinguish between internet and intranet.[6] Internet Intranet Extranet It is a Global system of interconnected computer network. It is a Private network specific to an organisation. It is a Private network that uses public network to share information with suppliers and vendors. Not regulated by any authority. It is regulated by an organization. It is regulated by multiple organization. Thus content in the network is accessible to everyone connected. Thus content in the network is accessible only to members of organization. The content in the network is accessible to members of organization & external members with access to network. It is largest in terms of number of connected devices. It is small network with minimal number of connected devices. The number of devices connected is comparable with Intranet. It is owned by no one. It is owned by single organization. It is owned by single/multiple organization. It is means of sharing information throughout the world. It is means of sharing sensitive information throughout organization. It is means of sharing information between members and external members. Security is dependent of the user of device connected to network. Security is enforced via a firewall. Security is enforced via a firewall that separates internet & extranet. Example: What we are normally using is internet. Example: TCS using internal network for its business operations. Example: HP and Intel using network for business related operations. Users can access Internet anonymously. Users should have valid username/password to access Intranet. Users should have valid username/password to access Extranet. Internet is unregulated and uncensored. But Intranet is regulated by the organization policies. Extranet is also regulated by contractual agreements between organizations.
  • 21. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 20 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com c) What do you understand by satellite communication?[4] • A communications satellite is an artificial satellite that relays and amplifies radio telecommunications signals via a transponder; it creates a communication channel between a source transmitter and a receiver at different locations on Earth. • Communications satellites are used for television, telephone, radio, internet, and military applications. • There are over 2,000 communications satellites in Earth’s orbit, used by both private and government organizations. • Satellite communication is basically a microwave link repeater. • A satellite receives energy from an earth station, amplifies it and returns it to each at a frequency about 2 GHz away from the upper frequency (earth to satellite). • This prevents interference between the uplink and the downlink (satellite to earth). • Satellite so used is a geostationary satellite which appears to be stationary at a given spot above the equator. • Actually, it moves with the same angular velocity as the earth. i.e, it completes one revolution per 24 hours hence appears to be stationed over one spot on the globe. • Satellite orbiting the earth will be geostationary when it is about 36,000 km away from the earth. d) What are the advantages of satellite communication?[5] Advantages of Communication satellites • Mobile communication is simplified and made effective using satellites. • Cheaper compared to terrestrial networks in long distant communication establishment. • Data loss and quality is maintained in satellite communication. • User has complete control over the network as less relays are involved. • Search Rescue and other large area coverage is made easy via Satellite communication. • Mobile communication can be easily established by satellite communication. • Satellite communication is economical compared with terrestrial communication particularly where long distances are involved. • Compared to the optical fiber communication, satellite communication has the advantages that, quality of transmitted signal and location of sending and receiving stations are independent of distance. • User has control over their own network. • For thin traffic remote areas, satellite communication is most economical.
  • 22. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 21 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com Disadvantages of Communication satellites • Time laps between communication is a major disadvantage of Satellite communication. This major draw back reduces the efficiency of satellite communication. • An imperfect impedance may cause echo and delay in communication • Initial set up cost is comparatively very high and takes a good lot of time and risk. • Repair and maintenance is expensive and hard, often they are brought down.
  • 23. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 22 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com NOV/ DEC 2012 QUESTION 1 Discuss the key features of the Microsoft Word and PowerPoint computer application packages and outline their main uses. [25] FEATURES OF THE MICROSOFT WORD Ability to correct mistakes Ability to view documents on screen before printing Ability to incorporate diagrams Ability to move parts of text to other sections of the document. Ability to save or store documents for future reference or use. Ability to alter or change document layout. Ability to print a lot of copies [ no retyping] Ability to insert tables Ability to format document [font, paragraphs, bullets etc] Spelling and grammar checker Import files Mail merge WYSIWYG capability Creation of templates Automatic creation of index and table of contents OR • Word wrap: automatic arrangement of text in lines of specified length without the necessity of touching the return key. • Discretionary Hyphenation: option of inserting a hyphen to break a word that ends a line: the hyphen does not print if later editing moves the word to the middle of a line. • Justification: automatic alignment of text to both the left and right margins. • Adjustment: realignment of text to new margin and tab settings. • Alignment: positioning text or numbers to specified margin and tab settings. • Decimal Alignment: positioning columns of numbers with the decimal points vertically aligned. • Indents: the setting of temporary margins within a document differing from the primary margins used. • Centering text on a line. • Insertion: the entry of new text within previously typed material without erasing the existing material. • Overstriking: the substitution of new text for old by typing over the old text. • Deletion: erasure of text from the screen, or of whole documents from the disk. • Search and Replace: moving directly to specified words or parts of words within a document and replacing them with different words or word portions. • Copying or Cutting: the duplication or moving of blocks of text within a document. • Boilerplate: the separate storage and retrieval of blocks of text from which standard documents can be built. • Pagination: automatic division of a document into pages of specified numbers of lines. • Page Numbering: automatic sequential numbering of pages.
  • 24. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 23 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com • Headers and Footers: option of creating standard blocks of text that will automatically appear at the top or bottom of each page in a document. • Footnoting: automatic sequential numbering of footnotes and positioning of the footnotes at the bottom of their appropriate pages during pagination. • Table of Contents and Index Generators. Programs that create these based on the text of a document. • Mail Merge: automatic combining of a form letter with a mailing list to generate multiple copies of the letter with the different addresses and other variable information filled in. • Automatic Spelling Checker and Corrector. Program that compares words in the text against an on-line dictionary, flagging items not found in the dictionary and offering alternative spellings and a means of correcting the errors. FEATURES OF THE MICROSOFT POWERPOINT • PowerPoint provides basic slide templates such as schedules and diagrams and offers ready- made themes with professional images, font groups and preselected color schemes. • PowerPoint has its own library of shapes and objects, and users can create custom charts and graphs to share data with an audience. • Users can also apply different backgrounds to slides and insert their own diagrams and pictures. • Basic grammar and spell-checking tools. 1) Adding Smart Art 2) Inserting Shapes 3) Inserting an Image 4) Slide Transitions 5) Adding Animations USES FOR MICROSOFT WORD Letters • Microsoft Word enables you to create a range of correspondence from a simple office memo to mail-merged form letters with hundreds of addresses. Special programming in the software senses when you are typing a business letter and will pop up a guide to help format the letter correctly. Desktop Publishing • People often use Word's extensive formatting features to create professional newsletters. Word is not as powerful as Microsoft Publisher, but you can manipulate text, insert headings, create borders, add tables and move images wherever you like using Word. Use your own pictures to design your newsletter or include images from the clip art library. Add colorful flair to publications using WordArt.
  • 25. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 24 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com Labels • Microsoft Word comes with pre-defined templates for dozens of adhesive label sizes or you can customize your own by entering the label measurements. A special label "wizard" walks you through creating a new sheet of labels and printing them on your printer. Envelopes • Envelopes can be created or Word can read a letter you have typed in the program, collect the address information and automatically create a matching envelope. An address bar code can be added to the envelope to assist with mailing. Templates • Microsoft Word comes with a number of templates to help you design different documents such as resumes or invitations, but you also can create your own templates in Word if you there is a type of document you reuse often such as a letterhead, invoice or monthly report. Image Editing • While not as full-featured as Photoshop, Word's image editing features can often help you transform bad pictures into good ones and good ones into excellent ones. After importing an image or pasting one from the clipboard, you can resize the image, crop it and enhance your picture using a variety of formatting tools. Drag the Brightness slider, for instance, and transform pictures that are too dark into lighter ones you can use. Access Word's picture formatting window by right-clicking an image and clicking "Format Picture." Save the image by selecting "Save Picture" from the right-click menu. Mailing • When you need to send out a newsletter or other material, you can use Word's label wizard to generate and print your own labels. If you have a mailing list in Excel, or another data source, use Word's mail merge feature to extract that data and generate customized letters that contain personalized information. You might, for example, design a generic form letter that contains basic information and have mail merge generate unique letters for each customer by adding their names and addresses. USES OF POWERPOINT • Guided Presentations • Self-Running Presentations • Recorded Videos • Use PowerPoint to Make Tutorials • Use PowerPoint Presentations as a Digital Portfolio • Prepare nice Animations using PowerPoint
  • 26. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 25 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com QUESTION 2 Identify any five social networking facilities and explain how individuals and organizations can benefit from them. [25] FIVE SOCIAL NETWORKING FACILITIES • Social Networking Facilities use web-based and mobile technologies on smartphones and tablet computers to create highly interactive platforms through which individuals, communities and organizations can share, co-create, discuss, and modify user-generated content or pre-made content posted online. • They introduce substantial and pervasive changes to communication between businesses, organizations, communities, and individuals. • Social Networking Facilities changes the way individuals and large organizations communicate. • These changes are the focus of the emerging field of technoself studies. • Social Networking Facilities differ from paper-based or traditional electronic media such as TV broadcasting in many ways, including quality, reach, frequency, usability, immediacy, and permanence. • Social Networking Facilities operate in a dialogic transmission system (many sources to many receivers). • This is in contrast to traditional media that operates under a monologic transmission model (one source to many receivers), such as a paper newspaper which is delivered to many subscribers. Some of the most popular Social Networking Facilities are: 1. WhatsApp 2. Facebook 3. Twitter 4. LinkedIn 5. Instagram 6. YouTube 7. Google+ 8. Pinterest 9. Tumblr, 10. Viber 11. Snapchat BENEFITS OF SOCIAL NETWORK FACILITIES • Instant Communication • Better, Faster Feedback • Keep Current & Connected • Worldwide Connectivity • Commonality of Interest
  • 27. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 26 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com • Real-Time Information Sharing • Targeted Advertising • Increased News Cycle Speed 1. Gain valuable customer insights Social Networking Facilities generates a huge amount of data about your customers in real time. Every day there are over 500 million Tweets, 4.5 billion Likes on Facebook, and 95 million photos and videos uploaded to Instagram. Behind these staggering numbers is a wealth of information about your customers—who they are, what they like, and how they feel about your brand. 2. Increase brand awareness and loyalty When you have a presence on Social Networking Facilities, you make it easier for your customers to find and connect with you. And by connecting with your customers on social, you’re more likely to increase customer retention and brand loyalty. A study by The Social Habit shows that 53 percent of Americans who follow brands on social are more loyal to those brands. 3. Run targeted ads with real-time results Social ads are an inexpensive way to promote your business and distribute content. They also offer powerful targeting options so that you can reach the right audience. For example, if you run an ad campaign on LinkedIn, you can segment by things like location, company, job title, gender, and age—the list goes on. If you’re running a Facebook ad, you can target based on location, demographics, interests, behaviors, and connections. You can track and measure the performance of your social ads in real time. 4. Generate higher converting leads Social Networking Facilities increases sales and customer retention through regular interaction and timely customer service. In the 2015 Sales Best Practices Study from research institute MHI Global, world-class companies rated Social Networking Facilities as the most effective way to identify key decision makers and new business opportunities. In the State of Social Selling in 2015, nearly 75 percent of companies that engaged in selling on Social Networking Facilities reported an increase in sales in 12 months. 5. Provide rich customer experiences Even if you aren’t on Social Networking Facilities, most of your customers expect you to be. Over 67 percent of consumers now go to Social Networking Facilities for customer service. They expect fast response times and 24/7 support—and companies that deliver win out. A study by Aberdeen Group shows that companies engaging in social customer service see much bigger annual financial gains (7.5 percent YOY growth) vs. those without (2.9 percent). 6. Increase website traffic and search ranking
  • 28. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 27 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com One of the biggest benefits of Social Networking Facilities for business is using it to increase your website traffic. Not only does Social Networking Facilities help you direct people to your website, but the more Social Networking Facilities shares you receive, the higher your search ranking will be. For example, if every person who follows Social Networking Facilities on Twitter Retweets this post, it’s more likely to rank higher in Google’s search engine results page for variations of “Social Networking Facilities for business.” 7. Find out what your competitors are doing With Social Networking Facilities monitoring you can gain key information about your competitors. This kind of intel will allow you to make strategic business decisions to stay ahead of them. For example, you can create search streams in Social Networking Facilities to monitor industry keywords and mentions of your competitors’ names and products. Based on your search results, you can improve your business to offer product enhancements, service, or content that they may be missing. 8. Share content faster and easier In the past, marketers faced the challenge of ensuring their content reached customers in the shortest possible time. With the help of Social Networking Facilities, specifically when it comes to sharing content about your business or for content curation, all you need to do is share it on your brand’s social network accounts. 9. Geotarget content Geo-targeting is an effective way to send your message out to a specific audience based on their location. Social networks like Facebook and Twitter have tools that allow you to communicate the right kind of content to your audience. For example, in Social Networking Facilities you can target Twitter messages to followers in specific countries, or send messages from Facebook and LinkedIn company pages to specific groups based on geographical and demographic parameters. You can also use Social Networking Facilities geotargeting to find conversations relevant to your brand. 10. Build relationships Social Networking Facilities isn’t about blasting your company’s sales pitch on social, it’s a two- way channel where you have the opportunity to enrich relationships with your customers. For example, Social Networking Facilities allows tourism brands to create dialogue with travellers, therefore creating relationships with customers before, during, and after they have booked a trip with the company. This kind of Social Networking Facilities dialogue between brands and customers is something traditional advertising cannot achieve.
  • 29. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 28 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com QUESTION 3 Explain what a computer virus is and describe how viruses affect the operation of a computer and suggest ways of minimizing or eliminating the effects of computer viruses. [25] Computer virus • An executable computer program written intentionally to alter the way a computer operates without permission, to do harm to the computer. • A virus is a computer program designed to enter your computer and tamper with your files without your knowledge. Once the program containing the virus is open, the activated virus can not only infect other programs and documents on your computer, it can duplicate and transmit itself to other computers that are connected to yours, just like a physical virus can move from one human host to another. How viruses affect the operation of a computer? • Reduced memory or disk space • Files are overwritten or damaged • Hard drive may be erased • Data is modified /corrupted. • Change files & date stamp • Drive lights blink without reason • Longer times are experienced when loading programs • Slower system operation. • Deletion of data files • The computer completely fails to work • Erasure or deletion of executable files • Formatting of the hard disks • Filling up of disk space • Programs suddenly take longer to load. • The size of a program changes. • The disk runs out of free space when it seems to have plenty. • The CHKDSK command does not show the correct amount of bytes available. • Bit errors frequently occur while running Windows. • The disk drive is active when it should not be. • The hard drive is inaccessible when booting from a floppy drive. • Unrecognized files appear. • File names change. • The keyboard makes a clicking noise. • The screen becomes distorted.
  • 30. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 29 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com • Text on screen does unusual things. • CMOS settings, AUTOEXEC.BAT, or CONFIG.SYS files change unexpectedly (Symantec). • Your computer behaves strangely, i.e. in a way that you haven’t seen before. • You see unexpected messages or images. • You hear unexpected sounds, played at random. • Programs start unexpectedly. • Your personal firewall tells you that an application has tried to connect to the Internet (and it’s not a program that you ran). • Your friends tell you that they have received e-mail messages from your address and you haven’t sent them anything. • Your computer ‘freezes’ frequently, or programs start running slowly. • You get lots of system error messages. • The operating system will not load when you start your computer. • You notice that files or folders have been deleted or changed. • You notice hard disk access (shown by one of the small flashing lights) when you’re not aware of any programs running. • Your web browser behaves erratically, e.g. you can’t close a browser window. Suggest ways of minimizing or eliminating the effects of computer viruses Install a reliable antiviral package, Install antivirus software, e.g. Avira, Eset Nod32, AVG, Norton, Dr. Solomon Avoid Software piracy thus buy software from authorized dealers. Never download unknown files from the internet Boot the system from virus free disks Using write protect tabs on floppy disks Scan every floppy diskette for viruses before use. Unknown floppy diskettes should not be used Avoid using foreign storage media Use genuine software Avoid opening e-mails from suspicious or unknown sources • Install a reliable anti virus program – From the first moment you turn your computer on, you should have a trusted anti virus program by your side. Even if you have a machine that isn’t hooked up to the Internet, a reliable anti virus program is a low cost and common sense addition to any machine. There are even free anti virus programs you can download that work almost as well as industry giants like Norton and McAfee. • Install anti-spyware and anti-malware programs – As good as the best anti virus programs are, they sometimes need a little bit of help. Thankfully, many of the top anti- spyware programs are completely free. Spybot Search and Destroy and CCleaner are just two free programs that can help prevent computer viruses from doing any damage on your machine. As helpful as these programs are, however, you must update them and run them on a regular basis for them to do any good. • Avoid suspicious websites – A good virus protection program will alert you when you
  • 31. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 30 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com visit a website that attempts to install or run a program on your computer. Many less than reputable adult websites do this, so if you get a warning, don’t go back, you may end up with a bug you can’t get rid of. • Never Open Email Attachments Without Scanning Them First – The most common way viruses are spread throughout the Internet is still via email. Some attachments, like pictures, now display in emails and don’t require an attachment to be manually opened, but other documents do. Make sure you use an email client that scans all email attachments before you are allowed to open them. This will help prevent computer viruses from getting a foothold on your machine. • Set up Automatic Scans – Many of the top anti virus programs, as well as the best anti- spyware programs, now have settings that will let them automatically run during down times or in the middle of the night. Of course, your computer must be on for this to happen, but having daily scans run when nothing else is going on is a great way to prevent even the latest computer viruses from sticking around too long. • Watch Your Downloads – Part of the fun of the Internet is downloading music, movies and other items. However, since these downloads are so massive, it can be easy to sneak a virus along for the ride. Only download these files from trusted sites that you can count on, or, at the very least, scan them before you open them. • Updates, Updates, Updates – There is a reason why Windows has a feature called Critical Updates. There is an entire branch of Microsoft dedicated to staying one step ahead of the hackers out there so when they manage to fix a possible security loophole, you need to download the patch right away. Help Microsoft help you prevent computer viruses from causing too much trouble. • Know What To Look For – Even if you are just a casual computer user, you should have an idea of how your machine operates, what normal pop up windows look like and what popular viruses are out there, that way, when your computer begins exhibiting tell tale signs, you’ll know. You can help prevent computer viruses by staying updated and educated. • Stay Away From Cracked Software – It is so secret that you can download illegal, cracked versions of some programs online. As tempting as it may be, these files are almost always infested with advanced and difficult to detect bugs. Play it safe and get your software from the source. • Install a Firewall – A firewall is a program that screens incoming Internet and network traffic. Along with your virus program, it can help prevent unauthorized access to your computer. • Be prepared to Lock Down – If you hear of a virus that is spreading like wildfire through the Internet, make an extra effort to be careful. Don’t open any suspicious emails or accept any downloads for a week or two until your virus protection program has been updated and you are, once again, safe.
  • 32. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 31 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com QUESTION 4 Briefly describe the functions of the following parts of a computer a) CPU [5] • The central processing unit (CPU) of a computer is a piece of hardware that carries out the instructions of a computer program. • It performs the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of a computer system. • The CPU is like the brains of the computer - every instruction, no matter how simple, has to go through the CPU. • So let's say you press the letter 'k' on your keyboard and it appears on the screen - the CPU of your computer is what makes this possible The Four Primary Functions of the CPU • The CPU processes instructions it receives in the process of decoding data. In processing this data, the CPU performs four basic steps: 1. Fetch Each instruction is stored in memory and has its own address. The processor takes this address number from the program counter, which is responsible for tracking which instructions the CPU should execute next. 2. Decode All programs to be executed are translated to into Assembly instructions. Assembly code must be decoded into binary instructions, which are understandable to your CPU. This step is called decoding. 3. Execute While executing instructions the CPU can do one of three things: Do calculations with its ALU, move data from one memory location to another, or jump to a different address. 4. Store The CPU must give feedback after executing an instruction and the output data is written to the memory. b) Monitor [5] • The main function of a computer monitor is to display video and graphical information generated by the computers graphics adapter, allowing the user to interact with the computer. • It is categorized as an output device. • Computer monitor is a display adapter that displays information processed by the computer's video card. • When a video card or graphics card converts binary information from 1s and 0s into images, these images are displayed onto the directly connected monitor.
  • 33. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 32 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com • There are different types of monitors, including cathode ray tube (CRT) and liquid crystal displays (LCD). • Monitors have display functions that include powering it on and off, controlling brightness, contrast and position, among others. c) Keyboard [5] • A computer keyboard allows an operator to give commands to the computer in a simple way by pressing keys. • The keys on a keyboard are typically labeled with their input function, ranging from letters of the alphabet to numbers and symbols. • A computer keyboard is an input device used to enter characters and functions into the computer system by pressing buttons, or keys. • It is the primary device used to enter text. • A keyboard typically contains keys for individual letters, numbers and special characters, as well as keys for specific functions. • A keyboard is connected to a computer system using a cable or a wireless connection. d) Mouse [5] • A computer mouse enables its user to move a cursor smoothly and intuitively across a two-dimensional plane. • It's therefore an essential input device for selecting, dragging, hovering, and clicking. • The mouse allows users to switch between applications, select options and buttons, and move around the screen with a great degree of accuracy and fluidity. • It is used to move between and select links on a website, buttons on an options screen, entries on a menu, and many more tasks that would be far more difficult using a keyboard alone. • It is a device used for computer input. It points and click on icons, menus, command buttons or activates something on a computer. The GUI (Graphical user interface) of current applications and programs are user friendly and easier to navigate using computer mouse. A computer mouse has many functions that help a user use their computer. Below are the most common functions of a mouse. • Move the mouse cursor - The primary use of a computer mouse is to move the mouse cursor on the screen. • Open or execute a program - Once you've moved the mouse to an icon, folder, or other object clicking or double clicking that object opens the document or executes the program.
  • 34. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 33 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com • Select - A mouse also allows you to select a file or highlight and select multiple files at once. • Scroll - When working with a long document or viewing a long web page you may need to scroll up or down on that page. Using a mouse wheel or clicking and dragging the scroll bar is another function of the mouse. e) CD-ROM [5] • CD-ROM stands for Compact Disc Read-Only Memory. • It functions as a CD that stores computer data of graphics, text and audio. • They are popular for software and other multimedia applications. • It is an optical disk that has the capacity to store data, music files, video files etc. • Once it is filled up with data, new data cannot be entered on it. First of all it was designed to store only the music and video files, but later this format has also been adapted to store the binary data of the computer. • They are particularly used to distribute the computer software that can include, games, multimedia application etc. • CD-ROMs commonly store up to 700MB of information. This data comes pre-stamped by the manufacturer so it cannot be erased nor edited. CD Rom Drive - Functions 1. Data Reading CD-ROM drives can open documents on data CDs, such as music files, pictures, word documents and other files. However, CD-ROM drives cannot write information to a CD (burn) because they are read-only drives; writing information to a CD is done with a CD-R drive. 2. Music Playback CDs can be created in two forms, an audio CD and a data CD. Data CDs can only be opened by computers and other CD players. However, audio CDs can be played by any CD player, such as in most new car stereos or a portable CD player. 3. Software Installation CDs are widely used as installation discs. Whenever there is software included with a product that you buy in a store, or just the software itself, it is highly likely that it is stored on a CD. Before software could be downloaded off the Internet, it was exclusively distributed in CDs and floppy diskettes.
  • 35. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 34 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com QUESTION 5 Explain briefly the following a) Systems software [5] • The system software is collection of programs designed to operate, control, and extend the processing capabilities of the computer itself. • System software are generally prepared by computer manufactures. • These software products comprise of programs written in low-level languages which interact with the hardware at a very basic level. • System software serves as the interface between hardware and the end users. • Some examples of system software are Operating System, Compilers, Interpreter, and Assemblers etc. Features of system software are as follows: • Close to system • Fast in speed • Difficult to design • Difficult to understand • Less interactive • Smaller in size • Difficult to manipulate • Generally written in low-level language b) Operating system [5] • An operating system is a program that acts as an interface between the software and the computer hardware. • It is an integrated set of specialized programs that are used to manage overall resources and operations of the computer. • An operating system (OS) is the program that, after being initially loaded into the computer by a boot program, manages all the other programs in a computer. • Examples include MSDOS, Windows, Android, Linux, Unix, Mac Os, IOS • • Functions Of Operating Systems Include; 1. Controls and coordinates the computer system 2. Scheduling and loading of jobs to provide continuous processing. So that no parts of the computer system are idle for any significant period of time. 3. It is a platform for application programs 4. Provides user interface 5. Acts as an interface between hardware and application programs 6. Provides error correctional routines
  • 36. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 35 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com 7. Control over selection and operation of input-output devices & file handling. 8. Records details of processing for control analysis 9. File management, control the creation, deletion, saving and access of files 10. Memory management, allocates memory to various jobs or tasks 11. Multiprogramming, multiprocessing, multitasking, timesharing, housekeeping & handling errors. 12. Resource management manages processor time, memory space, disk space and peripheral devices. 13. Reports errors when they occur. 14. Task management. Manage the accomplishment of the computing tasks of end users. It may involve multitasking capability where several computing tasks can occur at the same time. 15. Minimizes the amount of human intervention required during processing. c) Computer hardware [5] • Computer hardware is the collection of physical components that constitute a computer system. • Computer hardware is the physical parts or components of a computer, such as monitor, keyboard, computer data storage, hard disk drive (HDD), graphic card, sound card, memory (RAM), motherboard, and so on, all of which are tangible physical objects. • By contrast, software is instructions that can be stored and run by hardware. • Hardware is directed by the software to execute any command or instruction. • A combination of hardware and software forms a usable computing system d) RAM [5] • RAM (Random Access Memory) is the internal memory of the CPU for storing data, program and program result. • It is read/write memory which stores data until the machine is working. • As soon as the machine is switched off, data is erased. • Access time in RAM is independent of the address that is, each storage location inside the memory is as easy to reach as other locations and takes the same amount of time. • Data in the RAM can be accessed randomly but it is very expensive. • RAM is volatile, i.e. data stored in it is lost when we switch off the computer or if there is a power failure. • Hence a backup uninterruptible power system (UPS) is often used with computers. • RAM is small, both in terms of its physical size and in the amount of data it can hold. RAM is of two types • Static RAM (SRAM) • Dynamic RAM (DRAM)
  • 37. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 36 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com e) ROM [5] • ROM stands for Read Only Memory. The memory from which we can only read but cannot write on it. • This type of memory is non-volatile. • The information is stored permanently in such memories during manufacture. • A ROM, stores such instructions that are required to start a computer. • This operation is referred to as bootstrap. • ROM chips are not only used in the computer but also in other electronic items like washing machine and microwave oven
  • 38. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 37 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com NOV/ DEC 2013 QUESTION 1 a) Describe the main hardware components of a computer [15] • INPUT UNIT o Any computer peripheral used to enter data and/or control signals into a computer system. Some devices, such as modems, are capable of both input as well as output. Examples of Input Devices o Digital Camera—record photographs in the form of digital data that can be stored on a computer. o Digitizer—converts points, lines, and curves from a sketch, drawing, or photograph to digital impulses and transmits them to a computer o Electronic Whiteboard—captures anything drawn on special whiteboard o Joystick—uses the movement of a vertical stem to direct the pointer. These are often used with computer games and have buttons you can press to activate events, depending upon the software. o Graphics Tablet—similar to a digitizer, but it also contains unique characters and commands that can be generated automatically by the person using the tablet o Image Scanner (page scanner)– an input device that can electronically capture an entire page of text or images such as photographs or art work.
  • 39. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 38 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com o Keyboard—most commonly used input device. You enter data by pressing keys on the keyboard • CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU) o The component in any computing system that represents the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute program instructions, it consists of the Control Unit, arithmetic/logic unit and the controller.. It is the corollary to the brain in organic systems. • ARITHMETIC/LOGIC UNIT o Contains the electronic circuitry necessary to perform arithmetic and logical operations on data. • CONTROL UNIT o The component in any computing system that works in coordinatin with the central processing unit to instruct, maintain and control the flow of information. • MEMORY UNIT o Integrated circuits that temporarily store program instructions and data that can be retrieved. Basic unit of memory is a byte. o RAM (Random Access Memory) – a volatile form of memory, RAM generally functions as a computers "desktop" - the space in which data that is actively under review and/or manipulation can be processed. As a result and as a general rule, the more RAM with which a computer is fitted, the more and faster data can be viewed and manipulated. RAM needs to be cyclically "refreshed" from an outside power source in order to maintain the information contained therein. When external power is removed, the data contents held in RAM disappears. For this reason, RAM is sometimes referred to as short term memory. o ROM (Read Only Memory) – a non-volatile form of memory, ROM stores data that does not commonly change, like startup instructions and data used when a computer if first turned on. o CMOS –used to store information about the computer system, such as the amount of memory, the type of keyboard and monitors, and the type and capacity of disk drives. • OUTPUT UNIT o Devices that convert the results of processed data into a form that can be used and understood by the user. A computer display is an example of an output device, as is a printer. Whereas a computer display uses a screen to present visual information in virtual form, a printer produces hardcopy - a tangible form of the data or information. Audio speakers are another form of output device, converting electronic programming into human-audible sound. Some devices are capable of being output as well as input devices. Examples of Output Devices o Computer display or monitor o Plotter- Designed for line drawing; often used for computer-aided design; some units can handle large paper sizes o Modem—a device that converts data into a form suitable for both receipt and transmission by wire or radio such that it can be reconstructed at the destination point. o Multifunction Devices—Combines printer, fax, scanner, and copier o Printers o Projectors • BACKING/ AUXILIARY / SECONDARY STORAGE o Store instructions and data when they are not being used by the system unit. o Examples of Storage Devices
  • 40. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 39 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com CD-ROM (compact disk read-only) — a smaller optical disk that can store about 450 times the data on a floppy Data Cartridges—removable hard disk drives that provide both the storage capacity and fast access Floppy disk/drive—a flexible platter coated with material that allows data to be recorded magnetically on the surface of the platters. Hard Disk—one or more rigid platters coated with material that allows data to be recorded magnetically on the surface of the platters. b) Examine any three benefits of having internet in a sports organization. [10] 1. Global Audience Content published on the World Wide Web is immediately available to a global audience of users. This makes the World Wide Web a very cost-effective medium to publish information. Reaching more than 190 countries. 2. Operates 24 hours, 7 days a week You don't need to wait until resources are available to conduct business. From a consumer's perspective as well as a provider's business can be consummated at any time. The fact that the Internet is operational at all times makes it the most efficient business machine to date. 3. Relatively Inexpensive It is relatively inexpensive to publish information on the Internet. At a fraction of the cost to publish information by traditional methods, various organizations and individuals can now distribute information to millions of users. It costs only a few thousand dollars to establish an Internet presence and publish content on the Internet. 4. Product Advertising You can use the World Wide Web to advertise various products. Before purchasing a product, customers will be able to look up various product specification sheets and find out additional information. You can use the multimedia capabilities of the World Wide Web to make available not only various product specification sheets but also audio files, images, and even video clips of products in action. The beauty of the Web is that it allows customers to explore products in as much detail as they desire. If the client just wants a general overview, he or she can look at the advertising information. For those wanting more in depth information, you can provide white papers and product descriptions for download. The Web allows a business to provide timely information, you can simply place the information on the Web page and it is available immediately for your customers. 5. Distribute Product Catalogs The World Wide Web is a very effective medium for distributing product catalogs. In the old days, putting together a product catalog used to be very costly in terms of time and money needed to publish and distribute it. The World Wide Web changes all this by allowing content developers to put together a sales catalog and make it available to millions of users immediately. Furthermore, unlike printed product catalogs that are usually updated around
  • 41. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 40 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com once a month, product catalogs on the World Wide Web can be updated as needed to respond to various changing market conditions. 6. Online Surveys Traditional methods of performing surveys are often relatively slow and expensive compared to online surveys conducted on the Internet. For example, in order to fill out various needs of customers or what they would like to see in a future product, it's often necessary to compile a list of address and mail a questionnaire to many customers. The success of such an attempt is not always guaranteed and can be very costly in terms of mailing the questionnaires and entering responses to a databases and analyzing it. On the other hand, you can use the World Wide Web to automate the whole process. For example, you can set up a CGI script to conduct online surveys. Results of such a survey can be automatically updated to a database. This database can then be used to keep a pulse on various opinions and needs of customers. 7. Announcements With the World Wide Web, you can distribute various announcements to millions of users in a timely manner. Because there is virtually no time lag from the time it takes to publish information to making the information available to users, the Web is an ideal medium to publicize announcements. As more people discover the virtues of the Web and get connected to the Internet, the Web will become the medium of choice for many organizations and individuals to publicize various announcements. 8. Provide Technical Support You can also use Web site to provide technical support to users. Because Web pages can be updated immediately with new information, various technical support literature can be immediately modified in light of new findings and developments. This can be accomplished without having to distribute changes to all users affected by any changes using traditional mediums of information distribution, which are often quite costly compared to the World Wide Web. 9. Create Online Discussion Forums By using applications such as WebBoard, it's possible to set up online discussion forums on the Web. 10. Obtain Customer Feedback The interactive nature of the World Wide Web is ideal for obtaining customer feedback. You can easily set up a CGI script to obtain customer feedback about a product or service. Because customer feedback submitted by customers can be read immediately, it's possible to respond to various customer concerns in a timely manner, increasing customer satisfaction and quality of customer service. 11. Immediate Distribution of Information When information is added to a Web site, it's immediately available for browsing by millions of Internet users. The World Wide Web is an ideal medium of information distribution because it takes away the time lag associated with publishing content and actually making it available to users 12. Easy Integration with Internal Information Systems Internet information systems deployed on the Internet can be easily integrated with internal information systems managed with office productivity applications such as Microsoft Office. 13. Powerful Content Publishing Tools A new breed of Internet aware applications will start emerging in software stores by the time you read this. These applications will enable users to develop content for the World Wide
  • 42. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 41 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com Web by simply saving as an HTML file. In addition to software developers making existing applications Internet aware, various new, powerful, and easy-to use Internet content publishing applications are also being developed. These applications will make the task of publishing content on the Internet even easier. Most of these applications are developed for Windows users. 14. Multimedia The capability to incorporate multimedia into Web pages is a major advantage of using World Wide Web to publish information. For example, many Web sites use sounds and video clips to make the content easier and more interesting to browse.
  • 43. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 42 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com QUESTION 2 a) Using practical examples explain the basic functions of an operating system. [10] 1. MANAGEMENT OF THE PROCESSOR: • The operating system is responsible for managing allocation of the processor between the different programs using a scheduling algorithm. The type of scheduler is totally dependent on the operating system, according to the desired objective. • The OS is responsible for managing the allocation of processor time to the different programs that will be using the computer. The processor can only execute one instruction at a time and in a multi-user system, conflicts are bound to arise when several user programs request usage of the processor at the same time. The OS therefore allocates processor time to all users either in a round robin fashion or using a system of priorities. 2. MANAGEMENT OF THE RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY: • The operating system is responsible for managing the memory space allocated to each application and, where relevant, to each user. If there is insufficient physical memory, the operating system can create a memory zone on the hard drive, known as "virtual memory". The virtual memory lets you run applications requiring more memory than there is available RAM on the system. However, this memory is a great deal slower. • The OS is responsible for managing the memory space allocated to each application. If there is insufficient physical memory the OS can create a memory zone on the hard drive known as virtual memory which lets you run applications requiring more memory than is available on the system. • The operating system is responsible for the following activities in connections with memory management. • Keep track of which parts of memory are currently being used and by whom. • Decide which processes to load when memory space becomes available. • Allocate and deallocate memory space as needed 3. MANAGEMENT OF INPUT/OUTPUT: • The operating system allows unification and control of access of programmes to material resources via drivers (also known as peripheral administrators or input/output administrators). 4. MANAGEMENT OF EXECUTION OF APPLICATIONS:
  • 44. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 43 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com • The operating system is responsible for smooth execution of applications by allocating the resources required for them to operate. This means an application that is not responding correctly can be "killed". 5. MANAGEMENT OF AUTHORISATIONS: • The operating system is responsible for security relating to execution of programmes by guaranteeing that the resources are used only by programs and users with the relevantauthorizations. 6. FILE MANAGEMENT: • The operating system manages reading and writing in the file system and the user and application file access authorizations. • The OS manages reading from and writing to files and also controls the creation, manipulation and access to files. • The operating system is responsible for the following activities in connections with file management: File creation and deletion Directory creation and deletion Support of primitives for manipulating files and directories Mapping files onto secondary storage File backup on stable (nonvolatile) storage media 7. INFORMATION MANAGEMENT: • The operating system provides a certain number of indicators that can be used to diagnose the correct operation of the machine. 8. ERROR DETECTION • The OS is responsible for detecting and any hardware or software malfunctioning and reporting them to the user 9. USER/SYSTEM INTERFACE • The OS acts as an interface between the computer and the user, hiding all the complexities of the computer from the user and making the computer more user friendly 10. PREPARATION OF A SYSTEM LOG • The OS compiles a report on the events that take place in a computer from the time a user logs on to a computer, what he/she does up to the time he/she logs off
  • 45. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 44 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com b) Analyze any 5 ways in which computer viruses can be transmitted. Use of infected floppy diskettes on uninfected computers. Floppy disks or other media that users can exchange. Downloading unknown files, when your computer is connected to the Internet. Opening an E-mail attachment. Email attachments. Accepting unknown program installations from the internet Use of network files/direct connection/through networks. Software piracy [buying software from unauthorized agents]. Pirated software. Booting a PC from an infected medium. Executing an infected program. Opening an infected file. Shareware. Viruses may be sent by opening email attachments, clicking on spam, visiting corrupt websites and links online, • Opening spreadsheets or even the original method—infected disks. • But the Internet is now the superhighway for virus transmission. Sharing of storage media • Through e-mail attachments • Networks – if your computer is connected to a home network or if your work computer is part of network, you may find yourself with an infection through no fault of your own. There isn’t much you can do to stop these kinds of infections, short of having your network administrator ensure that everyone’s antivirus software is up to date so that the invading bug can be removed as quickly as possible. • Internet downloads including software piracy • Rogue Websites. It is depressing to know that you may become infected with spyware or a virus by doing nothing more than simply visiting a website, but it istrue. Many adult websites, gambling websites and other less than trustworthy websites will attempt to automatically access your computer when you visit them. They often install adware bugs that will cause a flurry of pop ups to appear on your screen. This adware will often allow for other programs with even more nefarious purposes to be installed and before you know it, your computer will be swamped. To stop these rogue websites, adjust the settings on your antivirus software and firewall so that no outside connections can be made and no programs can be installed without your express permission.
  • 46. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 45 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com QUESTION 3 a) Discuss any two benefits which a named sports organization can derive from using a database management system (DBMS) [10] 1. Centralized Management and Control - One of the main advantages of using a database system is that the organization can exert, via the DBA, centralized management and control over the data. 2. Reduction of Redundancies and Inconsistencies - Centralized control avoids unnecessary duplication of data and effectively reduces the total amount of data storage required. Removing redundancy eliminates inconsistencies. 3. Data Sharing - A database allows the sharing of data under its control by any number of application programs or users. 4. Data Integrity - Data integrity means that the data contained in the database is both accurate and consistent. Centralized control can also ensure that adequate checks are incorporated in the DBMS to provide data integrity. 5. Data Security - Data is of vital importance to an organization and may be confidential. Such confidential data must not be accessed by unauthorized persons. The DBA who has the ultimate responsibility for the data in the DBMS can ensure that proper access procedures are followed. Different levels of security could be implemented for various types of data and operations. 6. Data Independence - Data independence is the capacity to change the schema at one level of a database system without having to change the schema at the next level. It is usually considered from two points of view: physical data independence and logical data independence. Physical data independence is the capacity to change the internal schema without having to change conceptual schema. Logical data independence is the capacity to change the conceptual schema without having to change external schemas or application programs. 7. Providing Storage Structures for Efficient Query Processing - Database systems provide capabilities for efficiently executing queries and updates. Auxiliary files called indexes are used for this purpose. 8. Backup and Recovery - These facilities are provided to recover databases from hardware and/or software failures
  • 47. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 46 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com b) Analyze any 3 of the following i. Voice recognition software.[5] • Voice or speech recognition is the ability of a machine or program to receive and interpret dictation, or to understand and carry out spoken commands. • For use with computers, analog audio must be converted into digital signals. This requires analog-to-digital conversion. • For a computer to decipher the signal, it must have a digital database, or vocabulary, of words or syllables, and a speedy means of comparing this data with signals. • The speech patterns are stored on the hard drive and loaded into memory when the program is run. A comparator checks these stored patterns against the output of the A/D converter. • In practice, the size of a voice-recognition program's effective vocabulary is directly related to the random access memory capacity of the computer in which it is installed. • A voice-recognition program runs many times faster if the entire vocabulary can be loaded into RAM, as compared with searching the hard drive for some of the matches. • Processing speed is critical as well, because it affects how fast the computer can search the RAM for matches. • All voice-recognition systems or programs make errors. • Screaming children, barking dogs, and loud external conversations can produce false input. • Much of this can be avoided only by using the system in a quiet room. • There is also a problem with words that sound alike but are spelled differently and have different meanings -- for example, "hear" and "here." This problem might someday be largely overcome using stored contextual information. However, this will require more RAM and faster processors than are currently available in personal computers. ii. Screen reader software.[5] • Screen readers are software programs that allow blind or visually impaired users to read the text that is displayed on the computer screen with a speech synthesizer or braille display. • A screen reader is the interface between the computer's operating system, its applications, and the user. • The user sends commands by pressing different combinations of keys on the computer keyboard or braille display to instruct the speech synthesizer what to say and to speak automatically when changes occur on the computer screen.
  • 48. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 47 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com • A command can instruct the synthesizer to read or spell a word, read a line or full screen of text, find a string of text on the screen, announce the location of the computer's cursor or focused item, and so on. • In addition, it allows users to perform more advanced functions, such as locating text displayed in a certain color, reading pre-designated parts of the screen on demand, reading highlighted text, and identifying the active choice in a menu. • Users may also use the spell checker in a word processor or read the cells of a spreadsheet with a screen reader. • Screen readers are currently available for use with personal computers running Linux, Windows, and mac, IOS, Android, and more. • Screen readers are used mainly by people who do not have useful vision to read text on the screen. • A screen reader can also be the product of choice for someone with vision that is useful for travel, but not for reading. In the long run, learning to listen to speech output will prove more productive for such individuals than struggling to read text while leaning close to the computer screen. iii. On screen keyboard.[5] • A soft keyboard (sometimes called an onscreen keyboard or software keyboard ) is a system that replaces the hardware keyboard on a computing device with an on-screen image map . • Soft keyboards are typically used to enable input on a handheld device so that a keyboard doesn't have to be carried with it, and to allow people with disabilities or special needs to use computers. • The displayed keyboard can usually be moved and resized, and generally can allow any input that the hardware version does. • Other features, such as speech synthesis or word completion or prediction, may be included. A soft keyboard is perhaps the most common type of virtual keyboard (a term that encompasses all types of software keyboards). • With a soft keyboard, you enter data by tapping keys on the keyboard display, usually with a stylus , so that accuracy depends only on hitting the right key. • Some soft keyboards include programs that recognize the likelihood of certain keystrokes in context, so that they can choose the most likely choice when a keystroke is ambiguous. • For people who are unable to use a regular keyboard, soft keyboards allow input through a variety of means, including mouse or trackball control, touch screen , and head-pointing devices.
  • 49. COMPUTERS: QUESTION & ANSWERS THEORY Page 48 of 87 rmmakaha@gmail.com iv. Presentation application.[5] • A presentation program is a software package used to display information in the form of a slide show. • Examples include Microsoft PowerPoint • It has three major functions: an editor that allows text to be inserted and formatted, a method for inserting and manipulating graphic images, and a slide-show system to display the content • A presentation program is supposed to help both the speaker with an easier access to his ideas and the participants with visual information which complements the talk. • There are many different types of presentations including professional (work-related), education, entertainment, and for general communication. • Presentation programs can either supplement or replace the use of older visualaid technology, such as pamphlets, handouts, chalkboards, flip charts, posters, slides and overhead transparencies. • Text, graphics, movies, and other objects are positioned on individual pages or "slides" or "foils". • Slides can be printed, or (more usually) displayed on-screen and navigated through at the command of the presenter.