(a) Defragmentation software   -   Reorganises files on a disk to improve efficiency

(b) Disk contents analysis/repair software - Scans a hard disk to identify bad sectors

(c) Disk formatter -  Prepares a hard disk for first use

• camera film speed, position (end of film), distance, light
• washing machine amount of water, speed of wash/temperature/time
• fridge temperature, display panel
• air conditioning temperature, timing, display pane

• Easy to add nodes
• Managed centrally
• Fewer data collisions
• A single node failure does not affect the rest of the network

• mirrored hard disk/hot standby/second computer
• re-run the old master file with the transaction file

• Financial accounting
• Prediction and forecasting
• Inventory keeping
• Budgeting
• Keeping records

• Font Formatting:

  • Font Style: You can change the font style (e.g., Arial, Times New Roman) for cell content.
  • Font Size: Adjust the size of the text within cells.
  • Bold, Italic, and Underline: Apply these formatting options to emphasize text.
  • Font Color: Change the color of the text.

• Cell Formatting:

  • Number Formats: Apply various number formats, such as currency, percentage, date, and time.
  • Cell Borders: Add or remove borders around cells or cell ranges.
  • Fill Color: Change the background color of cells.
  • Text Alignment: Control how text is aligned within cells (left, right, center, top, bottom).
  • Text Wrapping: Allow text to wrap within a cell if it's too long to fit in one line.

Direct changeover – new system replaces existing system immediately/overnight

 Parallel running – new system runs alongside/together with existing system

Parallel running – there is always the old system to fall back on in the event of the new system failing/information is not lost/always a second copy

Direct changeover – if things go wrong lose all data/old system is not available

Direct changeover – training is more difficult to organise

Parallel running – training can be gradual Parallel running is more expensive to implement than direct changeover....

Direct changeover is a quicker method of implementation than parallel running

Direct Changeover: The old system is stopped completely, and the new system is started. All of the data that used to be input into the old system, now goes into the new one.

 Parallel Running: The new system is started, but the old system is kept running in parallel (side-by-side) for a while. All of the data that is input into the old system, is also input into the new one. Eventually, the old system will be stopped, but only when the new system has been proven to work.

• Artificial intelligence
• Parallel processing
• Natural language processing
• quantum computing

Explain the purpose of each of the following features of a spreadsheet chart (KCSE 2021, Q19 (a))

Legend

• Legends are a small visual representation of the chart's data series to understand each without confusion.

A data series

• is a row or column of numbers that are entered in a worksheet and plotted in your chart, such as a list of quarterly business profits
• A group of related data points or markers that are plotted in charts and graphs

Data Marker

• A symbol on the chart that represents a single value in the worksheet.
• A column, dot, pie slice, or another symbol in the chart representing a data value

https://www.lifewire.com/data-series-data-points-data-labels-3123411

• memory used up/slows down computer/alters setting/systems failure
• erases files/erases data/corrupts data/data needs restoring
• infects other computers on the network
• production loss/financial loss

• Outsourcing is the practice of using third-party providers to perform services and/or create goods that would traditionally be done within the business.

• the pain felt in muscles, nerves and tendons caused by repetitive movement and overuse.
• Injury as a result of repetitive use of parts of the body while performing work
• Strains and injuries due to prolonged typing and use of the mouse

(a) Buffer

• temporary storage or memory which compensates for the difference speed of peripherals and the CPU

(b)batch processing

• processing doesn’t start until all data is collected
• JCL (any reference to Job Control Language)
• no need for user interaction
• processed all in one go
• done at “quiet” times
• e.g. billing, payroll, cheque processing

(c) e-commerce

• electronic commerce
• buying and selling products/services using the internet/computer networks

(d) simulation

• studying the behaviour of a system by using a model/mathematical representation
• results can be predicted
• e.g. flight (or other) simulator, modelling hazardous chemical process

(e) Email

• sending messages from one device to another using computer networks/Internet

• It is a utility software that places file data in adjacent sectors to free up space for more data and reduce access time for files stored

• StudentID: String
• FirstName: Required 1
• Year: 2 1
• Email: Email address containing @ sign 1
• AccountBalance: Real

• hexadecimal is easier (for humans) to read (than binary);
• numbers are displayed in a more compact way (in hexadecimal than in binary);
• it is quicker to type in (hexadecimal numbers than binary numbers);
• it reduces the risk of typing errors (in hexadecimal numbers than binary numbers);

• Software may be designed to run on 1 core and not multiple cores
• depends on the task(s)  i.e some tasks cannot be split across cores
• Clock speed also affects speed i.e dual core may have a faster clock speed and quad-core may have slower clock speed so one task may be run faster/slower
• RAM size also affects speed i.e Quad-core may have less RAM  amount of VM being used
• Cache size also affects speed i.e Quad-core may have less cache

 A network manager may need to be employed  which might be expensive

Could be infected with a virus that could spread to all other computers

Security problems receive traffic from other networks

Hackers may gain access as the network only as secure as weakest point of entry to data and steal/destroy

 The server/switch could go down (main cable break) so all workstations on the network are affected

 Can be expensive to set up as Initial cost of servers, communication devices, switches, network software etc. 

 Substantial Initial disruption: drilling holes, fitting trunking, running cables between buildings etc… 

 Can have a slow response time  due to heavy network traffic so users cannot work as effectively

 Detecting network problems can be more difficult on a network i.e difficult to isolate

 Can be slow to log in to a network  As it slow to download software/check password

 Only limited storage space available on network while one has access to all hard disc drive on standalone computer

 Time and effort to set up users o Can just start a standalone and use computer

• Bus topology is characterised by common transmission media shared by all the connected nodes
• Star topology is characterised by a central switching node connected directly to each of the multiple nodes in the network

Advantages of Star topology over Bus topology

• Faster communication as compared to bus topology
• Independent line of connection allows freedom of removing or adding nodes

Disadvantages of Star topology over Bus topology

• Expensive as compared to the bus topology
• Long cable length

It has a header

• that contains the destination address
• that contains the packet number
• that contains the originator’s address

It has a payload

It has a trailer.