CONTENTS
Section 1
Teacher/Lecturer Notes
Section 2
Student’s Notes
Section 3
Study Guide
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SECTION 1: TEACHER/LECTURER NOTES
Aim
This unit is designed to develop knowledge at Intermediate 2 level of the types and
sources of application software and skills in the use of a range of software types.
Status of this learning and teaching pack
These materials are for guidance only. The mandatory content of this unit is detailed
in the unit specification of the Arrangements document.
Target audience
Students would normally be expected to have attained one of the following ( or
possess equivalent experience):
 Computer Application Software (Int 1) unit
 Computing Studies at Intermediate 1
 Standard Grade in Computing Studies (Grade 3 or 4).
Pre-knowledge and skills
The teaching and learning pack presumes that the student is familiar with
 A computer keyboard and mouse
 A desktop environment and methods of manipulating windows.
They also assume that the student is familiar with the following terms as used in a
computing context: menu, cursor, button, click, open, save, print, load, graphics,
software, hardware, program.
You may wish to use this list to create for students a self-assessment checklist for use
prior to embarking on the unit.
Progression
This unit is one in a series of units entitled Computer Application Software. Similar
units exist at Access, Intermediate 1 and Higher levels. It is therefore anticipated that
students will possess (limited) software skills prior to undertaking this unit and after
completion they should be well prepared for the Higher unit in Computer Application
Software.
Hardware and software requirements
The unit requires that the student has regular access to a computer system with a wide
variety of software. To enliven learning, the use of video, audio and multimedia
learning aids is recommended. At the time of going to print, such a system would
have:
 A processor to run multimedia software e.g. PowerMac 4400 or a PC with MMX
technology
 CD ROM player (preferable)
 Sufficient RAM e.g. 16 Mb RAM for Macs and PCs, 4 Mb for Acorn
 Sufficient backing store e.g. 2GB hard disk
 Software to include Communications, Financial, Educational, Spreadsheet, Word
Processing, Database, Graphics, Publishing, Integrated and Leisure.
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Each student will require at least 25 hours access to such a system during the course
of this unit.
All of the required software is available as shareware or freeware to be downloaded
from the Internet. A good source of such software is
http:/www.tucows.com and http:/www.windows95.com
Learning and teaching approaches
A student-centred, resource-based learning approach is recommended. The
recommended teaching approach requires student access to a small software library
which students can use to undertake each of the outcomes. While two of the four
outcomes can be undertaken in a theoretical context (Outcomes 1 and 2), it is
recommended that all four outcomes are undertaken in an integrated manner using a
student-centred approach to learning and teaching. At a minimum, students are
required to use three diverse pieces of contemporary software (Outcome 3).
Outcome 1 is mainly theoretical where the students have to identify types, uses and
characteristics of application software. Giving the students practical tasks to discover
some of the characteristics of application software can enhance this work. Although
the materials include very simple practical tasks that the students can carry out, you
can create any task which allows students to explore the characteristics of the
software listed on pages 16 and 17 of the Study Guide. The practical tasks in these
materials are for guidance only. At the end of these notes you will find a blank table
which students can use to record their findings in the examination of software in
Outcome 1.
Outcome 2 is predominantly theoretical. You should enhance this theory through
examining and comparing, with the students, the contents of complete software
packages: installation guide, the tutorial guide, the reference guide, the storage
medium and the software licence. You could then follow this by discussion on what
the guides are used for and the importance of the software licence.
Outcome 3 relates to the exploration of application software. Students should explore
software that was previously unfamiliar to them. The critical activity is the student’s
confidence and ability to investigate and probe the capabilities of software in general
rather than acquire a detailed knowledge of a specific package. They will be given a
number of similar practical tasks to carry out on three different applications. It is
required that the students use the knowledge and experience gained in Outcomes 1
and 2 to describe the main features of each product and evaluate it against the
characteristics of high quality programs. They should be able to do this with limited
assistance from the teacher. So, for example, it would be inappropriate for a student
to make repeated requests for assistance during his or her exploration of a piece of
software. It is not expected that the student will master the application; it is sufficient
simply to identify the main features and characteristics of user interface, functionality,
speed, robustness and documentation. The students will have to document their
findings on a pro-forma under these headings.
Outcome 4 relates to the use of application of software. Students are required to use
software to produce specific information. A problem-solving approach is
recommended whereby students are set a specific task and are required to select an
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appropriate range of software tools to produce the requisite information. For example,
students may be asked to produce a short report on a topic of their choice which would
involve the production and integration of a range of data types (text, number and
graphic). They would be required to select specific software products and then apply
these products to the solutions of the problem. A wide range of tasks would be
suitable for students at this level such as:
 production of a short report
 statistical analysis of numerical information
 hypertext page for publishing on the World Wide Web.
Pathway through the unit
The pathway through the unit recommended in this Pack does not follow the
numerical order of the outcomes in the unit Arrangements. It works through the unit
outcomes as follows:
Outcome 1: Identify the types and uses of application software
Outcome 3: Explore the features of application software
Outcome 2: Identify the sources and contents of application software
Outcome 4: Use application software to produce information
This order allows students to:
 start with some simple practical tasks to discover some of the characteristics of
application software before moving into the more advanced stage of exploring the
software independently to seek out the range of features available
 learn the theoretical content along with practical work.
The pack is divided into sections, one for each outcome. The sections are discrete so
that if you wish to go through the unit in the numerical order of the outcomes, simply
reorder the sections.
The performance criteria for each outcome are normally covered in the order stated in
the Arrangements. Any deviation from this is highlighted at the top of each section.
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References
It is recommended that centres provide students with access to a small software
library. The library need not be extensive and may comprise a number of different
software products such as commercial application software, commercial
demonstration software, shareware and freeware. In a personal computer (PC)
context, a suitable library of software might include the following programs:
Title
Claris Homepage
Claris Works
Encarta
HTML Pro
Microsoft Publisher
Microsoft Works
Paintshop Pro
Photoshop
Quake
Application Area
Publishing/design (Web)
Integrated
Leisure (education)
Publishing/design (Web)
Publishing/design
Integrated
Graphics
Graphics
Leisure (game)
Type
Beta
Demonstration
Commercial
Freeware
Demonstration
Demonstration
Shareware
Commercial
Shareware
This sample library contains a mix of application areas and software types. Suitable
software is available from a variety of sources including the Internet and CD-ROMs.
The availability of a software library would permit all learning and teaching to be
undertaken in a controlled context with students borrowing from the library as they
undertake each outcome.
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Blank tables for Outcome 1
Name :
Class:
Facility
Help
SAVE
Editing
Sort & Search
Calculate
Moving text
Graphics
Text formatting
Page formatting
Different page views
Proofing
Communications
Printing
Software :
Name:
Class
Facility
Help
SAVE
Editing
Sort & Search
Calculate
Moving text
Graphics
Text formatting
Page formatting
Different page views
Proofing
Communications
Printing
Software :
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SECTION 2: STUDENT’S NOTES
Information about this unit
This unit is designed to develop knowledge of the types and sources of application
software, and also skills in the use of a range of software types. It may be taken in
combination with other units as part of the Information Systems course at Intermediate
2 level or as a stand-alone unit. It may also contribute to a Scottish Group Award.
The unit has four Outcomes. These are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Identify the types of application software.
Identify the sources and contents of application software
Explore the features of application software
Use application software to produce information.
Pre-knowledge and skills
It would be useful if you have one of the following:
 Computer Application Software unit (Int 1)
 Computing Studies at Intermediate 1
 Standard Grade in Computing Studies (Grade 3 or4).
Learning and teaching approaches
The learning and teaching approach to this unit is very much student-centred and
resource-based. You will require access to appropriate computer hardware and
software at various stages within the unit.
Outcomes 1 and 2 are predominantly theoretical in content although there are a variety
of practical tasks for you to carry out in Outcome 1 focusing on the features and
characteristics of application software.
Outcomes 3 and 4 are practical in content whereby you are given the opportunity to
explore the features of application software in Outcome 3 and then use the software to
produce information in Outcome 4.
In Outcome 3 you will identify the main features of the application software with
some assistance from the teacher. You do not need to master the application but
simply identify the main features and characteristics of the software.
A problem-solving approach is recommended for Outcome 4 whereby you are set a
specific task and required to select an appropriate range of software tools to produce
requisite information.
Assessment
There are two assessments for this unit. The first one relates to Outcomes 1 and 2 and
the second relates to Outcomes 3 and 4. Assessment 1 tests your knowledge of
computer software. You are required to know about the types of application packages
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together with their sources and contents. Assessment 2 is a practical activity and will
involve you in exploring a range of software and using a package to undertake a
specific task.
Evidence for assessment
Each assessment generates evidence. It is important that you keep this evidence in
your assessment folder. At the end of this unit your assessment folder should contain
the following items:
 Written paper for Outcomes 1 and 2
 Three pro formas identifying the features of application software (Outcome 3)
 Observation checklist that the teacher/lecturer will use to assess some of the
performance criteria for Outcomes 3 and 4
 One pro forma on the use of application software (Outcome 4)
 Printed/electronic copy of information (Outcome 4).
You will be provided with an evidence requirements checklist that you can use to
check that your folder contains all the required items.
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SECTION 3: STUDY GUIDE
PART 1 - TYPES AND USES OF APPLICATION SOFTWARE
In this unit you are going to learn about the types and uses of software applications
through using them. Many of them you will have used already but this time you have
two reasons for doing so.
Firstly, you have to identify the characteristics of each type of application software.
That will help you to decide later on uses that can be made of each application.
Identification of the characteristics of application software
You have to identify the characteristics or facilities of each type of application. Here
is a table of facilities that you can find in software applications. Discuss each facility
with your teacher/lecturer to make sure that you understand each one. The table has
been completed for a word processing package to help you in this.
Facility
Help
SAVE
Editing
Sort & Search
Calculate
Moving text
Graphics
Text formatting
Page formatting
Different page views
Proofing
Communications
Printing
Word Processing
on-line help available


‘search and replace’ but no sort
no calculation

simple graphics
changing fonts, style, justification, etc
headers and footers, adjust margins, etc

spell checker/thesaurus available
no

You have to consider whether these facilities are available in each type of application
software that you examine.
You are going to carry out a simple task in each type of software application. As you
work through the task, you should complete a table for each software application.
You have to carry out a task in several packages so you will need a table like this for
each one. Your teacher/lecturer may have a supply of blank tables.
At the top of the second column in the table, enter the type of application software that
you are examining and then make a comment or tick each facility.
The software applications and tasks are as follows:
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Database
Software that is used to store information by creating files, records and fields of data.
Task
Using a database package and data file of your choice, search for specific information
and sort it into any order.
Spreadsheet
Software that allows tables of data to be arranged in rows and columns. Special
functions and formulae can be used with the data to perform mathematical operations.
This type of package can be used, for example to calculate student grades.
Task
Using a spreadsheet package of your choice, create a spreadsheet using formulae to
perform several calculations.
Graphics
Software that is used to create and manipulate images.
Task
Using a graphics package of your choice, create a logo or drawing.
Integrated
Software that combines the features of two or more application packages. It is used to
accomplish a wide range of tasks and share data between applications such as
programs that combine word processing, database and spreadsheet functions.
Task
Using an integrated package of your choice, incorporate a chart or graph into a word
processing document.
Communications
Software that is used to link computers and allow computer users to send and receive
information electronically from one place to another. The software must adhere to
communications protocol which is a standard set of rules describing the transfer of
data between devices. An example of this type of software would be a program that
allows you to browse the World Wide Web or send and receive electronic mail.
Task
Use communications software to exchange information electronically e.g. to send or
receive an e-mail or to request a WWW page from the Internet.
Educational
Software that is used to help people learn about new areas of interest such as learning
foreign languages.
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Task
Use educational software such as an encyclopaedia on CD ROM to discover new
information on a topic of your choice or use a software on-line tutorial to learn
something new about an application package.
Leisure
Software that is used for recreation and pleasure purposes such as computer games.
Task
Play and describe how to play a computer game.
Publishing
Software that is used to layout text and graphics on the page or screen. The text and
graphics are often moved around the document in frames. It is used to produce
professional quality documents (often for promotional purposes) such as newsletters
and advertising.
Task
Using a publishing package of your choice, create the front page of a newspaper,
including in it a selection of text and graphics.
Financial
Software that is used to organise and control the flow of money. This type of software
includes the special software used by accountants.
Task
Use financial software to create an account of a week of your spending.
Identifying the uses of each type of software
From the tasks that you have carried out, you will have identified a number of
facilities or characteristics for each type of application package. Some of these
characteristics will belong only to one type of application package but many will be
common to more than one. These characteristics decide how a particular type of
application software will be used.
For example, if you were telling a friend how a word processor might be used, you
might say
Word Processing
Useful for producing letters and reports
Includes proofing tools to check spelling and sometimes grammar
Could be used to produce a newsletter
The appearance of text can be changed
Can be used to produce a Web page
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Below you will find 30 statements which can be made about the uses of one or several
of the following software applications:
Database
Communications
Educational
Graphics
Integrated
Financial
Spreadsheet
Leisure
Publishing
For each software application, compile a list of appropriate statements drawn from the
30 below. Each application will then have a short list of uses similar to that for word
processing above:
1. Useful for producing letters and reports
2. Can be used to learn a foreign language for example
3. Data can be sorted into order
4. Printouts can be made of money spent
5. Combines the functions of several programs
6. Can produce charts and graphs
7. High-resolution images are displayed on screen
8. Allows data to be searched
9. Protocols are an important part of this type of software
10. Can be used to work out mortgage repayments or the repayments on a loan
11. Zoom in and zoom out to view the data
12. Includes proofing tools to check spelling and sometimes grammar
13. A joystick is often used as the input device
14. All application areas share a common human computer interface
15. Calculations can be carried out using the data
16. Tools such as line, eclipse, fill and free hand draw can be used
17. Information can be sent from one location to another
18. A multimedia encyclopaedia is an example of this
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19. Records can be kept of money spent
20. Could be used to produce a newsletter
21. Can manipulate and enhance photographs
22. Software used for personal pleasure
23. The appearance of text can be changed
24. Uses the telephone line to send information
25. This software is very good at processing numerical data
26. Can be used to help you control your money
27. Can be used to produce a Web page
28. Involves the use of multimedia
29. Data can be copied from one application area to another
30. Elements such as written words and pictures can be combined in a document
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Now try these question to test your understanding on identifying types of
application software:
1. What software application would you purchase for entering and storing recipes
that you found in magazines?
Explain how you would use the software application for this purpose..
2. The sports club’s finances are in a bit of a state but they cannot afford an
expensive accounting package.
Is there a different software application that they might buy to help keep the
accounts in order? Explain how the software application may be used.
3. The local golf club would like to produce an annual report for all its members.
The committee would like the report to include a section on all the prize winners,
a section using graphs to show the breakdown of the membership and a section to
show the account balance for the year.
Which software application would you advise them to use?
Explain the reasons for your choice.
4. As a member of the school Parent Teacher Association, you have been asked to
produce a monthly newsletter which will contain a variety of text items, graphical
items and photographs.
Which software application will you use?
Explain the reasons for your choice
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PART 2 - SOURCES OF APPLICATION SOFTWARE
When someone wishes to obtain an application package, there are a number of sources
available to choose from, depending on the type of application package.
1. Computer manufacturers
These include companies such as IBM, Apple and Acorn who produce mostly systems
software for their respective systems. Sometimes additional software is bundled with
the computer to make the package more attractive and appealing to the buyer. For
example a computer company may advertise a particular product with £1000 worth of
software ‘bundled’ into the price of the computer.
Advantages
 software is closely integrated with the hardware
 software is robust.
Disadvantages
 software is often expensive when it is not bundled with the product
 software can contain features that you never use.
2. Software companies
These include specialist software companies, such as Microsoft and Netscape who
develop and sell generic software for a variety of platforms.
Advantages
 cheaper to upgrade to newer versions by buying direct from the company
 low-cost, high quality software
 software is usually thoroughly tested.
Disadvantages
 contains a number of features but many will be irrelevant
 may omit features that you require
 limited support for older versions which forces you to upgrade when you may be
very happy with the older version.
3. Software bureaux
Software bureaux produce tailored computer software. They may look at your
particular problem and write a package to do the exact task that you require – known
as a bespoke (tailor made) package. The costs involved in producing this type of
software are very high and usually only the larger companies can afford the
commissioning of such software.
Advantages
 software is customised to match exact requirements
 easy to use.
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Disadvantages
 there could be a long time delay while the program is being developed
 very expensive for a one-off piece of software. This cost can only be justified if
the software will be used by a great many people and/or over a considerable period
of time.
4. Retail outlet
You can buy a commercially produced package ‘off the shelf’ from a specialist
computer shop e.g. PC World or by mail order through a computer magazine. They
sell application packages from software companies but also a range of smaller,
cheaper packages. These are not usually to the same standard.
Advantages
 convenient since source is local
 purchaser is buying a tried and tested product
 mass production will keep the cost down.
Disadvantages
 price mark-up to cover shop’s costs
 poor after-sales support from this source.
5. In-house developers
These include a large number of companies who develop some (or all) of their
software using their own software development staff. A large firm that makes use of
computers in many departments will almost certainly employ programmers who will
produce programs for everything from stock control to machine control. These
programs can be tailored exactly to the needs of the company and its equipment, but
may be useless to another firm.
Advantages
 high quality customised software
 easy to maintain and adapt
 local help available.
Disadvantages
 generally expensive although the cost of each application is hidden in the salaries
of the programmers
 can take a long time to develop the software.
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PART 2: TASK 1
Which of the five sources of applications software listed below matches the
description. Each source should only be used ONCE.
computer manufacturer
in-house
retail outlet
software bureau
software company
a. Develop some (or all) of their software using their own software development
staff.
b. Develop and sell generic software for a variety of platforms.
c. Produce software for their own platforms.
d. Sell packages or produce tailored computer software for specific purposes.
e. Sell commercially produced packages.
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PART 2: TASK 2
Using the same list of sources as Task 1, match each of the sources to one situation
described below. Each source should only be used ONCE.
For each situation, describe an advantage and a disadvantage of the particular
source suggested.
Situation 1
Richard saves his money to buy the latest games software. He wants to buy a new
game called Alien Attack and he thinks he will be able to get it in town.
Source of software:
Advantage of this source:
Disadvantage of this source:
Situation 2
The Mini Doll Company is a small local firm. They have decided to launch a new
range of clothing and accessories for the dolls and the design team is looking for
software to allow them to design these. Unfortunately they can’t find a software
package that meets their needs
Source of software:
Advantage of this source:
Disadvantage of this source:
Situation 3
Samantha buys a new computer. When she sets it up she discovers that software is
already installed. One of the packages is called VideoPlayer which allows her to
play small clips of video film.
Source of software:
Advantage of this source:
Disadvantage of this source:
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Situation 4
The local council which has a large IT department is looking to automate a lot of their
operations so that the councillors can have immediate access to information. There is
no readily available software to meet their needs.
Source of software:
Advantage of this source:
Disadvantage of this source:
Situation 5
The Desktop Publishing Company wants to upgrade their existing publishing
software. They presently use DT Publishing 6 and would like to upgrade to version 7.
Source of software:
Advantage of this source:
Disadvantage of this source:
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PART 2 - CONTENTS OF APPLICATION SOFTWARE
When you buy an application package, you will notice that the contents of the box
include:
(a) The storage media
Storage media is the collective name for the material used to hold data. This could be
floppy disks or CD-ROM or software stored at a remote location and accessed via the
Internet. These are the storage media that are used to distribute the program.
Floppy disks are a very common storage medium for the following reasons:
 fast, random access
 can be written to
 cheap
 most computers have a floppy disk drive.
If there are a large number of floppy disks to install the software i.e. installing the
Microsoft Office suite (over 30 disks), this can be very tedious and time consuming.
CD-ROMs are becoming increasingly more popular as a storage medium for the
following reasons:
 random access
 read only, therefore cannot be accidentally overwritten
 large storage capacity
 no continuous changing of disks to install software.
The disadvantages, however, are that the speed of access is relatively slow compared
to the access time of a hard disk. Also, many users do not yet have CD-ROM players.
CD-ROMs can be used to transfer the software to the hard disk and then the software
is run entirely from the hard disk e.g. Microsoft Office. On some occasions, however,
the CD-ROM installs the software on to the hard disk but it is also needed to run the
software e.g. some of the leisure software and multimedia software.
The Internet is also becoming a very popular medium for storing software for selling.
Although the user will incur on-line telephone costs to download the software, there is
a wealth of high quality freeware, shareware and software for sale on the Internet
available to download and install on to your hard disk.
The advantages are:
 software, initially at the cost of downloading it
 ability to try out the software on your own system at leisure
 wider choice, from sources in this country and abroad.
The disadvantages are:
 remembering that you may have to pay at the end of the trial period or your use of
the software becomes illegal
 the danger of downloading a virus along with the software.
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(b) An installation guide
This documentation is designed to assist the user in installing (or setting up) a new
piece of software on a specific computer system.
This guide will include:
 instructions on how to set up the program
 list of technical requirements of the package
 list of contents of the package.
Here is a section from the Installation Guide for Microsoft Works. It refers to the set
up of printers:
Note: Microsoft Works comes ready to work with the standard and
wide ImageWriter and ImageWriter II printers. If you use a
LaserWriter, you will need to copy the LaserWriter printer driver to
your start-up disk. For more information, see Appendix C - “Printing
with the Apple Laser Writer” in Using Microsoft Works.
Here are some typical instructions in an Installation Guide:
 keep the original program as a master, and copy all of the floppy disks into a
folder on the hard disk, i.e. make a back-up copy.
 install the necessary “printer drivers” so that you can use dot matrix and laser
printers
 install the necessary fonts so that you can have different types of print
 enter the name of the company into the program as part of the licensing agreement,
and to personalise your program
 set up the software for use on a network so that every user can have access to the
same data.
(c) A tutorial guide
The purpose of a tutorial guide is to introduce the user to the main features of a
program. This is sometimes built into the software as an on-line tutorial.
This guide includes:
 a section on getting started
 a step-by-step guide to the main features of the program.
The Microsoft Works tutorial guide has lessons on:
 writing a letter
 storing information in a database
 planning a budget using a spreadsheet


creating a computerised phone book
using the drawing tools to design a logo.
(d) A reference manual
This section:
 provides detailed instructions on all features available
 is used by people who require access to specific features of the package.
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The reference manual is necessary when you want to check up on how to do
something. For example:
 you may want to look up how to set the scale using rulers in a drawing package
 you may want to look up how to merge the information from a database with a
standard letter created on the word processor.
Reference manuals are often bulky and difficult to read but they are sometimes
supplemented by a Quick Reference Guide – a card or small booklet which highlights
key features and how they are accessed.
Nowadays, however, many packages make increased use of on-line help. This can be
built into the package as help files or obtained externally via the Internet.
It is also worth noting that many packages do not have separate manuals for the
installation, tutorial and reference guides but contain all three in the one manual with
separate sections dedicated to these three guides. In fact, the sale of manuals and
software in large packages has now been separated. Organisations buying multiple
copies of the software may choose to buy only one or two manuals to save on costs.
(e) A software licence
Inside the box of software there will also be a number of paper documents, one of
which describes the legalities of using the software. This is called the software
licence and the user must read and sign this document before installing the software.
Software copyright
It is not always realised that similar copyright laws to those that apply to books and
other publications cover computer software. The 1998 Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act protects ‘intellectual property’ and establishes the rights of the author.
The unauthorised use of any commercial software that has not been properly
purchased with a software licence is illegal. In practice, this means that copying
software bought by someone else is an offence. Even the use of properly purchased
software on a network can be illegal unless the licence specifically allows this form of
multiple use.
FAST (Federation Against Software Theft) is an organisation operating on behalf of
software producers; it actively pursues breaches of software copyright. Sometimes,
however, software is offered copyright free; this may be called freeware or shareware
It is perfectly legal to download freeware programs from the internet, copy and
distribute them to other people. Freeware cannot be sold or modified because the
creator retains copyright. Shareware programs can also be downloaded from the
internet but sometimes the program states that you can evaluate it for 30 days. You do
not have to pay the author to use the program but it will be illegal to use the program
after the 30 days have expired. After the trial time is elapsed, you must either erase
the program from your disk or register the program by paying a fee.
Commercial programs cannot be legally copied and distributed. You would be
breaking the law if you copied a program that you were using at work and installed it
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on your own machine at home unless this was stated in the conditions of sale. It is,
however, perfectly legal to purchase commercial software from a friend and install it
on your own computer as long as this software is then uninstalled by the friend.
There are also a number of rules and regulations regarding information stored on
computers and the access to this information. These are set out in the Data Protection
Act 1984. For example, an organisation must inform a person if it stores information
on that person on its computer system and show them this information if requested.
Information held on the Internet also comes under the scope of copyright and you
cannot freely copy any information you find on it. For example, it is illegal to copy
images from a web page unless you ask for permission from the owner of the images.
The Computer Misuse Act 1990 also laid down rules and regulations governing access
to computers belonging to other people and organisations. This Act makes it illegal to
hack into another computer and change any information held on it.
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Summary
You have come to the end of this study guide for Outcomes 1 and 2. You should now
have knowledge of the following:
 The facilities and uses of these types of application software: communications;
database; educational; financial; graphics; integrated; leisure; publishing;
spreadsheet; word processing.

The main sources of application software and the advantages and disadvantages of
each.

The contents of a typical application package including the media and
documentation.

The legal aspects of acquiring software.
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PART 2: TASK 3
Scott has just bought new spreadsheet software. Inside the packaging he finds 8
floppy disks as well as several paper documents. One of the documents describes the
legalities of using the software. He reads and then signs this document.
(a) What name is given to the document that Scott read and signed?
(b) What software medium is being used in this situation?
(c) Describe the main features of TWO other media that are commonly used to
distribute computer software.
(d) Describe the typical contents of the documentation listed below:
Installation guide
Tutorial guide
Reference manual
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PART 3: EXPLORING THE FEATURES OF APPLICATION SOFTWARE
For this Outcome you must be able to investigate and explore different application
software. This includes recognising the features of good software and documentation
and being able to use on-line help and reference documents.
In order to be able to do this you first need to recognise the features of good
application.
Features of good APPLICATION software
User interface
The user interface is the connection between a user and a computer program. An
interface is a set of commands or menus through which a user communicates with a
program.
The user interface is one of the most important parts of any program because it
determines how easily you can make the program do what you want. A powerful
program with a poorly designed user interface has little value. Graphical user
interfaces (GUIs) that use windows, icons, and pop-up menus have become standard
on personal computers.
The combination of the user interface and the hardware used with the computer
system makes up the Human Computer Interface.
User Interface
A sample user interface is shown above.
The user interface is the display that the
user interacts with.
Human Computer Interface
The Human Computer Interface can also
be thought of as the Man-Machine
Interface. It includes user interface and the
hardware used to interact with it such as
the keyboard, mouse and monitor.
Figure 1 - User Interface and Human Computer Interface
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Graphical user interface
The most common form of user interface today is a GUI (Graphical User Interface).
This type of user interface provides graphical objects such as icons, buttons and
windows for the user to interact with. These interfaces are often called WIMP
interfaces because of the use of Windows, Icons, Menus and Pointer.
GUIs provide a method of interacting with a computer using windows, icons, menus,
and other graphic devices to create what is, ideally, a simple and intuitive way of
performing operations on a computer system. Microsoft's Windows and the Macintosh
operating desktop metaphor are classic examples of GUIs. Part of the appeal of the
World Wide Web is that it provides a GUI for the Internet.
Graphical user interfaces, such as Microsoft Windows and the one used by the Apple
Macintosh, feature the following basic components:
Icon
Menu
Window
Desktop
Pointer
Figure 2 - A sample graphical user interface.
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
pointer: A symbol that appears on the display screen and that you move to
select objects and commands. Usually, the pointer appears as a small angled
arrow. Text -processing applications, however, use an I-beam pointer that is
shaped like a capital I. A device, such as a mouse or trackball, enables you to
move the screen pointer to select items on the display screen.

icons: Small pictures that represent commands, files, hardware devices or
windows. By moving the pointer to the icon and pressing a mouse button, you
can select a command or open up a window. You can also move the icons
around the display screen as if they were real objects on your desk.

desktop: The area on the display screen where icons are grouped is often
referred to as the desktop because the icons are meant to represent real objects
on a real desktop.

windows: You can divide the screen into different areas. In each window, you
can run a different program or display a different file. You can move windows
around the display screen, and change their shape and size at will. Within each
window there is a range of menu options that can be selected.

menus: Most graphical user interfaces let you execute commands by selecting
a choice from a menu. This makes is easier for the inexperienced user to use
the system. Users do not need to learn complicated text commands. Instead
they can search the menus for the command they need.
The first graphical user interface was designed by Xerox Corporation’s Palo Alto
Research Centre in the 1970s, but it was not until the 1980s and the emergence of the
Apple Macintosh that graphical user interfaces became popular. One reason for their
slow acceptance was the fact that they require considerable CPU power and a highquality monitor, which until the early 1990 were relatively expensive.
Command driven and menu driven
A command driven user interface accepts commands in the form of special words or
letters. In contrast, programs that allow you to choose from a list of options in a menu
are said to be menu driven. Command-driven software is often more flexible than
menu-driven software, but it is more difficult to learn. An example of a command
driven application is WordPerfect 5.1 for DOS. The user presses function keys or
enters text commands to format, edit and file text documents.
Many DOS programs include some features of GUIs, such as menus, but are not
graphics based. Such interfaces are sometimes called graphical character-based user
interfaces to distinguish them from true GUIs.
Which type of user interface is best?
Each type of user interface is suitable for different types of task. A GUI has the
advantage of the computer’s graphics capabilities to make the program easier to learn.
Well-designed graphical user interfaces can free the user from learning complex
command languages.
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On the other hand, many users find that they work quickly with a command-driven
interface, especially if they already know the command language.
A good user interface provides the user with a simple and efficient way to use the
software. If there are too many menus or text commands then the software becomes
difficult to use. The commands to be used should be easy to find, either through online help, menus or other on screen displays.
It should be fairly obvious to the user what each command does (e.g. Open will open a
file already saved, New will create a new file). Sometimes pictures will be used to
illustrate a command. Providing graphical buttons on a toolbar is one way of
illustrating commands. The user simply clicks the required button and the command
is carried out or a dialog box opens requesting more information before the task is
executed. A dialog box is a window that allows the user to enter information about
the task. For example, the dialog box for the Open command would ask the user to
enter the location and name of the file to be opened.
Another way of making the user interface easy to operate is to provide wizards. A
wizard is a sequence of dialog boxes that guide the user, step-by-step, through a
particular task. Wizards make it easy to carry out operations that would normally be
very difficult or complex.
A good user interface normally allows the user to confirm their choices. This is often
done by providing a dialog box that asks the user to select OK to continue or Cancel
to abort the operation.
If you find a program easy to work with the first once or twice that you use it then the
user interface is probably well designed. A user of an application with a well
designed user interface will be able to learn how to use the software without referring
to much of the computer based help or paper documentation. This also has the effect
of reducing the costs of training staff to use the software.
Part 3: Task 1
Your teacher/lecturer will provide you with an item of application software. Answer
the following questions about this piece of software. Each is related to the User
Interface.
a) Is the user interface graphical or text based?
b) What kind of task is this software used for?
c) Does it use toolbars? If it does, give some examples of the commands on the
toolbars.
d) Does it use wizards? If it does, give some examples of the operations carried out
by the wizards?
e) Are menus used to display information such as commands?
i) Are the menu commands grouped together sensibly?
ii) Explain your answer and give some examples.
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How do I write about the user interface?
When you explore an item of computer software you should be aware of the way you
are entering commands or working with data. Are you typing commands at the
keyboard? Are you using the mouse buttons to choose commands? Is it easy to find
the commands you want to use? Do the icons and toolbar buttons accurately represent
what they do?
If you want to carry out a specific task using the software, is it obvious which
commands you have to use or do you have to search through lots of menus or
windows to find the correct commands?
If you find it difficult to find commands or complete operations, you should say that
the user interface is not particularly easy to use or well-designed. If you can find
commands easily and are able to make the software carry out a useful task with few
problems, then you would say that the user interface is well designed and easy to use.
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Functionality
The functionality of an item of application software is defined by the range of
features the software has relative to the type of tasks it is designed to carry out. So, for
example, in the context of a computer game this might include its gameplay, the
number of levels and the number of options. In the context of a word processing
package this might include its text editing features, its text formatting features and its
filing features.
The fewer the features the less functional the software becomes. An application with
only a few simple features can only be used for a limited number of tasks. An
application with a large number of varied features can be used for a wide range of
different tasks.
Part 3: Task 2
Your teacher/lecturer will provide you with an item of word processing software.
Answer the following questions about this piece of software. Each is related to
functionality.
a. Does the program have special features for the following:
i)
writing letters?
ii)
inserting Graphics?
iii)
pasting information from other programs?
iv)
creating bulleted or numbered lists?
v)
inserting tables of information?
vi)
Spell Checking?
b. Name and describe three other features of the software that you think improve the
functionality of the application.
Your teacher/lecturer will also provide you with a text editor. Explorer the same
questions for the text editor.
c. Which has the greater functionality? You should explain your answer by
comparing and contrasting the features of each application.
Compare here means to look at two similar features and state which is better and
why.
Contrast means to identify features in one package which are not in the other.
How do I write about the functionality of an application?
When you explorer an application you should be aware of the type of tasks that the
application has been designed to carry out. You should then look to see what features
it provides to allow you to carry out these kinds of tasks.
If the software has only a few features to support the intended task then you would say
that the software provided a limited range of functions.
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If there were many different features then you would say that the software provided a
wide range of features for completing the range of tasks it was designed for.
In both cases you should provide some example of the features available in the
application and state why these make the intended tasks easier to complete.
Speed
Several factors affect the speed of software. These are mainly related to the hardware
used to run the software. Generally speaking the more powerful the hardware used to
run the software the faster the software will run.

Central Processing Unit (CPU)
The CPU is the ‘brains’ of the computer, and more than anything else it determines
how fast the computer will work. There are several different types of processor used
in schools and colleges today. Your teacher or lecturer will be able to give you
information about the particular processor type that you are using.
All processors have a particular clock speed in MHz (megahertz) which determines
how fast they process instructions.
But a 233Mhz Pentium chip is slower than a 233Mhz Pentium II. This is because the
Pentium II processes its instructions more efficiently than the Pentium. It is important
to understand the generations of processor types when making decisions about the
speed a program is running at.
The following table shows the different types of processor used in modern computers.
The least powerful processors are at the top of the table and the most powerful are at
the bottom.
Apples Macintosh
Motorola 68030
Motorola 68040
Motorola 68060
Motorola Power PC
IBM PC Compatible
386
486
Pentium / 586
Pentium II
Acorn RISC
ARM
Strong ARM
A program running on a 486-based computer will run much slower than the same
program on a Pentium-based computer, assuming they both have the same amount of
memory (see below).

Memory
The computer’s main memory is where programs and data are held while the
computer is working on them. The computers RAM (Random Access Memory) has a
limit to how much it can hold. This limit is normally measured in megabytes (Mb)
and most modern computers, being sold now, have 32Mb of RAM.
If the computer starts to run out of RAM then it begins to use the hard disc as
temporary memory space. The processor then has to read information from the hard
disc rather than the memory.
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Accessing the hard disc is much, much slower than accessing the memory and this
will slow down the speed at which the software runs.
The more memory a computer has the less likely it is to run out of room and start
using the hard disc. A 486 computer with a lot of memory will often run faster than a
Pentium computer with limited memory.
How do I write about an application’s speed?
When you explorer an item of computer application software you should be aware of
the type of processor in the computer, how up-to-date that processor is and how much
memory the computer has. Your teacher/lecturer will have information about the
computer that you are using for you to refer to.
If you are using a processor that is very up-to-date in a computer with lots of memory,
then you would say that it would be very unlikely that the software would run much
faster on another system.
If you are using a processor that is four or five years old in a computer with limited
memory, then you would say that the software would run much faster on a newer
machine and even faster if more memory was available.
Part 3: Task 3
Find out about the computer you are using in class. Answer the following questions
about it.
a. What type of processor is it?
b. What is its clock speed in megahertz (MHz)?
c. How much random access memory does the computer have?
Robustness
The robustness of an application is determined by how often it crashes or produces
unexpected results. Most modern commercial software is very robust but these
modern applications are sometimes so complex that small bugs (errors in the
software) go unnoticed. These errors often cause unexpected things to happen or
cause the program to crash (stop working).
If a piece of software is badly written then it will crash very often and will be
unusable. If it is well written then it will hardly ever crash. If the software you are
exploring crashes then you should load it again and try recreate what you were doing
when it crashed. This way you are testing the software by replicating the fault.
How do I write about the robustness of the software?
You should say if the program crashed when you were using it. If the program did
crash were you able to recover from it or did you have to re-start the computer and
begin from when you last saved your data.
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If the software continually crashed for the same reason (i.e. a command or feature that
does not function properly) then you should comment on the feature and explain the
circumstances that cause the problem.
Part 3: Task 4
Find out three things that computer programmers do when writing their programs to
ensure that they are robust. Your teacher/lecturer will have material that will help you
answer this question.
Documentation (including on-line help)
Documentation provides instructions for using a program. Documentation can appear
in a variety of forms. The two most common are manuals and online help. When you
buy a computer product (hardware or software), it almost always comes with one or
more manuals that describe how to install and operate the product. In addition, many
software products include an online version of the documentation that you can display
on your screen or print out on a printer. A special type of online documentation is a
help system, which has the documentation embedded into the program. Help systems
are often called context-sensitive because they display different information to the
user depending on what the user was doing in the application when he or she needed
help.
Documentation is divided into the following categories
Installation:
Reference:
Tutorial:
Describes how to install a program or device but not how to use it.
Detailed descriptions of particular items presented in alphabetical order.
Reference documentation is designed for people who are already
somewhat familiar with the product but need reminders or very specific
information about a particular topic
Teaches a user how to use the product. Tutorials move at a slower pace
than reference manuals and generally contain less detail. They take the
user through typical tasks so that the user can learn to use the features
of the package.
A frequent lament from computer users is that their documentation is too complex.
Fortunately, this situation is improving, thanks largely to advances in help systems
and online tutorials. These forms of documentation make it much easier to deliver the
specific information a user needs when he or she needs it.
What makes high quality documentation?
High quality documentation should be easy to understand. It should include an index
and a table of contents.
A high quality installation guide will provide step-by-step instructions for installing
and configuring the software.
A high quality reference guide will be organised in sections or alphabetically. Each
section will provide detailed information about each command or feature within the
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software. This information will be detailed and will illustrate features of the software
with examples.
A high quality tutorial guide will be a series of step-by-step exercises that the user will
complete to learn how to use the various features of the software. This will be
straightforward to follow and will often use graphics to illustrate the menus and
options that must be selected.
Part 3: Task 5
Your teacher will provide you with an item of software and the documentation that
accompanies it.
a. Is the documentation electronic, paper based or both?
b. Are there separate installation, tutorial and reference guides or are they all
contained in the same document?
c. What sort of detailed information is contained in the installation e.g. Does it tell
you what type of computer the software is for etc?
d. How is the reference guide organised? What is the quickest why to find a
particular piece of information?
e. Carry out some of the tutorial exercises. Do you find them easy to follow?
f. Write a short report on the quality of the documentation for that piece of software.
How do I write about documentation?
When you explore an application examine it's documentation. This includes both its
paper based and electronic (on-line) documentation.
Is the paper based documentation well-organised (index, table of contents, section
headings etc.)? Is it easy to follow? Does it contain a lot of complicated words? Can
you find the information you want easily?
Is the electronic documentation easy to access? Can you search it for the correct
information? Can you jump to the information you require easily?
When writing about the documentation you should state the different types of
documentation available (e.g. Getting Started Guide, On-line Help, Reference
Manual). You should comment on how easy the documentation is to use and how
detailed it is.
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EXPLORING SOFTWARE
Now that you have identified what the features of good application software are you
should be able to explore any item of application software and make judgements about
its user interface, functionality, speed, robustness and documentation.
Your teacher/lecturer will ask you to carry out the following tasks. These tasks are
designed to make you explore particular applications and learn their features.
Part 3: Task 6
Specification
You have been asked to design a poster for a charity parachute jump. The poster
should include the following information:
A picture of a parachutist
Blue Shield Parachute Club
Annual Charity Jump
In aid of St. Margaret's Sick Children's Hospital
Saturday 24th September at 2.00pm
Strathallen Airport
Please call Cindy on 01461 879126 for more information
What do I have to do?
You must create three versions of your poster. Each version must be created using a
different type of applications software. So, for example, you might wish to use a
word processor, a desktop publishing package and a presentation graphics package or
a database, a spreadsheet and a web page design package. The choice is yours.
You should use the on-line help and the available documentation to help you complete
the task.
Examining the features of the software.
While you are exploring the applications in order to complete the task you should
consider the user interface, functionality, speed, robustness and documentation
(including on-line help) of the software.
Use this information to complete a pro-forma for each application. Here is one that
has already been completed as an example.
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Name of program
Microsoft Word (version 6)
Type of program
Word processing package
Features of program
User interface
This package uses screen windows to display the documents. Selecting from pulldown menus or clicking on icons carries out instructions. All the required commands
can be easily found using the supplied menus and toolbars.
Functionality
Word can do lots of things. It has all the usual text operations but it also includes
an easy to use ClipArt gallery, a WordArt feature for creating logos and the ability
to import graphics files from other applications.
Speed
It runs very quickly on the Pentium computer with 16Mb of RAM.
Robustness
It is robust because it checks the commands that the user enters. If an incorrect
command is entered then the application reports this. The program only crashed
once when I was using it. This was when I tried to paste my graphic from the
clipboard. I restarted the computer and tried this again. It worked without error
the second time.
Documentation (including on-line help)
Word comes with a very detailed paper based reference manual and a Getting
Started tutorial guide. There are some very clear installation instructions included
the reference guide.
The on-line help is very good. It provides step-by-step help on carrying out
particular tasks. There is also an on-line tutorial that takes the user through the
main functions of the software and demonstrates each point using the monitor.
This completed proforma illustrates a suitable response. A reasonable amount of
detail is provided about each area and the student has obviously made use of both the
paper-based and on-line documentation.
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COMPUTER APPLICATIONS SOFTWARE - OUTCOME 3 PROFORMA
to be completed by student.
Name of program
Type of program
Features of program
User interface
Functionality
Speed
Robustness
Documentation (including on-line help)
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Part 3: Task 7
Specification
You have been asked to create an address book containing all the contact details for
the management committee of the parachute club. The contact details for each of the
ten committee members are on the next page.
What do I have to do?
You must create three versions of your address book. Each version must be created
using a different type of applications software. So, for example, you might wish to
use a word processor, a database and a webpage authoring package or a personal
information manager, a spreadsheet and a desktop publishing package. The choice is
yours.
You should find out how easy it is to select/search/find or otherwise locate the contact
details for one member of the committee. You should do this for each of the three
applications you have chosen.
You should use the on-line help and the available documentation to help you complete
the task.
Examining the features of the software
While you are exploring the applications in order to complete the task you should
consider the user interface, functionality, speed, robustness and documentation
(including on-line help) of the software packages.
Use this information to complete a pro-forma for each application.
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CONTACT DETAILS FOR PARACHUTE CLUB MANAGEMENT
COMMITTEE
Firstname:
Surname:
Street:
City:
Postcode:
Telephone:
Roddy
Robertson
453 North Deeside Road
Aberdeen
AB12 4EW
01224 651116
Firstname:
Surname:
Street:
City:
Postcode:
Telephone:
Bryan
Leese
80 Cattofield Place
Glasgow
G16 9SA
0141 652 8786
Firstname:
Surname:
Street:
City:
Postcode:
Telephone:
John
McPherson
9 Ferguson Court
Inverness
IV71 9OP
01467 826761
Firstname:
Surname:
Street:
City:
Postcode:
Telephone:
Sean
Barnes
39 Maberly Street
Aberdeen
AB25 1NA
01224 789192
Firstname:
Surname:
Street:
City:
Postcode:
Telephone:
Andrew
Murison
12 Lochside Place
Aberdeen
AB23 8GA
01224 703821
Firstname:
Surname:
Street:
City:
Postcode:
Telephone:
Jan
Milne
63 Rose Place
Dundee
DD45 9TY
01382 227718
Firstname:
Surname:
Street:
City:
Postcode:
Telephone:
Corrie
Chyne
22 Loch Place
Edinburgh
EH16 8UI
0131 667 4508
Firstname:
Surname:
Street:
City:
Postcode:
Telephone:
Keith
Beacom
45 West Graham Street
Glasgow
G4 9LJ
0141 722 8191
Firstname:
Surname:
Street:
City:
Postcode:
Telephone:
David
Yule
40 Urquhart Terrace
Aberdeen
AB24 5NG
01224 521498
Firstname:
Surname:
Street:
City:
Postcode:
Telephone:
Charlie
Davidson
12 Mount Street
Stirling
KY7 9IJ
01565 752352
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PART 4: USING APPLICATION SOFTWARE TO PRODUCE
INFORMATION
What do you have to do?
For this outcome you must use application software to produce information. In the
assessment for this outcome you will complete a task and a written report.
In the report you will have to show that:
 you have understood the nature of the task you are carrying out.
 you have chosen application software that is appropriate for the task.
As you complete the task your teacher/lecturer will observe that:
 you are using the software efficiently and effectively to carry out the task.
 the information that you are producing is accurate, concise and presented in an
appropriate format.
 you know the legal requirements of using information and are not in breech of
those requirements.
 your are using the hardware effectively and in a responsible manner.
In order to prepare for this assessment the following pages will guide you through a
sample task. You will be given guidance on what should be contained in the report
and on how to carry out the practical part of the task. When you are finished the
sample, you will be ready to take the assessment.
Sample task specification
Create a presentation to demonstrate a range of inline skates. Inline-skates are a cross
between roller-skates and ice-skates. Your presentation slides will present
information about two different skate models and will also display an image of each.
Your finished slides will be used by a salesperson to market the skates to sports stores.
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The presentation will consist of three slides of information as follows.
Slide 1:
Slide 2:
Slide 3:
Company Logo (a file called rocko_logo.gif)
Presenters Name (You are the presenter)
Heading Fitness Inline Skates
Subheading Park Walker
Image walker.jpg
The following main text to be entered:
 Wheels: 80mm/78A Run Air with Advance technology. Translucent.
 Bearings: TwoCam ABEC 7 with UI Racing Gel. Serviceable.
 Boot & Liner: Breathable, Biofabric boot constructed of leather
and mesh fabric. Internal cuff flex system and anatomic insole.
Power straps for snug ankle support and added heel retention.
Shock-absorbing rubber outsole.
 Frame: Reinforced carbon and glass nylon frame with aluminium
bearing spacers. Accommodates wheel sizes up to 80mm.
 Brake: Height and tension adjustable Friction Force System.
Heading Fitness Inline Skates
Subheading Road Runner
Image road.jpg
The following main text to be entered:
 Wheels: 76mm/78A Super Clear
 Bearings: ABEC 3. Serviceable.
 Liner: Women's specific design SuperFit vented mesh liner with
memory foam. Anatomic footbed and Comfortech foam for optimum
heel retention.
 Boot: SuperTec system integrated ultra performance boot with
custom women's cuff. Italian buckles and straps which recede into
boot.
 Frame: Intec glass-reinforced nylon frame with aluminium bearing
spacers. Accommodates wheel sizes up to 80mm.
 Brake: Height and tension adjustable Friction Force System.
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Step 1 - Describe the task in your own words.
You must rewrite the task in your own words. This is one way of showing that you
understand what you have been asked to do. Here is an example produced by Kate
Longbow of Blueness Academy:
‘I have been asked to produce slides for a presentation about inline skating. There
will be a total of three slides. Slide one will contain a company logo and my name.
Slide two will contain a heading, a subheading, an image and some main text as
laid out in the task specification. Slide three will be a similar layout to slide two
with a heading, a subheading, an image and some main text.’
This example covers all the main points of the task specification. None of the main
points of the task has been left out.
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Step 2 - Generating a design
You would now plan out your task on paper. This, again, provides evidence that you
understand the nature of the task you are carrying out. If your design does not meet
the requirements of the specification, then your teacher/lecturer will discuss with you
where you have gone wrong and you will be able to redesign your solution to the task.
There are many ways to design a solution to a problem. One of the most popular is to
draw out a graphical representation of what you are going to do. For this task, Kate
has decided to draw the three screens out on paper. Here is what she drew.
Heading
LOGO
Heading
road.jpg
Subheading
Kate Longbow
Main Text
Main Text
Blueness Academy
Screen 1
Screen 2
Screen 3
Part 4: Question 1
Look carefully at the design that Kate has completed. Can you see any problems with
her design?
i)
What is the problem with Screen 1?
ii)
What is the problem with Screen 2?
iii)
What is the problem with Screen 3?
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Step 3 - Choosing the correct application software
Once you have successfully completed the design, you will understand what has to be
carried out using the software in order to complete the task. With this information
you will be able to select an applications package that is capable of producing your
solution to the task.
In our example tasks there are several things that the software to be used must able to
do. These are:
 text creation, formatting and editing.
 import of graphics.
 positioning of text and graphics on screen.
The software must allow all these three things to be done. Drawing, desktop
publishing, web page design and presentation graphics software all possess facilities
to complete this task.
The application that will be chosen to complete the task will, perhaps, be the most
user friendly or the one the user has the most experience of. Once the choice of
software has been made you should write down the reasons for your choice. Here is
what Kate wrote:
‘The task requires the following tools to be available in the chosen application
software: text editing, importation of graphics, arrangement of elements on the
screen in the form of slides.
I have chosen to complete this task using a program called PowerDisplay.
PowerDisplay is a program specially designed for creating presentation slides.
In it I can create text boxes that I can drag around the screen and change the
appearance of. I can import graphics, move them around the screen and stretch
and rotate them. It also has a play facility so that I can play my presentation on
screen like a slideshow.’
Notice that Kate has provided details about why she selected the software and, to
provide further evidence to support her selection, she has given details of the actual
features available in the program.
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Step 4 - Using the application software and the computer
Using software - efficiently and effectively
Your teacher/lecturer will be observing how efficiently and effectively you use the
software to complete the task. You should ensure that you do the following:
 make good use of your time at the computer
 carefully follow the plan you have created.
Information is accurate, concise and in an appropriate format
Your teacher/lecturer will also observe that the information you are producing is
accurate, concise and presented in an appropriate format.
Accurate Concise AppropriateFormat
The information should be up-to-date and correct.
The information should be compact e.g. text should communicate its
meaning in as few words as possible.
The information should be displayed in the most suitable way e.g. use of
appropriate graphs to display lists of numbers, use appropriate text styles
to display information etc.
Your legal responsibilities
There are three legal documents that you should be aware of when you work with
computers and information. These are the Data Protection Act (1984), the Copyright,
Design & Patents Act (1988) and the Computer Misuse Act (1990). While completing
your tasks the teacher/lecturer will want to observe that you are aware of your legal
responsibilities regarding information.
The Data Protection Act
Computers are used everywhere from newspaper offices to schools, from government
departments to small businesses. Computers are machines used to process
information and more and more this information is about us.
It is frightening when you think of the amount of information that strangers hold about
you. And what if some of the information they stored about you was wrong?
The Data Protection Act was introduced in 1984 to ensure that Data Users (the people
who keep the information on computer) gave rights to individuals (Data Subjects)
who have information recorded about them on computer. The Data Subjects may find
out information about themselves, challenge it if is wrong and claim compensation in
certain circumstances.
Data Users now must register with the Data Protection Register if they wish to hold
personal information about data subjects. There are some types of data that are
exempt from Registration, e.g. mailing lists (names and addresses) that allow the data
subject to receive information, data used for calculating and paying wages,
information used for club memberships, data used by a data subject at home.
The act states that data should:
 be collected and processed fairly and lawfully
 be held only for lawful purposes described in the register entry
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be used only for those purposes and only be disclosed to those people described in
the register entry
be adequate, relevant and not excessive in relation to the purpose for which they
are held
be accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date
be held no longer than is necessary for the registered purpose
be surrounded by proper security.
Your rights under the Data Protection Act
Subject access
An individual is entitled, on making a written request, to be supplied by any Data User
with a copy of any personal data held about him or her. The Data User may charge a
fee up to ten pounds for supplying this information.
Correction or deletion
If personal data is inaccurate the Data Subject may complain to the Registrar or apply
to the courts for correction or deletion of the data.
Compensation
A Data Subject is entitled to seek compensation through the courts if damage has been
caused by the loss, unauthorised destruction or the unauthorised disclosure of the
personal data. If damage is proved, then the Court may also order compensation for
any associated distress caused to the Data Subject.
Also a Data Subject may seek compensation through the Courts for damage caused by
inaccurate data.
Complaint to the Registrar
A Data Subject who considers that some part of the act has been broke can complain
to the Registrar. The Registrar must investigate the complaint and deal with it
appropriately, either by informally sorting out the problem or by prosecuting the Data
User under the terms of the Act.
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Part 4: Question 2
i)
Carol Jones Ltd have registered with the Data Protection Act because they
store financial information about their customers. In their office is a terminal
which anyone can use. There is no password system on this computer
terminal. Are they in breach of the act?
Explain you answer
ii)
Asham Nadir is worried because his bank has turned down his application
for a loan because they say he is already due them money. He knows this is
wrong because he has never borrowed money from the bank before. What
would you suggest he does?
iii)
Aardvark Academy is going to start mailing out its school magazine every
month. In order to make the job easier they are going to keep all the mailing
information on computer so that they can easily print labels for the envelopes.
Someone tells them about the Data Protection Act and that they need to
register. Is this true?
Explain Your Answer
Computer Misuse Act
The Computer Misuse Act (1990) provides regulations that govern the access to and
use of computer systems and the information within them.
Section 1 of the act can be summarised by stating that it is an offence to gain
unauthorised access to a computer system. This includes causing a computer to
perform a function with intent to secure access to any program or data, knowing that
the access is unauthorised. Note that this is an offence regardless of whether the
motives for access were well-meaning or malicious. Access to any program or data
held in a computer system is a wide definition and includes altering/erasing the
program or data, copying it, moving it, using it and having it output from the
computer in which it is held.
Examples of such offences could include unauthorised use of another person’s
username and password, persistently trying to guess a username and password, and
laying a trap to obtain a password or password file.
Section 3 of the Computer Misuse Act 1990 states that it is an offence to cause
unauthorised modification of computer material.
Examples of offences under this section would be deleting another user’s files,
modifying system files, introduction of viruses, or deliberately generating information
to cause a complete system malfunction.
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The Act also states that on a charge of attempting to commit an offence as outlined
above, it is immaterial to the accused's guilt where the attempt to gain unauthorised
access was made.
Part 4: Question 3
i)
Which of the following would be an offence under the Computer Misuse Act.
a.
Changing someone's password when they had left their computer
logged on.
b.
Logging on to a computer system with your own username and
password
c.
Putting a floppy disc that you have infected with a virus into a
computer system.
d.
Sending a friend a file that they had requested
ii)
Using the Internet, CD-ROM or other reference material find out about
hackers who have been caught gaining and trying to gain unauthorised access
to systems.
Copyright, Design & Patents Act
Most published material (including text, images, video, music etc) is protected by the
Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988. This means that there are restrictions to the
use you can make of such material, particularly in respect of copying, selling and
adapting it. Copyright may be infringed if, without the prior permission of the
copyright owner, you:
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
Copy a work (including scanning or storing electronically)
Issue copies to the public
Perform, show or play the work in public
Broadcast the work or include it in a cable programme
Make an adaptation of the work
If you do any of these without permission, you are liable to be held personally
responsible. Infringing the law may be a criminal offence.
Copying, without prior permission.
As an individual you may take advantage of the ‘fair dealing’ provisions of the Act to
make a single photocopy for research or private study, within the following limits:
 one article from any issue of a journal
 one chapter or up to 5% of a whole book, pamphlet or report
This means that it may be acceptable to copy a certain portion of a copyright work for
your own use.
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So what should you do…
As someone who is creating information it is important that you follow the guidelines
about copyright, data protection and computer misuse. Your teacher/lecturer will
expect that you have adhered to the guidelines as they observe your work.
Using the hardware - effectively and in a responsible manner.
Your teacher/lecturer will be observing how effectively you use the hardware to
complete the task. You should ensure that you do the following:
 Make good use of your time at the computer.
 Use the appropriate input, output and storage devices are required by your task.
Part 4: Carry out the specified task
Using the information already supplied complete the sample task above. You should
carry out all the steps on your own and ensure that you follow all the advice in these
notes.
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