Topic 7: What ICT can provide

Question 1

What ICT can provide:

• fast repetitive processing
• vast storage capacity
• data can be obtained quickly
• The facility to search and combine data in many different -ways that would otherwise be impossible
• Improved presentation of information
• Improved accessibility to information and services
• improves security of data and processes

Answer 1

• processes are so fast that there are not many tasks that challenge them.
• the storage offered by ICT systems is now at the stage where it is almost unlimited e.g optical media, flash/pen drives, rom and ram
• communication technologies such as networks and the Internet mean that data can be obtained quickly from different sources

Question 2

The limitations of ICT systems in what they can be used for

Hardware limitations

Answer 2

• speed of processor: speed processor can process data
• Large amounts of memory: can put pressure on the memory
• Limitations of peripherals: e.g printers have a max speed &limitation in a printing system
• Reliability: computer hardware not completely reliable > a limitation is that an important part of a computer could break > no access to programs or data

Question 3

The limitations of ICT systems in what they can be used for:
Communication limitations
Software limitations

Answer 3

• Bandwidth: limiting factor as more demanding multimedia applications e.g video are being run on networked computers then more bandwidth is needed
• In some countries no broadband>use dial-up connections which take long&limit many applications

Question 4

The limitations of ICT systems in what they can be used for:

Software limitations

Answer 4

• ability to transfer data: data is frequently passed from one piece of software to another. If one piece of software could not read the data produced by a different piece of software (problem)
• Bugs: software frequently contains bugs>system crashing
• Compatibility: May not have an operating system capable of running the application software
• Poor design of software: causes user frustration, stress and RSI

Question 5

The limitations of ICT systems in what they can be used for:

Fitting in with current legislation

Answer 5

Many laws that concern the use of computers
-The data protection Act 1998: means that organisations cannot process data in the way they would like> must obey the law

Question 6

The limitations of ICT systems in what they can be used for:

Inappropriate system design

Answer 6

Projects have been created that do not do what they set out to do, caused by:

• Inexperienced development teams
• lack of project management
• lack of project control

Question 7

Types of processing

Three types of processing

Answer 7

• Batch processing
• Transaction processing
• real-time processing

Question 8

Batch processing
features
examples of batch processing systems

Answer 8

A batch processing system is where programs or data are collected together in a batch and processed in one go.

• No human intervention during processing: once the input data has been entered, the processing takes place automatically
• Input data is batched
• Time gap between processing runs: data builds up over time then processed periodically
• e.g Payroll systems, production and printing of monthly bank statements

Question 9

Transaction processing
features
examples

Answer 9

Processes each transaction as it arises

• Transaction are processed almost immediately
• Completed before the next transaction occurs
• e.g booking systems, taking of orders for goods, or services over the telephone

Question 10

Interactive processing

Answer 10

where the tasks on the computer system require a continual exchange of information between the user and the computer system. It can be seen as the opposite of batch processing.

Question 11

Real-time processing

Answer 11

Used when it is essential that the results of processing are obtained immediately. Data received by the system is processed immediately