ICT Flashcards
1
Q
What is an input device?
A
It is any hardware device that allows you to enter data into a computer or interact with a computer.
2
Q
What is a storage device?
A
It is a hardware device that is
used for storing data.
3
Q
What is random access memory (RAM)?
A
It is a hardware device, usually on the motherboard, that allows information and data to be temporarily stored and retrieved on a computer while it is on.
4
Q
What is a processing device?
A
It is a hardware device that receives the data, performs a set of instructions, and then returns the processed data to the RAM.
5
Q
What is an output device?
A
It is a device that formats and presents data in a form understandable to a user.
6
Q
What is a communication device?
A
It is a hardware device capable of transmitting a signal over a wire or wireless connection.
7
Q
What do Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) refer to?
A
It refers to technologies that capture, transmit and display data and information electronically and includes all devices, application and networking elements that allow people to connect in a digital world.
8
Q
What does a whole ICT system include?
A
● People – to supply the data and to make decisions from the output
supplied from the system information, which is based on the results from processing data and the output from an ICT system.
● Hardware e.g. input devices, storage, processor, output devices and communication devices.
● Procedures – to determine what needs to be done and when. This causes the passing of data or information between people.
● Software – the computer programs which provide the step-by-step instructions to complete the task.
● Data – raw material that is processed by the system to provide the information for the output provided by the system.
9
Q
What does an ICT system need to function?
A
It needs to receive, store, retrieve, manipulate and transmit data.
10
Q
What are computers designed to do?
A
Computers are programmable electronic devices designed to accept data, perform mathematical and logical operations at high speeds and then display the results.
11
Q
What do computers do as soon as they receive data to work with?
A
They begin to process the data, then the data gets stored on the computer, the computer manipulates the data according to the instructions it has received and lastly, they send the new information back to the user.
11
Q
What is Information technology (IT)?
A
IT is a subset of ICT. IT is the development, maintenance and use of computer systems, software, and networks for processing and communicating data.
12
Q
What four functions do
all basic computers have?
A
Input, storage, processing and output.
13
Q
Explain the general model of a computer.
A
A computer uses input, processing, output and storage (IPOS) to turn data into information. The computer begins by receiving input, processes the input as per user instructions and provides output and can be stored in a desired format.
14
Q
What is software?
A
It is the programs used to direct the operation of a computer. Software is also the program that is operated by the hardware.
15
Q
What is hardware?
A
It is the physical components or equipment of a computer.
16
Q
What are the common physical components (hardware) of a computer?
A
Input devices - any hardware devices that allows you to input data into a computer or interact with a computer.
Storage devices - a hardware device that allows you to store data for later use. Some of the most popular storage devices include hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs).
Random access memory (RAM) - refers to a fast, temporary form of storage. All data and instructions that is currently being executed is stored in RAM.
Processing devices - receive the data from the RAM, perform sets of instructions, and returns the processed data to the RAM. The two most important processing devices in modern computers are the central processing unit (CPU) and the graphics processing unit (GPU).
Output devices - devices that return the computer’s instructions, as results, to the user. Popular
output devices include monitors / screens and printers.
Communication devices - a hardware device capable of transmitting an analog or digital signal over a wired or wireless connection e.g. a modem and a network interface card (NIC).
17
Q
Explain the difference between a Central Processing Unit (CPU) and a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)?
A
The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is responsible for processing
general instructions. Every application makes use of the CPU to collect, decode and execute instructions as required by the application.
The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is responsible for processing the instructions that create the pictures on your screen.
18
Q
Why can’t hardware and software function without each other?
A
Because hardware cannot do anything without software because it depends on the processed instructions to provide input, while software cannot function without hardware to process the
user’s instructions.
19
Q
What are the 2 most important software?
A
System software and applications software.
20
Q
What is system software?
A
System software is the specific type of software that manages the flow of data and the information contained on the computer. The operating system (OS) is the
most important type of system software. Examples of operating systems include Microsoft Windows, Linux, MacOS, iOS
and Android.
21
Q
What is the operating system designed to do?
A
The OS is designed to control and coordinate the tasks and functions of computer hardware.
22
Q
What is applications software?
A
Application software is a program that is built for a specific purpose, like sending a message, browsing the internet, or typing a document. This type of software includes media players, spreadsheets and word processors.
23
Q
What is shareware? (provide a description, examples, advantages and disadvantages).
A
Shareware is copyright software distributed free of charge, but after a trial period it notifies the user that they might need to pay for the program if they want to keep it e.g. DVD-Cloner,
Total Privacy, Easy Movie Splitter and Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Advantages: it gives
the distributor exposure while giving the user time to decide whether they want to spend money on the program or not.
Disadvantages: it cannot be
modified and may be a cut-down or allow for a temporary version.
24
What is freeware? (provide a description, examples, advantages and disadvantages).
Freeware software is available to you, free of charge. However, the developers or company that distributes the software keeps the rights to the software e.g. Mozilla
Firefox and Google Chrome.
Advantages: It is free of charge and it is easily accessible and generally comes with the files you need in order to use the program.
Disadvantages: It can contain viruses and Trojan horses that affect the way the computer functions.
25
What is free open source software? (provide a description, examples, advantages and disadvantages).
Open source software has a source code that is available to the public or anyone that wants to use it. It also allows the user to change or modify the code itself if need be e.g. Linux kernel, Gimp, Firefox, Chromium and LibreOffice.
Advantages: Since the source is available to anyone, the
public can collaborate and fix bugs.
Disadvantages: Open software might not be as user-friendly
especially to unskilled users. It is often difficult to find proper technical support or find drivers for some devices.
26
What is proprietary software? (provide a description, examples, advantages and disadvantages).
Proprietary software, is where the source code is not given to the public or the user. It still belongs to the distributor or developer, even if you have bought the program e.g. Microsoft Office, Windows, antivirus software and most computer games.
Advantages: Proprietary software is more stable and technical support is easier to access.
Disadvantages: This software costs money, and if there are any technical issues, you will have to wait for the developer to address the problem.
27
What are the main categories a computer can be classified in?
Supercomputers
Mainframe computers
Minicomputers
Microcomputers
Mobile computers
28
What are general-purpose computers and examples of them?
General-purpose computers compute a range of tasks but lack super speed and efficiency e.g. desktop computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones.
29
What are spesific purpose computers and give examples of them?
Specific purpose computers handle a specific problem or task. It uses a high level of accuracy and processing power e.g. servers and embedded devices.
30
Give the types of computing devices and include their uses, processing power and mobility.
Laptops: Laptops can be used for almost anything, and it allows you to work anywhere, a laptop has medium to high processing power and its fully mobile.
Desktop computers: A desktop computer can do exactly what a laptop can do, but it is not mobile and its processing power is medium to high.
Smartphones: A Smartphone can take photos, set alarms, make calls and send messages, its processing power is medium to high and its fully mobile.
Tablets: It can do what a smartphone does, but it just has a bigger screen that is better for reading, etc. It has a medium processing power and its fully mobile.
Servers: Servers are designed for managing networks and processing huge amounts of data, it has high processing power and its not mobile.
Embedded devices: Embedded devices are designed for a fixed purpose e.g. ATM machines, DVD players, etc., it has low processing power, and the mobility varies on the device.
31
Give advantages of using a computer.
1. Provides to more information.
2. Completes tasks that might be impossible for humans to complete
3. Saves time
4. Automates repetitive tasks
5. Allows for greater productivity
6. Allows for better communication and connections
7. Entertainment
32
Give the disadvantages of using a computer.
1. Social risk: Computers provide humans access to social media which can be addictive, make people less happy, etc.
2. Health risks: research has shown that excessive computer use can result in several medical problems, including back pain,
eyestrain, obesity, carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and repetitive strain injury (RSI).
3.Security risks: malware or bad software can attack your computer, steal your data, etc.
4. High cost: computers are expensive.
5. Distractions: because of their high entertainment value it is easy for computers to distract people and keep them from being productive.
6. Enviromental impact: computers use a lot of electricity, and the generation of electricity is harmful, because of their carbon emissions.
33
What is data?
Data can be defined as unprocessed facts, without processing the data it is useless.
34
What is information?
Information can be defined as facts that have been organised/processed so that it can become useful to people.
35
Why can information be useful in an organization?
Because it will speed up the decision-making process, and help the business improve their business serving offering.
36
What is the point of sales system?
Products have barcodes and the barcodes consist of info about the product, the scan reader then scans that barcode, and it then converts into numerical data which is then transferred to the cash register.
37
What gets converted into compuer-readable form(binary)?
Data such as numbers, letters, symbols, sounds and images.
38
What does data representation refer to?
It refers to the form in which data is stored, processed and transmitted.
39
What can a byte represent?
It can represent any number between 0(represented in bits 0000000) and 255(represented in bits as 11111111)
39
How do you get a byte?
When you combine 8 bits together.
40
What do all of these stand for and what is their value: b, B, KB, MB, GB, TB, PB?
b: bit
B: Byte, 8 bits
KB: Kilobyte, 1024 Bytes
MB: Megabyte, 1024 Kilobytes
GB: Gigabyte, 1024 Megabytes
TB: Terabyte, 1024 Gigabytes
PB: Petabyte, 1024 Terabytes
41
If someone says that a movies is 700 Megabytes big, what are they actually saying and what can these bytes tell the computer?
They are saying that the movie consists of 700 million bytes of data.
And these bytes can tell us the: specific colour every pixel on the screen should be for every frame, order in which to show the frames and frequency and the time each different sound is played.
42
How many numbers are in the decimal system?
10: 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9
43
What is the difference between a digit and a number?
A digit is a single symbol used to represent numbers in a positional numeral system. A number is a mathematical concept representing a quantity, value, or an identifier.
44
What is a Boolean, give a description, representation and an example.
A data type that can only be true or false. Boolean values can be represented by a single bit of data that is either ON or OFF, e.g. True or False, 1or 0, YES or NO.
45
What is an Integer, give a description, representation and an example.
An integer is any positive or negative whole number. Any integer up to 255
can be represented by
one byte of data. Larger
integers require more
bytes of data, e.g. 1 or 82355 or -59.
45
What is a Float, give a description, representation and an example.
A float refers to any number with a decimal value. To represent floats, require multiple bytes of data, e.g. 82.355 or 0.55 or -10.02.
46
What is a Char, give a description, representation and an example.
A char is a data type that
can store a single character. This includes letters, numbers, and symbols. Each char requires one
byte (8 bits) of data, e.g.
‘A’ or 5 or ‘!’ or ‘@’
47
What is a String, give a description, representation and an example.
A string refers to several characters, letters, or numbers.
Strings are always surrounded by quotation marks to show where they begin and end. NB: if numbers are represented as a string, you cannot use them in your calculations. Each character in a string requires one byte of data, e.g. ‘Tel: 082 111 2222’ ‘Hello, World!’ ‘Maria Maseko’
48
Why do computers store data and what are the 2 structures used to normally store data?
The data:
● contains the instructions that a computer uses to function and run applications
● is loaded into memory, RAM, that the computer is currently using in its applications
● storage allows users to keep information that they would like to access on the computer (be it
short-term or long-term)
Two structures: Databases and files.
49
What can be seen as a hierarchy?
The manner in which data is represented.
50
True or false: Each file type has the same data structure that records all the information in a format.
False, each fille type has its own unique data structure
that records all the information in a format only the software can understand.
51
What is FAT?
It is the file allocation table, that keeps track of every file on your hard disk.
52
What is the Registry?
The Registry is a hierarchical database that stores low-level settings for the operating system and for applications. The Registry is used to store much of the information and settings for software programs, hardware devices, user preferences, operating system configurations, and much more.
53
In what does a Windows operating system organise its drives, folders, and files?
It organises it in a hierarchical tree structure. Files are stored on a drive within directories(folders). Folders organise files on a drive.
53
What is a database?
It is a collection of organised data that can be accessed electronically
and is designed for rapid search and retrieval by a computer. Databases are structured to facilitate the storage, retrieval, modification, and deletion of data in conjunction with various data-processing operations.
53
The name for each of these components in a file path:
C:\Music\Beethoven\Moonlight.mps
C: = Drive letter
Music = Folder
Beethoven = Subfolder
Moonlight = File name
.mps = Extension
53
What are files when data is being grouped into files and folders? And where can those files be stored, or how is that data being saved?
They are a single collection of data; a document is an example of a file. The operating system saves data on all the available storage devices connected to the device, drives and on each drive, files are grouped in separate folders.
54
Where is the location of a file being saved, recorded?
It is recorded in the file path for that file, it tells you on which storage device the file is saved(drive letter), in which folder and subfolders the file is saved, the name of the file, and the type of file(given by the file extension).
55
Give the reasons for having a file structure:
A file structure:
● increases efficiency when retrieving files and data
● guarantees high levels of productivity
● helps user to organise data
● helps user to easily identify files
● ensures that related data are organised and grouped together.
56
What happens when a file is being copied and explain the different ways to copy a file.
When a file is copied, a duplicate of the file is created, it is archived and stored in the computer’s clipboard.
This duplicate file can then be placed on any storage device connected to the computer using the paste command.
DRAG AND DROP
● Left-click on the files you would like to copy.
● While pressing the CTRL key on the keyboard, drag
the file/s from the source folder to their destination.
● Drop the file/s once they are in the destination folder.
SHORTCUT KEYS
● Select the file you would like to copy.
● Press CTRL-C on the keyboard.
● Navigate to the folder where you would like to place
the copied files.
● Press CTRL-V on the keyboard to paste the files.
57
What happens when you move a file and explain the different ways to move a file.
When you move files, the selected files are copied to the new destination and then deleted from their original destination. This means that you have not created a duplicate file, but instead moved a file from one folder to a different folder. To move files, you need to cut and paste them.
DRAG AND DROP
● Left-click the file you would like to move.
● In a different file explorer window, navigate to the
folder where you would like to place the copied files.
● Drag the file/s from the source folder to their destination.
● Drop the file/s once they are in the destination folder.
SHORTCUT KEYS
● Select the file you would like to move.
● Press CTRL-X on the keyboard.
● Navigate to the folder where you would like to place
the copied files.
● Press CTRL-V on the keyboard to paste the files
58
How do you rename a file?
● Left-click on the file you would like to rename
● Using the mouse, click on the name of the selected file
● Enter a new name for your file and press the ENTER key
59
What are the tips on how to make files easier to find?
● never use a complicated structure
● ensure that you can distinguish between similar files based on the file names
● use the dash symbol to separate different elements in a file name (for example, the name, and date)
● Files are usually organised alphabetically, so carefully consider with which letter or number to start a file name.
60
What does the delete command do and explain the process of deletion when you are on Microsoft Windows.
The Delete command allows you to remove files from your storage device. This can be used to remove files you no longer need or to make space on your storage
device to store new files.
In Microsoft Windows, all deleted files are first moved to the Recycle Bin. The Recycle Bin is a temporary folder where files are stored, until such time you decide to permanently remove them from your computer. However, files that you delete from flash drives or network drives are permanently deleted.
61
How do you send files to the recycling bin an how do you empty it?
SEND FILES TO THE RECYCLING BIN
● Left click on the file you would like to remove.
● Press the DELETE key on the keyboard.
EMPTY THE RECYCLING BIN
● Right click on the Recycle Bin icon and select the 'Empty' Recycle Bin option.
● Click on the Yes button to remove the files.
62
What does a File Naming Convention (FNC) allow you to do?
● know the contents of a file before you open it
● navigate through long lists of files for the one that you are looking for
● store different versions of the same document by naming them according to date
63
What are the guidelines to develop good file naming conventions?
● Keep file names short but meaningful.
● Include useful information such as the name of the project or document you are working on.
● Include the version number (e.g. V1 or -v1) and the date if there is more than one version.
● Dates should always be in the format yyyy-mm-dd so that the files will be organised in date order.
64
What are the things to avoid with file naming conventions?
● Symbol characters such as ‘\ / < > | ‘ ? [ ] ; = + & $ a b’
● Abbreviations that are not easy to understand
● Non- specific words such as ‘draft, current or document.’
65
What is the text file type, give the applications, the extensions and the explanation:
APPLICATIONS
● Notepad
● Notepad++
EXTENSIONS
● .txt (text)
● .rtf (rich-text format)
● .csv
● .html
EXPLANATION
Text files (.txt) are used to store text. They do not
have any information about the fonts, font sizes, or multimedia, such as photos and videos.
Rich-text format files(.rtf) can save more info, including bold, italic, font size and font colour, as well as images and drawings. Rich-text can be opened in Microsoft WordPad.
Comma separated value (or CSV) files are text files that can be used to store tables of information. Each
line in the CSV file represents one row of data, while the data from the different columns are separated using commas.
Hypertext Markup Language file .html contains text, text references to other external files, like images in the article and references other files like video, CSS, or JS files.
65
What is the database file type, give the applications, the extensions and the explanation:
APPLICATIONS
● Microsoft Access
● LibreOffice Base
EXTENSIONS
● .mdb
● .accdb
EXPLANATION
Databases work like spreadsheets, except that the different sheets (called tables) of the database are
connected to each other.
65
What is the compressed file type, give the applications, the extensions and the explanation:
APPLICATIONS
● WinRAR
● WinZip
● 7-zip
EXTENSIONS
● .zip
● .rar
● .7z
EXPLANATION
Compressed file types combine and compress different file types into one container file. For
example, when you need to send 100 files in an
email to a classmate, it might be easier to first combine and compress the files into a single .zip file before sending the files. This single file will be easier for your classmate to download, because the single compressed file will be smaller than the individual
files sent separately.
66
What is the spreadsheet file type, give the applications, the extensions and the explanation:
APPLICATIONS
● Microsoft Excel
● Google sheets
● LibreOffice Calc
EXTENSIONS
● .xls
● .xlsx
● .ods
EXPLANATION
A spreadsheet file stores information in a large table.
67
What is the presentation file type, give the applications, the extensions and the explanation:
APPLICATIONS
● Microsoft PowerPoint
● Google Slides
● LibreOffice Impress
EXTENSIONS
● .ppt
● .pptx
● .odp
EXPLANATION
A presentation le stores information using slides
that can be shown one after the other.
68
What is the word processing file type, give the applications, the extensions and the explanation:
APPLICATIONS
● Microsoft Word
● Google Docs
● LibreOffice
Writer
EXTENSIONS
● .doc
● .docx
● .odt
EXPLANATION
Document files store formatted formatting information that is more complex. This includes
information such as styles colour information and advanced page layout options.
69
What is the image file type, give the applications, the extensions and the explanation:
APPLICATIONS
● Microsoft Paint
● Adobe Photoshop
EXTENSIONS
● .bmp (bitmap image)
● .gif (graphics interchange format)
● .jpeg or .jpg (Joint Photographic
Experts Group)
● .png (portable network graphics)
● .tiff (tagged image file format)
EXPLANATION
Photos taken by a camera or pictures created using software like Microsoft Paint or Adobe Photoshop are often saved in one of these formats.
70
What is the video file type, give the applications, the extensions and the explanation:
APPLICATIONS
● Microsoft media player
EXTENSIONS
● .avi (audio video interleave)
● .fiv (Flash video format)
● .mov (QuickTime file format)
● .mp4 (Moving Picture Experts Group 4)
● .webm (WebM)
● .wmv (Microsoft Windows media video)
EXPLANATION
A video that is streamed is still downloaded to your computer. Once you have watched the video, it is automatically removed from your computer. This means that downloading and streaming a video uses the same amount of data from your internet service
provider (ISP).
71
What is the audio file type, give the applications, the extensions and the explanation:
APPLICATIONS
● Microsoft media player
EXTENSIONS
● .aac (advanced audio coding)
● .flac (free lossless audio codec)
● .mp3 (Moving Picture Experts Group layer 3 audio)
● wma (Microsoft Windows media audio)
EXPLANATION
Audio files are usually compressed before they are stored on a computer.
72
What is the animation file type, give the applications, the extensions and the explanation:
APPLICATIONS
● Media player
● Adobe Animate
● Flash
EXTENSIONS
● .gif (graphics interchange format)
● .swf (small web format)
EXPLANATION
Animation files are files showing moving images. GIF animations
show normal GIF images one after the other to create the animation, while SWF files use programming to move shapes on the screen, creating an animation.
73
What is the font file type, give the applications, the extensions and the explanation:
APPLICATIONS
● Microsoft Office
EXTENSIONS
● .fnt
● .pfb
● .otf
EXPLANATION
Fonts change the way in which the characters in your documents are written.
74
What is the source code file type, give the applications, the extensions and the explanation:
APPLICATIONS
None
EXTENSIONS
● .c (C/C++ le)
● .pas (Delphi)
● .java (Java le)
● .js (JavaScript)
● .py (Python)
EXPLANATION
Source code files contain instructions to create a computer program. Unlike other file formats, the raw data for most source code files is in plain text. They can usually be opened in a normal text editor like Notepad. The file extensions of source code files are
used to tell programmers which programming language the files are written in.
75
What is the object code file type, give the applications, the extensions and the explanation:
APPLICATIONS
● Delphi
● C/C++
EXTENSIONS
● .dcu
● .obj
EXPLANATION
Object code is the machine language, that a central processing unit can understand. A compiler produces object code when it
translates the programming source code.
76
What is the executable file type, give the applications, the extensions and the explanation:
APPLICATIONS
● Delphi application
EXTENSIONS
● .exe
EXPLANATION
Executable files launches an application or program.
77
What is the shared library file type, give the applications, the extensions and the explanation:
APPLICATIONS
● Microsoft Windows
● MacOS
● Linux
EXTENSIONS
● .dll
● .lib
EXPLANATION
Shared library files contain several useful instructions that your programs can use. Rather than
including these instructions in a single executable, they are saved as separate files so that the
instructions can be used by more than one program. This reuse of programs saves time and money in the development process.
78
What happens when a user pays for proprietary software and what do you have to agree to when you install it?
When a user pays for proprietary software, they pay the rights to use it while the software still belongs to the developer. When you install proprietary software, you have to agree to terms and conditions in the license agreement.
78
When you install proprietary software, you have to agree to terms and conditions in the
license agreement, what information can the agreement contain?
● No changes or modifications can be made to the software.
● No copies of the software can be distributed.
● The software can only be installed and used on a specified device.
78
EULA
79
What is piracy?
Piracy is the illegal copying, distribution or use of software. These illegal copies are sold at a low price, which is normally a fraction of the price of the original legal copies.
80
What are the different types of piracy?
● Soft lifting: When a software program with a legal license is copied with the main purpose of providing it to multiple users, rather than to sell copies for profit.
● Client-server overuse: When more users than stipulated in the
licensing agreement are using a central copy of a program at the
same time.
● Hard disk loading happens when illegal copies of software are
loaded onto the hard disks of new computers to make the purchase
more attractive.
● Counterfeiting is the illegal duplication, distribution, and/or sale of copyright material with the intent of imitating the copyright product.
● Online piracy: When proprietary software is illegally downloaded
from the internet.
81
What is copyright and what is the goal of copyright?
Copyright is the legal right granted to duplicate and make copies of intellectual property. Creators decide on whom and under what circumstances interested
users may copy their invention.
The primary goal of copyright is to give people a reason to create and invent new things, since it allows creators to make money from their
creations.
82
What is copyleft and what rules can be implemented?
Creators are using copyleft to protect their works. These licenses allow other people to copy and use the creation, as long as they follow certain rules. This can include one or more of the following rules:
● Attribution: Whenever the creation is used, you must give credit to the original creator.
● Non-commercial: The creation can be used for any purpose not aimed at making money (that is, non-commercial use).
● Share-alike or copy left: The creation can be used for any purpose, but the new work must be shared with the exact same license as the original work.
This ensures that the creation stays free for anyone to use.
● Non-derivative: The creation can be copied and used as it is but cannot be changed in any way.
83
What are the economic reasons for using computers?
● Saving paper: With the
use of computers, paper has (in most cases) been replaced by electronic versions.
● Labour: The use of computers has increased the production of all goods and many large factories today only need a few workers to manage operations.
● Communications costs: The ease of communication has allowed businesses to expand and open new offices around the world.
● Efficiency: Computers dramatically increased the information available to companies and people, which simplified their jobs and allowed for better decision making.
● Accuracy: computer-guided
equipment can make cuts that are accurate to the nearest nanometre. Similarly, people who are guided by the information on computers can find problems more quickly, make decisions that are more accurate and obtain the training they need to improve their own accuracy.
● Reliability: : Thanks to computers, businesses have become more reliable in
several ways, this includes, producing products that are more reliable, becoming more responsive to customer complaints and adhering to rules and
regulations more stringently.
84
What is digital divide?
Digital divide refers to the growing gap between those people with access to and knowledge of using digital technology (“haves”) and those people without access or knowledge to digital technology (“have-nots”).
85
What are the factors attributing to the digital divide?
● Education – Households with higher levels of education are increasingly more likely to use computers and the internet.
● Income – Due to lower income levels, disadvantaged neighbourhoods lack the infrastructure available in wealthier areas.
● Location – Households that are in rural areas may have very little access, exposure or need for technology.
86
What is computer hardware and what does the internal hardware and external hardware refer to?
Computer hardware refers to the physical parts of a computer and related devices. The internal hardware parts of a computer are often referred to as components and the external hardware devices are usually called peripherals.
87
What is an input device and give examples of some?
An input device allows the user to interact directly with a computer. The devices give data and instructions to the computer, such as:
● keyboards
● pointing devices (mouse)
● touchscreens
● touchpads
● tablet/pen input devices
● game controllers
● cameras
● microphones
● video capture devices
● scanners
● optical readers
● biometric devices
● data collection devices
88
Hardware of desktop computers: Give the advantages and disadvantages of a keyboard, and how they are adapted for disability.
ADVANTAGES OR DISADVANTAGES Advantages:
● Most computers come with a keyboard supplied.
● People are used to using keyboards to enter data, they need very little training.
● A skilled typist can enter data very quickly.
● Specialist keyboards, such as, ergonomic or gaming keyboards, are available.
Disadvantages
● It is easy to make mistakes when typing in data.
● If you can’t touch type, it can be time consuming to enter data.
● Disabled people often find keyboards difficult to use.
● Excessive use can lead to health problems, such as, repetitive strain injury (RSI).
ADAPTED FOR DISABILITY
Keyguards: Small plates that
allow users with a disability to
rest their hands on the
keyboard without pressing any keys.
On-screen or virtual
keyboards: Displayed on a
user’s screen and used with gesture-controlled pointers or joysticks.
Braille keyboards: Keyboards
with Braille lettering, which can
be used by blind or visually
impaired users.
89
Hardware of desktop computers: Give the advantages and disadvantages of a mouse, and how they are adapted for disability.
ADVANTAGES OR DISADVANTAGES
Advantages:
● Ideal for desktop and laptop
computers.
● Most computer users are familiar
with them and require little training.
● Works well in conjunction with a
keyboard for data entry.
● Usually supplied as part of a new
computer system.
Disadvantages
● They need a flat space close to a
computer to operate.
● Older style mice, which have roller balls, can become clogged with grease and grime and lose their accuracy until cleaned.
● Excessive use can lead to health
problems, such as, repetitive strain
injury (RSI).
● If the battery wears out in a wireless mouse, it cannot be used until it has been replaced.
ADAPTED FOR DISABILITY
Head-mounted pointers: Controlled by
switches to simulate the function of a mouse. These switches can be on hand or foot pads, or pedals or sensors that detect eye movement or facial expressions.
Gesture-recognition devices: Recognise hand gestures, head or eye movements, or read lips or sign language to input information into a computer.
Sip-and-puff devices: A switch that
operates the computer when users breathe into (puffing) or through (sipping) special tubes. Special software is used to interpret
the sips and puffs and turn them into data the computer can use.
Mouse trackball: A stationary ball that can be spun in different directions to move the mouse. This allows users to move the mouse
by making very small hand gestures.
90
Hardware of desktop computers: Give the advantages and disadvantages of a touchscreen, and how they are adapted for disability.
91
Hardware of desktop computers: Give the advantages and disadvantages of a touchpad, and how they are adapted for disability.
92
Hardware of desktop computers: Give the advantages and disadvantages of a tablet/pen input device, and how they are adapted for disability.
