CAT Theory Notes 2023 - Module 2

© 2023 Dillan Van Wyk. All Rights Reserved (Act No. 98, 1978) Computers, part of your life – Grade 12 (2nd Edition) Theory Notes By Dillan Van Wyk LEGAL NOTICE: These notes are extracted from the ‘Computers, part of your life – Grade 12 (2nd Edition)’ textbook and is not my own work. All credit goes to the authors of the textbook. I have simply compiled and summarized all of the knowledge it contains. COPYRIGHT This document is copyrighted under the (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) licence. This means: • You may share, copy, and redistribute the material in any medium or format. • You may adapt, remix, transform, and build upon the material freely. Under the following terms the above-mentioned is permitted: • You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if any changes were made. • You may NEVER use this document, or any material in this document, for commercial purposes. • If you remix, transform, or build upon the material in this document, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original document. [(CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)] These requirements are subject to the Copyright Act Number 98 of 1978 in the Constitution of South Africa. Computers in our everyday lives Page 1 Efficiency • Time: Computers work faster and longer than humans. • Labour: Computers don’t get tired. • Resources: Computers can work more efficiently with resources. (Electricity, less paper, etc.) Accuracy • If computers have access to accurate programs and data, it will be extremely accurate. • It's essential that the computer can produce accurate data constantly. Reliability • Computers are able to do complex tasks with extreme accuracy and without getting tired. Communication The ability for computers to communicate, allow us to: 1. Virtually eliminate time and distance. 2. Share information in many different ways globally. Types of computer systems 3. Save on communication *** costs. 4. Interact socially on an international scale. When comparing different computers, you must consider the following: • How powerful they are. • What they're used for. • Their size and mobility. • The software they use. Non-portable computers They are large in size and are generally more powerful than mobile or portable computers. They’re not meant to be moved around. Example: Desktop computers - most common type of non-portable computers. Servers - a powerful computer used to provide resources and services to all the computers that are linked in a network. Portable computers It is a smaller computer that was designed to be moved around. They have the same traditional operating systems and hardware, but the hardware is designed to be smaller. They also rely on a battery for power. Example: Laptop/Notebook - has a screen larger than 12" or 13". They can have the same specs for a higher price. Tablet - has a touch- or pen-sensitive screen. Hybrid computer - they have reversible or detachable screens with a normal keyboard. The screens are touch sensitive. Smartphones - it's a cell phone with an operating system that has the ability to run apps. It uses a touch screen interface. Phablet - a smartphone with a screen size larger than 5". The difference between smartphones/tablets/phablets and a laptop is that the first three were designed to be "Always on", whereas a laptop is switched on and off. Page 2 Personal users These are users who use their computers for personal use. They typically use their computers for: • Limited office tasks. • Internet banking. • Email and web browsing. • Social networking. • Entertainment like gaming or playing music. SOHO (Small Office Home Office) users These users use their computers for more business-related stuff. They normally use their computers for: • Accounting or billing. • Databases. • Planning and scheduling. Power users These are users who require a lot of power for their tasks. These users include: • Gamers. • Architects. • Engineers. Mobile users Mobile users can fall under any of the above mentioned categories. These are users who require their technology to be with them all the time. They normally use their computers for: • Browsing the Internet on the go. • Playing games. • Using GPS to navigate. • Taking photos or videos. This is the trend where separate technologies and functions are combined into one single device. In other words, it's the merging or combining of multiple technologies into a single, multi-purpose device. Page 3 Hardware devices Page 4 INPUT --> PROCESSING --> OUTPUT --> STORAGE OR COMMUNICATION Keyboard It's the most common input device. Uses: It's used for typing in text and giving commands. Advantages: The fastest way to enter text and it's easy to learn. Disadvantages: It can be difficult to use and you need to have a certain level of keyboard skills. Troubleshooting: • If the keys don't pop back up quickly. Switch off the computer, unplug the keyboard and clean it with a damp cloth. • The keyboard is not responding. If it's a wireless keyboard, the batteries are probably low or the USB dongle is not plugged in. Try a different USB port. • If it is a wide keyboard, disconnect and reconnect the keyboard or try a different USB port. Factors - Buying decisions. • Ergonomic considerations: Ergonomic keyboards position the key so that you hold your hands in a more natural position to reduce the likelihood of a Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI) such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). • Wireless versus cable: A wireless keyboard reduces desktop clutter, but can be inconvenient as you can't use the device if the batteries are flat. Mouse A pointing device Is essential to be able to use a graphical user interface (GUI) and the mouse is the most commonly used pointing device. Advantages: It's an easy-to-learn device and provides an effective way to interact with the graphical elements on a screen. Disadvantages: An entry level mask is generally not very precise or accurate when used for creating or editing graphics. Troubleshooting: • If the mouse is sticking, meaning that it moves erratically or jumps on the screen, make sure that you are using a clean, smooth, non-reflective surface. • If the mouse is not responding, the batteries may need to be replaced if it's a wireless mouse. You may also want to use a different port. If it's a wired mouse, use a different port, unplug and plug it back in or reboot the computer. Factors - Buying decisions. • Ergonomic considerations: Economically designed mouses keep your hand in a more natural position to reduce the likelihood of a Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI) such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). • Wireless versus cable: A wireless mouse reduces desktop clutter, but can be inconvenient as you can't use the device if the batteries are flat. Page 5 Touch screen. It's the most common input device for mobile devices. Uses: It's used to give mobile devices an input device. Advantages: Serves as a mouse and a keyboard. It is also a more natural input device. Disadvantages: The on-screen keyboard is not as easy to use as an actual keyboard and are not ideal for entering large amounts of data. Touchpad It's the most common input device on laptops. Uses: It replaces the mouse in devices such as laptops. Advantages: Since it's built into the device, the user does not need to carry an additional mouse with them and they don't need additional space to use the touchpad as they need with a mouse. Disadvantages: It's not as accurate or precise as a mouse. Some users also find it more difficult to use than a mouse. Scanner It's used to create a digital copy of a physical copy, like an image or page with text on it. Uses: Capturing images from paper sources and reading barcodes. Advantages: It makes it easier to convert documents into its digital form. It is also easier to scan a document and then using OCR software to edit it than it is to retype the entire document. Disadvantages: The quality of a scanned image is dependent on the quality of the original document. Scanning can be slow and take a lot of time. Troubleshooting: • Errors in image size or quality means that you have to change settings of the scanning software. • If the scanner is not responsive make sure that it is plugged in and switched on. Make sure that it is correctly connected to a USB port. • Some scanners have locking features for when you move them. Make sure that this locking feature is not on. More Specific Advantages in Specific Scenarios. Office Automation: • Electronic copies made are store digitally and don't take up office space. • Scanned copies can be emailed and no longer have to be faxed or posted. • Older documents can be scanned and achieved. POS and Database: • Barcode scanners are very useful in POS systems and in libraries as you can easily track what was sold/taken. Other Uses: • On the roads using e-toll, scanners can be used to reduce traffic congestion and queues. Page 6 Digital Camera It's used for capturing images. Uses: It's used for capturing images and video. As barcode or QR code scanners. Advantages: Photos are already in a digital format and hence don't need to be scanned. They are generally easy to use. If the device has the GPS function, it will add the location where the photo was taken in the metadata. This is known as geo- tagging. Disadvantages: You can easily lose the photos if the storage device or the computer is broken. The quality of the photos rely on the quality of the camera. Factors - Buying decisions. • Resolution: For a scanner: The number of dots it can scan per inch (dpi). 300dpi is the MINIMUM number resolution to get good images. For a digital camera: The number of horizontal and vertical pixels in an image. The higher the resolution, the more storage space the image takes up. • Image quality: • Colour depth: The number of bits used to represent a single colour. (The higher the bits, the better.) • Sensor size: The bigger the sensor of a camera, the better the photo. • ISO rating: The camera's sensitivity to light. (The higher the ISO rating, the better.) Webcam It's used to have video/image input into your computing device. Uses: They are mainly used for internet video communication, 'live feeds' of events, and remote control of security cameras. Advantages: They're cheap, small, and often built into (integrated) portable computers. Disadvantages: The resolution of most webcams are very low and hence don't take good images. Troubleshooting: • An unresponsive webcam is normally not plugged in, not switched on, or not selected as the camera that should be used. Microphone It's used to record audio. Uses: They're used to record sound and to communicate. (E.g. VoIP or Conferencing.) Advantages: They allow you to record verbal like a meeting, give voice commands, or use software to edit, analyse or manipulate sound. Disadvantages: Built-in (Integrated) microphones don't provide good quality audio and they are difficult to use in noisy environments. Troubleshooting: • If it's not responsive, it might be plugged into the wrong jack or when the microphone is muted. Page 7 Monitor or Display It provide a fast and easy way for the computer to communicate with the user. Uses: They're used to provide interactive feedback to the user and to display extra visual alerts for visually impaired people. Advantages: They provide instantaneous feedback to the user and they allow for interaction to take place between the user and the computing device. Disadvantages: The quality of the display is related to the size of the monitor and its resolution, it's not very portable and the output is difficult to share with others. Troubleshooting: • If the colours are weird (E.g. too dim, muddy, etc.), change the display settings (contrast, brightness, etc.) • If the image is blocky or stretchy the resolution settings are probably wrong. • The image is tinted blue, purple, yellow or green - faulty/damaged connection. Factors - Buying decisions. • Resolution: The maximum resolution of the display is the highest number of pixels that the display supports, and is measure by multiplying the number of horizontal pixels with the number of vertical pixels. • Image quality: • Colour depth: The number of bits used to represent the colour of a single pixels. (The higher the bits, the better.) • Pixel density: The number of pixels the display fits into a 1" horizontal line. • Refresh rate: how often or quickly the screen display is refreshed. • Contrast ratio: The relationship between the darkest black and brightest white. Speakers and Headphones It provide a way of listening to the sound that the computing device produces. Uses: They can be used to play sound, provide audible feedback to the user, and listen to voice message and people through Skype, for example. Advantages: Headphones allows you to listen to sound whilst not bothering anyone else around you. Speakers allows a group of people to listen to the same sound. Disadvantages: The sound quality relies heavily on the quality of the peripheral used, you may also need additional audio equipment if you want to play audio for a large amount of people, and it can also distract people who are not involved with what you are doing. Troubleshooting: They may not produce sound if: • They're not plugged into the right jack. • Speaker might not have power/is flat. • The sound on the computer may be soft or off. • The computer may be using the wrong sound device. Page 8 Printers They're used to turn softcopies into hardcopies. Laser printers Inkjet printers Dot matrix printers Uses: Print black and white or colour. Print black and white or colour. Used in POS for receipts & invoices. Advantages: • Speed. • High quality text. • Used for high volumes of printing. • Cheaper to buy • Cheap. than a laser printer. • Very low running • Best for printing cost. photos. • Can created carbon copies. Limitations: • Not good for printing • More expensive to good quality photos. use than laser printers. • Expensive to buy. • They print slower. • Toner is not • Text quality is not absorbed by the paper and will crack as good as laser if the paper is folded. printer. • Very low printing quality. • They are not suitable for any type of high quality printing. Troubleshooting: If the printer is not working, check the following: • It is plugged in and has power. • It's properly connected to the computer. • It's not low on ink or toner. • You have the correct printer selected. Factors - Buying decisions. Speed: The number of pages that the printer can print in one minute. (ppm) Colour: Most colour printers are called CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) printers. Resolution: Measured in the number of dots per inch (dpi) the printer can print in a horizontal line. The higher the dpi, the more clear and crisp the print will look. Printing at higher resolutions is more expensive as it uses more ink. Cost per page: How much it costs to print a page. It's based on a page with 5% coverage. Paper: The type of paper used is extremely important as affects the quality of the print severely. The size of the paper should also be taken into consideration - Most printers use A4 paper, but you can print using A3 paper. System compatibility: This refers to if the printer can work with your OS. It depends if the manufacturer of the printer has provided driver software for the printer on your OS. Connecting to a network: Some printers have built-in wireless functionality. This means that they can be connected to an network and be used without needing to be connected via port. Others can be used with Bluetooth. Some of them can be connected to a wired network and then used by any devices connected to the network. Mobility: Printers are not made to be mobile. You can by mobile printers but they have a lower quality print. Page 9 3D Printers It's used to create physical three-dimensional objects from designs on a computer. Uses: They can create entire buildings and structures, make complete and assembled mechanical parts, like gears. They can also make working human body parts. Advantages: You can make prototypes of new designs to test them. You can print parts as you need them and do not require you to keep a large stock. Disadvantages: They are expensive and the materials used to create objects are also expensive. 3D printers are slow and can be noisy. Troubleshooting: • There may be a problem with the 3D model, so you should check your design. • There may be a problem with the eating element. • There may also be something wrong with the material you are using. Data Projectors It's used in classrooms and boardrooms to present something to a large audience. Uses: It's used to display large images of the display/monitor into a screen, wall or other surface so that you can share the image with a large audience or group of people. Advantages: You can display an image to a large group of people. Disadvantages: The resolution of the image that is projected onto the surface is not as good as the one that will be displayed on a monitor. They have a lower contrast ratio which will lead to muddier images with lower colour quality. The brightness of a projector is much lower than that of a display. Troubleshooting: The problems that you might experience with a projector can be fixed in the same manner as problems with a monitor. If not any of those, the lightbulb may be broken. Page 10 Hard drive It's the most commonly used internal storage device. Uses: They store data and software permanently. It also acts as 'virtual memory' - it allows the computer to have access to more RAM than there is installed by using free disk space. 'Virtual memory' make a computer very slow if it's used too much. Advantages over RAM: It has a larger capacity, it's cheaper per GB than RAM, and it permanently stores all of the data on it, even if the power is switched off. Disadvantages: They are easily damaged if they are dropped or bumped. They are mechanical (they have moving parts) and are slower than electronic alternatives. Troubleshooting: • The storage space me be nearly full. • If the system seems slow and unresponsive, the hard drive may be fragmented. Make use of the defragmentation utility. (Electronic storage devices, like SSDs, can't become fragmented.) • If files are corrupt you may not have turned the computer off correctly. External Hard drive It's a hard drive that can be connected to a computing device via USB or Thunderbolt. Uses: It's like a normal hard drive, so the uses remain the same. It can also be used to store backups of files. Advantages: They have a large capacity, are portable, easy to use, have a high speed, are very reliable and allows for extra storage to be added to your computer. Disadvantages: They are not as small as flash drives. They have the same limitations as normal hard drives 2.5" vs. 3.5": • 2.5" drives are more expensive, have less storage space, and doesn't need external power. (It uses power from the computing device where it is plugged in.) • 3.5" drives are less expensive, have more storage space, but requires external power to work. (You need to plug it into a wall socket." Flash drive They are small, cheap portable storage devices. Uses: They are used to carry data and software around with you, make backups, and distribute data and software. Advantages: They are portable, allow for fast data access, are cheap, have large capacities, and are an industry standard. Disadvantages: They are easy to lose and are easily stolen. They're more expensive per GB than a hard drive and have lower capacities than hard drives. SSD (Solid State Drive) It's a completely electronic alternative to a hard drive. Uses: They are used in the same way a hard drive is used. Advantages: They are completely electronic and do not have ANY moving parts. They are faster, quieter, and more energy efficient than hard drives. Disadvantages: They are very expensive compared to hard drives. Page 11 Optical media CDs, DVDs, and Blue-ray. Uses: They are used for distributing software, storing movies and music, and backing up files. Advantages: They are affordable, portable, and an industry-standard. Disadvantages: They're slow, easily damaged, have relatively small capacities (CD 700MB; DVD - 4.7 to 8.5 GB; 25+GB for Blue-ray.) Laptops and desktop computers are not being designed with optical drives anymore. Troubleshooting: • Optical drives normally give problems when they are dirty. • A scratched disk is difficult to repair and should normally just be replaced. • Writeable and re-writeable discs can easily be damaged by heat or cold and this damage cannot be reversed. Page 12 Cellular modem Most people make use of cellular data when they need to be mobile. An external cellular modem looks like a flash drive and connects to a USB port, but it has a cell phone SIM card that is used to access the Internet. There are also cellular routers which has a space for a SIM card that allows the users to connect to it wirelessly. Advantages: They are easy to install and use and they make use of 3G/4G networking. Disadvantages: They can be expensive to use and are easily lost or stolen. ADSL and fibre router. You need to use an ADSL router to make use of an ADSL Internet connection and a fibre router if you want to make use of a fibre Internet connection. Advantages: If you have an ADSL router, you can make telephone calls and make use of the Internet using the same connection. Both an ADSL router and a fibre router have built in switches. The Wi-Fi capability of a router allows you to connect computers and other computing devices to the router wirelessly. Disadvantages: • With an 8 years all connection, you need to make use of a landline to be able to use the Internet. Similarly with fibre, you also need a physical connection, which makes use of tiny glass fibres. Hence, you can only use five or ADSL connections if the company has laid the cables for it in your area. • ADSL cable theft is unfortunately a very prevalent thing in South Africa as they are made out of copper. Fortunately, fibre cables are not targeted in the same manner as they are made out of glass and not any precious metal. Virtual reality. It is with the computer creates a whole new world for you to experience virtually. To make use of virtual reality you need the following: • A very powerful computer. • A head mounted display in the form of goggles. • Some form of controller. • Software to generate realistic 3D worlds with sufficient detail. Unfortunately, virtual reality is very expensive and some people still feel nauseous or get sick when they make use of virtual reality sets because there is a slight delay between your actual movement and the movement in the software. Augmented reality. It is the merging of the real world along with virtual objects to form one reality. Augmented reality needs the following: • Motion sensors. • A camera. • This screen or other output device. • A method for controlling input. Page 13 Hardware recommendations Page 14 The system unit The three most important hardware specifications are CPU, RAM, and storage. CPU or Processor It's responsible for all of the running of programs and processing of data. Notes: • The speed of a CPU is measured in GHz. • Modern CPUs generally have more than one core. • This means that the there is more than one processor on the chip. • The brand name and model help identify a processor in an advertisement. Recommendations: • A standard entry-level processor will be sufficient for personal users, SOHO users, and mobile users. • Power users should have the best CPU available. Memory(RAM) The RAM is the temporary storage area for running programs and data that is being processed. Notes: • RAM can be identified by other terms like: DIMMS, DDR3 or DDR4 RAM. • If you want to use more than 4GB of RAM, make sure that you have a 64-bit operating system. Recommendations: • The more RAM a user has, the better. This is true for all users. • Power users will need a lot of RAM. Hard Disk Drive (HDD) The main, permanent storage space for all of the programs and data on a computer. Notes: • A File server in a network has a lot of hard drives. • You can identify hard drives by size (2TB), their revolutions per minute (rpm), and the word SATA, which is the interface used to connect it. • HDDs are being replaced by SSDs. Recommendations: • Most users will never fill the hard drive of their computers. • If you use your computers for movies, photos, or music, you should get the biggest hard drive you can. Video card It's a separate circuit board that plugs into the special slot on the motherboard, and it has its own video memory and graphics processing unit (GPU) that improves video processing. Notes: • Entry-level computers have integrated graphics built into the CPU and does not require a separate video card. • Video cards add extra processing power and is essential for working with very resource intensive programs. Page 15 DVD Drive It's an optical drive that can play, read and write optical media. Notes: • DVD drives are less important than when the past because flash drives and other drives like external drives. And the Internet on our youth instead of optical media. • Newer computers do not include DVD drives as they are not as important anymore. • In advertisements, DVD drives are normally shown or listed as multi-drives. This means that they can read and write (or burn) to both DVDs and CDs. Port It's used to connect to external devices to the computer. Notes: • Most devices connect to a computer using USB ports, as this is the most common port. • Modern computers may also have Thunderbolt or USB C ports for high speed data and video connections. • Computers will have a network port, which is used to connect a cabled network. • Even though Wi-Fi is not technically a poured to, many computers will have built in support for Wi-Fi and you can recognise the specification by looking for something like: 802.11 b/g/n. Page 16 Devices that connect to the computer Mouse and keyboard These are the most common input devices. Notes: • Look for ergonomically designed keyboards and mice because they reduce the impact of RSI. • Decide if you want wired or wireless equipment. Recommendations: • Mobile users, the laptops will probably use the built in touchpad and keyboard instead of a mouse and external keyboard. • Power users will probably have technology related to their particular field of interest. Monitor / Screen / Display The most common device for a softcopy output. Notes: • The popularization of mobile devices, like tablets and smartphones, have made it more common for computers to have a touch screen interface. Recommendations: • For most users an entry level monitor will be fine. • Power users, such as gamers or video editors, often need larger displays or even multiple monitors connected to their computers to maximize their productivity. External (portable) storage This refers to storage that connects to your computer externally. Recommendations: • Most personal users using a flash drive is the quickest and simplest way to transfer data. • All users can have external hard drives as storage for music and videos and to back up their internal hard drive. • SOHO and power users have a need for large external storage devices for storing their data. Printer Printers are used to produce hardcopy outputs. Notes: • Purchase the printer that you feel will bring you the most use. Also take note of whether or not it's wireless, whether it uses toner or ink, and other previous discussed specifications. Recommendations: • A SOHO user or even a personal user might consider multifunctional printer that combines a fax facility, e-mail function scanning and copying and printing all in one device. • While not being designed to be mobile, mobile users may want a mobile printer that works with batteries. However, these types of printers offer up the quality of print for mobility. Scanner Image scanners capture images, whilst barcode scanners read barcodes. Recommendations: • Image scanners have lost their popularity because of digital photography. • SOHO and power users who need to scan documents and convert them into editable texts and needs a good quality scanner and an OCR program. Page 17 Devices for disabled users. Visually impaired / Blind. • Braille keyboard and Braille display or terminal. • Magnification devices • Large key keyboards • Braille printers Hearing impaired / Deaf. • Devices that vibrate instead of emitting sound Motor control. (Paralyzed, poor motor control, arthritic, etc.) • Eye movement tracking devices • Head movement tracking devices • Large key keyboards • Track balls • Joysticks • Foot pedal control devices Page 18 Accessibility. • Remote surgery. ○ By making use of IT, it's possible for a specialist surgeon in South Africa to carry out an operation on a patient in the Congo. The use of ICT increases the patient's access to expert medical care and the surgeon 's access to people who need their expertise. • Data or information access using the Internet. ○ People with access to the Internet can find data or information on almost any topic that they might be interested in. • Distance education. ○ IT can allow a teacher to present a class remotely using real-time or recorded video, online materials and exercises. This increases the access to quality teachers and their resources. • Cell phone banking. ○ People who get paid in cash on a daily, weekly or monthly basis have always been at a high risk of being robbed. Now you're able to control your funds electronically by using online banking. This allows you to deposit your money into your account, which you can then electronically transfer to other accounts or people. • Making computers more accessible for disabled users. The following trends will probably be seen in the future of ICT: • Smaller, cheaper, faster and more powerful devices. • The devices will make use of more sensors. • More devices will be designed to be mobile. • The battery life of mobile devices will be longer. • It will be designed to be constantly connected and communicating. • It will combine new technologies to allow easier and more effective input and output. Page 19 Software Page 20 Web-based applications versus installed applications. Advantages of web-based applications: • You can use the software from any computing device in the world so long as you have an Internet connection. • The software is always up to date. • You don't have to download or install the software, which means you save on storage space. • The hardware requirements of the computing device are generally lower for using web-based applications. • You don't have compatibility issues as the application is stored on the Internet. • Many of the online apps also provide some free online storage space. Disadvantages of web-based applications: • You can't use the software without an Internet connection. • The performance of the software is greatly impacted by your connection to the Internet. • Web applications may have a slower performance than desktop applications because data must be sent over the Internet. • The web-based application may have limited features when you compare it to the desktop application. Subscription-based software. With subscription software the user pays a monthly or yearly subscription fee for the use of software. Compatibility. Compatibility refers to the ability of your software to work with the hardware and software installed on your computer. Compatibility with operating system. Software is designed to work with specific operating systems. Sometimes it's even designed to work with specific versions of specific operating systems. Therefore, you always need to check the operating system compatibility before installing software. Compatibility between versions of the same application. Most software applications are downward or backward compatible, meaning that they are able to open and use files created in previous or older versions of the same software. System requirements. Before you buy software, make sure that you've checked the hardware and software specifications or requirements needed for the new software to run properly on your computing device. The specifications are often listed as minimum or recommended requirements. The minimum requirements or the bare minimum requirements needed to install and use the software. However, in order to run the software effectively and efficiently, it is suggested to have the recommended requirements. Page 21 Office suites. The most common component of an office suite is a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation and database. This serves as an alternative to buying individual applications. Reference software. Previously you bought encyclopaedias, dictionaries, atlases, and other reference work on CDs or DVDs. Most of these have been discontinued and been replaced with the same type of reference material that is now found on the web. Web browser. Web browsers allow you to navigate websites and view and also interact with the content on them. Most web browsers have the ability to view content such as PDF documents and multimedia such as animation, sound, and video. In addition to all of this, you also have the ability to add extra functionality to the web browser via add-ons or extensions. E-mail software. E-mail software allows you to receive mail, read it, reply to it, and create your own messages. Document management software. The PDF is a file format that is often used since PDF readers are free to download. PDF readers allow people to see documents with the layout and formatting of the documents intact, even if the software used to create the document is not installed on their computing devices. PDFs work in the following way: • You create your document as you normally would. • Then you create your PDF file by using the Save As option that allows you to export or save the documents as a PDF file. Alternatively, you can also use PDF creation software. • You can then send the PDF file to anyone and they will see the document the way you created it. Page 22 Software that enhances accessibility, efficiency, and productivity. Voice recognition software. Voice recognition software allows the computer to understand you when you talk to it. It can fall into two basic categories: software that allows you to give the computer commands and to dictate text, and secondly, the so-called virtual assistant. Voice recognition software takes your speech and breaks it up into patterns for each word you speak. It then searches for the patterns in a database and finds the words which the patterns represent. All voice commands start with a specific command phrase. If what you said starts with the key phrase, the software tries to match what you said to one of the voice commands which then prompts a specific action. If there's no key phrase found, then the software adds the words as a text in a document. Advantages: • It's great for disabled users because it allows them to control their computer. • It allows you to save time by dictating text instead of typing it. • It is great for situations where you can't afford the distraction of looking at a screen while typing. Disadvantages: • You may have to invest a lot of time and effort to train the computer to recognize your voice correctly for the best results. • Issues such as background noise or a poor quality microphone can have a serious impact on the effectiveness of voice recognition software. Note-taking software. Note-taking software allows you to: • Make handwritten notes. • Keep handwritten notes, text, images, and other multimedia content in one document. • Use handwriting recognition software to convert handwritten notes to editable text. Education or training software. Electronic or e-learning is being used increasingly today. The reasons for this are the increased use of mobile devices, Internet connectivity and the large number of free to use educational websites and apps for education. A MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) is a free course offered over the web and aimed at large-scale participation. Advantages: • You can work at your own pace anywhere and anytime. • You can be assessed immediately and given your feedback on your progress. • You're motivated to learn by the immediate feedback and by competing against yourself and others. • Working with online content promotes green computing. • You can work with others. Page 23 Basic troubleshooting. ○ Freezing - Non-responsive tasks or applications. ○ When tasks for applications become nonresponsive, use the Task Manager to close the frozen or hanging application. • Software crash. ○ If the software crashes or causes the computer to reboot, reboot your system and try again. Run the 'problem' software without loading any other programs. Uninstall any programs that you have recently installed and checked the online forums and help systems of the software company to see if any other people have the same problem. • Read-only files. ○ The file may appear as read only when you load it. This may be because it was loaded from a read only medium, such as a DVD, and it's read only attribute is set. ○ You can copy the file to another location and remove the read only attribute. ○ Alternatively, you can simply open the file and save it under a different file name or in a different folder. ○ You should be careful in the networking environment because a read-only file may indicate that somebody else is currently working on that file. Bugs - Why we need to keep software updated. Any software that is written will initially have bugs in it. These bugs are not viruses, but are mistakes that have been made by accident from the programmers who wrote the software initially. The following are some of the risks presented by flawed software: • Corrupted data or invalid information. • Unexpected and dangerous behaviour of computer-controlled machinery. • Security breaches and the existence of loopholes for malware and hackers to exploit. Developers of any software continually work on improving the software by enhancing existing features, providing new features, fixing bugs, and patching security loopholes. They make fixes available quickly and frequently as some downloadable updates, known as patches. User-centred design. Another example of flawed software is when the user interface is poorly designed and difficult to use. A user-centred design refers to designing the user interface so that it's pleasing to the eye, easy to use, and also helps reduce input errors on the user's part. Some practical guidelines for user-centred design: • Layout to readability. ○ Don't put too much on one page. ○ Group related items together. ○ Use white space. • Font and colour. ○ Use appropriate colour combinations. ○ Don't use distracting colours and fonts. ○ Make sure that the text is legible. • Use of instructions and graphics. ○ Use simple language. ○ Make use of common and known icons. Page 24 System software and computer management Page 25 System software that controls all activities that take place in a computer. When a computer switched on, the operating system must be loaded first to control all activities. What happens when a computer is switched on: • When a computer switched on, the first thing it does is look for instructions to follow, which is stored on a special memory chip called the ROM chip. ○ The instructions from the ROM chip perform some basic hardware tests to ensure everything is working correctly. ○ And they also tried to find another operating system from the disk drive that it was told to check. • Once the operating system has been found, it is loaded into memory and the control of the computer is then handed over to the operating system. ○ This process of loading the operating system is called the 'booting' process. The role of the operating system. ○ Providing the user interface. ○ It allows the user to interact with the computer via graphical user interfaces (GUIs). ○ Managing programs. ○ The operating system allows the user to choose and run software by learning programs into memory and coordinating the prices of these programs for the CPU. • Managing hardware. ○ Disk Management ○ Memory Management ○ Input/ Output Management • Providing basic security. ○ Provides basic security functions such as user and access control. ○ Provide basic protection against threats to our computers. The Task Manager. It provides some information about the computer's performance and the applications and processes running, and is used to terminate processes or programs that are not responding. Single-user versus multi-user operating systems. Single-user operating system. This is an operating system that can only be used by one user at a time. It may appear that more than one account is logged in, but in reality only one is using the computer. Multi-user operating system. This is an operating system designed to have multiple users accessing the same computer at any time. These types of operating systems are usually installed on servers and used in networks where multiple users need to have simultaneous access to a computer. Page 26 Utilities are programs that perform system maintenance and administrative tasks. File management. Naming files: Term Explanation File names. The file name consists of two parts, namely the file name followed by a period and a three to five letter file extension. File extensions and file types. It identifies the file type of format and it's automatically added by the program when you save the file. Path. It's the succession of folders that leads to the location of a specific file. Information about files: Term Explanation File property. The basic information about a file such as name, size and date modified. File attribute. A property of a father can be set. • Read-only is a file attribute that indicates if a file can be written to or not. • Hidden is a file attribute that indicates if the file is visible or not. Metadata. Metadata is additional data stored about a file that describes the contents of the file such as the author and the title of the file. File Manager functions. Term Explanation Searching. This allows you to search for a file based on any number of criteria such as file size, the type of file, partial file name, date accessed or even any text in the file. Compressing. This refers to the process of reducing the size of the file by producing a smaller compressed version of that file. Decompressing. This refers to the process of converting or extracting a compressed or zipped set of files back to their original size. Scheduling. Schedulers program that is used to run certain programs at specific times. Advantages of using schedulers: • They automatically check for updates. • They can be set to automatically perform certain routine housekeeping tasks. • We can set schedulers to run at off peak times (When we're not using our computers). Printer Management. When we print a document or any other type of file, it becomes a 'print job'. These print jobs or tasks are temporarily sent to disk until the printer is available to print them. This process of sending the print tasks to the disk is known as 'spooling'. Page 27 Backup The reasons why we need to back up our files: • Files can be accidentally overwritten or deleted. • Hardware failures such as disk drive crashes can occur. • Devices can be stolen. • Natural disasters can destroy hardware. • Files can become corrupted by power fluctuations. • Files can be deleted, encrypted, or corrupted by viruses. Backup software: Most operating systems provide backup utilities. These utilities have the advantages of allowing you to: • Schedule when to back up the files. • Choose to do a full backup of all the files or just those that have been changed since the last backup. • Encrypt backups to prevent unauthorized access. • Compress the files to save space on the backup media. Backup tips: • Use software that automatically manages your backup processes so that backing up is not a task that you have to do manually. • Only back up data, and not programs. • Back up your files onto external portable media. • Don't leave your backup drive permanently connected to your computer. • Keep the backups off-site in case of theft or disaster. • Consider using cloud storage services. • Check the backups are actually working by restoring some of the files from the backups from time to time. Access control. In order for malware to work, it has to be installed onto your computer. Access control means that the operating system specifically ask you for your permission before any software can be installed. Firewall. Firewall acts as a barrier between your computer and the Internet. It checks which programs are trying to access your computer via the Internet or trying to access the Internet from your computer. It can consist of hardware, software, or a combination of the two. A firewall physically prevents software from accessing the Internet without your explicit consent. Page 28 Memory (RAM) If the memory is full, parts of the data or programs that the computers are currently busy with are temporarily stored in an area on the hard disk. (This is known as virtual memory.) These have to be loaded back into memory again when they are needed. This slows down the computer as accessing the disk is very slow compared to accessing the memory. Processor (CPU) • The speed. ○ The higher the speed of the CPU the better it will perform. • The number of cores. ○ More than one physical processor can be included in a single chip. Each core is a complete processor that can work independently of any other core on the CPU chip. More cores make the computer perform better. • Cache size. ○ Cache memory is a type of special, high-speed memory used for recently or frequently accessed data. The larger the cache memory on the CPU, the faster the CPU will perform as the cache memory can then contain more data. Hard drive/ SSD. The more you use your computer, the more the files get scattered on the disk. The more scattered the files' parts are, the slower your computer becomes as the files take longer to retrieve. This is known as disk fragmentation. SSDs can also get fragmented, but because they are electronic rather than magnetic, fragmentation has virtually no effect on their speed. Influence of malware. Malware can slow down your computer by using resources such as free memory and hard drive space. In addition, spyware can slow down your Internet connection if it frequently connects to the Internet. Your computer can also become a 'zombie' without your knowledge, which also slows down your computer. • Disk scanning. ○ This utility comes included with all operating systems and can be used to check a drive for errors and 'bad sectors' and then tries to fix them. • Disk defragmentation. ○ It's a software utility that reorganizes parts of files and speeds up your computer. • Disc filling up. ○ The Disk Cleanup utility makes more storage space available by removing temporary files downloaded from the Internet and temporary files created by Windows. It can also be used to uninstall programs that you don't use or use seldomly. Page 29 Internet connections and services Page 1 The Internet: is a worldwide computer network consisting of computers, devices and networks that are linked using some sort of communication medium (Telephone lines, fibre cables, undersea cables, satellite, etc.) WAN (Wide Area Network): It's a computer network that covers a large geographical area. Internet Service Provider (ISP) An ISP is a company that has a permanent and fast connection to the internet, who then sell internet access to users for a monthly fee. Example: Afrihost, Vodacom, MTN, etc. They offer the following services: • Email • Web page hosting • Internet access (Wired and wireless) Criteria for types of Internet connections Broadband: a high-speed, high-bandwidth connection to the internet. Bandwidth: it's the total amount of data that can be transferred from one point to another within a given timeframe. The criterions to consider when choosing an ISP are: • Mobility: Do you need to be able to move your internet access or can it be stationary? • Speed of the line connection: How fast do you need your connection to be? • Cap: This places a limit on the amount of data that you are allowed to use. E.g. 60GB/month. • Shaped and unshaped: shaped refers to specific services that are given preference, like email or social media. Unshaped means that all services have the same priority. Wired vs. Wireless connections Wired Connections - ADSL or Fibre • ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) ○ A permanent digital connection to the internet using landlines or telephone lines.  The connection is split in two: one for phone calls and one for connecting to the internet. • Fibre ○ A connection that makes use of tubes of glass where light gets sent through them. NOTES: • • • • • ADSL is cheaper than cellular connections. ADSL and fibre are more stable than cellular connections. Fibre is faster, cheaper and more stable than ADSL or cellular connections. ADSL's speed drops the further it has to travel - Fibre doesn't have that problem. Fibre is not effected by electrical interferences (EF) Page 2 Wireless Connections - Cellular Technologies Connecting to the Internet wirelessly can be done by using an existing cellular network. This method offers Internet connectivity without having to install ADSL or fibre which then in turn allows you to have mobile Internet access. A 3G or 4G dongle can be used on a desktop or laptop to connect to a cellular network. You can also use your smartphone or tablet as a personal Wi-Fi hotspot. Advantage: • You can have mobile Internet access. Disadvantage: • When the signal of a cellular device is low you will have slow or no Internet access. • You never escape communication which can result in information overload. • You might need to limit the amount of data you use. Internet access using smartphones and tablets. People have the following preferences this record to digital communication: • Always on and everywhere. • Fast and reliable. • A hassle free connection. Page 3 Real-time messaging It's the online exchange of messages in real time, which includes instant messaging and chats. Advantages: • It's cost effective. • You can chat to more than one person in real time. Disadvantages: • You have no way of confirming that a person is who they say they are. • It opens the opportunity for cyber bullying and stalking. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) It's a technology that allows for phone calls to be made over a network, like the Internet. Advantages: • They are cheaper than normal calls. • It's generally free. • You can also transfer files or make video calls. Disadvantages: • You must have Internet access. • Both users must use the same software. • A slow Internet connection may cause the call quality to be poor. Video conferencing. It allows two or more people to hold an online conference. Advantages: • You can physically see someone. • It's cheaper than conventional calls and travelling. Disadvantages: • The video and audio quality may be poor if you have a slow Internet connection. • It can use a lot of data, especially if you use video. Cloud computing. It's the sharing and use of resources and applications offered as a service over the Internet. E.g. Google Drive, Gmail, Amazon and Google. Advantages: • The software is always up-to-date. • You don't have to download or install the program. • You can access your data from anywhere so long as you have an Internet connection. • The application does not take space on your local storage.. Disadvantages: • For you to be able to use it effectively, you must have a false and reliable Internet connection. • You may have to pay a monthly fee. • Cloud computing might be slower than your computer. Page 4 Online storage It's the storage of files on a computer server on the Internet, that is accessed by the user via a folder. Advantages: • It automatically backs up files. • You save space on your local hard drive. • It's an effective and cost efficient way to store and transfer files. Disadvantages: • The allocated amount of storage may be small if you are using the free version. • If you have shared a folder with someone, they can accidentally delete it. File sharing. Here are ways in which files can be shared: • E-mail: You can attach documents to the e-mail message. ○ Advantages:  It's inexpensive.  It's a relatively fast method. ○ Disadvantages:  It's not suitable for large files.  It may block potentially dangerous file extensions.  It's very inefficient when sharing files with a lot of people. • FTP (File Transfer Protocol): It's the protocol used for fast and easy file transfer between remote computers over the Internet. ○ Cloud storage have taken over this function for users. Grid computing. It's a system whereby the resources of many different computers are combined and used for one purpose. Purpose: It's normally used for scientific or technical applications that require a large amount of processing power. Advantages: • It's a cost effective solution. • It saves resources by using the processing power of idle computers. Disadvantages: • A fast network connection between the computers are crucial. • Malware can spread very easily. Government Internet services. The Internet provides government departments with the ability to streamline service delivery. Advantages: • This improved communication between the government and the citizens. • Immediate feedback is provided from the government. Disadvantages: • The digital divide. • The initial cost to develop this is expensive. Page 5 The dangers of computer crime Page 6 Social engineering: It refers to the use of deception to manipulate someone into giving out confidential information or into giving criminals access to their computer or premises. Malware (Malicious software): It refers to any software that is written with negative intention. • Phishing: It refers to attempts to trick the user into giving out personal and confidential details. • Pharming: It's a scamming practice where the user is automatically redirected to another fake website. • Click-jacking: It's an attack in which a site appears to do one thing, but your clicks are actually redirected to do something else. • Spoofing: It's the forgery of an e-mail header so that the e-mail appears to be from a different origin. • Spyware: It refers to any technique or software that tries to monitor and track the way you use your computer. ○ Keylogger: It's a type of spyware that records your keystrokes as you type in an attempt to discover your usernames and passwords. • Virus: It's malware that is written to disrupt the normal functioning of a person's computer. • Worm: It's malware that is able to distribute itself over a network. • Trojan: It's a destructive program disguised as a useful application. • Ransomware: It's malware that encrypts data until you pay the hacker. • Adware: It's software that downloads onto your computer and bombards your computer with adverts. • Bots or Zombies: It's a computer that has been compromised and can be controlled remotely when it is connected to the Internet. Harassment. This is when you are continuously bothered by messages or data that you do not want to receive. A few examples: • Cyberstalking. • Spam. • Cyber bullying? • Uploading unauthorized pictures on the web. Internet attacks (Cyberattack) It's an attack on the infrastructure of the web itself. A few examples: • Attacks on businesses that cause problems with conducting business online. • The tack on websites which deface the website. • Cyber terrorism that attacks parts of countries IT infrastructure. • Denial of service (DoS) attacks - When thousands of compromised computers (Bots/Zombies) flood a server with requests for information. Page 7 Computers and theft. • Bandwidth: ○ This is the act of stealing somebody else's bandwidth. ○ It's done by obtaining usernames and passwords for accounts and connections that are not theirs. • Identity theft: ○ Identity thieves collect data that can be used to pretend that they are someone else. ○ The data that they collect is anything that can be used to confirm their fake identity in the cyberspace. • Processing time and power: ○ Criminals steal processing power by taking control of computers that they don't own in order to complete huge amounts of processing.  This is also commonly referred to as a botnet, each computer is referred to as a bot in a network. • Data/Intellectual property: ○ Data can be stolen in many ways:  Social engineering techniques.  Physically copying data onto an external drive.  Intercepting the communication channels. • Money: ○ In general, money is normally stolen using a social engineering technique or something like a keylogger. ○ However, some criminals do use card skimmers.  A card skimmer is a device that reads magnetic data from your bank card and is accompanied by a video camera at an ATM that captures your card details and PIN as you enter it.  The criminals then use this information to withdraw money from your account. ○ Another way of money being stolen is with Internet scams.  "Get rich quick" schemes. • Copyrighted material: ○ This is when intellectual property (like movies or games) are copied or pirated without being paid for. Page 8 Software to help protect your computer. • Antivirus software: ○ Software that scans files for different types of malware and eliminates it. ○ They use signatures and definitions of malware to detect the signs or traces of that specific malware-type, on your computer. • Firewall: ○ It acts as a barrier between your computer and the Internet. Precautions. A small list of some precautions you should take: • Be careful when installing free software from the Internet. • Make sure to check websites for their security. ○ The URL starts with an S. ○ There is a small lock pad that is locked. • Have strong passwords. • Don't give up personal information. • Don't click on popups. • Don't perform financial transactions on public computers. The 'paranoid ABC'. • Assume nothing. • Believe no one. • Check everything. Page 9 E-communication Page 10 Electronic communication or digital communication refers to all forms of communication via electronic means. Advantages of digital communication: • It's easier to communicate digitally. • You can easily and efficiently communicate with people across the globe. • It's faster than conventional methods. • They're cheaper. Disadvantages of digital communication: • Efficient communication depends on Internet speed. • It does require expensive equipment. Good practices when using digital communication: • Keep time zones in mind. • You can't 'undo' something that you've said. • Be careful of what you post and respect the online privacy of others. • E-mail: It's the composing, sending and receiving of messages electronically over a network. ○ Calendar:  It's used to set reminders about events, birthdays, or other appointments. ○ Tasks:  This allows the user to add tasks to a to do list to remind them of stuff. ○ Contact list:  Also commonly referred to as an address book or contact list. It's feature where you store the e-mail addresses of people you want to email. ○ Archiving:  It allows you to tidy up your inbox by moving messages from your inbox to the archive folder. • Social networking sites: This is where individuals and organisations can post their likes, dislikes, interests, comments, etc, for their friends. ○ People use social networking sites for the following reasons:  Staying in touch with family members or friends.  For advertising and marketing.  To connect with other people who have similar interests as you do.  To spread awareness and news. • Blogs/Vlogs: A blog is a website that is updated regularly with news and events in chronological order. Vlogs are a form of blog which uses video as the medium. • Podcasts: It's an audio file that is made available to download for free or to purchase over the Internet. ○ A vodcast includes video clips or photos along with audio. • Wikis: It's a website that allows for the collaborative editing and creating of content of web pages. • GPS technology in digital communications: ○ Some companies use GPS to grant their customers loyalty points. ○ This is when GPS services are used for marketing. Page 11 Web browser: It's a software application that allows one to navigate, view and interact with content on the web. Here are some typical features of web browsers: • Home page settings: ○ You can set the default web page. This is known as your home page. • Bookmarks or favourites: ○ This option allows a user to store shortcuts to the web page they frequently visit. • History: ○ This option allows you to find the web pages you have previously visited. • Pop-up blocker: ○ A pop-up is a small web browser window that appears on the top of the website you are viewing. They are usually created by advertisers. ○ Pop-up blockers are found on most web browsers. You can choose to minimize or completely block pop-ups. ○ Some websites like banking websites make use of popups, so blocking all of them is not a good idea. • Blocking websites: ○ This feature allows you to block a certain website or a specific type of website. ○ You're able to use different types of filters to block a large genre of websites. • Cashing: ○ When you've recently visited a website, you will store a version of that website locally on your disk. ○ When you revisit the website, it will read this version that you have saved and check if it has any changes.  If it doesn't have any changes, it will load from your disk.  If it does have changes, it will load from the Internet. ○ This is done to speed up the process of accessing a website. • Browser plugins and add-ons/extensions: ○ This is additional pieces of software to add extra capabilities to your web browser. Page 12 The most important trends in e-communications are the following: • Mobile connectivity. ○ Access to the Internet on the go. • 'Always on' connectivity. ○ People expect to always have a connection to the Internet. • Increased bandwidth at a lower cost. ○ Due to the widespread installation of fibre connections, the trend is for the speed to increase and the cost to decrease. • Digitization of media. ○ Physical products like newspapers or magazines are being replaced with digital versions of those. • Distributed processing and storage. ○ People no longer have to have powerful computers at home, since they can access more powerful computers via the Internet. ○ People no longer have to buy very expensive and large storage capacities since they do have the ability to store it on the cloud. Page 13 The impact of technology Page 14 Here are a few ways in which technology has an impact on the global community: • People communicate on a global scale. ○ Speed and costs are no longer limiting factors in global communication. • Work, business and competition takes place on a global scale. ○ ICT allows us to cut across geographical boundaries and remove time boundaries. ○ The last one of businesses to compete globally.  Because they're now able to advertise and market their products on a global scale. • The ○ ○ ○ flow of information is difficult to control and restrict. Information can have a tremendous social and political impact. Promotes the idea of free speech in a democratic setting. Many non-democratic governments have tried censoring or completely banning the Internet to prevent their citizens from having access to free speech. • Telecommuting is possible. ○ Workers can now communicate with other workers and their employers via electronic means. ○ Because of this, businesses are able to save a lot more money since they do not have to have 300 employees in one building since more than half of them can work from home. • Computer fraud takes place. ○ ICT has unfortunately made fraud a lot easier. This is not a downfall of ICT, this is a downfall of humanity as it's their responsibility to use technology responsibly. • Many people suffer from information overload. ○ The sheer amount of knowledge and data that is stored on the Internet makes it feel impossible to understand. ○ Information overload occurs when people can't cope with the amount of information that they are exposed to every day. ○ How to cope with information overnight:  Learn how to read quickly and accurately.  Learn to analyse and compare sources. Never assume that the single source is the only correct one.  Take a disciplined and structured approach to dealing with information.  Don't contribute to information overload by forwarding unnecessary information to other people. Page 15 General characteristics of social networking services include the following: • They are free. • They require the user to register. • The encourage people to get as many other people to join. • They can make money by gathering information about users and selling that to third parties, or by using targeted advertising. Twitter. It's a microblogging service. 'Micro' is used to describe this service because you aren't allowed to type more than 280 characters per tweet. Twitter is considered to be a very powerful news service. Facebook. It's a free social networking service that allows people to connect and keep in contact with friends and family. Social media has made it extremely difficult for governments and other organisations to censor and control the flow of information to the extent that they used to be able to. In turn, this allows for a more democratic world. Virtual communities. It's a group of people gather online to share ideas and interests. Google+. This is Google's attempt to offer social networking services. Google+ was shut down in 2018 after a security flaw was discovered that led to a huge data leak. Kickstarter and Indiegogo Both of these platforms make use of crowdfunding. • Crowdfunding: the practice of funding someone's business idea or project through small amounts of money contributed by a large number of people. Pinterest. It's a site that acts like a virtual public pinboard. It doesn't have much constructive social value, but it is very valuable since it is a great place for people to look for creative ideas or entertainment. Area Benefit Harms Employment New jobs are being created in the IT sector. Many jobs are being lost as a result of computerized automation, as well as, outsourcing to foreign countries. Education ICT improves access to information and resources. The digital divide. Culture and languages People can better express and reflect their own cultures and languages. Cultures are being diluted to more standard Westerndominated world culture. Individual People are able to connect connectedness with others on a very large scale. Page 16 Connectedness is a virtual term, not a physical term. Therefore, in the real world, people are getting more isolated even if they have a lot of friends online.