Professional Documents
Culture Documents
H e i n e m a n n
Information Processes
choose a suitable approach that combines information
processes, software applications and student projects.
Key features
• a grid matching syllabus Outcomes with the contents of
the book
• a list of chapter outcomes at the beginning of each
and Technology
chapter
• interesting IT facts and cartoons to promote class
discussion
• numerous practical tasks that can be used with any
software or make of computer
• case studies providing insights 1into
2 business
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Greg Powers is a head teacher with many years’
experience in writing and implementing computing studies
programs. He is the author of several highly successful
texts including Computing Studies–An Introductory Course. G.K. Powers
Coming soon
Heinemann Information Processes and Technology:
HSC Course
ISBN 0 86462 512 X
ISBN 0-86462-501-4
Disclaimer
All the Internet addresses (URLs) given in this book were valid at the time of
printing. However, due to the dynamic nature of the Internet, some addresses may
have changed, or sites may have ceased to exist since publication. While the authors
and publisher regret any inconvenience this may cause readers, no responsibility
for any such changes can be accepted by either the authors or the publisher.
The names, addresses and telephone numbers included in screen captures and sample
data in this book are fictitious and are intended for demonstration purposes only. Any
connection to real people or their contact details is coincidental.
Contents
To the teacher v
Heinemann Information Processes and Technology
and the Preliminary Course Outcomes vi
Teaching approach
Teachers can decide on the sequencing of the content depending on the ability
and knowledge of their students. This book caters for a range of approaches.
• Application approach: The application chapters (Part 2) are taught separately
and integrated throughout the teaching program. All activities within the
application chapters refer to information processes. All applications are
taught before students complete their projects.
• Information process approach: The application chapters are taught within the
topic ‘Tools for Information Processes’. Activities from appropriate
application chapters are taught within the context of the seven information
processes. Side headings (see opposite) included in the application chapters
provide cross-references to the information processes. collecting
• Project approach: The content of the course is taught through a series of
projects. Students apply their knowledge of information processing to
complete their projects using the application chapters.
Additional resources to support and extend this book are available at the
Heinemann World Wide Web site hi.com.au. These include a sample teaching
program, assessment advice, answers to exercises from the textbook and
additional literacy questions.
v
Heinemann Information Processes and Technology
and the Preliminary Course Outcomes
The following grid shows how the chapters in Heinemann Information Processes
and Technology: Preliminary Course link with the Preliminary Course Outcomes.
Numbers in bold indicate chapters in which that Outcome is emphasised
Part 1 (chapters 1 to 4) focuses on information skills and systems; tools for
information processes; planning, design and implementation; and personal and
group systems and projects.
Part 2 (chapters 5 to 11) focuses on application software, including word
processing, databases, spreadsheets, graphics, desktop publishing, multimedia
and the Internet. In addition to the links shown below, each of the chapters in
Part 2 includes links to the information processes described in Part 1.
vi
Part 1
Information processes and technology
Information technology
Information technology (IT, pronounced ‘eye-tea’) refers to the electronic
hardware and software used to process information. Electronic computers,
which have been developed in the second half of the twentieth century, are a
major component of information technology. Their evolution is linked to
advances in integrated circuits and digital communication.
Integrated circuits are silicon chips containing transistors that can store and
process data. The first integrated circuit was built in 1958 and only contained a
few thousand transistors. Since then, the capacity of integrated circuits has been
doubling every couple of years. Today’s integrated circuits contain tens of
millions of transistors. These advances in technology have resulted in computers
with greater speed and power. Personal computers have become available at a
cost that is affordable for many people. They are much easier to use than early
computers and do not require specialist computer training.
At the same time, developments in digital communication have increased our
ability to transfer data. Local area networks (LANs) allow computers to
communicate information and share resources. Global communication is
routinely achieved using the Internet.
Exercise 1.1
1 Why have Australians been quick to adopt the latest developments in technology?
2 What is information technology?
3 How has digital communication improved the transfer of data?
4 What has been the impact of information technology on organisations?
5 Describe the recent changes in banking that have resulted from information
technology.
6 How do pilots use information technology?
in Figure 1.3. The links between the elements are represented using two-headed
arrows. This emphasises that the elements influence each other—a change in
one can affect the others. For example, the availability of new technology could
change the information processes, which in turn might affect the type of skills
required by the participants.
Environment
The environment is everything that influences or is influenced by an informa-
tion system and its purpose. It includes any factors that affect the system or are
affected by it. For example, the environment of the local library is not only the
building, but also factors outside the building, such as its location, electrical
power, air-conditioning, communications, and funding from the government.
The environment of a system is constantly changing. Managers of large informa-
tion systems need to be aware of new factors that are affecting the system.
One of the main reasons for the environment to change is the progress in
information technology. Twenty years ago, organisations were largely restricted
by geographical boundaries. Today, the environment of many organisations is the
world. The Internet has provided a global marketplace for goods and services.
Organisations can transfer information around the world and move finance
easily between countries. Information technology continues to change at an
extraordinary rate and will continue to affect the environment of information
systems.
Hardware
Hardware is the physical equipment involved in processing information, such as
a computer, network cables and data storage devices. It refers to objects that you
can see and hold. Computers often form the basic hardware of an information
system. Computers are electronic devices that can process data according to
stored sequences of instructions. They have five basic functions: input, proces-
sing, storage, control and output.
• Input involves entering data into the computer. A device designed to assist
the entry of data is called an input device. Input devices include the key-
board, mouse, scanner, digital camera, video camera and microphone.
• Processing changes data to produce information by following a series of in-
structions. Processing is performed by the computer’s central processing unit
(CPU). The CPU is the ‘brain’ of the computer. It takes the data from an in-
put device, changes it to produce information and sends it to an output
device to be displayed to the user.
• Storage involves retaining data over a period of time. Before, during and after
processing, data and programs are held temporarily in memory. To retain data
more permanently, storage devices such as magnetic disks, magnetic tape,
optical disks and flash memory are used.
• Control coordinates the operations of input, processing, output and storage.
The control unit is part of the CPU. The control unit is the ‘organiser’ that
INPUT
PROCESSING
CONTROL OUTPUT
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ST ORAGE OUTPUT
Figure 1.5 A
supercomputer.
Software
Software is the detailed instructions (computer programs) used to direct the
hardware to perform a particular task. A computer needs software to tell it what
to do and it needs hardware to carry out the actual work. There are two main
types of software: application software and system software.
• Application software is a computer program used for a specific task. It allows
the computer to achieve the task for which it was designed. Application
software includes word processors, databases, graphics programs and
spreadsheets.
• System software manages and controls the hardware so the application
software can perform the required task. It determines the way the participant
interacts with the information system. System software includes operating
systems and utility software.
Participants
Participants are the people who carry out the information processes within the
information system. They are the people who do the work. Participants need to
know what to do, how to do it and when to do it. All information systems have
participants—even the most automated systems rely on people if the system
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fails. Participants have an essential role in an information system, and the success
or failure of the system depends on their skills, interests and commitment.
Participants are often referred to as direct users, or simply users. They
interact with, or are in control of, the information technology (see Figure 1.6).
For example, when you use a word processor to write a letter, you are a partici-
pant in an information system. Participants have different levels of skills, from
the novice experimenting with software to system specialists. System specialists
include people such as managers and operators. Managers oversee the infor-
mation system and ensure that personnel and machines are working efficiently.
Exercise 1.2
1 What is an information system?
2 Describe the purpose of an information system.
3 Outline one reason for the environment of an information system to change.
4 List the five functions of hardware.
5 What function is performed by the CPU?
6 What part of the computer coordinates the operations of input, processing, out-
put and storage?
7 Describe four different types of computers.
8 How is system software different from application software?
the paper could be a problem. Sorting and searching huge amounts of paper was
labour-intensive (see Figure 1.7). Information could not be easily transferred
from one form to another. Reports were created by copying the information into
a different form rather than transferring the data.
Developments in technology have been responsible for major changes in
information processing. Today, information processing refers to the creation of
information by processing data using information technology. This changing
of data into information involves seven steps called information processes.
These processes describe the procedures that an information system performs
to process data into information. The information processes start with the
Collecting
Collecting is the information process that
involves deciding what to collect, locating it
and collecting it. It involves more than simply
entering data.
Collecting involves four steps:
• defining the required data—deciding what
data is needed
Figure 1.7 Fifty years ago, sorting, finding and comparing
• identifying the source of the data—where information were all done manually.
the data can be found
• determining how the data will be gathered—what tools will be required
• gathering the data—collecting and entering the data into the information system.
Data can come from either primary or secondary sources. Primary sources refers to data that
is collected first-hand. Many organisations prefer to generate their own primary data because
they consider it meaningful and reliable, although it is time-consuming and costly. Data from
primary sources is acquired by interviewing people, conducting surveys and questionnaires, or
observing a system in operation (see Figure 1.8). Secondary sources refers to data that is
collected or created by someone else. For example, newspapers, books, other print media,
electronic databases, CD-ROMs and the Internet are secondary sources. This is often the
quickest and least costly method of collecting data.
Data is entered into an information
system either manually or electronically.
Manual entry involves typing the data
using a keyboard. Electronic entry
involves entering the data using input
devices such as scanners, digital
cameras, microphones or sensors. It is
important that procedures are in place
to ensure the data is accurate, up-to-
date, relevant and secure. If the data
collected comes from unreliable sources
or is inaccurate, the information gained
from it will be incorrect. This is referred
to as ‘garbage in, garbage out’ (GIGO).
Analysing
Analysing is the process that interprets data, transforming it into information. It
involves examining data and giving meaning to it. When data has been ordered
and given some meaning by people, it is called information. The particular type
of analysis depends on the format of the data and the information that is
required. For example, to obtain a report on all the sales in the past month
would involve searching, selecting and sorting data. Charts and graphs are often
used in the analysis of data. They make it easy to interpret data by making
instant comparisons and revealing trends. Charts help people to make quick and
accurate decisions.
Analysing data may involve the use of a model to represent some aspect of
the real world. When a model is used to simulate a real situation, people can
make predictions and examine the effect of their decisions. For example, an
organisation might want to know the likely impact on sales if their advertising
budget was increased by 10 per cent. In business there are many simulation
programs that help organisations make decisions about marketing and sales.
replacing data that changes rapidly can be enormous. If a system crashes, the
data is retrieved from a secondary storage medium. If data is saved regularly,
then the information system can be rebuilt without a problem. However, if the
secondary storage medium is corrupted or damaged, the data may be lost. This
could occur if the information system was infected with a computer virus. A
backup is then needed to rebuild the system. A backup is a copy of data or soft-
ware kept for the purpose of safety. It is usually kept in a fireproof safe or off-
site. Secure and reliable backup procedures are vital to guard against data loss.
Processing
Processing is the manipulation of data and information. It occurs whenever the
data or information is modified and updated. Processing is carried out by the
central processing unit (CPU). The CPU accepts data from an input device,
changes this data according to the instructions given by the user, and then sends
the results to an output device (see Figure 1.9). These results are the infor-
mation the user requires to solve the problem.
A processor consists of millions of
electrical components located on a thin
silicon wafer called an integrated circuit
or silicon chip. The speed of a processor
is measured in megahertz (mHz) and is
called its clock speed. Fast processors
can manipulate larger quantities of
data. In some information systems, the
processing is carried out by more than
one processor. This is called parallel
processing and is much faster than
using one processor. Parallel processing
divides the processing task among a
series of processors. This requires special
software that can recognise how to
divide up problems and bring the results
back together again.
Exercise 1.3
1 Describe how information was processed 50 years ago.
2 List the seven information processes.
3 Describe the steps involved in the collection of data.
4 List some of the techniques used to collect primary data.
Data
Data is a vital ingredient of an information system. If the data collected is
meaningless, the information presented will be meaningless. Organisations need
to ensure that appropriate data is available at the correct time for processing.
Data will be appropriate if it is:
• relevant—useful to the purpose of the information system
• accurate—collected from a dependable source and entered without errors
• timely—current, and kept up-to-date
• secure—protected from deliberate or accidental damage or loss.
Data with the above characteristics needs to be entered into the information
system in the correct form. This depends on the input device, the application
software to be used to process it, and the type of information (output) that is
required. When the data is entered into the information system it is organised as
a particular data type. The data type describes the kind of data, such as images,
audio, video, text or numbers.
• Images are data in the form of pictures, such as drawings, paintings or
photographs. They can be stored, edited and transferred in similar ways to
text. The meaning of an image is determined by looking at the image and
interpreting it.
• Audio is data in the form of sounds. It may be a noise used to get a user’s
attention or a voice to explain the operation of a piece of software. The
meaning of audio data is determined by listening to and interpreting the
sounds.
• Video is data in the form of pictures and sounds combined and displayed
over time. It may include text, graphics, animation and audio. The meaning of
video is determined by watching and listening to it over a period of time.
Information
Information is an important factor in an organisation’s current and future
success. Companies require information on their products, employees,
competitors and general operation. Information is an asset and there are sub-
stantial costs associated with its collection, maintenance and storage. However,
organisations are prepared to make this investment because information is vital
to their decision-making. Information will be valuable if it is:
• relevant—useful to the purpose of the information system
• accurate—verified to ensure it is correct
Big V Video is a video store that uses an business at any time. The type of infor-
information system. The participants of mation that is regularly required
the information system are the manager includes:
and staff. The information technology • determining whether a particular
consists of a personal computer and an video is in the store
electronic database. The database stores • listing all the videos available in a
membership details, video details and particular category
all video transactions. • producing a list of overdue videos
When a new customer comes into • finding a customer’s membership
Big V Video, they fill out a membership number if a card is lost
form containing their personal details. • sending promotional material to
The member data consists of their valued customers.
family name, first name, address, phone
number, age, sex, date of birth and
work number. It is entered into a
membership table. New customers
select a personal identification number
(PIN) and receive a membership card
with a barcode.
When a new video is bought, data is
entered into a video table. The video
data consists of an identity number, the
title, the main stars, the rating and an
entertainment category. The videos are
also allocated barcodes for efficient
processing. When a customer borrows a
video, the membership and video bar-
codes are both scanned. This data is
automatically inserted into the member-
ship and video tables.
The electronic database provides
readily available information about the Figure 1.14 Customers browsing at Big V Video.
Overdue videos
SURNAMES FNAMES PHONE NO TITLE BORROWED DUE BACK OVERDUE
Ashforth Leigh 729 8821 A Bug’s Life 12-Jan-00 15-Jan-00 4
Cerlini Kristen 870 4141 Sliding Doors 12-Jan-00 15-Jan-00 4
Bastion Graham 738 2456 The Mask of Zorro 12-Jan-00 15-Jan-00 4
Clark Natalie 818 1810 Ever After 13-Jan-00 16-Jan-00 3
Atta Ahmed 720 2727 Saving Private Ryan 14-Jan-00 17-Jan-00 2
Jordan Daniel 720 9191 The Full Monty 16-Jan-00 18-Jan-00 1
Ho Nguyen 701 8102 Titanic 16-Jan-00 18-Jan-00 1
Theoharis Jim 638 2356 Blade 17-Jan-00 18-Jan-00 1
De Vincentis Giulia 215 1860 The Vanishing 17-Jan-00 18-Jan-00 1
Konstas Effie 750 2709 Shakespeare in Love 17-Jan-00 18-Jan-00 1
Figure 1.15 Using the database, it is easy to produce a list of overdue videos.
Exercise 1.4
1 Explain the difference between data and information.
2 Why is data a vital ingredient of an information system?
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Digitising trends
Data is represented digitally so that it can be used by information technology.
This allows data to be processed faster and more easily than ever before. People
and organisations have an increasing appetite for information. Information
technology has allowed more information to be collected, stored and processed.
The use of information technology and digital data offers many advantages over
other methods of representing data.
• Ease of editing: Data in the form of images, audio, video, text and numbers,
can be easily updated and modified as required.
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• Ease of storage: Large amounts of data can be stored on a disk or CD. It can
be retrieved, revised and rearranged as appropriate.
• Quick search: Large amounts data can be searched and sorted quickly and
accurately.
• Performing calculations: Precise and complex calculations can be performed
on the data very quickly. Recalculations of the data assist with predictions
and decision-making.
• Ease of transmission: Data can be easily exchanged. The Internet provides a
convenient way of accessing information throughout the world.
Digital data
Digital data is data that is represented using digits (numbers). The computer is a
two-state device that uses only two digits: 0 and 1. Two digits are easily
represented electronically by circuits in the computer being either on or off. The
digit 1 is used to represent the electronic state of ‘on’ and the digit 0 is used to
represent the electronic state of ‘off’. Each on or off digit is called a bit (binary
digit). A bit is the smallest unit of data stored in a computer.
A group of eight bits is called a byte. A byte is the basic unit of measurement
for digital data. Using eight bits means that there are 256 possible values for a
byte (00000000, 00000001, etc.). When used to represent text, a byte stands for
a single character, such as a letter, a number, a punctuation mark or a space.
Because a byte is such a small unit, the prefixes ‘kilo’, ‘mega’, ‘giga’ and ‘tera’ are
added to create more useful units for measuring data storage (see Table 1.2).
Introduction to information skills and systems 25
Unit Symbol Meaning Approximate value (bytes) Exact value (bytes)
byte b 1 1 (20)
kilobyte Kb thousand bytes 1 000 1024 (210)
megabyte Mb million bytes 1 000 000 1 048 576 (220)
gigabyte Gb billion bytes 1 000 000 000 1 073 741 824 (230)
terabyte Tb trillion bytes 1 000 000 000 000 1 099 511 627 776 (240)
Powers of 2 26 25 24 23 22 21 20
Value 64 32 16 8 4 2 1
Binary number 1 0 0 1 1 1 0
Powers of 2 26 25 24 23 22 21 20
Value 64 32 16 8 4 2 1
10910 = 64 + 32 + 8 + 4 + 1
= (1 × 64) + (1 × 32) + (0 × 16) + (1 × 8) + (1 × 4) + (0 × 2) + (1 × 1)
= 11011012
So, decimal number 109 equals the binary number 1101101.
ITITFact
Fact
The term ‘hexadecimal’ was made up in the early 1960s to replace the
earlier ‘sexadecimal’, which was too racy and amusing for IBM. It has since
been adopted by the computer industry.
Exercise 1.5
1 Describe some of the traditional methods used to represent and store data.
2 What are the advantages and disadvantages of digital data?
3 Describe four digitising trends.
4 What is a byte?
5 Why do computers represent data using only two digits?
6 Convert these measurements to the units indicated (approximate value only).
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a 2 Mb = b b 160 Kb = b
c 3 000 000 b = Mb d 4 Gb = b
e 560 Mb = Kb f 8000 Kb = Mb
7 List two commonly used coding methods for digital data.
8 How many different characters can be represented using a 7-bit ASCII?
9 Why was extended ASCII developed?
5 Count the number of characters used on a page of typed text and then calculate
the number of bytes necessary to store this data. How many pages of typed text
can the school computer store in RAM? (Assume your computer uses eight-bit
ASCII and all the RAM is available to store text.)
Data security
The security of data and information is a major issue in any organisation. The
cost of replacing data that is deliberately or accidentally damaged or lost can be
enormous. People who gain illegal access to information systems are referred to
as hackers. Hackers are often involved in information theft or financial theft.
Information theft involves stealing data from one organisation and selling it to
another organisation. Financial theft involves illegally transferring money from
one account to another.
Computer crime provides our society with a difficult issue. First, even though
hundreds of cases of computer crimes are reported each year, many crimes go
unreported. There are several reasons for this: organisations are reluctant to face
adverse publicity; publicising the event could give others ideas; and in some
cases, the crime is not discovered. Are organisations encouraging computer
Functio
crime by not reporting it? Are organisations that do not report a computer crime
guilty of a crime themselves?
Another issue is the fact that computer crime is not viewed in the same light
by the community as other crimes, such as burglary or armed robbery. Whereas
the community holds a burglar in fear or contempt, a hacker is often regarded as
clever and the crime is not regarded as dangerous or threatening. If a burglar and
a hacker each stole $200 000 from a business, does it make any difference how
the money was taken? Should the penalties for both crimes be the same?
Data security involves a series of safeguards to protect the data from
deliberate or accidental damage. Some of these are listed on the following page.
ITITFact
Fact
‘Jails’ are used on computer networks to lure hackers and allow system
administrators to obtain some clues as to the hacker’s identity. ‘Jails’ are
best housed on special servers that simulate a real and confidential
environment.
Data accuracy
In the past, publishing information was costly and there was less of it. Today,
there is a huge amount of information and it is relatively easy to publish on the
Internet. As a result, there is no guarantee that all information is accurate or
reliable, and it is difficult to check it in a reasonable amount of time.
Organisations can provide access to information they have not created, for
example by including a link on their Web site. This raises a difficult question.
Who is responsible for the accuracy of information? Is the creator the only
person responsible for the accuracy of data? Do organisations that provide
access to information also have a responsibility to verify its accuracy? Clearly, it
is necessary to compare data from a number of sources and determine which
data is accurate and relevant.
In addition to the issue of responsibility, there are also concerns about the
ethics of altering data. For example, photographs can be edited by adding,
changing or removing parts of the images. A person can be taken out of the
photograph and another person added. Is it acceptable to improve a photograph
by slightly altering the data? Would it be wrong for a newspaper to alter a
Data validation
Data is collected to solve problems, meet needs or help in decision-making. The
accuracy of the data must be checked before it is processed into information.
This is called data validation. It involves ensuring that the data is up-to-date,
current, complete and correctly entered. Data validation can be built into a soft-
ware application. Some examples are listed below.
• Range checks are used if the data is restricted to a small range of particular
values. For example, when a date is entered in the format 21/2/2001, the
software can check whether the first two digits are in the range of 1 to 31
and the second two digits are in the range of 1 to 12.
• List checks are used when the data can be compared to a set of accepted
data. For example, when the data entered is an Australian state, NSW would
be accepted but NSX would not.
• Type checks are used to determine whether the data type is correct. For
example, when the data entered is a person’s family name, the software can
check if the data is text. It would not accept other data types, such as numbers.
• A check digit is a number calculated from the digits of a code number and
then added to that number as an extra digit. The ISBNs (International
Standard Book Numbers) given to books include a check digit. For example,
in the ISBN 0 85859 921 4, the final 4 is a check digit. It is calculated by
applying a formula to the other numbers (085859921).
Copyright
Copyright is the right to use, copy or control the work of authors and artists,
including software developers. It is often indicated by the © symbol. Copyright
is protected by law. In Australia, the Copyright Act regards any original work as
the intellectual property of the person who created the work. Copyright
ownership is automatic and applies whether or not the work is accompanied by
the copyright symbol. Most other countries have similar laws and have signed
international copyright agreements. It is against the law to use or copy the work
of another person without their permission. There are some exceptions. For
example, you are allowed to reproduce a small amount of someone’s work for
the purposes of study, criticism or review. However, it is always necessary to
acknowledge the creator of the work.
Information published on the Internet is protected by copyright, just as it
would be if it was in a book. Text and images obtained from a Web site should
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ITITFact
Fact
‘Salami shaving’ is a computer crime usually committed by a bank officer.
It involves the unauthorised transfer of small amounts of money from the
accounts of many individuals. These small amounts are often unnoticed
but over time add up to very large amounts.
Exercise 1.6
1 Who are hackers?
2 What safeguards can be taken to protect data?
3 Why is it difficult to check the accuracy of data?
4 What is data validation?
5 List four different ways that data validation can be built into software.
6 What is copyright?
7 List the information needed to cite an Internet site.
8 Explain the difference between shareware and public domain software.
9 Why are software copyright laws difficult to enforce?
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Which of the following data entry errors would be picked up by data validation?
a date of birth entered as 10/23/1990 instead of 23/10/1990
b date of birth entered as 02/04/1991 instead of 04/02/1991
c date of birth entered as 12/01/89 instead of 12/01/1989
d date of birth entered as 08/06/1992 instead of 08/06/1993
e state of Australia entered as NEW instead of NSW
f state of Australia entered as vic instead of VIC
2 A friend of yours has obtained access to a bank’s financial records. Do you think
this is clever? Has your friend committed a crime? What would you do if the
friend increased your account balance? What penalties are appropriate for this
sort of action? How can organisations reduce computer crime?
3 Web sites are available that offer essays for school students. Students can
download the essay and print it out as their own work. How can teachers prevent
students claiming the work of others as their own? Explain the difference
between using the Internet for research and copying an essay. What penalties
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are appropriate for students caught plagiarising? Outline any reasons students
would have for obtaining copies of essays this way.
4 Use the Internet to find information about software copyright. Compare
Australian and overseas information.
5 ‘Information technology is changing at an extraordinary rate. The only people
keeping pace with information technology are system specialists.’ Do you agree
with these statements? Why? What changes do you expect to occur in the
immediate future?
Hardware
There are many types of hardware collection devices used for different types of
data. The devices that are used specifically to enter data into a computer system
are referred to as input devices. An input device should be convenient to use,
reliable and allow data to be entered accurately. The data may be in a number of
forms, including text, numbers, images, audio and video. Common input devices
include pointing devices, scanners, digital cameras, video cameras, microphones,
keyboards and optical recognition devices.
Pointing devices
A pointing device is an input device that controls an on-screen symbol called a
pointer or cursor. They are useful for choosing commands from menus,
managing files and creating certain types of images. However, pointing devices
are not effective for entering large amounts of text. There are many different
types of pointing devices.
• A mouse is a small hand-held input device that is moved over a flat surface
to control the movement of a pointer. The bottom of the mouse is usually a
ball that senses the movement of the mouse. If a button on the mouse is
pressed or clicked, it allows an object or command on the screen to be
selected. There are a large variety of mice using different types of technology
to improve their tracking, resolution and ease of use. A mouse may have one,
two or three buttons and a scrolling wheel.
• A trackball is a pointing device that is similar to a mouse except that the ball
is on top of the device instead of the bottom (see Figure 2.1). It allows the
cursor to be moved by rotating the ball in the
desired direction. Trackballs do not require a
flat surface and are commonly used on port-
able computers.
• A pointing stick or trackpoint is a small
device shaped like a pencil eraser. It moves
the pointer by sensing the direction and
amount of pressure applied to the device. A
pointing stick is often located in the middle
of the keyboard on portable computers. They
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ITITFact
Fact
The mouse was developed in 1963 by Douglas Engelbart. The name
originated because it looked like a mouse with the connecting cable the
mouse’s tail. The first mouse was made of wood.
Scanners
Scanners are input devices that can electronically capture text or images such as
photographs and drawings. The scanner converts the image into digital data that
can be processed by the computer. The digital data can be printed, edited or
merged into another document. Scanners offer a range of resolutions such as
2400 dpi, 4800 dpi and 9600 dpi. The higher the resolution, the better the
quality of the final output. Single-pass scanners scan the image in only one pass;
multiple-pass scanners scan for each colour separately. Scanners use a software
standard called TWAIN (technology without an interesting name) that allows
Digital cameras
Digital cameras are input devices that capture and store images in digital form
rather than on film. They contain a viewfinder, a lens to focus the image and a
storage medium such as a memory card, hard disk or floppy disk to retain the
images. After a picture is taken, it is transferred to a computer and manipulated
using a graphics program. Digital photos are limited by the amount of memory
in the camera, the quality of the lens and the output device. The main advantage
of digital cameras is that making the photos is both inexpensive and quick
because there is no film processing. Most digital cameras compress and save
their images in standard JPEG or FlashPix format. Digitally captured photos are
extensively used in personal and business publishing applications such as Web
pages, magazines, business letters, ID cards and product catalogues.
Video cameras
A video camera is used to create a video clip in either analog or digital form.
Conventional (analog) video cameras capture images and sound on videotape.
This is converted into digital form using a video capture card. Each frame of the
video is interpreted as a bit-mapped image. Video capture cards compress the
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video clip using a compression algorithm that analyses the changes from one
frame to the next. They encode the starting frame and a sequence of differences
between the frames.
Digital video cameras are input devices that capture video in a compressed
digital format such as MPEG (see Figure 2.4). These video files are transferred
directly to a computer. Digital video production software is used to edit the
video. There is an increasing range of video effects that can be achieved using
this software on a personal computer.
Microphones
Microphones are input devices that capture sound. Sound travels through the
air in waves—it is analog data. Digital audio is sound that has been digitised. A
sound card transforms the sounds from a microphone into digital audio.
Standard sound cards on personal computers are capable of recording and
playing digital audio at 44.1 kHz stereo or CD-quality sound. Sound cards also
support MIDI (musical instrument digital interface) sequences. This allows a
musician to use a MIDI instrument to play music which can be stored and
edited on a computer (see Figure 2.5).
Microphones are also used to enter voice
data into a computer. A technique called
voice recognition converts voice signals into
digital data. Basic voice recognition systems
are restricted to narrow vocabularies because
of the difficulty of understanding the gram-
matical meaning of many words and phrases.
Natural language voice recognition interprets
the data and makes an appropriate response.
For example, you could ask the computer to
open an appropriate file, edit the contents
and send it to a friend. Voice recognition is
predicted to be the most common way of Figure 2.5 Music is entered using a MIDI
entering data in the future. devices such as this.
Keyboards
A keyboard is an input device consisting of series of keys in a standard layout. It
allows the entry of text, numbers, instructions and commands. There are many
different types of keyboards each designed to meet a particular need. For
example, the keyboard on an automatic teller machine (ATM) contains special
keys that allow the withdrawal of money. Each type of keyboard has a different
arrangement of letters, numbers and symbols, which is called its layout.
ITITFact
Fact
The Qwerty keyboard was developed and patented in 1867 by Christopher
Sholes. He originally arranged the keys in alphabetical order but found
that the primitive wooden type bars were too slow to fall into place and
jammed. In other words, the typists were typing faster than the typewriter
could operate. To slow the typist down, Sholes moved the most commonly
typed letters (A, O, E, T, N and S) away from the typist’s index fingers.
This inefficient layout has not been replaced as it would require retraining,
and many people would be reluctant to change, despite the benefits.
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Software
Software used for collecting includes the software that interfaces with hardware
collection devices. This software is usually classified as part of the operating system.
Operating systems
The operating system is the software that supervises and controls the hardware.
It is responsible for controlling all the peripheral devices (input and output
devices). The operating system contains specific software for each type of
peripheral device. It is responsible for scheduling all the operations of hardware
in an efficient manner. The operating system also controls how the computer
relates to memory and the management of files. On a personal computer, the
operating system is usually stored on a hard disk and starts automatically when
the computer is turned on. Loading the operating system into the computer’s
memory is referred to as booting the system. Diagnostic checks on memory and
peripheral devices are performed when booting the system. A small program
that initiates the loading of the operating system is contained in memory.
The operating system provides a convenient interface between the hardware
and its user. This is referred to as the user interface. The first widely used
operating system was the OS/360 system. It was developed in 1964 for all
computers in the IBM System/360 family. UNIX (pronounced ‘you-nicks’) is a
popular operating system that can be used on everything from personal
computers to mainframes. Like many mainframe operating systems, UNIX
timeshares the host central processing unit (CPU) to be able to run multiple
tasks and support multiple users. MS-DOS is an operating system developed by
Microsoft in 1981 for IBM’s 16-bit personal computer. It became an industry
standard and is still used to run some applications today. It is a character user
interface (CUI, also known as a command-line interface) that displays only
Data entry
The collection of data involves entering images, audio, video, numbers and text.
The chapters in Part 2: Application software contain detailed information on the
collection of each of these types of data. The following is brief summary.
• Images are created using graphics programs or are captured using a scanner,
digital camera, video camera or the Internet. Clip art refers to prepared
pictures that are grouped into topics such as technology, animals and educa-
tion. There are millions of clip art drawings and photos available to suit most
purposes.
• Video and audio are used in multimedia productions. Data collection should
be carefully planned before any data is entered. The user should clarify a
purpose, identify the audience and gather ideas.
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• Text and numbers are entered into most software applications. The collection
of data for a database often requires a great deal of research and the use of
non-computer tools such as surveys and interviews. Spreadsheets should be
carefully planned before data is collected. It is important to understand the
relationships between the data, and how a spreadsheet will solve the problem.
ITITFact
Fact
Marc Andreessen developed a Web browser called Mosaic in 1993 while
working at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications in the
USA. Mosaic was the first browser to offer a graphical user interface and
display hypertext documents. He left the NCSA and founded Netscape,
producing the Netscape Navigator browser.
Non-computer tools
Information technology is not always a suitable tool for collecting data. A wide
range of non-computer tools are also used in many situations.
• Literature (printed text) has been the main medium for spreading knowledge
since the beginning of the seventeenth century. It can take many different
forms, such as books, reports, newspapers, magazines, newsletters and
journals. The sheer quantity of printed information available today means
that an individual can absorb only a very small proportion. Searching
literature for particular information involves using tables of contents,
summaries and indexes. Reviews and abstracts also provide an indicator to
the contents of publications. Literature may be accurate at the time of
printing but it can quickly become out-of-date as society changes.
• Surveys and interviews involve col-
lecting sample characteristics, attitudes,
behaviours and opinions. A survey
questionnaire is delivered by mail, face-
to-face or online. An interview is a
meeting of people face-to-face. Specific
questions are asked to determine the
interviewee’s opinions and feelings.
There are advantages and disadvantages
in using surveys and interviews to collect
data. These are outlined in Chapter 3.
• Data can be collected manually by re-
cording an event on paper or a pre-
designed table or form. Forms for data
collection need to be carefully designed.
It is necessary to try to anticipate the
range of possible responses. For example,
if a person is asked to state their
occupation, the form must be able to
accommodate people who have two
jobs, change jobs frequently or classify
their work differently (see Figure 2.9). Figure 2.9 Forms are used by many government agencies
to collect data.
Exercise 2.1
1 What is a pointing device?
2 Explain the difference between a mouse and a trackball.
3 How does a touch screen work?
4 What is the difference between a hand-held scanner and a flatbed scanner?
5 Describe some of the features of a digital camera.
6 What is a digital video camera?
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Some people feel uncomfortable using certain input devices. Which input devices
are easier for beginners to use? Why? Which require the most training? Do you
think current input devices will be used in the next 20 years? Explain.
2 Why do the majority of personal computers include a mouse and not a trackball,
even though trackballs are more precise and don’t require a flat surface?
3 ‘The keyboard is an inefficient input device and will be replaced by voice
recognition devices.’ Do you agree with this statement? Why? How might this
technology affect you in the future?
4 The Qwerty keyboard was purposely designed to slow typists down. It is an
inefficient layout. Why does it remain the most popular keyboard layout? Do you
think the Qwerty keyboard will ever be replaced? Why? Research another type of
layout and explain why it is not so popular.
5 Describe the properties and features of three input devices. Outline any specific
applications for which these input devices would be used, such as a touch screen
in a shopping centre. Find the approximate cost of each input device.
6 The latest version of an operating system is often superior to its predecessors.
Why are people reluctant to adopt new versions of their operating systems?
What features would encourage you to upgrade to the latest version of an
operating system?
7 An organisation uses different types of personal computers with different
operating systems. You are asked to rationalise their computer resources by
choosing one operating system. What operating system would you choose? Why?
Would you have made a different choice five years ago? Will the choice be the
same in five years time? Why?
8 ‘The issue of privacy was a concern long before information technology.’ Discuss
this statement. What is your view on privacy? Use the Internet to find infor-
mation about privacy. Compare Australian and overseas data.
Hardware
Hardware collection devices organise data by digitising it. Digitising is the
process of translating data into the binary digits (bits) that can be stored and
processed by a computer. The fact that all data is represented as a series of bits
means that a computer can organise and transmit data of any type. It deals with
the data as a string of zeros and ones, regardless of the original format of the
data. Every type of data must be represented digitally in the form of bits to be
used by a computer.
• Text: All characters such as letters, numerals, punctuation keys, spaces and
special symbols are converted into binary using a standard method of
conversion such as ASCII or EBCDIC. These work by assigning each
character with a decimal number and converting this number into binary
code (see Chapter 1).
• Images: Images are divided into tiny dots called pixels. One or more bits are
assigned to each pixel. The relationship between the image and the bits in
memory is called bit-mapping. The number of bits assigned to each pixel
depends on the number of tones and colours used. The quality of a digitised
image is improved by increasing the number of pixels or increasing the tones
and colour (see Chapter 8).
• Audio: Sound is digitised using a method called sampling. This involves
taking a number of samples or ‘slices’ of the sound wave. This is called the
sampling rate. Each sample is assigned a number of bits. This is called the
sample size. Better quality sound is achieved by increasing the sampling rate
and/or the sampling size (see Chapter 10).
The different methods of organising data affect how it is processed. For
example, if the letters of the alphabet are captured using a scanner, they will be
represented as an image. This data could not be processed using word processing
software. To use the text in a word processor, it would be necessary to reorganise
it using character recognition software which converted the image to ASCII
text. A similar processing problem occurs if a software application interprets
numbers as text. For example, if a spreadsheet interprets a number as a label
(text) instead of a value, it will not be able to use that number in any
calculations.
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Software
Application software organises data. The chapters in Part 2: Application software
contain detailed information on how different applications organise data. The
following is brief summary.
• Paint and draw software is used to create graphics. A paint program creates a
bit-mapped graphic. It organises data by treating each pixel (dot) on the
screen individually and representing this by bits in memory. A drawing
program creates a vector graphic. It organises data by defining the graphic
Figure 2.10 A range of modern application software used to organise data in a variety of formats.
Non-computer tools
Information technology is not always a suitable tool for organising data.
Common non-computer tools used for organising include hard copy systems and
pen and paper methods.
• Hard copy systems involve organising data on paper. Examples include
telephone directories and card catalogues. A telephone directory organises
data alphabetically according to a person’s family name. Large amounts of
data are organised using catalogue systems. Each item is classified according
to a number of categories. For example, in the library each book is classified
by author’s name, title, publisher and date of publication. They are also
organised in subject categories.
• There are numerous pen and paper methods for organising data. It is com-
mon for data to be organised into tables, represented diagrammatically,
summarised and put into lists. When designing a publication, people often
use pen and paper to outline the basic structure of the document. This is
often easier, faster and more flexible than using a computer.
• Data must be appropriate and complete. This issue was raised by the threat
of the ‘millennium bug’ or ‘Y2K’ problem in the late 1990s. Not considering
the end of the millennium, programmers used a two-digit field instead of a
four-digit field to record the year. They used two digits to minimise computer
memory and processing. With the change from 1999 to 2000, computer
programs would be in danger of malfunctioning because they would identify
‘00’ as being 99 years before ‘99’ instead of one year after. It has cost billions
of dollars to fix the incompleteness of this data.
Hardware
Hardware requirements for analysing depend on the type of analysis. When
analysis involves large amounts of data or complex simulations, the hardware
must perform a large number of computations very quickly and with a high
degree of precision. If the simulations are complex, such as in scientific applica-
tions, then a supercomputer or mainframe may be required. Analysis depends on
the storage and processing capabilities of the information system.
• Large amounts of storage are needed to receive and retain data over a period
of time. If the primary storage (memory) and secondary storage (storage)
resources are abundant, then fast processing is possible.
• Fast processing is needed to complete the many calculations often required
for analysis. This is performed by the central processing unit (CPU).
Applications requiring complex analysis use parallel processing. This is the
simultaneous processing of instructions using multiple processors or CPUs.
Parallel processing is much faster than using one CPU. This type of processing
is examined later in this chapter.
Software
Participants use a range of software applications to analyse image, audio, video,
text and numeric data. The chapters in Part 2: Application software contain
detailed information on how different applications analyse data. The following is
brief summary.
• Searching is the process of locating data and information. Most software
applications have a ‘Find’ or ‘Search’ command. The user types in a string of
text or numbers and the software examines the data to find a match. A query
is a search of a database for records that meet a certain condition. There are
three methods of entering a simple query: selecting a menu option, using
query by example and using a query language.
• Sorting is the process of arranging data in a particular order. Sorts are
performed in either ascending order (A to Z and 0 to 9) or descending order
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Non-computer tools
Information technology is not always a suitable tool for analysing data. It is often
necessary to compare and contrast computer and non-computer tools for
analysis on the basis of speed, volume of data and cost. The following are some
of the non-computer tools used for analysis.
• Searching manual filing systems to retrieve documents depends on how
accurately the data has been organised and sorted. If the filing system has not
been regularly updated and irrelevant material removed, searching may be
time-consuming and frustrating. An appropriate organisation of files is
needed if data is to be easily retrieved and analysed.
• Simulations often involve using complex mathematical processes. A set of
rules, relationships and procedures are specified. During the simulation these
mathematical processes are analysed. In addition to gaining an understanding
of the system, the simulation may result in new rules or even a new situation.
Simulations range from using simple pen and paper models to complex inter-
active computer systems. For example, researchers may use simulation tech-
niques to carry out experiments instead of using rare materials or expensive
equipment.
Figure 2.12 As more and more transactions are carried out online, privacy of data is becoming
an important issue for suppliers and consumers.
Exercise 2.3
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Hardware
The hardware used for storing and retrieving data is called secondary storage, or
simply storage. Data stored on a storage medium must be read into memory
before the CPU can access it. A backup is a copy of data held on a separate
storage medium for security purposes. Backups should be performed regularly.
Information systems need to store data because memory is limited in size and
volatile. Volatile means that when the computer is switched off, or the power
supply is interrupted, the contents of memory are lost. Secondary storage
provides a non-volatile and more permanent storage area than memory.
The hardware involved in storing and retrieving includes devices such as
magnetic disks, magnetic tape, optical disks and flash memory.
Magnetic disks
Magnetic disks are the most widely used storage medium for personal
computers. A magnetic disk consists of a circular piece of metal or plastic whose
ITITFact
Fact
Head crash occurs when the head in a magnetic disk drive touches the
rapidly spinning disk and causes permanent damage and loss of data. It is
caused by excess heat, moisture or a drop in pressure.
drive or contained on an expansion card. There are numerous standards for disk
controllers, such as EIDE, Ultra DMA and SCSI.
• EIDE (enhanced integrated drive electronics) supports a storage capacity up
to 8.4 Gb and data transfer rates up to 66 megabytes per second.
• Ultra DMA (direct memory access) has increased data transfer rates up to 66
megabytes per second and improved data integrity by using cyclical
redundancy check (CRC). It is also referred to as Ultra ATA.
• SCSI (small computer system interface) controllers are usually contained on
an expansion card. They provide data transfer rates of up to 80 megabytes
per second and support multiple disk drives.
56 Information processes and technology
Function
Removable cartridges are disks encased in a
metal or plastic cartridge that are removed like a
floppy disk. Removable cartridges are fast, though
usually not as fast as fixed hard disks. They
combine the best aspects of hard and floppy
disks. There are a number of types of removable
cartridges designed for use with personal
computers, with different capacities. Each type
of cartridge must be used with its own type of
disk drive. Two formats that have become popular
are Zip disks and Jaz disks (see Figure 2.13).
• Zip disks (or cartridges) are slightly larger
than a 31/2 inch floppy disk and about twice as
thick. They can store 100 or 250 Mb of data
and have a transfer rate of 1.4 megabytes per
second. Zip disks are popular for backing up
hard disks and transporting files because they
are relatively inexpensive for their capacity. Figure 2.13 Zip and Jaz disks are two popular types
Zip drives can be internal or external and of removable cartridges.
require special software for file management.
• Jaz disks (or cartridges) can store up to 2 Gb of data and have a transfer rate
of 5.5 megabytes per second. Jaz disks are suited to storing large files for
multimedia, graphics and sound.
Virtual memory is a technique used by the operating system to increase the
amount of memory. It works by setting aside part of a hard disk and treating it as
though it were memory. A common method used by operating systems to
perform virtual memory is called paging. Paging involves allocating a fixed
number of bytes every time data is transferred from memory to a disk. It requires
fast access to a disk so that ‘pages’ of data can be switched rapidly to memory.
Magnetic tape
Magnetic tape is a long, thin strip of
plastic coated with a thin layer of
magnetic material. The tape is wound
onto reels, sometimes inside a cartridge.
Tape is read and written on a tape drive
that winds the tape from one reel to the
other, causing it to pass a read/write
head. Tape can store large quantities of
data inexpensively and is often used as a
backup medium (see Figure 2.14).
The main disadvantage with mag-
netic tape is that it uses sequential
access to retrieve data. This form of
access starts at the beginning of the
tape and reads all of the data until the
required item is found. Sequential
access is slow, making magnetic tapes
unsuitable for data that is updated
often. Magnetic tapes come in a variety
of sizes and formats.
Figure 2.14 Tape racks holding tape cartridges.
ITITFact
Fact
Magnetic tape was first used to record data and programs in 1951 as part
of the UNIVAC computer system.
Optical disks
An optical disk is a storage medium on which data is read and written using
laser technology. They are polycarbonate plastic disks whose surface is coated
with a reflective layer of metal. The data is written to the disk by a high-
powered laser that burns millions of tiny holes called pits on the surface. Optical
disks are portable and use random access to retrieve data. There are several
different kinds of optical disks.
• CD-ROM (compact disc read only memory) disks are 12 centimetres wide
and capable of storing 650 Mb. However, once the data has been stored on
the CD, is it ‘read only’—it cannot be changed or added to (see Figure 2.15).
A CD-ROM drive is needed to read data from a CD. They are slower than a
hard disk drive but are becoming progressively faster and cheaper. The higher
the drive speed, the faster the data access. CD-ROMs are convenient for
storing data that remains constant, such as encyclopedias, reference material,
educational titles, games and multimedia applications.
• CD-R (compact disc recordable) disks
allow data to be written once but read
many times. They are also called WORM
disks (write once, read many). A CD-R
drive, or ‘CD burner’, is required to write
the data. CD-R has become a popular
storage medium as the price of CD-R
drives has dropped. A CD-R drive allows
users to create CD-ROMs and audio CDs,
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Flash memory
Flash memory is a non-volatile memory chip that retains its data when the power
is removed. Flash memory is erased and written in fixed blocks ranging from
512 bytes to 256 Kb. Flash memory cards look similar to a credit card and come
in a variety of formats such as PC cards, CompactFlash and SmartMedia. They are
widely used in digital cameras, modems, mobile phones and portable computers.
Software
Software directs and controls the hardware storage sector
devices. To store data to a magnetic disk it needs to
be formatted. Formatting a disk prepares a disk to
accept data by organising it into tracks and sectors
(see Figure 2.16). A track is a band formed by con-
centric circles, and a sector is a section of a track that
can store data. The number of tracks and sectors is
determined by the operating system and the storage
medium. A 31/2 inch floppy disk is capable of storing
1.44 megabytes consisting of 80 tracks on each side
and 18 sectors per track. Each sector has an address,
so that the computer can go directly to a specific track
area (direct access). Formatting a floppy disk usually
takes a couple of minutes. When a disk is formatted, Figure 2.16 A disk showing tracks and sectors.
you can read and write data as files to that disk.
Application software stores data to a storage medium using the ‘Save’
command. The first time data is saved, it must be given a filename. The ‘Save As’
command allows the user to change the filename, location and file format of the
data. To retrieve the data, the user selects the ‘Open’ command and chooses the
required filename. Storing data should be performed frequently so that the data
is not lost. Software used for storage and retrieval includes the following types.
• Hardware interface software controls the hardware devices used for storage.
It is usually classified as part of the operating system. Each storage device has
particular specifications that are controlled by the hardware interface software.
• File management software organises files on a storage medium such as a hard
disk. It is usually part of the operating system. In general, a file is recognised
by a filename and contains either a program or data. Depending on the
operating system, the filename can be between 8 and 255 characters long.
There may be thousands of files on a hard disk and to work effectively the
user will need quick access to these files. The files are stored and organised in
folders or directories. There can be many levels of folders. The folder at the
top level contains other folders for specific purposes. Each of these folders
contains other folders or files at the next level. File management software
performs allows the user to create, delete, open, close, rename, copy and
move files and folders (see Figure 2.17).
Non-computer tools
Information technology is not always a suitable tool for storing and retrieving data.
The following are some of the non-computer tools used for storing and retrieving.
• Paper-based storage systems include folders, boxes, bookcases and filing sys-
tems. They are often a convenient method of data storage. However, paper
storage systems require a large amount of space and specific data is often
difficult to retrieve.
• Microfiche are transparent sheets of film about 10 × 15 centimetres that
store around 200 pages of print. They were a popular method of storing
documents for several decades, particularly in libraries. Back issues of
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Exercise 2.4
1 What is storage and retrieval?
2 How is data retrieved from a magnetic disk?
3 Describe some of the information stored by the file allocation table.
4 Outline the advantages and disadvantages of floppy disks.
5 What is a hard disk?
6 Describe a Zip disk.
7 What is the purpose of virtual memory?
8 What is magnetic tape?
9 What is the main disadvantage of magnetic tapes?
10 List three different types of magnetic tapes.
11 How is data written to a CD?
12 Describe a CD-ROM disk.
13 Outline one of the major advantages of DVD.
14 Describe flash memory.
15 What does formatting a disk involve?
16 Describe some of the functions performed by file management software.
17 How is information retrieved from the Web?
18 How is microfiche used in libraries?
19 List two issues related to the storing and retrieving of data.
2.5 Processing
Processing is the manipulation of data by editing and updating it. It is necessary
to select appropriate hardware for specific types of processing. The hardware
allows the application software to edit and manipulate different data types.
Non-computer tools include documenting the procedures for processing.
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Hardware
Processing is performed by a computer’s central processing unit and is measured
by the clock speed. Processing is dependent on the memory capabilities of the
system. The system unit is the collection of hardware components that includes
the central processing unit, memory and associated electronics.
floppy disk
drive
power
supply
hard disk
drive
motherboard
CPU
2 Decode 3 Execute
i-time e-time
1 Fetch 4 Store
In the past, the CPU waited until an instruction completed all four stages of
the fetch-execute cycle before beginning work on the next instruction. How-
ever, most processors today use pipelining. In pipelining the CPU fetches a new
instruction as soon as the preceding instruction moves onto the next stage. Pipe-
lining speeds up the fetch-execute cycle as several instructions are being pro-
cessed at the same time. For example, as one instruction is being fetched, a second
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is being decoded, a third is being executed and a fourth is storing the result.
Processing speed
All computers have an electronic clock to regulate the fetch-execute cycle. The
clock generates a sequence of regular electrical pulses that the control unit
synchronises with the fetch-execute cycle. The clock speed is the number of
electrical pulses per second and is often measured in megahertz (mHz). The
higher the clock speed, the faster the CPU can execute a particular instruction.
A speed of 500 mHz means the clock is generating 500 million electrical pulses
per second.
Memory
Memory is the part of the computer that holds data and programs before and
after they have been processed by the CPU. Memory is internal storage as it uses
integrated circuits (silicon chips) located on the computer’s motherboard.
Secondary storage is external storage as the data is kept away from the mother-
board and the CPU. Memory is also known as main memory, primary memory,
main storage or primary storage. Memory consists of RAM, cache and ROM.
RAM (random access memory) is where data and instructions are held
temporarily. It depends on a supply of electricity to maintain data storage. When
the power to the computer is shut off, everything in RAM is lost. In other
words, RAM is volatile memory. The data in RAM can be accessed randomly.
That is, a byte of memory is accessed without touching any of the other bytes.
There are two main types of RAM.
• Dynamic RAM (DRAM, pronounced ‘dee-ram’) is memory that must be
constantly refreshed. The contents of DRAM must be updated a thousand
times a second as the capacitors used to store the data quickly lose their
electrical charge. Most memory uses DRAM chips as they are small,
inexpensive and relatively simple. Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM, pro-
nounced ‘ess-dee-ram’) is a type of DRAM that is synchronised with the
CPU. It is faster than ordinary DRAM.
Types of processing
An information system should reflect the methods used to process information. If
people are working individually and rarely share work they use a non-networked
information system. However, if people work in a group and need to share data
and resources, they require a networked information system. There are three
types of processing used with networks to increase a computer’s performance.
• Centralised processing is controlled
by a central computer. The central
computer is a mainframe or midrange
computer that performs all the pro-
cessing (see Figure 2.22). It allows
data and resources to be shared.
Centralised processing is used by
organisations that require online
access to a central database but are
geographically spread, such as an air-
line. Centralised processing is totally
dependent on the central computer.
If this computer malfunctions, the
entire system ‘goes down’.
• Distributed processing consists of Figure 2.22 Centralised processing controlled by a mainframe.
workstations connected to shared
data and resources at a local site. People do their own work on a PC or work-
station but have the ability to share work and resources. Distributed
processing will continue to operate even if some of the workstations are not
functioning. However, security can be a problem as the data is spread out.
• Parallel processing is the simultaneous processing of instructions using
multiple processors or CPUs. It is much faster than using one CPU. Parallel
processing divides the processing task between a series of processors. This
requires special software that can recognise how to divide up problems and
bring the results back together again. Parallel processing is used by Internet
search engines to convert a single query into several separate queries that can
be performed simultaneously. It also has significant applications in artificial
intelligence. Parallel processing performs many processes simultaneously like
the human brain.
Non-computer tools
Non-computer tools are used to assist understanding of how the processing in
an information system transforms data into information. The following non-
computer tools are used for processing.
• Documentation is written to explain the procedures for processing. It may be
a detailed description of the processes or a set of steps to be followed. Docu-
mentation in the form of user manuals is provided by software companies to
explain their products.
• Data flow diagrams (DFDs) are a graphical method of representing a system
using a number of processes together with inputs, outputs and storage. DFDs
focus on the flow of data between information processes in a system. A
system flow chart is a graphical method of representing both the flow of data
and the logic of a system. It documents the essential details of the system
such as the sequence, processes and precise rules for selecting particular
actions (see Chapter 3).
processing data.
• The type of processing raises issues of security and flexibility. It is easier to
secure data on one computer rather than on numerous workstations. There-
fore centralised processing is more secure than distributed processing. On the
other hand, distributed processing is much more flexible and is not totally
dependent on one central computer.
• Ownership of processed data is causing increasing concern in society. Organ-
isations can use our preferences, weaknesses and habits to their commercial
advantage. Data on what we buy, how we pay for it, what we read, what we
watch on television and how much we earn is valuable to those who want to
68 Information processes and technology
Function
sell us things. Who owns this data? How is data about us being combined,
sold and exchanged? For example, if you apply to a building inspector for a
permit to extend your house, who owns this data? Does the building
inspector have the right to sell this processed data to a bricklayer? Would it
be a benefit or an intrusion of privacy if you were contacted by a bricklayer
offering to quote for laying bricks?
• Bias in processing can be caused by biased data being collected, or incorrect
manipulation of that data.
Exercise 2.5
1 Describe the system unit.
2 What is the central processing unit?
3 Decribe the two components of the CPU.
4 Describe the four steps of the machine cycle performed by the CPU.
5 Why do most processors use pipelining?
6 What is the clock speed?
7 What is RAM?
8 What are the advantages of SRAM over DRAM?
9 What is the purpose of a cache?
10 List two types of caching.
11 What is the firmware of a computer?
12 Explain the difference between PROM and EPROM.
13 Describe the types of organisations that use centralised processing.
14 What is parallel processing?
15 Describe some of the ways of editing text and numbers.
16 List two non-computer tools for processing.
17 Why is centralised processing more secure than distributed programming?
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 ‘A computer is more intelligent than any person since the CPU can carry out
arithmetic operations many times faster than the human brain.’ Comment on this
statement.
2 The CPU has been described as the brain of a computer. Reverse this analogy and
apply it to the fetch-execute cycle. Select a simple task and divide it into the
actions of the fetch-execute cycle. Are there any actions that don’t fit the fetch-
execute cycle? Why is this?
3 ROM is described as permanent memory but does this really exist? Explain.
4 In 1994 Intel’s Pentium processor contained a rounding error. It would take
25 000 years for the average user to be affected by this mistake. Intel was forced
to replace every processor at a cost of a billion dollars. Do you think people
should have demanded replacement processors? Why? Should perfection be
expected in a computer? Are you prepared to pay the price for perfection?
Communication concepts
There are two main types of digital data tranmission: serial and parallel. Serial
transfer transmits data one bit at a time through a single line. Parallel transfer
transmits more than one bit of data simultaneously using separate lines (see
Figure 2.23). Obviously parallel transfer is much quicker than serial transfer
because it can send more than one bit at a time. However, parallel transfer is
used only for distances less than a few metres, otherwise errors occur in trans-
mitting the data and the cabling is too expensive. It is used both inside the
system unit and for connecting peripheral devices such as printers and disk
drives. Serial transfer is used to connect
Serial transfer – 1 bit at a time peripheral devices such as modems and
1 0 0 1 1 1 0 1
printers, and is used over longer distances
→ → → → → → → → through telephone lines, coaxial cables,
fibre optic cables or microwave devices.
Serial transmission can be either asyn-
1 character chronous or synchronous. In asynchron-
ous transmission, each byte is identified
Parallel transfer – 8 bits at a time with special start and stop bits. This has
become the standard for personal com-
0 → 0 → 1 → 1 → 1 → puters. A parity bit is used to check for
1 → 1 → 0 → 1 → 0 → errors in transmission. A parity bit is an
additional bit attached to the binary code
1 → 0 → 0 → 0 → 0 →
for each transmitted character. If an odd
1 → 1 → 1 → 1 → 1 → parity is chosen, the number of ones in
0 → 0 → 0 → 0 → 1 → the eight bits must be odd. If an error has
occurred in a single bit, then the parity
0 → 0 → 0 → 1 → 1 →
will be different and an error in trans-
0 → 0 → 0 → 1 → 0 → mission has occurred. Synchronous trans-
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one way
both ways
one at a time
both ways
simultaneously
The speed of data transfer is measured either by its baud rate or by the
number of bits per second (bps). Baud rate is a measure of the maximum
number of data symbols or electrical signals that can be sent per second over the
communication link. The number of bits per second is another way of
measuring the transmission rate. It can be different to the baud rate because a
data symbol may contain more than one bit of data. For example, a 2400 bps
device might operate at 600 baud.
Hardware
Hardware for transmitting and receiving includes modems and networks as well
as the internal components of the computer.
speaker, microphone
mouse USB and line in
ports MIDI
power
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parallel port
serial ports monitor
network
keyboard
0 0 0 0 0
Modem
Analog signal
1 0 1 0
Phone line
Modem
1 1 1 1 1
0 0 0 0 0
Digital signal Computer
Figure 2.26 Modems modulate and demodulate signals.
Networks
When a number of computers (or terminals) and their peripheral devices are
connected, it is called a network. The simplest form of a network is when one
computer is connected directly to another computer using a cable. However, a
network can also consist of hundreds of computers connected together. The
devices used to send data to a computer system or receive data from a processor
are called terminals. Terminals can be either dumb, smart or intelligent.
• Dumb terminals do not contain a processor and usually consist of a keyboard
and monitor.
• Smart terminals can do some low-level processing such as text editing.
• Intelligent terminals have both memory and processing capabilities. Most
personal computers are classified as intelligent terminals and are called
workstations on a network.
Networks are classified according to the distances they cover and include
local area networks and wide area networks.
Local area networks (LANs) connect computers (or terminals) within a
building or group of buildings on one site. LANs operate in a small geographical
area and the terminals are linked together by cables (coaxial or fibre optic).
They are found in offices, hospitals, schools and tertiary institutions. LANs often
contain a central computer called the network server. File servers are computers
that perform a function for other computers on the network such as sharing
hardware resources.
There are three advantages in using a LAN:
• They allow limited hardware resources such as printers, hard disks and
modems to be shared.
• They allow application software (word processing, databases, spreadsheets
and graphics programs) to be shared.
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Software
All application software transmits and receives data within an individual com-
puter. Special communications software is used to send and receive data over
networks and using modems. The following is brief summary.
• Communications software manages the transfer of data, files and commands
between computers. It uses protocols to establish a connection. A protocol is
a set of rules that governs the transfer of data between computers. It defines
how the information is transmitted and how errors are detected. Two com-
puters must use the same protocols, otherwise the data transfer may be
unsuccessful. There are a number of different protocols for networks, the
most popular being Ethernet and Token Ring.
• Compression reduces the number of bits required to represent data. It com-
pacts the data so that it takes up less space on a disk and requires less time to
download. Compressed data must be decompressed in order to extract the
original information. The amount a file is compressed is measured by the
compression ratio. Compression is either lossy or lossless (see Chapter 10).
• Electronic mail (email) allows communication with other users by sending
and receiving electronic messages using a computer. Email messages are often
short and are typed quickly. Messages are written offline and sent when the
user logs onto the LAN or the Internet. Attachments are computer files sent
with email messages, such as image, audio, video or text files (Chapter 11).
• Data encryption is used to prevent data from being intercepted and read
during transmission. The data is ‘scrambled’ so that it is meaningless to any-
one other than the recipient, who uses the same encryption software to
convert it back. One popular encryption method is Secure Socket Layer (SSL).
Non-computer tools
Non-computer tools used to transmit and receive include conventional mail,
telephone, facsimile (fax), radio and television. It is important to compare and
contrast computer- and non-computer-based communication systems.
• The mail system makes it possible to send a letter or package to the address
of any person around the world. Delivery of mail is dependent on road, rail
and air transportation systems. Mail systems have improved steadily,
especially with the development of machines that can sort letters. Further
advances in technology have given rise to faster methods of postal handling
and delivery.
• The telephone system transmits sounds or speech between distant places
along telephone lines. It is a convenient method of communicating with
people around the world. The telephone depends on the receiver being
available to accept a phone call.
• Fax machines transmit and reproduce documents by means of signals sent
over telephone lines. The fax machine scans the document and converts it
into a bit-mapped image. This image is compressed and transmitted along the
Web site. It aims to ensure that unauthorised persons cannot access data.
• ‘Netiquette’ refers to the way people communicate with each other on the
Internet. It is about being considerate to other users of the Internet and
thinking about the effect of your actions. There are some conventions
regarding appropriate behaviour when sending electronic mail, chatting or
using newsgroups. For example, send inoffensive messages, do not infringe
copyright, respect the privacy of people in chat rooms and be friendly to
newcomers (see Chapter 11).
Figure 2.29 Amazon.com is an Internet book business that trades entirely online. Its lower
prices are challenging traditional bookshops. Despite its huge turnover, it is yet to make a profit.
operating systems? Outline some methods used to convert files into different
formats.
5 Investigate different types of expansion buses such as ISA, EISA, VESA and PCI.
Explain the differences between each type of bus.
6 Employees have been dismissed for making comments about their bosses using
email. The courts have ruled that organisations have the right to access
employees’ email on their computer networks. Is this an invasion of privacy? Who
should have access to email at work? Why?
Hardware
Hardware for displaying includes screens, printers, speakers and plotters. They
are commonly referred to as output devices.
Screens
A screen is a display surface that provides immediate feedback about what a
computer is doing. It can display text, numeric, image and video data. All images
on the screen are made up of tiny dots called pixels. A pixel (picture element) is
the smallest part of the screen that can be controlled by the computer. The total
number of pixels on the screen is called its resolution. There are several stan-
dards for screen resolution and most screens are capable of displaying more than
one resolution. For example, a screen could display 640 × 480 (VGA), 800 × 600
(SVGA) or 1024 × 768 (XGA) pixels. The space between the pixels is called
the dot pitch. It is also important in determining the clarity of the image. In
general, the greater the number of pixels and the smaller the dot pitch, the
better the resolution. The monitor and flat screen are two common types of
computer screens.
ITITFact
Fact
‘Bodyware’ refers to any hardware device that is worn by the user for the
purpose of improving data retrieval or communications. It includes glasses
that function as small data screens (‘eyeware’) and watches that function as
remote control devices and television sets.
A monitor is a screen that uses cathode ray tube (CRT) technology similar to
a television. Images are produced by firing a beam of electrons onto the inside of
the screen, which contains a coating of phosphor. The electron beam usually
starts in the upper left-hand corner and moves from left to right and top to
bottom in a series of zigzag lines called a raster scan. Monochrome monitors use
one beam and colour monitors use three beams to strike red, green and blue
phosphor (see Figure 2.30). The raster scan is repeated to maintain the image as
the phosphor only glows for a short time. This is called refreshing. Interlaced
monitors speed up refreshing by first scanning the odd lines from top to bottom
and then the even lines. However, this can cause the monitor to flicker. Non-
interlaced monitors refresh the screen by scanning every line up to 72 times per
second.
Monitors come in a range of sizes. The most widely used monitors are 15 to
19 inches (38 to 48 cm) in size and have a swivel base that allows the angle of
the screen to be adjusted. Colour monitors are essential for most modern
software applications. Most are capable of displaying millions of colours. The
number of colours depends on the amount of memory installed on the com-
puter’s video card.
Printers
A printer is a device that represents data on paper. It can display text, numbers
and image data. The paper containing the data is called a hard copy or printout.
The cost of a printer can vary from less than two hundred dollars to many
thousands of dollars for large colour laser printers. Printers are classified as
impact and non-impact printers. Impact printers make an image on the paper by
using some sort of physical contact. Non-impact printers make an image using
some other method. Impact printers include dot matrix printers. Non-impact
printers include laser and inkjet printers. The quality of output of a printer is
Speakers
Sounds are produced using a speaker. A small speaker is usually located in most
personal computers inside the system unit. However, high-quality stereo
speakers are often connected to the computer using a port and a sound card.
The speakers are sometimes built into the sides of the monitor. In addition to
sounds and music, speakers work with voice output. Voice output is achieved in
two ways:
• A person talks into a voice input device such as a microphone (see Figure
2.33). The words are converted and stored as digital data. This digital data is
changed back to voice so that the user can hear the words.
• Voice synthesis is the artificial production of human speech. The words in a
text document are analysed and sounds are generated for the letter
combinations. Rules are applied for intonation to make the voice sound
realistic.
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Plotters
A plotter is an output device used to produce high-quality drawings such as
maps, charts and building plans (see Figure 2.34). The drawings are often larger
than the available paper sizes of a standard printer. Plotters are operated using
commands from the computer and can be used to draw an amazing array of
shapes and figures. There are two different types of plotters: pen plotters and
electrostatic plotters.
• A pen plotter produces images using coloured ink pens on the surface of the
paper. Depending on the output, pen plotters are either flatbed or drum. A
flatbed plotter looks like a drafting table with pens suspended over it. The
movement of the pens is controlled by the plotter software. Most flatbed
plotters have different coloured pens of different widths. They are used in
engineering and drafting applications. A drum plotter works in the same way
except that the paper is rolled around a drum or cylinder. The pens only
move to the left and right as the drum rotates. The drawings from a drum
plotter are restricted to the width of the printer but are unlimited in length.
• An electrostatic plotter creates images by moving paper under a row of wires.
When the wires are given an electrostatic charge they touch the paper and
create the drawing. Electrostatic plotters produce high-quality output and are
faster than pen plotters.
Software
Each piece of application software displays data. The chapters in Part 2: Appli-
cation software contain detailed information on the display features of various
applications. The following is brief summary.
• Reporting is used to organise and display data from a database for printing.
Database management systems allow complete control in the design of a
report in either a tabular or column layout. It is possible to insert headings,
sort data, choose fields, switch fields, change column width and select
records. The purpose of the report determines its content, format and style.
• Formatting changes the appearance of the data. Text is formatted by
changing the font, alignment, tabs, indenting, bullets, numbering and style.
Additional design elements include headers and footers, colour, drop caps,
text effects, callouts and borders. Numbers in a spreadsheet are displayed
Non-computer tools
Information technology is not used to display all types of data. Information has
been displayed using non-computer methods for many years. Some of the non-
computer tools used for the displaying information are described below.
• A storyboard is a series of frames each representing a different action or
screen image. It tells the story of a presentation. Storyboards are drawn on
paper and are changed frequently. A storyboard includes sketches and cap-
tions like a cartoon strip but in greater detail. Storyboards can be used to
outline a multimedia production. A full-length movie could require several
hundred sketches. There are four types of storyboard layouts: linear,
hierarchical, non-linear and combination (see Chapter 10).
• Traditional methods for displaying different types of data have changed as a
result of developments in technology. Text and images are displayed using
paper in many different forms such as reports, newsletters, books, newspapers
and magazines. They are also displayed using devices such as the blackboard,
whiteboard and overhead projector. We also see information in the form of
text and images displayed on billboards, T-shirts, drawings, paintings and
photographs. Audio information is displayed when we speak or use a variety
of devices such as musical instruments, radios, tape recorders or CD players.
Video and animation is displayed using a television, video recorder or at the
movies.
Functio
Figure 2.35 Censoring software such as Net Nanny can be used to screen out inappropriate material.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 People predicted a ‘paperless office’ when computers were first used in business.
However, today’s offices use more paper than in the past. Why do businesses still
use large amounts of paper? How can they reduce their paper consumption?
2 The resolution of computer screens has increased during the past few years.
Compare the resolution of a screen to that of a printout obtained from a laser
printer.
3 ‘Young people today spend too much of their spare time staring at computer
screens playing computer games. They should be out playing sports and getting
more exercise.’ Comment on these statements.
4 Penny wants to buy a new laser printer for her home office. Investigate four
different printers and make a recommendation based on value for money.
Display this information in the form of a table listing the advantages and dis-
Functio
Understanding
the
problem
Change
Statement of problem in purpose
Making
decisions
Designing
solutions
Implementing
Functio
Preliminary investigation
A preliminary investigation determines
whether a quick fix of the existing system
will solve the problem or a new system is
necessary. The fundamental operations and
problems of the existing system must be
understood. Each of the information pro-
cesses are examined and any deficiencies in
the existing system are recorded. The pre-
liminary investigation takes into account the
needs and concerns of all the participants.
Participants play an important part in
developing a workable system. These views
are gathered using different data collection
methods.
Data collection
Data and information are gathered through-
out the system development cycle. Data is
used to understand the problem and develop
an appropriate solution. It is also needed to
assess the feasibility of a proposal, design a
new system and evaluate the system. There
Planning, design and implementation 91
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92
Interviews Questionnaires/Surveys Observation Measurements
Delivery Face-to-face Mailed, face-to-face, online Observation Electronic or manual
Features • Specific questions asked to • Used to study characteristics, • Gathers data about activities, • Used when quantitative mea-
determine opinions and attitudes, behaviours and messages, relationships and surements (i.e. information
feelings of interviewee. opinions. influences on site. Can based on numbers) is required.
• Questions carefully • Open and closed questions include: • Different types of statistics
planned ahead of time. can be asked. — time sampling (observing can be obtained:
• Three types of questions: system for set periods of time — descriptive statistics (under-
— open-ended: ‘What do randomly) standing of the nature of the
you think ...?’ — event sampling (entire data)
— closed: ‘From this list, process is observed in action). — inferential statistics (making
which ...?’ • Must be structured and inferences from sample to
Advantages • Probing (further • Allow for greater sample size • Provides a record of what • Quick analysis of data is
questioning) is allowed. and targeted area. actually happens. possible.
• Data can be obtained • Cheap to deliver. • Is structured and systematic. • Electronic measurements are
from all sectors. • Scales can be used for quick • Physical factors that affect a usually accurate.
• Further explanations of analysis. system are identified.
answers are possible. • Anonymity is guaranteed.
• Greater depth of • Provide a quick means of
questioning. acquiring data.
Disadvantages • Costly and time- • Mailed questionnaires have • Time-consuming. • Electronic measurement is
consuming. low response rates and must • Important events may be usually expensive.
• Poor questions can be be followed up. missed due to a limited time • Further questions cannot be
asked. • The wording of questions frame. asked.
• Bias might be introduced. must be carefully chosen.
• Interviewers must be • Probes cannot be asked.
trained. • Time-consuming to produce.
Example • Consumer choices • Australian census • Production line activities • Credit card purchases
• Telemarketers • Telemarketers • Traffic flow monitoring • Hits on a Web site
• Research studies • Guest books on Web sites • Consumer choices
Requirement report
The requirement report is a statement about the needs of a new system. It
outlines the aims and objectives of the new system and how it will help the
organisation. The requirement report is based on data collected from the
participants. It must match the goals of the organisation to ensure that
management are satisfied with the solution. The requirement report also pro-
vides an overview of the new system in terms of the data/information to be
used, the information processes and the information technology required. The
requirement report is used to develop potential solutions to the problem.
ITITFact
Fact
Web designers use a technique called ‘click streaming’ to collect data. It
records where individual users click on a Web page and how they navigate
through a Web site.
Project plans
If the preliminary investigation recommends further examination of a new
system, a project plan is developed for the system. A project plan organises the
project by specifying who, what, how and when. It includes Gantt charts,
scheduling of tasks, journal and diary entries, a funding management plan and a
communication management plan. The project leader starts by breaking down
the development of a new system into smaller tasks. They identify all the tasks,
an estimate for the cost of each task and a schedule for each task. Project leaders
use information management software and project management software to
construct and manage a project plan.
Making decisions
Designing solutions
Implementing
Testing, evaluating
Functio
and maintaining
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Time (weeks)
Figure 3.2 A Gantt chart of the system development cycle.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Which stage in the system development cycle do you think would take the most
time? Explain your answer. Is this stage more important than the other stages?
Justify your answer.
2 The introduction of new information systems has resulted in many changes in
society. Interview a number of older people.
a What has been the effect of information technology on their lives?
b List any jobs that have disappeared because of information systems.
c Describe some of the changes that have occurred in the nature of work.
d Is society better for information technology?
3 In a group, select a current topic that is interesting to each member of the group.
Develop a survey to collect data on this topic. Ask other members of your class to
complete the survey. Analyse the results and draw some conclusions.
4 Choose a large organisation and collect samples of data over a period of time.
What does this data tell you about the organisation? Is your analysis of the data
accurate? Why? What other methods could be used for data collection?
5 Terry is required to organise a birthday party. He has estimated the following
time for these tasks: buying the food—2 hours; preparing the food—3 hours;
serving the meal—1 hour; cleaning up—2 hours. Draw a Gantt chart for these
tasks.
6 Allison needs to have a computer system operating in less than a day. She has
estimated the following time for these tasks: buying the hardware—1 hour;
selecting software—1 hour; setting up the hardware—2 hours; installing the
software—3 hours; testing the software—1 hour. Draw a Gantt chart for these
tasks.
7 A systems analyst has developed a new point-of-sale system for a jeans store. The
following times have been estimated for tasks in the system design: input
design—6 days; output design—2 days; data structures—4 days; internal
specifications—6 days. These tasks occur in the order given and do not overlap.
Draw a Gantt chart for these tasks.
Feasibility study
A feasibility study is a short report that analyses potential solutions and makes a
recommendation. It does not attempt to find a detailed solution. Feasibility
studies are an extension of the preliminary investigation and are divided into
different sections (see Table 3.2).
Section Content
1 Title page Project name, report title, authors, date
The initial sections of the feasibility study state the nature of the problem
and give an overview of the existing system. They identify problems or require-
ments that are not satisfied in the existing system. The feasibility study outlines
any constraints on the development of a new system. It also restates the aims
and objectives of the new system more precisely than the requirement report.
Analysis
If the feasibility study recommends a new system, a more detailed analysis is
required. The existing system is investigated in greater depth to ensure all
current operations and problems are understood. The systems analyst must also
further clarify the needs of the new system. This requires more data to be
gathered using interviews, surveys, observations and measurements (see Figure
3.3). When the data is collected it must be organised and analysed. It is
necessary to understand the flow of data through the system and how the data is
processed within the system. A range of
tools are used for this purpose, such as
data flow diagrams, context diagrams
and system flow charts. These tools are
described in the next section.
Organisational charts are a good
way of understanding a system. They
show the intended structure of a solu-
tion using different levels (see Figure
3.4). The main module is at the top
level and it is refined into lower levels
as more detail is required. Control
passes from the top level down through
to the lower levels. Each module con-
tains a single entry and a single exit.
payroll and accounts. Projects have been and they were becoming very unhappy
delayed and the quality of work is with the business. The part-time
suffering. These problems are having a employees were also not completing
negative impact on the reputation of their time sheets correctly.
A1 Designs. Melissa believes an infor- The systems analyst wrote a require-
mation system to manage accounts is ment report that outlined the needs of
needed. She has hired a systems analyst the new system. It specified that Melissa
Exercise 3.3
1 What is a constraint?
2 List four different types of constraints.
3 What is contained in the initial sections of a feasibility study?
4 What is contained in the middle sections of a feasibility study?
5 Describe four different criteria used to make a recommendation in a feasibility
study.
6 What is involved in a more detailed analysis of a new system?
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
the larger problem. There are various tools used for analysis and design.
Design tools
When developing a new system, it is essential to understand how the informa-
tion processes will operate. It is often a lot easier to design a solution if a
diagram can be drawn. There are a number of diagrammatic tools that describe
the information processes within a system, including context diagrams, data flow
diagrams and system flow charts.
Context diagrams
A context diagram is a graphical method of representing a system using a single
process together with inputs and outputs (external entities). There are only
three symbols in a context diagram: the process, the data flow and the external
entity (see Table 3.3). The external entities are linked to the process by data
flow arrows. A context diagram is often the starting point of a data flow
diagram. The context diagram in Figure 3.5 shows the method for finding a
book in the library. It clearly shows the flow of data in the system.
book call
details number
Library
database
with a simple diagram and then add some more details. If the DFD becomes too
complicated it should be broken down into a smaller DFDs to create different
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levels. The top-level DFD identifies the major processes while lower-level DFDs
add more detail.
DFDs and context diagrams are easy to understand as there are only three or
four different symbols used. Participants can see the tasks that are completed by
the information system. Context diagrams and DFDs often identify issues of
responsibility before the system is designed. However, the simplicity of a DFD
creates certain limitations. DFDs do not show the sequence of operations or
decisions that are needed by a programmer. For this reason, they are often con-
verted into system flow charts.
Direct access
Online display
storage device
Telecomunications
Punched card
link
Terminal Decision
System design
The new system is designed in line with the feasibility study and analysis report.
It is important to focus on the aims and objectives of the new system during the
system design. This ensures that time and effort are not wasted. The system
Enter book
details
Library
software Library
database
Search
results
Search
report
True
End
for input, data, process and output for a programmer. If a database is required, a
data dictionary is created to accurately represent the new system.
Information technology
The external and internal specifications provide a basis for the information
technology. The software requirements of the new system may be satisfied by
application software that is readily available. Software packages can be bought
to cover most requirements. They may be specific to a type of organisation, such
ITITFact
Fact
A ‘clone’ is a piece of software or hardware that is almost the same as the
original. The term ‘IBM clone’ refers to a PC that performs in the same way
as an IBM personal computer. The word ‘clone’ comes from a Greek word
‘klou’ for propagation.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 The development of different types of technology has created some problems for
society. List some of the problems for society by the invention of the motor
vehicle. How has society tried to overcome these problems? Now do a similar
analysis of the introduction of information technology.
2 Many technical factors affect the design of a new system. Describe at least two
technical factors. Identify how these factors affect the system.
3 A marking system is a process used to determine the result of an assessment task.
Students complete the assessment task and receive a mark from the marking
system. A teacher constructs a marking scale for the assessment task and receives
each student’s mark. Construct a context diagram for the marking system.
4 The marking system in question 3 is extend to include a spreadsheet to store and
moderate the marks. Construct a data flow diagram to show the marking system.
5 A teacher uses a spreadsheet in the marking system from question 4 by following
the processes: enter student marks, store marks, calculate statistics, moderate
marks, print moderated marks. Construct a system flow chart for the system.
3.5 Implementing
The implementation stage delivers the new information system to the
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Conversion
Conversion involves changing from the old system to the new system. It must
be carefully planned and executed to avoid errors. The actual method chosen for
conversion depends on the nature of the work and the characteristics of the new
system. There are four methods of conversion: direct, parallel, phased and pilot.
Direct conversion involves an immediate change to the new system. A date is
chosen on which the old system ends and the new system begins. All data from
the old system is transferred to the new system. Direct conversion is not popular
even though there are minimal transition costs. It does not allow time to check
whether the new system will operate correctly and that participants understand
the system. If the new system fails or problems occur, the old system is not
available as a backup.
Parallel conversion involves the old and new systems working together for
some time. Participants can compare the two systems and obtain a good under-
standing of the differences between them. If there are any problems with the
new system they can be solved before the old system is discontinued. However,
parallel conversion results in additional workloads for participants as they must
operate both systems. It may also result in confusion about which system has the
correct data.
Phased conversion involves the gradual implementation of the new system.
Certain operations of the new system are implemented while the remaining
operations are completed by the old system. When one operation of the new
system is successful, another operation is implemented until the new system is
Direct conversion
Old system New system
Parallel conversion
Old system
New system
Phased conversion
Old system
New system
Pilot conversion
Old system New system
Training
Training ensures that participants can use the new system and understand its
benefits. The type of training depends on the knowledge of the participants and
the features of the new system. The suppliers of the hardware and software may
carry out some training. Training manuals and presentations are used to explain
the new system and any changes in the information processes. Initial training is
completed before the old system is converted to the new system.
Management may decide to train
one person who will then have respon-
sibility for training others. Training is
provided by a range of different people.
Training specialists teach participants
how to operate their system. Training is
needed in the installation of a new sys-
tem and to ensure that the computer is
being used efficiently. Participants may
also need regular training to keep pace
with the latest developments in hard-
ware and software. Technical support
staff are people who assist participants
of a system. This service is usually pro-
vided over the phone and is known as a
help desk. Technical support staff need
to be completely familiar with the
Figure 3.10 A training specialist. system.
Exercise 3.5
1 What is involved in the implementation stage?
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Maintenance
Maintenance is the modification of the system by making minor improvements.
During the operation of the system, participants may discover deficiencies and
suggest improvements. For example, a secretary may suggest a change in the
format of an input screen. Maintenance may also involve installing new hard-
ware and upgrading software packages. The longer the system has been
operational, the more difficult it is to change. However, good documentation
makes it easier to complete maintenance without causing problems elsewhere.
Simple changes in a large information system are often complex and require
retesting of other parts of the system. This often results in starting the system
development cycle again. The tasks in this stage are ongoing and continue until
the system is terminated or another system is developed.
A systems analyst was given responsi- The information in the data flow
bility to develop a new system using the diagram provided an outline of the
analysis report. It contained changes to general nature of the tasks required by
the business procedures and speci- the new system. Then the systems
fications for outputs such as a payroll analyst detailed each distinct task, such
report, pay slips, journals, invoices and as the method of calculating the pay for
yearly tax reports. Input screens were each staff member.
required for employee data, payroll The systems analyst used all the infor-
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Payroll Employer
database database
and software requirements were given person and Melissa on the specific
to five organisations to provide a quote. details of the new system. The new
Melissa and the systems analyst decided person entered the current data. All the
on the best quote. Ergonomic furniture staff were shown the new system and
was purchased and Melissa, in consult- how it would operate. They were given
ation with her staff, found an appropri- new procedures and forms to complete.
ate site in the office. After the training, conversion from the
The systems analyst set up the new old system to the new system started.
computer system. He installed the Even though Melissa felt confident with
software and developed appropriate the new system, she decided on parallel
inputs and outputs using the templates conversion. The systems analyst sug-
in the software and the required gested both systems operate together
specifications. Files were created for for three months. The old system was
accounts, employees, payroll and tax. discontinued at the end of that period.
Backup procedures were developed
using magnetic tape. Melissa expressed
a concern about some of the forms used
Testing, evaluating and
in the accounting software. There was a maintaining
need to modify the proposed business Testing and maintenance was started
procedures. Finally, the systems analyst once the new system began. The new
designed some test data. There employee monitored the system and
appeared to be no problems. Docu- suggested some minor changes to the
mentation was written to explain the format of the input screens. The systems
new system. It contained information analyst’s job had finished. Melissa com-
about the business processes in addition pleted a formal evaluation of the new
to the information technology. When system after six months. All the staff
the systems analyst was confident with and Melissa were happy with the
the new system, he presented a report system’s performance. It had achieved
to Melissa. She approved the implemen- the expected benefits. Eventually the
tation. systems analyst might be asked to initi-
ate another system to replace this
system. That might occur if A1 Designs
Implementation grew beyond expectations or develop-
Melissa hired a person to operate the ments in technology demanded a
system. The systems analyst trained this change.
Exercise 3.6
1 List the tasks performed by a computer operator.
2 Why should a new system be evaluated?
3 How is the requirement report used in an evaluation?
4 What happens if a major upgrade is required?
5 What is maintenance?
6 List two tasks that may be performed during maintenance?
7 Describe the new system designed for A1 Designs.
8 List some of the tasks completed by the systems analyst in setting up the new
computer system for A1 Designs.
9 How was the new system for A1 Designs implemented?
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Carry out some research to identify software packages that have recently been
upgraded (released in a new version). Find out the technical requirements to run
the new versions. Will this new software run on your school’s computer system?
Explain your answer.
2 The systems analyst in the case study chooses a computer with a fast processor
and large amounts of memory and storage. What are the technical specifications
required to meet those needs? Investigate the cost of purchasing a computer
with these specifications. List the available prices and options.
3 An accounting software package is part of the solution in the case study.
Investigate the latest accounting software. Suggest the most appropriate
packages for the situation described in the case study. Justify your answer.
4 Peripheral devices are not specifically mentioned in the case study. What
peripheral devices would be required by the system? Investigate the options and
costs of each device. List these details.
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5 ‘A system that is correctly designed should not need any ongoing evaluation and
maintenance.’ Outline your views on this statement.
ITITFact
Fact
‘Outrage’ occurs when a system refuses service to at least one user for a
period of time. The period of time depends on the application’s require-
ments.
Work environment
The implementation of a new system may result in major changes in the work
environment. The Occupational Health and Safety Act requires employers to
maintain a safe working environment and protect workers against foreseeable
risks. It requires both employers and employees to establish and maintain a safe
environment.
Ergonomics refers to the relationship between people and their work
environment. It is the process of designing or arranging workplaces, products
and systems so that they fit the people who use them. The work environment,
and in particular the way a computer is used, can have an affect on the body
(see Figure 3.13). The work environment includes the desk, chair, hardware,
software, keyboard, work routine and indoor climate. The participant’s relation-
ship with all these factors affects health and efficiency. If computers are being
used in the correct way, the working environment is safe and the participant will
be able to work at maximum efficiency. Conversely, incorrect use of computers
can cause health problems such as eyestrain, headaches, backaches, fatigue,
muscle pain and repetitive strain injury
(RSI). Carpal tunnel syndrome and teno-
synovitis are two common forms of RSI.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a
pinching of the nerve that passes
through the wrist. It is produced by
repeating the same small movements
many times. Typical symptoms are
numbness or burning in the fingers or
wrist. CTS can cause permanent nerve
damage.
Figure 3.13 The work environment.
Furniture
Furniture needs to be adjusted to suit each person’s body, otherwise problems
may develop in the back, neck, shoulders, arms and legs. The desk and chair
need to be positioned so that these body parts are used effectively without strain
and undue fatigue.
• Desk height should be between 660 mm and 680 mm for a fixed desk, and
between 610 mm and 720 mm for an adjustable desk. The depth of the desk
should be 900 mm with at least 50 mm for the wrists between the front edge
of the desk and the keyboard. This reduces the strain on the forearms when
typing.
• Chairs should have an adjustable seat height that ranges from 370 to
520 mm from the floor. This allows a clearance of 200 mm between the seat
and the desk. An adjustable backrest should be between 170 to 250 mm
above the seat and fit snugly into the small of the back. The seat should be
flat, well padded and slanted slightly backwards. This forces the participant to
lean against the backrest and maintain good posture.
Information technology
Hardware and its placement are an important ergonomic factor. The system unit
bought as a tower or mini-tower can be placed away from the screen, keyboard
and mouse to provide increased desk space. The recommendations for the
screen, keyboard and mouse are outlined below.
• The screen should be about an arm’s length away with the user looking
down on the screen. It should also be between 15 and 30 degrees below eye
level and adjusted so that it is at right angles to the line of sight. Adjustments
of angle, brightness and contrast should be possible to cater for individual
differences.
• The keyboard must be detachable and positioned so that the forearms are
parallel to the floor. The angle of the keyboard relative to the desk should be
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Environmental factors
The work environment is affected by environmental factors such as lighting,
indoor climate and noise.
• Incorrect lighting can cause eyestrain, double vision and headaches, and
reduce visual powers. Lighting needs to be uniform and bright enough for all
text to be read easily on the screen, keyboard and paper. All parts of the work
environment should have non-reflective surfaces to minimise glare. Glare is
reduced by using shades on windows, diffusers on overhead lighting and anti-
glare filters on screens.
• If the climate of a room is uncomfortable, it can cause weariness, sleepiness,
loss of performance and increased errors. The comfortable temperature range
varies depending on many factors. For a clothed and resting person, the
temperature should range between 20 and 23°C. If the relative humidity of
the air is between 30 and 70 per cent it will not create any discomfort. Air
movements such as draughts are unpleasant if they exceed 0.2 m/s.
• Excessive noise in the work environment can be a significant distraction.
Noise levels should not exceed 55 decibels, as this makes communication
with others difficult and can affect concentration. Protection from noise can
be obtained by sound-insulating a room, enclosing the source of the noise
with sound-absorbing materials, or by using headphones, ear plugs and soft
music.
Use of skills
The introduction of information systems has improved the skills of people in a
number of jobs. It has also forced people to retrain or risk long-term
unemployment. When people retrain and learn new skills it is called multi-
skilling. In Australia, employers have a
legal responsibility to either retrain
people or provide an appropriate
termination package if they are made
redundant by technology. There are many
jobs that now require multiskilled people.
For example, today’s secretary may
perform a range of tasks not required 10
years ago, such as using email, updating a
Web page or maintaining a database.
Unfortunately, information systems
may have the opposite effect on some
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Social relationships
People need to be able to com-
municate with others. Social inter-
action may change when a new
system is implemented. For
example, a new information system
may mean that a process that was
once done by face-to-face inter-
action is now done via a computer
network. People who spend most of
the day looking at a screen tend to
have less time for social interaction.
On the other hand information
systems can improve social relation-
ships. Electronic mail has provided
opportunities for social relation-
ships to develop between people
who are separated geographically. Figure 3.16 There is an increasing demand for IT skills.
Developing a solution
Developing a solution to a problem requires an appreciation of the planning and
design process. You must first understand the nature of the problem and
determine where to get additional information. It is often useful to examine
existing solutions. For example, if your project requires an advertising brochure,
it would be useful to analyse professional brochures to get some ideas. Develop-
ing a solution may require data to be gathered. If you are conducting a survey or
interviewing a person, it is appropriate to make prior arrangements with this
person. Remember that their time is valuable. If you are conducting an
interview, the questions should be carefully prepared before the interview.
Project management is a critical aspect of the project. You need to plan the
overall stages of the project and the tasks to be completed. Make sure you care-
fully check each stage before proceeding. The project must be completed within
a time frame. You will not be able to complete the project in class time; you will
be expected to do work outside the classroom. Tasks will need to be carefully
organised and scheduled. Check off deadlines as they have been reached.
File management is an important but often neglected procedure. The
project will require you to create different files. If an efficient file structure and
naming system is implemented, it will save time. The importance of backing up
your project cannot be overstated. Students need to implement a process for
backing up their project on a regular basis, such as after each session spent on
the project.
Developing a solution does not involve using the computer for every possible
task. It is often easier to design a solution using pen and paper first before using
a computer. Paper, pencils, eraser and ruler are useful tools for design. Most in-
formation technology professionals spend a significant amount of time using
these tools. There are many tasks that can be done without the computer such as:
• outlining the structure and
writing the questions for a survey
• deciding on the format of a
newsletter
• designing a form to enter data
into a database
• designing the layout of a budget
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Written report
In addition to an electronic copy of the information system, a written report
should be submitted for each project. The written report is prepared using a
word processor. It must be kept short and to the point. The quality of your work
is more important than the quantity. Your written report could divided into the
following sections: cover page, contents, stages in developing systems, social and
ethical issues, journal and bibliography. These are only a guide; they can be
changed with approval from your teacher.
It is suggested that students maintain and submit a journal as part of the
written report. The journal is to be completed in the last five minutes of every
lesson. The journal concludes with a brief report on the success of the project.
The written report should also contain a brief description of the social and
ethical issues that result from the new system. You may have to describe
possible issues and steps to address these issues.
The main section of the written report is a description of the five stages in
the system development cycle. A checklist for each stage is provided below as a
guide to some of the documentation that is required. The type of information
problem and your solution will determine the specific documentation submitted
under each stage.
Making decisions
A feasibility study must be submitted to analyse potential solutions and make a
recommendation.
❑ Constraints ❑ Detailed analysis
❑ Feasibility study ❑ Analysis report
❑ Recommendation
Designing solutions
The system must be represented using a context diagram, data flow chart or
system flow chart. Specifications for the new system are to be stated.
❑ Context diagram ❑ Specifications
❑ Data flow diagram ❑ Information technology
❑ System flow chart ❑ Test data
❑ System design ❑ Documentation
Personal and group systems and projects 123
Implementing
Screen dumps, printouts and reports that illustrate important parts of the new
system are to be submitted.
❑ Methods of conversion ❑ Demonstration (to the teacher)
❑ Training ❑ Documentation
ITITFact
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Fact
‘Rafting’ refers to a person taking on new projects in the technology
industry when they are finding it difficult to cope with the fast pace of
change.
Value to be altered
= $B$5*B9
= SUM(C9:C15)
= AVERAGE(C9:C15)
Exercise 4.2
PERSONAL PROJECTS
Solve one of the following information problems. It is a personal project—you must
complete it on your own. The project involves using more than one software tool
and a combination of data types.
1 Students in Year 11 have decided to have a formal party at a local venue. You
have been given the responsibility of choosing the venue. Investigate a number
of different venues and gather data such as the name and address of the venue;
the cost per head; the initial deposit required; details of meals; and available
dates. Store this data in an information system and create reports that allow you
to compare venues. Design a survey for Year 11 students that will decide on the
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venue. Students will vote on the venue if they are committed to attend. The
survey should also decide on possible dates and meal arrangements.
2 Matthew Law works for the tourist bureau. He has been asked to collect and
organise data on all Australian beaches. The data collected should include the
location, physical characteristics, surf rating, surf club, amenities and usage
patterns. Develop a solution for Matthew. It requires a questionnaire to be
designed and sent to all councils that are responsible for a beach. Store real or
fictitious data and produce various printed reports to highlight the beach with
the best surf rating and amenities. Create a sign to promote this beach.
5 Keith Senter is a local firefighter who needs information on the types and
quantities of chemicals stored by organisations in the local community. This will
enable him to deal more effectively with an emergency. Develop a solution for
Keith. Create a survey to collect data for the system. Store fictitious data from
the survey on the organisation’s name, contact person, address, phone number
and operating hours, and the type and quantity of the chemicals. Create forms
and reports to display the most dangerous sites.
6 Jane Cummins is a political analyst employed by a major political party. She needs
to determine the impact of different issues on an election. For example, what
will happen if there is an increase in unemployment? What if the Prime Minister
supports an issue that is unpopular with one group of people but popular with
another? There are many things that might make a difference to the way people
vote. Develop a solution for Jane. A survey is to be created, conducted and
analysed on current issues in the local community. For example, if the party sup-
ports legalising marijuana, 2 per cent of men and 3 per cent woman will switch
to another party. However, the party gains 8 per cent of the people aged
between 18 to 35 but loses 7 per cent of the people aged between 50 and 65.
The results of the survey are to be displayed using charts.
JANDZ Pty Ltd is a large Australian com- mendations. It involves entering product
pany. It produces a wide range of orders received by fax into a database.
specialist products for the gardening, This data is used to generate customer
welding and automotive industries. The invoices and monthly accounts; monitor
company’s information system is 10 stock and supply levels; generate pro-
years old and is out of date. The mana- duction reports; and produce other
ger needs a system that can produce internal reports to assist in the overall
more detailed information about prod- management of the company.
uct sales and stock levels. He has hired EP Consulting discovered that many
the services of a company called EP customers needed a faster supply of
Consulting to solve the problem. products for their stores. The new
Two consultants from EP Consulting system allows JANDZ Pty Ltd to produce
completed a preliminary investigation internal reports that summarise and
and feasibility study. They developed a detail the monthly sales of each
solution based on the study’s recom- product. It generates exception reports
3%
40
28%
30 5%
20
10
0
Greenfingers Plants Bonsai Palms
Nursery Hire Plants Plus
Customer
Leaf Lustre (5 L) Mealy Rid (25 L)
Six-monthly sales Leaf Lustre (25 L) Mite Rid (300 g)
250 Mealy Rid (5 L)
200
150
Sales
100
50
0
Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr
Month
Leaf Lustre Mealy Rid Mite Rid
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ITITFact
Fact
A ‘honky tonk’ is a person who disguises the fact that they are a computer
expert by not boasting about their competence.
Exercise 4.3
GROUP PROJECTS
Solve one of the following information problems. It involves using more than one
software tool and a combination of data types.
1 The local library consists of children’s and
adult sections, fiction and non-fiction,
magazines, encyclopedias, videos and audio
CDs. It uses an information system but it is
command driven and not user-friendly.
Borrowers are demanding a faster and more
efficient method to access materials (see
Figure 4.6). Develop a solution for the library.
It must store fictitious data for each item in
the library, such as title, author, classification
number, category (section), publisher, date of
publication, subject and keywords entered
into a database program. Create tables and
reports that classify the data according to its
type, subject and time of publication. The
library needs to promote the benefits of the
new system to its borrowers. Create a letter
for borrowers that explains the new system. Figure 4.6 The library.
menu bar
toolbars
Figure 5.1 The menu bar and toolbars are used to select commands.
storing&
retrieving
Saving and retrieving a document
One of the advantages of a word processor is that documents are stored on a
device such as a hard disk and can be retrieved when required. This involves
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saving the document. To save a document for the first time, the user selects the
‘Save’ command from the ‘File’ menu, gives the document a filename and
chooses a location for it. After that, choosing the ‘Save’ command stores the
active file with its given filename, location and file format. The ‘Save As’
command creates a copy of the active file and allows the user to change the
filename, location and file format. It is important to save a document regularly,
so that if something unexpected happens, only a small portion of the work is
lost. This is especially advisable when working on long documents.
To retrieve a document, the user selects the ‘Open’ command from the ‘File’
menu and types in or selects the document’s filename.
136 Application software
Function
Printing a document displaying
A word processing document is displayed on the screen or on paper. Printing a
document transfers it onto a piece of paper. This is called a hard copy or a print-
out. To print a document, you select the ‘Print’ command from the ‘File’ menu.
The word processor must recognise the printer in use otherwise an error
message will result.
There are many options to choose when printing a document. These options
may be selected in a number of ways, depending on the computer and word
processor being used.
• Page range specifies which pages will be printed. This could be the entire
document, a selected block of text, an individual page or a range of pages
(e.g. pages 10 to 14).
• The number of copies can be specified.
• The type of paper can be specified. Many printers allow documents to be
printed on glossy paper or transparent sheets.
• Different paper sizes can be selected. Standard sizes include A4 (210 mm ×
297 mm), letter (8.5 inches × 11 inches), legal (8.5 inches × 14 inches), A5
(148.5 mm × 210 mm) and A2 envelope (4.12 inches × 9.5 inches).
• The print quality can be changed from high quality (best) to draft quality
(economy). Draft quality speeds up printing and is useful in the early stages
of writing when the user is more concerned about the content than the for-
matting.
• Orientation is the way the page is turned. In portrait (vertical) orientation,
the page is taller than it is wide. In landscape (horizontal) orientation, the
page is wider than it is tall. Text is normally printed in portrait orientation.
Tables with a large number of columns are often printed in landscape
orientation (see Figure 5.2).
• Some word processors have a Print
Preview function, which shows how a
document will look when printed. It
gives an overall view of the page in a re-
duced size on the screen. Even though
the text may be too small to read, the
user can review the document’s overall
appearance. In other word processors,
the user simply ‘zooms’ in and out to
see the document at different sizes. Figure 5.2 Selecting page orientation and paper size and type.
Exercise 5.1
1 List the main information processes involved in word processing.
2 What is a word processor?
3 What are three advantages in using a word processor over other methods of
writing?
4 Describe a WYSIWYG word processor.
5 What is wordwrap?
6 Explain the difference between the ‘Save’ and ‘Save As’ commands.
2 Use a word processor to create the document shown in Figure 5.4 and save it
with the filename FEATURES.
3 The computers of tomorrow will become easier to use because they will reflect
the way humans think and work. Use a word processing program to write an
essay describing the computer of the future. Save your essay with the filename
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TOMORROW.
4 Open the file you created called EDIT.
a Analyse the page setup of the document. What are the margins, paper size
and orientation?
b If your word processor has a Print Preview function, use it to view the docu-
ment. If your word processor does not have a Print Preview function, view the
document by zooming in and out.
c Print the document.
the replace or change function, the incorrect name can be replaced with the
correct name throughout the document. To replace text, select the ‘Replace’ or
‘Change’ command from the ‘Edit’ menu. In the appropriate boxes, type the
text to be found (the incorrect text) and the replacement text. Replacement can
be automatic (all instances of the incorrect text are automatically replaced) or
require the user to confirm each replacement. The user can also specify whether
the replacement includes parts of words (this is usually the default option) or
affects whole words only. Care should be taken with this option, particularly if
doing an automatic replacement. For example, a user may want to replace the
word ‘tall’ with the word ‘high’ throughout a document. If he or she does not
select the option of ‘whole words only’, the word processor will also change the
word ‘stall’ to ‘shigh’ (see Figure 5.6).
Spell checker
A spell checker checks the spelling of words in the document and provides the
user with correct spellings. It works by comparing every word in the document
with an in-built dictionary. If a word cannot be found in the dictionary, it is
highlighted in some way. The user is given the options of correcting it, ignoring
it or adding the word to the dictionary. Some word processors will correct
typing or spelling errors as you type, such as replacing ‘bcak’ with ‘back’. This
feature is called AutoCorrect (see Figure 5.7). The AutoCorrect feature also
corrects errors in capitalisation by adding and removing capital letters to
appropriate words such as the names of the days.
When using a spelling checker it is important to remember the following
points:
• Spelling checkers do not check meanings. If the word exists in the dictionary
it will not be identified as wrong. For example, ‘David is a buoy’ would not
be identified as an error.
• Word processors are packaged with different dictionaries for different
countries. An American dictionary will have different spellings to an
Australian dictionary (such as ‘computerized’ instead of ‘computerised’). You
should make sure your word processor uses an Australian dictionary.
Thesaurus
Most word processors also come with a thesaurus to improve the precision and
variety of your writing. The thesaurus provides synonyms (words with the same
meaning) and sometimes antonyms (words with opposite meaning) for the
selected word. Using a thesaurus is similar to using a spell checker except that it
displays a list of synonyms (or antonyms). A thesaurus is useful if a word is over-
used in a document and needs to be replaced with a more interesting word. It
should be used with care because the actual meaning of a word can vary with its
context.
Grammar checker
The English language is very complex, with many different rules for grammar.
Modern word processors include grammar checkers to examine some basic
aspects of grammar, such as word duplication, homophones, overuse of words,
punctuation errors and long sentences. Homophones are words with the same
pronunciation but different spellings and meanings, such as ‘there’ and ‘their’.
Grammar checkers provide some indication of the readability of the text by
analysing the average word length and the average number of words in a
sentence. It is also possible to customise grammar checkers for a particular
purpose, such as formal, business or casual writing.
Functio
Exercise 5.2
1 Describe some of the ways of editing text.
2 How are recent mistakes corrected?
3 How is text inserted?
4 Explain the difference between the ‘Backspace’ key and the ‘Delete’ key.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Create the document shown in Figure 5.8 and save it with the filename SPORT.
a Insert the word ‘electronic’ before the word ‘scoreboard’ each time it appears.
b Delete the abbreviation ‘SCG’ and insert the words ‘Sydney Cricket Ground’.
c Insert the word ‘head-high’ before the word ‘bouncer’.
d Delete the word ‘many’ and insert the words ‘a whole range of’.
e Cut and paste the second paragraph so that it appears as the third paragraph.
2 Create the document shown in Figure 5.9 and save it with the filename SALES.
The document should include the intentional typing mistakes.
a Delete the upper case letter ‘S’ in the word ‘figuresS’.
b Delete the extra ‘the’ in the sentence ‘the the final sales figures’.
c Change the upper case ‘N’ to lower case in the word ‘FinaNcial’.
d Insert the word ‘Super’ between the words ‘Pear’ and ‘microcomputer’.
e Insert the phrase ‘for our new Pear Super microcomputer’ after the word
‘quarter’ at the end of the second paragraph.
f Remove one copy of the sentence ‘Sales for the fourth quarter were up 21%
for an overall year’s increase of 17%’.
g Replace the word ‘recieved’ with ‘received’.
h Replace the word ‘steared’ with ‘steered’.
i Replace the phrase ‘overall year’s increase’ to ‘overall annual increase’.
j Cut and paste the last paragraph so that it appears as the third paragraph.
3 List eight places you would like to go for a holiday. Enter this data into a word
processing document. Press the ‘Enter’ key after each place so that the next place
starts on a new line. Save the document with the filename HOLIDAY.
a Cut and paste these places so that they are in order of preference.
b Write a reason next to each place explaining why you would like to go there
for a holiday.
c Delete the last four places.
4 Enter the following text into a word processor
document: ‘My favourite number is ’.
a Copy and paste the sentence so that it
appears 10 times in the document.
b Add numbers to the end of each line as
shown in Figure 5.10.
c Cut and paste the lines so the numbers are
in ascending order.
d Save the document with the filename
NUMBER.
Functio
5 Read the following text: ‘Their is a spell checker in most word processors. It
cheques the spelling of words and suggests the correct spelling. It compares
every word in the document with its dictionary. If a word cannot be found, it is
highlighted with red wavy under lines so that it can be corrected, ignored or
added to the dictionery’.
a List the mistakes that would be found by a spell checker and grammar
checker.
Fonts
Modern word processors allow users to select different fonts for the text. A font
is a set of characters in one typeface with a particular type size, type style and
stroke weight. In word processing, the term font is commonly used to refer only
to the typeface: this is technically incorrect.
• A typeface is a set of characters with a particular design, such as Times New
Roman. Within the Times New Roman typeface there are many different
fonts that can be chosen by changing the size and style. Typefaces can be
divided into two main groups: serif and sans serif (‘sans’ is French for
‘without’). Serif typefaces are those that have little tails (serifs) at the ends of
the characters; Times New Roman and Century Schoolbook are common
examples. Sans serif typefaces have smooth characters without serifs; Arial
and Helvetica are common examples (see Figure 5.11).
• The type size or font size is a measure of the physical size of a character. The
height of characters is measured in points, where one point is equal to
0.351 mm or 1/72 of an inch.
• The type style describes the general shape of the typeface, such as italic or
outline.
• The stroke weight is a measure of the thickness of the lines used to construct
the characters. A typeface is usually available in light, medium, regular, bold
or extra bold weights.
Some word processors use the term font style to refer to a combination of
type style and stroke weight. Fonts can also be altered by a range of effects, such
as underlining, changing the colour, strikethrough and embossing.
ITITFact
Fact
The confusion between fonts and typefaces is a result of the electronic
manipulation of fonts. In the past, typesetters needed to have separate sets
of characters in every size and weight of a typeface. Each set was a font.
The computer, however, is able to create characters in any size from a
single typeface.
Character spacing
Character spacing refers to the spacing between individual letters. It can be
changed in a number of ways, such as scale, points, position and kerning.
Alignment
Alignment refers to the way the text lines up. It involves positioning text in
relation to a fixed reference point, usually the right or left margin. There are
four types of alignment (see Figure 5.12).
• Left-aligned text is perfectly aligned with the left margin. The left margin is
straight and the right margin is uneven or ragged.
• Right-aligned text is perfectly aligned with the right margin. The right
margin is straight and the left margin is ragged.
ITITFact
Fact
The word ‘alignment’ comes from the French word aligner, meaning ‘into
line’.
Line spacing
Line spacing or leading (pronounced ‘ledding’) refers to the spacing between
lines of text. It improves the appearance and readability of a document. Word
processors allow the line spacing to be specified for any paragraph. Users can
specify a measurement (usually in points) or can choose from the predefined
settings.
Single spacing consists of the actual size of the font plus a small amount of
extra space. It is usually set at 20 per cent leading, or 120 per cent of the font
size. For example, a type size of 10 points would have an extra 2 points of space
between the lines (20% of 10) giving a total line spacing of 12 points. Double
spacing is twice single spacing and triple spacing is three times single spacing
(see Figure 5.13).
Tabs
Functio
Tabs align the text to set horizontal positions called tab stops. When the ‘Tab’
key is pressed the cursor moves to the next tab stop. A non-printing tab
character (→) is inserted in the empty space on the screen. The next text that is
entered will be aligned at this tab stop. It is important to use tabs and not the
space bar to position text on a line. Positioning text using the space bar does not
ensure the correct alignment in a printout.
In most word processors, tab stops are shown on a ruler. The word processor
usually has a default set of tabs stops that apply to all paragraphs. These are set
every half inch (1.27 cm) from the left margin. The user can override these and
set tab stops at particular locations.
Indenting
Indenting moves text a certain distance from a margin. All the lines in a para-
graph can be indented or only the first line. There are three main types of indents:
• Left indent and right indent move a paragraph from the left margin, right
margin or both margins. They are used to draw attention to the paragraph or
show that it is a subsection.
• First line indent moves the first line of each paragraph to the right so that
readers can pick out the start of each new paragraph (see Figure 5.14). First
line indents are created by pressing the ‘Tab’ key or by moving the first-line
indent marker.
• Hanging indent is the reverse of the first line indent. The first line is aligned
with the left margin and the succeeding lines are all indented a specified
amount from the left margin. Hanging indents are often used in glossaries,
résumés and other types of lists.
For any of these types of indents, specifying a negative indent moves a
paragraph into the margin.
Indents can generally be set using the ruler. The users selects the paragraph
and drags the indent markers to the appropriate position. Some word processors
also have increase and decrease indent buttons. These buttons move a paragraph
to the next (or previous) tab stop.
left
indent
right
indent
left and
right indent
first line
indent
hanging
indent
Figure 5.15 A bulleted list. The ruler indicates the hanging indent.
Exercise 5.3
1 What is the difference between a font and a typeface?
2 List the two main groups of typefaces.
3 What is the type size of a character?
4 List the accepted design principles for producing effective documents.
5 List four ways to change character spacing.
6 Describe right-aligned text.
7 What is line spacing?
8 Explain the difference between a first line indent and a hanging indent.
Functio
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Create a document similar to Figure 5.16 using eight different typefaces. Save the
document with the filename FONTS.
a Change ‘Times New Roman in 10 point’ to bold.
b Change ‘Century Schoolbook in 12 point’ to italics.
c Change ‘Arial in 14 point’ to underlined text.
4 Create the document shown in Figure 5.17 and save it with the filename
INVITATION.
a Format the text as Times New Roman 12 point, aligned left.
b Format ‘Invitation’ as Arial 16 point, bold and italic, centred.
c Format ‘From: Social Organisers’ as Bookman 14 point, blue, underlined.
d Expand ‘Dear: Friends’ by 5 points.
e Left indent ‘Dress – informal’ to the first tab stop.
f Left indent ‘Venue – Mounties’ to the second tab stop.
g Align ‘Date: 26th February’ to the right.
h Centre ‘Time: 7.00 p.m.’.
Modern word processors include an increasing number of tools that allow users
to produce professional-looking documents. These tools include styles,
hyphenation, page setup options, tables, columns, drawing tools and clip art.
displaying Styles
A style, or style sheet, is a set of properties that can be applied to a paragraph
(or in some cases a word). These properties can include the font, line spacing,
indentation and justification. Styles are used to define the appearance of
ITITFact
Fact
The term ‘leading’ comes from the time when type was set by hand using
individual letters cast in lead. Additional strips of lead were added
between lines to increase the line spacing.
Hyphenation displaying
As we have seen, word processors have a feature called wordwrap that
automatically moves words to the next line when a line is full. However, in
certain situations it is preferable to break a word and insert a hyphen (-) at the
end of a line. This process of breaking words at certain points and inserting a
hyphen is called hyphenation. Hyphenation can be used to improve the appear-
ance of a document. When justified text is formatted in narrow columns, as in
newspapers, there can often be large gaps between words which form ‘rivers of
white’ down the page. Hyphenation can be used to close up the gaps.
Hyphenation must be used correctly otherwise it can affect the way text is
read. For example, hyphenating the word ‘therapist’ as ‘the-rapist’ would cause
confusion for readers. In most word processors, hyphenation can be done
automatically or manually. With automatic hyphenation, the word processor
decides the best places to break the words. Manual hyphenation allows the user
to decide whether and where to hyphenate.
Margins
Top margin
Margins are the distances between the
edge of the paper and the text (see
Margins
Figure 5.19). Each document has top,
Margins are the distances between the edge bottom, left and right margins. The wider
of the paper and the text. Word processors do the left and right margins, the narrower
not print text inside the margins, except for the page. The wider the top and bottom
headers and footers. Margins usually have a margins, the shorter the page. Word
Left default value, which can be changed by the Right
margin margin processors do not print text inside the
user.
margins, except for headers and footers.
Margins are usually preset to default
values, which can be changed by the user.
If printing on both sides of a page, it is
possible to have the margins on facing
pages mirror each other. There may also
be an option to specify the width of a
gutter. A gutter is an amount of extra
space added to the margin for binding. In
addition to using the Page Setup menu
item, margins can be set using a ruler by
dragging the margin boundary to the
Bottom margin required position. This enables the user
to preview the effect of changes to the
Figure 5.19 Margins. margin.
Page breaks
A word processor adds a soft page break automatically when text reaches the
bottom of the page. It adjusts the soft page breaks as the text is edited and
formatted. A hard page break, or manual page break, is one inserted by the user.
It forces the text to break to a new page at a
particular position, such as the beginning of a new
section. In normal view, a soft page break appears
as a dotted line. In page layout view, the pages are
shown as they will print.
When the word processor updates the page
Functio
Figure 5.21 A survey created in two columns using check boxes as bullets.
2 Enter the following items from a shopping list into a word processor. Insert a
semicolon (;) after each item, as shown: eggs; $3.70; ice cream; $4.30; rice; $2.45;
toothpaste; $2.10; tomatoes; $2.50; honey; $2.29; bananas; $1.90; sugar; $2.90;
soft drink; $1.60. Save the document with the filename SHOPPING.
a Convert the text to a table with two columns and nine rows.
b Format the table using borders and shading.
c Create a header containing the date and time.
3 Create an advertisement for a school disco using the following data: name of
your school; time (7.00 p.m. to 11.00 p.m.); today’s date; the school’s address; cost
($3.00). Enter this data into a word processing document. Save the document
with the filename DISCO.
a Set all four margins to 3 centimetres.
b Centre the text horizontally and vertically on the page.
c Format the document to improve its appearance by changing the typeface,
type size and type style.
d Insert an appropriate clip art picture.
e Edit the graphic by resizing or distorting it.
4 Enter the details from five different clothing labels into a word processor
document. Press ‘Enter’ at the end of each item so the next label starts on a new
line. Save the document with the filename CLOTHING.
a Format the text in a sans serif typeface at 18 points, aligned left and bold.
b Insert hard page breaks so that each clothing label appears on a new page.
c Insert a header that contains your name.
d Format the header in a serif typeface at 14 points, aligned right and italic.
6 A combination of type style and stroke 1 Describe the steps taken to create a
weight. word processing document. Your de-
scription should include the funda-
7 The design of a set of characters. mental features of a word processor.
8 Aligns text to set horizontal positions. 2 Describe some of the methods used to
9 Rows and columns of cells that are edit text.
filled with text. 3 Briefly explain the following terms:
10 Vertical area reserved for text. character spacing, line spacing, bullets
and numbering.
11 Method of moving within a document.
4 Describe the purpose of a table and
12 A section of text, such as a word, phrase, some of the formatting options for
sentence or paragraph, that is selected tables.
by the user.
5 Computers are not intelligent and do
13 A measure of the size of a character. not understand language. Explain how
14 The spacing between lines of text. spell checkers and grammar checkers
work. Are these tools always correct?
15 A symbol used at the beginning of an Explain your answer.
item in a list.
16 The amount of extra space added to
the margin for binding.
ITITFact
Fact
DBASE is one of the leading database management programs for personal
computers. Wayne Ratliffe originally designed it because he needed a
program to help him calculate the odds in a football tipping competition.
CHARACTER
4
CHARACTER
RECORD Space
La M
FIELD
40 Pauls St
Ermington CHARACTER
823 5961 Laan H
J
RECORD
FILE FIELD CHARACTER
Laan H
L–Z 4 John St 4 John St
Balmain
O
Telephone book Balmain
605 8231
CHARACTER
FIELD
H
Labab J 605 8231
7 Mary St
Raby CHARACTER
821 4391
N
CHARACTER
Other records
Space
Other characters
Figure 6.1 The telephone book as an example of a database.
Databases 163
collecting Creating a database
A database is created for a particular purpose. For example, large organisations
create a database for personnel records to provide faster access to addresses,
telephone numbers, salaries and service details. All databases are created to meet
a specific need; however, they are not the solution to every problem. Clearly, a
database would not be used if you had to write a letter or draw a map.
Collecting data to be entered into the database may require a great deal of
research or may involve the development of a questionnaire. It may be more
appropriate to use oral questioning or interview techniques to collect data. If a
database is to remain current, the collection of data and the checking of data
will be ongoing.
Database keys
Functio
organising
The organisation of data often involves a key. Keys are fields that are used to
sort and retrieve information. It holds a data item that is unique for each record
(such as a student ID number). When the records are sorted, the key is used so
that not all the data is read. There are different types of keys:
• A single key is a field where each item of data is unique. Care must be taken
when choosing a single key, as some fields (such as family names) are not
always unique.
A form, or label, is used to view, enter and change data in a table. It is often
used to display the data for every field in a single record (see Figure 6.3). In
most databases, the layout of the form can be changed. The user can position
fields, headings, instructions and graphics. A well-designed form provides
information explaining the required data and any
rules that apply to particular fields. For example, a
field name ‘Sex (M/F)’ leaves no confusion about its
required data. Fonts need be carefully chosen to
ensure the screen is easy to read. The type size, stroke
weight and colour of the font will have an impact on
the user and the accuracy of the data that is entered.
When entering data into a table or form, the user
types the data for the first field and presses the
‘Enter’ or ‘Tab’ key to move to the next field. After
entering the data for the last field of a record, the
next record will appear. This process continues until Figure 6.3 A form showing fields in the
all the data has been entered. ADDRESS database.
Databases 165
Exercise 6.1
1 What is a database?
2 Describe the advantages of electronic databases over manual databases.
3 What is the purpose of a DBMS?
4 What is a flat file database?
5 List the four data structures used in databases.
6 What is a data dictionary?
7 Explain the difference between a table and a form.
8 Describe a well-designed form.
9 A database is to be created containing student information. Construct a data
dictionary using these fields: Family name, First name, Sex, School year, Class,
Street, Suburb, Postcode, Phone, DOB (date of birth) and Age.
10 The following questions refer to the ADDRESS database shown in Figure 6.2.
a How many fields are there in the database?
b How many records are contained in the database?
c What is the name of the third field?
d Write down the data in the second record.
e What is the last entry in the ‘Suburb’ field?
f What is the maximum number of characters needed for the ‘Postcode’ field?
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Create the EFTPOS database using the data in Figure 6.4. Save the database with
the filename EFTPOS. Set the data type of the ‘Balance’ field to currency.
Databases 167
6.2 Modifying a database
Modifying a database helps to maintain data integrity. Data integrity is the
reliability of the data. Data in a database should be correct and current. A
database with inaccurate data is useless. This is why the telephone book is
updated each year. To maintain data integrity, data needs to be checked when it
is entered and updated when it changes. This is done immediately or at regular
intervals depending on the nature of the database.
ITITFact
Fact
‘Data diddling’ is a computer crime that involves the unauthorised editing
of data. Data diddlers are people who modify data for their own benefit,
such as changing university results.
Data is inserted into a field in a table or form by placing the cursor in the
desired location. New records are inserted by moving to the last record and
typing in the new data. The user can insert new records by choosing an
appropriate command. It does not matter where the new records are inserted, as
the records can be rearranged by sorting.
Data is deleted from a field in a table or a form by placing the cursor to the
right of the character to be deleted and pressing the ‘Backspace’ key. A block of
characters can be deleted by selecting the data and pressing the ‘Delete’ key. The
user can replace existing data by selecting the data and typing in the new data.
To delete a record, the user selects the record and then presses the ‘Delete’ key
or chooses an appropriate command (see Figure 6.6).
Functio
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Create the inventory database using the data in Figure 6.8. Save the database
with a filename of INVENTORY. Set the data type of the fields ‘Date purchased’
to date/time and ‘Purchase price’ to currency.
a Enter the data into a table and design a form that shows all the fields.
b The serial number was entered incorrectly for the following records. Amend
the data.
• Amplifier, Technics: 0982233
• Heater, Haan: DA25900002
• Tuner, Technics: 55673800
c The following purchases were made after the database was created. Insert the
new records.
• Television, Phillips, NE-FR24, 76392965, 26-Jun-00, $650.00
Functio
a Enter the data into a table and design a form that shows all the fields.
b The subject was entered incorrectly for the following records. Amend the data.
• Skills and Tactics, Motor car
• Today’s Music, Rock music
c The following books were purchased after the database was created. Insert
the new records.
• Australian Technology, Johnson M, Computer, 001.75, 0 86421 674 X, Rigby
• Modern Tennis, Norman C, Sport, 768.4, 0 97843 434 X, Reed
d The books on travel were given to a friend. Delete any books on travel from
the library database.
e Delete the ‘Publisher’ field and all its data.
3 Open the file called CLIENT and amend the data.
a The amount owing for the following clients needs to be changed. Amend the
data.
• Advance Cellars, $200.00
• Holmers Computer, $0.00
• Hanil Restaurant, $500.00
b There are two regular clients to be added to the client database. Insert the
new records.
• Central Motors, 200 High St, Penrith, $600.00, October 23 2000, $400.00
• Julia’s, 2 Iluka St, Rose Bay, $1000.00, November 12 2000, $600.00
c Add a field called ‘Postcode’ and insert the postcodes of all the suburbs.
Ashfield 2131, Balmain 2041, Bondi 2026, Bronte 2024, Coogee 2034, Darling-
hurst 2010, Hunters Hill 2110, North Parramatta 2151, North Sydney 2060,
Penrith 2750, Rose Bay 2029, Sydney 2000, Ultimo 2007, Wentworthville 2145
d Delete Tony’s Fruit.
4 Open the file called STARS and amend the data.
a Add a field called ‘Nationality’. Insert each star’s nationality and save the file.
b Insert the following records:
• Mel Gibson, M, 42, Mad Max, Australian
• Cathy Freeman, F, 26, Athletics, Australian.
Databases 171
6.3 Finding information
Database management systems are powerful tools because they can manage and
allow the interpretation of massive amounts of data. They can search data very
quickly and find in seconds information that may have taken hours using manual
methods. For example, the telephone book only allows easy access to data if you
know the person’s name. With the same data stored in an electronic database, you
could search using a phone number or address to find the person’s name.
analysing Sorting
Database information is always easier to use when the records are arranged in a
meaningful order, not randomly, as they were entered. Sorting is the process of
arranging data in a particular order. It is a way of organising the data. Sorts can
be performed in either ascending or descending order. Ascending order arranges
data from smallest to largest (0–9) or from first to last (A–Z). Descending order
is the reverse: from largest to smallest (9–0) or from last to first (Z–A).
To carry out a sort, the user first chooses the field on which the sort is to be
based and then selects ascending or descending order. Data can be sorted on more
than one field so that records are arranged in a precise order. For example, the
data shown in Figure 6.10 is sorted on two levels: ‘Suburb’ is the primary sort
field and ‘Family name’ is the secondary sort field. The result is that the records
are arranged alphabetically by suburb; where there are multiple records with the
same suburb, they are arranged alphabetically by family name. A telephone
directory is an example of a three-level sort based on family name, first initial and
second initial. A filter is used to limit the records viewed in the database. Records
are filtered by selecting the records or specifying a certain condition.
analysing Searching
One of the major advantages of an electronic database is that data can be
storing&
retrieving
retrieved quickly and easily. Searching is the process of examining a database to
retrieve data. For example, you could step through each record using a form
view or browse in a table. Most DBMSs have a ‘Find’ or ‘Search’ command (see
Figure 6.11). The user types in a word or a string of characters and the DBMS
searches through the data looking for a match. It is often possible to limit the
search to a particular field.
Operators
A query is constructed using an operator such as those in Table 6.2. The
operator represents the action to be performed in the query. Operators are
classified as either relational or logical.
Relational operators (=, <>, <, >, <=, >=) are characters or symbols indicating
the relationship between two expressions. They are used for simple queries.
Databases 173
Wildcard characters represent one or more unknown characters. Some common
wildcard characters are the asterisk (*) that substitutes for any number of
characters and the question mark (?) that substitutes for one character. A query
such as ‘Family name = Dav*’ would find family names such as Dave, Davo,
Davis or Davey. However the query ‘Family name = Dav?’ would only find
family names such as Dave or Davo.
Logical operators (AND, OR, NOT) are used to combine simple queries so
that a search is carried out on one or more fields. It is important to understand
the difference between these operators.
• The AND operator requires both the first and the second query to be true.
Only records satisfying both queries will be found. For example, if you are
looking for a person with a family name of Davey who lives in Eastwood, the
query would be:
‘Family name = Davey’ AND ‘Suburb = Eastwood’
• The OR operator requires either the first or the second query to be true.
Records satisfying either of the queries will be found. For example, if you are
looking for all of the people with a family name of Davey and all the people
who live in Eastwood, the query would be:
‘Family name = Davey’ OR ‘Suburb = Eastwood’
Operator Description
Relational
= Equal to
<> Not equal to
< Less than
> Greater than
<= Less than or equal to
>= Greater than or equal to
contains
does not contain
begins with
ends with
is blank
is not blank
Functio
Logical
AND together
OR either one
NOT exact opposite
Databases 175
c All the people with a family name of Nguyen.
d All the people who live in Fairfield.
e All the people with a postcode greater than 2200.
f All the people whose family name contains the letter ‘a’.
g All the people whose home phone number does not contain the digit ‘1’.
h All the people who live in a street.
i All the people whose family name contains the letter ‘s’ and given name
contains the letter ‘e’.
j All the people whose given name is Olivia or who live in Rose Bay.
Report sections
Most DBMSs allow the user to define the
following sections in a report:
• The report header appears once at the
beginning of a report. It is used for items
such as a company logo, the report title
and the date (see Figure 6.14).
• The page header displays information
such as a title, column headings or any
other information needed at the top of
every page. A page header appears after
the report header on the first page of Figure 6.14 The sections of a report
the report. generated from the ADDRESS database.
Databases 177
• Most of the information will be displayed in the detail section. The user has
a variety of tools to manipulate and format fields.
• The page footer displays information such as the date, page number or any
other information the user wants at the bottom of every page.
• The report footer appears once at the end of the report. It displays items
such as report totals. The report footer appears after the page footer on the
last page of the report.
Report format
Before a report is printed, it is necessary to ensure the report has the correct
format. When formatting a report, the user needs to adopt the following good
design principles:
• Use headings that identify the purpose of the report.
• Use layouts (such as tabular or column) that present the information
effectively.
• Balance text on the page either vertically or horizontally.
• Ensure styles are consistent throughout the report and suit its purpose.
• Ensure columns have clear and descriptive headings.
• Use white space appropriately to improve readability.
• Include page numbers and the date in the header or footer.
ITITFact
Fact
Online databases are databases that can be accessed via the Internet. They
typically provide current information on news, sport, shares and other
areas of special interest. Online databases are updated daily.
Exercise 6.4
1 What is a report?
2 What determines a report’s content, format and style?
3 How are records selected for a report?
4 List five sections of a report.
5 What sort of information generally appears in a report header?
6 Why is white space used in a report?
7 What are the advantages of mail merge?
8 How is a mail merge document created?
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Open the CLIENT file and create the following reports:
a A tabular layout of all the records sorted by suburb.
b A tabular layout of clients that are restaurants.
c A tabular layout of all the records, containing only the ‘Company’ and
‘Amount owing’ fields.
d A column layout to be used as a mailing label that contains only the
‘Company’, ‘Address’ and ‘Suburb’ fields.
2 Open the STARS file and create the following reports:
a A tabular layout of all the records sorted by family name in ascending order.
b A column layout that contains only stars’ first names and family names.
c A tabular layout of all the stars who are male.
d A column layout showing all the fields, sorted by age in descending order.
Databases 179
3 Open the file called EFTPOS and create the mailing labels shown in Figure 6.16.
4 Create the letter shown in Figure 6.17 and save it with the filename PAYMENT.
a Insert the merged fields from the CLIENT database into the letter.
b Merge the letter and the database so that each person receives a payment
letter.
c Create a query so that only clients with an amount owing will receive the pay-
Functio
ment letter.
5 Create personalised invitations for your next birthday party.
a Write an invitation to your party using a word processor and save it with the
filename BIRTHDAY.
b Insert the relevant fields from the STUDENTS database into the letter.
c Merge the letter and the database so that a personalised letter is printed for
each person.
Databases 181
Chapter review
PART B List of terms
For each of the following statements, a data dictionary i sort
select from the list of terms the one that b data type j table
most closely fits the statement. Write the
c database k field size
letter corresponding to your choice.
d field l search
Statements e form m data integrity
1 The process of arranging data in a parti- f query n operator
cular order.
g record o filter
2 The kind of data in the field. h report p key
3 A specific category of data.
PART C
4 A comprehensive description of each Write at least one paragraph on each of
field in a database. the following questions.
5 An organised collection of data. 1 What is the difference between search-
6 Displays more than one record but only ing and sorting a database?
allows the fields that fit across the
2 Briefly explain the following terms:
screen.
a database management system
7 It is used to view, enter and change (DBMS)
data in a table. b query language.
8 A collection of facts about one specific 3 Outline the four data structures used in
entry in a database. databases.
9 A search of a database for records that 4 You are going to enter a large CD col-
meet a certain condition. lection into a database.
10 The formatted and organised presenta- a Name five fields that you think
tion of data. would be the most relevant.
11 Fields used to store and retrieve infor- b List two searches on this data that
mation. would be frequently carried out.
12 The number of characters in each field. 5 Fisher’s Ghost Golf Club wants to use a
database to manage the records of its
13 The reliability of data. members. What tasks would they use
14 The process of examining the database the database for? Design a suitable
to retrieve data. database for the golf club.
required
• display options—data can be presented in many different ways using tables
and charts.
row 2
selected
cell C4
worksheet column E
Spreadsheets are very particular about the type of data that is entered into
each cell. There are three main types of data:
• A label is text entered into a cell to explain part of the spreadsheet. This data
is not used in carrying out calculations. Labels are used for the headings of
rows and columns.
• Values are numbers stored in a spreadsheet. This data is used in carrying out
calculations.
• Formulas are instructions to perform a calculation. The answer to the calcu-
lation appears in the cell that contains the formula; the formula itself is not
shown. The user can create a formula or select from predefined functions.
Spreadsheets 185
collecting Creating a spreadsheet
Time should be spent planning the spreadsheet before any data is entered. The
user should ask themselves:
• How is the spreadsheet going to solve the problem?
• What data needs to be entered?
• How will I obtain the data?
• What will be the headings and titles?
• How will the numbers look?
• What is the relationship between the items of data?
• Does it require a calculation? What formulas are to be used? What results are
required?
=B5*C5
=B6*C6
=B7*C7
=B8*C8
=B9*C9
=B10*C10
=SUM(D5:D10)
Functio
ITITFact
Fact
Financial spreadsheets are used to manage money and are the most
common application of spreadsheet software. Financial spreadsheets can
be used to calculate budgets and loan repayments, produce profit and loss
statements, and monitor investments on the stockmarket.
A spreadsheet allows users to search for specific data that is part of a label,
value or formula and, if required, replace it. For example, you could find all cells
that contained a particular cell reference or all cells whose contents match the
selected cell. The Find and Replace functions are similar to those of a word pro-
cessor except that the user can search for values or formulas by row or by column.
Spreadsheets 187
Exercise 7.1
1 What is a spreadsheet?
2 Outline the advantages of electronic spreadsheets over manual methods.
3 How are rows and columns named in a spreadsheet?
4 Describe the three main types of data in a spreadsheet.
5 Describe some of the planning that should take place before data is entered into
a spreadsheet.
6 What is the simplest way to edit data in a cell?
7 List four identifiable areas of a well-designed spreadsheet.
8 If the following data were entered into a spreadsheet, would it be classified as a
label, a value or a formula?
a New South Wales b =D1+E2 c 12
d B1-B7 e ‘2003 World Cup’
9 Write down the data stored in these cells of the spreadsheet shown in Figure 7.2.
a A6 b B8 c A1
d D4 e C12 f D10
10 What is the cell reference for the following data in the spreadsheet shown in
Figure 7.2?
a Golf shoes b $80 c 110
d Units e =B8*C8 f =SUM(D5:D10)
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Start up a spreadsheet program.
a View the entire spreadsheet by scrolling.
b What is cell reference of the cell in the last row and the last column?
c How many cells make up the spreadsheet?
d Move to the following cells in order: A14, S45, Z1, AD33, AA100.
e Move to cell A1 and type in your name.
2 Create the spreadsheet shown in Figure 7.4 and save it with filename EXPENSES.
a List the cells that contain labels.
b List the cells that contain values.
Functio
=SUM(C5:C11)
=B6-C6
=SUM(B6:B10)
=AVERAGE(B6:B10)
Spreadsheets 189
=AVERAGE(C6:E6)
=MIN(C6:E6)
=MAX(C6:E6)
4 Create a spreadsheet to analyse your time management. For each day of the
week, enter the amount of time (in hours) you spend on sleep, eating, television,
homework, study and other activities. Use the spreadsheet to total the hours for
each activity and find their weekly averages.
7.2 Formulas
A formula is an instruction to perform a calculation. Formulas are what give
spreadsheets real power. Whenever values (numbers) are changed, the formulas
recalculate and produce new results. A formula usually starts with a particular
symbol, such as the ‘=’, ‘@’or ‘+’ signs. Some examples of formulas are:
• =4+3
• =A4*2
• =SUM(A1:A5).
The asterisk (*) is used for multiplication to avoid confusion with the letter ‘x’.
Cell references
A formula refers to a cell using a cell reference, such as A2. For example, if you
wanted one cell to contain the same value as another cell, you would enter an =
sign followed by the cell reference. Cell references allow formulas to refer to
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Operators
Operators are used to perform a process, and are used to create formulas.
Operators can be grouped as arithmetic, relational and text (see Table 7.1). For
example, =A1*A2 multiplies the values in cells A1 and A2. If several operators
are combined in a single formula, the operations are carried out according to
mathematical rules. Multiplication and division are carried out before addition
and subtraction unless parentheses are used to group the operations. For
example, the formula =4+8/2 gives an answer of 8, but =(4+8)/2 gives 6.
Spreadsheets 191
Functions
Functions make calculations easier. Spreadsheet programs contain about 100
built-in formulas known as functions. Functions are used to perform simple or
complex calculations. To use a function you must follow special rules or syntax.
Functions consist of a function name such as SUM, a set of parentheses ( ) and
arguments. Arguments are values on which the functions operate. Arguments are:
• numbers such as 2,3 in the formula =SUM(2,3).
• cell references such as B4, B5,B6,B8 in the formula =SUM(B4,B5,B6,B8).
• a range of cells such as B4:B8 in the formula =SUM(B4:B8).
• other functions such as MAX(B5,B9) in the formula =SUM(B4,MAX(B5,B9)).
Functions are more efficient than making up your own formula. For example, to
add cells from A1 to A10 the formula is =A1+A2+A3+A4+A5+A6+A7+A9+A10
or =SUM(A1:A10). In addition to being quicker to enter, functions allow you
insert or delete rows or columns. For example, if you deleted row 3 the first
formula would be incorrect and require editing. However, the formula that uses
a function would remain correct. Functions can be grouped as arithmetic,
statistical or logical (see Table 7.2 opposite).
=B5*D5
=B5*C5
=E5-F5
Spreadsheets 193
It is possible to have a formula containing both absolute and relative
references. This is called a mixed cell reference. For example, if the formula
=$B$5*D5 in cell E5 is copied to cell E6, it would change to =B5*D6.
Formulas can be copied into adjacent cells using the ‘Fill’ command. Select
the cell that contains the formula and the destination cell(s), and then choose
the ‘Fill’ command. Both absolute and relative referencing can be used in this
process.
collecting Templates
A template is a kind of ‘master document’ or blueprint that is created for re-
peated use. A spreadsheet template contains labels and formulas to solve a
particular problem. The user enters the values to obtain the required solution. If
numerous spreadsheets need to be created to solve similar problems, a template
can save time and effort. Many spreadsheet programs contain standard tem-
plates for a range of uses, such as budgets, profit and loss statements, loan re-
payments and stock investments. There are four advantages in using a standard
template:
• predetermined layout—the labels and formulas are already entered
• ease of use—detailed understanding of formulas is not required
• reliability—the templates are fully tested, so it is unlikely that they will
produce errors
• adaptability—templates can be modified to suit specific needs.
Figure 7.8 shows an example of a simple
template used to calculate the daily income from
each type of room in a motel. A single room costs
$50, a double room $70 and a suite $100. The
income is determined by multiplying the number of
rooms in use by their appropriate rates. These
formulas have been entered into cells D5, D6 and
D7. They show a result of $0.00 until the number
of rooms in use has been entered into cells B5, B6
and B7. The spreadsheet allows the manager to
Figure 7.8 The MOTEL spreadsheet. quickly determine the total income for each day
and helps make decisions about room rates.
Creating a template involves the following steps:
• Understand the problem: Determine the precise requirements of the
template. How is the spreadsheet going to solve the problem? What data
needs to be entered? What information needs to be calculated?
• Design the template: Determine the solution to the problem using a spread-
sheet. What will be the headings? How will the numbers look? What is the
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relationship between the data? What formulas are to be used? What will the
spreadsheet layout be? Remember—a problem can have more than one
correct solution.
• Construct the template: Enter the labels and formulas and format the
template.
• Test the template: Make sure the template is perfect. Test the template with
a variety of values and make modifications if necessary.
• Document the template: Make the template easy to use. Add instructions on
the screen or provide a manual for users of the template.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Create the spreadsheet shown in Figure 7.9
and save it with the filename ARITHMETIC.
a Change the contents of the following
cells: B3 to 12; D3 to 4; B4 to 18; D4 to
10; B5 to 9; D5 to 6; B6 to 24; D6 to 12.
b Extend the spreadsheet by adding a row
that finds the average of two numbers.
c Extend the spreadsheet by adding a row
that counts the number of calculations.
Spreadsheets 195
b Harry’s Department Store is expanding into hardware.
i Enter the label ‘Hardware’ into cell A12.
ii Enter ‘5’ into cell B12.
iii Amend all the formulas in cells D5 to D10 to include this new data.
3 Start up a spreadsheet program.
a Enter the following data:
A2 16 A3 64 A4 =A2
A5 =SUM(A2:A4) C2 5 E2 35
b Copy the range of cells A3 to A5 to cells C3 to C5 using relative references.
c Copy the range of cells A3 to A5 to cells E3 to E5 using absolute references.
4 Create the spreadsheet shown in Figure 7.11. The formulas shown in cells C5 and
D5 need to be copied down their respective columns to row 10 using relative
references. Save the spreadsheet with the filename DISCOUNT.
=B5*(1-C5)
=IF(B5<50,10%,15%)
Cells displaying
Each spreadsheet program includes a number of different ways of displaying
text and numbers. Formatting a cell does not change the contents of the cell but
determines the way it is displayed. There are numerous options for formatting
cells, such as number, alignment, fonts, borders and shading.
Spreadsheets 197
Number
Cells that contain numbers are formatted using the toolbar or a command from
the menu bar. Modern spreadsheet programs automatically apply a built-in
format based on the data the user has entered. Number formats for selected
cells include the following:
• General: The number is displayed exactly as it is typed. No specific number
format is applied.
• Fixed: The number is displayed to a specified number of decimal places. For
example, if two decimal places are specified, 8.592 would appear as 8.59.
• Comma: The number is displayed with commas every three places. For
example, 12345678 would appear as 12,345,678.
• Currency: A dollar sign ($) is added at the beginning of the number, which is
usually expressed to two decimal places. For example, 8.592 would appear as
$8.59.
• Per cent: The number is expressed as a percentage by multiplying it by 100
and adding the per cent symbol (%). For example, 0.34 would appear as 34%.
• Scientific: The number is expressed in scientific notation. Many spreadsheet
programs automatically use scientific notation to display very large or very
small values. For example, 12 000 000 would appear as 1.2E+7 (which stands
for 1.2 × 107).
• Date: The number is displayed in a
specified date format (see Figure 7.13).
For example, 4/7/01 could appear as
04/07/2001, 4-Jul or 04- Jul-01 .
• Time: The number is expressed as a
time value. For example, 14:30 could
appear as 2:30 PM, 14:30 or 14:30:00.
• Fraction: The number is expressed as a
fraction. For example, 0.5 could appear
as 1/2, 2/4 or 50/100.
• Special: This format is used to display
special numbers such as postcodes and
Figure 7.13 Some of the cell formats available in Microsoft Excel. phone numbers.
Alignment
Alignment is the way text lines up, and it is used to distinguish different types of
information. The contents of a cell are aligned either vertically or horizontally.
The default vertical alignment is to the bottom of the cell. However, it can be
changed to top, centre or justified. The default horizontal alignment depends on
the type of data. Labels are aligned left and numbers, dates and times are aligned
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Fonts
As with word processors, spreadsheet programs allow users to apply a range of
fonts to emphasise important parts of a spreadsheet. Fonts can applied to
characters within cells, a selected cell or a range of cells. Modifications can be
made to the typeface, type size, type style, stroke weight and colour. Some
spreadsheets provide built-in styles and table formats, which can be used to
ensure a consistent format.
ITITFact
Fact
The first Internet arrest occurred in the USA on 19 May 1996. Leslie Ibsen
Rogge, wanted on bank robbery and other charges, was arrested as a result
of his picture being posted on the FBI’s Web site.
Macros processing
Modern spreadsheet programs allow users to create and use macros. A macro is
a series of commands stored in a file that can be executed by pressing a few
keys. Macros are used to automate repetitive tasks; they save time and reduce
storing &
retrieving
keyboard errors. For example, your name may appear in all your spreadsheets. If
you stored your name in macro and assigned it to the F2 key, every time you
pressed F2 the macro would enter your name. This is a simple example, but
macros can be used to perform much more complex series of actions. They can
open menus, choose commands, enter text and do hundreds of other tasks
extremely quickly.
The easiest way to create a macro is to record it. The user selects the
appropriate ‘Record macro’ command and enters a name for the macro, so it can
be saved as a file. The user then carries out the desired series of actions, which
are recorded by the macro recorder. When the actions are completed, the user
stops the macro recorder by selecting the appropriate command or button. The
saved macro can then be used by selecting the appropriate ‘Run macro’
command. This command will carry out all the actions stored in the macro. In
some programs, a macro can also be assigned to a button on a toolbar.
In addition to using the macro recorder, macros can be created using a macro
language. This requires an understanding of computing programming, and is not
part of this course.
Spreadsheets 199
Exercise 7.3
1 Why is it necessary to adjust the height of rows and the width of columns?
2 Describe the effect of deleting rows and columns.
3 List 10 different ways in which numbers can be formatted.
4 What is currency format?
5 Describe the default horizontal alignment.
6 Explain the difference between ‘centre’ and ‘centre across selection’.
7 What is orientation of text?
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Create and format the spreadsheet shown in Figure 7.14. The formulas shown in
cells E11, F11 and G11 need to be copied down their respective columns to row
16 using relative references. Save the spreadsheet with the filename FLEET.
=$D$7
=D11*$D$6
=C11*$D$5
a Enter a formula into cell H11 to add the depreciation, kilometre and parking
expenses.
b Copy the formula in cell H11 to cells H12 to H16 using relative references.
c Enter a formula into cell E18 to add the depreciation expenses for the six
vehicles.
d Enter a formula into cell E19 to average the depreciation expenses for the six
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vehicles.
e Copy the formulas in cells E18 and E19 to cells F18 to H19 using relative
references.
f The price of petrol increases. Change the parameter in cell D6 from $0.35 to
$0.36.
g You find another parking station that charges $200 per month. What savings
would be made to the total monthly fleet cost by using this parking station?
h Amend the kilometres driven for each fleet vehicle as follows:
i NNO583 to 167 ii TTR444 to 320 iii OJP875 to 270
iv QYF639 to 360 v RRE810 to 291 vi STE568 to 594.
=B4
=LOOKUP(B4,A7:A12)
=LOOKUP(B4,A7:B12)
=C16*C17
=C14-C15 =E15+E17
=LOOKUP(B4,A7:C12)
a Use the spreadsheet to calculate the tax payable on the following taxable
incomes:
i $5000.00 ii $15 000.00 iii $36 500.00
iv $38 000.00 v $100 000.00
b The government decides to change the tax rates to 0%, 15%, 30%, 35%, 40%
and 45%. Amend the tax spreadsheet.
c In addition to the above tax rates, the government includes another tax
bracket. People who have a taxable income above $60 000 pay a base tax of
$19 256.50 with a tax rate of 50%. Insert the data to include this tax bracket.
=D7+E7
=IF(AND(B7>8,C7>100),200,0)
=IF(OR(B7>8,C7>100),10*C7,0)
Figure 7.16 The BONUS spreadsheet.
Spreadsheets 201
a The data entered for Sue Lane is incorrect. She has completed 9 years of serv-
ice with 75 hours of overtime. Correct her data.
b Bob’s Cakes has decided to increase the additional bonus from $200 to $300.
Make the necessary change to the formulas in column E.
c In addition to increasing the additional bonus, Bob’s Cakes has decided to
calculate the bonus and additional bonus on 50 hours of overtime instead of
100 hours. Make the necessary changes to the formulas in columns D and E.
4 a Create an enrolment spreadsheet for Elizabeth High School. Enrolments this
year were as follows:
Year 7 110 Year 8 125 Year 9 107
Year 10 95 Year 11 71 Year 12 60
b A new housing estate has been built near the school and the number of
enrolments is expected to increase by 15% within the next three years. Use
the spreadsheet to calculate the projected student numbers in three years.
c Format the spreadsheet using different fonts and borders to make it more
appealing.
5 a Create a spreadsheet that shows the advertising budgets of the Gourmet
Pizza Company for the past two years. Last year, the budget was allocated as
follows:
newspapers $25 000; television $14 000; radio $5000; Internet/email $11 000;
magazines $8000. This year the allocations are: newspapers $32 000; television
$12 000; radio $7500, Internet/email $20 000; magazines $5500.
b Use the spreadsheet to compare the total budget for each year and the
changes in allocations as a percentage of the total allocation for each medium.
c Format the spreadsheet using different fonts and borders to make it more
appealing.
7.4 Charts
A chart is a graphical representation of numerical data. While tables are a useful
way of organising data, the reader must study them closely to understand the
information. By representing the data graphically, charts make it much easier to
understand. Charts show trends in the data and allow comparisons to be made
quickly. For that reason, they are widely used in business to help people make
quick and accurate decisions. Charts are also more inviting to look at than a
large chunk of text or numbers, so are good to include in reports. One of the
strengths of electronic spreadsheets is that they can quickly convert rows and
columns of data into a chart that can be read at a glance.
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• Specify the data for the axes. Axes are the lines that border the chart data.
They provide a frame of reference for comparisons. The X-axis is the
horizontal line and the Y-axis is the vertical line (see Figure 7.18).
• Insert appropriate titles. A chart title describes the information within the
chart while an axis title identifies an axis.
• Insert text to make the chart easier to understand. Data labels are additional
text that provides more information about the data. A legend is a key that
explains the patterns, colours or symbols associated with the chart data
chart title
Y-axis
legend
Y-axis title
X-axis
X-axis title
Figure 7.18 A line chart showing data from the RAINFALL spreadsheet.
Bar charts
A bar chart presents data in horizontal rectangles. The length of the rectangle
gives a visual representation of its value. In bar charts, numeric values are
plotted along the X-axis and categories along the Y-axis. Categories are divisions
of the chart data. Bar charts are good for showing comparisons between items
and variation over a period of time.
In Figure 7.19, a bar chart has been created from a spreadsheet to analyse
airport profits. Each rectangle is called a data marker. A set of related data
markers corresponding to a single row or column is called a data series. Column
B (Year 1) and column C (Year 2) from the spreadsheet each form a data series.
A legend has been used to describe each data series. Each airport is a category
along the Y-axis and a scale for the numeric values has been constructed along
the X-axis.
Spreadsheets 203
Figure 7.19 The AIRPORT spreadsheet and bar chart.
Column charts
A column chart presents data in vertical rectangles. The height of each rectangle
gives a visual representation of its value. In column charts, categories are plotted
along the X-axis and numeric values along the Y-axis. Like bar charts, column
charts are also good for making comparisons between items and showing
variation over a period of time.
In Figure 7.20, a column chart has been created to compare sales in New
South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. Row 7 (NSW), row 8 (QLD) and row 9
(VIC) from the spreadsheet each form a data series.
data series
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Pie charts
A pie chart presents data as sectors of a
circle (‘slices’ of a ‘pie’). Each area of a
sector is a data marker and there is
always only one data series. A pie chart
shows the relationship or proportions of
parts to a whole. Pie charts appeal to
people because they are easy to read
and are attractive.
In Figure 7.22, a pie chart has been
created to show the proportions of
different types of waste products
handled by a waste disposal company.
Clearly, pie charts do not have axes but
show the relative percentages of each
data marker.
Spreadsheets 205
Exercise 7.4
1 Why would you create a chart?
2 Outline the steps needed to create a chart.
3 How are axes used on a chart?
4 Distinguish between a data label and a legend.
5 Describe four different chart types.
6 Describe the data marker in: a a bar chart b a pie chart.
7 What is shown in a pie chart?
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Create the spreadsheet and bar chart shown in Figure 7.19 and save it with the
filename AIRPORT.
a In the spreadsheet, add a row after ‘Hobart’ so that it appears as row 11.
b Enter the label ‘Bankstown’ into cell A11.
c Enter 6 into cell B11 and 8 into C11.
d Create a bar chart with this additional data.
e Enter ‘Airports’ as the Y-axis title.
f Change the chart title to ‘Profits of airports’.
g Print the bar chart.
2 Create the spreadsheet and column chart shown in Figure 7.20 and save it with
the filename SALES.
a In the spreadsheet, the sales for NSW in year 3 should have been 5.7. Edit this
data.
b Create the column chart with the amended data.
c Enter ‘Years’ as the X-axis title.
d Change the Y-axis so that the maximum value is 7.
e Print the column chart
3 Create the spreadsheet and line chart shown in Figure 7.21 and save it with the
filename TRIPS.
a In the spreadsheet, delete the data for December.
b Create the line chart with the amended data.
c Delete the chart title.
d Change the units on the Y-axis from 100 to 50.
e Print the line chart.
4 Create the spreadsheet and pie chart shown in Figure 7.22 and save it with the
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filename WASTE.
a In the spreadsheet, delete the ‘Other’ waste category (row 9) and add a new
category for metal.
b Change the percentage for each waste product as follows:
i Paper to 29% ii Food to 32% iii Plastic to 22%
iv Glass to 10% v Metal to 7%.
c Create the pie chart with the new data.
d Print the pie chart.
Spreadsheets 207
Chapter review
PART B 14 A cell that is highlighted in a spread-
For each of the following statements, sheet.
select from the list of terms the one that 15 An area of a spreadsheet that contains
most closely fits the statement. Write the labels and the values on which calcu-
letter corresponding to your choice. lations are based.
Statements 16 An area of a spreadsheet that contains
formulas and functions.
1 A formula that refers to itself, either
directly or indirectly. List of terms
2 A graphical representation of numeri- a cell i chart
cal data. b cell reference j value
3 A group of cells in a single row or c label k macro
column, or in several adjacent rows and d formula l input area
columns. e range m template
4 A way of specifying a cell in a formula f circular reference n calculation area
so that it stays the same when the g operator o fill down
formula is copied to another location. h absolute reference p selected cell
5 An instruction to perform a calculation.
PART C
6 A number stored in a spreadsheet on
Write at least one paragraph on each of
which calculations are carried out.
the following questions.
7 Performs a process and are used to
1 Explain the difference between the
build up required formulas.
three main types of data in a spread-
8 Text entered into a cell to provide an sheet. Give examples of each type.
explanation of the spreadsheet.
2 Briefly explain the following terms:
9 The intersection of a row and a column. a function
10 The position of a cell in a spreadsheet. b ‘what if’ prediction
c relational operator.
11 A command used to copy the contents
of a cell into a range of adjacent cells. 3 Briefly describe the options for format-
ting cells.
12 A master document that is created for
repeated use. 4 What types of charts can be created
using a spreadsheet? Outline the steps
13 A stored series of commands that can
required to create a chart.
be executed by pressing a few keys.
Clip art
Clip art refers to prepared pictures that are often provided with other
application software (such as word processors) or distributed separately on CD-
ROM or via the Internet. The pictures are generally grouped by subject, such as
technology, animals or education (see Figure 8.2). There are millions of clip art
drawings and photographs available in a wide variety of formats. You can import
a clip art image into a graphics program and change it to suit your purpose. Clip
art images can be resized, rotated or retouched. This makes it very easy to
include an appropriate picture in your document. Clip art may have various
degrees of copyright control, so it is important to use clip art in a way that does
not infringe copyright. (Copyright is discussed in more detail on pages 32–3.)
Figure 8.2 Examples of clip art provided with the Microsoft Office software package.
Graphics 211
Capturing graphics
Capturing a graphic involves obtaining an image in digital form so that it can be
stored, edited and printed by a computer. Graphics are captured from paper or
the Internet or using a digital camera or video camera.
• A scanner is used to capture graphics from paper. The scanner converts the
image into digital data that can be processed by the computer. Scanners offer
a range of different resolutions, such as 2400 dpi, 4800 dpi and 9600 dpi.
The higher the resolution, the better the quality of the image but the larger
the file size.
• Web browsers allow users to capture graphics from Web sites and paste them
into other applications. However, most graphics on the Internet are protected
by copyright and may only be used in ways that do not infringe copyright.
• A digital camera captures images like a conventional camera, but saves them
on a storage medium such as a memory card, hard disk drive or floppy disk.
• A video camera captures moving images on video tape. These can be
converted to digital form and transferred to a computer using special
hardware and software. There are also digital video cameras that record
images directly in digital format.
Paint programs
A paint program creates a graphic by telling the computer how to display each
pixel. Paint programs include tools such as pencils, erasers and paintbrushes.
They contain geometric shapes and a large selection of colours and patterns.
Colours, lines and shapes can be placed exactly where you want them. Images
are edited by erasing or adding dots. Some common paint programs are
Paintbrush, PixelPaint, SuperPaint, GEM Paint, Photoshop, Canvas and Deluxe
Paint. AppleWorks (formerly ClarisWorks) includes a paint module.
The graphics created by a painting program are called bit-mapped graphics or
raster graphics. Bit-mapped graphics produce good quality images when shading
and detail are needed. They are excellent at manipulating detail in scanned
images, such as photographs. However, when transformed (resized or stretched),
bit-mapped graphics become ragged and suffer loss of resolution (see Figure 8.3).
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Graphic tools
Although painting and drawing programs create different types of graphics, they
share some common graphic tools and techniques. Table 8.1 contains the basic
tools found in many graphics packages. To create a graphic, the user selects the
appropriate toolbox icon and moves the pointer to the window. Colours and
Rounded rectangle tool Draw rectangles and squares with rounded corners
Graphics 213
patterns can be chosen from palettes and used to fill the inside of a shape or
change the colour of the shape. Images are processed (edited) using these basic
tools.
ITITFact
Fact
The development of the mouse allowed painting with a computer to be
more intuitive. Prior to that, people had to use the arrow keys on the
keyboard, which was a fairly artificial way of drawing.
Exercise 8.1
1 What is a graphic?
2 List three reasons for using a graphic.
3 What is the resolution of a graphic?
4 How can you use clip art to create an appropriate picture in your document?
5 How can you capture a graphic?
6 How does a paint program create a graphic?
7 Describe some of the tools used in a painting program.
8 How does a draw program create a graphic?
9 Describe some of the tools used in a drawing program.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Open a clip art file in a graphics program. Alter the graphic by changing its size
and background colour. Save the graphic with the filename CLIPART.
2 Draw the transistor shown in Figure 8.3 using a painting program and a drawing
program. Save the graphic with the filename of TRANSISTOR. Compare and
contrast the output of the two graphics programs.
5 Draw a computer keyboard using a graphics program and save it with the file-
name KEYBOARD.
Positioning processing
You will often need to move a graphic (or an object within the graphic) to a
particular position. Before you can move a graphic it must be selected. In a
painting program, you can select a region using a special selection tool, such as a
rectangle or a lasso. The selected region is usually shown using a dotted line. In a
drawing program you use the selection arrow to choose an object by clicking the
interior or border of the object. If you have successfully selected the object, it
will display handles. Handles are usually located in the four corners and in the
middle of each side. Most drawing programs allow you to select multiple objects
(usually by holding down the ‘Shift’ key) to make the same change to several
objects. After the graphic or item has been selected, it can be moved by holding
down the mouse button and dragging the selection to the required position.
Rulers and grids make it easy to move a graphic to the exact position.
ITITFact
Fact
The term ‘morphing’ comes from the word ‘metamorphosis’, which means
‘transformation’. In graphics, morphing is a special effect that gradually
transforms one image into another.
Graphics 215
processing Cropping
Cropping means using only part of an image. The method of cropping a picture
varies between programs but it usually involves selecting the graphic and
dragging the mouse to specify the areas to be cropped (omitted). In some
programs the user must first select a cropping tool.
Cropping can have different effects in different programs. In some cases, the
cropped parts of the image are permanently deleted. In other programs, the
cropped parts are not deleted but simply hidden. The picture can be restored to
its original state (see Figure 8.6).
processing Resizing
Resizing means making a graphic smaller or bigger. It keeps the proportions the
same so that the picture will not be distorted. In a drawing program, a graphic
can be resized without affecting its quality. Resizing usually involves selecting
the graphic or object and dragging one of its handles inward to shrink the
picture or outward to expand it (see Figure 8.7). In some cases one or more keys
must be held down at the same time to maintain the picture’s proportions. If
the graphics program does not have handles around objects, there is usually a
special resize command.
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A graphic can also be changed using the ‘Flip’ and ‘Rotate’ commands (see
Figure 8.9). The ‘Flip Horizontal’ command creates a ‘mirror image’ of the
graphic: the right side becomes the left side and vice versa. The ‘Flip Vertical’
command creates a ‘mirror image’ by swapping the top and the bottom. The
‘Rotate’ command allows you to spin the graphic or object a certain number of
degrees.
Exercise 8.2
1 What tools in a painting program can be used to select a region?
2 How do you select an object in a drawing program?
3 Where are the handles of a selected object usually located?
4 What is used to move a graphic to an exact position?
Graphics 217
5 How do you crop a picture?
6 Explain the difference between resizing and distorting.
7 How do you resize a graphic?
8 List four ways you can distort a graphic.
9 How do you stretch a graphic?
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Draw the house shown in Figure 8.6 using a drawing program and save it with
the filename HOUSE.
a Alter the graphic using different line sizes, colours and patterns.
b Edit the graphic by cropping, moving, copying, resizing, distorting, rotating
and flipping.
2 Draw the shapes shown in Figure 8.7 using a drawing program and save it with
the filename DESIGN.
a Alter the graphic using different colours and patterns.
b Edit the graphic by cropping, moving, copying, resizing, distorting, rotating
and flipping.
3 Draw the magician shown in Figure 8.8 using a painting program and save the
graphic with the filename TOPHAT.
a Alter the graphic using different line sizes, colours and patterns.
b Edit the graphic by cropping, moving, copying, resizing, distorting, rotating
and flipping.
4 Draw the basketball shown in Figure 8.9 using a painting program and save it
with the filename BASKETBALL.
a Alter the graphic using different colours and patterns.
b Edit the graphic by cropping, moving, copying, resizing, distorting, rotating
and flipping.
5 Draw the tennis racquet shown in Figure 8.10
using a drawing program and save it with the
filename TENNIS.
a Alter the graphic using different colours and
patterns.
b Edit the graphic by cropping, moving,
copying, resizing, distorting, rotating and
flipping.
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Bit-mapping organising
Bit-mapping, or memory mapping, is the relationship between the image on the
screen and the bits in memory. One or more bits must be stored for each pixel
on the screen. At the simplest level, one pixel can represent one bit: a 0 would
storing
retrieving
&
mean the pixel was off and a 1 would mean the pixel was on. Consider a black-
and-white graphic that is 640 pixels horizontally and 400 pixels vertically: this
amounts to 256 000 (640 × 400) pixels and would require 256 000 bits of
memory. Bits are combined in groups of eight to form bytes. It follows that the
graphic would require 32 000 (256 000 ÷ 8) bytes, or about 32 Kb of memory.
Tones, or greyscale, refers to the progressive series of shades ranging from
black through to white. Tones are used in graphics to add detail to images but
they require more memory than simple black and white. Instead of one bit being
sufficient to represent one pixel, several bits will be required, depending on the
number of tones. For example, if two bits are used to represent one pixel, four
shades will be possible, since two bits result in four binary numbers: 00, 01, 10
and 11. If three bits are used to represent one pixel, eight shades will be
possible, since three bits results in eight binary numbers: 000, 001, 010, 011,
100, 101, 110 and 111. It follows that if you increase the number of bits
assigned to each pixel by one, the number of tones or shades is multiplied by
two (see Table 8.2). As a result, if we
change the 640 × 400 graphic from
black-and-white to 16 tones it will re- Number of bits Number of tones
or colours
quire four bits per pixel. The graphic
would then require four times the 1 2
amount of memory, or about 128 Kb 2 4
(4 × 32 Kb).
3 8
Colour graphics are obtained from
an RGB (red-green-blue) monitor that 4 16
uses combinations of red, green and 5 32
blue light to display a wide range of
colours. The minimum number of 6 64
colours that can be displayed is eight: 7 128
red only; green only; blue only; red 8 256
and green (yellow); red and blue
(magenta); blue and green (cyan); red, 16 65 536
green, and blue (white); and no colour 24 16 777 216
(black). Displaying and storing colour
32 4 294 967 296
graphics requires more bits per
pixel—more memory. For example in Table 8.2 The relationship between bits and
Table 8.2, if eight bits represent one tones or colours.
Graphics 219
pixel, a graphic could contain 256 colours, or 64 colours each with 4 tones (64 ×
4), or 32 colours each with 8 tones (32 × 8). As a result, if the 640 × 400 pixel
black-and-white graphic is changed to 16 tones and 16 colours it will require
eight bits per pixel. The graphic would then require eight times the amount of
memory, or about 256 Kb (8 × 32 Kb).
ITITFact
Fact
Many graphics programs have their own storage formats. There have been
many attempts to create standard graphics format, but each format has
advantages and disadvantages.
Exercise 8.3
1 What is a bit-mapped graphic?
2 What characteristics determine the size of a graphic file?
3 What is bit-mapping?
4 Calculate the number of bytes needed to store the following graphics:
a a black-and-white graphic with a resolution of 800 × 600 pixels and
2 tones
b a black-and-white graphic with a resolution of 1024 × 768 pixels and
16 tones
c a colour graphic with a resolution of 1280 × 1024 pixels and 4 colours
d a colour graphic with a resolution of 640 × 480 pixels and 256 colours
e a colour graphic with a resolution of 1600 × 1200 pixels and 4 colours each
with 4 tones
f a colour graphic with a resolution of 1024 × 768 pixels and 32 colours each
with 8 tones
g a colour graphic with a resolution of 800 × 600 pixels that uses 4096 colours
and 16 tones.
5 What causes the staircase pattern called aliasing?
6 Why is resizing a black-and-white bit-mapped graphic a greater problem than
resizing a greyscale or colour graphic?
Graphics 221
7 Why is it important to have some knowledge of file storage formats?
8 What is the file extension for the Microsoft Windows bit-map format?
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Draw a dog like the one shown in Figure 8.11 using a painting program and save
it with the filename PUPPY.
a Alter the graphic using different colours and patterns.
b Edit the graphic by magnifying a section or enlarging the picture.
COFFEE.
a Alter the graphic using different colours and
patterns.
b Edit the graphic by magnifying a section or en-
larging the picture.
Graphics 223
• To delete an object, press the ‘Backspace’ or ‘Delete’ key or select the ‘Clear’
command.
• To move an object, drag the object to its new position.
• To cut an object and move it into the clipboard, select the ‘Cut’ command.
The object will disappear. The clipboard can be used as a temporary storage
area for objects.
• To copy an object into the clipboard, select the ‘Copy’ command.
• To paste an object from the clipboard, select the ‘Paste’ command. The
object will reappear and you can move it to the desired position.
After you have drawn an object, you can always go back and change its size
or shape. Resizing makes the object smaller or bigger.
• To resize an object, select the object and drag the handles inward to make it
smaller or outward to make it bigger. You may need to change the handles to
a resize icon depending on the drawing program.
Distorting changes the appearance of an object. For example, you can change
the proportions of an object by stretching it. Objects can also be rotated to the
left or the right, and flipped horizontally or vertically. Remember that resizing
and distorting an object does not reduce its quality.
Objects in a vector graphic can overlap (see Figure 8.17). In general, the
most recently created objects are displayed in front of older ones. However, you
may want to rearrange objects. To move an object to the top, select the ‘Bring to
Front’ command. To move an object to the bottom, select the ‘Send to Back’
command. The overlapping star and squiggly lines in Figure 8.17 are arranged
using these commands.
Objects that are associated can be grouped together as if they were a single
object. For example, you may have used several objects to draw a car. If you
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group these objects together you can move or resize the car as a whole, rather
than having to change each object. Editing is much easier if associated objects
are grouped. Objects can be ungrouped if you need to edit a single object.
Exercise 8.4
1 How does the computer store the characteristics of each object?
2 List six basic tools used to create a vector graphic.
3 How is colour used in a drawing program?
4 How do you edit a vector graphic?
5 List four ways you can change the characteristics of an object.
6 How do you resize an object?
7 List the commands used to rearrange objects that overlap.
8 Why are objects grouped?
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Draw the overlapping star and squiggly lines shown in Figure 8.17 using a
drawing program and save it with the filename STAR. Rearrange the two objects.
2 Draw the pyramid shown in Figure 8.18 using a drawing program and save it
with the filename PYRAMID.
Graphics 225
3 Draw the telephone shown in Figure 8.19 using a
drawing program and save it with the filename
TELEPHONE.
a Alter the graphic using different line sizes,
colours and patterns.
b Group all the objects to make the graphic appear
as a single object.
c Edit the graphic by moving, copying, resizing, dis-
torting, rotating and flipping.
Figure 8.19 Telephone.
Graphics 227
Chapter review
PART B 13 Obtaining an image in digital form so
For each of the following statements, that it can be stored, edited and printed
select from the list of terms the one that by a computer.
most closely fits the statement. Write the 14 A graphic that represents words.
letter corresponding to your choice.
15 Colours or patterns can be chosen from
Statements it to fill the inside of a shape.
1 A tiny dot in a computer graphic. 16 It is usually displayed on an object from
a vector graphic after it has been
2 The total number of pixels that can be
selected.
displayed on a screen.
3 Creates a graphic by telling the com- List of terms
puter how to display each pixel. a aliasing i resolution
b bit-mapping j vector graphic
4 A graphic created by a painting pro-
gram. c bit-mapped graphic k capturing
d clip art l palette
5 Creates a graphic by dividing the pic- e cropping m symbol
ture into a number of objects.
f draw program n handle
6 A graphic created by a drawing pro- g paint program o distorting
gram. h pixel p group
7 Prepared pictures that are generally
PART C
grouped by subject, such as technology,
animals or education. Write at least one paragraph on each of
the following questions.
8 Deleting or hiding part of a picture you
do not want to see. 1 Describe four common tools found in
graphics programs.
9 The relationship between the image on
the screen and the bits in memory. 2 Explain the difference between a paint-
ing program and a drawing program.
10 A staircase pattern formed when you
enlarge a bit-mapped graphic. 3 Briefly explain the following terms:
a bit-mapping b resolution.
11 Changing the appearance and pro-
portions of a graphic. 4 Describe three ways of modifying a
graphic.
12 Objects in a vector graphic that are
associated together to act as a single 5 Describe the differences between
object. editing a bit-mapped graphic and a
vector graphic.
to objects in a drawing program. There are text objects, picture objects and
drawn objects: text objects contain words; picture objects contain graphics; and
drawn objects include lines, borders and geometric shapes. A desktop publishing
document is a combination of different kinds of objects. The sign in Figure 9.1 is
created using a combination of text objects and graphic objects.
In desktop publishing, objects are defined by creating a frame. A frame is a
space or box that holds text or a graphic. If a text frame is created, you can type
words into that frame, making a text object. If a picture frame is created, you
can import a picture into it, making a graphic object. The number of objects on
the page increases as a design becomes more complex. The content of each
object is independent of its frame and is easily formatted.
You can control the way text flows in a publication by connecting, or linking,
text frames. A text frames on one page can be connected to another text frame
on the same page or on a different page. This is useful in newspapers and
magazines, where a story begins on one page and is continued several pages later.
Text frames are connected using a ‘Connect’ command or clicking with a special
linking tool. If a text frame contains too much text, the excess text is stored in
an invisible overflow area. To see this text, you must increase the size of the text
frame, decrease the size of the text, or connect the frame to another text frame.
out to view a publication at different sizes (see Figure 9.2). Full page view
generally doesn’t allow you to read the text (depending on the size of your
screen) but it is useful in creating or changing the design. Actual size view is
used to read words or precisely position pictures. The ‘Zoom in’ and ‘Zoom out’
commands provide close- or long-range views. The viewing mode is often shown
as a percentage of the actual size. For example, a zoom of 50% is one-half of the
actual size (100%), while a zoom of 200% is twice as big as the actual size.
Printing is the final stage in desktop publishing. A draft copy can be printed
on an inkjet or laser printer to check the publication. Once any necessary changes
have been made, the publication can be printed on a high-resolution printer.
Exercise 9.1
1 Outline four advantages in desktop publishing.
2 Explain how using a desktop publishing program is different to using a word
processor.
3 List the basic stages of desktop publishing.
4 Why is the audience a critical factor to a publication?
5 Describe the three kinds of objects in a desktop publishing program.
6 What is a frame?
7 How do you connect text frames?
8 What happens if a text frame contains too much text?
9 Explain the purpose of full page view and actual size view.
10 What proportion of the actual size are the following viewing modes?
a zoom of 50% b zoom of 400%
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Create a ‘Wanted’ poster using a desktop publishing program by following these
steps.
a Make a text frame near the top of the page and enter the word ‘WANTED’.
b Select the text and alter the typeface, type style and type size. Resize the text
frame if necessary.
c Import a picture of yourself or someone else.
d Resize the picture.
e Crop the picture as required.
f Position the picture frame in the centre of the page and add a border around it.
g Add another text frame below the picture. Type in the details of the wanted
person and the reward offered.
h Alter the typeface, type style and type size. Resize the text frame if necessary.
i Add a border around the outside of the poster.
2 Create an advertisement similar to Figure 9.1 using a DTP program and save it
with the filename POWERSPARK.
42 Elizabeth Drive
Liverpool NSW 2170
4 Using a DTP program, create a two-page document with a two-column page lay-
out. Save it with the filename TEXTFLOW.
a Add a text frame across the top of the first page for a large heading.
b Add a text frame in each column on both pages (four in all).
c In a word processor, create two new documents of around 100 words each.
They could be favourite poems, short stories you have written, book reviews,
or reviews of TV programs or films. Save them with the filenames TEXT1 and
TEXT2.
d In your DTP document, type a main heading in the top text frame and format
the text.
e Import the text from your TEXT1 document into the left-hand text frame on
page 1.
f Connect it to the left-hand text frame on page 2. Set the text size so that the
text fills both frames.
g Repeat the process for the TEXT2 document using the right-hand text frames.
5 Create an advertisement similar to Figure 9.4 using a DTP program and save it
with the filename APPLECENTRE.
Text collecting
Desktop publishing programs give users a high degree of control over the
formatting of text. Users can usually choose from a wide variety of fonts. A font displaying
is a set of characters in one typeface with a particular type size, type style and
stroke weight. A font can be described using a number of characteristics (see
Figure 9.5):
• The baseline is an imaginary line on which the characters sit.
• The font height (or type size) is a measure of the physical size of the type-
face. It is measured in points, where one point is equal to 0.351 mm or 1/72
of an inch.
• The x-height is the height of the lower case letters.
• The cap height is the height of the upper case letters.
• An ascender is the part of a letter that extends above the x-height.
• A descender is the part of a letter that extends below the x-height.
• Leading is the spacing between lines of text.
ascender
cap
height
Desktop
baseline descender
x-height
font
height
leading
serifs
Body text
Body text refers to the text that makes up the main part of the writing, other
than the headings.
• Serif typefaces are recommended for body text because they are considered
easier to read in large slabs. The serifs help the eye jump from character to
character.
• Capitals should not be used for body text. Lower case makes it easier for the
eye to gather groups of letters and words. This improves comprehension and
reduces fatigue. The use of upper and lower case also indicates the beginning
of new sentences.
• Body text is usually written in plain (normal) text with a type size of be-
tween 10 and 12 points, depending on the typeface and audience. Italics can
be used for body text but some italics are hard to read.
• Widows and orphans should be avoided. A widow is the first word or line of
a paragraph that is left at the bottom of a page or column. An orphan is the
last word or line of a paragraph that appears at the top of a page or column.
Widows and orphans often occur with changes to a font, frame size or page
setup.
Headings
• Headings can be written in either a serif or a sans serif typeface. Since
headings are usually short and in a large point size, there is little difference in
readability. The choice depends on the style of the layout and the nature of
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the publication. If you need to change the letter spacing, sans serif typefaces
are preferred.
• If a sans serif typeface is used for the body text, a serif typeface for headings
provides a good contrast. Using a second serif typeface for headings can cause
a clash of styles.
• Headings can be in capitals or upper and lower case. Capitals are more
difficult to read but give a heading more authority and distinction. Capitals
are best used for simple, straightforward headings while upper and lower case
are best for long, complex headings.
Formatting text
In addition to offering a choice of fonts, desktop publishing programs allow
users to control other aspects of text formatting, including alignment, line
spacing, indenting, hyphenation and character spacing. These all affect the
appearance and effectiveness of a publication.
Alignment is the way text lines up. Because text is entered into frames in
DTP programs, you can specify both the horizontal alignment and the vertical
alignment.
• There are four types of horizontal alignment: aligned left, aligned right,
justified and centred (see Figure 5.12 on page 147). Alignment should be
consistent throughout a publication. Left alignment is generally considered
the best choice for body text. Centring is generally used for only small
amounts of text, such as the text used in an invitation. Justified text gives a
neat appearance and is often used in long documents that require continuous
reading, such as textbooks, novels, newspapers and magazines.
• There are three types of vertical alignment: top, centre and bottom. Top
alignment aligns the first line of text with the top of the frame. Centred
alignment centres the text in the middle of the frame. Bottom alignment
aligns the last line of text with the bottom of the frame.
Line spacing, or leading (pronounced ‘ledding’), refers to the spacing
between lines of text. Increasing the line spacing of body text improves
readability. Decreasing the line spacing means that more text will fit on a page.
The default (automatic) line spacing in most desktop publishing programs is set
at 20 per cent leading, or 120 per cent of the text size. For example, a type size
of 10 points would have 12 points (120% of 10) between the lines. The
advantage of using automatic leading is that the line spacing changes
automatically if the point size is changed. Sans serif typefaces require more
leading to improve their appearance, as they do not have a serif.
Figure 9.8 Examples of standard letter spacing with no kerning (top) and the
same word with kerning applied to the A, W and A (bottom).
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Figure 9.9 In the example on the left, the graphic leads the eye away from the text. In the example on
the right, the graphic leads the eye towards the text.
Colour collecting
Colour has the ability to make a publication more effective. It contributes to the
style and ‘feel’ of the publication. It is not only the range of colours that must be displaying
considered but also the tone. Colour draws attention to the content and makes
graphics come to life. The style of the publication is affected by the relationships
between colours. For example, slight variations of the same colour or related
colours can be used to unify the publication. Contrasting colours, such as red
and yellow, are used to attract the reader’s attention.
ITITFact
Fact
When a full-colour publication is printed, a colour separation method is
used. This method uses just four basic colours: cyan (blue), magenta (red),
yellow and black. The whole range of colours and tones are produced
using combinations of these four ‘process colours’. This colour model is
known as CMYK.
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LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Create a house advertisement similar to Figure 9.10 using a DTP program. Save it
with the filename ADVERTISEMENT.
2 Create a dinner menu similar to Figure 9.11 using a DTP program. Save it with the
filename MENU.
Entrees
Avocado with seafood $12.00
Prawn cutlets with crab $15.00
Soufflé Oysters $12.00
Scallops en brochette $13.00
Mediterranean Salad $8.00
Main Course
Crumbed noisettes of lamb $16.00
Beef in red wine $17.00
Fish fillets with artichokes $18.00
Pumpkin tortellini with walnut and citrus sauce $15.00
Roasted turkey with pine nut stuffing $19.00
Tarragon chicken in filo pastry $18.00
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Figure 9.12 A computer rentals advertisement.
5 Using a DTP program, create a document containing three text frames: 3 cm × 8 cm,
5 cm × 8 cm, and 7 cm × 8 cm. Save it with the filename FORMAT.
a Type the following text into one of the text frames.
‘When beginning any design, ideas roughed out on paper help to visualise
and formulate your objectives while taking into account the design
parameters of the publication. Even professional designers still take to pen
and pencil before committing their ideas to the computer screen. Look at the
overall shapes you are making with the text, graphics and white space.’
b Copy the text into each of the other two text frames.
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c Hyphenate the text in each of the text frames using the same hyphenation
zone.
d Condense the text in one of the text frames and expand it in another.
e Use different line spacing in each of the text frames.
f Use different vertical alignment in each of the text frames (top, centre and
bottom).
Heading
Heading
Heading
Heading
Heading Heading
ITITFact
Fact
Symmetrical page layouts are often used for formal invitations,
advertisements and business forms. They give a publication order and
present a conservative image.
Layout options
Publications are printed in either portrait or landscape orientation. Portrait is
the vertical (tall) orientation of a page. Landscape is the horizontal (wide)
orientation of a page. In addition to the orientation, layouts options include:
• Paper size: Most publications, such as newsletters and brochures, are printed
on A4 (210 mm × 297 mm) paper. Different paper sizes are used to create
booklets, posters, banners and business cards.
• Special folds: The paper can be folded left to right or top to bottom to create
greeting cards, pamphlets, brochures and book publications (see Figure 9.15).
Some DTP programs include features that automatically create layouts to
suit the selected folding option.
1 2 1
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Create an advertisement similar to Figure 9.17 using a DTP program and save it
with the filename EAGLE.
Eagle Connections
A branch of Oak Tree Pty Ltd
Specialists in Computer Cabling
• UTP Cable • Telephone Cable • Repeatera
• Coaxial Cable • STP Cable • Data Connectors
• Fibre Optic Cable • Test Equipment • Printer Sharing
Accessories for all
L U S LAN Applications 824 5623
P
3 Boyle Street, North Rocks 2151
Figure 9.17 An advertisement for Eagle Connections.
rs
2 Create an advertisement similar to
Figure 9.18 using a DTP program ATI n t e
and save it with the filename ATI.
Pr i
HP
KYOCERA
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IBM/LEXMARK
DATAPRODUCTS
Cost-effective printers
for every application
907 9848
ALL STATES
Advanced Technologies International
4 Wanganella Street BALGOWLAH 2093
Figure 9.18 An advertisement for ATI printers.
Janelle's Jewellers
31 Roma Rd
St Ives
NSW 2075
4 Create a house advertisement similar to Figure 9.20 using a DTP program and
save it with the filename HOUSE.
5 Design a two-page brochure that describes the dangers of illegal drugs. The
layout should contain headings, text in columns, graphics and drawn objects.
Save the publication with a filename of DRUGS.
ITITFact
Fact
The first commercial printing press was developed by Gutenberg in 1440.
It was adapted from a machine used to crush grapes. The Gutenberg
printing press created a page of text by combining characters moulded
separately on small blocks.
available that specialise in high-quality printing using offset printing presses and
high-resolution printers. They can print at resolutions greater than 2400 dpi. A
device called a typesetter or imagesetter is used to create images of the pages on
special photographic paper or film. These images are transferred to metal plates
that are used by the printing press.
The typesetters and imagesetters used by commercial printing services work
with Postscript files. Postscript is a page description language that uses special
commands to describe how text and images will be printed on the page. A
Postscript file is used only for printing and cannot be opened or changed. Most
desktop publishing programs save publications in Postscript format. Commercial
Drop caps
A drop cap is an enlarged initial letter
that extends above or below the
baseline in the first line of body text
(see Figure 9.21). They are used to
announce the beginning of a chapter
or section and are an elegant way of
enlivening the text. Drop caps are
created using a special command or
by individually formatting the initial
letter. Drop caps can be any size but
usually occupy about three lines of
body text. Like most design elements,
they should be used sparingly.
Figure 9.21 Some of the drop cap options in Microsoft Publisher.
Text effects
Most desktop publishing programs allow text to be treated as a graphic. This
means the text can be manipulated in a variety of ways to add attractive effects.
These include slanting the text, rotating it through a specified number of
degrees, or wrapping it along an arc (see Figure 9.22). It is often used for
headings and banners and to make signs. Text effects are not suitable for all
types of publications and should not be over-used.
Text wrap
An effective way to combine words and pictures is to wrap the text around the
objects as shown in Figure 9.24. When wrapping text, the picture object must
be brought to the front of the text object. You then select the picture object and
choose a ‘Text Wrap’ command. The DTP program maintains a non-printing
boundary between the picture and the text. The text wrap boundary can be
resized, cropped and adjusted to control the amount of white space between the
text and the picture.
Desktop Publishing
Desktop publishing is the use of The advent of the computer
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Exercise 9.4
1 How is the resolution of a printout measured?
2 Compare the printing capacity of laser printers, inkjet printers and dot matrix
printers.
3 Explain the difference between low- and high-resolution printing.
4 What is Postscript?
5 Why is it important to see a proof when a job is sent to a commercial printer?
6 Where are drop caps used in a publication?
7 Describe some of the text effects available in most DTP programs.
8 How do you create callouts?
9 How do you wrap text around an object?
10 List some of the information typically contained in headers and footers.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Use a DTP program to create the text effects similar to those shown in Figure
9.22. Save the publication with the filename WORD ART.
2 Use a DTP program to wrap some text around a graphic as shown in Figure 9.24.
Save the publication with the filename TEXT WRAP.
3 Use a DTP program to create an advertisement similar to Figure 9.25. Save the
publication with the filename INVITATION.
Australian Art
In support of Animal Welfare,
Stanley Winery will host a
complimentary art show and
sale.
Friday 28 July 2000
from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
at 25 Lock St, Sydney
featuring entertainment,
food and beverages.
Jennifer Taylor
5 Use a DTP program to create
94 Flora Street your own résumé using the
Sutherland, NSW 2232 design in Figure 9.27. Save the
542 67898
publication with the filename
RESUME.
PERSONAL
Age: 17 years
Family: Janet Taylor, mother
Customer Service Adviser ANZ
John Taylor, father
Primary School Teacher
Interests: Aerobics, computing, music, reading
EDUCATION
School Certificate: Thomas Mitchel High School (1999)
High School Certificate: Graduating this year
Extra-curricular activities: Student council, debating team,
netball team
SKILLS
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EMPLOYMENT
Sales assistant McDonalds (1998–1999)
Sales assistant David Jones (2000)
Figure 9.27 A résumé.
in information technology. Because audio and video files are much bigger than
text and graphics files, creating multimedia requires powerful hardware and
software. A multimedia system requires a fast processor, a large amount of
primary storage, a high-resolution screen, high-quality sound, and the latest in
removable storage media. For example, a high-quality digital video movie
requires 5 Gb of storage and demands a DVD disc and multi-gigabyte hard
drive. Improvements in communication speed and capacity on the Internet have
meant that it is also becoming a multimedia delivery system.
Figure 10.1 Microsoft’s Encarta was the first widely available multimedia encyclopedia.
Design collecting
A multimedia product needs to be carefully designed. All aspects of the product
are planned before production gets started. The key stages are listed below.
• Clarify the purpose: What is the reason for producing the multimedia
product? Is it to educate or entertain people or to sell a product?
• Identify the audience: What are the age, skill level and background of the
intended audience?
Multimedia 257
• Accumulate ideas: Analyse different multimedia products for ideas. What
works and what doesn’t work?
• Gather data: Determine the text, audio, video and graphics that will form the
content of the multimedia product. Validate this information to ensure its
accuracy.
organising Planning
A script and a storyboard are two tools used to plan a multimedia product. A
script is a printout of all the text, graphics, animation, audio and video used in
the production. It outlines the interactivity in the project. A script gives
directions for the construction of the multimedia product. It is a textual method
of representing ideas and actions.
A storyboard is a series of frames each representing a different action or
screen image. It is a visual method of representing ideas and actions. It is based
on the traditional storyboard used by cartoonists to show the sequence of
actions in a cartoon. Storyboards are drawn on paper and are frequently edited.
Multimedia storyboards define each screen and the specific media types used.
They consist of navigation paths, information and graphics. They are popular
because they are simple to construct, easy to read and can be modified at every
stage.
There are four basic storyboard layouts (see Figure 10.2):
• linear—a simple sequential path that is set up quickly
• hierarchical—a sequential path in a top-down design (starting at the
beginning and moving down through the multimedia product)
linear
hierarchical
non-linear
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combination
File compression
Multimedia products are characterised by large file sizes. This is the result of
storing&
retrieving
combining large graphics, animation, audio and video files. A process called file
compression reduces the number of bits required to represent information. It
allows the user to store more data and makes data transfer faster. Compressed
data must be decompressed in order to extract the original information. There
are a number of standard compressed formats for different media, such as JPEG
for graphics and MPEG for video.
The amount a file is compressed is measured by the compression ratio. The
compression ratio compares how much smaller the compressed file is to the
uncompressed file. If a compressed file is half the size of the uncompressed file,
the compression ratio is 2 to 1 (2:1). That is, two units of data in the original file
equals one unit of data in the compressed file. A higher compression ratio
indicates greater compression of data. For example, a compression ratio of 3:1
would create a smaller file than a compression ratio of 2:1. (A compression ratio
of 1:1 would mean that a file would not be compressed at all.)
Compression is either lossy or lossless. In lossy compression, some data is
actually removed from the file. The resulting file is smaller in size but the
quality is reduced. However, audio and video files can be compressed with quite
high compression ratios without any noticeable change to the human ear or eye.
For example, an MPEG file can provide a compression ratio up to 200:1.
In lossless compression, no data is deleted, which means the file can
recovered in its original state. This type of compression works by replacing
repeated data with something that takes up less room. For example, in this book
the word ‘and’ appears many times. If each ‘and’ was replaced with a plus
symbol (+), only one-third of the space would be needed for that word. Lossless
compression is used mainly on text files such as word processing, spreadsheets
and database files. Each file of a given type can have a different compression
ratio depending on the contents of the file. A text file usually has a compression
ratio of 3:1.
Multimedia 259
particular time, in a particular position, and for a specified length of time. A
‘cast window’ is used to store different media types and a ‘store window’ is
used to synchronise the different elements.
• ToolBook Assistant: Multimedia products are built using a book metaphor.
The product is called a ‘book’ and each screen is a ‘page’. It uses OpenScript
as a programming language (see Figure 10.3).
• Authorware: Multimedia products are developed using a flow chart. The flow
chart consists of icons that represents a specific programming task such as a
selection.
There are also a number of simplified software packages that can be used for
multimedia. Programs such as HyperCard allow text, graphics, animation, audio
and video to be combined without requiring any programming experience.
HyperCard organises information into a collection of on-screen ‘cards’ called a
‘stack’. Interactivity can be added in the form of buttons and actions.
Exercise 10.1
1 What is multimedia?
2 Describe interactivity in a multimedia product.
Functio
3 List the type of people typically involved in the creation of a multimedia product.
4 Describe the contents of a script.
5 Why are storyboards popular?
6 What is file compression?
7 Why is lossy compression used for most audio and video files?
8 What is the purpose of multimedia authoring software?
9 Describe three popular multimedia authoring programs.
Slides displaying
New presentations are created from a template or blank presentation. A tem-
plate is a master document that can be copied and modified for repeated use.
Templates in presentation programs are professionally designed for specific
purposes and they allow the user to create a presentation very quickly. Tem-
plates can be previewed and modified if required. There are content templates
and presentation design templates. A content template helps the user with
content and gives suggestions about the organisation of different kinds of
information. A presentation design template creates a presentation without
Multimedia 261
Figure 10.4 Some of the presentation design templates available in Microsoft PowerPoint.
worrying about the design elements (see Figure 10.4). Each template has its
own colour scheme and fonts that work with the overall design of the
presentation. A colour scheme is a set of balanced colours for the text, back-
ground and drawn objects. It ensures the colours will result in a professional-
looking presentation.
A blank presentation is created without a template. The user has control
over the look and structure of the presentation. A blank presentation requires
the user to design each slide by choosing from a range of layouts. A layout speci-
fies the position of text and picture frames. A frame is a space or box that holds
an object. Text frames contain text objects such as the slide title, bulleted lists,
columns and tables. Picture frames contain graphic objects such as clip art and
charts. The content of each object is independent of its frame and is easily
formatted.
Viewing a presentation
Presentation software typically allows several different views of a presentation.
Each view provides an alternative way of looking at the presentation. Some
common views are listed below.
• Slide view shows a single slide and
allows the user to insert text, graphics,
sound and artwork.
• Outline view shows the slide titles and
main text. It is used to plan, organise
or edit a presentation.
• Slide sorter view shows a thumbnail
(miniature picture) of each slide
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Editing objects
Objects that are associated can be grouped together as if they were a single
object. Editing is much easier if associated objects are grouped. Objects on a
slide can be edited in different ways:
• Positioning: Objects are dragged into position using the grids, layout guides
and rulers. The ‘snap-to’ feature aligns a frame to a grid. The ‘nudge’ feature
allows the frame to be moved one pixel at a time.
• Resizing: Objects are made smaller or bigger using the handles. The mouse is
placed over the handle and dragged until the object is the desired size.
• Alignment: Frames are aligned by their left, right, top or bottom edges, or by
their centres. Objects can be spaced equal distances from each other.
• Distorting: Objects can be rotated a certain number of degrees or flipped
horizontally or vertically.
• Overlapping: Objects can be stacked on top of each other. The order of the
stack is changed using the ‘Bring to Front’ or ‘Send to Back’ commands.
Exercise 10.2
1 What is presentation software?
2 List the document types that can be created with presentation software.
3 How is the timing of a presentation controlled?
4 Describe a template in a presentation program.
5 Explain the difference between a content template and a presentation design
template.
6 List the five common ways of viewing a presentation.
7 How can text be formatted in presentation software?
8 Describe three ways of inserting a graphic into a presentation.
9 Why is animation used in a presentation?
10 Outline the five ways of editing an object on a slide.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
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Animation organising
Animation is the movement of an object. It is the result of a series of graphics or
frames presented in rapid succession. Sometimes animations can present displaying
information more effectively than text or a static graphic. For example, an
animation that shows the movement of blood through the body or the eruption
of a volcano would be more effective than a still image. In multimedia presen-
tations, animations can direct the user to an area of the screen or an interesting
feature. They are usually started either automatically when a slide is viewed, or
by the user clicking a button. When creating an animation the user needs to
consider the size of the graphic and the speed of the movement. The speed is
frequently set at 30 frames per second or 9000 (30 × 60 × 5) frames for a five-
minute animation. This creates the illusion of smooth movement. However,
drawing 9000 frames of graphics is a huge task. A computer with animation
software makes this task much easier. Animation is created using cell-based and
path-based animation.
ITITFact
Fact
The word ‘animation’ comes from the Latin word ‘animatus’ and means to
give life.
Cell-based animation
Cell-based animation involves drawing and displaying individual frames or cells.
Each frame is stored separately and is loaded into a graphics page in primary
memory. It is the traditional method of animation. The animation works by
displaying the first frame from a graphics page while creating the second frame
in another graphics page. The second frame is slightly different to the first frame,
depending on the items to be animated. The second frame is then displayed and
the third frame created in the graphics page of the first frame. Animation occurs
by alternating the display of graphics pages. This method of animation requires a
very powerful computer to achieve 30 frames per second. For example, a high-
resolution colour graphic containing 500 000 pixels would require calculations
for 15 million (500 000 × 30) pixels in one second. For this reason, path-based
animation is preferred.
Path-based animation
Path-based animation involves displaying the movement of objects on a fixed
background in a particular sequence or path. Only the pixels of the moving
object are changed; those making up the background stay the same. This saves
memory and processing time. Animation is achieved by drawing the object,
wiping it, and then drawing the object in a new position (see Figure 10.8). This
process is made easier because animation software can generate the intermediate
frames between two objects. This is called tweening (short for ‘in-betweening’).
It is a key process in computer animation.
Multimedia 265
Figure 10.8 An animation of a diving penguin.
Morphing and warping are animation techniques that create special effects.
Morphing is the smooth change between two different images. It involves
transforming the shape, size, dimension and colour of one image so it appears to
merge into another image. For example, you could morph your own image into
that of a movie star. Warping involves transforming or distorting a portion of an
image. It divides the image into objects that can be manipulated. For example, a
person’s sad face could be given a smile with the remainder of their face staying
the same.
• The sampling rate is the number of times a sample (slice) is taken from the
sound wave. During a sample, the amplitude of the wave (volume) is
measured and converted to a number. The higher the sampling rate, the
better the sound. The sampling rate is expressed in kilohertz (kHz), which is
thousands of cycles per second. Two common sampling rates are 44.1 kHz
(44 100 samples per second) and 22.05 kHz (22 050 samples per second).
• The sample size (or bit resolution) is the number of bits per sample. The
most common sampling sizes are 8-bit sound and 16-bit sound. Better
quality sound is recorded using 16-bits but for voices 8-bit sound is usually
sufficient.
Multimedia 267
There is an important difference between video and animation. Video takes
continuous motion and breaks it up into frames, while animation starts with in-
dependent frames and puts them together to create the illusion of movement.
Video is imported into a multimedia product or created. A video camera can
be used to create a video clip in analog or digital form. Analog signals need to be
converted into digital using a video capture card. This card compresses the video
clip using a compress–decompress (CODEC) algorithm before storing the
information digitally. Video compression algorithms use the fact that there are
usually only small changes from one frame to the next. They encode the starting
frame and a sequence of differences between frames. Digital video production
software is then used to edit the video into a multimedia product. Editing may
involve adding text, audio and graphics to the video clip.
ITITFact
Fact
Shockwave is a technology developed by Macromedia to enable Web
pages to contain multimedia objects. It supports audio and video and is
available for both Windows and Macintosh environments.
Exercise 10.3
1 How is the movement of a graphic achieved in animation?
2 Describe the basic principles of cell-based and path-based methods for producing
animation.
3 Explain the difference between analog and digital data.
4 List three important characteristics of sampling.
5 What is the sampling rate?
6 Calculate the size of an audio file that uses a sample rate of 22.05 with 16-bit
sound and lasts for two minutes in stereo.
7 What factors affect the size of a video file?
8 Explain the major difference between animation and video.
9 What is the purpose of digital video production software?
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Work in groups to complete the following tasks.
A video store is planning an interactive multimedia display of the latest movie
Functio
releases. The display must include information about each movie, animation, sound
and video clips.
1 Write a storyboard for the multimedia display.
2 Describe the design features of the production.
3 If possible, develop a brief multimedia display.
Media
When a team of people are developing a multimedia product they need to displaying
communicate with each other to ensure consistency, simplicity and ease of
navigation. There are a number of design considerations for each type of
medium.
Text
A basic concern with text is how much to present. It is recommended that each
screen should relate to only one task or piece of information. The screen should
not be overloaded with text. The designer needs to decide what information is
necessary. Text needs to be formatted to be effective. The following are some
generally accepted design principles for text:
• Body text: Avoid using too many fonts. Sans serif typefaces can be clearer
than serif typefaces when viewed on screen. The type size may need to be
larger than that used for printed materials. Additional leading can improve
readability. Care should be taken using font styles such as bold and italic.
Long lines of text are difficult to read.
• Headings: Use either serif or sans serif typefaces. Different size headings
reflect their importance.
• Layout: Promote ‘reading gravity’. Elements in the top right and bottom left
corner of the screen have less importance. Readers’ eyes are most likely to
focus on the top left corner.
• Formatting: Follow appropriate conventions for column width, alignment,
line spacing, character spacing, indentation, hyphenation and kerning.
Multimedia 269
Colour
Colour contributes to the style and theme of a multimedia product. Colour
draws attention to the text and makes a graphic come to life. Some colours
should not be used together as they contrast badly and reduce readability. For
example, blue or green text on a red background is very difficult to read. Too
many different colours can be distracting and reduce readability. A colour
scheme should be used to ensure consistency and a professional-looking
multimedia product.
ITITFact
Fact
The word ‘virtual’ is used to refer to things that exist on a computer system
or network rather than in the physical world. Examples include virtual
storage, virtual sound, virtual space, virtual office and virtual reality.
Virtual reality creates a simulated environment that the user experiences
and explores by interacting with a computer.
• MPEG (which stands for Motion Picture Expert Group and is pronounced
‘em-peg’) is a family of formats that have become a standard for compressed
video. MPEG files achieve a high compression ratio by using lossy com-
pression and only storing the changes from one frame to another. MPEG-1
standard provides a video resolution of 353 × 240 at 30 FPS. It is similar to
the quality of conventional VCR videos. MPEG-2 standard offers resolutions
up to 1280 × 720 and 60 FPS. It is sufficient for all major TV standards and is
used on DVDs.
• MP3 (MPEG Audio Layer 3) is an audio compression technology that is part
of MPEG-1 and MPEG-2. It compresses CD-quality sound using a
compression ratio of 11:1. MP3 has made it possible to download quality
audio from the Internet (see Figure 10.12). For example, a four-minute song
that would normally require 44 Mb of space can be compressed using MP3
to only 4 Mb. MP3 compresses a file by removing the high and low fre-
quencies that are out of our hearing range.
Multimedia 271
• QuickTime is a video and anima-
tion format developed by Apple
Computer. It is built into the
Macintosh operating system and
is used by many Macintosh appli-
cations. Apple has provided a
QuickTime version for Windows.
• Animated GIF (Graphic Inter-
change Format) is a type of GIF
image that can be animated.
Animated GIF does not give the
same level of control as other
animation formats but is sup-
ported by all Web browsers.
Exercise 10.4
1 Why is navigation an important design principle?
2 What is a basic consideration when using text in a multimedia product?
3 Why is colour used as a design element?
4 Describe some of the factors that affect the use of graphics and animations.
5 How is a decision made on the use of sounds and video?
6 What is the main disadvantage with WAV sound files?
7 Explain the difference between a MIDI file and a sound file.
8 What is MPEG-2?
9 Why is MP3 an important file format?
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Work in groups to complete the following tasks.
The local shopping centre is planning an information kiosk for its customers. The
kiosk must include the name and location of every shop, the types of products sold
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and advertisements.
1 Write a storyboard for the information kiosk.
2 Describe the design principles that will be used as a basis for the kiosk.
3 If possible, develop a brief multimedia product for the information kiosk.
Multimedia 273
Chapter review
PART B 15 A miniature picture of each slide in-
For each of the following statements, cluding text and graphics.
select from the list of terms the one that 16 A unit for measuring the speed of dis-
most closely fits the statement. Write the playing images.
letter corresponding to your choice.
List of terms
Statements a authoring software
1 A family of formats for compressed b cell-based animation
video that have become a standard. c file compression
2 A series of frames each representing a d interactivity
different action or screen image. e morphing
3 Reduces the number of bits required to f MPEG
represent information. g sampling
h slide
4 It is used to combine text, graphics, ani-
i storyboard
mation, audio and video into a multi-
media product. j WAV
k path-based animation
5 An individual screen or page of the
l FPS
presentation.
m thumbnail
6 Involves displaying the movement of n warping
objects onto a fixed background in a
o RealAudio
particular sequence.
p transition
7 An effect in which one image blends
smoothly into another. PART C
8 The method used by the ADC to digit- Write at least one paragraph on each of
ise a sound wave. the following questions.
9 A feature that allows the user to choose 1 Describe some of the characteristics of
the sequence and content of infor- a multimedia product.
mation. 2 Explain the difference between lossy
10 A format that stores either 8-bit or 16- and lossless compression.
bit sound. 3 How are slides created using presenta-
11 A special effect used to go from one tion software?
slide to the next. 4 Briefly explain the following terms:
12 Involves drawing and displaying a animation
individual frames or cells. b sampling rate.
13 A de facto standard for exchanging 5 What is the difference between morph-
sound files over the Internet. ing an image and warping an image?
14 Involves transforming or distorting a 6 Describe the three basic design prin-
portion of an image. ciples for an effective multimedia
product.
Figure 11.2 Some messages from a chat room that specialises in the Web.
Exercise 11.1
1 List the tools required to connect to the Internet.
2 Describe the protocol used on the Internet.
3 Where are Web pages stored?
4 Explain the term ‘surfing the Net’.
5 Describe four rules regarding appropriate behaviour in a newsgroup.
6 Why are there dangers in chatting on the Internet?
7 What is data compression? List two common compressed formats.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Investigate the Internet resources at school and the community by answering the
following questions.
a How many computers at school have Internet access? Where are they located?
b Are there any restrictions on student access to the Internet?
c Does any censorship or blocking software restrict student access to the
Internet? What is the name of this software?
d Does the local library offer Internet access? What are the arrangements for
access?
e Do you know the location of any Internet cafes? What are the arrangements
for access?
2 In a study of university students, it was found that a significant proportion of
university dropouts were using the Internet for four or more hours a day,
including late at night. Is this excessive use of the Internet a problem? Why? How
would you help a friend if they were spending too much time on the Internet?
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Domain names
A domain name is the address of a specific computer on the Internet. Domain
names are translated into IP addresses. Because they are based on English, they
are easier for people to remember than IP addresses. Domain names can look
complicated but they are easier to understand when they are broken down into
parts. Each part is separated by a full stop and is called a domain. For example,
www.hi.com.au is a domain name in which:
• ‘www’ stands for World Wide Web
• ‘hi’ stands for Heinemann Interactive and is the name of the specific
computer
• ‘com’ is the organisational domain
• ‘au’ is the geographical domain.
Organisational domains include ‘edu’ for education, ‘mil’ for military, ‘gov’
for government, ‘com’ for commercial, ‘net’ for network and ‘org’ for non-profit
organisation.
Figure 11.3 The URL directs the Web browser to the server on which the Web page is stored.
storing&
retrieving
Searching the Web
Searching the Internet to find information can be like looking for a needle in a
haystack. There is a mass information in different locations. Knowing the URL
of a Web page is one way to find the information you are looking for. However,
in most cases you will need to carry out a search before you will know which
Web pages are relevant. The Internet offers a range of tools to find information
such as search engines.
282 Application software
Function
ITITFact
Fact
‘Brochureware’ refers to Web sites that offer very little information and no
interactivity. These Web sites are created by organisations simply to have a
presence on the Web. They are of very limited value to the organisation or
to the public.
Search engines
A search engine is a database of indexed Web sites that can be searched using
keywords. The index is built by regularly scanning the Web for new sites and
accepting submissions from Web page authors. A search engine is accessed using
a Web browser. There are dozens of search engines available on the Web,
including Yahoo!, AltaVista, Excite and Magellan. Search engines have different
methods of building their indexes and will often obtain different results from
the same search. Some search engines provide directories of Web sites organised
into categories such as technology, entertainment, or sport (see Figure 11.4).
Good search engines are easy to use and provide precise results.
Figure 11.4 The Yahoo! search engine provides a directory of Web sites organised into
categories. These can be searched by keyword.
Search engines require the user to enter one or more keywords related to
their topic of interest. In addition, most search engines allow users to search for
specific items such as graphics. When the user enters a keyword and clicks the
‘Search’ button, the search engine scans its index and lists the Web sites that
contain that keyword. The listing is usually in order of relevance and is in the
form of hyperlinks. This allows the user to access the listed Web pages by simply
clicking on them.
Selecting a keyword is crucial to the success of a search. In general, it is best
to include synonyms where appropriate (such as ‘illness’ and ‘disease’) and to
use keywords that are very specific. This will avoid being overloaded with
information. Search engines generally allow the user to combine keywords in
various ways, as shown in Table 11.2.
The Internet 283
Operator Result Example
Phrase Two or more words are specified and the “Apple Computing”
search engine looks for an exact match
And Searches for documents that contain both apple AND computer
keywords in any order
Or Searches for documents that contain at apple OR macintosh
least one keyword in any order
Not Searches for documents that do not contain apple NOT fruit
the keyword
Different search engines use different methods to index Web sites, handle
keywords and display results. For example, some search engines match keywords
in the Web page title, while others use the body of the text. It is advisable to get
experience using more than one search engine to become familiar with their
capabilities.
There are good reasons to use the Internet to find information: it is
constantly updated, it can be faster to access compared to other methods of
publishing, and it can be more convenient. However, just because something is
on the Internet doesn’t mean it is correct or up-to-date. You should always try to
verify information from the Internet and use well-known sources wherever
possible.
Exercise 11.2
1 List the tasks performed by a Web browser.
2 What is the purpose of a bookmark or favourite?
3 List seven basic commands found in most Web browsers.
4 Why do people use domain names instead of IP addresses?
5 Describe the file path of a URL.
6 What is a search engine?
7 Outline four ways keywords can be combined in searches.
8 List some good reasons to use the Internet to find information.
9 ‘People who “surf the Net” often get lost and do not use their time efficiently.’
Functio
Do you agree with this statement? Why? What steps can you take to ensure you
are proficient in using the Internet?
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Start up a Web browser and answer these questions.
a What is the name of the home page?
b How do you stop a Web page from loading?
c How is a Web page restored after loading has been interrupted?
d Where are popular Web sites stored?
e How do you go back to sites you have visited during the session?
284 Application software
Function
2 Compare three different Web sites by answering the questions below for each
one. Three possible sites to compare are:
http://www.ibm.com
http://microsoft.com
http://www.apple.com
a What is the purpose of the Web site?
b How easy is it to move around the Web site?
c How current are the Web sites?
d Which is the best Web site? Why?
3 Find information on your favourite topic using more than one search engine.
Some search engine URLs are:
http://www.altavista.com
http//www.excite.com
http//www.yahoo!.com
http//www.hotbot.com
http//www.dogpile.com
a How many Web sites were found?
b Narrow the search by combining keywords.
c Save 10 relevant Web sites as Bookmarks or Favourites.
d Organise the saved Bookmarks or Favourites into appropriate folders.
e Check that the Bookmarks or Favourites work.
4 Find an interesting Web site.
a Download the following data and save it using word processing software and
the filename WEBSITE.
i a Web page and its URL
ii a block of text on the Web page
iii a graphic on the Web page
b Correctly cite the Internet source at the beginning of the document.
addition to the sender’s email address, an email message contains five main parts
(see Figure 11.5):
• email address (To:)—the address of the person receiving the message (the
recipient)
• subject—the topic of the message or a brief description
• carbon copy (Cc:)—sends the same message to people other than the main
recipient (optional)
• blind carbon copy (Bcc:)—sends a copy to other people without revealing
who else got the message (optional)
• main body—the body of the message typed using the email software or
imported from a word processor.
Bandwidth refers to the information-carrying capacity of the cables and wires
that connect the computers together. There is a limit to the amount of
information that can be carried. For that reason, it is advisable to check with the
recipient before sending large files, such as those containing video clips. Keep
bandwidth in mind when sending messages and try to be concise and clear.
Large files can be compressed before sending to save time and bandwidth. When
a person receives a compressed file they must decompress it using the
appropriate software.
After an email is read it can be deleted or stored in an appropriate folder on
the hard disk for later reference. You can reply to an email message simply by
clicking on the ‘Reply’ button. A new message window is opened with the
address of the original sender automatically inserted. The previous message can
be retained to remind the person of their original message. This is called
quoting. The prefix ‘Re:’ may be added to the original subject line to identify
the ‘thread’ of the message. Forwarding a message involves sending a message
you received to someone else.
ITITFact
Fact
An ‘e-bomb’ is a large and useless electronic mail message that is sent to
other users and creates havoc with their hard drives. E-bombs are some-
times sent with good intentions, such as advertising.
Creating email
Email software provides a number of features to help users create their email.
An address book is used to store email addresses. This saves having to remember
each person’s address and type it into an email message. A mailing list is a group
of people who want to receive the same messages. It may be people working on
the same project or a group of people with the same interests. Mailing lists are
created by entering the email address of each person in the list and giving the
list a name. A signature is several lines that are automatically appended to all
Attachments
Attachments are computer files sent with the email message. They can be any
kind of file, including text, video, audio, graphics or programs. Clearly the
receiver of the email must have an application that can read or convert the file.
When sending an attachment it is important to include a brief explanation in
the main body of the email message. The explanation should state that there is
an attachment and give its filename and format.
All email programs need to encode file attachments into characters, since the
Internet TCP/IP does not allow transmission of binary code. Many email
programs use Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME). It is an Internet
protocol that is able to negotiate many different operating systems and types of
software. It has been a major step forward in the ability to exchange files other
than text files.
Exercise 11.3
1 What is electronic mail?
2 List some of the advantages of using email.
3 What is the first part of an email address?
4 What happens to the email after it has been sent?
5 Explain the difference between carbon copy and blind carbon copy.
6 What is quoting?
Functio
Planning
The first task in creating a Web page is to establish a clear purpose and identify
an audience. This will influence the page layout, language level and content of
the Web page. The audience might be other students at your school, the school
community or students in other schools.
The next task is to determine how you are going to attract the audience. This
could involve compelling content, graphics or multimedia material. The page
needs to get the users’ attention and make them want to come back again.
Figure 11.6 The home page of PC User magazine’s Web site. Note the clear,
uncluttered layout and the defined areas for navigation links.
Functio
Designing
People read Web pages in the same way as they read other published
documents—starting at the top left corner of the page and working their way
across and down the page. Web pages need to be designed to assist this reading
gravity. There are six important elements in the design of a Web page: text,
colour, multimedia, navigation and layout.
• Text should be clear and legible and in one or two typefaces only. Care
should be taken using font styles such as bold and italic. Underlining should
only be used for hyperlinks. Long lines of text are difficult to read. Using a
290 Application software
Function
border down the left-hand side of the page is a common technique for
shortening the line length.
• Colour should be used carefully. Using many different colours can be dis-
tracting and reduce readability. Dark text on a light background or vice versa
usually works well. Avoid using colours that have specific meanings. For
example, ‘unused’ hyperlinks are usually shown in blue and ‘used’ hyperlinks
in purple.
• Graphics create visual interest but are slow to load. When using graphics,
consider the size of the graphic, whether the icons are instantly recognisable
and whether the graphic easily fits on the screen. Two common graphic
formats are JPEG and GIF. (See pages 221 and 225 for a discussion of
graphic file formats.)
• Multimedia should not be an essential part of a Web page as some users
might not have the right software or hardware to view it. If you want to
include a Web page with multimedia, have it accessed from a standard Web
page on which you advise users of the software required. It is important to
advise users about the size of any sound or video files on your site.
• Navigation is an essential component of any Web page—people need to
understand where they are and where they can go. Colouring different areas
of the page, using visual symbols (icons and arrows), inserting clear page
headers and creating simple hyperlinks improves navigation.
• Layout should provide a user-friendly interface with all the above elements
working together. Other features to consider are bulleted lists, columns,
tables, scroll bars, alignment, line spacing, and horizontal and vertical lines.
Implementing
Web pages are created using Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). HTML is a
set of special instructions (called tags) that indicate how parts of a document
will be displayed. Hyperlinks are special tags that can be attached to text or
graphics to create a link to another Web page. Hypertext links are often shown
in blue and are usually underlined. All hyperlinks refer to a particular Internet
address (URL).
A range of software can be used to create a file in HTML format, including
many word processors, desktop publishing programs and multimedia authoring
programs. Software developed for the specific purpose of creating Web pages is
called Web authoring software. Common Web authoring packages include
Microsoft FrontPage, Netscape Navigator Gold, Adobe GoLive and Claris Home
Page. These programs allow the user to create Web pages without having to
understand HTML code. Web authoring programs allow the user to import text,
graphics, tables, audio and video from other programs. A Web page is built from
these elements.
Publishing
Web pages are normally published and stored on a server. A server stores
thousands of Web pages from different Web sites. People visit a Web site by
connecting to the server. Large organisations have their own Web servers.
Smaller organisations and individuals pay to have their Web site ‘hosted’ by an
ISP. ISPs charge a fee that is dependent on the total file size of the Web site,
including graphics, sound and video. The larger the Web site, the larger the
hosting fee. Many ISPs include a small amount of space on their Web server as
part of their service to subscribers who open an Internet account with them.
The Internet 291
Once a Web page has been created, it needs to be transferred to a server so
that it becomes part of the Internet. The process is called uploading. Files are
uploaded to the server using FTP (File Transfer Protocol).
After the Web site has been published, it needs to be advertised so people are
aware of its existence. There are two main methods of advertising Web pages:
via search engines and newsgroups.
Search engines require the author of the Web page to write a short
description and identify relevant categories. This is known as ‘registering’ the
Web page with the search engine. There are online services that can help you
register the Web page with a number of search engines simultaneously.
Newsgroups can also be good places to advertise Web sites. Messages are
posted to relevant newsgroups summarising the content of the Web pages.
Web sites are evaluated to determine whether they are satisfying their
original purpose. An independent person should complete the evaluation to
ensure it is unbiased. Web pages are evaluated for efficiency and effectiveness.
• Efficiency can be measured in the time taken to load the page, the ease of
navigation and whether the cost was justified.
• Effectiveness is measured in terms of the quality of presentation, the
accuracy of information and whether it is clearly understood.
292 Application software
Function
Web pages need to be maintained regularly to keep them up-to-date. The
maintenance can often take up more time than the original design. The content
is checked for accuracy and the hyperlinks examined to see if they are still
appropriate. The revision date is often entered onto the Web pages so that
people are aware of the last update.
ITITFact
Fact
A ‘flame war’ is when a long-standing debate on the Internet becomes
abusive without any form of mediation.
Exercise 11.4
1 List the advantages of publishing on the Internet.
2 How do Web sites attract an audience?
3 Describe the elements of good design for:
a text b colour.
4 Outline four ways of improving a Web site’s navigation.
5 What are some of the advantages of using Web authoring software?
6 How do you advertise a Web page?
7 Why is a final test of a Web site completed online?
8 How are Web sites evaluated?
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1 Create a personal Web page about yourself. Do not include contact information
such as your address or phone number. Save the Web page using your name.
Follow the stages outlined below.
a Plan the page layout, content and features.
b Design the Web page, including the text, colour, graphics, multimedia and
navigation.
c Implement (build) the Web page using appropriate software.
d Advertise the Web page. Write a short description of the Web page and list
relevant categories.
e Test the Web page using a Web browser.
2 Create a Web page about a person you admire. Do not include contact infor-
mation such as your address or phone number. Save the Web page using their
name. Follow the stages outlined below.
a Plan the page layout, content and features.
b Design the Web page, including the text, colour, graphics, multimedia and
navigation.
c Implement (build) the Web page using appropriate software.
d Advertise the Web page. Write a short description of the Web page and list
relevant categories.
e Test the Web page using a Web browser.
296 Appendix
Function
' Quote 39 27 0100111
( Open parenthesis 40 28 0101000
) Close parenthesis 41 29 0101001
* Asterisk 42 2A 0101010
+ Plus 43 2B 0101011
, Comma 44 2C 0101100
- Minus 45 2D 0101101
. Full stop 46 2E 0101110
/ Oblique stroke 47 2F 0101111
0 48 30 0110000
1 49 31 0110001
2 50 32 0110010
3 51 33 0110011
4 52 34 0110100
5 53 35 0110101
6 54 36 0110110
7 55 37 0110111
8 56 38 0110000
9 57 39 0111001
: Colon 58 3A 0111010
; Semicolon 59 3B 0111011
< Less than 60 3C 0111100
= Equals 61 3D 0111101
> Greater than 62 3E 0111110
? Question mark 63 3F 0111111
@ Commercial at 64 40 1000000
A 65 41 1000001
B 66 42 1000010
C 67 43 1000011
D 68 44 1000100
E 69 45 1000101
F 70 46 1000110
G 71 47 1000111
H 72 48 1001000
I 73 49 1001001
J 74 4A 1001010
K 75 4B 1001011
L 76 4C 1001100
M 77 4D 1001101
N 78 4E 1001110
O 79 4F 1001111
P 80 50 1010000
Q 81 51 1010001
R 82 52 1010010
S 83 53 1010011
Appendix 297
T 84 54 1010100
U 85 55 1010101
V 86 56 1010110
W 87 57 1010111
X 88 58 1011000
Y 89 59 1011001
Z 90 5A 1011010
[ Open square bracket 91 5B 1011011
\ Backslash 92 5C 1011100
] Close square bracket 93 5D 1011101
^ Caret 94 5E 1011110
_ Underscore 95 5F 1011111
` Back quote 96 60 1100000
a 97 61 1100001
b 98 62 1100010
c 99 63 1100011
d 100 64 1100100
e 101 65 1100101
f 102 66 1100110
g 103 67 1100111
h 104 68 1101000
i 105 69 1101001
j 106 6A 1101010
k 107 6B 1101011
l 108 6C 1101100
m 109 6D 1101101
n 110 6E 1101110
o 111 6F 1101111
p 112 70 1110000
q 113 71 1110001
r 114 72 1110010
s 115 73 1110011
t 116 74 1110100
u 117 75 1110101
v 118 76 1110110
w 119 77 1110111
x 120 78 1111000
Functio
y 121 79 1111001
z 122 7A 1111010
{ Open curly bracket 123 7B 1111011
| Vertical bar 124 7C 1111100
} Close curly bracket 125 7D 1111101
~ Tilde 126 7E 1111110
DEL Delete 127 7F 1111111
298 Appendix
Function
EBCDIC
Character Decimal Hexadecimal EBCDIC code
blank 64 40 01000000
. 75 4B 01001011
< 76 4C 01001100
( 77 4D 01001101
+ 78 4E 01001110
| 79 4F 01001111
& 80 50 01010000
! 90 5A 01011010
$ 91 5B 01011011
* 92 5C 01011100
) 93 5D 01011101
; 94 5E 01011110
- 96 60 01011111
/ 97 61 01100000
, 107 6B 01101011
% 108 6C 01101100
_ 109 6D 01101101
> 110 6E 01101110
? 111 6F 01101111
` 121 79 01111001
: 122 7A 01111010
# 123 7B 01111011
@ 124 7C 01111100
' 125 7D 01111101
= 126 7E 01111110
" 127 7F 01111111
a 129 81 10000001
b 130 82 10000010
c 131 83 10000011
d 132 84 10000100
e 133 85 10000101
f 134 86 10000110
g 135 87 10000111
h 136 88 10001000
i 137 89 10001001
j 145 91 10010001
k 146 92 10010010
l 147 93 10010011
m 148 94 10010100
Appendix 299
n 149 95 10010101
o 150 96 10010110
p 151 97 10010111
q 152 98 10011000
r 153 99 10011001
~ 161 A1 10100001
s 162 A2 10100010
t 163 A3 10100011
u 164 A4 10100100
v 165 A5 10100101
w 166 A6 10100110
x 167 A7 10100111
y 168 A8 10101000
z 169 A9 10101001
{ 192 C0 11000000
A 193 C1 11000001
B 194 C2 11000010
C 195 C3 11000011
D 196 C4 11000100
E 197 C5 11000101
F 198 C6 11000110
G 199 C7 11000111
H 200 C8 11001000
I 201 C9 11001001
} 208 D0 11001001
J 209 D1 11001010
K 210 D2 11001011
L 211 D3 11001100
M 212 D4 11001101
N 213 D5 11001110
O 214 D6 11001111
P 215 D7 11010000
Q 216 D8 11010001
R 217 D9 11010010
\ 224 E0 11100000
Functio
S 226 E2 11100010
T 227 E3 11100011
U 228 E4 11100100
V 229 E5 11100101
W 230 E6 11100110
X 231 E7 11100111
300 Appendix
Function
Y 232 E8 11101000
Z 233 E9 11101001
0 240 F0 11110000
1 241 F1 11110001
2 242 F2 11110010
3 243 F3 11110011
4 244 F4 11110100
5 245 F5 11110101
6 246 F6 11110110
7 247 F7 11110111
8 248 F8 11111000
9 249 F9 11111001
Appendix 301
Glossary
absolute referencing Copying a formula in a bit-mapping The relationship between the image
spreadsheet where the contents of the formula and the bits in memory.
in the source cell do not change. The cell bit-mapped graphic A graphic that treats each
references are indicated by a $ sign (e.g $B$5). pixel (dot) on the screen individually and
aliasing A staircase pattern created when a bit- represents this by bits in memory.
mapped graphic is enlarged. bits per second (bps) A unit of measurement for
alignment The process of positioning the text in the speed of data transfer.
vertical alignments. block A section of text such as a word, phrase,
analysing The information process that involves sentence or paragraph.
the interpretation of data, transforming it into booting The start-up process of a computer in
information. which it first reads instructions from ROM and
analysis report A report containing details of the loads the operating system.
new system with recommendations for design, bullet A symbol used at the beginning of an item
implementation and maintenance. in a list.
animation The movement of a graphic as in a bus A pathway of wires and connectors that
cartoon. provides the link between input, storage, process
application software A computer program used and output devices.
for a specific task. byte The basic unit of measurement for storage.
arithmetic logic unit (ALU) Part of the CPU that It represents a single character, such as a letter, a
carries out all the arithmetical and logical number, a punctuation mark or a space.
calculations.
ascending order Data arranged from smallest to cache A temporary storage area used to store
largest (0–9) or from first to last (A–Z). frequently requested data and instructions.
ASCII (American Standard Code for Information callout A label that describes an area of a picture
Interchange) A code that changes letters, or a short piece of text quoted from the main
numbers and symbols into a binary code. article.
asynchronous transmission Serial transfer that CD-ROM (compact disc read only memory) A
sends one byte at a time with special start and 12 centimetre wide compact disc that is capable
stop bits. of storing 650 Mb.
attachment A file sent with the email message. cell The intersection of a row and column in a
spreadsheet.
audio Sound that has been digitised.
cell reference The position of the cell in the
authoring software Software used to combine spreadsheet.
text, graphics, animation, audio and video into a
multimedia product. cell-based animation Animation that involves
drawing and displaying individual frames or cells.
backup A copy of data or software for the central processing unit (CPU) A set of electrical
purpose of safety. circuits responsible for controlling and
barcode reader An input device that enters processing data within the computer.
product identification at a point of sale terminal. centralised processing A type of processing
Functio
302 Glossary
Function
chart A graphical representation of numerical CPU utilisation The amount of time the CPU is
data. Types of charts typically include: bar working.
(histogram), column (stacked bar), line crop A graphic tool that removes or hides
(continuous) and pie (sector). unwanted parts of a graphic.
circular reference A formula in a spreadsheet cursor A marker on the screen indicated by a
that refers to itself, either directly or indirectly. flashing vertical bar where the next information
clip art Prepared pictures that are grouped into will appear.
topics and can be copied into an application. custom software Application software written by
clipboard A temporary storage area for data to programmers using the exact specifications for
allow easy transfer between documents and the new system.
applications. cut and paste The actions required to move a
clock speed The number of electrical pulses per block of text or graphic to another place in a
second. Clock speed indicates the speed of the document or to another document.
CPU and is measured in hertz (Hz).
data The raw material entered into the
collecting The information process that involves information system.
deciding what to collect, locating it and
data compression The compacting of a file so
collecting it.
that it takes up less room.
column A series of cells in a spreadsheet that run data encryption A method used to prevent data
vertically down the screen. It also refers to a from being intercept during transmission.
vertical area reserved for text.
data flow diagrams (DFD) A graphical method
communications software Software that manages of representing a system using a number of
the transfer of data, files and commands processes together with inputs, outputs and
between computers. storage.
compact disc (CD) A storage medium in which data integrity The quality of the data.
data is read and written using laser technology.
data security A series of safeguards to protect
compression A method that reduces the number data.
of bits required to represent information. data type The kind of data such as image, audio,
compression ratio The amount a file is video, text or numbers.
compressed. data validation The checking the accuracy of the
computer An electronic device that can process data before it is processed into information.
data according to a stored sequence of database An organised collection of data that
instructions. may be accessed by a database management
computer graphic A graphic created, displayed or system.
stored using a computer. database management system (DBMS) A
computer operator A person who performs tasks software package that builds, maintain and
on computer equipment such as monitoring provides access to a database.
performance, starting up, running jobs and descending order Data arranged from largest to
backing up. smallest (9–0) or from last to first (Z–A).
context diagram A graphical method of desktop publishing (DTP) The use of specialised
representing a system using a single process software to combine text and graphics to create
together with inputs and outputs (external a publication.
entities). digital Data represented in the form of digits or
control Coordinates the operations of the input, numbers.
processing, output and storage. digital camera An input device that captures and
control unit Part of the CPU directs and stores images in digital form rather than on film.
coordinates the entire computer system. digital video camera An input device that
copy and paste The actions required to copy a captures video in a compressed digital format.
block of text or graphic to another place in a digitising The process of generating digits or
document or to another document. numbers.
copyright The right to use, copy or control the direct access A method of retrieving data that
work of authors and artists, including software allows data to be found directly, without
developers. accessing all the previous data.
Glossary 303
direct conversion The immediate change to the facsimile (fax) A device used to send and receive
new system. data in the form of documents over a telephone
disk drive A device on which a magnetic disk is line.
mounted. feasibility study A short report that analyses
displaying The information process that involves potential solutions and makes a
the output from an information system to meet recommendation.
a purpose. fetch-execute cycle A cycle of events on a single
distorting A graphic tool to alter the appearance instruction carried out by the CPU to process
and balance of a graphic. data.
field A specific category of data.
distributed processing A type of processing
consisting of workstations connected to share field name The name of the field in a database.
data and resources at a local site. field size The number of characters in each field
documentation A written description to explain in a database.
the development and operation of an file A collection of information stored on a
information system. computer system and given a name. A file in a
database is made up of records, fields and
domain name The address of a specific computer
characters.
on the Internet.
filter A tool to limit the records viewed in a
dot matrix printer A printer that prints characters
database.
or images by using dots.
firewall A method used on the Internet or any
downloading The action of receiving a file from network to check all incoming data for the
another computer. purpose of verification and authentication.
drag and drop An easy way to move or copy a firmware The software that is stored in ROM.
block of text a short distance.
flash memory A non-volatile memory device that
drop cap An enlarged initial letter that extends retains its data when the power is removed.
above or below the baseline in the first line of
flat file database A database that organises data
body text.
into a single table.
DVD (digital versatile disk) A compact disc floppy disk A magnetic disk made of flexible
format that can store large amounts of data. plastic and covered with magnetic material used
dynamic RAM (DRAM) Memory chip that must to store data.
be constantly refreshed. font A set of characters in one typeface with a
particular type size, type style and stroke weight.
EBCDIC (Extended Binary Coded Decimal
Interchange Code) A code used on large IBM footer Text repeated at the bottom of each page.
computers that changes letters, numbers and form In a database to view, enter and change data
symbols into an 8-bit binary code. in a table. In often displays a single record.
editing The process of changing or deleting data. format The process that prepares a disk to accept
electronic mail Communication service that data by organising it into tracks and sectors.
allows the sending and receiving electronic Format also refers to changing the appearance of
messages using a computer. a document.
formula An instruction to perform a calculation
environment Everything that influences or is
in a spreadsheet.
influenced by an information system and its
purpose. frame A single drawing in animation or a space or
box that holds text or a graphic.
Functio
304 Glossary
Function
graphic A picture such as a drawing, painting or information technology The hardware and
photograph. software used by an information system.
graphical user interface (GUI) Communicating inkjet printer A printer that produces characters
with the computer using a mouse and clicking by spraying very fine drops of ink onto the
on icons and menus. paper.
graphics tablet An input device that consists of a input The entering of data into the computer for
special electronic pad and a pen called a stylus. processing into information.
gutter The amount of extra space added to the integrated circuit A silicon chip containing
margin for binding in a document. transistors that store and process information.
Internet A global collection of computer
hacker A person who gains illegal access to
networks that speak the same language and are
information systems.
hooked together to share information..
half duplex mode The transmission of data in
both directions but not at the same time. Internet relay chat (IRC) A service that allows
you to have online typed 'conversations' with
hard copy Paper containing data and information. one or more other Internet users in 'real time'.
hard disk A magnetic disk made of metal or glass Internet service provider (ISP) An organisation
and covered with magnetic material used to that provides access to the Internet for a fee.
store data.
hardware The physical equipment involved in joystick A pointing device consisting of a small
processing information, such as a computer, base unit with a rod that can be tilted in all
network tools and data storage devices. directions to move the pointer on the screen.
header Text repeated at the top of each page. kerning The process of reducing the spacing
hexadecimal A number system to the base between certain pairs of characters.
sixteen. key A field in a database that is used to sort and
human-centred system A system that makes retrieve information.
participants work as effective and satisfying as keyboard An input device consisting of series of
possible. keys.
hypertext Highlighted text or graphics that 'links'
to other pages or places. Used in multimedia and label Text entered into a cell of a spreadsheet to
on the Web. provide some explanation of the spreadsheet.
hypertext markup language (HTML) A set of landscape The horizontal orientation of a page.
special instructions (called tags) that indicate laser printer A printer that uses a rotating disk to
how parts of a document will be displayed. reflect laser beams onto the paper.
hyphenation The process of breaking words at layout guide Non-printing vertical and horizontal
certain points and inserting a hyphen. lines in a desktop publishing program that are
used to position text and other objects on a
image Data in the form of a picture such as page.
drawing, painting or photograph.
light pen A pointing device consisting of a small
indenting Movement of text a certain distance rod that looks like a pen.
from a margin.
line spacing The spacing between lines of text.
information Data that has been ordered and
given some meaning by people. liquid crystal display (LCD) The most common
type of technology used in flat screens.
information processes The steps taken to change
data into information: collecting, organising, local area network (LAN) A network that
analysing, storing/retrieving, processing, connects computers (or terminals) within a
transmitting/receiving and displaying. building or group of buildings on one site.
information processing The creation of logical operator A series of characters or a symbol
information by processing data using information used to combine simple queries.
technology. lossless compression A type of compression that
information system A set of information works by replacing repeated data with
processes requiring participants, something that takes up less room.
data/information and information technology. It lossy compression A type of compression that
performs the seven information processes. removes a number of data bytes from the file.
Glossary 305
machine-centred system A system designed to netiquette The way people communicate with
simplify what the computer must do at the each other on the Internet.
expense of participants. network licence A licence that allows people to
macro A series of commands stored in a file that use a program on a network.
can be executed by pressing a few keys. network When a number of computers (or
magnetic disk A circular piece of metal or plastic terminals) and their peripheral devices are
whose surface has been coated with a thin layer connected over a distance.
of magnetic material. It is used to store data. newsgroup A discussion group where people can
magnetic tape A very long, thin strip of plastic, read messages and join in discussions by sending
coated with a thin layer of magnetic material. It or posting messages.
is used to store data. non-volatile memory Memory that does not lose
mail merge A tool that combines a letter written its contents when the power to the computer is
on a word processor with data from another turned off.
document. number Data consisting of predefined characters
mainframe A powerful central computer for a usually numbers whose meaning and format is
large number of users. specified.
maintenance The modification of the system by operating system The software that supervises
making minor improvements. and controls the hardware. It is the link between
margin The distance between the edge of the the hardware and the application software.
paper and the text. optical character recognition (OCR) Software
master page A layout showing the relative size that uses a light source to read and recognise
and position of design elements in desktop text.
publishing. organising The information process that involves
memory Part of the computer that holds data and the modification of data by arranging,
programs before and after it has been processed representing and formatting data.
by the CPU. output The presentation or display of information
microcomputer See personal computer. to a person, or data to another computer.
microphone An input device that captures sound. output device Hardware used for displaying. It
includes screens, printers, speakers and plotters.
microprocessor A CPU contained on one
integrated circuit. page layout The arrangement of text and graphics
midrange A central computer that performs the on a page.
processing for a number of users working at a paging A common method used by operating
terminal. systems to perform virtual memory.
minicomputer See midrange computer. parallel conversion Conversion to a new system
model A representation of some aspect of the involving the old and new system both working
real world and a simulation is the use of that together at the same time.
model. parallel port A type of port that transmits eight
modem A device that enables the transmission of bits (one byte) at a time using a cable along
data from one computer to another. eight parallel lines.
parallel processing A type of processing where
monitor A screen that can display text and
instructions are processed simultaneous using
graphics.
multiple processors or CPUs.
morphing Animation technique that involves the
Functio
306 Glossary
Function
password A secret word or number that are query language (QL) A specialised language
typed on the keyboard to gain access to the designed to allow users to access information
system. from the database.
path-based animation Animation that involves Qwerty The most common keyboard layout for
displaying the movement of objects onto a fixed personal computers.
background in a particular sequence or path.
personal computer A single-user computer that RAM (random access memory) Memory where
sits on a desktop. data and instructions are held temporarily. It is
volatile memory.
peripheral device An input or output device that
connects to the CPU. random access A method of accessing data allows
data to be found directly without accessing all
phased conversion Conversion to a new system
the previous data.
involving the gradual implementation of the new
system. range A group of cells in a single row or column
of a spreadsheet or in several adjacent rows and
pilot conversion Conversion to a new system
columns.
involving trialing the new system with a small
portion of the organisation. record A collection of facts about one specific
entry in a database.
pixel The smallest part of the screen that can be
controlled by the computer. register A temporary storage area for small
plotter An output device used to produce high- amounts of data or instructions needed for
quality drawings. processing.
pointing device An input device that controls an relational operator A series of characters or a
on-screen symbol called a pointer. symbol indicating the relationship between two
expressions.
pointing stick A pointing device shaped like a
pencil eraser. relative referencing Copying a formula where the
cell references change so that they relate to the
port A socket used to connect peripheral devices.
destination.
portrait The vertical orientation of a page.
removable cartridge A hard disk encased in a
Postscript A page description language that uses metal or plastic cartridge that are removed like a
special commands to describe how an image will floppy disk. It is used to store data.
be printed on the page.
report A tool in a database to organise and
presentation software Software used to make a present data to be printed.
professional presentation to a group of people.
requirement report A statement about the needs
primary source Data that is collected first hand.
of a new system.
privacy The ability of an individual to control
resizing Making a graphic smaller or bigger.
personal data.
resolution A measurement of the detail of an
process Changes data to produce information by
image produced on a screen or output to a
following a series of instructions.
printer.
processing The information process that involves
the manipulation of data and information. response time The amount of time taken for the
computer to respond to a command.
programmable ROM (PROM) Silicon chips that
allow data and instructions to be entered only ROM (read only memory) Memory that holds
once and cannot be reprogrammed. data and instructions that are fixed at the time
of production and cannot be changed by the user
project management software A tool to
or the computer.
efficiently plan, manage and communicate
information in a large project. row A series of cells in a spreadsheet that run
horizontally across the screen.
project plan A plan that organises a project by
specifying who, what, how and when. sample size The number of bits per sample.
protocol A set of rules that govern the sampling The method used to digitise a sound
transmission of data between computer devices. wave.
public domain software Software that has no sampling rate The number of times a sample
copyright and can be freely distributed. (slice) is taken from the sound wave.
query A search of a database for records that sans serif typeface A typeface with characters
meet a certain condition. going straight up and down.
Glossary 307
scanner An input device that converts an image storing and retrieving The information process
or text into digital data that can be processed by that involves saving data and information for
the computer. later use (storing data) and obtaining data and
screen A display surface that provides immediate information that has been previously saved
feedback about what the computer is doing. (retrieving data).
scrolling A method of moving within a storyboard A series of frames each representing a
document. different action or screen image.
search engine A database of indexed Web sites stroke weight A measure of the thickness of the
that allow a keyword search. lines used to construct the characters.
searching The process of retrieving data and style A text elements that are defined in a
information. document.
secondary source Data that is collected or supercomputer The fastest, most powerful and
created by someone else. expensive type of computer.
sector A section of a track that can store data. survey Collecting sample characteristics,
attitudes, behaviours and opinions.
sequential access A method of accessing data that
starts at the beginning of the tape and reads all synchronous transmission Serial transfer where
of the data until the required item is found. data is sent at the same rate.
serial port A type of port that transmits data one system A group of elements that work together
bit at a time using only one communication line. to achieve a purpose.
serial transmission The transmission of data one system development cycle A traditional method
bit at a time through a single line. for developing a new information system.
serif typeface A typeface with little tails (serifs) system flow chart A graphical method of
at the ends of their characters. representing both the flow of data and the logic
shareware Software that can be copied and of a system.
distributed but people must be honest and pay system software Software that manages and
for the shareware they use. controls the hardware so that the application
simplex mode The transmission of data in one software can perform the required task.
direction only, from the sender to the receiver. system unit The collection of hardware
site licence A licence that permits an organisation components that includes a central processing
to make copies (limited) of the software for use unit, memory and associated electronics.
on the same site. table Rows and columns of cells in a document
software The detailed instructions (computer that are filled with text and graphics. A table in
programs) used to direct the hardware to a database is the organisation of data into
perform a particular task. columns (fields) and rows (records).
software package Application software bought to technical support staff People who assist
cover most requirements. participants of a system.
software piracy The illegal copying of software. template A document created for repeated use.
sorting The process of arranging data in a terminal A device used to send data to a
particular order. computer system or receive data from a
sound card A devices that transforms the sounds processor.
from a microphone into audio. test data A range of values to see if the solution
deals with unexpected data.
Functio
308 Glossary
Function
touch screen An input device where data entered virtual memory A technique used by the
by detecting the touch of a finger. operating system to increase the amount of
touchpad An input device consisting of a flat memory.
rectangular surface that senses the movement of voice recognition A technique that converts voice
a finger. signals into digital data.
track A band formed by concentric circles on a voice synthesis The artificial production of
disk. human speech.
trackball A pointing device that is similar to a volatile memory Memory that loses its contents
mouse except that the ball is on top of the when the power to the computer is turned off.
device instead of the bottom.
warping Animation technique that involves
training specialist A person who teaches transforming or distorting a portion of the
participants how to operate their system. image.
transmitting and receiving The information watermark A lightly shaded object behind
process that involves the transfer of data and everything else on a page.
information from within and between
Web browser A software program stored on your
information systems.
computer that allows access to the Web.
tweening The process of taking two images of an
Web page A single document on a web site
animation and producing intermediate images so
usually in HTML format.
that the animation is smoother.
Web site A linked collection of Web pages by the
type size A measure of the physical size of a same organisation or person.
typeface.
'what if' prediction The process of making
type style Describes the general shape of the changes to the data and observing their effects.
typeface.
white space Blank space on a page.
typeface The design of a set of characters.
wide area network (WAN) A network that
uploading The action of transferring a file from connects computers (or terminals) over
the user's computer to another computer. hundreds or thousands of kilometres.
URL (uniform resource locator) The address of a wildcard A character that represents one or more
file or resource on the Web. unknown characters.
Usenet A collection of discussion groups where word processor A software application that
people with common interests can exchange allows characters to be entered and documents
information. to be created.
user See participant. word size The number of bits processed by the
CPU at one time.
value A number stored in a spreadsheet on which wordwrap The automatic movement of words to
calculations are carried out. the next line when a line is full.
vector graphic A graphic made up of objects World Wide Web (WWW or Web) Part of the
such as a straight line, a curve or shape. Each Internet and the most user-friendly way to access
object is defined by its characteristics such as the Net.
position, line width and pattern. WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) A
video Data that combines pictures and sounds document that is displayed on the screen, as it
displayed over time. would be printed.
Glossary 309
Acknowledgments
The author and publisher would like to thank the following for granting
permission to reproduce the copyright material in this book:
Canon Australia, pp. 41 (top right), 81 (bottom); Malcolm Cross, pp. 42, 49, 57
(top), 58, 63, 66, 72, 73, 105, 108; Epson, p. 40 (both); Randy Glasbergen, pp. 3,
116 (top), 122, 147; Great Southern Stock, p. 131; IBM, p. 9; Susannah
Jamieson, p. 21;
Logitech, p. 38; Andrew Meredith Photography, p. 53; Moore Music, p. 41
(bottom); Olympus Optical Company, p. 41 (top left); Mark Parisi, pp. 61, 81
(top), 91, 169, 191, 220, 230, 269, 277; PhotoDisc, pp. 11, 13 (both), 16 (top),
39, 43, 45, 67, 109, 116, 127; The Age, pp. 4, 82; Bill Thomas, pp. 5, 97.
Every effort has been made to trace and acknowledge copyright. The author and
publisher would welcome any information from people who believe they own
copyright to material in this book.
Functio
310 Acknowledgments
Function
Index
Index 311
software 48–9, 213 (GUI) 44, 115 internal bus 71
drawing graphics Internet 44–5, 50, 76–7, 85
elements 223 anti-aliasing 220 addresses 281–2
in word processors 156 bit-mapped 48, 212, banking 25
drop caps 249 219–21 browser 60
DVD disks 59 capturing 212 connecting 276–7
dynamic RAM (DRAM) 65 computer 210 publishing 289–93
cropping 216, 239 shopping 25
EBCDIC 27–8, 48, 299–301 distorting 217, 224 Internet relay chat (IRC) 279
editing text 139–42 inserting 211–12, 263 interviews 45
EIDE 56 multimedia 263, 270 IP addresses 281
8 mm cartridges 58 positioning 215 ISP 276
electronic commerce 25 programs 212–14
email 75, 285–8 resizing 216, 239 journal 123
addresses 286 tablet 39 joystick 39
attachments 288 tools 213–14
creating 287–8 vector 213, 223–5 kerning 238
messages 286–7 group information systems keyboards 41–2, 114
software 286 128, 131
embedded objects 140 leading 237
environment 7, 115 hackers 30 libraries 60
erasable programmable ROM half duplex mode 70 licence
(PROM) 67 hard copy 50, 80 network 33
ergonomics 46, 113–14 hard disk 56 site 33
ethical issues 46, 50, 53–4, hardware line
61, 68–9, 76, 84–5, analysing 52 charts 205
113–17, 123 collection devices 38–43, spacing 84, 148, 237
expanding 238 48 linked objects 140
expansion defined 8–9 liquid crystal display (LCD)
bus 71 output devices 79–83 80
card 71 processing 62–8 list checks 32
slot 71 storing and retrieving literature (printed text) 45
55–9 local area networks (LANs)
fax technical specifications 3, 74, 75
machines 75 105 logical operators 174
modems 74 transmitting and receiving logo 210
feasibility study 96–7 71–5
fetch-execute cycle 64 headers 154–5, 251 macros 199
file headings 236 magnetic
compression 259 hexadecimal system 27 disks 55–6
formats 60, 271–2 hyperlink 277 tape 57–8
management 122 hypermedia 50 mail 75
management software 59 hypertext 256 merge 84, 178
menu 140 hypertext Markup Language margins 154
path 282 (HTML) 50 master pages 245
file allocation table (FAT) 56 hyphenation 153, 238 memory
flash memory 59 flash 59
folders 59 images, data 19, 44, 46, 68 main 65–7
fonts 145–6, 199, 235 incorrect analysis of data 54 virtual 57
footers 154–5, 251 indenting 149, 238 microfiche 60
forms 45 information 10, 20–1 microphones 41
formatting 59, 83–4 management software microprocessor 63
characters 145–7 93–4 modelling 52–3
document 154–5 systems 6, 68, 77, 90–1, modems 73–4, 276
Functio
312 Index
Function
production 256, 257–60 preliminary investigation shareware 33
software 49, 259–60, 91–3 simplex mode 70
261–4 presentation software 261–4 simulations 52–3
text 263, 269 printers 80–2 site licence 33
privacy 46, 54, 77 skills and information systems
netiquette 76 problem solving 122–3 116
network licence 33 processing slide presentation 261–2
networks data 8, 15, 52, 62–9 social issues 46, 50, 53–4,
defined 74 speed 64 61, 68–9, 76, 84–5,
local area (LANs) 3, 74, types of 67, 68 113–17, 123
75 processor 15, 52 software
wide area (WANs) 74, 75 programmable ROM analysing 52–3
newsgroups 278 (PROM) 67 application 10, 48–50, 83,
non-computer tools project 104
analysis 53 management 122 communications 75
collection 45 management software 94 custom 105
data display 84 plan 93–4 database 49–50
organisation 50 protocol 75, 282 desktop publishing 49
processing 68 public domain software 33 ergonomic 114–15
storing and retrieving 60 Public Switched Telephone file management 59
transmitting and receiving Network (PSTN) 74–5 graphics 212–14
75–6 hardware interface 59
numbering lists 150 QIC tapes 58 information management
numbers, data 20, 44, 68, 93–4
198 radio 76 multimedia 49, 259–60,
RAM (random access 261–4
operating systems 43–4 memory) 65 operating systems 43–4
optical character recognition random access 56 packages 104
(OCR) 42–3 range checks 32 paint and draw 49
optical raster scan 79 piracy 33
disks 58–9 receiving data 15, 70–7 presentation 261–4
recognition devices 42–3 refreshing 79 processing 68
organisational charts 97 register 64 project management 94
organising data 14, 48–50 relational operators 173 public domain 33
output removable cartridges 57 shareware 33
data 9 reporting 83, 177–8 spreadsheet 49, 53
devices 9, 79–84 reports system 10, 124
format, database 178 transmitting and receiving
page written 123–4 75
breaks 154 requirement report 93 word processing 49, 135
layout 231–2, 243–5 resolution 79, 211, 248 sorting 52
setup options 154–5 response time 65 sound card 41
paging 57 retrieving data 14, 55–62 spacing 84, 146–7, 148
paint software 48–9 ROM (read only memory) speakers 82
paper-based storage systems 66–7 spell checker 141
60 ROM BIOS 67 spreadsheets 49, 53
parallel rows 197 absolute referencing 192
port 72 calculation area 187
processing 67 sampling 48 cell 185, 197–9
transfer 70 sans serif typeface 145, references 190–1
parity bit 70 235–6 charts 202–5
participants 10–11 scanners 39–40, 212 circular reference 190
passwords 60 screens 79–80, 114 copy and moving 187
pen input 39 scrolling 136 creating 186
personal information systems SCSI 56 formulas 190–4
124 SDRAM 65 data
picture objects 232 search engines 283–4 editing 186–7
pie charts 205 searching, data 52, 53 entering 186
pipelining 64 sectors 59 defined 184
piracy, software 33 security, data 30–1, 61, 76 fill down, fill right 187
pixel 79, 211 serial formatting 197–9
plotters 82–3 port 72 functions 192
pointing devices 38–9 transfer 70 input area 187
port 72 serif typeface 145, 235–6 instruction area 187
Postscript 248 shading 156, 199 layout 187
Index 313
mixed cell reference 194 top-down design 100
names 190 touch screen 39
operators 191 touchpad 38
output area 187 track ball 38
parameter 187 tracking 238
relative referencing 192 tracks 59
rows and columns 197 training specialists 108
search and replace 187 transmitting data 15, 70–7
structure 184–7 type
templates 194 checks (data validation)
static RAM (SRAM) 66 32
storage size and style 145, 235–6
data 8, 14, 52, 55–62 typeface 145, 235–6
secondary 55
storyboard 84, 258 Ultra DMA 56
stroke weight 145 unauthorised analysis of data
styles, word processing 53–4, 61
152–3 URL (Uniform Resource
surveys 45 Locator) 282
symbol 210 Usenet 278
synchronous transmission 70
system validation, data 32
design 103–5 vector graphics 213, 223–5
development cycle 91, video
123 cameras 40, 212
flow chart 68, 103, 104 data 19, 44, 68, 263–4,
266–8, 270
tables virtual memory 57
database 165 view 232
ergonomic 84 voice recognition 41
word processing 155 volatile data 55
tabs 148–9
technical support staff 108 warping 266
telecommuting 117 Web
telephone 75 browser 212, 277, 280–1
television 76 page 277, 289–93
templates publishing 289
desktop publishing 245 searching 282–4
multimedia 261 ‘what-if’ predictions 53
spreadsheet 194 white space 240
terminals 74 wide area networks (WANs)
text 74, 75
alignment 147–8, 198–9, wildcard characters 174
237 word
Autocorrect 141 processing 49, 135–56
block 139 size 65
body 236 wordwrap 136
character 139, 146–7 work
copy and paste 140 environment 113–17
correcting 139 and information systems
cut and paste 139–40 77, 113
data 20, 44, 48, 68 workstations 74
drag and drop 140 World Wide Web (WWW)
deleting 139 277
Functio
314 Index