Web based e-mail

7.7 Recreational use of the Internet SYLLABUS

On-line music
Downloading music
On-line radio
Ethical and legal issues
CONCEPTS OF MANAGEMENT COMPUTING

PURPOSE

The primary objective of this syllabus is to provide students with sufficient conceptual understanding to be
able to communicate with IT professionals in a meaningful way. As much the material lays somewhat
midway between that of a traditional introductory course in pure Information Technology and course in
Communication. In terms of the ability to communicate professionally it provides the basic vocabulary in
IT terminology. In terms of IT itself it provides an introduction to the fundamentals of the technology.

The secondary objective is to develop the ability to make judgements. Students should always ask
themselves questions such as “How can this knowledge be used?”The level of judgement corresponds to
the fact that this is an entry-level course. For example, given a simple office scenario, students should be
able to select the most appropriate printer for a specific type of task.

It should also be noted that it is intended to be a conceptual (theory) course. It is assumed that students
obtain practical experience on computers elsewhere.

RECOMMENDED TEXTBOOK

Fundamental concepts of information technology by David Varley published by Future Managers

SYLLABUS

1 INTRODUCTION (5%)

1.1 What is a computer

1.2 The information age The changing nature of the world of work
Advantages of the information age
Problems of the information age
- transient nature of skills
- future shock
1.3 The concept of a system Input, output, processing
The environment
Control, feedback
Entropy, system stress
1.4 Computer systems Hardware
Software
Personnel
- End users
- Systems personnel
1.5 Information systems Data and information
Input

1
 Output
Processing Control
Storage
1.6 Trends in white collar work Skills of the information age
- The ability to learn new skills
- Flexibility and adaptability
- Acceptance of the reality of life long
learning
Change from labour to capital intensive activity
Dot coms and their future and their effects
Role of enterprise software
Outsourcing and the effect on employment trends and
skills needs
B2B commerce
Time compression
The African context

2. COMPUTER HARWARE (20%)

2.1 Computer hardware

2.2 Input devices Keyboard
Mouse
Optical devices
Microphones
2.3 Output devices Monitor
Printers and plotters
Audio devices
2.4 Monitors Characteristics
- Resolution
- Refresh rate
Ergonomic and health issues
- Eye strain
- Stress
- Effects of electromagnetic radiation
New technologies
- LED flat screens
2.5 Printers Dot matrix
Inkjet
Laser
2.6 CPU The CPU as the brain of the computer
Machine code instructions
The clock and the speed of a CPU
Types of CPUs
2.7 Primary memory The purpose of primary memory
Bits and bytes
ASCII and Uni-code
Memory capacity
RAM and ROM
Cache memory
2.8 Secondary memory Hard disk drives
- capacity
- access time
- quality
- formatting
Tape streamers
CD-ROMs

2
 DVDs

2.9 Power of a computer Speed

- MIPS, FLOPS, MHz
Memory capacity
- Mb, Gb
Number of users
2.10 Classification of computers Personal computers
Notebooks
Palmtops
Mini-computers
Mainframes
Supercomputers
Embedded computers

3. COMPUTER SOFTWARE (20%)

3.1 Basic software concepts The stored program concept

Machine code
Classification of software:
- Systems software
- Application software
3.2 Systems software Operating systems
Utilities
Programming languages:
- Low level languages
- High level languages
- Generations of languages 1Gl to 5 GL
- Examples of high level
languages: COBOL, BASIC,
PASCAL, C++, Java
Compilers and interpreters
3.3 Applications software Word processors
Spreadsheets
Databases
Presentation packages
Accounting systems
Project management systems
Decision support systems
- Types of decision: Operational.
Tactical, strategic
Communications software
3.4 Automation Office automation
Enterprise software

4. DATABASES (20%)

4.1 Basic concepts Data and information

Processing
4.2 Database systems Function of a database
- Capture and storage
- Additions, edits, deletions
- Manipulations
- Reports
Report writers

3
4.3 Database concepts Tables / files
Records
Fields
Field types:
- Text
- Date
- Numeric
- Boolean
Range constraints
Record access
- Sequential access
- Random access
- Indexed sequential
4.4 Relational databases Relations
- One-to-one
- One-to-many
- Many-to-one
- Many-to-many
Normalisation
4.5 Database design issues Redundancy
Integrity
Verification
Format constraints
Unique keys, foreign keys
4.6 Other types of database Flat
Hierarchical
Network
4.7 Large database systems DBMS
Data dictionary
DDL
DML
SQL
Archiving
4.8 Personnel DBA
Systems analysts
Programmers
Operators
End-users
4.9 Security issues Access control
Authorisation
Passwords
Access rights
User views
Audit trails
Encryption

5. NETWORKS (15%)

5.1 Communication concepts Components of a system

- Source
- Destination
- Channel
Communication models

4
 - Analogue
- Digital
- Modems
Data transfer rate
Protocols
- TCP/IP
- IPX/SPX
- NetBUI
5.2 Communication channels Channel media
- Copper wire: Co-ax and UTP
- Fibre optic
- Radio
- Micro-ware
- Infra-red
Telephone links
- Analogue dial-up
- ISDN
- Leased analogue
- Diginet
Data transfer rate
Very high speed connections
5.3 Types of networks LAN
MAN
WAN
Internet
5.4 Network topologies Bus
Star
Ring
5.5 Servers File servers
Application servers
Print servers
Communication servers
- IP sharers
SQL servers
5.6 Network operating systems Novell
Windows NT / 2000
Unix / Linux
5.7 Communications between networks IP addresses
Subnet mask
Computer and network number
IP packets
Broadcasts
Routers

6. THREATS TO COMPUTERS AND SECURITY (10%)

6.1 Threats to computer systems

6.2 Computer viruses and related programs What is a computer virus

Types of viruses and relates programs
How viruses are spread
Avoiding virus
Types of virus
- Macro-viruses
- Worms
- Time bombs

5
 - Logic bombs
- Trojan horses
Anti-virus software
What anti-virus software can do
Legal issues
6.3 Computer crime Theft
Piracy
Fraud
- Data diddling
- Salami slicing
- CHP
Hacking
Data theft
Misuse of information
6.4 Physical dangers Natural disasters
Political and criminal activity
System problems
- Component failure
Power supply problems
- Blackouts
- Brownouts
- Surges
6.5 Protecting systems Physical security
Software security
Backups
The use of a UPS

7. THE INTERNET AND THE COMPUTER AS A COMMUNICATION DEVICE (10%)

7.1 Internet basic What is the Internet?

Origin of the Internet
Growth of the Internet
Future of the Internet
Web sites
- URLs
Connecting to the Internet
- ISPs
Browsers
Internet backbone
Bandwidth
7.2 Communicating across the Internet Protocols
Browsing
Hyperlinks, URL
Web servers
HTML
HTTP
IP addressing, DNS
7.3 Searching the web Search engines

7.4 File transfers FTP

FTP clients
Uses of FTP
7.5 E-commerce What is e-commerce?
Passive versus interactive web sites
On-line ordering
- The catalogue

6
 - The shopping trolley
- CNP transactions
- PSPs
Security issues
- Interception of personal data
- Misuse of personal data
- Digital certificates
- Encryption and SSL communication
E-commerce software
The use of WAP technology
B2B transaction
7.6 E-mail E-mail
E-mail clients
Attachments ing:
• Multiple choice with five options, one of which must be selected.
• Multiple choice with five options, two of which must be selected.
• Questions with a single word, phrase of sentence as an answer.
• True / false questions.
• Supply missing word or phrase in a statement.

The examination will be closed book.

Some of the questions will require that students make judgements. In other words the examination is not
limited to the simple recall of facts. Students are required to be able to make use of the facts.

No special equipment or calculators will be needed.

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