Anyone attending Applied ICT for AS level on 28th may 2013?

[Waleed Amjad]

If anyone has good notes please do share

 

[Gimmick]

I am
I'm just making up notes on-the-fly, anything else you can go through your textbook if necessary. The questions are rather straightforward, though.

Also, if you took ICT in IGCSE, expect to see a lot of overlap. The entire section of the Systems Life Cycle below is what I learned for IGCSE, and safe to say, there's not been a huge difference.

1 ) Touchtone phones are required for a conference call.

2 ) Validation checks are performed by the computer system. Verification is done by the user.

3 ) Types of validation checks:

i) Range check (perform a range check on a number, e.g [ is (x > 3 AND x < 7)? ])​

ii) Type check (is the value you entered a DATE, or is it a NUMBER?)​

iii) Presence check (did you enter any value at all in that field? You're supposed to. Go fill it. )​

iv) Picture check / format check (is it MM/DD/YY or YY/DD/MM?)​

v) Character check (how many characters are input, think Twitter with a "140 character limit")​

4 ) Types of verification checks:

i) Read through the input (Advantages: fast, used when data is not really very important. Disadvantages: Capacity for human error)​

ii) Type in the input twice / two people enter the same input (Advantages: No human error. Disadvantages: Slow, with lots of text. Example: passwords)​

5 ) They *may* not ask you about input and output devices, except for parts of robots.

i) Robots have end-effectors that can perform a wide range of functions​

i) e.g a screwdriver, polisher, cutter, gripper (pressure sensors)​

ii) if the end effector is changed, the programming should also be changed​

ii) Robots are programmed by a programmer ​

i) Either by guiding the robot, physically, with the programmer hooked up to sensors, OR​

ii) Inputting commands from a terminal (not sure, double check)​

6 ) You need to know what a PLC does.

i) A PLC usually is more robust than a microprocessor, and works in dusty environments​

ii) A PLC (Programmable logic controller) usually has an algorithm.​

i) This algorithm is called the PID (Proportional integral derivative), which, according to my book, says that a very simple one "compares the difference between the preset value and the value from the sensors", and then, "in short bursts" applies input (i.e in an Air Conditioner, *if* a PLC were used and it had a very simple PID controller, it would receive the surrounding temperature from the sensors, compare it to the preset value (e.g 20 degrees C), and if it were greater than 20, it would switch on the compressor for a short period of time.)​

​

7 ) A video conference requires exactly what you think is required.

i) Skype: Requires an internet connection, a webcam, speakers and a microphone.​

i)That is to say, it requires broadband internet, a webcam, a monitor, a keyboard, a microphone, speakers. It *may* require a modem.​

​

8 ) Advertising: Online is much cheaper than advertising on tv and better because you will reach a wider audience.

i) BUT popups are not well received, the user may choose to ignore that brand forever if they are particularly rash However, they do attract the user's attention, at the cost of being an inconvenience.​

ii) Pop-unders are a better bet because the user can view it when the window is closed, and it's not an inconvenience.​

iii) Banner adverts are also good.​

iv) Posters are a good bet because a simple poster can be created quickly with DTP software and printed out with a laser printer and distributed widely in the country.​

9 ) Business, product and service advertisements.

i) Product advertisements are to make you buy the product. FritoLay may be the company behind Cheetos, but what do YOU care about FritoLay? You just want your Cheetos, and they know this ​

ii) Business advertisements are to remind you of the business, and if you are interested enough, find out their entire line. Think of companies like Sony (make.believe)​

iii) Service advertisements are like business advertisements, albeit a bit different. Services are classified as anything people may use, like "water", or "electricity", or "education", etcetera.​

i) Most government service advertisements may just spend *enough* money to make people know of their existence.​

ii) A few private company service advertising agencies may spend more to make their name known throughout. Especially colleges and a few businesses.​

10 ) Conference calls work on the "public key-private key" system, as do a few others, I think. Basically what happens is there's an administrator of the conference, who has a public key which he gives to participants of the conference, and a private key which each participant has. The participants identify the conference with the public key; they then use their private key as an "authorization code", to join the conference call, I think. Not sure..yet

​

Scroll down for part 2.

 

[Waleed Amjad]

I am
I'm just making up notes on-the-fly, anything else you can go through your textbook if necessary. The questions are rather straightforward, though.

Thanks a lot bro, you helped a lot....i am really worried about this exam though i need an A grade badly xD

 

[Gimmick]

Thanks a lot bro, you helped a lot....i am really worried about this exam though i need an A grade badly xD

You're welcome
Like my post please

 

[Gimmick]

PART 2

11 ) System Life Cycles: These are somewhat straightforward for me, but I don't know about you so I'll list everything I can think of

i) There are 5 phases: Analysis, Design, Implementation, Testing, Evaluation​

ii) In the Analysis phase, the analyst identifies what's wrong with the system or what needs to be improved in the system. Say you need to computerize a shopping system, the SA will produce a "requirements specification". This is a list of hardware and software that will be required for the system, like a "wish list". It is *possible* that the old hardware may work, but not always. The analyst will also find out the possible inputs and outputs of the system (i.e in this case, the input will be the items in the customer's trolley, the output will be the receipt, and a record of the customer). The SA can use a variety of methods to find out the inputs and outputs.​

i) Observation: Every time I type/write this, I think of a person squatting in the corner, staring at the cashier and the customer, for some reason. Either ways, the SA (systems analyst) observes, and infers what the inputs and outputs are.​

i) Advantages: It does not require any planning on the SA's part, and is fast.​

ii) Disadvantages: It can lead to the Hawthorne effect, basically the "I'm looking at you do your work, pretend I'm not here" effect -- you know you're being watched, and so you do your work a little differently. ("After you, Banjo legs" )​

ii) Questionnaire: The SA produces a list of questions, that the employees answer. They can then be mass produced and sent to each person to fill out.​

i) Advantages: It is quick, once the questionnaire is produced.​

ii) Disadvantages: It takes time to make the questionnaire, the questions cannot be changed on-the-fly, and some people will answer it sarcastically / not seriously and so give wrong answers and not be sincere.​

iii) Interview: The SA goes to the employees in the company and interviews them with a set of questions.​

i) Advantages: The questions can be changed on-the-fly, if the person has already answered them in a previous question.​

ii) Disadvantages: It is time consuming, so the SA might only interview the most important people. Also, since the people are going to be interviewed in person, they may give answers that the SA *wants* to hear, instead of truthful information (who would ever admit they are behind the problem, if they were? Nobody who wants to keep their job, that's who). Thus, a more "anonymised" approach may be a little more truthful (see questionnaires)​

iv) Document collection. In this, the SA collects documents (like technical and user documentation) and goes through them to find out the inner workings of the system.​

i) Advantages: It may not require any middleman. Also, it is quite more truthful and faster than asking employees.​

ii) Disadvantages: It may require interviewing an employee, if it's not very legible to the SA. Or something.​

v) After the inputs and outputs are identified, the systems analyst produces a DFD (data flow diagram). The DFD is composed of terminators, processes, flow arrows and data stores. There are successive levels, each with more and more description: Level 1 may have a very simple diagram (customer --> cashier --> |order|), while level 2 may be in more detail. It's somewhat like a map: The more you zoom in (i.e the higher the levels you go), the more detail you see.​

iii) Design phase: In this phase the systems analyst may work backwards. The SA may produce the output screen first, or at least a prototype (it doesn't work yet), and if the people like it, then it's finalized; if not, it's revised. Same thing goes for the input screen.​

i) The actual software: There are a couple of options for the SA. The SA can either choose to build a new system from scratch, or get premade / mass produced software.​

i) If the SA decides to build a new system from scratch (custom build software) then he will have to hire some programmers for that. The advantage of making a system from scratch is that it is exactly what the SA wants, no bells and whistles. The only disadvantage is that it has a lot of bugs which will need to be removed, and some may not even be spotted. It also costs a lot more, as you may know (unlike what one would think, making software may be a nightmare)​

ii) If the SA decides to use mass produced software (otherwise called off-the-shelf software, because it can be bought from a store, or something), then the advantages are that it's cheap, and there are virtually no bugs as it has been tested thoroughly. However, the disadvantage is that it may have too little or too many features that may be distracting to the user.​

i) This problem can be solved by customizing the software using little pieces of code called macros.​

iv) Implementation phase: Now that everything is done, and all systems are go, it has to be implemented, that is, converted from an abstraction to a reality for the user. This method usually has a few ways.​

i) Direct Implementation: This method is the fastest there is. It's as simple as "rip old system, put in new one" (presumably preceded by "hulk smash!" ) in theory. In practice, it is a lot tougher. The new system has to be thoroughly tested, and all data will have to be input into the new system. If it is in text form, it will have to be manually input. The store will have to shut down for a few days. Then, all of it will have to be replaced. IF, for some reason, the system fails, that's it. Zip. Prepare to say goodbye to the store. As such, it is a bit risky.​

ii) Phased implementation: This method is slow, but it is a good bet. Also, the employees at the store can get some training by themselves, thus familiarizing themselves with the new system's intricacies. Basically, it involves taking out a chunk of the old system, and replacing it with an equivalent chunk of the new system.​

iii) Parallel running: Basically, this involves running both the systems at the same time. This would be equivalent of you buying something, having a receipt made by the cashier, your items scanned with the new system, another receipt made and you getting charged twice! This is not very useful, but in some situations it is -- it's been said that examination boards use this system to double-check candidates' papers, should anything go wrong.​

iv) Pilot running: This is a method suited for larger companies with branches. It's somewhat like Direct implementation, but for a large corporation. In other words, if you were a huge corporation and your arm was a branch, then pilot running would be like replacing your arm with the new system (hopefully a better one ); if it works, fine, that's good. If it didn't...you just lost an arm, but you're still alive, go figure ​

 

[Waleed Amjad]

PART 2

Thank you bro for giving some time for the notes. they are helpful and will be helpful for other people too

 

[SYED ALI ARIZ]

HERE YOU GO.... SOM OF THE NOTES I FOUND ON THIS WEBSITE

 

[Waleed Amjad]

HERE YOU GO.... SOM OF THE NOTES I FOUND ON THIS WEBSITE

Thanks a lot ...

 

[Student12]

I'd suggest the best way is to study from the textbook it has everything which is required and solves past paper questions.

 

[Mohamed Suhail]

the thing with past paper questions are that the answers are so simple u have to be an idiot to come up with such answers

 

[Moi]

the thing with past paper questions are that the answers are so simple u have to be an idiot to come up with such answers

yess ikr?? like...some answers are so stupid and is like...repeated withing a question...but since we learned to think out of the box in igcse and not repeat the same idea we cant think of the silly answers now :/
i mean how would think that an advantage of working from home is "having time to walk am the dog"....???? thats a real answer no kidding!!

 

[Shadow_Beast]

guys did u appear for the practical too???? did your report fit within one page??? was it rooms 2 and 10 or 2 or 10??

 

[Waleed Amjad]

guys did u appear for the practical too???? did your report fit within one page??? was it rooms 2 and 10 or 2 or 10??

It said it should be one page "WIDE" not one page "Long"
So it can be more than 2 pages long.... don't worry...

 

[Zico Sakr]

yess ikr?? like...some answers are so stupid and is like...repeated withing a question...but since we learned to think out of the box in igcse and not repeat the same idea we cant think of the silly answers now :/
i mean how would think that an advantage of working from home is "having time to walk am the dog"....???? thats a real answer no kidding!!

Lolzz
yeah I saw that question recently
and i was like WTF is this a Cambridge mark scheme
I think that the motto for AICT is think stupid!

 

[Gimmick]

Lolzz
yeah I saw that question recently
and i was like WTF is this a Cambridge mark scheme
I think that the motto for AICT is think stupid!

I find it hard to believe that "very few answered <this question> correctly" in the Examiner's report -- the questions are, in retrospect, SO EASY!

 

[Zico Sakr]

I find it hard to believe that "very few answered <this question> correctly" in the Examiner's report -- the questions are, in retrospect, SO EASY!

I find it more suitable to say stupid than easy

 

[x-gamer-x]

guyz i have some notes on Ch3 and a chart for Ch4
source : AAnsarii

and i have also compiled Gimmick notes to document

if that helped, like my post plz

 

[Gimmick]

I find it more suitable to say stupid than easy

toh-may-toe, to-mah-toe

 

[Moi]

I find it hard to believe that "very few answered <this question> correctly" in the Examiner's report -- the questions are, in retrospect, SO EASY!

I find it hard to believe that "very few answered <this question> correctly" in the Examiner's report -- the questions are, in retrospect, SO EASY!

Lol and the problem is that we have no idea when do we answer with a REAL ANSWER or STUPID ANWWER!!

 

[Mohamed Suhail]

anyway whos attempting ict varient 1 and when