ICT THEORY

Operating Systems and Utility

software that is designed to run
a computer’s hardware System
smoothly. Software
Examples:
- Operating Systems
- Device Drivers
- Hardware drivers
- Anti-virus
- Disk cleaners Hardware
Software And
A type of computer program Software
that we use in our daily life to
produce something useful.
Definition of Software:
Examples: - Software are set of
- Word Processing software Application instructions and computer
- Excel Spreadsheet Software programs that are stored
software electronically.
- Web Design software - Can’t be touched physically
- Audio Editing software
- Photo Editing software
 Devices that are
stored/connected inside the
Internal computer.
Hardware
Examples:
- Motherboard
- Graphic card
- CPU
Hardware - RAM
- ROM
And Hardware
Software
Devices that are externally
connected to the computer to
control the functions.
Definition of Hardware:
- All the physical parts of a External
computer that we can see, Hardware Examples:
- Keyboard
touch and pick up
- Mouse
physically
- Joystick
- Webcam
- Monitor
 Devices that are connected to a
computer that SENDS OUT data
- Data is sent by the
into the computer for
input device to be
Input Devices processing.
displayed by the
output device
Examples:
- Keyboard
- Microphone
- Joystick
- Tracker ball
Input & - Scanner
Output
Devices Devices that are connected to a
computer that RECIEVES
incoming data

Examples:
- Printer
Output Devices - Plotter
- Projector
- Monitor
- Speaker
Devices: (1) Input Devices  get data into computer
(2) Processing Devices does something with the data to
make it a useful information
(3) Output Devices  show the results of processing
(4) Storage Devices  stores the data in the system
3 Types of Text File Formats:
 Comma separated values (.csv)
 Text (.txt)
 Rich text format (.rtf) [Can edit]

5 Types of Graphic Image File Formats:

 Graphic interchange format (.gif)
 Joint photographic expert group (.jpeg) [Lossy compression]
 Portable document format (.pdf) [Can’t edit]
 Portable network graphic (.png) [Lossless compression]
 Moving picture expert group layer 4 (.mp4)

1 Type of Audio File Format:

> Moving picture expert group layer 3 (.mp3)
2 Types of Website Authoring File Formats:
 Cascading style sheet (.css)
 Hyper Text Markup Language (.html)

2 Types of Compressed File Formats:

 Roshal Archive (.rar)
 Zip (.zip)

3 Types of Extended Realities (XR)

- VR (Virtual Reality)
- AR (Augmented Reality)  virtual information and objects
are overlaid onto real-world situations
- MR (Mixed Reality)
4 Types of Interfaces
1. CLI (Command Line Interfaces)
Users – Programmers, technicians, analyst

2. GUI (Graphical User Interfaces)

Users – Every person who uses computer to do anything except for programming or writing codes
- People who don’t have any great knowledge of how a computer work in detail

3. DUI (Dialogue-based User Interfaces)

 A computer interface that uses spoken words to give and receive commands
Eg. Apple Siri, Google Now, Microsoft Cortana, etc..

4. Gesture-based Interfaces
 Uses techniques known as computer vision and image processing
 Relies on human interactions by the moving of hands, heads or even feet
 Command Line Interface Graphical User Interface
Advantages Disadvantages Advantages Disadvantages
Direct communication Must memorize complex User friendly Uses more computer
with the computer instructions power

Wider range of Higher chance of errors Faster command input Less range of commands
commands used

Very little computer Wrong commands may Less chance of errors System functionality
power needed be risky cannot be adapted
Primary Storages

RAM (Random Access Memory) ROM (Read Only Memory)

 Volatile memory that temporarily stores the  Non-Volatile memory that permanently
file you are working on stores instructions for your computer
 The stored data is easy to access  The stored data is not easy to access
 It is costlier than ROM  It is cheaper than RAM

Definition of “Non-Volatile memory”:

Definition of “Volatile memory”:
- Memory that keeps/retains stored
- Memory that requires power to maintain the
information even after when the power is
information.
removed.
Translators
Compiler
- Takes a program as a whole
- Convert high-level
programming language to
machine code (all at once
before the program runs)
- Occupies more memory
- Run time of the program is
longer
- More intelligent
- Example: Java, C++, C#
Interpreter
- Take single lines of code one
by one
- Convert high-level
programming language to
machine code (one by one,
during the execution)
- Easy to use (user-friendly)
- Real-time translation
- Can get errors whilst running
- Example: Perl, Ruby, PHP
3 Storage Types
1. Solid State Storage Devices
- USB Memory Stick
2. Optical Storage Devices
- CD
- DVD
- Blu-ray discs
3. Magnetic Storage Devices
- Hard Disk Drives
- Floppy Disks
- Magnetic stripes
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
> AI also known as Artificial Intelligence are computer
programs/machines that can process and learn by itself.
VR (Virtual Reality)
 VR also known as Virtual Reality is a creation of simulated
environment that can be viewed in 360 degrees by using
computer technology
 the user is fully immersed in a simulated digital world

Actuators – Part of the control process, where digital signals are sent by the computer
to actuator to affect or control the real world
DDE: Direct Data Entry
• OCR (Optical Character Recognition/Reader)
• OMR (Optical Mark Reader)
• MICR (Magnetic Ink character recognition)
• Barcode Reader
• QR code Reader
• RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)
• Magnetic Stripe Reader
• Chip and PIN Reader [most secure]
1. Optical Character Reader
- Allows us to scan text on paper
(hardcopy) into a computer
- Converts scanned text into digital
format
- Used in Passports and Identity
cards
- Fast and cheap
- Typing errors are avoided (process
is automatic)
- Not 100% accurate and time
consuming (manually check for
errors)
2. Optical Mark Reader
- Automatically reads marks made in pen/pencils
- Used to read multiple choice examinations and lottery tickets
- Shines light onto the form and less light is reflected where the pencil is marked
- Extremely fast and accurate
- Can only read shaded areas
- Forms can jam
- If incorrectly filled, cannot be read properly

3. MICR
- Can read information printed in special ink (contains iron particles)
- Special ink is used to write customer account numbers on cheques
- Reads account numbers and convert it to a form the computer can understand
- Greater security than OCR
- Less errors are made and can be processed quickly
- Expensive
4. Barcode Reader
- Read information that is stored on product’s barcodes
- Uses visible red light to read information which is reflected & translated into digital information
- Used to scan library cards, ISBN numbers on books
- Used to keep track of packages
- Quick and easy way of getting information
- Very accurate and automatic stock control
- Bar codes can be swapped on items
- If bar code damaged, the reader cannot function

5. Magnetic Stripe Reader

- Found on bank cards, membership cards and hotel door cards, etc.
- The strip holds the information of Bank account number, Name of card holder, Expiry date of
membership
- Data on the card is read by pulling the card through the magnetic stripe reader (swiping)
- Not affected by water and robust (doesn’t get easily damage)
- Data cannot be read by eye, and data entry is fast
- If stripe is damaged, data can be lost
- Easily duplicated
6. Chip and PIN Reader [most secure]
- Works by inserting credit card into a slot and then entering PIN (personal identification number)
- The PIN ensures that the person with the credit card is the genuine owner and only the owner of the
card can know the PIN, money can only be transferred when the PIN is correct
- More secure than magnetic stripe reader
- Information on chip is harder to clone
- Can hold more data
- Chip and PIN reader is portable
- If PIN is forgotten, data can’t be used from the chip
Types of Computers: Desktop computer [Advantage] VS Laptops
- Easier and less expensive to upgrade
1) Desktop computers - Internet access is more stable
- Larger data and storage capacity
2) Laptops
3) Smartphones
4) Tablets Laptops [Advantage] VS Desktop Computer
5) Phablets - Takes less space
- Portable
Types of Pointing devices -
-
Light-weighted
Low power consumption, rechargable
1) Mouse
2) Touchpad
Smartphone[Advantage] VS Desktop Computer
3) Tracker ball - Small and portable
4) Joystick & driving wheel - Able to phone call
- Cheaper with a lot of functions
5) Remote control
What is database?
Data Types:
A database is an organized collections of data, a
software which stores and retrieves data in a - Text/Alphanumeric (Non-calculation)
structured way. - Number (Calculation)
> Integer
> Decimal
Two types of database: > Currency
> Date/Time
1. Flat-file database - Boolean (True/False)
• A flat-file database stores its data in one
table, which is organized by rows and
columns.
2. Relational database Database views:
• A relational database stores data in more - Design View  assign field names
than one linked table stored in a file. - Datasheet View  insert real data
• Are designed so that the same data is not
stored many times
 Field Name Data Type

Name Text

Phone Text

Email Text

Address Text

Order Code Number

Female/Male Boolean

• Primary Key – Unique identifier that sets each record apart from others
Three types of Monitors:
Liquid Crystal Display
(LCD) monitor
 Made up of tiny liquid
crystals
 Most common type of
monitor
 Offer touchscreen input
 Has great color, image
quality, resolution
 Don’t suffer from screen
image burn like CRT
 Efficient and low power
consumption
 Refresh rate is poor, has a
limited time response
Light Emitting Diode Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)
(LED) monitor monitor
 Made up of tiny light  Use of an electron gun
emitting diodes firing against a phosphor
 Produce a vast range of screen
colors  Large, heavy, and require a
 Has a broader dimming lot of energy to operate
 The least expensive type of
range
 More reliable, less monitor
 Screen can be seen clearly
expensive
 Have a more dynamic from wider range of
viewing angles
contrast ratio
 Consume less power  Run very hot and can cause
fire
Printers Laser Printers
 Laser Printer - Best option for fast, high quality and high volume printing
 Inkjet - Printing is fast and toner lasts longer compared to Inkjet Cartridge
- The data for the whole document is stored before the pages can be
 Dot Matrix Printer
printed out
 Graph Plotter - Expensive
 3D Printer - Produce ozone & volatile organic compounds caused by the ink used
- Link to health hazards in the office

Inkjet
- Suitable for producing high photo-quality printouts
- Cheaper than laser printers
- Very lightweight
- Slow output if several copies needed
- Printing can ‘smudge’ if the user is not careful
- Can be expensive when used a lot, original ink cartridges are costly
Dot Matrix Printer
- A type of impact printer
- Tends to be slow and noisy
- Very slow and poor quality printing
- Very cheap to run and maintain
- Can be replaced in environment that
would be a problem to laser and inkjet
printers
- Carbon copies or multipart outputs can
be produced
Graph Plotter
- Uses pen, pencil or marker pen to draw
multiple continuous lines
- Produces vector graphic drawings
- Paper of different sizes from A4 can be
printed
- Used for producing engineer drawings,
animation character drawings,
architectural drawings, etc.
- Slow at printing and expensive
What is Optical Media?
- Used to read data and write data on the surface of the disks by optical storage devices
Solid State Media and Solid State
Device
- Latency is a major issues in HDDs but
solid-state technology removes this issue
- Solid state technology stores data by
controlling within NAND chips
Differences between SSD & HDD
- Data transfer speed of SSD is faster than
HDD
- SSD is more reliable, have lower power
consumption and is more durable
- HHD has more storage capacity
- HDDs are cheaper and offer easier data
recovery if damages
 Cloud Computing
 User stores their documents, programs and data on the internet, rather than on their own
computers
 Data stored on remote servers
 Three common cloud storage systems: Public cloud, Private cloud, Hybrid cloud

Advantages of cloud Disadvantages of cloud

Lower cost Security risks: hacking
Time saving; can be accessed anytime, If you don’t have internet connection,
anywhere with internet connection you can’t access to any of your files in
the cloud storage
Frees up storage space on computer Cost may increase for premium
subscriptions
Automatically backed up data
Data can be shared easily
Common Network Devices and terms Media Access Control address
(MAC)
Network Interface Card (NIC) - Numbers which identify a device
- Allow device to connect to a network when it is connected to a network
- - Made up of 48 bits (6 group of
Turns binary into an electrical sign
- Usually integrated into motherboard hexadecimal digit with general
- Wireless network interface card (WNIC) is the same as format)
- E.g. 00-B0-DO-63-C2-26
NIC
- WNIC  internet only [hetero]
- NIC  all network and internet [bi]
Internet Protocol (IP) address
- Assigned to the computer by the
Data packets internet service provider (ISP)
- Data is moved around networks in the form of data - Two versions of IP (1) IPv4 (2) IPv6
packets - IPv4 is based on 32 bits and is
- When user sends the data, it is split up into a number of written as 4 groups of 8 bits
packets and each packet is transmitted separately - E.g. 254.25.28.77
Hubs and Switches

Hubs
 Hardware devices that can have
number of other devices HUB SWITCH
connected to them
 Used primarily to connect devices
together to form a local area
network (LAN)
 Uses half-duplex cable

Switches
 More secure than Hubs Bridges
 Stores the MAC addresses of all
devices on the network  Devices that connect one LAN to another, that uses the
 Connects a number of devices same protocol
together to form LAN  Unlike routers, bridges cannot communicate with the
 Uses full-duplex cable internet
Routers
• Used to route data packets from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are both wireless
one network to another, based communication between devices
on IP address
• Each router has its own IP
address
Usage of Wi-Fi
 Transferring data between two or
Usage of Bluetooth more devices far away from each
 Transferring data between two or more devices other (wide range)
close together  Speed of data transfer is faster
 Use electromagnetic radiation as the carrier of  Sends and receives radio waves in
data different bands  2.4 GHz and 5
 Sends and receives radio waves in the band of 79 GHz
frequencies  Internet is wireless at any Access
 Used for low-bandwidth applications Point or ‘hot-spot’ up to 100 meters
 Speed of data transmission is not critical away
Common Network Environment
1. Local Area Network (LAN)
2. Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)
3. Wide area Network (WAN)
Local Area Network (LAN)
 Within one building, near each other
(limited distance/area)
 Consist of a number of computers and
devices, which will be connected to hubs
and switches
Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)
 Similar to LAN but no wires or cables are
needed
 Provide wireless network over fairly short
distances using radio or infrared signals
Wide Area Network (WAN)
 Used for long distance computers/networks
E.g. in different cities, countries
Multimedia Conferencing/Electronic Conferencing

Video Conferencing : Webcam, Zoom

Audio Conferencing : You can only hear the other user without seeing
their faces (E.g. telephone)
Web Conferencing : The user doesn’t have to download apps to be able to
talk/see each other from different countries. We see
each other from websites
Microprocessor Controlled Devices

1. Labor-Saving devices
• Allows people to get on with other things while the device carries out their own tasks without
human surpervision
• E.g. automatic washing machines, microwave ovens, cookers, automatic dishwashers, robotic
vacuum cleaner

1. Non Labor-Saving devices

• E.g. alarm clocks, television sets, mobile phones, tablets, sound system
Excel Spreadsheet
Formula Definition
=sum(E1:E3) Sum formula
=(E1-E3) Subtraction formula
=(E2/E3) Division formula
=A2^2 Exponential formula
=average(A3:A8) Average formula
=Max(A3:A6) Maximum formula
=Min(A3:A6) Minimum formula
=int(A1) Takes WHOLE NUMBER (ignores all digit after decimal)

=ROUND(A1, 2) Rounding to the nearest 2 decimal

=ROUND(A1,-2) Round to the nearest 10
=count(B4:B9) Counting the amount of data
=countif(B4:B9, “apple”) Counting the number of cells that contain the exact criteria
data
=countif(B4:B9, “*”) Counting number of cells that contain text data
Formula Definition
=counta(B4:B9) Counts number of cells WITHOUT the blank cells
=countblank(C1:C5) Counts how many blank cells
=sumif(B1:B9, “>9”) Summing cells based on the criteria
=if(A1 >= 5, “Discount”, “No discount”) If the first condition is true, it will display “Discount”, if it
is not true then it will display “No Discount”
=if(A3>10, “Experienced”, if(A3>5, “Average”, Nested if function – having one function inside another
“Not experienced”)) one
=HLOOKUP(cell reference, table, row, TRUE (or) Horizontal (table) lookup data in a given table (row)
FALSE)
=VLOOKUP(B4, A1:D2, 2, FALSE) Vertical (table) lookup data in a given table (column)
=$A$1:$D$2 Absolute reference – default number

=if(AND(A1>5, A1<10), “Good”, “Bad”) Nested if with AND function

=VLOOKUP(cell reference, filename! Result To lookup data from another table by using HLOOKUP or
range, row (or) column, false) VLOOKUP
=VLOOKUP(A2, classlist.csv! $A$1:$D$2, 2,
FALSE)
Types of Sorting (Excel) HTML: Hyper Text Markup Language

<html>
Ascending Order: <head>
- Arranging data from A to Z <title>Home</title>
- Numbers from lowest to highest </head>
<body>
About
</body>
</html>
Descending Order:
- Arranging data from Z to A Two types of tag:
- Numbers from highest to lowest 1. Container tag
2. Empty tag

E.g.) Container tag = <body></body>

Empty tag = <br> [doesn’t need a closing tag]
HTML code Definition
<br> (break) to go to another line
&nbsp; Non-breaking space (large spaces)
<hr> Horizontal rule, a spacing line
<b></b> Bold
<u></u> Underline
<i></i> Italic
<strike></strike> Strike through
 Superscript (  above
E.g.) X ²
 Subscript (  below
<font color=“#0000FF”></font> Changing font color [main tag]
<center></center> Center aligning texts [main tag]
<body bgcolor=“#0000FF”> Background body color
<hr width(length)=“” size(thickness)=“”>
<p></p> Paragraph style
 What is HTML?
Two types of lists in HTML:
i

 Hyper Text Markup Language is a text-

1) Order List (1., a, A, i, I)
based language used to develop the
content layer of websites.
2) Unorder list
o circle  File are written in text format and
• Disc  Order List saved as (.html)
 E.g. of web browsers – Google
 Square
<ol type = “a”> Chrome, Fire fox, Internet Explorer,
<li> Year 9 </li> etc.
 Unorder List <ol type = “1”>
<li> ICT </li>  Order List
<ul type = “circle”> </ol>
<li> Year 1 </li> <li> Year 10 </li> a) Year 9
<li> Year 2 </li> <ol type = “I”> 1. ICT
<li> Year 3 </li> <li> English </li> b) Year 10
</ul> </ol> i. English
</ol>
Table Inserting Image into HTML
 Row  <tr></tr> <img src = “filename.jpg”>
 Column  <td></td>
Colspan  combining the columns
<html>
<head>
<title></title> A
</head>
<body> B C
<table border=“1” width=“60%” height=“50%”
<tr>
<td> a </td> <body>
</tr> <table border=“1” height=“100px” width=“100px”>
<tr> <tr>
<td> 1 </td>
<td> 2 </td>
<td colspan=“2”> A </td>
</tr>
</tr>
</table>
</table>
</body>
</body>
</html>
Rowspan  Combining the rows Style (Inner Style)
 <table style = “width:800px;
A </table
height:700px”>

B  <td style=“border: solid 1px;

C text-align: center;
width: 500px;
height: 500px;
<body> background-color: red”>
<table border=“1” width=100px” height=100px”> </td>
<tr>
<td> A </td>
<td rowspan=“2”> B </td> What are the two sections of HTML?
</tr> The two sections:. head and body
<tr> 1. In head section, able to give the webpage
<td> C </td> title
</tr> 2. In body section, includes different contents
</table> like tables, images, videos, etc.
</body>
 What is a website? What is CSS?
o A collection of individual but o A cascading stylesheet (CSS) can be
related web pages that are written into HTML but is saved in a
stored together and hosted by a separate file with a .css file extension
web server
o A web page/HTML is created by
three layers:
2. Presentation Layer
1. Behavior Layer
 It is where the visual impact of the web page
2. Presentation Layer
is created
3. Content Layer (Structure Layer)  Contains the styles to be used
 Developed using CSS
1. Behavior Layer
 It is where the controlling elements (except 3. Content Layer
hyperlinks) are created using scripting
 Includes frames, tables, hyperlinks, etc
languages like Java Script