© 2023 Dillan Van Wyk. All Rights Reserved (Act No.

98, 1978)

Computers, part of your life – Grade 12

(2nd Edition)
Theory Notes
By Dillan Van Wyk
 LEGAL NOTICE:
These notes are extracted from the ‘Computers, part of your life – Grade
12 (2nd Edition)’ textbook and is not my own work. All credit goes to the
authors of the textbook. I have simply compiled and summarized all of
the knowledge it contains.

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These requirements are subject to the Copyright Act Number 98 of 1978
in the Constitution of South Africa.
Computers in our
everyday lives

Page 1
Efficiency
• Time: Computers work faster and longer than humans.
• Labour: Computers don’t get tired.
• Resources: Computers can work more efficiently with resources. (Electricity, less
paper, etc.)

Accuracy
• If computers have access to accurate programs and data, it will be extremely
accurate.
• It's essential that the computer can produce accurate data constantly.

Reliability
• Computers are able to do complex tasks with extreme accuracy and without
getting tired.

Communication
The ability for computers to communicate, allow us to:
1. Virtually eliminate time and distance.
2. Share information in many different ways globally.
3. Save on communication *** costs.
Types of computer systems
4. Interact socially on an international scale.

When comparing different computers, you must consider the following:

• How powerful they are.
• What they're used for.
• Their size and mobility.
• The software they use.

Non-portable computers
They are large in size and are generally more powerful than mobile or portable
computers. They’re not meant to be moved around.

Example:
Desktop computers - most common type of non-portable computers.
Servers - a powerful computer used to provide resources and services to all the
computers that are linked in a network.

Portable computers
It is a smaller computer that was designed to be moved around. They have the same
traditional operating systems and hardware, but the hardware is designed to be
smaller. They also rely on a battery for power.

Example:
Laptop/Notebook - has a screen larger than 12" or 13". They can have the same
specs for a higher price.
Tablet - has a touch- or pen-sensitive screen.
Hybrid computer - they have reversible or detachable screens with a normal
keyboard. The screens are touch sensitive.
Smartphones - it's a cell phone with an operating system that has the ability to
run apps. It uses a touch screen interface.
Phablet - a smartphone with a screen size larger than 5".

The difference between smartphones/tablets/phablets and a laptop is that the first

three were designed to be "Always on", whereas a laptop is switched on and off.

Page 2
Personal users
These are users who use their computers for personal use. They typically use their
computers for:
• Limited office tasks.
• Internet banking.
• Email and web browsing.
• Social networking.
• Entertainment like gaming or playing music.

SOHO (Small Office Home Office) users

These users use their computers for more business-related stuff. They normally use
their computers for:
• Accounting or billing.
• Databases.
• Planning and scheduling.

Power users
These are users who require a lot of power for their tasks. These users include:
• Gamers.
• Architects.
• Engineers.

Mobile users
Mobile users can fall under any of the above mentioned categories. These are
users who require their technology to be with them all the time. They normally
use their computers for:
• Browsing the Internet on the go.
• Playing games.
• Using GPS to navigate.
• Taking photos or videos.

This is the trend where separate technologies and functions are combined into one
single device. In other words, it's the merging or combining of multiple technologies
into a single, multi-purpose device.

Page 3
Hardware devices

Page 4
 INPUT --> PROCESSING --> OUTPUT --> STORAGE OR COMMUNICATION

Keyboard
It's the most common input device.

Uses: It's used for typing in text and giving commands.

Advantages: The fastest way to enter text and it's easy to learn.
Disadvantages: It can be difficult to use and you need to have a certain level of
keyboard skills.
Troubleshooting:
• If the keys don't pop back up quickly. Switch off the computer, unplug the
keyboard and clean it with a damp cloth.
• The keyboard is not responding. If it's a wireless keyboard, the batteries are
probably low or the USB dongle is not plugged in. Try a different USB port.
• If it is a wide keyboard, disconnect and reconnect the keyboard or try a different
USB port.

Factors - Buying decisions.

• Ergonomic considerations:
Ergonomic keyboards position the key so that you hold your hands in a more
natural position to reduce the likelihood of a Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI) such as
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS).

• Wireless versus cable:

A wireless keyboard reduces desktop clutter, but can be inconvenient as you can't
use the device if the batteries are flat.

Mouse
A pointing device Is essential to be able to use a graphical user interface (GUI) and the
mouse is the most commonly used pointing device.

Advantages: It's an easy-to-learn device and provides an effective way to interact with
the graphical elements on a screen.
Disadvantages: An entry level mask is generally not very precise or accurate when
used for creating or editing graphics.
Troubleshooting:
• If the mouse is sticking, meaning that it moves erratically or jumps on the screen,
make sure that you are using a clean, smooth, non-reflective surface.
• If the mouse is not responding, the batteries may need to be replaced if it's a
wireless mouse. You may also want to use a different port. If it's a wired mouse,
use a different port, unplug and plug it back in or reboot the computer.

Factors - Buying decisions.

• Ergonomic considerations:
Economically designed mouses keep your hand in a more natural position to
reduce the likelihood of a Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI) such as Carpal Tunnel
Syndrome (CTS).

• Wireless versus cable:

A wireless mouse reduces desktop clutter, but can be inconvenient as you can't use
the device if the batteries are flat.

Page 5
Touch screen.
It's the most common input device for mobile devices.

Uses: It's used to give mobile devices an input device.

Advantages: Serves as a mouse and a keyboard. It is also a more natural input device.
Disadvantages: The on-screen keyboard is not as easy to use as an actual keyboard
and are not ideal for entering large amounts of data.

Touchpad
It's the most common input device on laptops.

Uses: It replaces the mouse in devices such as laptops.

Advantages: Since it's built into the device, the user does not need to carry an
additional mouse with them and they don't need additional space to use the
touchpad as they need with a mouse.
Disadvantages: It's not as accurate or precise as a mouse. Some users also find it
more difficult to use than a mouse.

Scanner
It's used to create a digital copy of a physical copy, like an image or page with text on
it.

Uses: Capturing images from paper sources and reading barcodes.

Advantages: It makes it easier to convert documents into its digital form. It is also
easier to scan a document and then using OCR software to edit it than it is to retype
the entire document.
Disadvantages: The quality of a scanned image is dependent on the quality of the
original document. Scanning can be slow and take a lot of time.
Troubleshooting:
• Errors in image size or quality means that you have to change settings of the
scanning software.
• If the scanner is not responsive make sure that it is plugged in and switched on.
Make sure that it is correctly connected to a USB port.
• Some scanners have locking features for when you move them. Make sure that
this locking feature is not on.

More Specific Advantages in Specific Scenarios.

Office Automation: • Electronic copies made are store digitally and don't take up
office space.
• Scanned copies can be emailed and no longer have to be faxed
or posted.
• Older documents can be scanned and achieved.
POS and Database: • Barcode scanners are very useful in POS systems and in libraries
as you can easily track what was sold/taken.
Other Uses: • On the roads using e-toll, scanners can be used to reduce traffic
congestion and queues.

Page 6
Digital Camera
It's used for capturing images.

Uses: It's used for capturing images and video. As barcode or QR code scanners.
Advantages: Photos are already in a digital format and hence don't need to be
scanned. They are generally easy to use. If the device has the GPS function, it will add
the location where the photo was taken in the metadata. This is known as geo-
tagging.
Disadvantages: You can easily lose the photos if the storage device or the computer is
broken. The quality of the photos rely on the quality of the camera.

Factors - Buying decisions.

• Resolution:
For a scanner: The number of dots it can scan per inch (dpi). 300dpi is the
MINIMUM number resolution to get good images.

For a digital camera: The number of horizontal and vertical pixels in an image. The
higher the resolution, the more storage space the image takes up.

• Image quality:
• Colour depth: The number of bits used to represent a single colour. (The higher
the bits, the better.)
• Sensor size: The bigger the sensor of a camera, the better the photo.
• ISO rating: The camera's sensitivity to light. (The higher the ISO rating, the
better.)

Webcam
It's used to have video/image input into your computing device.

Uses: They are mainly used for internet video communication, 'live feeds' of events,
and remote control of security cameras.
Advantages: They're cheap, small, and often built into (integrated) portable
computers.
Disadvantages: The resolution of most webcams are very low and hence don't take
good images.
Troubleshooting:
• An unresponsive webcam is normally not plugged in, not switched on, or not
selected as the camera that should be used.

Microphone
It's used to record audio.

Uses: They're used to record sound and to communicate. (E.g. VoIP or Conferencing.)
Advantages: They allow you to record verbal like a meeting, give voice commands, or
use software to edit, analyse or manipulate sound.
Disadvantages: Built-in (Integrated) microphones don't provide good quality audio
and they are difficult to use in noisy environments.
Troubleshooting:
• If it's not responsive, it might be plugged into the wrong jack or when the
microphone is muted.

Page 7
Monitor or Display
It provide a fast and easy way for the computer to communicate with the user.

Uses: They're used to provide interactive feedback to the user and to display extra
visual alerts for visually impaired people.
Advantages: They provide instantaneous feedback to the user and they allow for
interaction to take place between the user and the computing device.
Disadvantages: The quality of the display is related to the size of the monitor and its
resolution, it's not very portable and the output is difficult to share with others.
Troubleshooting:
• If the colours are weird (E.g. too dim, muddy, etc.), change the display settings
(contrast, brightness, etc.)
• If the image is blocky or stretchy the resolution settings are probably wrong.
• The image is tinted blue, purple, yellow or green - faulty/damaged connection.

Factors - Buying decisions.

• Resolution:
The maximum resolution of the display is the highest number of pixels that the
display supports, and is measure by multiplying the number of horizontal pixels
with the number of vertical pixels.
• Image quality:
• Colour depth: The number of bits used to represent the colour of a single
pixels. (The higher the bits, the better.)
• Pixel density: The number of pixels the display fits into a 1" horizontal line.
• Refresh rate: how often or quickly the screen display is refreshed.
• Contrast ratio: The relationship between the darkest black and brightest
white.

Speakers and Headphones

It provide a way of listening to the sound that the computing device produces.

Uses: They can be used to play sound, provide audible feedback to the user, and
listen to voice message and people through Skype, for example.
Advantages: Headphones allows you to listen to sound whilst not bothering anyone
else around you. Speakers allows a group of people to listen to the same sound.
Disadvantages: The sound quality relies heavily on the quality of the peripheral used,
you may also need additional audio equipment if you want to play audio for a large
amount of people, and it can also distract people who are not involved with what you
are doing.
Troubleshooting:
They may not produce sound if:
• They're not plugged into the right jack.
• Speaker might not have power/is flat.
• The sound on the computer may be soft or off.
• The computer may be using the wrong sound device.

Page 8
Printers
They're used to turn softcopies into hardcopies.

Laser printers Inkjet printers Dot matrix printers

Uses: Print black and white Print black and Used in POS for
or colour. white or colour. receipts & invoices.
Advantages: • Speed. • Cheaper to buy • Cheap.
• High quality text. than a laser printer. • Very low running
• Used for high • Best for printing cost.
volumes of printing. photos. • Can created carbon
copies.
Limitations: • Not good for printing • More expensive to • Very low printing
good quality photos. use than laser quality.
• Expensive to buy. printers. • They are not suitable
• Toner is not • They print slower. for any type of high
absorbed by the • Text quality is not quality printing.
paper and will crack as good as laser
if the paper is folded. printer.

Troubleshooting:
If the printer is not working, check the following:
• It is plugged in and has power.
• It's properly connected to the computer.
• It's not low on ink or toner.
• You have the correct printer selected.

Factors - Buying decisions.

Speed:
The number of pages that the printer can print in one minute. (ppm)
Colour:
Most colour printers are called CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) printers.
Resolution:
Measured in the number of dots per inch (dpi) the printer can print in a horizontal line.
The higher the dpi, the more clear and crisp the print will look.
Printing at higher resolutions is more expensive as it uses more ink.
Cost per page:
How much it costs to print a page. It's based on a page with 5% coverage.
Paper:
The type of paper used is extremely important as affects the quality of the print severely.
The size of the paper should also be taken into consideration - Most printers use A4
paper, but you can print using A3 paper.
System compatibility:
This refers to if the printer can work with your OS. It depends if the manufacturer of the
printer has provided driver software for the printer on your OS.
Connecting to a network:
Some printers have built-in wireless functionality. This means that they can be
connected to an network and be used without needing to be connected via port. Others
can be used with Bluetooth. Some of them can be connected to a wired network and
then used by any devices connected to the network.
Mobility:
Printers are not made to be mobile. You can by mobile printers but they have a lower
quality print.

Page 9
3D Printers
It's used to create physical three-dimensional objects from designs on a computer.

Uses: They can create entire buildings and structures, make complete and assembled
mechanical parts, like gears. They can also make working human body parts.
Advantages: You can make prototypes of new designs to test them. You can print
parts as you need them and do not require you to keep a large stock.
Disadvantages: They are expensive and the materials used to create objects are also
expensive. 3D printers are slow and can be noisy.
Troubleshooting:
• There may be a problem with the 3D model, so you should check your design.
• There may be a problem with the eating element.
• There may also be something wrong with the material you are using.

Data Projectors
It's used in classrooms and boardrooms to present something to a large audience.

Uses: It's used to display large images of the display/monitor into a screen, wall or
other surface so that you can share the image with a large audience or group of
people.
Advantages: You can display an image to a large group of people.
Disadvantages: The resolution of the image that is projected onto the surface is not
as good as the one that will be displayed on a monitor. They have a lower contrast
ratio which will lead to muddier images with lower colour quality. The brightness of a
projector is much lower than that of a display.
Troubleshooting:
The problems that you might experience with a projector can be fixed in the same
manner as problems with a monitor. If not any of those, the lightbulb may be broken.

Page 10
Hard drive
It's the most commonly used internal storage device.

Uses: They store data and software permanently. It also acts as 'virtual memory' - it
allows the computer to have access to more RAM than there is installed by using free
disk space. 'Virtual memory' make a computer very slow if it's used too much.
Advantages over RAM: It has a larger capacity, it's cheaper per GB than RAM, and it
permanently stores all of the data on it, even if the power is switched off.
Disadvantages: They are easily damaged if they are dropped or bumped. They are
mechanical (they have moving parts) and are slower than electronic alternatives.
Troubleshooting:
• The storage space me be nearly full.
• If the system seems slow and unresponsive, the hard drive may be fragmented.
Make use of the defragmentation utility. (Electronic storage devices, like SSDs,
can't become fragmented.)
• If files are corrupt you may not have turned the computer off correctly.

External Hard drive

It's a hard drive that can be connected to a computing device via USB or
Thunderbolt.

Uses: It's like a normal hard drive, so the uses remain the same. It can also be used to
store backups of files.
Advantages: They have a large capacity, are portable, easy to use, have a high speed,
are very reliable and allows for extra storage to be added to your computer.
Disadvantages: They are not as small as flash drives. They have the same limitations
as normal hard drives
2.5" vs. 3.5":
• 2.5" drives are more expensive, have less storage space, and doesn't need
external power. (It uses power from the computing device where it is plugged
in.)
• 3.5" drives are less expensive, have more storage space, but requires external
power to work. (You need to plug it into a wall socket."

Flash drive
They are small, cheap portable storage devices.

Uses: They are used to carry data and software around with you, make backups, and
distribute data and software.
Advantages: They are portable, allow for fast data access, are cheap, have large
capacities, and are an industry standard.
Disadvantages: They are easy to lose and are easily stolen. They're more expensive
per GB than a hard drive and have lower capacities than hard drives.

SSD (Solid State Drive)

It's a completely electronic alternative to a hard drive.

Uses: They are used in the same way a hard drive is used.
Advantages: They are completely electronic and do not have ANY moving parts. They
are faster, quieter, and more energy efficient than hard drives.
Disadvantages: They are very expensive compared to hard drives.

Page 11
Optical media
CDs, DVDs, and Blue-ray.

Uses: They are used for distributing software, storing movies and music, and backing
up files.
Advantages: They are affordable, portable, and an industry-standard.
Disadvantages: They're slow, easily damaged, have relatively small capacities (CD -
700MB; DVD - 4.7 to 8.5 GB; 25+GB for Blue-ray.) Laptops and desktop computers are
not being designed with optical drives anymore.
Troubleshooting:
• Optical drives normally give problems when they are dirty.
• A scratched disk is difficult to repair and should normally just be replaced.
• Writeable and re-writeable discs can easily be damaged by heat or cold and this
damage cannot be reversed.

Page 12
Cellular modem
Most people make use of cellular data when they need to be mobile. An external
cellular modem looks like a flash drive and connects to a USB port, but it has a cell
phone SIM card that is used to access the Internet.
There are also cellular routers which has a space for a SIM card that allows the users to
connect to it wirelessly.

Advantages: They are easy to install and use and they make use of 3G/4G networking.
Disadvantages: They can be expensive to use and are easily lost or stolen.

ADSL and fibre router.

You need to use an ADSL router to make use of an ADSL Internet connection and a
fibre router if you want to make use of a fibre Internet connection.

Advantages: If you have an ADSL router, you can make telephone calls and make use
of the Internet using the same connection. Both an ADSL router and a fibre router
have built in switches. The Wi-Fi capability of a router allows you to connect
computers and other computing devices to the router wirelessly.
Disadvantages:
• With an 8 years all connection, you need to make use of a landline to be able to
use the Internet. Similarly with fibre, you also need a physical connection, which
makes use of tiny glass fibres. Hence, you can only use five or ADSL connections if
the company has laid the cables for it in your area.
• ADSL cable theft is unfortunately a very prevalent thing in South Africa as they
are made out of copper. Fortunately, fibre cables are not targeted in the same
manner as they are made out of glass and not any precious metal.

Virtual reality.
It is with the computer creates a whole new world for you to experience virtually.

To make use of virtual reality you need the following:

• A very powerful computer.
• A head mounted display in the form of goggles.
• Some form of controller.
• Software to generate realistic 3D worlds with sufficient detail.

Unfortunately, virtual reality is very expensive and some people still feel nauseous or
get sick when they make use of virtual reality sets because there is a slight delay
between your actual movement and the movement in the software.

Augmented reality.
It is the merging of the real world along with virtual objects to form one reality.

Augmented reality needs the following:

• Motion sensors.
• A camera.
• This screen or other output device.
• A method for controlling input.

Page 13
 Hardware
recommendations

Page 14
The system unit
The three most important hardware specifications are CPU, RAM, and storage.

CPU or Processor
It's responsible for all of the running of programs and processing of data.

Notes: • The speed of a CPU is measured in GHz.

• Modern CPUs generally have more than one core.
• This means that the there is more than one processor on the
chip.
• The brand name and model help identify a processor in an
advertisement.
Recommendations: • A standard entry-level processor will be sufficient for personal
users, SOHO users, and mobile users.
• Power users should have the best CPU available.

Memory(RAM)
The RAM is the temporary storage area for running programs and data that is being
processed.

Notes: • RAM can be identified by other terms like: DIMMS, DDR3 or DDR4
RAM.
• If you want to use more than 4GB of RAM, make sure that you
have a 64-bit operating system.
Recommendations: • The more RAM a user has, the better. This is true for all users.
• Power users will need a lot of RAM.

Hard Disk Drive (HDD)

The main, permanent storage space for all of the programs and data on a computer.

Notes: • A File server in a network has a lot of hard drives.

• You can identify hard drives by size (2TB), their revolutions per
minute (rpm), and the word SATA, which is the interface used to
connect it.
• HDDs are being replaced by SSDs.
Recommendations: • Most users will never fill the hard drive of their computers.
• If you use your computers for movies, photos, or music, you
should get the biggest hard drive you can.

Video card
It's a separate circuit board that plugs into the special slot on the motherboard, and it
has its own video memory and graphics processing unit (GPU) that improves video
processing.

Notes: • Entry-level computers have integrated graphics built into the

CPU and does not require a separate video card.
• Video cards add extra processing power and is essential for
working with very resource intensive programs.

Page 15
DVD Drive
It's an optical drive that can play, read and write optical media.

Notes: • DVD drives are less important than when the past because flash
drives and other drives like external drives. And the Internet on
our youth instead of optical media.
• Newer computers do not include DVD drives as they are not as
important anymore.
• In advertisements, DVD drives are normally shown or listed as
multi-drives. This means that they can read and write (or burn) to
both DVDs and CDs.

Port
It's used to connect to external devices to the computer.

Notes: • Most devices connect to a computer using USB ports, as this is

the most common port.
• Modern computers may also have Thunderbolt or USB C ports for
high speed data and video connections.
• Computers will have a network port, which is used to connect a
cabled network.
• Even though Wi-Fi is not technically a poured to, many
computers will have built in support for Wi-Fi and you can
recognise the specification by looking for something like: 802.11
b/g/n.

Page 16
Devices that connect to the computer
Mouse and keyboard
These are the most common input devices.

Notes: • Look for ergonomically designed keyboards and mice because

they reduce the impact of RSI.
• Decide if you want wired or wireless equipment.
Recommendations: • Mobile users, the laptops will probably use the built in touchpad
and keyboard instead of a mouse and external keyboard.
• Power users will probably have technology related to their
particular field of interest.

Monitor / Screen / Display

The most common device for a softcopy output.

Notes: • The popularization of mobile devices, like tablets and

smartphones, have made it more common for computers to have
a touch screen interface.
Recommendations: • For most users an entry level monitor will be fine.
• Power users, such as gamers or video editors, often need larger
displays or even multiple monitors connected to their computers
to maximize their productivity.

External (portable) storage

This refers to storage that connects to your computer externally.

Recommendations: • Most personal users using a flash drive is the quickest and
simplest way to transfer data.
• All users can have external hard drives as storage for music and
videos and to back up their internal hard drive.
• SOHO and power users have a need for large external storage
devices for storing their data.

Printer
Printers are used to produce hardcopy outputs.

Notes: • Purchase the printer that you feel will bring you the most use.
Also take note of whether or not it's wireless, whether it uses
toner or ink, and other previous discussed specifications.
Recommendations: • A SOHO user or even a personal user might consider multi-
functional printer that combines a fax facility, e-mail function
scanning and copying and printing all in one device.
• While not being designed to be mobile, mobile users may want a
mobile printer that works with batteries. However, these types of
printers offer up the quality of print for mobility.

Scanner
Image scanners capture images, whilst barcode scanners read barcodes.

Recommendations: • Image scanners have lost their popularity because of digital

photography.
• SOHO and power users who need to scan documents and
convert them into editable texts and needs a good quality
scanner and an OCR program.

Page 17
Devices for disabled users.
Visually impaired / Blind.
• Braille keyboard and Braille display or terminal.
• Magnification devices
• Large key keyboards
• Braille printers

Hearing impaired / Deaf.

• Devices that vibrate instead of emitting sound

Motor control. (Paralyzed, poor motor control, arthritic, etc.)

• Eye movement tracking devices
• Head movement tracking devices
• Large key keyboards
• Track balls
• Joysticks
• Foot pedal control devices

Page 18
Accessibility.
• Remote surgery.
○ By making use of IT, it's possible for a specialist surgeon in South Africa to
carry out an operation on a patient in the Congo. The use of ICT increases
the patient's access to expert medical care and the surgeon 's access to
people who need their expertise.

• Data or information access using the Internet.

○ People with access to the Internet can find data or information on almost
any topic that they might be interested in.

• Distance education.
○ IT can allow a teacher to present a class remotely using real-time or
recorded video, online materials and exercises. This increases the access to
quality teachers and their resources.

• Cell phone banking.

○ People who get paid in cash on a daily, weekly or monthly basis have
always been at a high risk of being robbed. Now you're able to control your
funds electronically by using online banking. This allows you to deposit your
money into your account, which you can then electronically transfer to
other accounts or people.

• Making computers more accessible for disabled users.

The following trends will probably be seen in the future of ICT:

• Smaller, cheaper, faster and more powerful devices.
• The devices will make use of more sensors.
• More devices will be designed to be mobile.
• The battery life of mobile devices will be longer.
• It will be designed to be constantly connected and communicating.
• It will combine new technologies to allow easier and more effective input and
output.

Page 19
Software

Page 20
Web-based applications versus installed applications.
Advantages of web-based applications:
• You can use the software from any computing device in the world so long as you
have an Internet connection.
• The software is always up to date.
• You don't have to download or install the software, which means you save on
storage space.
• The hardware requirements of the computing device are generally lower for
using web-based applications.
• You don't have compatibility issues as the application is stored on the Internet.
• Many of the online apps also provide some free online storage space.

Disadvantages of web-based applications:

• You can't use the software without an Internet connection.
• The performance of the software is greatly impacted by your connection to the
Internet.
• Web applications may have a slower performance than desktop applications
because data must be sent over the Internet.
• The web-based application may have limited features when you compare it to
the desktop application.

Subscription-based software.
With subscription software the user pays a monthly or yearly subscription fee for the
use of software.

Compatibility.
Compatibility refers to the ability of your software to work with the hardware and
software installed on your computer.

Compatibility with operating system.

Software is designed to work with specific operating systems. Sometimes it's even
designed to work with specific versions of specific operating systems. Therefore, you
always need to check the operating system compatibility before installing software.

Compatibility between versions of the same application.

Most software applications are downward or backward compatible, meaning that
they are able to open and use files created in previous or older versions of the same
software.

System requirements.
Before you buy software, make sure that you've checked the hardware and software
specifications or requirements needed for the new software to run properly on your
computing device.

The specifications are often listed as minimum or recommended requirements. The

minimum requirements or the bare minimum requirements needed to install and
use the software. However, in order to run the software effectively and efficiently, it is
suggested to have the recommended requirements.

Page 21
Office suites.
The most common component of an office suite is a word processor, spreadsheet,
presentation and database.
This serves as an alternative to buying individual applications.

Reference software.
Previously you bought encyclopaedias, dictionaries, atlases, and other reference work
on CDs or DVDs. Most of these have been discontinued and been replaced with the
same type of reference material that is now found on the web.

Web browser.
Web browsers allow you to navigate websites and view and also interact with the
content on them. Most web browsers have the ability to view content such as PDF
documents and multimedia such as animation, sound, and video.

In addition to all of this, you also have the ability to add extra functionality to the web
browser via add-ons or extensions.

E-mail software.
E-mail software allows you to receive mail, read it, reply to it, and create your own
messages.

Document management software.

The PDF is a file format that is often used since PDF readers are free to download. PDF
readers allow people to see documents with the layout and formatting of the
documents intact, even if the software used to create the document is not installed
on their computing devices.

PDFs work in the following way:

• You create your document as you normally would.
• Then you create your PDF file by using the Save As option that allows you to
export or save the documents as a PDF file. Alternatively, you can also use PDF
creation software.
• You can then send the PDF file to anyone and they will see the document the
way you created it.

Page 22
Software that enhances accessibility, efficiency, and productivity.
Voice recognition software.
Voice recognition software allows the computer to understand you when you talk to
it. It can fall into two basic categories: software that allows you to give the computer
commands and to dictate text, and secondly, the so-called virtual assistant.

Voice recognition software takes your speech and breaks it up into patterns for each
word you speak. It then searches for the patterns in a database and finds the words
which the patterns represent. All voice commands start with a specific command
phrase. If what you said starts with the key phrase, the software tries to match what
you said to one of the voice commands which then prompts a specific action. If
there's no key phrase found, then the software adds the words as a text in a
document.

Advantages:
• It's great for disabled users because it allows them to control their computer.
• It allows you to save time by dictating text instead of typing it.
• It is great for situations where you can't afford the distraction of looking at a
screen while typing.

Disadvantages:
• You may have to invest a lot of time and effort to train the computer to
recognize your voice correctly for the best results.
• Issues such as background noise or a poor quality microphone can have a
serious impact on the effectiveness of voice recognition software.

Note-taking software.
Note-taking software allows you to:
• Make handwritten notes.
• Keep handwritten notes, text, images, and other multimedia content in one
document.
• Use handwriting recognition software to convert handwritten notes to editable
text.

Education or training software.

Electronic or e-learning is being used increasingly today. The reasons for this are the
increased use of mobile devices, Internet connectivity and the large number of free to
use educational websites and apps for education.

A MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) is a free course offered over the web and
aimed at large-scale participation.

Advantages:
• You can work at your own pace anywhere and anytime.
• You can be assessed immediately and given your feedback on your progress.
• You're motivated to learn by the immediate feedback and by competing against
yourself and others.
• Working with online content promotes green computing.
• You can work with others.

Page 23
Basic troubleshooting.
○ Freezing - Non-responsive tasks or applications.
○ When tasks for applications become nonresponsive, use the Task Manager
to close the frozen or hanging application.

• Software crash.
○ If the software crashes or causes the computer to reboot, reboot your
system and try again. Run the 'problem' software without loading any
other programs. Uninstall any programs that you have recently installed
and checked the online forums and help systems of the software company
to see if any other people have the same problem.

• Read-only files.
○ The file may appear as read only when you load it. This may be because it
was loaded from a read only medium, such as a DVD, and it's read only
attribute is set.
○ You can copy the file to another location and remove the read only
attribute.
○ Alternatively, you can simply open the file and save it under a different file
name or in a different folder.
○ You should be careful in the networking environment because a read-only
file may indicate that somebody else is currently working on that file.

Bugs - Why we need to keep software updated.

Any software that is written will initially have bugs in it. These bugs are not viruses,
but are mistakes that have been made by accident from the programmers who
wrote the software initially. The following are some of the risks presented by flawed
software:
• Corrupted data or invalid information.
• Unexpected and dangerous behaviour of computer-controlled machinery.
• Security breaches and the existence of loopholes for malware and hackers to
exploit.

Developers of any software continually work on improving the software by

enhancing existing features, providing new features, fixing bugs, and patching
security loopholes. They make fixes available quickly and frequently as some
downloadable updates, known as patches.

User-centred design.
Another example of flawed software is when the user interface is poorly designed
and difficult to use. A user-centred design refers to designing the user interface so
that it's pleasing to the eye, easy to use, and also helps reduce input errors on the
user's part.

Some practical guidelines for user-centred design:

• Layout to readability.
○ Don't put too much on one page.
○ Group related items together.
○ Use white space.
• Font and colour.
○ Use appropriate colour combinations.
○ Don't use distracting colours and fonts.
○ Make sure that the text is legible.
• Use of instructions and graphics.
○ Use simple language.
○ Make use of common and known icons.

Page 24
 System software and
computer management

Page 25
System software that controls all activities that take place in a computer. When a
computer switched on, the operating system must be loaded first to control all
activities.

What happens when a computer is switched on:

• When a computer switched on, the first thing it does is look for instructions to
follow, which is stored on a special memory chip called the ROM chip.
○ The instructions from the ROM chip perform some basic hardware tests to
ensure everything is working correctly.
○ And they also tried to find another operating system from the disk drive
that it was told to check.
• Once the operating system has been found, it is loaded into memory and the
control of the computer is then handed over to the operating system.
○ This process of loading the operating system is called the 'booting' process.

The role of the operating system.

○ Providing the user interface.
○ It allows the user to interact with the computer via graphical user
interfaces (GUIs).
○ Managing programs.
○ The operating system allows the user to choose and run software by
learning programs into memory and coordinating the prices of these
programs for the CPU.
• Managing hardware.
○ Disk Management
○ Memory Management
○ Input/ Output Management
• Providing basic security.
○ Provides basic security functions such as user and access control.
○ Provide basic protection against threats to our computers.

The Task Manager.

It provides some information about the computer's performance and the
applications and processes running, and is used to terminate processes or programs
that are not responding.

Single-user versus multi-user operating systems.

Single-user operating system.
This is an operating system that can only be used by one user at a time. It may appear
that more than one account is logged in, but in reality only one is using the
computer.

Multi-user operating system.

This is an operating system designed to have multiple users accessing the same
computer at any time. These types of operating systems are usually installed on
servers and used in networks where multiple users need to have simultaneous access
to a computer.

Page 26
Utilities are programs that perform system maintenance and administrative tasks.

File management.
Naming files:
Term Explanation
File names. The file name consists of two parts, namely the file name followed
by a period and a three to five letter file extension.
File extensions It identifies the file type of format and it's automatically added by
and file types. the program when you save the file.
Path. It's the succession of folders that leads to the location of a specific
file.

Information about files:

Term Explanation
File property. The basic information about a file such as name, size and date
modified.
File attribute. A property of a father can be set.
• Read-only is a file attribute that indicates if a file can be
written to or not.
• Hidden is a file attribute that indicates if the file is visible or
not.
Metadata. Metadata is additional data stored about a file that describes the
contents of the file such as the author and the title of the file.

File Manager functions.

Term Explanation
Searching. This allows you to search for a file based on any number of criteria
such as file size, the type of file, partial file name, date accessed or
even any text in the file.
Compressing. This refers to the process of reducing the size of the file by
producing a smaller compressed version of that file.
Decompressing. This refers to the process of converting or extracting a compressed
or zipped set of files back to their original size.

Scheduling.
Schedulers program that is used to run certain programs at specific times.
Advantages of using schedulers:
• They automatically check for updates.
• They can be set to automatically perform certain routine housekeeping tasks.
• We can set schedulers to run at off peak times (When we're not using our
computers).

Printer Management.
When we print a document or any other type of file, it becomes a 'print job'. These
print jobs or tasks are temporarily sent to disk until the printer is available to print
them. This process of sending the print tasks to the disk is known as 'spooling'.

Page 27
Backup
The reasons why we need to back up our files:
• Files can be accidentally overwritten or deleted.
• Hardware failures such as disk drive crashes can occur.
• Devices can be stolen.
• Natural disasters can destroy hardware.
• Files can become corrupted by power fluctuations.
• Files can be deleted, encrypted, or corrupted by viruses.

Backup software:
Most operating systems provide backup utilities. These utilities have the advantages of
allowing you to:
• Schedule when to back up the files.
• Choose to do a full backup of all the files or just those that have been changed
since the last backup.
• Encrypt backups to prevent unauthorized access.
• Compress the files to save space on the backup media.

Backup tips:
• Use software that automatically manages your backup processes so that backing
up is not a task that you have to do manually.
• Only back up data, and not programs.
• Back up your files onto external portable media.
• Don't leave your backup drive permanently connected to your computer.
• Keep the backups off-site in case of theft or disaster.
• Consider using cloud storage services.
• Check the backups are actually working by restoring some of the files from the
backups from time to time.

Access control.
In order for malware to work, it has to be installed onto your computer. Access control
means that the operating system specifically ask you for your permission before any
software can be installed.

Firewall.
Firewall acts as a barrier between your computer and the Internet. It checks which
programs are trying to access your computer via the Internet or trying to access the
Internet from your computer. It can consist of hardware, software, or a combination of
the two.

A firewall physically prevents software from accessing the Internet without your
explicit consent.

Page 28
Memory (RAM)
If the memory is full, parts of the data or programs that the computers are currently
busy with are temporarily stored in an area on the hard disk. (This is known as virtual
memory.) These have to be loaded back into memory again when they are needed. This
slows down the computer as accessing the disk is very slow compared to accessing the
memory.

Processor (CPU)
• The speed.
○ The higher the speed of the CPU the better it will perform.
• The number of cores.
○ More than one physical processor can be included in a single chip. Each core
is a complete processor that can work independently of any other core on the
CPU chip. More cores make the computer perform better.
• Cache size.
○ Cache memory is a type of special, high-speed memory used for recently or
frequently accessed data. The larger the cache memory on the CPU, the faster
the CPU will perform as the cache memory can then contain more data.

Hard drive/ SSD.

The more you use your computer, the more the files get scattered on the disk. The more
scattered the files' parts are, the slower your computer becomes as the files take longer
to retrieve. This is known as disk fragmentation.

SSDs can also get fragmented, but because they are electronic rather than magnetic,
fragmentation has virtually no effect on their speed.

Influence of malware.
Malware can slow down your computer by using resources such as free memory and
hard drive space. In addition, spyware can slow down your Internet connection if it
frequently connects to the Internet. Your computer can also become a 'zombie' without
your knowledge, which also slows down your computer.

• Disk scanning.
○ This utility comes included with all operating systems and can be used to
check a drive for errors and 'bad sectors' and then tries to fix them.
• Disk defragmentation.
○ It's a software utility that reorganizes parts of files and speeds up your
computer.
• Disc filling up.
○ The Disk Cleanup utility makes more storage space available by removing
temporary files downloaded from the Internet and temporary files created by
Windows. It can also be used to uninstall programs that you don't use or use
seldomly.

Page 29
Internet connections and
services

Page 1
The Internet: is a worldwide computer network consisting of computers, devices and
networks that are linked using some sort of communication medium (Telephone
lines, fibre cables, undersea cables, satellite, etc.)

WAN (Wide Area Network): It's a computer network that covers a large geographical
area.

Internet Service Provider (ISP)

An ISP is a company that has a permanent and fast connection to the internet, who
then sell internet access to users for a monthly fee.
Example: Afrihost, Vodacom, MTN, etc.
They offer the following services:
• Email
• Web page hosting
• Internet access (Wired and wireless)

Criteria for types of Internet connections

Broadband: a high-speed, high-bandwidth connection to the internet.
Bandwidth: it's the total amount of data that can be transferred from one point to
another within a given timeframe.

The criterions to consider when choosing an ISP are:

• Mobility: Do you need to be able to move your internet access or can it be
stationary?
• Speed of the line connection: How fast do you need your connection to be?
• Cap: This places a limit on the amount of data that you are allowed to use. E.g.
60GB/month.
• Shaped and unshaped: shaped refers to specific services that are given
preference, like email or social media. Unshaped means that all services have the
same priority.

Wired vs. Wireless connections

Wired Connections - ADSL or Fibre
• ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line)
○ A permanent digital connection to the internet using landlines or telephone
lines.
 The connection is split in two: one for phone calls and one for
connecting to the internet.
• Fibre
○ A connection that makes use of tubes of glass where light gets sent through
them.
NOTES:
• ADSL is cheaper than cellular connections.
• ADSL and fibre are more stable than cellular connections.
• Fibre is faster, cheaper and more stable than ADSL or cellular connections.
• ADSL's speed drops the further it has to travel - Fibre doesn't have that problem.
• Fibre is not effected by electrical interferences (EF)

Page 2
Wireless Connections - Cellular Technologies
Connecting to the Internet wirelessly can be done by using an existing cellular network.
This method offers Internet connectivity without having to install ADSL or fibre which then
in turn allows you to have mobile Internet access.

A 3G or 4G dongle can be used on a desktop or laptop to connect to a cellular network.

You can also use your smartphone or tablet as a personal Wi-Fi hotspot.

Advantage:
• You can have mobile Internet access.

Disadvantage:
• When the signal of a cellular device is low you will have slow or no Internet access.
• You never escape communication which can result in information overload.
• You might need to limit the amount of data you use.

Internet access using smartphones and tablets.

People have the following preferences this record to digital communication:
• Always on and everywhere.
• Fast and reliable.
• A hassle free connection.

Page 3
Real-time messaging
It's the online exchange of messages in real time, which includes instant messaging
and chats.

Advantages:
• It's cost effective.
• You can chat to more than one person in real time.

Disadvantages:
• You have no way of confirming that a person is who they say they are.
• It opens the opportunity for cyber bullying and stalking.

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)

It's a technology that allows for phone calls to be made over a network, like the
Internet.

Advantages:
• They are cheaper than normal calls.
• It's generally free.
• You can also transfer files or make video calls.

Disadvantages:
• You must have Internet access.
• Both users must use the same software.
• A slow Internet connection may cause the call quality to be poor.

Video conferencing.
It allows two or more people to hold an online conference.

Advantages:
• You can physically see someone.
• It's cheaper than conventional calls and travelling.

Disadvantages:
• The video and audio quality may be poor if you have a slow Internet connection.
• It can use a lot of data, especially if you use video.

Cloud computing.
It's the sharing and use of resources and applications offered as a service over the
Internet.
E.g. Google Drive, Gmail, Amazon and Google.

Advantages:
• The software is always up-to-date.
• You don't have to download or install the program.
• You can access your data from anywhere so long as you have an Internet
connection.
• The application does not take space on your local storage..

Disadvantages:
• For you to be able to use it effectively, you must have a false and reliable Internet
connection.
• You may have to pay a monthly fee.
• Cloud computing might be slower than your computer.

Page 4
Online storage
It's the storage of files on a computer server on the Internet, that is accessed by the user via
a folder.

Advantages:
• It automatically backs up files.
• You save space on your local hard drive.
• It's an effective and cost efficient way to store and transfer files.

Disadvantages:
• The allocated amount of storage may be small if you are using the free version.
• If you have shared a folder with someone, they can accidentally delete it.

File sharing.
Here are ways in which files can be shared:
• E-mail: You can attach documents to the e-mail message.
○ Advantages:
 It's inexpensive.
 It's a relatively fast method.
○ Disadvantages:
 It's not suitable for large files.
 It may block potentially dangerous file extensions.
 It's very inefficient when sharing files with a lot of people.

• FTP (File Transfer Protocol): It's the protocol used for fast and easy file transfer between
remote computers over the Internet.
○ Cloud storage have taken over this function for users.

Grid computing.
It's a system whereby the resources of many different computers are combined and used
for one purpose.

Purpose: It's normally used for scientific or technical applications that require a large
amount of processing power.

Advantages:
• It's a cost effective solution.
• It saves resources by using the processing power of idle computers.

Disadvantages:
• A fast network connection between the computers are crucial.
• Malware can spread very easily.

Government Internet services.

The Internet provides government departments with the ability to streamline service
delivery.

Advantages:
• This improved communication between the government and the citizens.
• Immediate feedback is provided from the government.

Disadvantages:
• The digital divide.
• The initial cost to develop this is expensive.

Page 5
The dangers of computer
crime

Page 6
Social engineering: It refers to the use of deception to manipulate someone into
giving out confidential information or into giving criminals access to their computer or
premises.

Malware (Malicious software): It refers to any software that is written with negative
intention.

• Phishing: It refers to attempts to trick the user into giving out personal and
confidential details.
• Pharming: It's a scamming practice where the user is automatically redirected to
another fake website.
• Click-jacking: It's an attack in which a site appears to do one thing, but your
clicks are actually redirected to do something else.
• Spoofing: It's the forgery of an e-mail header so that the e-mail appears to be
from a different origin.
• Spyware: It refers to any technique or software that tries to monitor and track the
way you use your computer.
○ Keylogger: It's a type of spyware that records your keystrokes as you type in
an attempt to discover your usernames and passwords.
• Virus: It's malware that is written to disrupt the normal functioning of a person's
computer.
• Worm: It's malware that is able to distribute itself over a network.
• Trojan: It's a destructive program disguised as a useful application.
• Ransomware: It's malware that encrypts data until you pay the hacker.
• Adware: It's software that downloads onto your computer and bombards your
computer with adverts.
• Bots or Zombies: It's a computer that has been compromised and can be
controlled remotely when it is connected to the Internet.

Harassment.
This is when you are continuously bothered by messages or data that you do not want to
receive.

A few examples:
• Cyberstalking.
• Spam.
• Cyber bullying?
• Uploading unauthorized pictures on the web.

Internet attacks (Cyberattack)

It's an attack on the infrastructure of the web itself.

A few examples:
• Attacks on businesses that cause problems with conducting business online.
• The tack on websites which deface the website.
• Cyber terrorism that attacks parts of countries IT infrastructure.
• Denial of service (DoS) attacks - When thousands of compromised computers
(Bots/Zombies) flood a server with requests for information.

Page 7
Computers and theft.
• Bandwidth:
○ This is the act of stealing somebody else's bandwidth.
○ It's done by obtaining usernames and passwords for accounts and connections
that are not theirs.

• Identity theft:
○ Identity thieves collect data that can be used to pretend that they are someone
else.
○ The data that they collect is anything that can be used to confirm their fake
identity in the cyberspace.

• Processing time and power:

○ Criminals steal processing power by taking control of computers that they
don't own in order to complete huge amounts of processing.
 This is also commonly referred to as a botnet, each computer is referred to
as a bot in a network.

• Data/Intellectual property:
○ Data can be stolen in many ways:
 Social engineering techniques.
 Physically copying data onto an external drive.
 Intercepting the communication channels.

• Money:
○ In general, money is normally stolen using a social engineering technique or
something like a keylogger.
○ However, some criminals do use card skimmers.
 A card skimmer is a device that reads magnetic data from your bank card
and is accompanied by a video camera at an ATM that captures your card
details and PIN as you enter it.
 The criminals then use this information to withdraw money from your
account.
○ Another way of money being stolen is with Internet scams.
 "Get rich quick" schemes.

• Copyrighted material:
○ This is when intellectual property (like movies or games) are copied or pirated
without being paid for.

Page 8
Software to help protect your computer.
• Antivirus software:
○ Software that scans files for different types of malware and eliminates it.
○ They use signatures and definitions of malware to detect the signs or traces
of that specific malware-type, on your computer.

• Firewall:
○ It acts as a barrier between your computer and the Internet.

Precautions.
A small list of some precautions you should take:
• Be careful when installing free software from the Internet.
• Make sure to check websites for their security.
○ The URL starts with an S.
○ There is a small lock pad that is locked.
• Have strong passwords.
• Don't give up personal information.
• Don't click on popups.
• Don't perform financial transactions on public computers.

The 'paranoid ABC'.

• Assume nothing.
• Believe no one.
• Check everything.

Page 9
E-communication

Page 10
Electronic communication or digital communication refers to all forms of
communication via electronic means.

Advantages of digital communication:

• It's easier to communicate digitally.
• You can easily and efficiently communicate with people across the globe.
• It's faster than conventional methods.
• They're cheaper.

Disadvantages of digital communication:

• Efficient communication depends on Internet speed.
• It does require expensive equipment.

Good practices when using digital communication:

• Keep time zones in mind.
• You can't 'undo' something that you've said.
• Be careful of what you post and respect the online privacy of others.

• E-mail: It's the composing, sending and receiving of messages electronically over
a network.
○ Calendar:
 It's used to set reminders about events, birthdays, or other
appointments.
○ Tasks:
 This allows the user to add tasks to a to do list to remind them of stuff.
○ Contact list:
 Also commonly referred to as an address book or contact list. It's
feature where you store the e-mail addresses of people you want to e-
mail.
○ Archiving:
 It allows you to tidy up your inbox by moving messages from your inbox
to the archive folder.

• Social networking sites: This is where individuals and organisations can post their
likes, dislikes, interests, comments, etc, for their friends.
○ People use social networking sites for the following reasons:
 Staying in touch with family members or friends.
 For advertising and marketing.
 To connect with other people who have similar interests as you do.
 To spread awareness and news.

• Blogs/Vlogs: A blog is a website that is updated regularly with news and events in
chronological order. Vlogs are a form of blog which uses video as the medium.

• Podcasts: It's an audio file that is made available to download for free or to
purchase over the Internet.
○ A vodcast includes video clips or photos along with audio.

• Wikis: It's a website that allows for the collaborative editing and creating of
content of web pages.

• GPS technology in digital communications:

○ Some companies use GPS to grant their customers loyalty points.
○ This is when GPS services are used for marketing.

Page 11
Web browser: It's a software application that allows one to navigate, view and interact
with content on the web.

Here are some typical features of web browsers:

• Home page settings:
○ You can set the default web page. This is known as your home page.

• Bookmarks or favourites:
○ This option allows a user to store shortcuts to the web page they frequently
visit.

• History:
○ This option allows you to find the web pages you have previously visited.

• Pop-up blocker:
○ A pop-up is a small web browser window that appears on the top of the
website you are viewing. They are usually created by advertisers.
○ Pop-up blockers are found on most web browsers. You can choose to
minimize or completely block pop-ups.
○ Some websites like banking websites make use of popups, so blocking all of
them is not a good idea.

• Blocking websites:
○ This feature allows you to block a certain website or a specific type of
website.
○ You're able to use different types of filters to block a large genre of websites.

• Cashing:
○ When you've recently visited a website, you will store a version of that
website locally on your disk.
○ When you revisit the website, it will read this version that you have saved and
check if it has any changes.
 If it doesn't have any changes, it will load from your disk.
 If it does have changes, it will load from the Internet.
○ This is done to speed up the process of accessing a website.

• Browser plugins and add-ons/extensions:

○ This is additional pieces of software to add extra capabilities to your web
browser.

Page 12
The most important trends in e-communications are the following:

• Mobile connectivity.
○ Access to the Internet on the go.

• 'Always on' connectivity.

○ People expect to always have a connection to the Internet.

• Increased bandwidth at a lower cost.

○ Due to the widespread installation of fibre connections, the trend is for the
speed to increase and the cost to decrease.

• Digitization of media.
○ Physical products like newspapers or magazines are being replaced with
digital versions of those.

• Distributed processing and storage.

○ People no longer have to have powerful computers at home, since they can
access more powerful computers via the Internet.
○ People no longer have to buy very expensive and large storage capacities
since they do have the ability to store it on the cloud.

Page 13
The impact of
technology

Page 14
Here are a few ways in which technology has an impact on the global community:

• People communicate on a global scale.

○ Speed and costs are no longer limiting factors in global communication.

• Work, business and competition takes place on a global scale.

○ ICT allows us to cut across geographical boundaries and remove time
boundaries.
○ The last one of businesses to compete globally.
 Because they're now able to advertise and market their products on a
global scale.

• The flow of information is difficult to control and restrict.

○ Information can have a tremendous social and political impact.
○ Promotes the idea of free speech in a democratic setting.
○ Many non-democratic governments have tried censoring or completely
banning the Internet to prevent their citizens from having access to free
speech.

• Telecommuting is possible.
○ Workers can now communicate with other workers and their employers via
electronic means.
○ Because of this, businesses are able to save a lot more money since they do
not have to have 300 employees in one building since more than half of
them can work from home.

• Computer fraud takes place.

○ ICT has unfortunately made fraud a lot easier. This is not a downfall of ICT,
this is a downfall of humanity as it's their responsibility to use technology
responsibly.

• Many people suffer from information overload.

○ The sheer amount of knowledge and data that is stored on the Internet
makes it feel impossible to understand.
○ Information overload occurs when people can't cope with the amount of
information that they are exposed to every day.
○ How to cope with information overnight:
 Learn how to read quickly and accurately.
 Learn to analyse and compare sources. Never assume that the single
source is the only correct one.
 Take a disciplined and structured approach to dealing with
information.
 Don't contribute to information overload by forwarding unnecessary
information to other people.

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General characteristics of social networking services include the following:
• They are free.
• They require the user to register.
• The encourage people to get as many other people to join.
• They can make money by gathering information about users and selling that to
third parties, or by using targeted advertising.

Twitter.
It's a microblogging service. 'Micro' is used to describe this service because you aren't
allowed to type more than 280 characters per tweet. Twitter is considered to be a very
powerful news service.

Facebook.
It's a free social networking service that allows people to connect and keep in contact
with friends and family.

Social media has made it extremely difficult for governments and other organisations to
censor and control the flow of information to the extent that they used to be able to. In
turn, this allows for a more democratic world.

Virtual communities.
It's a group of people gather online to share ideas and interests.

Google+.
This is Google's attempt to offer social networking services. Google+ was shut down in
2018 after a security flaw was discovered that led to a huge data leak.

Kickstarter and Indiegogo

Both of these platforms make use of crowdfunding.
• Crowdfunding: the practice of funding someone's business idea or project through
small amounts of money contributed by a large number of people.

Pinterest.
It's a site that acts like a virtual public pinboard. It doesn't have much constructive social
value, but it is very valuable since it is a great place for people to look for creative ideas or
entertainment.

Area Benefit Harms

Employment New jobs are being created Many jobs are being lost as a
in the IT sector. result of computerized
automation, as well as,
outsourcing to foreign countries.
Education ICT improves access to The digital divide.
information and resources.
Culture and People can better express Cultures are being diluted to
languages and reflect their own more standard Western-
cultures and languages. dominated world culture.
Individual People are able to connect Connectedness is a virtual term,
connectedness with others on a very large not a physical term. Therefore, in
scale. the real world, people are getting
more isolated even if they have a
lot of friends online.

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