Investigate TrueCrypt; what are three advantages to using this or similar software on your personal computer? Evaluate those advantages.
You can encrypt a whole partition or drive where Windows is installed. This would make it impossible for someone to use any part of that drive. It would be quicker than having to encrypt each file. You are able to encrypt everything in the drive.
It allows you to encrypt an entire partition or storage device such as USB flash drive or hard drive. Information on flash drives or hard drives that are not encrypted can easily be stolen or looked at. If you find a flash drive and plug it into your computer you can view its contents immediately. But if it is encrypted and you do not know the password or decryption code, you are unable to view the files inside.
Encryption is automatic, real-time (on-the-fly) and transparent. Some encryptions can take really long, but programs like TrueCrypt make it quick to encrypt and encrypt.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
ATM's
Describe 3 advantages to using an ATM. Evaluate those advantages.
1/2. You are able to withdraw.deposit money after the bank has closed.
Many banks close at 5 and even the ones that stay open later are closed by 7. People who commute or work late shifts are unable to make it to the bank before it closes can deposit cash into the ATM to be put in their account the next morning or can withdraw money at any hour of the night. A downside to using an ATM at night is that you are alone. If it is 1 a.m. and you are at the ATM in an abandoned shopping plaza, no one is there to see a crime committed. Criminals can wait for you to exit the ATM and rob you.
3. You can withdraw money from any bank's ATM, at a cost.
Because your debit card has your bank account information on it, you are able to withdraw money from any ATM all over the world, regardless of which bank the ATM is owned by. However, it costs $2 to withdraw money from a different banks ATM.
There are also things called counterfeit ATM's. These ATM's are loaded with counterfeit bills and are solely meant to steal the banking information of those who use the ATM.
1/2. You are able to withdraw.deposit money after the bank has closed.
Many banks close at 5 and even the ones that stay open later are closed by 7. People who commute or work late shifts are unable to make it to the bank before it closes can deposit cash into the ATM to be put in their account the next morning or can withdraw money at any hour of the night. A downside to using an ATM at night is that you are alone. If it is 1 a.m. and you are at the ATM in an abandoned shopping plaza, no one is there to see a crime committed. Criminals can wait for you to exit the ATM and rob you.
3. You can withdraw money from any bank's ATM, at a cost.
Because your debit card has your bank account information on it, you are able to withdraw money from any ATM all over the world, regardless of which bank the ATM is owned by. However, it costs $2 to withdraw money from a different banks ATM.
There are also things called counterfeit ATM's. These ATM's are loaded with counterfeit bills and are solely meant to steal the banking information of those who use the ATM.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Networks/Communications Quiz
1. A school has a local area network (LAN). When students work on the computers in their school,
they can save their work onto the hard drive on the network server or a USB flash memory drive
(memory stick). Some schools provide their students with USB drives at the beginning of the
school year.
(a) Identify two tasks performed by a network server apart from the storage of users’ files. [2 marks]
A network server assigns IP addresses to computer connect to the network and manages shared hardware, such as modems and printers.
(b) Describe one advantage and one disadvantage of schools providing their students with USB drives. [4 marks]
One advantage is that the students will always have their work available to them. They will no longer be able to use the excuse of the homework not printing or saving at home because they can just print it at school. The student’s work will also not be cluttering up the school computers making them slower. One disadvantage is the cost. USB drives are not cheap and if the school is providing every student with a USB the school will be shelling out a large amount of money on these USB drives. If the students lose or break the USB drives then the student no longer has one and the school is out that money they spent.
Explain two precautions that a student should take when using USB drives for saving important work. [4 marks]
A student should make sure they backup their work on another piece of equipment to ensure that if the USB device is lost or broken the data can still be recovered. The students should also make sure to safely remove hardware from the computer because otherwise the information on the device can be lost.
2. An author writes IT text books at home using his PC. He illustrates his work with many screen
shots and images obtained from web sites, showing readers how to carry out various actions.
He sends the images as bitmapped files. He sends his work to the publisher using his broadband
internet connection.
(a) Define the term bandwidth. [2 marks]
Bandwidth is the transmission capacity of an electronic communications device or system; the speed of data transfer.
(b) With reference to one benefit and one problem, explain why there may be advantages and disadvantages for an author when working from home instead of in the publisher’s office. [4 marks]
A problem with sending his work over the internet rather than having hard copies at the publisher’s office is that his work could be intercepted and someone else could publish it as their own. If the author worked at the publisher’s office then the author’s work could be put on a flash drive or onto a private computer to computer network to ensure safety of transportation of information. A benefit of working at home will allow an author to save all data on his/her computer or hard drives without anyone else having access.
they can save their work onto the hard drive on the network server or a USB flash memory drive
(memory stick). Some schools provide their students with USB drives at the beginning of the
school year.
(a) Identify two tasks performed by a network server apart from the storage of users’ files. [2 marks]
A network server assigns IP addresses to computer connect to the network and manages shared hardware, such as modems and printers.
(b) Describe one advantage and one disadvantage of schools providing their students with USB drives. [4 marks]
One advantage is that the students will always have their work available to them. They will no longer be able to use the excuse of the homework not printing or saving at home because they can just print it at school. The student’s work will also not be cluttering up the school computers making them slower. One disadvantage is the cost. USB drives are not cheap and if the school is providing every student with a USB the school will be shelling out a large amount of money on these USB drives. If the students lose or break the USB drives then the student no longer has one and the school is out that money they spent.
Explain two precautions that a student should take when using USB drives for saving important work. [4 marks]
A student should make sure they backup their work on another piece of equipment to ensure that if the USB device is lost or broken the data can still be recovered. The students should also make sure to safely remove hardware from the computer because otherwise the information on the device can be lost.
2. An author writes IT text books at home using his PC. He illustrates his work with many screen
shots and images obtained from web sites, showing readers how to carry out various actions.
He sends the images as bitmapped files. He sends his work to the publisher using his broadband
internet connection.
(a) Define the term bandwidth. [2 marks]
Bandwidth is the transmission capacity of an electronic communications device or system; the speed of data transfer.
(b) With reference to one benefit and one problem, explain why there may be advantages and disadvantages for an author when working from home instead of in the publisher’s office. [4 marks]
A problem with sending his work over the internet rather than having hard copies at the publisher’s office is that his work could be intercepted and someone else could publish it as their own. If the author worked at the publisher’s office then the author’s work could be put on a flash drive or onto a private computer to computer network to ensure safety of transportation of information. A benefit of working at home will allow an author to save all data on his/her computer or hard drives without anyone else having access.
Cryptography p. 129 q. 3.1 & 3.2
Describe at least three different kinds of uses of encryption that have social value. (Indicate why they are valuable)
Protecting communications from unauthorized access.
- to keep your conversations private i.e. email or instant messenger.
Protecting stored data from unauthorized access.
- to keep information stored on a computer private i.e. social security number, bank account numbers, credit card numbers.
Protecting data in transit from unauthorized access (and manipulation for fraudulent purposes)
- to keep personal information sent over the internet private i.e. credit card numbers or social security number.
What is an important difference between public-key cryptography and secret-key cryptography?
Public-Key cryptography has a an algorithm for encrypting and a separate algorithm for decryption. Secret-key has one key for both.
Protecting communications from unauthorized access.
- to keep your conversations private i.e. email or instant messenger.
Protecting stored data from unauthorized access.
- to keep information stored on a computer private i.e. social security number, bank account numbers, credit card numbers.
Protecting data in transit from unauthorized access (and manipulation for fraudulent purposes)
- to keep personal information sent over the internet private i.e. credit card numbers or social security number.
What is an important difference between public-key cryptography and secret-key cryptography?
Public-Key cryptography has a an algorithm for encrypting and a separate algorithm for decryption. Secret-key has one key for both.
Hospital Is Watching
RFID tags and systems have some obvious advantages and a few disadvantages as well. The RFID tags and systems make procedures that normally take hours much faster. They allow nurses and doctors to track down equipment easier and quicker. The system also cuts down the amount of errors that occur when administering and moving medicine. It is crucial that the correct medicine and proper doses are issued to a patient and this system makes it simple to locate and administer medicine in a timely error-free manner. The RFID tags also make locating patients easier. When a patient with Alzheimer's forgets where they are in the middle of the night and wanders off. The RFID tags will enable to nurses to look on the computer and locate the patient anywhere in the building. Before RFID tags the nurses would have had to to run all over the floors searching for the patient.
However, there are a few important disadvantages to this new technology. The first problem is radio frequencies. Hospitals already have a myriad of radio frequencies running throughout the building and the added frequencies of the RFID tags can interfere with the frequencies already in place and cause catastrophic damage. The frequencies could cause a ventilator to turn off, a pacemaker to beat to fast or too little, or cause an IV to administer too much fluid. The creators of the technology have worked at great lengths to try and prevent this from happening, but it is always a possibility. The second problem is the cost. For a 907-bed hospital in Newark. Delaware the total cost to install the system was around $1 million. With the economy in the current state that is in, one might wonder whether the errors being avoided are worth $1 million.
However, there are a few important disadvantages to this new technology. The first problem is radio frequencies. Hospitals already have a myriad of radio frequencies running throughout the building and the added frequencies of the RFID tags can interfere with the frequencies already in place and cause catastrophic damage. The frequencies could cause a ventilator to turn off, a pacemaker to beat to fast or too little, or cause an IV to administer too much fluid. The creators of the technology have worked at great lengths to try and prevent this from happening, but it is always a possibility. The second problem is the cost. For a 907-bed hospital in Newark. Delaware the total cost to install the system was around $1 million. With the economy in the current state that is in, one might wonder whether the errors being avoided are worth $1 million.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Software Fundamentals
Application software - computer software designed to help the user perform a particular task.
Shareware -
Public Domain - The status of publications, products, and processes that are not protected under patent or copyright,
Freeware - Software that is available for free, usually over the internet.
Commercial Software - Software that is designed and developed for sale to the general public.
Integrated Software - A collection of computer programs designed to work together to handle an application, either by passing data from one to another or as components of a single system, A collection of computer programs that work as a unit with a unified command structure to handle several applications, such as word processing, spread sheets, data-base management, graphics, and data communications.
User Manual - Intended to give assistance to people using a particular system. It is usually written by a technical writer, although user guides are written by programmers, product or project managers, or other technical staff, particularly in smaller companies.
Registration Card -
Serial Number - A number that is one of a series and is used for identification, as of a machine, weapon, or motor vehicle.
Warranty -
Copyright - The legal right granted to an author, composer, playwright, publisher, or distributor to exclusive publication, production, sale, or distribution of a literary, musical, dramatic, or artistic work.
License - Official or legal permission to do or own a specified thing.
Compression/Decompression -
Back-up - Duplicate a file or program so that the original is not lost.
Back Door -
Upload/Download - To transfer data or programs from a server or host computer to one’s own computer or device.
Wizard -
Template - A document or file having a preset format, used as a starting point for a particular application so that the format does not have to be recreated each time it is used.
GUI - An interface for issuing commands to a computer utilizing a point device, such as a mouse, that manipulates and activates graphical images on a monitor.
Command-line Interface - On a display screen, the space following a prompt where a text instruction to a computer or device is typed.
Voice Recognition - The conversion of spoken words into computer text. Speech is first digitized and then matched against a dictionary of coded waveforms. The matches are converted into text as if the words were typed on the keyboard.
Shareware -
Public Domain - The status of publications, products, and processes that are not protected under patent or copyright,
Freeware - Software that is available for free, usually over the internet.
Commercial Software - Software that is designed and developed for sale to the general public.
Integrated Software - A collection of computer programs designed to work together to handle an application, either by passing data from one to another or as components of a single system, A collection of computer programs that work as a unit with a unified command structure to handle several applications, such as word processing, spread sheets, data-base management, graphics, and data communications.
User Manual - Intended to give assistance to people using a particular system. It is usually written by a technical writer, although user guides are written by programmers, product or project managers, or other technical staff, particularly in smaller companies.
Registration Card -
Serial Number - A number that is one of a series and is used for identification, as of a machine, weapon, or motor vehicle.
Warranty -
Copyright - The legal right granted to an author, composer, playwright, publisher, or distributor to exclusive publication, production, sale, or distribution of a literary, musical, dramatic, or artistic work.
License - Official or legal permission to do or own a specified thing.
Compression/Decompression -
Back-up - Duplicate a file or program so that the original is not lost.
Back Door -
Upload/Download - To transfer data or programs from a server or host computer to one’s own computer or device.
Wizard -
Template - A document or file having a preset format, used as a starting point for a particular application so that the format does not have to be recreated each time it is used.
GUI - An interface for issuing commands to a computer utilizing a point device, such as a mouse, that manipulates and activates graphical images on a monitor.
Command-line Interface - On a display screen, the space following a prompt where a text instruction to a computer or device is typed.
Voice Recognition - The conversion of spoken words into computer text. Speech is first digitized and then matched against a dictionary of coded waveforms. The matches are converted into text as if the words were typed on the keyboard.
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