A group of students are producing a class newsletter which they will email to parents of students in the class. They are deciding whether to use a laptop computer or a smartphone to type the newsletter.

(a) Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using a laptop computer rather than a smartphone for this purpose.

Advantages: 

Laptop uses a physical keyboard therefore easier to type

Larger screen to read the typed data

More computer storage for typed text

Disadvantage: 

Less portable

Smartphones are smaller therefore easier to carry

More likely to have a smartphone with them

(d) Describe the features that the students must include to make the newsletter appeal to the parents.

Clear readable fonts

Formal layout

Contrasting colors

Use suitable images

More text than pictures –> Interesting / engaging content

A headteacher is producing a web page about the history of her school. She has been given some old hard-copy photographs which she will include on the web page. She has a digital camera and a scanner to use to convert the hard-copy photographs into a digital format.

Compare the uses of a digital camera with a scanner in this scenario. Your answer must include similarities and differences.

Similarities: 

Both capture images.

Both store digital data. 

Both create digital images. 

Differences:  

Digital camera is more portable

Scanner captures the image in more detail

Digital camera has faster data capture

Describe the purpose of a web browser.

Web browser retrieves the code from the server. 

The code is interpreted as a web page. 

Allows the user to navigate to other information. 

A company uses an intranet. They are considering using an extranet.
Compare an intranet with an extranet. Your answer must include similarities and differences.

Similarities: 

Both have shared content 

Both sit behind a firewall 

Both have restricted access 

Differences: 

Intranet is owned is by a single organisation whereas extranet can be used by several organisations

Intranet shares data within an organisation whereas extranet shares content with external users and employees

Extranet can lead to more security breaches

Identify two appropriate IT-related causes for each of the health issues. Your answers must be different in each case. (13) 

(a) repetitive strain injury (RSI)

Back posture, Working in a cramped workspace, Prolonged use of a mouse

(b) eye strain 

Bright screen, staring at the computer screen for a long time, sitting too close to the screen

State the safety issue that is most likely to occur for each of these causes. (11) 

(a)  Spilling drinks on computer equipment

Electrocution 

(b)  Overloading sockets by plugging in too many devices 

fire

(c)  Trailing cables across the floor 

Tripping

(d)  Placing a laser printer at the edge of a table 

Heavy equipment falling and injuring people

A student has set up a password for his laptop computer. The password he has chosen is Px2zY!Cg3?bd (11) 

(a)  Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of using this password.

Benefits: 

It is a strong password
Hard to crack
More secure

Drawbacks: 

Easy to forget as it has many different characters

Even though it is still strong it is easy for a computer to crack

The user may have to write it down to remember it

Explain three problems that may occur when the employees change their passwords regularly. (12) 

Users could forget the current password easily - you could get locked out of the system 

The password could be similar - security is weakened

Difficulty to find a new password - security is weakened 

  (b)  The company has a website which uses a digital certificate. Explain the purpose of the digital certificate.

To ensure a website is trusted

Verifies if the company owns the website

 (c)  A digital certificate is attached to an email. State three items contained in a digital certificate.

Date issued

Expiry date

A serial number

Owner’s name 

ePublishing software is used to create an ePublication to display a school’s yearly magazine.

(a)  Describe the characteristics of an ePublication.

Can be used by many users simultaneously

Allows multimedia to be embedded in the pages

Readers can interact with the ePublication

(b)  The ePublishing software is subject to software copyright legislation.
Give two methods that cou   ld be used to prevent software copyright legislation being broken.

Use of licence agreements

Getting permission from the owner

Compare Optical Mark Readers (OMRs) with Optical Character Readers (OCRs). Your answer must include similarities and differences.

Similarities: 

Both are input devices 

Both use direct data entry 

Both read data very quickly 

Differences:

OCR is more accurate at reading detailed data

Data read from an OCR can be manipulated by word processing software

The OMR marks have to be in the correct location

Identify two uses of Optical Mark Recognition (OMR).

multiple choice forms 

registering for attendance 

The systems analyst is working with a team to create some new software. The software documentation will be stored on the cloud. (11)
(b)Describe how the team can use the cloud to share the documentation. 

Documentation is uploaded to the cloud

Access is given to members of the team

Members of the team open the documentation 

Members of the team update the documentation

(c)  Members of the team can use video-conferencing to join business meetings from different locations around the world.
Describe, giving reasons, three disadvantages of using video-conferencing for business meetings rather than meeting in person.

Difficult to form relationship with the staff members - the staff members are working on their own

Disconnection issues - members having problem joining the meeting 

Users could be distracted - they will no pay attention to the meeting 

Describe three advantages of using audio-conferencing rather than video-conferencing
in this scenario.

It is easier to set up

no issues with lip syncing

better privacy - since no cameras are used .