Office Data Processing for MS Office 2007 Level 3 Student`s Book

Transcription

FET FIRST
Office Data Processing
for MS Office 2007
NQF Level 3
Student’s Book
C. Sherratt, M. Smith
FET FIRST Office Data Processing
for MS Office 2007
NQF Level 3 Student’s Book
© C. Sherratt, M. Smith 2011
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic, photocopying, recording,
or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the
copyright holder or in accordance with the provisions
of the Copyright Act, 1978 [as amended].
Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this
publication may be liable for criminal prosecution and civil
claims for damages.
First published 2011
Published by
Troupant Publishers (Pty) Ltd
PO Box 4532
Northcliff
2115
Distributed by Macmillan South Africa [Pty] Ltd
Cover design by René de Wet
Artwork by Sean Strydom
Typesetting by Golden Pear Desktop Publishing
Edited by Michael Scarth and Semantha Beljon
Proofread by Vanessa Perlman
ISBN-13: 978-1-920334-765; eISBN: 978-1-430801-566
The publishers have made every effort to trace the copyright holders.
If they have inadvertently overlooked any, they will be
pleased to make the necessary arrangements at the first opportunity.
It is illegal to photocopy any page of this book
without written permission from the publishers.
Microsoft product screen shot(s) reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation.
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Tel: (011) 731 3337
Fax: (011) 731 3535
e-mail: [email protected]
Contents
Topic 1: Basic concepts of computers...................................................................... 1
Module 1: Introduction to computers........................................................................................ 2
Unit 1.1: Understanding and explaining general computer terms..................................................................................... Unit 1.2: Discussing computer hardware................................................................................................................................ Unit 1.3: Understanding and explaining the use of computer accessories........................................................................ Unit 1.4: Identifying and explaining the memory and storage capacity of a computer ................................................ Unit 1.5: Demonstrating the use of computer software........................................................................................................ Unit 2.1: Demonstrating the use of networks......................................................................................................................... 3
11
14
18
20
26
Module 2: Using information technology effectively................................................................. 26
Unit 2.2: Using Internet and e-mail software......................................................................................................................... 34
Unit 3.1: Applying word processing in educational and work environments.................................................................. 38
Module 3: Using computers effectively in everyday life........................................................... 38
Unit 3.2: Applying computer skills in everyday life............................................................................................................. Unit 3.3: Working safely with computers............................................................................................................................... Unit 3.4: Protecting your work................................................................................................................................................. Unit 3.5: Protecting your PC..................................................................................................................................................... 42
45
49
50
Module 4: Dealing with legal issues......................................................................................... 53
Unit 4.1: Understanding and explaining the concept of copyright.................................................................................... Unit 4.2: Understanding and explaining the principles of the Data Protection Act........................................................ Summary...................................................................................................................................................................................... Summative assessment.............................................................................................................................................................. 53
54
56
57
Topic 2: File management........................................................................................ 59
Module 5: Understanding and applying functions..................................................................... 60
Unit 5.1: Using the Help function............................................................................................................................................ 61
Unit 5.2: Identifying and applying system information and settings................................................................................ 65
Module 6 Working with files and folders.................................................................................. 73
Unit 6.1: Working effectively with drives, files and folders ............................................................................................... Unit 6.2: Using My Computer effectively............................................................................................................................... Unit 6.3: Using Windows Explorer effectively....................................................................................................................... Unit 6.4: Changing views.......................................................................................................................................................... Unit 6.5: Navigating folders...................................................................................................................................................... 73
79
81
82
83
Module 7 Managing computer files........................................................................................... 86
Unit 7.1: Managing files effectively.......................................................................................................................................... Unit 7.2: Deleting and using the Recycle Bin......................................................................................................................... Unit 7.3: Finding files................................................................................................................................................................. Unit 7.4: Using stiffy disks and flash drives........................................................................................................................... 86
90
92
93
Module 8 Applying programs and printing documents............................................................. 97
Unit 8.1: Starting applications................................................................................................................................................... 97
Unit 8.2: Using Word effectively............................................................................................................................................... 98
Unit 8.3: Using the Print function correctly............................................................................................................................ 102
Summary...................................................................................................................................................................................... 108
Summative assessment.............................................................................................................................................................. 109
Topic 3: Word processing......................................................................................... 113
Module 9: An introduction to word processing......................................................................... 114
Unit 9.1: Starting Word............................................................................................................................................................... 114
Unit 9.2: Applying Word options............................................................................................................................................. 115
Unit 9.3: Applying the Word screen......................................................................................................................................... 118
Unit 9.4: Understanding and using ribbons effectively........................................................................................................ 119
Unit 9.5: Entering and deleting text . ...................................................................................................................................... 125
Unit 9.6: Using the mouse......................................................................................................................................................... 127
Unit 9.7: Using the New, Save, Close, and Open, functions................................................................................................ 129
Unit 9.8: Moving around documents....................................................................................................................................... 133
Unit 9.9: Selecting text................................................................................................................................................................ 134
Unit 9.10: Correcting mistakes.................................................................................................................................................. 134
Unit 9.11: Using the Help function in Word........................................................................................................................... 137
Unit 9.12: Using Print Preview................................................................................................................................................. 139
Unit 9.13: Printing . .................................................................................................................................................................... 140
Module 10 Formatting text....................................................................................................... 142
Unit 10.1: Changing the appearance of text............................................................................................................................ 142
Unit 10.2: Aligning text ............................................................................................................................................................. 144
Unit 10.3: Using Fields, Special Characters and Symbols.................................................................................................... 147
Unit 10.4: Applying and customising bullets and numbering............................................................................................ 152
Unit 10.5: Indenting text............................................................................................................................................................ 157
Unit 10.6: Applying borders and shading............................................................................................................................... 157
Unit 10.7: Format Painter in toolbar........................................................................................................................................ 159
Unit 10.8: Demonstrating the use of different styles............................................................................................................. 160
Unit 10.9: Applying hyphenation............................................................................................................................................. 162
Unit 10.10: Demonstrating the correct way of automatic page numbering...................................................................... 163
Module 11 Working with extensive text.................................................................................... 165
Unit 11.1: Moving and copying text......................................................................................................................................... 165
Unit 11.2: Inserting page breaks .............................................................................................................................................. 166
Unit 11.3: Inserting appropriate margins .............................................................................................................................. 167
Unit 11.4: Demonstrating different line spacings ................................................................................................................. 168
Unit 11.5: Inserting headers and footers.................................................................................................................................. 169
Unit 11.6: Inserting section breaks............................................................................................................................................ 170
Unit 11.7: Inserting and using tabs appropriately................................................................................................................. 171
Unit 11.8: Using Go To; Find and Replace ............................................................................................................................. 176
Module 12 Formatting tables.................................................................................................... 178
Unit 12.1: Creating and editing tables..................................................................................................................................... 178
Unit 12.2: Inserting Tables and Borders toolbar..................................................................................................................... 180
Unit 12.3: Adding text to a table............................................................................................................................................... 181
Unit 12.4: Selecting parts of a table.......................................................................................................................................... 182
Unit 12.5: Inserting and deleting rows and columns............................................................................................................ 183
Unit 12.6: Resizing rows............................................................................................................................................................ 184
Unit 12.7: Resizing columns...................................................................................................................................................... 185
Unit 12.8: Moving and resizing the whole table.................................................................................................................... 186
Unit 12.9: Applying gridlines and borders ............................................................................................................................ 186
Unit 12.10: Inserting borders..................................................................................................................................................... 187
Unit 12.11: Applying shading................................................................................................................................................... 188
Unit 12.12: Merging and splitting cells.................................................................................................................................... 189
Unit 12.13: Use of Table AutoFormat....................................................................................................................................... 191
Module 13 Demonstrating the use of graphics......................................................................... 192
Unit 13.1: Drawing shapes......................................................................................................................................................... 192
Unit 13.2: Formatting shapes.................................................................................................................................................... 194
Unit 13.3: Inserting 3D shapes.................................................................................................................................................. 196
Unit 13.4: Adding text to shapes ............................................................................................................................................. 197
Unit 13.5: Adding graphics........................................................................................................................................................ 197
Unit 13.6: Using the Clip Art Gallery...................................................................................................................................... 202
Unit 13.7: Changing the text wrapping................................................................................................................................... 202
Unit 13.8: Selecting, moving and resizing pictures which are in line with the text......................................................... 203
Unit 13.9: Selecting, moving and resizing pictures which are floating over the text....................................................... 205
Unit 13.10: Customising Clip Art ............................................................................................................................................ 206
Module 14 Identifying and using software templates............................................................... 208
Unit 14.1: Demonstrating the use of templates in Word....................................................................................................... 208
Module 15: File management................................................................................................... 211
Unit 15.1: Saving files by using the advanced function........................................................................................................ 211
Unit 15.2: Searching for lost files.............................................................................................................................................. 214
Module 16: Importing objects................................................................................................... 217
Unit 16.1: Importing Excel spreadsheets in Word................................................................................................................. 217
Unit 16.2: Importing Excel charts in Word ............................................................................................................................ 218
Module 17: Using Mail Merge................................................................................................... 220
Unit 17.1: Creating a data document....................................................................................................................................... 221
Unit 17.2: Creating a main document...................................................................................................................................... 224
Unit 17.3: Carrying out a mail merge...................................................................................................................................... 226
Unit 17.4: Performing a mail merge on labels........................................................................................................................ 229
Unit 17.5: Applying query options in a mail merge.............................................................................................................. 231
Unit 17.6: Demonstrating troubleshooting in Mail Merge................................................................................................... 233
Unit 17.7: Inserting date and time............................................................................................................................................ 234
Summary...................................................................................................................................................................................... 239
Topic 4: Information and communication using Outlook.......................................... 241
Module 18: Introduction to the Internet.................................................................................... 242
Unit 18.1: Demonstrating the use of the Internet................................................................................................................... 244
Module 19: Introduction to the World Wide Web.................................................................246
Unit 19.1: Identifying and using Internet Explorer......................................................................................................... 247
Unit 19.2: Using Help in Internet Explorer....................................................................................................................... 249
Unit 19.3: Customising the screen...................................................................................................................................... 252
Unit 19.4: Using toolbars..................................................................................................................................................... 254
Unit 19.5: Accessing a Web page........................................................................................................................................ 258
Unit 19.6: Browsing theWorld Wide Web.......................................................................................................................... 260
Module 20: Using search engines............................................................................................. 262
Unit 20.1: Using of different search engines........................................................................................................................... 263
Unit 20.2: Identifying and using search engine tips.............................................................................................................. 264
Unit 20.3: Accessing search engines directly ......................................................................................................................... 265
Unit 20.4: Narrowing a search.................................................................................................................................................. 266
Unit 20.5: Using Yahoo............................................................................................................................................................... 268
Module 21 Viewing and saving Web pages................................................................................ 269
Unit 21.1: Saving Web pages..................................................................................................................................................... 269
Unit 21.2: Viewing and saving images from Web pages...................................................................................................... 271
Module 22 Printing documents................................................................................................. 273
Unit 22.1: Using all printing options to print correctly ....................................................................................................... 274
Unit 22.2: Demonstrating the use of Page Setup................................................................................................................... 278
Module 23 Introduction to Outlook........................................................................................... 281
Unit 23.1: Opening Outlook...................................................................................................................................................... 282
Unit 23.2: Using the Outlook screen........................................................................................................................................ 283
Unit 23.3: Opening the Inbox.................................................................................................................................................... 285
Unit 23.4: Using Help in Outlook............................................................................................................................................. 286
Unit 23.5: Changing the view.................................................................................................................................................... 287
Module 24 Working with e-mail................................................................................................ 290
Unit 24.1: Creating a message................................................................................................................................................... 290
Unit 24.2: Receiving an e-mail.................................................................................................................................................. 291
Unit 24.3: Forwarding and replying to e-mail messages...................................................................................................... 292
Unit 24.4: Sending and receiving attachments....................................................................................................................... 292
Unit 24.5: Moving and copying text........................................................................................................................................ 293
Unit 24.6: Signing e-mail messages.......................................................................................................................................... 293
Unit 24.7: Checking spellingin e-mails.................................................................................................................................... 294
Module 25 Organising e-mails.................................................................................................. 297
Unit 25.1: Organising e-mails.................................................................................................................................................... 297
Unit 25.2: Deleting e-mails........................................................................................................................................................ 300
Unit 25.3: Finding messages...................................................................................................................................................... 300
Module 26 E-mail addresses.................................................................................................... 302
Unit 26.1: Organising your e-mail addresses......................................................................................................................... 302
Unit 26.2: Deleting e-mail addresses........................................................................................................................................ 305
Unit 26.3: Finding e-mail addresses......................................................................................................................................... 306
Summary...................................................................................................................................................................................... 307
PoE guidelines.......................................................................................................................... 288
Glossary.................................................................................................................................... 290
Topic 1
Basic concepts
of computers
Module 1
Introduction to computers
Overview
When you have completed this module, you will be able to:
• Understand and explain general computer terms.
• Discuss computer hardware.
• Understand and explain the use of computer accessories.
• Identify and explain the memory and storage capacity of a
computer.
• Use information technology effectively.
• Demonstrate the use of computer software.
Introduction
Computers manipulate instructions effortlessly and fast. They follow
directions from the user and the computer programmer. Computers
are powerful calculators with accessories.
Computers have four main sections, namely the arithmetic and logic
unit (ALU), the control unit, the memory, and the Input/Output (I/O)
devices. The ALU, control unit, memory and input and output devices
are collectively known as the Central Processing Unit (CPU).
The ALU performs arithmetic and logic operations, such as adding,
subtracting, dividing and multiplying functions, with precision.
The control unit directs the different components of a computer. It
reads and interprets instructions in the program. It decodes each
instruction and turns it into a series of control signals that operate
the other parts of the computer, and improve the performance of the
computer.
The memory can store binary numbers in groups of eight bits (bytes).
The information stored in the memory can be letters, numbers or
instructions. These are stored as a series of numbers, which the
software will read and change into letters, numbers or instructions.
Input/Output (I/O) is the way in which a computer receives
information and sends it back. Input can be peripherals, such as the
mouse, keyboard, joystick and microphone. Output can be peripherals,
such as the printer and screen. Peripherals are devices that provide
input and output to the computer, such as the keyboard, mouse, and
touch screens.
Words &
Terms
binary – two base
number
system that uses
two
symbols, 0 and 1,
and is
used by compute
rs
2
Module 1: Introduction to computers
Assessment activity 1.1
Did you know?
Work in groups
Your lecturer will assist you to divide into groups.
Bit (derived from binary
digit) is the smallest piece
of information used by
a computer. A byte is a
group of eight bits, and is
measured in groups, such
as kilobyte (1024 bytes),
megabyte (1024 kilobytes),
gigabyte (1024 megabytes)
and terabyte (1024
gigabytes). We then get
petabyte, exabyte, zettabyte
and yottabyte.
Access the Internet, search for sites with the words:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
history of computers
Introduction to computers.
Binary.
Input.
Output.
Peripherals.
Control unit.
Jot down a few pointers regarding introduction to computers.
Discuss these with your group and give feedback to the class.
The other groups will assess your group on the relevance of the
information supplied by your group.
Total: 15 marks
Did you know?
Unit 1.1: Understanding and
explaining general
computer terms
Avatar takes 1 petabyte of
storage space.
To understand your computer, and how it works, you need to know some
basic computer terms and acronyms, such as the following:
Authentication: The process of identifying an individual, usually
based on a username and password. This is to ensure that the
individual is the person they claim to be.
Bandwidth: The amount of data that can be carried from one point
to another in a given time period (usually a second). The speed of the
bandwidth is usually expressed in bits (of data) per second (bps).
Basic Input/Output System (BIOS): The most basic way of
communicating with the computer. It is the first software to run when
the computer turns on. It tells the processor where to find the operating
system and which devices are installed.
Words &
Terms
operating system
– the
most important pr
ogram
that runs on a co
mputer.
Every computer
must have
an operating syst
em to run
other programs
3
Operating system
Boot: To start up the computer. If the computer is already running, we
reboot it.
Bridge: A network bridge connects various network sections. Bridges
are similar to network hubs. They manage the traffic of a network.
Bug: An error in the design, usually the software. A bug can cause the
computer to crash (stop working suddenly).
Click: When we press the mouse button, we click. A double click is
when we press the mouse button twice.
Cookie: A piece of information sent by a Web server to a Web browser.
The browser software is then expected to save the data and to send it
back to the server whenever the browser makes additional requests
from the server.
Cursor: Marks the point that you have reached on the computer
screen. It is usually a flashing line.
Data: Information processed on the computer.
DDR: Double-data-rate synchronous dynamic random access memory
is a class of memory-integrated circuit. It achieves greater bandwidth
than the preceding single-data-rate SDRAM, and lets the memory
transmit nearly twice as quickly as in the past. DDR2 is newer than
the older DDR1 and transfers data much faster. Different memory
chips operate at different speeds, for example, DDR-200: DDR-SDRAM
memory chips are specified to operate at 100MHz, and DDR-400:
DDR-SDRAM memory chips are specified to operate at 200MHz.
Defragment: The data on the hard drive can become optimised and
clustered together. It is necessary from time to time to re-organise and
re-arrange this data. This is called defragmentation.
4
DDR memory
Desktop: The coloured backdrop of the screen. The files that are
used frequently can be stored on the desktop for easy access, such as
My Documents, Internet Explorer, and programs such as your word
processing program and spreadsheet program.
Dialogue box: Any message box that appears on the screen.
Digital Video Interface: (DVI) One of two types of connections
available between the computer and the monitor.
Digital: Electronic technology that generates, stores and processes data
in terms of two states, positive, represented by the number 1, and nonpositive, represented by the number 0.
Words &
Terms
desktop – the st
artscreen from which
you
can access progra
ms and
shortcut icons th
at open,
for example, My
Computer,
or My Documents
, or
programs such as
Microsoft
Word from shortc
ut icons
Disk: Used for storing data. It is always used in a disk drive. Some disks
can be removed, but others, such as the hard disk, are fixed.
Document: Any file that is created. This can be in any program that is
used.
Domain: A unique name that identifies a site on the Internet. It is
usually made up of two parts separated by a dot, for example, yahoo.
com. One part is the specific, desired name, and the other part is the
general name, for example, .com, .net, .org.
Download: When we download a file we copy it from a remote
computer to our own computer. Files, Web pages, music, videos,
movies, shareware and audio files are examples of things that can be
downloaded. The remote computer is a computer that can only be
accessed from another computer.
Drag: When you place the cursor on an object on the screen, then hold
down the mouse button and move the mouse, you can drag the object
and drop it somewhere else.
Driver: Software that is needed for hardware, such as printers, to
function properly, and to be recognised by your computer.
E-commerce: The conducting of business transactions through
electronic transmissions between computers. It is typically used in
reference to doing business over the Internet.
Encryption: A type of network security in which information sent over
the network is encoded, so that only the intended user can access the
information.
Extension: Each filename has an extension to allow files to be grouped
together, for example, .exe, .doc. Files therefore have a root name and
extension, separated by a period (dot).
File server: A storage system that supplies data files to all connected
users of a local network. Typically the file server is a computer with
large disk storage, which is able to record or send files as requested by
the other connected (client) computers – the file server often appearing
as another disk on their systems. The data files are typically around a
few kilobytes in size and are expected to be delivered within moments
of request.
5
Firewall: Hardware or software which permits or denies data to pass
through the computer network. It is there to protect the computer from
unauthorised access through the Internet.
File: A unit of information stored in a folder. Every document that we
save is a file, with a file name.
Folder: Used to organise information, such as various files. It can
contain multiple documents.
Format: Formatting a disk erases all the information on that disk.
Freeze: A system error which causes the computer to come to a
standstill.
Function keys: Situated at the top of the keyboard, for example,
F1-F12. Each has a specific purpose.
Gateway: Any hardware (such as printers, monitors, scanners) or
software (such as word processing and spreadsheet programs) that is
used for the purpose of providing access from one system to another.
Gigahertz: Gigahertz (GHz) processors are now used instead of the
older and slower Megahertz (MHz) processors.
Graphics: Anything visually displayed on a computer that is not text
is graphics, such as pictures, charts, tables, statistics, flow charts and
word art.
Host: A term used in the Internet community to describe any device
attached to the network that provides application-level service.
6
Hub: A hardware device that serves as the connection when
computers and other network devices connect to each other. Up to four
hubs can be connected. Hubs direct traffic through the network.
Hyperlink: A link to another site that is usually underlined and in
a different colour font. When you click on it, it will take you to the
specific site that is linked.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP): The protocol for transfer of
documents that is the foundation of the World Wide Web (WWW),
such as an Internet address, for example, http://www.hooters.com.
Words &
Terms
hardware device
–a
peripheral that ca
n be
connected to a co
mputer
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML): The structure of text
information in a document. It indicates text as headings, as
paragraphs, as lists and links that allow you to access another Web
page on the World Wide Web.
Internet Service Provider (ISP): A business that provides access to
the Internet, usually for a fee. Most countries have ISPs which provide
Internet service. ISPs in South Africa include @lantic and M-Web.
Internet: A group of networks connected together to form a worldwide network. It was originally developed for military purposes, but is
now used more for commercial use.
Internet Protocol (IP): A low-level protocol that sends data across
separate networks tied together by routers to form the Internet. It tracks
the Internet address, routes outgoing messages and recognises incoming
messages. It is used in gateways to connect networks.
IP number: Each machine or “host” that performs any Internet
transaction is identified by a unique IP number. The IP number is used
in all Internet transactions.
LAN (Local Area Network): A communications network that links
PCs and other devices in a single office or small campus. In client/
server LANs, users’ PCs (the clients) access shared files and sometimes
application stores on a dedicated PC that acts as the server. In peer-topeer networks, any connected PC can serve as both a client and a server.
Laptop/Notebook: A small mobile computer. Laptops are now as
popular as desktops, and the price gap between the two is closing.
Licence: A contract that gives a person the right to use a program.
Without a licence,it is illegal to use the program.
Load: To fetch data or a program from a disk and store it in the
computer’s memory.
Motherboard: The largest internal component of the computer and
everything plugs into it, such as the processor, memory, video cards,
and sound cards.
Network card: A network adapter or NIC (network interface card) is
computer hardware designed to allow computers to communicate over a
network. It provides physical access to a networking system, and allows
users to connect to each other by using cables or wirelessly.
7
Did you know?
An MAC address is a Message Authentication Code (MAC) which makes every
network card unique with a unique address.
Network card
Online: When you are connected to the Internet, you are online.
Optical drives: Any drive that uses light and lasers to encode and read
the information from a circular disk, such as a CD and DVD drive.
Palmtop: More commonly known as Personal Digital Assistants
(PDAs), palmtops are tightly integrated computers that often use flash
memory instead of a hard drive for storage. These computers usually
do not have keyboards, but rely on touch screen technology for user
input. Palmtops are typically smaller than a paperback novel, very
lightweight, and with a reasonable battery life. A slightly larger and
heavier version of the palmtop is the handheld computer.
Partition: A hard disk can be divided into smaller parts and each part
is called a partition. One part can be used for music, another part can
be used for business, and another part can be used for private work.
Pentium: The Intel brand of processors that started production in the
early ’90s. Each generation becomes faster and has more instructions
built into the processors.
Personal computer: A PC, such as a desktop, laptop and notebook.
Ping: A measure of the delay between a specific computer and the
server for an online game.
Pocket PC: The general name for Windows Mobile PDAs.
Portable: Anything that can be easily moved from one place to
another.
Process: Any running program, such as Windows Notepad, or a
game. Most CPUs can work with one process at a time, but dual
core processors have been developed that can multi-task. Computer
networks may be classified according to the communications protocol
that is being used on the network.
8
Words &
Terms
dual core – where two sets
of instructions are being
carried out at once
communications protocol
– a set of rules needed to
send information over a
communications channel
Queue: A list of things waiting to be processed, such as printing jobs.
Real time: When you access an event on the Internet, and it is
happening at the same moment, without a waiting period, you are
working in real time.
Router: A computer or network device that transfers packets of data
from one network to another. Routers are networking devices that
forward data packets along networks, using headers and forwarding
tables to determine the best path to forward the packets. Routers
provide interconnectivity between devices on the network. Routers
use protocols to communicate with each other and to configure the
best route between any two hosts. A router is connected to at least
two networks, commonly two LANs or WANs, or a LAN and its
ISP’s network. Routers are usually located at gateways, the places
where two or more networks connect. Many household DSL and cable
modems are also routers.
Run: To run a program means using the program to do something.
Server: A computer system in a network shared by multiple users, for
example, mail, database, fax, Web, print, terminal, and video server
systems. Most servers run a specialised Network Operating System
(NOS), which controls network resources. On the Internet, a server is a
remote application that supplies information to a user. A Web browser
uses a standard protocol, known as the Hypertext Transfer Protocol
(HTTP), to access the World Wide Web. The Web browser is the client
to a Web site that provides information by acting as a server.
Words &
Terms
configure – arrange a
computer system so that it
can perform a specific task
standard protocol – a
special set of rules that
a telecommunication
connection uses when
it communicates. There
are protocols for data
interchange at hardware
level and at application
program level. Protocols can
be described in an industry
or international standard
Scan Disk: Scan Disk checks the files and folders of the selected drive,
or all drives, for errors and bad sectors. This should be done on a
regular basis, approximately once a month, to maintain performance
and file management.
Supercomputer: A supercomputer is the fastest type of computer.
They are very expensive and are used for specialised applications
that require huge amounts of mathematical calculation, for example,
weather forecasting, animated graphics, fluid dynamic calculations,
nuclear energy research, and petroleum exploration. The principal
difference between a supercomputer and a mainframe is that a
supercomputer channels all its power into executing a few programs
as fast as possible, whereas a mainframe uses its power to execute
many programs concurrently.
Words &
Terms
Universal Serial
Bus –
(USB) port lets yo
u connect
everything from
a printer to
a mouse to your
computer
quickly and easil
y
Surge: A voltage increase, typically lasting at least 0.008 seconds,
which can cause components to fail prematurely. This is usually caused
by lightning.
Switches: A device of networking that direct traffic to the correct node
by filtering and forwarding packets between nodes.
Universal Serial Bus (USB): The most common type of external
connection for a computer.
User: The operator of a computer.
Universal Serial Bus (USB)
9
Web browser: A program that can retrieve HTML documents from
Web servers and format them for display. A browser can also use
hyperlinks in a document to navigate from one document to another.
Cello, Lynx, Mosaic, Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape
Navigator are examples of Web browsers.
Web client: A common presentation Internet navigator, normally an
Intel-based personal computer or notebook attached to an Internet
connection. A Web front end is a GUI-based, hypertext network
browser that makes Internet navigation easily accessible. It lets
users jump from one information source to another, anywhere in
the world, get data, set off applications, view the results, or simply
communicate in real time across the whole Internet. Most operating
system vendors supply a Web browser with their software.
Web server: An Internet-based distributed-processing system. The Web
server conducts a background process called the Hypertext Transfer
Protocol (HTTP), which implements a reduced version of the Internet’s
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) used for transferring files across the
Internet.
World Wide Web (WWW): The WWW, which was invented by
physicists at the European Community’s particle physics research
centre in Switzerland (CERN), is more of a conceptual construct than a
physical entity. All the Web servers on the Internet together comprise
the World Wide Web, but there is no central administration or
co-ordination of servers. Each server is identified by a DNS host name,
and each document or other resource on a Web server is designated by
a URL.
Workstation: A type of computer used for engineering applications,
such as CAD/CAM, desktop publishing, software development,
and other types of applications that require a reasonable amount of
computing power and relatively high quality graphics capabilities.
10
Work on your own
Match Column A with Column B.
COLUMN A
COLUMN B
1
WWW
A
Hypertext Transfer Protocol
2
Message Authentication Code
B
surge
3
universal serial bus
C
PC
4
HTTP
D
MAC
5
flashing line
E
FTP
6
voltage increase
F
html
7
File Transfer Protocol
G
cursor
8
personal computer
H
network interface card
9
Hypertext Markup Language
I
USB
10
NIC
J
World Wide Web
11
scan disk
K
user
12
set up program
L
set of rules
13
operator of a computer
M
configure
14
protocol
N
waiting list
15
queue
O
scans files and folders on disk
Total: 15 marks
Unit 1.2: Discussing computer
hardware
The computer is a collection of devices that function as a unit. Most
computers include at least a Central Processing Unit (CPU), monitor,
keyboard and mouse. Personal computers (PCs) are affordable to
most people, whereas more expensive computers are used by big
companies. All computers have microprocessor technology that
enables manufacturers to put an entire CPU on one chip. Individuals
and businesses use PCs for word processing, accounting, desktop
publishing, spreadsheets and database applications.
Hardware: Hardware is all the physical parts of the computer. The
terms below will explain each of the different parts of the computer
hardware.
CPU: A box containing the individual parts of the computer. This box
is also called the case, tower or enclosure. There are two parts to this
enclosure: the cover and frame. On the inside, there are removable
panels for the installation of hard drives, CD/DVD drives, USB ports.
11
The box protects these parts from dust, physical damage and electronic
noise. There are also mounting (attachment) areas for the system board
(mother board) and power supply. On the outside, there is an on/
off switch, a reset button, a slot to insert the CD/DVD, USB ports,
and places to connect the keyboard, mouse, printer, speakers and
microphone.
Output devices
Mass storage device
Input devices
System unit
Personal computer
Input and output devices: New forms of computer input and output
are announced daily with multiple benefits and rewards.
Input devices: Input devices feed data into the computer e.g. are
keyboards, pointing devices such as the mouse, trackball, touchpad,
light pen, joystick, digital camera and webcam.
Keyboard: The keyboard is the primary input device used for
communication with the computer.
The mouse
The keyboard
Input devices
Mouse: The mouse (plural mouses) is an input device used to point at
objects and to select them. It is therefore a pointing device. A mouse
has at least two buttons, a left and a right button. It can also have a
middle button or a scroll wheel between the left and right buttons. The
latest mouses do not have a ball, but use a laser to sense the motion of
the mouse instead.
12
Did you know?
A laser is a device that
produces a narrow low beam
light. The term laser is an
acronym for Light Amplification
by Stimulated Emission of
Radiation.
Output devices: An output device is a computer device that displays
the information from the computer e.g. monitors, printers, plotters,
X-rays, graph plotters and loudspeakers.
Monitor: The screen. Some computers have a touch screen where you
make a selection just by touching the screen. The monitor usually
refers to the entire box and graphics capabilities, while the display
screen can refer to the screen alone. The screen is used to display the
output of the computer to the user. Touch screen monitors can be used
for input. The monitor can also be classified in terms of the signal it
accepts, either analogue or digital.
• Colours: Monochrome monitors display two colours, one
background and one foreground. These colours are usually black
and either white, green or amber. Greyscale monitors display
different shades of grey. Colour monitors can display from 16 to
over a million different colours. They accept three separate signals:
red, green and blue.
• Size: The screen size is measured in diagonal inches, the distance
from one corner to the opposite corner diagonally. These
measurements can be 14 inches, 16 inches or more. Monitors can
also be portrait or landscape.
• Resolution: The resolution of a monitor indicates how densely the
pixels are packed. The more pixels there are, the sharper the image
e.g. 1024×768, 1280×768, 1280×1024 and even 1600×1200. This refers
to the number of pixels in each image that can
be displayed.
Printers: A printer is a device that produces a printed output, known
as a hard copy, because it is touchable and permanent, such as a page
that you print out. A soft copy is the document you see on the screen.
There are different types of printers. Some printers can produce letters
and numbers; others can produce graphics, such as plotters.
• Impact printers: Impact printers have physical contact with the
paper to produce an image, physically touching the paper, ribbon,
and print hammer together. A dot-matrix printer is one example of
an impact printer. The quality of these printers is poor – they are
slow and have largely been replaced by laser printers.
• Non-impact laser printers: Non-impact printers place an image on
a page without physically touching the page. Laser printers use
a light beam to transfer images to paper, producing high-quality
results. Laser printers print a page at a time at great speed, and
can produce large quantities of pages, but are
expensive. Coloured laser printers are
also becoming popular.
• Non-impact inkjet printers: Inkjet
printers spray ink from multiple jet
nozzles. They can print in black and
white and in colour to produce excellent
graphics.
Did you know?
Super Video Graphics Array
(SVGA) is a graphic system
that has been replaced by XGA
and SXGA, which have a higher
resolution and a larger screen
size.
Did you know?
Monochrome means the same
as black and white or greyscale.
It can also refer to other
combinations of two colours,
such as green/white, amber/
black or green/black. It can
also refer to shades of a colour,
such as greyscale.
Did you know?
Super Extended Graphics
Array (SXGA) is currently the
most common type of graphic
display and is used on monitors
of 19 inches to achieve
resolutions of 1280x1024.
Did you know?
All-in-one touch screen
computers have everything built
into the screen. They give you
all the power of a standard PC
system in the same space as a
flat monitor.
Touch screen
13
Work on your own
You need a computer and decide to buy one to enable you to do your assignments and for
recreational purposes.
• Discuss the computer hardware you need to buy.
• Discuss the input devices you need.
• Discuss the output devices you need.
You may obtain relevant information from your local computer shop or from the Internet.
Total: 5 marks
Unit 1.3: Understanding and
explaining the use of
computer accessories
Introduction
As computers have become more affordable and accessible computer
accessories have become very important and necessary in today’s
technological age. iPods are to teenagers what the Walkman was years
ago. Most technology can be linked to the computer, for example,
photographs can be downloaded to the computer with a digital
camera.
Computer accessories have become inevitable for the computer user,
as many people today own a flash drive, a digital camera, an iPod,
and various other accessories that can be linked to a computer. Many
people use the Internet, and therefore require a modem. Computer
networks have become commonplace, not only in the business
environment, but also in households.
All computer electronic devices that can be connected to the computer,
apart for the usual input and output devices, such as the monitor,
keyboard and printer, are peripherals. Peripheral devices include
speakers, microphones, printers, scanners, digital cameras, plotters and
modems. They usually have and require additional software packages,
called drivers.
We will now look at some of the most important computer accessories.
Bar codes: Bar codes on items are scanned by a special scanning device
linked to a computer. Each item has its own number. This code number
is represented on the item label by a pattern of vertical marks, or bars,
called bar codes.
14
Bar codes
Bluetooth: Bluetooth is a wireless Personal Area Network (PAN).
It connects and exchanges information between devices such as
mobile phones, laptops, PCs, printers, digital cameras, and video
game consoles over a secure, globally unlicensed short-range radio
frequency, and over distances ranging from approximately one to
100 metres.
Blu-ray Disk: This disk allows five times more storage than a DVD.
The name refers to the blue laser used to read the disk. It is a high
definition media format.
CD-ROM: Compact Disc Read-Only Memory is a compact disc
that stores data that is accessible by the computer. It was originally
designed for music, but this format has changed and it now holds any
type of data. CD-ROMs are used for computer software, games and
multimedia, although any data can be stored.
Bluetooth
Compact disc
CD-RW disk: A CD-Re-Writable disk is a type of CD disk that enables
you to write onto it in multiple sessions. CD-RW drives and disks can
be used just like a hard disk, writing data onto them multiple times.
Digital camera: An electronic device used to capture and store
photographs electronically in a digital format. An analogue format
is used. Some devices can record sound and/or video as well as
photographs.
Digital camera
15
DVD: Digital Versatile Disk/Digital Video Disk is an optical storage
disk that can be used to store data and movies with a high video and
sound quality. They can be recordable and rewritable.
Earphones: Earphones or headphones come in various shapes and
sizes. Most earphones today have a microphone attached to them.
The quality of sound is extremely clear and very comfortable.
Some earphones block exterior noise for a clearer sound. Ear bud
headphones are small headphones that sit inside the ear.
External hard drives: An external hard drive is installed in a portable
disk enclosure that has a specialised chassis. This is designed to hold
and power the disk drive while providing a mechanism to allow it to
communicate to one or more separate computers.
iPod: A device that plays songs, movies and photo slideshows, and can
store any type of file. It is a digital audio player, video player, photo
viewer and portable hard drive, making it a fully-fledged portable
media centre.
Ear bud headphones
Headphones
Joysticks: A game controller that can be connected to the computer. A
joystick consists of a handheld stick that pivots about one end and
transmits its angle in two or three dimensions to a computer. They are
often used with video games, and usually have one or more push
buttons that can also be read by the computer.
Microphone: A device that allows you to record voices or sounds and
place them onto computers, usually as a wav file. Microphones can
also be used with other applications, such as a voice dictation program
or a voice conference program.
iPod
Modems: Most of the world still uses a standard modem to connect to
the Internet. A modem is a device that allows a computer to pass data
over telephone or cable lines.
Music: Media Player is computer software that plays back multimedia
files, such as music. Most software media players support different
media formats, including audio and video files.
Scanner: Documents and pictures, can be placed in a computer using
a scanner. Scanners use optical recognition systems that have a light
beam to scan input data to convert it into electrical signals, which are
sent to the computer for processing. Optical recognition is the most
common type of source input, appearing in a variety of ways: optical
marks, optical characters, bar codes, handwritten characters, and
images.
Joystick
Speakers: A speaker is a component that takes the electronic signals
stored on CDs, tapes and DVDs, and turns it into actual sound that we
can hear. The quality depends on the speakers. Speaker designs differ,
and these differences affect sound quality.
Touch screens: With a touch screen you get input directly from the
source by pointing to a selection. The edges of the monitor of a touch
screen emit horizontal and vertical beams of light that criss-cross the
screen. When your finger touches the screen, the interrupted light
beams can pinpoint the location selected on the screen. Some ATMs
have touch screens.
16
Scanner
Trackball: A trackball is different from a mouse, as you roll the ball
directly with your hand. It is usually used with laptop computers and
is especially useful when there is no flat surface on which to roll the
traditional mouse.
USB flash drives: Universal serial bus (USB) can connect mouses,
modems, and keyboards. USB flash is a storage device which has
replaced the floppy disk because it can store more data.
Video recorder: A digital video recorder (DVR) or personal video
recorder (PVR) is a device that records video in a digital format to a
disk drive or other medium.
Video conferencing: Video conferencing cameras are usually small
cameras connected directly to a PC. Analogue cameras are also used,
e.g., closed-circuit television, and are connected to a video capture
card and then directly or indirectly to the Internet. People who are in
different cities can have a meeting using video conferencing.
Voice input: Speaking to a computer, known as voice input or speech
recognition, is a form of source input. A microphone is used to convert
it into binary code (0s and 1s) that can be understood by the computer.
Webcam: A web camera, or webcam is a real-time camera, usually a
video camera, and the images can be accessed using the World Wide
Web, instant messaging, or a PC video calling application. The term
webcam also refers to a digital video camera and it can be used to
record in a non-real-time way. It uploads images to a web server,
sometimes continuously or at regular intervals. This can be done by
a camera attached to a PC. There are business cams, personal cams,
private cams and traffic cams.
Webcam
Work in pairs
Did you know?
You have identified the computer hardware you need when you
buy yourself a computer.
• You are now interested in buying accessories for your computer.
• Visit your local computer shop and find out what computer
accessories are available and the prices.
• Make a list of these accessories and their uses.
• Write down how much they will cost.
A nerd is a term for an
obsessive, singularly-focused
computer person.
Total: 20 marks
17
Unit 1.4: Identifying and explaining
the memory and storage
capacity of a computer
Computer memory is a list of cells, which are devices that contain
smaller devices, into which numbers can be placed and read. Each
cell has a numbered address and can store a single number. Computer
storage, computer memory, often referred to as ‘memory’, refers to
computer components, devices and recording media that hold digital
data used for computing for some time. Microprocessors are the brains
of computers. Personal computers (PCs) use microprocessors, which
are also called chips.
The memory of the computer consists of the following:
Primary storage: Primary storage is connected to the Central
Processing Unit (CPU) of the computer. Primary storage consists of
different kinds of storage:
Cache memory: This is a special type of internal memory used to
increase the performance of the computer.
Random Access Memory (RAM): RAM contains the programs that are
currently running and the data on which the programs operate. This
is the main memory and temporary storage. It can be read and written
to at any time that the CPU commands. RAM comes in a huge variety.
Different companies produce different types of RAM and different
motherboards require different RAM. RAM can come with errorchecking, which reduces errors, but also slows down the performance
of the computer.
Read-Only Memory (ROM): ROM is loaded with data and software that
will never change. This is to enable the CPU to read from it. ROM is
used in the computer for smaller functions. It does not reset after the
computer is turned off.
Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS): CMOS technology is
used in chips such as microprocessors. CMOS technology is also used
for a wide variety of circuits, such as image sensors, data converters,
and highly integrated transceivers for many types of communication.
Flash memory: Flash memory keeps data when the computer is turned
off, and is rewritable, but it is much slower than ROM and RAM.
Storage devices: There are many different storage devices. Some
examples are internal hard disk drives, external hard disk drives, CD/
DVD drives and USB drives.
Secondary storage: Also known as mass storage, is used for the longterm storage of information. Below, are a few of these storage devices:
Hard disk: The hard disk is used to store and provide fast access to
large amounts of data. Today’s computers have a hard disk that
contains gigabytes of storage, e.g., 40 Gigabytes, 80 Gigabytes, 160
Gigabytes and so on. A hard disk is a set of stacked disks. There is a
head that records, writes or reads the information on the tracks. Two
18
heads, one on each side of a disk, read or write the data as the disk
spins.
Off-line storage: Off-line storage can be attached and removed from the
computer. Examples of off-line storage are CDs, DVDs, memory cards,
flash memory, Zip disks, and magnetic tapes.
Tertiary and database storage: Information is stored in large databases,
data banks, data warehouses and data vaults. These are accessed by
supercomputers.
Network storage: Network computer storage involves accessing
information over a computer network. Some computers do not have
internal secondary storage devices, but documents and other data are
stored on the network storage facility.
Hard disk
Other storage devices include:
CD/DVD: This is a compact disk with one or more layers capable of
storing digital information. The most common types of CDs are those
used by the music industry to store digital recordings, and CD-ROMs
to store computer data.
Memory sticks (flash): A flash drive is a small circuit board in a plastic
or metal casing that can be carried around with you in your pocket or
case. You can also attach it to a lanyard and hang it around your neck.
It can be connected to the computer via the USB port.
Words &
Terms
lanyard – a rope
or cord
worn around your
neck to
carry something
External hard drives: An external hard drive is portable and can be
used as a backup system or extended storage space. The external
hard drive comes in a casing and can be attached to your computer as
additional storage.
External DVD drives: External DVD drives are portable and can be
used when a laptop, notebook or netbook does not have a DVD drive.
Lanyard
External hard drive
19
CD-ROM drive: A CD fits into the CD-ROM drive. CDs used to be
read-only – one could only read the information. Now rewriteable CDs
are available, where the data can be read, changed and saved.
Work on your own
Answer the following by ticking √ the YES/NO block.
1
RAM is the main memory and is temporary storage.
2
A hard drive can be internal or external.
3
ROM is already loaded with data and software that will never change.
4
A flash disk is neither more compact nor faster, and cannot hold more data, than a
floppy disk.
5
Primary storage is connected to the Central Processing Unit of the computer.
6
A floppy disk can hold 1,44Mb of data.
7
You can attach a flash disk to a lanyard and wear it around your neck.
8
Off-line storage can be attached and removed from the computer.
9
With tertiary and database storage, information is stored in large databases.
10
An external hard drive is portable and can be used as a back-up system.
Total: 10 marks
Unit 1.5: Demonstrating the use of
computer software
Computer software has to be loaded into the computer’s storage,
i.e. the hard drive, memory or RAM. Software is instructions to the
computer to organise and perform different tasks. These instructions
are written in programming language. There are different computer
software programs which can be divided into system software,
application software and programming software.
System software: System software is a program like Windows, which
is an operating system. This is needed for application software to be
able to run effectively. Examples of system software are Microsoft
Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows NT, Linux, Apple
Macintosh, Unix and OS/2.
System software
20
YES
NO
How to use system software
There are various tasks and options that are performed using system
software. Below are a few of the most important ones:
My Documents: My Documents is a folder which should be kept
organised at all times. Files should be kept in folders with appropriate
names. When we right-click on Computer, we can go to Open. Clicking
on Open allows you access all the files and folders in Libraries and
Documents. The following tasks can be performed:
•
•
•
•
•
Documents can be opened.
Files and folders can be renamed.
New folders can be created.
Files and folders can be deleted.
It is possible to search for a document by a phrase in the file, the
date modified, by file name or by size.
• Files and folders can be moved or copied.
• The view can be changed to thumbnails, tiles, icons, list or details.
• In View, Details you can sort your files or folders according to
name, size, type or date modified.
Control Panel: Access the Control Panel by clicking on Start, and
pointing and clicking on the Control Panel. We can use the Control
Panel when we want to do the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Change the appearance and themes on the computer.
Set the time, date, language and regional options.
Add or remove programs.
Change printers and other hardware.
Set or change security settings.
Adjust sounds, speech and audio devices.
Adjust network and Internet connections.
Check performance and maintenance.
Adjust accessibility options.
Adjust user accounts.
Control Panel
21
Application software: Application software is the program in which you
do your work. Application software uses the operating system software.
Examples are word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentation,
Internet browsers, games, educational, medical, desktop publishing,
graphics, communications, web pages, e-mail, project management,
Personal Information Management (PIM), integrated and suites.
•A word processing program is mainly used to produce and edit
documents. Examples of word processing software programs are
Microsoft Word, Corel WordPerfect, Lotus WordPro and Open
Office Writer, EasyWord, Oracle Open Office Writer, TextMaker,
Corel Write, Kingsoft Writer, AbilityWrite and RagTime.
• Spreadsheet programs are used to organise numbers, such as
financial statements, sales records, budgets and grade sheets.
Examples of spreadsheet programs are Microsoft Excel, Quattro Pro,
Lotus 1-2-3, Microsoft Works, Ability Office, PlanMaker, Calculate,
StarOffice Calc, Resolver One, Easy Spreadsheet and Open Office
Calc.
• Database programs are used to manage lists such as addresses and
phone numbers, inventories and membership rosters. They are used
to manage a large collection of
data and to sort and display
the data. Examples of database
programs are MS Access,
dBase, FoxPro, Paradox, Lotus
Approach, Oracle and Open
Office Base, Alpha Five v10
Developer, FileMaker Pro and
Office Access 2007
QuickBase.
• Presentation programs, such
as MS PowerPoint, Corel
Presentations, Lotus Freelance
Graphics, Harvard Graphics,
Flash, Apple Keynote,
Photoshop, NXPowerLite,
PowerPlugs Charts, Perspector,
Color Schemer, PowerConverter
and Open Office Impress are
Office Power Point 2007
used for creating slide shows,
presentations and mainly to turn
information into a visual form.
• Desktop publishing programs
include MS Publisher, Corel
Ventura, QuarkXpress,
PageMaker, FrameMaker,
InDesign, Print Shop, Adobe
InDesign and Scribus. These
are used for a wide range of
activities, such as producing
brochures, cards, newspapers,
Desktop publishing program
advertising, calendars, labels
and printing.
22
Did you know?
Windows can work on a 32-bit
and a 64-bit system.
Office Word 2007
Office Excel 2007
• Graphics programs are used for creating and editing pictures,
with different formats for images, and include Adobe Photoshop,
PaintShop Pro, Adobe Fireworks, Xara Xtreme, Ulead PhotoImpact,
Xara WebStyle, SWISH products, Xara 3D, Fluffy Clouds Ignite,and
MediaLab PhotoWebber. We also find paint programs to work with
pictures, drawing programs to define images, and animation and
video programs to arrange a set of still pictures into a sequence.
• Communications programs connect computers in order to exchange
information by telephone lines or cables. We find File Transfer
Protocol (FTP) for sending and receiving files (WS FTP), chat
programs for exchanging messages in a group (mIRC), instant
messaging for private text messages (ICQ, AOL Instant Messenger
and MSN Messenger Service), voice messages , video conferencing
and phone calls over the Internet (Skype).
• Browser programs, such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla FireFox and
Netscape, let users navigate the World Wide Web.
• Web page applications help the user to create a web page for the
Internet in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). This is a code to
define what is on the page, to create images and to upload the files
to a web server. You will need the following:
– HTML editing program, such as Notepad, FrontPage or
Dreamweaver.
– Graphics editing program, for images in GIF or JPG format.
– Uploading program, such as FrontPage or Dreamweaver.
– Browser, such as Internet Explorer, Netscape or Opera.
– Web space, which could be your ISP account or a free web
hosting company.
• E-mail application programs, such as Microsoft Outlook, Express,
Mozilla Thunderbird and Eudora, are used to download and
manage e-mails.
• A Project Management Application, like Microsoft Project, tracks
people, tasks and deadlines in a major project. It links to the
personal scheduling programs of the different people, and can be
used to organise meetings.
• PIM (Personal Information Management) is a special kind of
database program that can include an address book, a calendar to
schedule activities and appointments, and a to-do list where you
list chores, calls to make and various things to do. Examples are:
MS Outlook, Side Kick, Gold Mine and Lotus Organiser. Newer
versions of these programs add e-mail management, wireless access,
and other features for new technologies.
• A software suite is a set of applications, each of which can stand
alone. For example, Microsoft Works, MS Office, Lotus Smart Suite,
WordPerfect Office, OpenOffice and iWork. They are packaged
together for a lower price than if each was bought separately. They
include programs such as word processing, spreadsheet, database,
presentation, e-mail and address book.
Skype
Internet Explorer
Microsoft Outlook
23
Software suites
• Graphics suites include programs for illustration, layout, bit-map
creation, image editing, painting and animation software. An
example of such a graphics suite is CorelDraw.
• Publishing suites include desktop publishing, bit-map graphics,
vector graphics, and programs that convert documents. Examples
of these are: Adobe Publishing Collections, which includes Adobe
PageMaker, Photoshop, Illustration, and Acrobat.
Adobe
Programming software: These programs assist a programmer in
writing computer programs and software using different programming
languages in a convenient way. Examples are Cobol (Common
Business Orientated Language), Basic (Beginner’s All Symbolic
Instruction Code) and Java.
24
Work on your own
Circle the correct answer:
1
2
3
4
5
When I want to write a letter, I will use the following program:
A
Spreadsheet
B
Database
C
Programming
D
Publishing
E
Word Processing
Which of the following is not system software?
A
Windows XP
B
Linux
C
Windows NT
D
Apple Macintosh
E
WordPerfect
Which of the following is a spreadsheet program?
A
Windows XP
B
Adobe Photoshop
C
Adobe Reader
D
Quattro Pro
E
Corel Draw Suite
When I want to create a presentation, I will use the following program:
A
Microsoft PowerPoint
B
Microsoft Word
C
Microsoft Excel
D
Microsoft Publisher
E
Microsoft Internet Explorer
Which one of the following is not a desktop publishing program?
A
MS Publisher
B
Corel Ventura
C
QuarkXpress
D
Outlook
E
InDesign
Total: 10 marks
Copy and file your answers as evidence in your PoE.
25
Module 2
Using information
technology effectively
Overview
When you have completed this module, you will be able to:
• Demonstrate the use of networks.
• Use Internet and e-mail software effectively.
Introduction
Information technology (IT) or information and communications
technology (ICT) is a very broad subject, and deals with technology
and other aspects of managing and processing information, especially
in large organisations. IT deals with the use of electronic computers
and computer software to convert, store, protect, process, transmit, and
retrieve information.
IT is part of nearly every aspect of our daily information lives.
Computers, communications, digital information and software
are found everywhere in our daily existence. Being computer
knowledgeable is not enough. Everybody should have advanced
computer skills, should be able to use IT effectively, and be able to
adapt to the changes of technology.
Unit 2.1: Demonstrating the use of
networks
Networks are becoming more and more important. In our homes, we
are finding that more than one computer can be linked and can access
the Internet at the same time. In the classroom, we have networks that
link all the computers and print to one printer.
Let us look at what a network is and how it has become part of our
daily lives.
Network: A network is a group of computers and connected devices
that are linked by permanent connections, such as cables, or temporary
connections made through telephone and other communication links.
A network exists to provide us with ways of communicating and
transferring information electronically.
Networks can be small, such as a local area network (LAN) and consist
of a few computers, printers, and other devices. They can also consist
of many small and large computers distributed over a vast area. Some
types of networks are user-to-user; others are distributed processes
that involve many computers and sharing of workloads or efforts in
performing a task.
26
Module 2: Using information technology effectively
Server: The server on a local area network is usually the computer
running software that controls all the other computers and devices.
The server provides the user, or client, with something that they do not
have on their own computer. Information and application programs
can be on only one computer rather than being repeated on all the
computers, and can be accessed through that one computer to all the
other computers on the network. In order to work properly, the server
and the user, or client, must be able to connect with one other.
Did you know?
Management Information
Systems (MIS) refers to a
central or centrally-coordinated
system of computer expertise
and management, the
corporation’s entire network of
computer resources.
Network
Basic hardware components
All networks are made up of basic hardware components which are
interconnected. Some of those components are as follows:
Network cards: A network card, network adapter or NIC, is designed
to allow computers to communicate over a network. It provides
physical access to a networking medium, and also allows users to
connect to each other using cables or wireless connections.
Network bridge: A network bridge connects multiple network
segments. They are similar to repeaters or network hubs. A bridge
uses bridging where traffic from one network is managed rather than
rebroadcast to another network segment.
Hub: A hub is a small, simple network device that allows different
connected computers to communicate. It copies the data to all the
nodes connected to the hub.
Did you know?
A node is a device that
is connected as part of a
computer network and may be
a computer, digital assistant,
router, switch, cell phone or
a hub.
Hub
27
Switches: Switches are devices that direct traffic to the correct node by
filtering and forwarding packets between nodes.
Routers: Routers forward data among networks. A router is connected
to at least two networks. Routers are usually located at gateways, the
places where two or more networks connect.
Networks will give the following advantages
Expand the capacity of your computer. If you link computers to create
a network, it expands their capacity, therefore, you can access the data
on all the different computers from any one of the computers on the
network. If your home has two or more computers you can, through a
network, share an internal connection, printer and other hardware, and
view files in common. You can even use a network to play multi-user
computer games.
Share an Internet connection. One computer, called the host, shares its
Internet connection with the rest of the computers on the network. By
sharing one Internet connection, you can simultaneously surf the Web
on your computer while another person checks e-mail on a different
computer.
Share files and folders. Suppose you want to look at the files on the
computer that is located in your study and you are working on the
computer in your bedroom. When computers are networked you
can, for example, open the file from your computer, make changes,
and then save the file on the computer in the study. It is, however,
necessary that these files and folders should be accessible to all, i.e.
shared files and folders.
Play multi-computer games. Through networking and sharing an
Internet connection, different persons can play games on separate
computers with each other or on the Internet. Simultaneously, you can
be working on the Web.
To use a network the computers must be linked together:
• Suitable hardware must be installed in each computer.
• The computers must be joined with wires, or by means of wireless
technology.
• The fastest, most capable computer must be equipped with a spare
port to connect it to the other computers or to the outside world.
• This computer will serve as the network's central unit, or Internet
Connection Sharing (ICS) host.
• The other computers are called clients, and will connect to the ICS
host.
• There must be an individual network adapter for each computer.
• Computers may require additional software to allow you to share
folders or a printer.
Network types available
Ethernet: The Ethernet refers to a family of local area network (LAN)
products that connect computers to the network over optical fibre and
twisted-pair cables. This is the current standard technology and the
28
Did you know?
A gateway joins two networks
through a combination of
hardware and software.
Router
one used by most businesses. It links computers with a special cable
and a device called a hub.
Did you know?
Fibre-optic lines are strands of
optically pure glass, as thin as a
human hair, which carry digital
information over long distances.
Ethernet network
HPNA: This is a home phone-line network adapter which links
computers via existing household telephone wiring. It allows all the
components of a home network to interact over the existing telephone
wiring without disturbing the existing voice or fax services.
Wireless: Wireless means to link computers without wiring, by
using radio signals. A router or a cell phone can be used to access the
Internet.
Did you know?
Wi-Fi is short for Wireless
Fidelity, which means to connect
various devices without wires or
cable but through radio signals.
Wireless connection
29
Token ring: A token ring is a network where all the computers are
arranged in a circle. A token, which is a special bit pattern, travels
around the circle. To send a message, a computer catches the token,
attaches a message to it, and then lets it continue to travel around the
network.
Token ring network
Personal Area Network (PAN): PAN is a computer network used
for communication among computer devices, including telephones,
personal digital assistants, printers and cell phones. The reach of a
PAN is a few metres. It is used for communicating between these
devices or to the Internet.
Personal Area Network (PAN)
30

Office Data Processing for MS Office 2007 Level 3 Student`s Book

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