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- OCR CTech IT | Unit 1 | 5.1 - Ethical Issues | CSNewbs
5.1 - Ethical Issues Exam Board: OCR Specification: 2016 - Unit 1 What is ethics? Ethics refers to what is right and wrong . The following issues are often linked to or backed up by legislation. Whistle Blowing Definition: When a member of staff reveals that the organisation they work for are engaging in unlawful practices . This could include breaking privacy laws, threatening staff and environmental damage. In some countries, like the UK, whistleblowers are protected by law. Whistleblowers are protected from being fired or not being considered for promotion as a result of their actions. A famous whistleblower is Edward Snowden , who revealed in 2013 that many governments, including the USA and the UK, were spying on their civilians with widespread undocumented surveillance. Should Martin reveal that his company is dumping old computers into a lake or just stay quiet? Graham feels that, because of his disability, he is being ignored for a promotion that he deserves. Discrimination Definition: When an employee is treated unfairly because of a personal or physical characteristic over which they have no control . The Equality Act (2010) ensures equal treatment for all people irrespective of: race sexuality gender disability marital status (and many more) Examples of discrimination include offensive talk, harassment, unequal pay and being ignored for promotion. Use of Information Definition: Laws such as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation ) and specifically the Data Protection Act (2018) ensure that organisations must responsibly process personal data. Organisations have a legal obligation to keep their employee and customer personal data secure and out of reach from unauthorised viewers. Considerations should be made about how the information is ethically collected , stored and processed . DataDyne backs up customer information on cloud storage - what if this data is compromised ? As part of quality assurance, Selside Bank double check performance reviews before submission. Codes of Practice Definition: A set of rules which explains how people working in certain professions are required to behave . Organisations may have a code of practice for: Confidentiality (rules on what data can and cannot be shared with others), Quality assurance (ensuring high quality is maintained for all products/services), Behaviour (setting out how employees are expected to behave at work and in communication with each other and customers), Equality and discrimination (being understanding and providing fair access to all employees). Employees must agree to the codes of practice so they are clear on their expectations of what is and isn't acceptable at work. The organisation can then discipline employees that broke the codes of practice they formerly agreed to. Online Safety Definition: Often companies will provide an induction (training ) to new employees about the organisation’s code of practice for using the internet whilst at work . If an individual does not behave safely online or breaks the organisation's codes of practice (by gambling at work for example) then they may be punished (e.g. fined or fired). Employees can ensure that they are safe online by using secure passwords that are regularly updated and preventing web browsers from remembering login details . Miriam changes her password each month to minimise the chance of hackers accessing her account. The CEO of Honey Media apologies in public after biased information led to a lawsuit and loss of reputation. Bias Definition: This is technically correct, but slanted , information that presents a one-sided view . For example, end-of year financial data that focuses on profits and ignores significant losses. Poor quality information may lead to an organisation being misinformed and not sufficiently responding to their customers' needs - for example if a survey was only completed by a small number of people it could generate biased results. As a result of poor quality information, organisations may suffer from damage to their reputation due to negative feedback and reviews from customers, possibly posted online. A lack of trust can occur if customers feel neglected because of decisions made using biased information of a poor quality, therefore reputational damage may lead to loss of customers . Q uesto's Q uestions 5.1 - Ethical Issues: 1. Describe what whistleblowing is and give 3 examples . [4 ] 2. Describe what discrimination is and give 4 examples . [5 ] 3. Which law relates to the use of information ? [1 ] 4a. Describe 2 things that may be included in an organisation's codes of practice . [4 ] 4b. Explain why employees must agree to their company's codes of practice [4 ]. 5. Describe 2 things an employee should do to stay safe online . [2 ] 6a. What is biased information ? [2 ] 6b. Describe 3 possible effects to a company if they use biased information . [6 ] 4.6 & 4.7 - Bodies & Certification 5.2 - Operational Issues Topic List
- OCR CTech IT | Unit 1 | 2.7 - Protocols | CSNewbs
2.7 - Protocols Exam Board: OCR Specification: 2016 - Unit 1 What is a protocol? A protocol is a set of rules that allow devices on a network to communicate with each other . TCP / IP is actually two separate protocols that combine together. Protocols to Transfer Data: TCP / IP / UDP TCP is a protocol that allows packets to be sent and received between computer systems. It breaks the data into packets and reassembles them back into the original data at the destination. IP is a protocol in charge of routing and addressing data packets . This ensures data packets are sent across networks to the right destination. It is also an addressing system - every device on a network is given a unique IP address so data packets can be sent to the correct computer system. UDP ( User Data Protocol ) is a faster alternative to TCP - it is used where low latency ('low lag') is important, such as online gaming and video chat. However, UDP does not automatically check for errors so packets are more likely to be lost or received out of order . HTTP is a protocol that can be used to transfer web pages over the Internet so that users can view them in a web browser. All URLs start with either HTTP or HTTPS (e.g. https://www.csnewbs.com ). HTTPS is a more secure version of HTTP that works with another protocol called SSL (Secure Sockets Layer ) to transfer encrypted data . You should see a padlock symbol in the URL bar if your connection to that website is secure. HTTP/HTTPS (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) FTP (File Transfer Protocol) FTP is a protocol that can be used to transfer files across a network. ICMP ( Internet Control Message Protocol ) collects network status information (such as router errors) and is used for troubleshooting . SNMP ( Simple Network Management Protocol ) is a protocol that records network statistics , such as router usage . Network Management Protocols Email Protocols SMTP ( Simple Mail Transfer Protocol ) is a protocol used to send emails to a mail server and between mail servers . POP ( Post Office Protocol ) is for downloading and storing emails from a mail server. Q uesto's Q uestions 2.7 - Protocols: 1. Describe each of the following protocols . Also, state the protocol's full name and draw an icon or diagram for each: a. TCP b. IP c. UDP d. HTTP & HTTPS e. FTP f. ICMP g. SNMP h. SMTP i. POP [1 each ] 2. State which protocol would be used in the following scenarios: a. Transferring a music file to a friend over the internet. b. Sending an email to a friend in Japan. c. Checking for errors on a network. d. Having a video call with a colleague in London. e. Receiving an email from the bank. f. Watching a video on YouTube. g. Checking the statistics of usage on a network [1 each ] 2.6 - Software Troubleshooting Topic List 3.1 - Server Types
- 2.1 - Information Styles | Unit 2 | OCR Cambridge Technicals | CSNewbs
2.1 - Information Styles Exam Board: OCR Specification: 2016 - Unit 2 There are many different ways that information can be styled and presented , both on-screen and physically . There are many more benefits and limitations to using each information style but some key ideas have been described below. T Text Text is a written (or typed ) format of information. ✓ Text provides detailed summaries and explanations . ✓ The format of text can be changed to suit its purpose (e.g. include bullet points or different colours). ✓ Text can be written in different languages so that all literate people can understand. X Large amounts of text can be difficult and time-consuming to read. It is generally less engaging than most other methods. X Text may include spelling errors or be factually incorrect . Graphics Graphics are a visual form of information. Examples include logos , photographs and diagrams . ✓ Graphics are multilingual - they can be understood by anybody regardless of their spoken language. Companies like IKEA will use the same graphics globall y . ✓ Graphics can present an idea or message immediately and can use associations (e.g. the colour red is associated with temperature or anger). ✓ Graphics are a more engaging method of presenting information than text. X Images may take longer to load over a data-restricted network, for example, images in an email may not be automatically downloaded. Video Videos are visual formats of information, often with audio . ✓ More engaging and easier to follow than reading large amounts of text. ✓ Videos can be used to convey a message in a short space of time , e.g. television adverts. ✓ Audio can be added to videos such as music for engagement or narration to explain a process. X Videos usually take up a relatively large amount of storage space , longer videos may take time to upload / download / transfer along a network. X Videos take a long time to create including filming, editing and narration. Animated Graphics Animated graphics are images with multiple frames , such as an animation of the heart showing individual steps that a user can pause and step through in their own time. ✓ Can be used to show a process and is easier to understand than reading text. ✓ Can be understood by all ages and language speakers . X Creating an animated graphic takes time to create , especially educational resources with multiple frames and annotation. 9 Numerical Numerical information is represented by numbers . This can include a wide array of different information including statistics, financial data, dates, ages and distances . ✓ Statistical data is easier to understand and manage in a numerical format than standard text - 234,567 is simpler to work with than "two hundred and thirty-four thousand, five hundred and sixty-seven". ✓ Numerical data can be exported into spreadsheets and presented as graphs to visualise the dat a . X Long numbers can be entered by humans incorrectly and lead to incorrect results . X Formatted data like telephone numbers cannot be stored as numerical because numerical does not allow spaces and does not allow the number to start with 0 . Audio Audio is an information type using sound waves. A common form of audio is music , such as the millions of tracks stored in music libraries like Spotify and YouTube. Non-music examples include spoken instructions and podcasts . ✓ Users can listen to information when they are otherwise busy and could not read, such as when walking or driving. ✓ Visually impaired users who are unable to read can still hear audio and interact with voice recognition software . ✓ Some users prefer listening to instructions rather than reading text . X Audio may not be suitable in some environments e.g. noisy areas . X Words may be misheard and misunderstandings made, possibly due to pronunciations or accents. Tactile Images Tactile images are a form of physical information that can be interpreted by touch . Specialist software is used to create raised lines on paper that people can experience by touching . Geographers can create 3D physical objects of environments such as valleys or volcanoes. This allows researchers and land surveyors to have a better understanding of a geographic area. ✓ Users can better understand a physical environment or prospective design if it is physically built. ✓ Visually-impaired users can feel the object instead of being able to see it. ✓ The tactile image can be used as a prototype for a target audience to feel and comment on. X It is difficult to share a tactile image without physically moving it, unlike digital or paper information styles. X Creating a tactile image requires specialist equipment like a 3D printer. *screams* Subtitles Subtitles are a textual form of information that can be shown along with visual data such as a video. Subtitles are written to transcribe audio , such as speech, into words . ✓ Hearing-impaired users can access audio information formats such as video by reading the subtitles. ✓ Subtitles can be used in noisy environments or when sound cannot be played. ✓ Subtitles can be used for translated speech , such as in promotional videos or television programmes. X Auto-generated subtitles are often incorrect . X Subtitles written by a human take a long time to type up and sync in time with the audio. Tables & Spreadsheets Tables and spreadsheets can store both numerical and textual data ready for analysis . Examples include simple database tables and financial spreadsheets of a company's profits this year. Microsoft Access is an example of database software that uses tables and Microsoft Excel is an example of spreadsheet software. When using spreadsheets (or databases) records can be locked ('record locking' ) so that only one person can make edits at any one time . Edits will be saved before unlocking the file. This will stop data being incorrectly overwritten and will ensure that the data in the spreadsheet is up-to-date , accurate and fit for purpose . Spreadsheets can be linked to other documents such as forms to directly import data from. This data can be ordered into different groups and conditional formatting can be used to automatically organise and style the data. Graphs and charts can be created using values stored in a spreadsheet to easily visualise the data . Modelling can be used to see the effect of variable changes (e.g. will raising the price of one product affect overall profit?). Database tables use queries (advanced searches) to find and display data based on given criteria (such as all males under 35). Mail merge can be used to automatically send emails to the customers highlighted in the query . A report can be generated from the query results to display the information in a structured format . This can be used to make decisions and analyse data . Boolean Boolean is a data type that can only have one of two specified values . These values are most commonly 'True' and 'False' or sometimes 'yes' and 'no'. Braille Braille is an example of a tactile image that can be physically touched . Braille characters represent letters or numbers that can be 'read' by touch - used primarily by those with visual impairments . Devices like braille terminals convert characters on a screen into braille, line-by-line so that blind people can understand the information through touch . A braille printer is used to output braille dots onto paper. ✓ Allows visually impaired users to interact with a computer system using a braille terminal . ✓ A braille printer can print documents written using braille to be given to blind people to 'read'. X Braille terminals can only display a limited amount of information at a time. X Braille is not used by many people except visually impaired people so few resources are written using braille. Charts & Graphs Charts and graphs can be used to present numerical data in a format that is easier to visualise and understand . They can be labelled to show different data values and they make it easier for viewers to identify trends and make comparisons between data. Large quantities of data, like census results, are easier to visualise in a graph than reading huge tables of numbers. ✓ Charts present numerical data in a format that is easier to visualise and understand . ✓ Charts and graphs can summarise information into one image data that would take paragraphs to explain in text. ✓ Displaying information in a graph allows users to easily identify trends and make comparisons between data . X Charts can be misleading or can display incorrect information if the numerical data is wrong. Q uesto's Q uestions 2.1 - Information Styles: 1. Describe the following information styles : a. Tactile Images [2 ] b. Braille [2 ] c. Boolean [2 ] 2. Describe two advantages and two disadvantages for each of the following information styles : a. Text [8 ] b. Graphics [8 ] c. Video [8 ] d. Animated Graphics [8 ] e. Numerical [8 ] f. Audio [8 ] g. Tactile Images [8 ] h. Subtitles [8 ] i. Braille [8 ] j. Charts & Graphs [8 ] 3a. Spreadsheets and database tables can be record locked . Explain what record locking is and why it is used . [4 ] 3b. Describe different ways that spreadsheets can be used. [6 ] 3c. Describe different ways that databases can be used. [6 ] 1.7 & 1.8 - Internet Pros & Cons 2.2 - Information Classification Topic List
- 2.3.1c - Data Structures: Stacks, Queues & Lists | OCR A-Level | CSNewbs
Exam Board: OCR 3.1c - Data Structures: Stacks, Queues & Lists Specification: A-Level 2015 An instruction set is a list of all the instructions that a CPU can process as part of the FDE cycle . CPUs can have different sets of instructions that they can perform based on their function. The two most common instruction sets are the simpler RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer ) and more complicated CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computer ). Instruction Sets This page is still being updated. Graphical Processing Unit What is cache memory? Cache memory is temporary storage for frequently accessed data . Cache memory is very quick to access because it is closer to the CPU than other types of memory like RAM . Multicore & Parallel Systems What is cache memory? Cache memory is temporary storage for frequently accessed data . Cache memory is very quick to access because it is closer to the CPU than other types of memory like RAM . Multicore & Parallel Systems What is cache memory? Cache memory is temporary storage for frequently accessed data . Cache memory is very quick to access because it is closer to the CPU than other types of memory like RAM . Q uesto's Q uestions 3.1c - Data Structures: Stacks, Queues & Lists: 1. What is cache memory ? [ 2 ] 3.1b - Big O Notation Theory Topics 3.1d - Trees & Graphs
- Key Stage 3 Python | The Basics | CSNewbs
Python - #1 - The Basics 1. Start with Commenting Programmers write A LOT of code. They need to understand exactly what they have written, especially if they are working as part of a team or returning to code after working on other projects. To help them understand what they have written, programmers use comments to annotate (explain) their code . Task 1 - Create a new Python program and use # to write a comment that says your name and the date. Save the file as 1-Basics.py In Python, type the # symbol then your message to write a comment. Comments are not printed when you run a program! It is a good idea to start every program with a comment, so you know what the program is about . 2. Printing to the Screen The most basic and common command you will use in Python is print . Inside the print brackets, you can write a message within speech marks . Your print command should turn purple - don't use any capital letters in Python unless it is inside speech marks! Task 2 - Write a nice message by using the print command, brackets and speech marks. Press F5 to run your program. 3. More Printing You can write multiple print lines one after another to print on different lines. Task 3 - Add two more print lines to your program. You can choose any message that you like. 4. New Lines You can use the special command \n to start a new line . This allows you to write on multiple lines but only use one print line. Use the backslash ( \ ) not the forward-slash ( / ). Task 4 - Use \n to write a 3 sentence conversation in only one line of code. Challenge Programs Use everything that you have learned on this page to help you create these programs... Challenge Task 1 - Days of the Week Create a new Python program. Save it as ' 1-Week.py ' Add a comment at the top with your name and the date. Create a program that prints the days of the week, with each day on a new line. BONUS : Try to use only one print line. BONUS : Have no empty spaces at the start of each line. When you run it, it should look like this: Challenge Task 2 - Conversation Create a new Python program. Save it as ' 1-Conversation.py ' Add a comment at the top with your name and the date. Create a program that prints a 6-line conversation between two people. It is up to you what these two people are talking about. BONUS : Try to use only one print line. BONUS : Have no empty spaces at the start of each line. When you run it, it could look something like this: #2 Variables >>>
- 4.2 - Signed Binary - Eduqas GCSE (2020 Spec) | CSNewbs
4.2: Signed Binary Exam Board: Eduqas / WJEC Specification: 2020 + What are Sign and Magnitude and Two's Complement? Sign and Magnitude and Two's Complement are both methods of writing positive and negative binary values . Sign and Magnitude is simpler but will cause incorrect answers if used in binary calculations . Two's Complement is more complex but will generate correct answers when used in binary calculations . Sign & Magnitude The most significant bit (MSB ) is the largest bit of a binary number - the one furthest to the left . The MSB is the sign - it represents whether the binary value is positive or negative . If the sign is 0 then the binary number is positive . If the sign is 1 then the binary number is negative . The other bits represent the magnitude - the value of the binary number. For an 8-bit binary number , the range is -127 to 127 , because only 7 bits are used to define the magnitude. Sign & Magnitude: Problems Sign and magnitude is not commonly used by computers for two main reasons: Performing binary addition and subtraction (see section 4.3 ) will often cause a wrong result . In the example below, -7 + 3 should equal -4 but the result given is 2. + Sign and magnitude creates two different values for 0 - positive 0 and negative 0 which is incorrect. Two's Complement Two's complement is a method of representing positive and negative binary values. It is used often by computers because binary calculations will work correctly and there is only one value for zero. Two's Complement: Denary to Binary To represent a negative value using two's complement follow these steps: Write out the positive value in binary . Start on the right-hand side and move along, copy all 0s until you get to the first 1 . The first 1 is copied too. After the first 1 invert each value (change to its opposite ). So 0 becomes 1 and 1 becomes 0 . 1. 2. 3. Two's Complement: Binary to Denary To convert a binary number to denary using two's complement you must remember that the MSB is a negative value . Just add the numbers with 1 together to work out the denary value . Q uesto's Q uestions 4.2 - Signed Binary: Sign & Magnitude 1. Using sign and magnitude , convert the following values to denary : a. 00011101 b. 11100011 c. 10110110 d. 01001111 [1 each ] 2. Using sign and magnitude , convert the following values to binary : a. 83 b. -13 c. -102 d. -24 [1 each ] 3. Describe two problems when using sign and magnitude . [ 4 ] 4. Using sign and magnitude , the range of numbers that can be represented in 6 bits is from - 31 to + 31 . State the range of numbers that can be represented using sign and magnitude in the following bits: a. 8 bits b. 4 bits [1 each ] Two's Complement 1. Using two's complement , convert the following values to binary : a. -20 b. -49 c. -87 d. -113 [2 each ] 2. Using two's complement , convert the following values to denary : a. 10110010 b. 11101110 c. 01101011 d. 10011111 [2 each ] Watch the video to learn how sign and magnitude is used to represent negative numbers in binary . Watch the video to learn how two's complement is used to represent negative numbers in binary . Watch on YouTube Watch on YouTube 4.1 - Number Systems Theory Topics 4.3 - Binary Calculations
- 2.2.2b - Object Oriented Programming | OCR A-Level | CSNewbs
Exam Board: OCR 2.2b - Object Oriented Programming Specification: A-Level 2015 An instruction set is a list of all the instructions that a CPU can process as part of the FDE cycle . CPUs can have different sets of instructions that they can perform based on their function. The two most common instruction sets are the simpler RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer ) and more complicated CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computer ). Instruction Sets This page is still being updated. Graphical Processing Unit What is cache memory? Cache memory is temporary storage for frequently accessed data . Cache memory is very quick to access because it is closer to the CPU than other types of memory like RAM . Multicore & Parallel Systems What is cache memory? Cache memory is temporary storage for frequently accessed data . Cache memory is very quick to access because it is closer to the CPU than other types of memory like RAM . Multicore & Parallel Systems What is cache memory? Cache memory is temporary storage for frequently accessed data . Cache memory is very quick to access because it is closer to the CPU than other types of memory like RAM . Q uesto's Q uestions 2.2b - Object Oriented Programming: 1. What is cache memory ? [ 2 ] 2.2a - Computational Methods Theory Topics 3.1a - Algorithm Design
- OCR CTech IT | Unit 1 | 1.8 & 1.9 - Number Systems | CSNewbs
1.8 & 1.9 - Number Systems & Conversion Exam Board: OCR Specification: 2016 - Unit 1 What is binary? What is denary? Denary (also known as decimal ) is the number system that you've been using since primary school. Denary is a base 10 number system. This means that it has 10 possible values - 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 . How to convert from binary to denary: How to convert from denary to binary: What is hexadecimal? Hexadecimal is a base 16 number system. This means that it has 16 possible values - 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E and F . Hexadecimal is used as a shorthand for binary because it uses fewer characters to write the same value . This makes hexadecimal less prone to errors when reading or writing it , compared to binary. For example, 100111101011 is 9EB. Hexadecimal only uses single-character values. Double-digit numbers are converted into letters - use the table on the right to help you understand. How to convert from binary to hexadecimal: How to convert from hexadecimal to binary: Converting from denary to hexadecimal / hexadecimal to denary To convert from denary to hexadecimal or the other way round you must convert to binary first . Denary > Binary > Hexadecimal Hexadecimal > Binary > Denary Use the videos on this page if you need help converting to or from binary. The most common number systems question in exams are from denary to hexadecimal or from hexadecimal to denary so make sure that you practice these conversions. Q uesto's Q uestions 1.8 & 1.9 - Number Systems: 1. Explain why hexadecimal numbers are used as an alternative to binary . [ 2 ] 2. Convert the following values from binary to denary : a. 00101010 b. 11011011 c. 01011101 d. 11101110 e. 01011111 [1 each ] 3. Convert the following values from denary to binary : a. 35 b. 79 c. 101 d. 203 e. 250 [1 each ] 4. Convert the following values from binary to hexadecimal : a. 11110101 b. 01100111 c. 10111010 d. 10010000 e. 11101001 [1 each ] 5. Convert the following values from hexadecimal to binary : a. C2 b. 8A c. DE d. 54 e. F7 [1 each ] 6. Convert the following values from denary to hexadecimal : a. 134 b. 201 c. 57 d. 224 e. 101 [1 each ] 7. Convert the following values from hexadecimal to denary : a. 32 b. A5 c. 88 d. C0 e. BE [1 each ] Watch on YouTube Watch on YouTube Watch on YouTube Watch on YouTube By now you should know that computer systems process data and communicate entirely in binary . Section 1.7 explained different binary storage units such as bits (a single 0 or 1), nibbles (4 bits) and bytes (8 bits). Binary is a base 2 number system. This means that it only has 2 possible values - 0 or 1 . Click the banners above to try self-marking quizzes (Google Form) on these topics. Denary to Binary: Binary to Denary: Binary to Hexadecimal: Hexadecimal to Binary: 1.7 - Units of Measurement Topic List 2.1 Software Types
- 1.1 - Holders of Information | Unit 2 | OCR Cambridge Technicals | CSNewbs
1.1 - Holders of Information Exam Board: OCR Specification: 2016 - Unit 2 Categories of Information Holders Organisations that store and process information can be put into seven different categories : Business A business will hold information on all of its employees , including their date of birth, address and financial information , allowing them to be paid at the end of each month. Businesses will also hold commercial information about their organisation such as profits and losses, product descriptions and historical data . Many companies may record information about their competitors and general marketing data. Government The government will hold a huge amount of information about all citizens in the country including financial earnings, tax paid, births and deaths . The electoral roll holds information about addresses . A national census is taken every 10 years in the UK (the next census is in 2021) that records extensive data about everyone living in the country. The government also stores information about other countries and shares some of this publicly, such as the Foreign Office posting travel advice . Individual Education Educational organisations , such as schools, colleges and universities will hold information about current and past students as well as staff. Student information such as addresses, attendance records and examination history will be recorded, as well as contact information for parents and guardians. Teacher information will be stored too, as well as students that previously attended the institution, even for a number of years after they have left. An individual will hold information about themselves , either in their head or on paper or electronically. This includes their name, date of birth, address, usernames and passwords . Individuals will store information of others , such as phone numbers, social media details and email addresses . Other information will be about organisations , such as the address of their favourite restaurant, opening hours of the local cinema or the telephone number from a catchy advert. Healthcare Healthcare services , like the NHS in the United Kingdom, will hold entire medical histories for each civilian in the country. This includes basic personal information such as current address and date of birth but much more detailed data too like previous illnesses and operations, blood type, allergies and prescriptions . The data stored by healthcare organisations is usually confidential and should not be shared by anyone other than the citizen in question. Charity & Community Charities may hold financial information of donors who give money to them, as well as information about the different projects that the donations are funding. Charities such as the British Heart Foundation might have physical addresses on the high street so information may be kept about the shops too. Community organisations like sport centres or religious institutions may hold information on members and matches, meetings or events . Comparison of Locations The location of systems and data affects access speed and network quality . The digital divide is the gap between people who do and do not have easy access to computers and networks . Developed vs. Developing Countries Developed countries , like areas of Western Europe, North America and East Asia, have a more developed technology and industry base with more funding available for information infrastructures such as cabling and high-speed access . Developing countries , like areas of Africa and Central Asia, have unstable governments and slower access (if any) to the internet . Less money is spent on technology and improving broadband speed and expensive equipment like computers cannot be purchased on low wages . Urban vs. Rural Urban locations like towns and cities have a high population density . Because there are so many people, councils and IT companies will spend a lot of money on internet infrastructure such as cabling and installing high-speed lines . In Rural locations like the countryside, the population is sparse and settlements may be far apart so internet access is poorer and broadband speeds are slower . This means accessing information on the internet is more difficult . Internet Access from Remote Locations Remote locations (such as the countryside or difficult-to-reach areas like mountains or deserts) might have limited internet access . Fast fixed broadband is expensive to install and many providers simply won't invest in rural areas as it is not economically viable . Some areas, usually those with a very small or temporary population, might have no fixed internet access which will make it difficult for an individual or organisation to communicate or work online. Many remote locations have some form of internet but download speeds will be slow or interrupted due to intermittent connection . This makes it difficult to work online and could take a long time to access webpages or document stores. Alternatives to fixed broadband in remote locations include mobile broadband and satellite broadband . Mobile broadband is generally not designed for home use and would be very expensive for everyday use , plus the remote location will generally mean mobile coverage could also be weak . Satellite broadband requires a dish with an unrestricted view of the sky. Satellite broadband has a relatively high internet speed but will cost a lot to install and has a high latency (more chance of experiencing lag). Q uesto's Q uestions 1.1 - Holders of Information: 1a. State the 7 categories of information holders . [7 ] 1b. For each of the 7 categories , briefly describe 3 different pieces of information that may be stored by the information holder. For example, a charity may store the financial information of donors. [3 each ] 2. What is the digital divide ? [2 ] 3. Describe the differences in information access for the following locations : a. Developed vs. developing countries b. Urban vs. rural areas c. Remote locations [4 each ] Topic List 1.2 - Storage Media
- OCR CTech IT | Unit 1 | 2.5 & 4.2 - Communication Methods | CSNewbs
2.5 & 4.2: Communication Methods Exam Board: OCR Specification: 2016 - Unit 1 Sections 2.5 and 4.2 are very similar so both are mixed within this page. There are many ways that employees of a business can communicate between staff members or with their customers . Text-based Communication Letter ✓ Traditional - used for formal occasions such as resignations or job offers. ✓ Can be kept and stored for physical evidence - e.g. an applicant's CV. X Requires postage costs to be sent in the mail. X Takes time to be received in the post . X Can't include certain formats like video. Text Message (SMS) ✓ Reach a large audience at once with one batch message . ✓ Good for short messages - e.g. reminders for appointments. ✓ Doesn't require an internet connection to receive messages. X Limited to short messages with no multimedia . X Text messages can cost to send per message. Email ✓ Send information to many people at once. ✓ Can include documents , multimedia attachments and links . X Important messages may be lost in the spam folder. X Phishing scams can spread malware via email attachments. Instant Messaging ✓ Works in real time - messages are sent and received instantly . ✓ Attachments and hyperlinks can be sent. ✓ Can be used by support staff to help customers in real time. X Quick speed means it's less suitable for formal conversations like interviews. X Internet access issues will disrupt any conversations . Voice-based Communication Cellular ✓ Can hear how something is said , unlike text responses. ✓ Fastest method of communication - also allows reactive conversations that can quickly change based on previous responses. X Impacted by cellular reception - won't work in remote areas / underground. X Can't see the other person's body language, presentation or facial expressions. Teleconferences ✓ Allows for groups of people to communicate at once . ✓ Businesses can use teleconferencing to communicate between offices / individuals across the world . X The quality of the call may be affected by a group's poor reception . X Because a group is communicating, people may speak over each other , especially if there is a time delay . VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) ✓ Allows a user to make calls over the internet (such as using WhatsApp). ✓ Cheaper (can also be free) to make calls rather than using a cellular network . X Relies on a good quality internet connection . X Can potentially be less secure than cellular connections. hi there Personal Assistants ✓ Speeds up processes by making appointments, checking information etc. ✓ Voice-activated - can be used whilst otherwise busy, such typing or writing. ✓ The language can be changed to suit people's preferences. X Huge privacy concerns - companies store audio data for voice recognition and track all commands made to the device. X Recognition issues - sometimes doesn't understand a command. Online Communication Video Conferences ✓ Can be used for interviews as it allows the applicant and the interviewers to see each other and look for body language . ✓ Users can share information visually such as designs. X A high-bandwidth connection is required to send and receive video data. X A poor connection will result in low quality video. Social Media ✓ Businesses can quickly share information to a large audience , potentially millions. ✓ Posts can be in different formats such as text, images, videos or links to other websites. X Businesses must be cautious about what they post , to not accidentally offend others and damage their reputation . X Posts and responses from customers must be carefully managed, a social media manager should be hired. Blog / Vlog ✓ Share information with followers in the format of text , images and video . ✓ Blogs and vlogs can unite people with similar interests , such as a cookery blog or travel vlog. X Takes a lot of effort and time to create posts, especially editing videos for vlogs. X Bad behaviour or language in vlogs can bring punishment. Several YouTubers have lost their reputations following videos they have posted. Q uesto's Q uestions 2.5 & 4.2 - Communication Methods: 1. Describe three advantages and three disadvantages for each type of communication method . You will need to think of or research some more than the examples listed on this page. a. Letter b. SMS (Text Message) c. Email d. Instant Message e. Cellular Call f. Teleconference g. VoIP Call h. Personal Assistant i. Video Conference j. Social Media k. Blog / Vlog [6 each ] 2. Explain what VoIP stands for and what it allows a user to do. [ 2 ] 3. Describe which communication method would be most appropriate for the following scenarios and why : a. Informing your boss you are going to resign. b. Communicating with management about raising your pay. c. Chatting to team members about when the Christmas party is. d. Sending promotions to thousands of customers. e. Interviewing a potential new employee who is in a different country. f. Talking with a group of investors about the company's latest data. [2 each ] 2.6 - Software Troubleshooting 2.4 Operating Systems 4.1 Communication Skills 4.3 - Personal Attributes Topic List
- Python | Extended Task 6 | CSNewbs
Extended Task 6 'Guess the Word' Game Create a Python program similar to the hit New York Times puzzle game Wordle . Allow the user to make guesses to match the randomly chosen hidden word , stopping when they get it correct. You can download a list of 5-letter words on this page. You will need to read in each line of the list and randomly select one - don’t forget to import the random library . Check if each letter of the user’s inputted word is in the randomly selected word . If you are using an IDE like Replit you can use the colorama library and the Fore command to turn the text: Green if the letter is in the correct position . Red if the letter is not in the selected word . Yellow if the letter is in the selected word but not in the correct position . Add your own flair and additional features to your program as an extension, including limiting the number of guesses and recording how many attempts it took to get the correct answer. Download a file of 534 5-letter words: For this task, you will need to create a document and include the following sections (with screenshots where appropriate): An introduction to explain the Purpose of your program . A List of Requirements for a successful program. Screenshots of your code (with comments in your code to show understanding). Testing – Create a plan to show how you will test your program and then explanations of any errors that you found and how they were fixed . An Evaluation of what worked, what didn’t, and how you met each of your requirements from your original list. Also, discuss further improvements that you could have made to improve your program. Reminders for this task: You will need a while loop to repeatedly allows the user to enter words until they match the correct word. Section 10 will help you to open, write and r ead from files . Download the file of 5-letter words from the link above. You will need to randomly select a word from the file. The choice command will help. Selection will be necessary to check if each letter in the inputted word matches the letter in the same position in the correct word. String handling is needed to select specific letters in a string. You will need to use .rstrip() on the selected line (word) that you have randomly chosen from the file. This removes any hidden characters that may interfere with checking if it is equal to the inputted word. There are multiple ways to approach this program, and your solution might look different from the example. Break the problem down and focus on one part at a time. Example solution: The word the user enters should be checked , letter by letter , against the letters in the same position in the randomly chosen correct word . Remember that the first letter in a word has the position 0 , not 1. Below is an example of some incomplete code you may wish to use in your solution. ⬅ Extended Task 5 (Colour Collection) Extended Task 7 (Number Game) ➡
- Python | 1b - Commenting | CSNewbs
top Python 1b - Commenting Writing Comments To annotate your work, you can write a comment using the # symbol. Comments are ignored when you run the program and they are not printed . #This is a comment! print ( "Welcome to Python!" ) #The code above prints a nice greeting = Welcome to Python! Programmers use comments to explain to other people (and themselves) what different sections of code do . With massive programs, comments are vital; otherwise, it would be too confusing, especially after returning from a few weeks or months on a different project. If you are creating a Python project for school (or A-Level Computer Science coursework), you will need comments to explain your code and prove you have written it yourself. Comments over Multiple Lines Have a lot to say in one comment? Use three apostrophes ( ”’ ) at the start and three more at the end of your comment like below: '''This is a comment that I have spread out over more than one line''' print ( "Hello! How are you?" ) Top Tip: Use multi-line comments when testing a program to ‘blank out’ sections that you know work fine and only focus on one part at a time. Commenting Task 1 (Day of the Week & Weather) On line 1 write a single-line comment ( use # ) to state that your program will print the day of the week. On line 2 print the current day of the week. On lines 3, 4 and 5 write a multi-line comment (use ''' ) about the weather today. Remember comments won't be printed so only the day of the week should be output. Example solution: Wednesday ⬅ 1a - Pri nting 1c - Crea ting Variables ➡