An algorithm is a well-defined, precise, finite set of steps for solving a problem.
© 2020 Vedesh Kungebeharry. All rights reserved.
Category: Form 2 ICT
Search engines
A search engine is website application that allows users to search for information on the world wide web.
Search engines are mainly accessed by their website address. When a user visits a search engine’s website address, they can input their search criteria (also known as a search query) so that the search engine may produce a list of website pages which contain information related to the search criteria.
e.g, a user may visit http://www.google.com and proceed to input the search criteria funny videos :
Now they can click on the search button –
And now you can view and visit web pages from various websites which contain related results:
© 2019 Vedesh Kungebeharry. All rights reserved.
Modem
A modem converts a computer’s digital signal to an analogue signal for transmission over a network; and converts analogue signals from a network back to digital signals.
Converting digital to analogue is called modulation.
Converting analogue to digital is called demodulation.
The word modem is short for modulator demodulator.
© 2019 Vedesh Kungebeharry. All rights reserved.
Simple Text Formatting
Improving readability and enhancing appearances
Text can be formatted to improve the appearance and readability of a document. See the example below:
Before Formatting for Appearance and readability
James told Sally, “The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.”
It is imperative that we let James know that his sentence contains all the 26 letters in the alphabet.
After Formatting for Appearance and readability
James told Sally, “The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.”
It is imperative that we let James know that his sentence contains all the 26 letters in the alphabet.
Conforming to standards and conventions
Other times text is formatted to meet standards and conventions. e.g the equations shown below
Common Formatting Tasks In Word Processing (Microsoft word)
| Task | Description | How to accomplish | Example |
| Bold | Increase the weight or thickness of text, i.e. embolden text | 1. Select the text
2. Press Ctrl+B or Click the Icon shown below in the red circle on the home ribbon:
|
This text is not bold.
This text is bold. |
| Italicize | Gives text a slanted appearence | 1. Select the text
2. Press Ctrl+I or Click the Icon shown below in the red circle on the home ribbon:
|
This text is straight.
This text is slanted. |
| Underline | Underlines text. | 1. Select the text
2. Press Ctrl+U or Click the Icon shown below in the red circle on the home ribbon:
|
This text is underlined |
| Changing
Font |
Changes the style of the written text | 1. Select the text
2.Use the dropdown shown below to select a different style:
|
Some text Some Text |
| Font Size | Changes the size of the written text. | 1. Select the text
2.Select a size from the box shown below:
|
SmallLarge |
| Font Colour | Changes the colour of the written text | 1. Select the text
2.Select a new colour from the box shown below on the home ribbon:
|
RED
Blue GREEN |
| Text Highlight | Changes the background colour of text | 1. Select the text
2. Select a new colour from the box shown below on the home ribbon:
|
 |
| Subscript and Superscript | Lowers and Raises text respectively | 1. Select the text
2. press Ctrl + = for subscript, Ctrl + Shift + for super OR Select the desired script modifier shown below on the home ribbon:
|
Subscript
Normal Superscript |
© 2018 Vedesh Kungebeharry. All rights reserved.
Data and Software Maintenance
Computer systems require routine maintenance for their data and software to ensure efficiency and prevent breakdowns.
The maintenance tasks are outlined in the following sections.
Disk Formatting
New secondary storages need to be formatted before use.
Disk formatting refers to preparing a secondary storage medium for use by the computer system.
This includes structuring the initial data on the disk so that new data can be stored and managed effectively.
ANTIVIRUS SCANS
A computer virus is malicious software that is harmful to computer programs and data.
They are usually created to damage or disrupt the functioning of computer systems for malicious purposes.
Protective antivirus software prevents infections from computer viruses and can remove existing viruses in computer systems.
Antivirus software removes existing viruses via scanning or searching through computer software and data for virus infections.
Software Updates
Both system software (including the operating system) and application software may require updates from the manufacturers for improvement to features and to fix existing issues. This process is sometimes automatic or may require intervention from the computer user.
Examples include Windows updates, MS Office updates.
Backups
A backup is a duplicate or copy of data. Computer systems are backed up to recover from accidental or malicious data loss or corruption.
Reasons for data loss include
- Theft
- Hardware Failure
- Viruses
- Fire
- Natural Disaster
Usually the backup is stored off-site in another physical location to the computer system.
Backups can be scheduled automatically or performed manually by the user.
Disk Defragmenting
Files stored on a computer may not be stored in continuous blocks of data. A computer is most efficient when reading data that is stored in large continuous blocks.
Over time, files stored in computer system can become increasingly fragmented, beaning that they are stored in discontinuous blocks over the file system.
Defragmenting is the process by which files are re-joined into continuous blocks.
Defragmentation tasks are usually scheduled and managed by the operating system, but can be manually performed by the user.
Disk Cleanup
Disk cleanup refers to the process of removing redundant and useless files from computer storage to increase the free space capacity for new files.
Files are cleaned from the recycle bin and other temporary storage locations.
Windows operating system provides a utility that performs this task that is usually managed by the computer user.
Updates to this post
2024/1/9 – Added table of contents
© 2018 Vedesh Kungebeharry. All rights reserved
File Management
Definition: A file contains data of a specific type, which is denoted by a file extension.
E.g a picture file “image.jpg”
Definition: A folder can store many files and even other folders.
Definition: Sub-folders are folders within another folder.
Class demo: Use Mycomputer /windows explore/File Explorer to gain access to files and folders during this demo
- Create a folder named School on the desktop
- Rename the folder Naparima College
- Create a new text document within Naparima college.
- Open the document and save .LOG on the first line.
- Save, close, then reopen the file and observe what happens.
(explain the how students can use the readme or log files) - Create 3 subfolders for 3 subjects.
- Demonstrate deletion of a folder using the recycle bin.
- Restore file from recycle bin.
- Demonstrate permanent file/folder deletion using:
- The recycle bin.
- The shift key.
Note that on windows computers, if you hold the shift key when deleting a file, it is permanently deleted, it is not sent to the recycle bin.
© 2018 Vedesh Kungebeharry. All rights reserved
Justification – Word Processing
We say text is justified when the line(s) of text touch the vertical margins and all words within the first and last for each line are evenly spaced.
An example is shown below:
© 2018 Vedesh Kungebeharry. All rights reserved
Email Introduction
Definition: Telecommunication means communication at a distance (tele means “at a distance”). Modern telecommunication is usually timely and employs electronic devices.
Definition: E-mail (electronic mail) is the exchange of computer-stored messages by telecommunication[1]. It can be thought of as the electronic version of traditional mail.
In Class Demonstration: Setting up an Email account with google
Teacher demonstrates the sending of email:
- From person to person (including reply)
- From person to people (including reply)
- Including an attachment. (reply class discussion)
Email Attachments
An email attachment is a digital file that is added to an email message for delivery to the recipient.e.g. a picture, audio file , program file etc
Email address format
Each user has a unique email address specified by their username at the mail server in the following format:
username@server.topLevelDomain
e.g. JimBob@yahoo.com
Parts of an E-mail
Internet email messages consist of two major sections:
- the message header. The header is structured into fields such as From, To, CC, Subject, Date, and other information about the email.
- message body, collectively known as content.
The message header must include at least the following fields:
From:
The email address of the originator of the message. This field is sometimes formatted to include a first name and last name, or other alternative formats
Date:
The geographical local time and date when the message was sent. This field is almost exclusively generated by the email service provider (e.g Gmail, Hotmail etc)
To:
The email address(es) OF the messages’ main recipient(s).
Cc:
Carbon Copy. Recipients in this field receive a copy of the email between the sender in From: and the main recipients in To:. The recipients can see all recipients in the and To: and Cc: fields.
This term originated from the use of traditional carbon paper to produce copies of hand written pages.
Bcc:
Short for Blind Carbon Copy. Recipients in this field receive a copy of the email between the sender in From: and the main recipients in To: as well as Cc:. The main difference here is that recipients in the To: and Cc: fields WILL NOT see any recipients specified in Bcc:
Subject:
A brief summary of the topic of the message. Certain abbreviations are commonly used in the subject, including “RE:” (concerning) and “FW:” (forwarded message).
A forwarded message is a copy of an email sent to a recipient at a later time than the original email.
Updates:
2023 Jan 7th
-Added section for email address format.
[1] https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/e-mail-electronic-mail-or-email
© 2018 Vedesh Kungebeharry. All rights reserved
Comparison of computer systems
Comparison of computer systems
© 2018 Vedesh Kungebeharry. All rights reserved
Computational thinking
What is computational Thinking?
Definition: A problem is a required change from the current state of things to a desired future state.
Definition: Computational thinking is use of ideas in a structured manner to solve a problem, such that it can be eventually used to instruct a computer.
Building applications or programs is essential to aiding computer users to perform tasks.
We use computational thinking to analyze problems in order to build applications that solve those problems.
There are four principles that are used to solve problems computationally.
They are:
- Decomposition – Breaking down a large problem into sub problems so that solving the entire problem can be solved in a structured manner.
- Pattern Recognition – observing patterns within the group of sub problems.
- Abstraction – Focusing on the parts of the problem that are essential to solving the overall problem.
- Algorithm generation – Creating a set of general, well defined steps which can be used to solve the problem.
© 2018 Vedesh Kungebeharry. All rights reserved
Island Class 