User Interfaces
The term user interfaces is when a person interacts with a computer. An interface is a set of commands or menues through which a user communicates which a program.

The three main types of user interface are:

• Menu Driven Interface
• Command Line Interface
• Graphical User Interface

Command- Line Interfaces
To use a command- line interace, you need to type in commands to interact with the computer, for example if you wanted to copy a file  you could not write "Please copy file named "item". Instead you would have to write c:\windows> copy c:\item.doc.

D.O.S stands for Disk Operating System.

Advantages of Command - Line Interfaces

• It does not need Windows for it to run
• If the user knows commands, it can be much faster than using menus
• It does not take up much memory to run

Disadvantages of Command- Line Interfaces

• Commands have to be typed in precisely or else they wont work
• it can be confusing to understand commands
• You cannot guess instructions
• A lot of commands need to be learnt, therefore it is not suitable for a beginner

 Here is an example of a Command -Line interface

Menu- Driven Interface
With a Menu - Driven Interface, the user interacts with the computer by selecting options from a menu. Examples of systems which use a menu- driven interface are:

• Wordwise word processor
• A bank cash point machine
• Grass Database

Advantages of Menu- Driven Interfaces

• They are easy to use
• No need to learn commands
• They are user friendly
• They can be non- visual

Disadvantages of Menu- Driven Interfaces

• If there are too many levels, it can be annoying, (e.g. Telephone lines)
• It is essentail that it is well designed
• You may have to switch screens to access a menu

Here is an example of a Menu- Driven Interface

Menu G.U.I
With a graphical user Interface the user interacts with the computer by using a pointing device such as a mouse or trackball. The most popular form of GUI is W.I.M.P system which stands for; Windows, Icon, Menu, and Pointer.

 

Here is an example of a GUI Interface

 http://www.hollyfield.kingston.sch.uk/gcseit/GCSE/userint.htm
When you use a program such as a word processor that has a WIMP interface it is often the case that the document you are creating looks exactly the same on the screen as it will when it is printed out. If this is the case then the program is described as being WYSIWYG. This stands for What You See Is What You Get.

Advantages of using GUI Interfaces

• It is easy to use, so it is suitable for beginners
• You can try out various options easily
• It enables easy exchange of information (such as copy and paste)
• It is easy to find help on how to use it
• it is easy to learn how to use it

Disadvantages of using GUI Interfaces

• It takes up a lot of memory
• It can be slightly irritating to advanced
• users when simple tasks require many operations

Networks
A network is the situation where 2 or more computers are linked together in some way. networks are generally used rather than standalone machines because:

• stand alones are not able to communicate with one another, unlike networks.
• people are able to share files with each other on a network.
• networks are able to share hardware devices such as printers 

A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information.

Computer terminal Networks 
WAN- Wide Area Network, which is usually used in buinesses such as Nissan, as there are different connections to Nissan throughout the world. WANs are usually connected by telephone lines, other types of communication lines or through radio waves. 


Terminals
A terminal is a device which enables you to communicate with the computer, such as a keyboard and a screen.


Intelligent Terminals
An intelligent terminal is a stand alone device which contains main memory and CPU. an example of a Terminal is Modern Application terminals for Banking, retail and industrial data collection.


Local Computer Terminals
LAN- Local Area Network, which is a network within the same building, such as Schools. Wireless LANs gave became popular in the home due to easy installation.


File Servers
A file server is a computer which is responsible for the central storage and management of data files so that other computers on the same network can access the files. A file Server allows users to share information over a network without having to transfer thr information by floppy disks, or any other type of storage devices.

Print Server
A print server lets computers on a network all access a network printer. Print Servers are therefore useful even on very small networks, since they avoid having to move files from computer to computer before printing.

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/N/network.html 

http://www.teach-ict.com/gcse_computing/ocr/215_communications_networking/network_hardware/miniweb/index.htm

Generic Software Features

Generic features of software
Most but not all software has generic features. Generic features are those features of software that are not found in just one type of software but are common to most types of applications software. Most of these features are included as part of the software in order to help a user enter and format the text to maximise the clarity of the material and improve its presentation.


Generic Features of Software

• Wizards
• Wordart
• Zoom
• Find and Replace
• Copy, Cut and Paste
• Font type, size, style and colour
• Drag abd drop
• Undo and Redo
• Print Screen
• Templates
• Obtaining Images
• Page Breaks
• Print and Print Preview
• Help
• Text/ Picture Boxes
• Orientation
• Wrap Text
• Page Layout
• Justify Text

Web Logs and Social Networking
Web logs, commonly called blogs, have become ver popular in the recent years. they are websites that are created by an individual to tell others, who are interested, about their lives. they are very popular, especially with celebrities and other well known people, who are keen to keep their fans interested in their work.

Social Networking sites are also ways of keeping in touch with friends and they also offer the opportunity to meet new people. Social Networking sites are not without their problems and critics and they need to be used with care.

What is a web log?
A web log is a website providing commentary, personal thoughts or news on a particular subject. They can include text, images, and links to other blogs and websites.

• Blogs enable other people to comments on the material posted and often this means that these comments are vetted or moderated by the owner of the blog.
• Blogs can be created quickly by anyone with an Internet connection.
• Blogs can be considered as online journals.

The use of web logs. . .
Blogs are used by anyone who wants to get a message across. there are blogs about all sorts of things but the most popukar ones are:

• personal online diaries- lets people know what you are up to
• News- this can be the news from ordinary people or from proffesional journalists
• Entertainment- here you can post information about good and bad conserts, films, books etc.
• Food- here poeple can let others know about good and bad restaurants they have been to, exchange recepies etc.
• Politics- Many politicians have their own blogs. Here you can let them know whether they are doing a good job or not.

The use of Social Networking
Social Networking is a very popular use of computers connected to the main internet. Here are some of the main social networking sites:

• Facebook
• MySpace
• Bebo
• Twitter

Advantages and Disadvantages of Web Logs and Social Networking Sites

Advantages

• Helps build online communities- this is important if you are lonely, disabled etc.
• Allows you to make friends, with friends of your friends.
• Useful place for expressing your opinions on matters.
• Allows you to find out what your friends and family are up to.
• useful place to exchange photographs with other family members and friends.
• Students can access blogs so that they can chat about their learning and help each other.

Disadvantages

• Your image mught be posted on an inappropriate website.
• Paedophiles use blogs and social networking sites to obtain emages.
• Your image may be edited using editing software.
• You may be identified from your image even though there are no other contact details.
• You may encounter stalkers or be pestered by emails, or worse still they may find where you live and your phone numbers.
• Employers sometimes look at profiles of job applicants on social networking sites to see if they are siutable for a job.
• Addiction to Social Networking sites.
• Social Networking Sites get users to reveal lots of personal information about them selves and their friends, which is an invasion of privacy.

http://www.teach-ict.com/gcse_new/being_online/social%20networking/miniweb/pg2.htm
http://www.teach-ict.com/gcse_new/being_online/blogs/miniweb/pg2.htm

Computer Misuse Act and Copyright and Patents Act
The Computer Misuse Act 1990 was passed tp deal with a number of misuses as the use of computers became widespread. The Computer Misuse Act makes it an offence to:

• deliberatley plant or transfer viruses to a computer system to cause damage to programs and data
• use an organisation's computer to carry out unauthorized work
• hack into someone else's computer system with a view to seeing the information or altering it
• use computers to commit various frauds

Copyright and Patents Act
Many people spend a lot of time and money creating original work such as a piece of music, a picture, a pice of software, a photograph, a newspaper article. etc Many of these people do it for a living, so it is only fair that their work should not be copied without permission.
The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 protects intellectual property from being copied such as:

• software
• text
• a new innovative human computer interface
• hardware
• books, and manuals
• images on websites

Here are some actions that are illegal:

• Copying software and music illegally
• copying text or images without permission
• copying sections of websites without permission
• sharing digital music illegally using peer-to-peer file sharinf software
• running more copies of software than is allowed by the site licence

http://www.teach-ict.com/gcse_new/legal/copyright/miniweb/pg2.htm

Data Protection Act- is a law that resricts the way personal information is stored and processed on a computer.

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