European Computer Driving Licence

1. European Computer Driving Licence Module 1 – Concepts of IT Chapter 1.4 Information Networks Pass ECDL4

2. Local Area Network • Computers which are linked by cabling in the same room or building • A server controls the network and stores data which is used by other users on the network (clients), Pass ECDL4

3. Advantages Printers, scanners etc can be shared Work is stored on the server and can be accessed from any of the client computers Users can communicate and exchange data Software is loaded once onto the server rather than on individual computers Disadvantages Security measures are needed to stop users accessing programs and data Can be complicated to set up and requires support from skilled technicians Faults affecting the server will affect the client computers Networks Pass ECDL4

4. A WAN connects computers in different geographical areas These are connected via the telephone system Used by multinational companies to communicate between different countries The world’s largest WAN is the Internet! Wide Area Networks Pass ECDL4

5. The Telephone Network in Computing • A modem is required for a computer to communicate over telephone lines • Data is converted from digital to analogue and then back again • The speed at which data is transmitted and/or received is measured in bits per second • The current standard is 56,000 bits per second Pass ECDL4

6. PSTN for short! The international telephone system used for making day-to-day telephone calls It is the main reason why computers have become so popular in recent years! Public Switched Telephone Network Pass ECDL4

7. ISDN for short Has a greater range of frequencies than PSTN At least as twice as fast as PSTN Typical transfer rate of 128,000 bits per second Data is transmitted simultaneously Special connection and modem required Integrated Services Digital Network Pass ECDL4

8. ADSL for short Uses telephone lines to transmit data at very fast speeds (512,000 bits per second) ADSL modem and splitters required to separate telephone signal from the ADSL signal You can still make telephone calls when surfing the web! Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line Pass ECDL4

9. The Internet • Huge network of computers connected together (including yours) • Minimum requirements are a 486 processor with Windows 95, modem, an account with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and a telephone line • The ISP provides access to the Internet through their servers • Many ISPs do not charge as users will normally pay for the access via their telephone bills • Many ISPs offer flat-rate access at fixed cost (e.g. AOL) Pass ECDL4

10. Growth of the Internet in the last few years has been phenomenal Virtually any organisation has their own web site Virtually anything can be bought or sold over the Internet All banks offer online banking – you can access your bank account 24/7 The Internet is available 365 days a year – it never closes! E-Commerce Pass ECDL4

11. You have to enter your name, address and credit/debit card details to purchase goods/services Most sites will offer a secure site which will scramble your details so it can’t be intercepted by thieves Secure sites will start with the prefix https:// - look out for the padlock symbol at the bottom of your screen You have the same consumer rights as buying from a shop Purchasing Over The Internet Pass ECDL4

12. Advantages You can shop 24 hours a day, 7 days a week You can shop from the comfort of your own home You can surf the web to find the best bargains Many dealers will offer discounted prices for shopping online Disadvantages You cannot see or try goods before purchasing You may have to pay extra for delivery You cannot speak to a person for sales advice There is some degree of risk giving out your debit/credit card details over the Internet Purchasing Over The Internet Pass ECDL4

13. You can use online services to send money, as opposed to sending cheques NOCHEX (www.nochex.co.uk) lets you send and receive money from anyone with an email address and a debit card Paypal (www.paypal.com) offers a similar service Alternative Payment Methods Pass ECDL4

14. By far the most popular use of the Internet E-mail messages arrive almost instantaneously, anywhere in the world The same message can be sent to more than one person at the same time It is very easy to reply to and forward e-mail messages Documents or photos can be sent as attachments E-mail software is required or you can access webmail providers online (e.g. Hotmail, Yahoo, Lycos etc) E-mail Pass ECDL4

15. Intranet is similar to the Internet but is internal to an organisation Users access the Intranet through a user name and password Enables users to share information and communicate via electronic messaging An Extranet can be accessed from outside the Intranet by authorised users via a user name and password Intranets and Extranets Pass ECDL4