Computer Notes

1.
BASIC CONCEPTS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY @
1.1. Basic Concepts of Hardware, Software and Information Technology
Hardware simply means physical equipment. These are parts of your computer that you can see and
touch. Physical components of your computer may include the mouse, monitor and keyboard. If all
the necessary hardware was purchased and placed on a desk, it would be insufficient for one to
operate a computer.
A computer on its own is not an intelligent machine. It follows special instructions if it has to
operate. These instructions are in the form of programs written by special people called
Programmers or Software Developers.
Software refers to instructions the computer follows if it has to operate and programs used to
accomplish tasks like browsing the web, listening to music, or even typing a letter.
Computers are used to create and maintain data. A computer will accept raw facts in form of
alphanumeric text, sound, images and process them into something meaningful to human
beings or simply store them for future use. It is important that you understand the difference
between data and information. In other fields of study these two terms can be used
interchangeably, however in computing, they are different. Data are the raw facts that have not
yet been processed while information is processed data.
Computers will seldom operate on their own. The presence of a human being is necessary.
Computer users may include students, medical personnel, bankers, accountants, businessmen
and secretaries.
Computers are found in several places and they are mainly used to manage information. They can
also be used to exchange information. Computers are found in homes, supermarkets, banks,
institutions of learning, offices, in the military, weather forecasting stations, insurance companies,
hospitals where they are used to handle home finances, manage inventory, manage accounts
information, used for study purposes, used to create important documents, used to share information
and so much more. In order to exchange information, two Computers would need a link between
them. This interconnection between computers is called a Network.
Information Technology is defined by the online dictionary as a term that encompasses all
forms of technology used to create, store, exchange and utilize information in its various forms.
These may include business data, conversations, still images, motion pictures and multimedia
presentations.
Most times when people talk about a computer, they picture a screen on top of a desk with a
tower next to it. Today computers come in different types and sizes. In fact you can carry one
around without your neighbour noticing. The next section explores but does not exhaust the
different computer types there are.
1.3. Computers and Computer Types
The term computer refers to an electronic and programmable device that accepts data in form
of input processes it into something meaningful to human beings, stores and displays
information to the computer user.
Students should note that the above statement does not solely define a computer. Find out the
different definitions of a computer and discuss them with your tutor.
A computer is not considered an electric device even though it needs electricity. Do not
confuse electric with electronic understand the difference. Think about a mobile phone. It will
operate with or without electricity, yet its battery requires electricity to recharge. Some
computers operate with a similar principle. An electric kettle will not operate unless it is
plugged into power. Some computers operate this way too!
Mainframes
These are large, powerful and expensive machines that are used by large companies such as banks
and airlines. A mainframe is so big that it cannot fit on your desk. They store huge amounts of
data, instructions and information and they can handle hundreds or thousands of connected users
simultaneously. These computers are not so common. Can you identify an organization in your
country that has one?
Super Computers
These are the fastest, powerful machines actually more powerful than mainframes and they are
commonly used in the military and in weather forecasting stations. Applications requiring
sophisticated mathematical calculations use super computers. They can process a tremendous
amount of data. They can process more than 100 trillion instructions in a single second.
Micro Computers
These are also called Personal Computers (PCs) and they can fit on your desk, on the floor or they
could even be carried around. Micro computers are designed for use by a single person. Micro
computers come in different sizes; Desktops, Towers, Notebooks, Hand-Held (Palm tops),
Electronic Organizers.
1.4. Main Parts of a Personal Computer
For this section, you need to consider the computer in your computer lab and identify the parts
that you see and touch.
Can you identify the following?
• Keyboard • Mouse
• Monitor/Screen/ Visual Display Unit (VDU)
• System Unit (some people mistake this for the CPU)
There are parts of a personal computer that are not visible. You would have to look inside the
machine to see them. They are located within the system unit.
Examples of such parts include;
• The Central Processing Unit (CPU) • Memory Chips
• Hard Disk • System Buses • Mother board
All parts found within the system unit are plugged into the mother board which is an example of a
circuit board. It connects the processor to the other hardware.
Other parts of your computer are externally attached to the system unit through ports. A port
is like a socket into which a cable fits.
1.5. Computer Hardware
1.5.1 Input Devices

These are devices that are used to enter data into a computer. They may enter data in form of
sound, alphanumeric text, or images. The most common examples include the mouse and the
keyboard. Others include scanners, web cams, joysticks, light pens, digital cameras, touch
pads, microphones.
Identify which of the above device(s) enter(s)
Sound ………………………………..
Images ………………………………..
Alphanumeric text ………………………………..
1.5.2 Output Devices

These are devices that display the result of processing carried out by a computer. It may be in
form of sound, or information displayed in hard or soft copy. The most common examples
include monitors, printers and speakers. A projector when attached to your computer will
display information with the help of presentation programs resident on your computer. Is a
projector an output device?
1.5.3 Processor
This is also known as the brain of your computer. All computations within the computer
are carried out by the processor. It is the Central Processing Unit within your computer
and it determines how fast your computer will operate. The speed of processor is measured
in Megahertz (MHz). You will find some processors today whose speed is measured in
Gigahertz (GHz). The processor is the most important item within your computer.
1.5.4 Memory and Storage Devices
1.5.4.1 Memory
This consists of electronic components that store instructions waiting to be processed by
the processor, data needed by those instructions and the results of processed data
(information). Memory usually consists of one or more chips on the motherboard or some
other circuit board in the computer.

The most common type of memory is called Random Access Memory (RAM) which is
sometimes referred to as the main working memory. This kind of memory is volatile so it
constantly needs a supply of power. When the computer is switched off, its contents are
erased. Memory stores three basic categories of items; the operating system and other
system software that control or maintain the computer and its devices, application
programs that carry out specific tasks like word processing and data being processed by
the application programs and the resulting information. You should note that the
operating system and application programs are only loaded into memory from a permanent
storage device and are held in memory temporarily.
A byte is the basic storage unit in memory. Each byte resides temporarily in a location in
memory. A byte consists of eight bits. A bit is the smallest unit used to measure memory and
it is either 1 or 0.
You need to find out the following:

1. How many bytes make up a kilobyte?
2. How many kilobytes make up a megabyte?
3. How many megabytes make up a gigabyte?
The other type of memory is Read Only Memory (ROM) which is a special type of memory chip
that holds software that can be read but not written to. It permanently stores instructions that
a computer needs to operate. A good example is the ROM-BIOS chip. BIOS stands for Basic
Input Output System. The ROM-BIOS chip holds instructions the computer will follow to carry
out a self-check of its input and output devices when it is first switched on.
Instructions on ROM cannot be erased even when the computer is switched off. If you had to
change the contents of ROM, you would have to overwrite it. Putting data into this kind of
memory is called ‘burning in the data’ and it is usually done at the factory. One important
reason a computer needs ROM is that it must know what to do when the power is first turned
on. ROM contains the start-up instructions which ensure that the rest of memory is functioning
properly, checks for hardware devices and checks for the operating system on the computer’s
hard disk and then loads it into memory
1.5.4.2 Storage Hardware

These devices store data and information permanently. The main storage area within a computer is
the hard disk. It can store over 10 Gigabytes and it is really fast. A hard disk is usually internal;
however external hard disks can also be attached to your computer. These are slower than the internal
hard disks and their capacity is the same. They are more expensive than the internal hard disks.
Other storage devices include Digital Versatile Disks (DVDs), Compact Disks (CDs), Zip drives, Jazz
drives, Flash Disks, and Floppy Diskettes (these are being phased out). These devices need to be
inserted into special drives or ports on your computer for you to view the data or information they
hold.
Students should not confuse a storage device with an input device or with memory. You should be able
to note the difference.
Consider the setting within an office. It has a file cabinet, a table top or a desk and a desk organizer in
which you place your pens and pencils. If you want to work on a particular file, you will go into the
cabinet, find the necessary folder, pick out a file/document and place it on your table or desk. You will
work on it and note a few changes on the file/document using your pen or pencil and after place it
back into the cabinet for future reference. The file cabinet is like your storage device, the table top or
desk is like your main working memory and your pen or pencil like an input device.
Other distinctions between memory and storage include;
There is more room in storage than there is in memory, the contents of storage are retained when the
computer is switched off while those in the main working memory are lost and compared to memory,
storage is slower and cheaper.
Consider the storage devices above and compare them in terms of capacity and cost and fill in the table
below.
Device Capacity Cost
DVD
CD
Jazz
Zip
Flash Disk
Floppy Diskette
There are devices that can be used for both input and output, find out examples of such and discuss
them with your tutor.
What are some of the factors that affect the performance of your computer?
The performance of a computer is affected by three major factors:
• THE SPEED OF A PROCESSOR • THE SIZE OF RAM
• THE CAPACITY AND SPEED OF THE PROCESSOR.
For a clear understanding of each of the factors listed above, request for an explanation from your tutor.
1. BASIC CONCEPTS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
1.6. Computer Software
1.6.1 System Software

This consists of programs that control or maintain the operation of the computer and its
devices. It serves as an interface between the user, the application software and the computer‘s
hardware. System Software consists of the operating system and utility programs.
The Operating System is a set of programs that coordinates all activities among computer hardware
devices. It provides a user with the tools that enable you to interact with a computer. When you issue
a command to the computer, the operating system translates it into a language the machine
understands and the results of your actions are displayed to you through an output device. The
following are the functions of an operating system:
• It provides a user interface through which you are able to interact with the computer. The
user interface is a set of items we see on the screen. Current operating systems have a
Graphical User Interface (GUI). Examples of such operating systems include all versions of
Windows, CentOS, Macintosh OS, and some versions of Linux like Ubuntu, Suse and Redhat. It
is called a GUI because you use a mouse or some other pointing device to point at graphical
objects such as windows, menus, icons, buttons and other tools. Older Operating Systems did
not have a GUI. One needed to know commands to work with them. A good example is the
Disk Operating System (DOS).
• It loads programs like a word processor into memory so that you can use them.
• It coordinates how programs work with the CPU, RAM, keyboard, mouse, printer and other
hardware as well as other software
• It manages the way information is stored on and retrieved from disks
An operating system can only perform the above functions after it has been loaded into memory. It is
usually loaded from the hard disk into memory after the computer has been switched on.
A Utility program allows a user to perform maintenance-type tasks usually related to managing a
computer, its devices or programs.
The functioning of the Operating System can be extended by adding utility software. Most operating
systems include several utility programs for managing disk drives, printers and other devices.
1.6.2 Application Software

Application Software also called Application Programs are programs installed on the computer.
If a computer user wants to accomplish tasks like creating a document, preparing a
presentation or a budget, storing records, browsing the web, listening to music and watching
videos, he/she will use Application Programs.
These programs need to be installed on the computer before one can use them. Instructions in a
program are stored on storage media such as a hard disk or CD. To install is to set up software to
work with the computer, printer and other hardware components. To install, insert the program disc
and the computer will copy the program from the disc to the computer’s hard disk. Once installed,
you can use the software or run it. When you instruct a computer to run an installed program, the
computer loads it which means it is copied from storage to memory. Once in memory, the computer
can execute the instructions in a program.
Examples of Applications include word processors, spreadsheets, presentation software, and

databases, accounting packages, web browsers, multimedia applications and desktop publishing
applications.
1.7. Computers in Everyday Life
Computers are used in several places for different purposes. They are found in homes, supermarkets,
banks, hospitals, Libraries.
IN HOMES, a computer can be used to manage home finances, listen to music, watch videos, and play
games. You can also access online banking services and order for products online, chat with friends,
send instant messages online, communicate through electronic mail and make calls if you have
internet in your home. You may also work from home instead of physically going to an office.
Have you ever walked into a supermarket and realized you were being monitored on a screen?
Computers are used in SUPERMARKETS for this purpose. They are also used to enter transaction
details. A supermarket usually has a Transaction Processing System (TPS) that takes note of daily
transactions made by the supermarket. It may also have an inventory management system that
monitors stock levels and helps the management make decisions on when to re-stock in case they are
running out of stock.
In banks computers are used to manage customer information related to their accounts. Banks have
Auto Teller Machines (ATMs) that customers can use to withdraw money, check balance and
sometimes transfer funds from one account to another. These offer a 24 hour service if they are in
order and one does not have to line up to have a teller (human being) attend to them. Banks today
offer online banking services made possible through the internet and one can access banking services
even at home. Customers can now pay their bills without having to physically go to the bank.
In hospitals computers are used to schedule appointments with the doctor and to manage patient
records. This helps to keep the doctor organized and he can also access a patient’s history with ease.
In libraries computers are used to keep records of resources purchased, books borrowed and books
available.
1.8. Health and Safety Precautions
It is important for a computer user to know health and safety precautions when working with a
computer. Here are some precautions to take.
Make sure that power points are not overloaded. This is dangerous and could cause a fire outbreak. It
should therefore be avoided.
Avoid trailing cables as people can easily trip over them and this could cause injury to them or even
to your computer which may lose data before you save it.
Take regular breaks when working with your computer to avoid strain that comes as a result of
constant use of the keyboard or mouse. This kind of strain is referred to as Repetitive Strain Injury
(RSI). Regular breaks also keep you from straining your eyes.
Bad posture like leaning forward or backward may affect your back in the long run. Ensure that the
monitor is at eye level. It should be adjustable to suit you. You may also consider having a foot rest.
Do not eat or drink over the keyboard. Liquids poured into your keyboard will damage it.
There are practices that can help create a good working environment. These include:
Ø Your chair should be fully adjustable.

Ø Your computer room should be adequately lit and well aerated.
Ø Your computer should be placed on a vibration free surface.
Ø Use a mouse mat for your mouse. It makes it easier to use.
Ø Have a fully adjustable screen.
Ø Use a good keyboard.
Ø Avoid dust, heat, cold or moisture
1.9. Computer Threats and Measures to Protect the Computer from these threats
The most important thing stored on your computer is information. Anything that will cause the loss of
information or data from your computer is a threat to its security.
A Computer Virus is a program usually designed with malicious intent. It finds its way to a
computer through infected flash disks or being connected to a network. It can spread so easily from
one computer to another and it affects the general performance of a computer. The presence of a
computer virus is evident if you have files being replicated without your doing, the computer
sometimes freezes when you are in the middle of doing something, program files and system files are
destroyed and sometimes the computer becomes extremely slow. You need to install antivirus
software on your computer and keep it up to date. This way you can protect your computer from virus
attacks. Scan any disks before using them in your computer. This is usually done by the antivirus
software.
If your computer is free from viruses, is it far from unauthorized users? There are individuals who will
access the data and information on your computer and alter it. Most times they do it out of malice.
You need to limit access to your information to only authorized users. This can be achieved by the use
of passwords. What is a password?
Sometimes data or information is lost as one is working with a computer due to power issues. If there
is an unexpected power cut before your work is saved, you will lose it. Attach an Uninterruptible
Power Supply to your computer to deal with power cuts. This device has batteries that will keep
power for a time long enough for you to save your work and shut down your computer after a power
cut.
Sometimes information can be lost when there are fire outbreaks. A fire will destroy your computer
the information that it holds. If you create a second copy of your work on an external storage device
and keep it off the site of your computer, you will be in position to recover your work even after a fire
hazard. Creating a second copy of your work is referred to as backing up. You may choose to back up
all the data on your computer (complete backup) and after this back up your work every night,
backing up only the new files created after the first complete back up (incremental backup).
Thieves may break into your computer room and carry away your computer. Keep thieves away by
employing security guards, use an alarm system, you may choose to have burglar proofs and also use
strong padlocks.
If your computer is connected to a network, it is prone to attack by individuals called hackers. Keep
hackers away by installing a firewall that will prevent them from accessing any information held on
computers on your network.
Using the Internet and World Wide Web
1. Objectives
Internet has become so common that almost everyone is using it. You can easily contact someone in
a different country; share your thoughts, knowledge and information through electronic mail and
available social networks like face book. It is even possible to shop and access banking services online
today. You can also make voice calls over the internet.
2.0 Learning Objectives
After completing this week, you will be able to;
1. Describe the significance of the Internet and the World Wide Web
2. Use the Internet to search for information and to communicate
3. Understand some of the ethical issues that arise with the use of the Internet and how to deal
with them.
2. Computer Networks
Before we look at the Internet it is important that you understand computer networks.
What is a computer network?
If you have two or more computers linked for purposes of sharing information, physical resources or
communication, they make up a computer network.
There are two common types of networks. These are distinguished by the geographical location they
cover. If you have computers and computing devices interconnected over a small or a limited
geographical area they make up what is called a Local Area Network (LAN). These computers may be
in an office or a building. They could also be within an institution or within a city. A metropolitan area
network spans an urban city. Usually computers within an institution are able to communicate if they
are connected to the LAN. Each department in a big institution like Uganda Christian University may
have a LAN. Many interlinked LANs make up what is called an intranet.
An Intranet is simply a private network contained within an enterprise. The main purpose of an
intranet is to share organizational information and resources among employees. When part of the
intranet is accessible to people outside the enterprise, it becomes an extranet.
If you have an interconnection that spans a large geographical area like a state, a country or even a
continent, it is referred to as a Wide Area Network (WAN). Different LANs when interconnected also
form a WAN. The most popular WAN is the Internet.
Being connected to a network presents advantages and shortcomings. Your computer is able to
access data held on other devices, resources like printers can be shared within a department, you are
able to communicate with a friend in a distant country through electronic mail, you can also make
calls over the internet, and chat rooms are common today. There are so many advantages of being
connected to a network.
Can you think of more?
If your computer is connected to a network, it is susceptible to virus attacks and unauthorized access
to your information. If all computers on the network depend on a server, if it is down all computers
will be down.
2.1. The Internet and the World Wide Web
The Internet is a global interconnection of networks. There are millions of computers all over the
world that are interconnected. Information can therefore be shared and it is possible to have several
services running over the Internet. You need to know how to connect your computer to the Internet.
You may connect through your company’s LAN if it is already subscribed to an Internet Service
Provider (ISP) or if there are hot spots on your campus you may access Internet if your computer has
a wireless network card installed. You may choose to purchase a mobile modem device from an ISP
and connect your computer to the internet from anywhere. What are the other ways you can connect
your computer to the Internet?
There is vast information stored on machines called servers located in different countries across the
globe. This can only be accessed if your computer is connected to them through a network like the
Internet. It is important that a student learns how to search for this information.
The services that run over the Internet may include electronic mail, banking online, electronic
commerce and so many more. Shopping on the Internet has become popular today. You can
purchase your automobile online or even order for books online. You can also access the latest news.
Almost all newspapers, magazines and Television channels offer their services on their websites.
A widely used information system on the Internet that provides facilities for documents to be
connected to other documents by hypertext links, enabling the user to search for information
by moving from one document to another is called the World Wide Web (WWW). The World
Wide Web is just one of the features of the internet. Documents on the web are called web pages
and they are written in a special language called hypertext markup language (HTML). This
language makes it possible for hyperlinks to be part of a document. A hyperlink is simply text or an
image which helps you jump to another location within the same document or to another
document when clicked on. This second document may be located on the same computer as the
first or on a different computer elsewhere on the Internet. The WWW organizes widely scattered
resources into a seamless whole. A collection of related web pages is called a website.
2.2. Searching for Information
To search for Information on the World Wide Web is very easy once your computer is connected to
the Internet. You will need a software application that is designed to find hypertext documents on the
web and open them up on the user’s computer. This application is called a web browser and is usually
found on a user’s computer. Common examples of web browsers include Internet Explorer, Firefox,
and Google Chrome.
It is also important for one to know the address of the server that holds this information and the
location of the file on the server. The World Wide Web is built on a set of rules called hypertext
transfer protocol (HTTP) which uses internet addresses in a special format called a uniform
resource locator (URL). URLs look like this: type://address/path
In a URL, type specifies the type of server in which the file is located, address is the address of the
server, and path is the location of the file structure within server. The path includes the list of folders
where the desired file is located.
You need to type the URL for a website in the address box of your web browser to access the
information it holds.
If you have no clue of which website to visit when searching for information, you can make use of a
search engine. A search engine is a computer program that searches documents, especially on the
World Wide Web, for a specified word or words and provides a list of documents in which they are
found. A common example is Google. Others include Lycos, AltaVista, yahoo and excite.
To search for information, you need to type in one or more key words. A list of web pages containing
related information is returned to you.
2.3. Communication over the Internet

Simply put, communication involves the sending and receiving of a message. It basically requires a
sender, a receiver, the message, a transmission channel. There are different ways in which we can
communicate over the Internet. Electronic mail is common, you could also choose to make a voice call
over the Internet, and there are chat rooms, instant messages, blogs where one is free to comment on
a particular subject, however for this course we shall look at how to communicate through electronic
mail.
You should be in position to send a plain text message and also be able to attach a file to a message
before you send it. Know all about replying mail, opening an e-mail with an attachment, forwarding
mail and deleting mail.
2.3.1 Electronic Mail Ethics /Netiquette

Sending an e-mail is similar to writing a letter. When you write a letter to someone whether personal
or business, there are some unwritten rules. These unwritten rules are called ethics. Ethics on the
Internet is called Netiquette (Internet Etiquette). A few netiquettes are listed below.
1. Does not use a lot of bold letters. Bold indicates emphasizing the word or statement. Too
much use of bold letters is similar to shouting.
2. Do not leave the subject field blank. If you do, it appears that you have nothing to say
3. Avoid using acronyms especially when communicating to people who will not understand
what you mean.
4. Check your message for spelling mistakes before sending it.
5. Use humor while writing your mail
6. While sending a copy to someone, make sure it is necessary before you do so. It may be
confusing and embarrassing.
7. Do not send junk mail. Junk mail is mail that is neither expected nor requested for by the
receiver
8. No recipient wants to read a long boring message. Keep it short and clear
9 Before sending mail, make sure it conveys exactly what you want to say.
10. If you want to present a certain point, break it into small pieces of numbered statements.
2.4. Lab Exercise 1
1. Start your Computer if it is turned off.

2. Launch the Web browser.
3. In the address bar, type an address for a website that your tutor will specify.
i. You should be in position to identify the home page ii. Identify any hyperlinks
within the page returned to you and click on them.
iii. Use the back button to move to the previous web page you visited
4. Open a new window within your web browser and in the address bar type the address of a
search engine for example, www.google.com. Your browser will return a web page where you
can type in key words.
a. You may choose one of the following topics
i. Growing tomatoes
ii. Children’s rights
iii. First Aid
iv. Growing your business
v. Project Management Tips
b. Or a topic specified by your tutor
5. A list of web documents will be returned to you in form of hyperlinks. Look through the list and
select the most appropriate link with information relevant to your search.
2.5. Lab Exercise 2
1. You need to have an e-mail address. If you do not have one get one.
2. Open your e-mail account
i. Compose or create a new message ii. Specify the e-mail address to which you wish
to send the message iii. Give your message a subject iv. In the body type your
message
v. Send it by clicking on the send button.
3. To attach a file, you need to create it first. You can do this with your tutor’s help
4. Follow the steps in 2 above and before you send your message, attach the file you created in
step 3. After the file is attached, you may send your message
5. Request your neighbor for their e-mail address and repeat steps 2-5 and sending a mail to
your neighbor.
a. If your neighbor has sent you mail, check in your inbox
b. If you wish to forward this mail to a friend, select it and click on the forward button
c. If you do not wish to keep this mail, select it and click on the delete button.
d. If you have received mail with an attachment, open the attachment and read the
contents. Having trouble with this? Your tutor is there to help you.
e. If you wish to reply the message simply click on the reply button and send the mess
2.7. Ethical Issues that Arise with the Use of the Internet
Privacy on the Internet is a major concern today. Wikipedia notes that it is one of the key issues that
has emerged since the evolution of the World Wide Web. Millions of internet users often expose
personal information on the internet in order to sign up or register for thousands of different possible
things. With this act they expose themselves on the internet in ways some may not realize. In other
cases, individuals do not expose themselves, but rather the government or large corporations,
companies, small businesses on the internet leave personal information of their clients, citizens, or just
general people exposed on the internet. With the increase in social networking sites, more and more
people are allowing their private information to be shared publicly. On the surface, this may be seen
as someone listing private information about them on a social networking site, but below the surface,
it is the site that could be sharing the information (not the individual).
The article below has been extracted from the

site http://www.buzzle.com/articles/ethical-issues-of-internet-privacy.html Read it
and attempt the questions that follow.
Privacy is a status where an individual can work on his/her information in

seclusion, resulting in selective revelation of one’s identity and information.
Privacy can mean anonymity in case a person wants to remain unidentified.
Privacy can also be related to the security aspect of an individual or
information. The definitions of privacy can differ across individuals and
cultures. The invasion of privacy can be avoided by the use of privacy laws.
Internet, which hosts an enormous information base, has given rise to the
concept of information privacy. The vast information on the Internet faces
security needs. Unauthorized access to the information is undesirable. Data
privacy refers to the association between technology and legal rights
related to it. Whenever any information about a person or a person’s data is
stored, privacy needs arise. Internet privacy is the control one has over what
information about oneself, the person wishes to disclose. Internet privacy
deals with controlling the access to information over the Internet.
Ethical Issues of Internet Privacy
Using the Internet often comprises of the use of social networking sites,
email facilities and the browse of various other websites. Internet privacy
comes on the scene when it
comes to website users giving out their personal details on the Internet. For
certain
websites, which facilitate online shopping, the users are made to input their
credit card numbers. In case of emailing sites, there are issues about
whether third parties should be allowed to store or read emails without
informed consent. Whether or not, the third parties should be permitted to
track the visitors on a website, is another major privacy concern. The other
important Internet privacy issue is whether the sites that gather
personally identifiable information from the users should store or
share it.
Internet privacy can be considered as a subset of computer privacy.

Computer privacy
consists of the data privacy relating to the avoidance of the improper
disclosure of the
personally identifiable information collected and stored by websites. The
effective
sharing of data while protecting the private information is the real challenge.
One school of thought denies the existence of Internet privacy while the
other advocates the necessity of Internet privacy.
Complete anonymity is not the intent of Internet privacy, It
rather intends to achieve a controlled disclosure of one’s personal
information.
Internet is a network of networks and when a person uses the Internet,
he/she connects to it and is identified by an address.
In technical terms this address is known as an IP address. For security
reasons, a website may wish to track these
addresses of its users. Websites may collect the non-personally
identifiable information of their users.
Such information is the one, which in no way can be used to uniquely
identify a person. The disclosure of these forms of information is acceptable.
It is actually the means which websites track the users' Internet activities.
Some users prefer stricter forms of privacy such as anonymity to the

Internet. Is it ethically right to allow users to use the Internet with a fake or
an anonymous identity? While it caters to the privacy needs of some users,
it may endanger the Internet usage for the others. Many users complain of
being stalked by the anonymous users.
The freedom of expression endowed by social networking, has resulted in

some Internet users publicizing wrong or undesired information under false
names. They are free to discuss and opine about any and all topics in
forums, chat rooms, communities and blogs. Moreover, such expressions do
not require the users to disclose their identities. This raises issues in
research ethics pertaining to the privacy of research subjects and informed
consent. This is an undue advantage of the Internet privacy whereby the
border between the private and the public spaces is made blurred. While
providing open platforms for discussions, the Internet is ironically becoming
a stage where fake people can voice false opinions and foster fallacies.
Does Internet privacy imply that all the information posted on to the
Internet remains private and confidential? Does Internet privacy ascertain
the privacy of every Internet user? There are people who dread using online
banking and shopping websites because they doubt the unauthorized
disclosure of their personal information. Some disguise themselves while
using the Internet. Mailing lists and forum posts are a part of the search
results on the topics discussed in them. Is it ethically correct to expose
people's views in these ways? Some people fear the fact that they have a
visibility over the Internet for such reasons.
The trade-off would be to define the demarcating line between what's

public and what's private. Internet privacy is indeed important in case of the
revelation of personally identifiable information but it requires to be
delimited in cases where privacy puts the Internet ethics on stake.
Word Processor’s Interface
Lab Exercise 3
1. Start the Word Processing Application

2. The best way for one to learn is by looking at your screen. What do you see?
a. The Word Processor has several tools. With your tutor’s help identify the following
parts
i. Menu Bar – This displays titles of menus, which are lists of commands
and options
1. Point your mouse to one of the options and click to view the list
dropped down for you.
ii. Title Bar – It is the top most bar with the name of the application and
your document’s title. It has three control buttons
1. What do you notice when you click on the first control button? (It
looks like a minus sign)
2. Restore your window back
3. If your window is running maximized (covering the entire screen),
the second control button will help you un maximize/ restore your
window down
4 . The third and last button looks like an X and it will close your
application. (if you do not want it closed, do not click on it)
ii. Toolbars – These display buttons that represent frequently used
commands. Differentiate the Formatting toolbar from the standard
toolbar.
iii. Rulers – The horizontal and vertical ruler will show you the position of
text, margins and indents. If you do not have these showing, you can view
them.
iv. Scrollbars – Horizontal and Vertical will help you scroll through a
document if it is too large and cannot fit inside the document area
v. Status bar - Located at the bottom of your document, not your screen. It
indicates the status of your page including the page count, and
information related to your position in the document. vii. Document/ Text
area – This is the area that will hold text when it is entered using the
keyboard. You will notice a blinking bar at the beginning of the document
area. This is the Insertion point also referred to as the cursor. It simply
indicates where the next character will appear as you type

3. You are going to move the toolbars.
a. If the formatting toolbar and the standard toolbar appear on separate lines,
drag one of them till you have both toolbars displaying on the same line.
b. If the formatting toolbar and the standard toolbar appear on the same line,
drag one of them till you have both toolbars displaying on separate lines.

4. What do you do if you cannot view some toolbars? If your drawing toolbar is
missing, view it. Go to View>Toolbars>Drawing. Follow the same procedure if you want to
eliminate some of the toolbars in your window.
5. Some more action for you.

a. Make sure your window is not running maximized
i. Make it taller or shorter.
ii. Make it wider or narrower.

6. There are several possible views of your document.
a. Switch to each of the following views and notice the difference.
i. Print Layout
ii. Web Layout
iii. Outline
2.1. Entering Text, Saving and Printing
Lab Exercise 4
1. Make sure you are in the print layout view before you enter the following text.
You enter text by typing at the keyboard.

2. As you type, notice the cursor advancing across the screen. When your text reaches the
right edge of the screen, the word processor will automatically move the cursor to the
next line. This feature is called word wrap.

3. Do not press the enter key before you get to the end of a paragraph. The paragraph
ends just before the URL. Pressing the Enter key indicates to the word processor that
you are creating a paragraph.
Making a Chicken Pie
You can make a chicken pie starting off with a whole chicken or just as easily from the remaining
chicken meat left over from a roast chicken dinner made previously.
A traditional chicken pie will contain plenty of fabulous fresh vegetables including carrots, peas, leeks
or onions. Nowadays, you can add almost anything to your chicken pie, for example mushrooms,
potatoes, sweet corn, parsnips or ham. http://www.helpwithcooking.com/pastry-guide/chicken-
pie.html
4. Save your work

a. Specify the location to which you would like to save your work for example,
Desktop or Documents Folder
b. Give your file a file name
c. Click on the Save button.
What is the difference between the Save and Save As command?

5. Preview your document for printing. This is a good practice.
6. To print your document, you need to have a printer connected to your computer.
Several options are possible, using the menu option under the title File, using an icon on
your standard toolbar, or using a keyboard shortcut.
a. These options will launch a print dialog box from which you can specify the
following:
i. Name of the printer
ii. Page Range
1. All - if you want all pages printed

2. Current Page – if you only want the current page printed
3. Pages (e.g. 2-4) – if you want pages from 2 to 4 printed.
iii. Specify the number of copies you want, pages to be printed by sheet.
iv. You could also specify the page orientation, either portrait or landscape.
7. Close the Word Processing Application.
2.3. Editing a Document
After typing text, you can change it without having to retype the entire document. Making changes to
an existing document is called Editing.
Before any change is made to text, it is important to first select the portion of text to which you would
like to apply changes. To select is simply to highlight.
 Select a word by positioning the insertion point anywhere within the word.
 Alternatively you could double click within a word to select it.
 To select a paragraph, click within the paragraph thrice.
 Select an entire document by pressing CTRL + A
 To deselect text, click anywhere on the screen.
Other selection options:
Using the mouse

 Position your insertion point at the beginning of a word, sentence or paragraph you wish to
select.
 Drag your mouse across the word(s). To drag, depress the left mouse button and keep it
depressed as you move your mouse over the word(s).
 At the end of the word(s), release your mouse button
Using the keyboard
Having trouble with the mouse? You can use the keyboard to make your selection.
 Position your cursor at the beginning of the word(s) you wish to select.
 Depress the shift key and keep it depressed as you use the right arrow key to help you make
the selection.
 At the end of your selection, release the shift key.
2.4. Lab exercise 5
Enter the text below into a Word Document.
Champions Never Quit, Never Surrender By Daniel

Sitter
http://ezinearticles.com

What makes a champion? Is it an unrelenting attitude, belief in yourself, focus and
determination? A champion is a strong competitor who never quits and never surrenders. A
true champion would rather fall down while striving and exerting maximum effort, than to sit
down because she is tired. Quitting is never an option for winners.

At Wimbledon this year, we witnessed a true champion in action: According to the Associated
Press, "Hobbled and hurting and essentially playing on one leg, Serena Williams managed to
gut out a three-set victory." At one point, Williams fell to the ground, experiencing a crippling
leg cramp. "I thought about not finishing, but very briefly. I thought I wouldn't be able to live
with myself if I hadn't at least tried" she said after the event. Serena Williams summoned all of
the strength and fortitude within her and found victory, as a true champion will. Against all
odds, she prevailed.

The same attitude and characteristics also describe the successful entrepreneur. Although it may
appear sometimes that there is little hope, you must remain hopeful. There is always something to
be learned from past experiences, something that we can reach inward for that will furnish the drive
and inspiration to prevail.

1. Deleting text
a. Using the backspace key
Position the cursor after the word Quit in the title and press the backspace key.
What do you notice?
b. Using the delete key
You can now use the delete key. What do you notice?
What is the difference between the backspace key and the delete key?

2. Undo and Redo
a. The Undo command enables you to cancel the last several commands you
performed in a document. The Redo command helps you to redo actions after
they have been undone.
i. Go to Edit (Menu)> Select Undo ii. Go to Edit (Menu)> Select Undo
iii. Use the Undo Icon on the Standard toolbar iv. Use the
Redo Icon on the Standard toolbar
v. Keyboard Shortcuts for Undo and Redo are CTRL+Z and CTRL+Y
respectively.
3. Copying and Pasting
a. Select the first paragraph
b. Copy it using any of the options below
i. Edit>Copy
ii. Icon on Standard toolbar
iii. Keyboard Shortcut CTRL + C
iv. Right click and Select the option Copy
When you copy text, it is temporarily held in the clipboard from which you can paste it
b. Position your cursor after the second paragraph and press enter
c. Paste your work in that position using any of the following options:
i. Edit>Paste
iii. Keyboard Shortcut CTRL + V
iv. Right click and Select the option Paste How many copies of the
information do you have?
4. Moving Text
This is similar to the steps in 3 above
a. Select the second paragraph
b. Move it using any of the options below
i. Edit>Cut
iii. Keyboard Shortcut CTRL + X
iv. Right click and Select the option Cut
When you cut text, it is temporarily held in the clipboard from which you can paste it
c. Position your cursor after the third paragraph and press enter
d. Paste your work in that position using any of the following options:
i. Edit>Paste
iii. Keyboard Shortcut CTRL + V
iv. Right click and Select the option Paste
How many copies of the paragraph do you have? What is the difference between Copying
text and Moving text?

5. Find and Replace Text
Find the word champion and replace it with the word winner using the Find and Replace tool.
a. Edit > Find & Replace
b. CTRL +F
c. Locate the Find & Replace icon on the standard toolbar.
FORMATTING A DOCUMENT.
Lab Exercise 6
1. Enter the following text into a Word Processor.
Getting your words down on 'paper' is only part of producing a document. Just as important is
making your document look good. A well-formatted letter, report or memo is easier to read, draws
attention to the most important information, and creates a receptive and favorable impression in the
reader.
Word processors provide you with the tools to make your documents look good. They can't give you
taste and a sense of style – although some of the up market word processors can automatically apply
consistent styles to your documents to make them look smart – but they do supply you with
everything you need to take your words from raw text to stylish output.

2. Change the font of the first paragraph to one that your tutor will specify.
3. The default font size is 12; change the font size of the first and second paragraph to 11 and
16 respectively.
4. Change the font color of the first paragraph to red.
5. Apply a border around your work.
6. Change the background color of the first paragraph to light green.
7. Highlight text in the second paragraph with a yellow color.
8. Save your work and close the document.
9. Enter the following text in a new document and follow the instructor’s directions in bold to
format the paragraphs as described.
Align this paragraph left. This is the standard paragraph alignment. This means that the text is flush
up against the left margin. This leaves the right side of the text with a jagged appearance.
Align this paragraph center. This means that the text comes in equally from both margins, resulting in
the text being centered left-to-right. Both sides of the text will have a jagged appearance. This type of
alignment is often used for headings.
This paragraph alignment should be to the right. This means that the text is flush up against the right
margin. So the left side of the text is left with a jagged appearance. This type of alignment is very
seldom used.
Another alignment option is Justify. This will make tiny adjustments to the spaces between words so
that the text is lined up against both the left and right margins. The result is that the both sides of the
paragraph are clean and straight, just like the text in magazines and newspapers. The last line of the
paragraph, as well as single line paragraphs (headings), are not affected by this alignment.
10. Line Spacing for Paragraphs.

Line spacing controls the vertical spacing between the lines within the
paragraph. The familiar typing terms single-spaced and double-spaced are what
we are dealing with here. By default, the line spacing is set at single-spaced. This
means that there is enough vertical spacing for a single line of text.
Double-spaced paragraphs have double the amount of vertical spacing. It looks
as though you have pressed the Enter key twice between each line of the
paragraph. But we have actually used the line spacing option of the paragraph to
get this look.
If double spacing seems to space the lines out a little too much, we can use some
other spacing options. This is 1.5 lines spacing. Somewhere between single and
double spaced we have this look that
a. Apply the following line spacing to the paragraphs you entered in step 9.
i. Paragraph 1 and 3 - Single
ii. Paragraph 2 - Double
iii. Paragraph 4 - 1.5 lines
11. Spacing Before and After Paragraphs
a. Set the space before and after the following paragraphs to 0.5
b. Alternatively set them to 18pt and 24 pt respectively.
These Spacing options will set the amount of spacing before the paragraph as well as after the
paragraph. While it sounds confusing, this is an incredible feature of Word that gives you precise
control over the look and flow of text from one paragraph to the next.
In most simple documents, you may never use this feature. But if you ever have a larger project, you
may want to consider this tool.

12. Indents are used to bring the text in from the margins. Follow the instructions in bold to set
indents for the following paragraphs.
We can use a left indent. Set it to 1.50. This brings the paragraph text in from the left margin. The
amount of indentation is completely adjustable, from as little as one-tenth of an inch, up to three or
four inches or more, depending on your desired look.
We can use a right indent. Set it to 2.5. This brings the paragraph text in from the right margin.
Again, the indentation amount can be whatever you want it to be. The purpose of indenting text, is to
help draw the eye to the indented text or to make it stand out from the other text in the document.
Use both left and right indents together for this paragraph. 0.5 Left and 0.5 Right. Indents are a
unique feature in that many different kinds of indents can be combined. When we apply both a left
and a right indent to a paragraph of text, it is often referred to as a ‘block quote.’ This is used to help
set off a lengthy quote from your own words.
3. Lab exercise 7
1. Enter the following details about ice cream cake and format them to appear exactly as below:
Ice Cream Cake

By: Winnie the Pooh
"This is a basic recipe for ice cream cake. You can use any flavor of ice cream or cake mix you
like”
Ingredients:
 1 (18.25 ounce) package chocolate cake mix
 1/2 gallon chocolate ice cream, softened
Directions:
1. Prepare cake according to package directions; bake in a 9x13 inch baking dish and cool completely.
2. Use ice cream that comes in a rectangular carton. Remove the carton and, using a piece of string
or dental floss, cut the ice cream in half lengthwise (long side to long side) and place the two
layers side by side on a piece of waxed paper.
3. Place the cooled cake over the ice cream. Trim the cake and ice cream so that the edges ma
tch.
4. Place a board or serving platter over the cake, hold onto the waxed paper and board, and flip the
ice cream cake over. Remove the waxed paper and smooth out the seam between the ice cream
slabs.
3. Cover with waxed paper and freeze until very firm. Decorate as desired.
2. Insert the following;
a. A Page break
b. A header with your name aligned right and the date aligned left
c. Footer with your registration number aligned left and Page numbers aligned center.

3. Enter the data as it appears below and format the following lines of text following the
instruction column.
Data Instruction

SERENA HOTEL font size 36 or 36 point, Outline
Silver Springs font size 14, Shadow
All modern facilities font size 48, Engraved

Family Restaurant size 18, Small caps
Moderate tariff size 15, All caps
Telephone Strikethrough
Fax Number Double Strike through
Author Hidden
City Square Embossed

4. Change the word 2nd so that it looks like 2nd.
5. Change the word H2O so that it looks like H2O.

6. Enter the following text and split the text into two or more columns.
Making your documents look good can be as simple as making your headings bold or positioning
addresses and salutations correctly in a letter. It can be much more than that, too, but when you're
first starting out it's far better to aim for a clean, simple, consistent look to your documents than to try
to achieve the ultimate in style. Of course, the ultimate in style may well resemble the clean, simple
consistent look you aim for in the first place.
In fact, the most frequent mistake made in formatting documents is to try to do too much: apply
multiple styles, use half a dozen fonts, go for fancy layout.
Instead of going for broke, take a look at your document, decide which elements you want to
emphasize, and assess how formal the document needs to be. Then do the minimum amount of
formatting required to achieve your ends.
7. Perform a word count on your entire document and note down the following;
a. number of pages
b. number of characters with and without spaces,
c. number of paragraphs and lines.
Using the Internet and World Wide Web
1. Objectives
Internet has become so common that almost everyone is using it. You can easily
contact someone in a different country; share your thoughts, knowledge and
information through electronic mail and available social networks like face book. It is
even possible to shop and access banking services online today. You can also make
voice calls over the internet.
2.0 Learning Objectives
After completing this week, you will be able to;
1. Describe the significance of the Internet and the World Wide Web
2. Use the Internet to search for information and to communicate
3. Understand some of the ethical issues that arise with the use of the Internet
and how to deal with them.
Before we look at the Internet it is important that you understand computer

networks.
What is a computer network?
If you have two or more computers linked for purposes of sharing information,
physical resources or communication, they make up a computer network.
There are two common types of networks. These are distinguished by the
geographical location they cover. If you have computers and computing devices
interconnected over a small or a limited geographical area they make up what is
called a Local Area Network (LAN). These computers may be in an office or a building.
They could also be within an institution or within a city. A metropolitan area network
spans an urban city. Usually computers within an institution are able to communicate
Word Processing: Practical Exercises
1. Exercise 1
Type the following text

Facing the Giants is a 2006 American Christian drama film directed by and starring Alex Kendrick. The
supporting cast was composed of volunteers from Sherwood Baptist Church. Shot in Albany, Georgia,
the film relates an underdog story about American football from an evangelical Christian worldview.
The film was released to DVD in early 2007 and made its television debut on September 21, 2008, on
Trinity Broadcasting Network.
1. Make all the years in the passage bold and give them a font size of 14.
2. Italicize and make the words “Facing the Giants” bold.
3. Find and Replace the word film with movie.
4. Italicize all names of places in the passage.
5. At the end of the above text, type out every third word in each line on a separate line
and apply bullets of your choice.
6. Copy the second paragraph and paste it twice before the first
7. Align the first paragraph center with a line spacing of double.
8. Justify the second paragraph and give it an indent of 0.5 left and right and 1.5 line
spacing.
9. Apply a border around your work
10. Insert a header and a footer
i. In the Header include your name aligned right and your course aligned left
ii. Insert the date and time in the Footer
11. Give your document a background color of light blue.
12. Set the margins as follows
i. Top: 3”
ii. Bottom: 5”
iii. Left: 2” iv. Right : 2”

2. Exercise 2
Type in the following text and Save your work
Fatboy Slim
Early Years
Although born in Bromley, Norman grew up in Redhill and later studied at Brighton Poly, where he
graduated with a BA in English, Politics and Sociology. It was in Brighton that Norman started his
music career as a DJ. Fatboy Slim is the project of Quentin “Norman” Cook.
Rise to Fame
While he was a DJ in Brighton, Norman got a phone call from an old schoolmate, inviting him to play
in a band called the Housemartins. The Housemartin‟s biggest hit was “Caravan of Love” which
reached the British number one slot in 1986. The band split the following year.
Different Projects
After the split, Norman formed beats International and had a British number one hit with “Dub Be
Good to Me” in 1989. Soon afterwards Norman was forced to take a break after getting divorced and
falling victim of a nervous breakdown. Two years later, Beats International was disbanded in favor of a
new group called Freakpower.
After touring with Freakpower for a year, Norman became a partner in Skint Recordsand adopted the
pseudonym Fatboy Slim. According to Norman, the name originates from a Louisiana blues singer in
the 1940s
Continuing Success
Fatboy Slim soon attracted much attention in Europe and the US with his blend of house, acid, hip-
hop, electric and techno music. Hits included remixes of “Brimful of Asha”, “Renegade Master”, and his
own tunes such as “The Rockafellar Skank” and “Right Here, Right Now
During two rollercoaster years, Norman found himself jetting off to DJ gigs and award ceremonies
and in the midst of all this he fell in love and married Zoe Ball. Today, the couple has a young son
called Woody Fred and Fatboy Slim continues to take the world by storm!
Bibliography
1. Ensure that the title, “Fatboy Slim” adheres to the following:
a. Font Style Bold
b. Alignment Center

c. Font Size 14

2. Illustrate all the song titles in bold and italic
3. Save your changes
4. Select all text and change it from single spacing to double spacing
5. In the first paragraph, cut the paragraph „Fatboy Slim is the project of Quentin “Norman”
Cook‟ and paste it at the start of the first paragraph. It should now read:

„Fatboy Slim is the project of “Norman” Cook. Although born in Bromley, Norman grew up in
Redhill and later studied at Brighton Poly, where he graduated with a BA in English, Politics and
Sociology. It was in Brighton where Norman started his music career as a DJ.‟

6. Change the fifth paragraph as follows using bullets and numbering:
Fatboy Slim soon attracted much attention in Europe and the US with his blend of house, acid,
hip-hop, electric and techno music. Hits included remixes of:
• “Brimful of Asha”
• “Renegade Master” and his own tunes such as:
1. “The Rockafellar Skank”
2. “Right Here, Right Now

7. Save your document.
8. Insert a header with your name on the right and today‟s date on the left in a size font 10.

9. Insert a footer that consists of a page number in the center of the page.

10. Insert a page break before the headings „Early Years‟, „Rise to Fame‟, „Different Projects‟,
„Continuing Success‟ and Bibliography‟.

11. Perform a word count on the document and type the result at the end of the Bibliography.

12. Spell Check and Print Preview the Document.

13. Using the tab key, insert the following on page 4 of the document
Album Name Label Release Date
Blade II Virgin 19/03/02
Live on Brighton Beach Ministry of Sound 25/06/02

14. Save your work and close the application
15. Reopen the document you just closed

16. Ensure that the margins of the document adhere to the following:

Top: 0.8 inches (2 cm)
Bottom: 0.8 inches (2 cm)
Left: 1.2 inches (3 cm)
Right: 1.2 inches (3 cm)

17. Insert the following footnotes into the document

PAGE 3 – Rise to Fame
The Housemartins biggest hit was “Caravan of Love” which reached the British number one slot in
1986.1
1. Dick Tator, The 80s Music Scene. (London: POP Press, 1989, p.267

PAGE 4 – Different Projects
According to Norman, the name originates from a Louisiana blues singer in the 1940s. 2
2. Chris P. Bacon, Stormin‟ Norman. (New York: AD Press, 1994, p.54

18. Insert the following table under the heading Bibliography.

19. Sort the author‟s names in the table in alphabetical order.

20. Remove the line border from the table.

21. On page 1 of the document, click below the title „Fatboy Slim‟ and type „ Table of
Contents’ using the following:
Format: Underline
Alignment: Left
Font Size: 14
22. Ensure the headings „Early Years‟, „Rise to Fame‟, „Different Projects‟, „Continuing
Success‟ and „Bibliography‟ adhere to the following heading style:
Font: Arial
Format: Bold
Alignment: Left
Font Size: 12
23. Insert a page break before the heading „Table of Contents‟.

24. Click below the „Table of Contents‟ heading on the second page. From the appropriate
menu option choose index and tables. Select Table of Contents and choose a format your
tutor will specify, then click OK

25. Use the Find and Replace tool to change all occurrences of the word „Norman‟ to
„Norm‟ and Save your work.
Special Features of a Word Processor

1. Special Features of a Word Processor
A word processor has special features, most of which have been covered in the exercises in the
previous section. Some of the tools include but are not limited to language tools, tables, Mail Merge,
adding graphics and Sounds and Templates.
Language tools include checking spelling and grammar, and the thesaurus
A word processor has an in-built dictionary against which it compares words as you type. If a word
does not match, it will have a red wavy underline if it is a spelling error and a green wavy underline if
it is a grammatical error. Several ways exist in which you can correct these errors. The spell checker
will provide options for replacing the word, ignoring it, or adding it to dictionary. A grammar checker
compares each sentence to a set of standard grammatical rules and may provide grammatically
correct options.
A thesaurus simply provides you with alternative words. It may display a definition of a selected word
and a list of possible replacements.
Tables help you to organize your work. You can also make use of them to help you arrange images
within your document. A table is made up of rows and columns of information in the document.
Tables can be formatted in so many ways.
To mail merge is to combine a form letter with the contents of a database usually a list of names and
an address list so that one copy of the same letter is sent to different people with the correct name
and address printed on each letter.
It is very possible to add images and sound to your word document. Position your cursor where you
would like the image to appear, locate the image and insert it. Sound files can also be embedded in
your document
Templates are predesigned documents that are blank except for preset margins, fonts, paragraph
formats, headings, rules, graphics, headers or footers. You can open a document template, type your
text into it, save it and print the finished document. There is no need for you to manually format
complex documents.
Spreadsheets
1. Objectives
Spreadsheet Software stores information in columns and rows from which data is organized and / or
processed. Spreadsheets are more often used for calculations, such as totaling a column of numbers
or generating a more sophisticated formula to calculate some statistical measure on a list of
numbers.
A spreadsheet application combines three types of programs: worksheets, graphics, and database
management. It is designed for organizing and manipulating data, particularly numeric data, and for
translating such data into graphic form. A spreadsheet is a grid of data divided into rows and
columns. Each block in the grid is called a cell and it holds an individual piece of text or data.
A worksheet is a grid of rows and columns, in which you enter, edit and view data. It accepts data
from the user in form of numbers and text. A spreadsheet contains three worksheets when you open
it. A spreadsheet is similar to a file or a document while a worksheet is like a page in a book.
Worksheets are labeled at the bottom of a spreadsheet window. You can move from one worksheet to
another by clicking on the worksheet tab.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this week you should be able to:
1. Understand the difference between a spreadsheet and a worksheet.
2. Know the different parts of a Spreadsheet’s interface and their importance.

3. Identify differences between the word processor and a spreadsheet in terms of appearance and
functionality.
4. Learn how to make an entry, edit and delete an entry.
5. Learn how to Insert a new worksheet, rename and delete a worksheet.
6. Learn how to Insert and Delete rows and columns.
7. Carry out editing and formatting within a spreadsheet.
2. The Spreadsheet’s Interface
1. Start the Spreadsheet Application.
2. With your tutor’s help, identify the following parts:

i. Name box: This contains the address of the active cell in a particular worksheet
ii. Formula Bar: This appears below the displayed toolbars. You can use it to enter
or edit data in worksheet cells or charts iii. Worksheet area: This is the main
working area in which you enter and view data. iv. Cells: The rectangles formed
by each intersection of row and column are called cells. Every piece of data that you
enter into the worksheet is placed in a single cell. Each cell is referred to by its
column letter and row number. For example, cell A1 is the intersection of column A
and row 1. The combination such as A1 is known as the cell’s address
v. Cell Pointer: This is a rectangular highlight that marks the currently selected cell. It is
usually positioned in cell A1 when you first start a spreadsheet. It is usually placed in a cell
that is ready to accept data. It is always placed in one and only one cell called the active cell.
Enter data into that cell and after your entry press the enter key to complete the entry. vi.
Sheet tabs: These are labeled Sheet1, Sheet2 and Sheet3 when the spreadsheet is opened.
They indicate the Worksheets present in the spreadsheet.
3. Working with Spreadsheets
1. Enter the following on sheet1 beginning your first entry in cell E7

a. To make an entry, position the cell pointer in the required cell.
b. Start typing. Notice that as you type the characters appear in the formula bar. Your
entry appears in the active cell, press the enter key to confirm your entry.
c. If you notice a mistake as you type use the backspace key to erase the characters
d. If you notice the mistake after completing an entry
i. Double click within the cell for the cursor to appear and make the necessary
correction.
e. To erase cell contents altogether move the cell pointer to the cell and press the delete
key on your keyboard.

NAME HOUSE SCORE
ROBERT BLUE 56
CAMILLA GREEN 678
MARIA YELLOW 123
ALLAN RED 90
TOTAL

2. A spreadsheet recognizes two basic types of data:
a. Value: any data that can be evaluated numerically including numbers, dates, and
mathematical formulas
b. Label: a string of characters generally used for descriptive text such report titles, and
column headings.
Notice the difference between the alignment of numbers and text.

3. Save your work under the file name Green and exit the application

4. Start a new Spreadsheet application

5. Retrieve the document you saved in 3 above.
4. Working with Worksheets
Deleting a Worksheet
Reduce on the number of sheet tabs if you will not use all.
• Right click at the sheet tab of the worksheet you wish to delete
• Select delete.
Renaming a Worksheet
You can change the default name like Sheet1 to your name
• Right click the sheet tabs you want to rename
• The sheet tab will be highlighted allowing you to type in the new name
• The new name will replace the existing name.
Inserting a new Worksheet
By default they are three. This number however can be increased
• Right Click on the sheet tab
• Select the option to insert a new Worksheet
. The Worksheet will be inserted
5. Insert and Delete Rows and Columns

Select the cells above or below, to the left or to the right of where you want to
insert the row or column
Using a method your tutor will suggest,
 Insert the rows or columns
 Delete the rows or columns
Use the file Green you saved earlier.
1. Insert a column before the column labeled NAME

2. Delete the columns before the columns labeled HOUSE and SCORE
3. Insert a row above the column headings and merge the first four cells of this row. (To merge
is to combine two or more cells into one.) Type the title ‘GREENSTEAD’S PREPARATORY
SCHOOL’ aligned center.
4. Delete the row above the last row whose first entry is TOTAL.
Your table should appear as the one below:

GREENSTEAD’S PREPARATORY SCHOOL
NAME HOUSE SCORE
ROBERT BLUE 56
CAMILLA GREEN 678
MARIA YELLOW 123
ALLAN RED 90
TOTAL
6. Editing within a Spreadsheet
1. Enter the table below:
CHATEAU MARK – FIRST QUARTER SALES
CHEESE WINE POTATOES
January 25,000 20,000 40,000
February 15,000 17,500 38,900

March 76,500 123,400 12,500
2. Using any of the methods you learnt, make a copy of this table on another part of the
worksheet.
3. Change the months of the year to days of the week and change the items sold to Leader
Shoes, Dresses, and Coats
4. Delete the figures for Cheese and Dresses
5. Copy the figures for the Wine sales to the Cheese and Dresses section
7. Formatting Worksheets
One can select cells and apply formats to them. Cells may be formatted when empty or when
containing data. If empty cells are formatted, data entered in these cells takes on the formats applied.
To format cells,
1. Select the cells to be formatted.

2. Choose Format, Cell
3. Make Settings as required
4. Choose OK
Note:
The above steps are taken if one is using the menu. It is possible to format cells using the toolbar,
keyboard and shortcut menu. The student is expected to try all these methods.
Following are the formats one can set
Number: This is used to format cells containing values or numbers
Alignment: This refers to the way text is positioned or arranged in a document. In a worksheet,

alignment has to do with the position of text or numbers within a cell
Font: This enables one to choose the font name, style, size, color and other effects
Borders: Border lines can be added or removed to selected cells. Borders are added along specific
edges of each cell in the selection, leading to a continuous effect which later simply appears as a grid
of horizontal and vertical lines.
Create the worksheet below on any of the sheets in a new spreadsheet.

1993 1994
Actual Estimate Variance
Sales 450000 462700 12700
Cost of Goods 193500 230000 36500
Gross Margin 256500 271020 14520
Rent 83500 90000 6500

Format the above table to appear exactly as the one shown below
1993 1994

Actual Estimate Variance
Sales 450,000 462,700 12,700.00
Cost of Goods Sold 193,500 230,000 36,500.00
Gross Margin 256,500 271,020 14,520.00
Rent 83,500 90,000 6,500.00

Adjust the column width or row height to make sure all your text or figures fit.
To change a Column’s Width:
1. Select the column or any cell within the column

2. Drag the line to the right of the column heading until the column is the desired width
To adjust Row Height:
1. Select the rows you would like to change by clicking the row heading.
2. Drag the line below the row heading to adjust the row height. If more than one row is
selected, dragging the row heading line for one row changes all the selected rows
To quickly adjust the row height to accommodate the largest font in the row, or to adjust the
row height for cells containing wrapped text, double click the line below the heading.
AutoFormat
This command allows you to automatically apply a built-in format to a range of cells or a table
on a worksheet. To format a table using AutoFormat;
1. Select the range on the worksheet you want to format.
2. Choose AutoFormat from the Format menu

3. Select the type of format you want. Check out the preview, if you like it click OK.
Spreadsheets: Performing Calculations

1. Objectives
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this week, you should
1. Know how to carry out a simple calculation
2. Understand the Arithmetic Operators used within a spreadsheet
3. Understand why we use reference and not exact figures
4. Know the error values displayed when an incorrect formula is used and avoid them
5. Be able to copy a formula.
2. Numbers and Formulas
A formula is a set of instructions for performing a calculation and displaying the result in a cell.
You can create three types of formulas in a worksheet: arithmetic, text and logical.
We shall concentrate on arithmetic formulas, the most common type of formulas.
Apart from performing arithmetic on numbers typed directly into a formula, enter cell
addresses (of the cells containing numbers) into the formula instead of the numbers
themselves. Calculations will then be performed based on these cells.
For example, if you have numbers 50 in A1 and 32 in A2 and you want the sum of these two in
cell A4, enter a formula in A4 that refers to cells A1 and A2 instead of 50 and 32.
Formulas always begin with an equal (=) or a plus (+) sign. In our example therefore, the
formula to be entered in cell A4 would be = A1 + A2. The cell in which you enter a formula is
called a formula cell. When you complete your entry the result of the formula is displayed in
the current cell and the formula itself is displayed in the formula bar.
Arithmetic formulas contain values (numbers or references to cells that contain numbers) and
operators. They are entered into cells like any other entry; you move the cell pointer to the
appropriate cell, type the formula and then press the Enter key.
The following are the operators used in a formula
Type of Operator Operator

Arithmetic + - * / ^ %
Text &
Comparison = > < >= <=
To enter a formula
Select the cell in which you want to enter the formula
Type an equal sign or plus sign to activate the formula bar. To insert the reference for the
active cell into the formula, type the next operator, comma, or parenthesis, or complete the
formula by pressing enter.
Why use References and not exact figures?
When you use cell references in a formula, you instruct the spreadsheet to use whatever
numbers are currently in those cells to give the result. After you enter a formula, you can
change the numbers at will and the result will keep on varying. The spreadsheet will remember
your instructions and automatically re-execute them, generating a new result.
This feature is known as automatic recalculation; which means that any time you change the
value in a cell, it is referenced by formulas in other cells be it directly or indirectly) the results of
those formulas are automatically (and immediately) calculated.
2.1. Common Mistakes in Formulas
An error message is displayed whenever you make a mistake in a formula. The spreadsheet
also attempts to put the cursor on or next to the mistake on the input line. You therefore look
for the problem at the location of the cursor. Common errors include the following:
Error Value Meaning

#DIV/0! The formula is trying to divide by zero
#N/A! No value is available. Usually you enter this value directly into
worksheet cells that will eventually contain data that is not yet
available. Formulas referring to those cells will return #N/A! instead
of calculating a value
#NAME? The name used in the formula is not recognized
#NULL! You specified an intersection of two areas that did not intersect
#NUM! There is a problem with the number
#REF! The formula refers to a cell that is not valid
#VALUE! An argument or operand is of the wrong type.

2.2. Lab Exercise 8
1. On a fresh sheet of a spreadsheet

a. Enter the figures
1.5 in B4,
5.5 in B5,and
6.0 in B6
b. Enter a formula to sum up these figures in B8
2. Enter the figures
1.5 in C4, start entry with a single quotation mark
5.5 in C5, normally and
6.0 in C6 normally
Enter a formula to sum up these figures in C8. Explain the difference
3. Enter the label MEAN in A9 and enter a formula for the mean of figures (in B4, B5 and B6)
in B9. The mean is the sum of elements divided by the number of elements.
4. Enter the label COMP in A11 and enter the formula =B4>B5 in B11 and request for an
explanation from your tutor
Make note on a piece of paper of the results for the SUM, MEAN and COMP. now change the number
in B4 to 12.6. Note the new results 6. Save your work.
2.3. Copying a Formula
There are various ways in which you can copy a formula
1. Position the cell pointer on the cell containing the formula to be copied
2. Issue the command Edit>Copy
3. Select the cells in which you want a similar formula and then choose Edit>Paste.
When you copy a formula, the actual addresses of the referenced cells will be abandoned and the
spreadsheet will only remember their locations relative to the formula cell.
When you copy a formula, you create new formulas, each of which replicates the general function of
the copied formula rather than its literal contents.
Note: if you change the original formula, you have to copy it again in order to have the copies change
accordingly.
2.4. Lab Exercise 9
Wandegeya Dairy Farm sells milk on a daily basis. On a particular day, the following people bought
the given quantities of Milk
NAME NUMBER OF LITRES
MUKASA 3
NAKAMATE 11
ORYEM 12
KWESIGA 8
KADDU 15
MUGISHA 9
OKELLO 23
MUWANGA 41
MUSISI 2
OKIDI 1
The price of milk is Shs.800 per litre. The problem is to calculate the cost of milk for each customer
1. Add a column for the cost in a suitable place

2. Calculate the cost for the first customer and copy the formula used for the rest of the
customers
3. Save your file with a file name MILK.
Spreadsheets: Sorting, Filtering, Creating Charts

1. Objectives
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this week you should;
1. Know how to create different charts
2. Understand the difference between Sorting and Filtering
3. Learn how to use a Custom Filter
2. Creating Charts
A chart is a graphic representation of data in a worksheet. It helps to analyze and compare data
or focus attention to particular critical aspects of one’s data.
When you create a chart based on a worksheet selection, values from the worksheet are used
and represented in the chart as data points which are represented by bars, lines, columns,
slices, dots or other shapes. These shapes are referred to as data markers.
Groups of data points or data markers originating from a single worksheet rows or columns
are called data series. Each data series is distinguished by a unique color or pattern or both.
Creating a Chart
a. Select the data you want to plot including cells containing any category or series names
that you want to use in the chart
b. Start the chart wizard
c. Follow through the different steps of the chart Wizard
d. Choose the Finish Button to complete the chart
Steps in the chart wizard include
1. Selecting the type of chart you wish to create. Different charts have subtypes
2. Series information. if data is already specified for the chart, the data range will be shown in
this step.
3. There are standard chart options that can be turned off in this step. As you make the
changes, you should be able to preview the chart to make sure you get the look you want.
4. Decide where you want to place the chart; whether on its own sheet or within the existing
worksheet
5. Choose the finish button and the chart will be automatically added placed on the specified
sheet. You can then shift and position it suitably.
2. Creating Charts
2.1. Lab Exercise 10

The following are Rainfall figures in Buhehe Sub- County in 1988
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC
10 8 11 34 40 23 7 10 11 9 5 8
Enter this data in a suitable worksheet
Create the following as three dimensional embedded charts.
1. Line chart
2. Column chart
3. Pie chart
3. Sorting Data
Sorting arranges rows in a list according to the contents of selected columns. You select the data and
sort in an order you want or you create and use a custom sort order
To sort an entire list;
1. Select a single cell in the list

2. Choose Data, Sort
Sort options exist
Sort By Is used to choose the column you wish to sort by and to select either ascending or
descending order
Then By Two additional boxes enable you to specify the order in which to sort rows if there are
duplicate items in the previous column you specified. Select ascending or descending
button for each box to determine the arrangement of data.
Note:
1. If you sort by one column, rows with duplicate items in the column remain in their original
order
2. Rows with blank cells in the sort column are placed in the sorted list
3. Hidden rows are not removed.
4. If you sort by more than one column, rows with duplicate items in the primary column are
sorted according to the second column you specify. Rows with duplicate items in the
second column are sorted according to the third column you specify.
5. It is possible to sort only selected cells.
4. Filtering Data in a List
Filtering data in a list enables you to find and work with a subset of the data in your list. Filtering
displays only the rows that contain a certain value or that meet a set of criteria, while hiding the other
rows.
There are two filtering commands:
1. AutoFilter: This applies drop down arrows directly to column labels in a list. You can then
select the item you want to display
2. Advanced Filter enables you to find rows by using more complex criteria.
Using AutoFilter
1. Select a cell in the list you want to filter

2. Choose Data>Filter>AutoFilter. Drop down arrows will be displayed next to each column
label on a list.
3. Click the arrow in the column you that contains the data you want to display.
4. Select the item you want to display.
Removing a Filter from a list
• From one column: Click the arrow next to the column then select all from the drop-down
list
• To redisplay all rows in a filtered list, choose Data>Filter>Show All

• To remove AutoFilter arrows from a list, select Data> Filter then clear Auto Filter.

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1.

BASIC CONCEPTS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY @

1.1. Basic Concepts of Hardware, Software and Information Technology

1.3. Computers and Computer Types

• Monitor/Screen/ Visual Display Unit (VDU)

• System Unit (some people mistake this for the CPU)

Examples of such parts include;

• The Central Processing Unit (CPU) • Memory Chips

• Hard Disk • System Buses • Mother board

1.5. Computer Hardware

1.5.1 Input Devices

Sound ………………………………..

Images ………………………………..

Alphanumeric text ………………………………..

1.5.2 Output Devices

1.5.4.2 Storage Hardware

• THE SPEED OF A PROCESSOR • THE SIZE OF RAM

• THE CAPACITY AND SPEED OF THE PROCESSOR.

1. BASIC CONCEPTS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

1.6. Computer Software

1.6.1 System Software

1.6.2 Application Software

Examples of Applications include word processors, spreadsheets, presentation software, and

1.7. Computers in Everyday Life

1.8. Health and Safety Precautions

Ø Your chair should be fully adjustable.

Ø Your computer should be placed on a vibration free surface.

Ø Use a mouse mat for your mouse. It makes it easier to use.

Ø Have a fully adjustable screen.

Ø Use a good keyboard.

Ø Avoid dust, heat, cold or moisture

Using the Internet and World Wide Web

2.0 Learning Objectives

After completing this week, you will be able to;

Can you think of more?

2.1. The Internet and the World Wide Web

2.2. Searching for Information

2.3. Communication over the Internet

2.3.1 Electronic Mail Ethics /Netiquette

5. Use humor while writing your mail

2.4. Lab Exercise 1

1. Start your Computer if it is turned off.

b. Or a topic specified by your tutor

2.5. Lab Exercise 2

2. Open your e-mail account

The article below has been extracted from the

Privacy is a status where an individual can work on his/her information in

Ethical Issues of Internet Privacy

Internet privacy can be considered as a subset of computer privacy.

Some users prefer stricter forms of privacy such as anonymity to the

The freedom of expression endowed by social networking, has resulted in

The trade-off would be to define the demarcating line between what's

Word Processor’s Interface

5. Some more action for you.

Making a Chicken Pie

4. Save your work

1. All - if you want all pages printed

2.3. Editing a Document

Other selection options:

Using the mouse

Using the keyboard

2.4. Lab exercise 5

Enter the text below into a Word Document.