• OS controls operation of system/hardware
• Applications software allows the system to do something useful

• Realtime processing
• Batch processing
• Timesharing
• multiprogramming
• Online
• Batch
• Distributed

• Repairing files
• Compression
• Defragmentation
• Back up
• Anti-virus / anti-spyware / anti-malware
• Firewall
• Managing application updates
• Format disks/drives
• System analysis tools

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

• Thesaurus - Is a feature in a word processor that suggest words with the similar or opposite meaning to the one selected
• Comments: a feature in a word processor that allows a user to attach a remark about the selection

State the characteristics of each of the following network topologies (KCSE COMPUTER STUDIES 2021 )

i) Mesh Topology  (2mks)

• a host/node is connected to one or multiple hosts
• a   host/node in point to point connection with every other host or a few hosts
• hosts/nodes in mesh topology also work as relays for other hosts which do not have point-to-point links

(ii) Ring Topology (2mks)

• each host/node connects exactly to two other hosts
• data travels around the ring in one direction through all intermediate hosts
• failure of any host results in the failure of the whole ring

• It is an address to a resource on the internet

• RAID 10 is a combination of RAID 0 (zero) and RAID 1 (one)

1. MAN
2. WAN
3. PAN
4. LAN

• provides an interface between the computer user and the hardware
• Manages the allocation and deallocation of the CPU to processes.
• manages Input-output devices by use of drivers

• Real-time OS reads information from input devices and must respond within a short duration of time to ensure correct performance
• Distributed OS distributes computation among several physical processors which do not share memory or clock

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

a)  i)  Explain what is meant by the term volatile memory                                                            (1mark)

• Memory content is lost when the power is turned off

ii) What is normally stored in the non-volatile part of a computer’s main memory                       (1mark)

• The Computer’s BIOS

b) Explain why having cache memory can improve the performance of the CPU                         (2mks)

• Frequently used data/instructions are store in the cache; Meaning they don’t have to be fetched from the main memory;
• Data/instructions stored in the cache memory can be accessed faster (than data/instructions stored in the main memory) MAX 2

• Hierarchical model  - Records in the database can be related to one parent only but can have more children records
• Network database model - a child record can be linked to  multiple parent records
• Relational database model - organizes data into tables that can be linked or related based on data common to each.

SECTION A (40 MARKS)

1.What is meant by

    a)Analogue data

     b)Digital data                           (4 mks)

2. Distinguish between transcription and transposition types of errors and give an example of each  (4mks)

3. a)What are peripheral devices?  (1mk)

   b)Give two examples of peripheral devices  (1mk)

4a)What meant by the term user-friendly as used in software development? (1mk)

  b)Distinguish between the terms single-tasking and multi-user as used in operating systems  (2mks)

5.What actions should be taken in case of a fire outbreak in the computer laboratory?  (4mks)

6a) What is an Internet Service Provider?    (1mk)

  b) An employee in a business company is charged with the responsibility of putting the company advertisements on the Internet.

 i) State the professional title of the employee. (1mk)

ii) Give an example of software used by this employee to carry out the above task.    (1mk)

7.Differentiate between COM ports and LPT ports     (2mks)

8.Explain two ways in which ICT can enhance commerce.  (2mks)

9. Explain the following software terms:

    a) Portability       (1 mk)

    b) Modularity      (1 mk)

10. a) State two application areas of desktop publishing software. (2mks)

     b) Explain the following graphic terms:                                                                                     

     i) Rotate (1 mk)

    ii) Crop  (1mk)

12. a)List two arithmetic operations that can be performed on a row of numeric data in a word processing table.    (1 mk)

     b) In each case of (a) above, write the expression used.  (2mks)

13. List two methods of gathering information during the system development process   (2mks)

14.Name three types of optical disks.(3mks)

15.The diagram below shows a formatted plate surface of a storage disk.

            Shade and label:

            a)         one sector                                                                                ( 1mk)

            b)         One block                                                                                (1mk)

SECTION B (60 MKS)

Answer question 16 and any other three questions from this section in the  space provided

16 a) List two examples of:

       i) Third generation languages    (2mks)

       ii) Object oriented languages    (2 mks)

b) Draw a flowchart to compare three non-equal numeric values A, B, C and prints the largest of the three. (11 mks)

17 a) One of the functions of an operating system is job scheduling.  Explain what is meant by job scheduling.   (1mk)

    b)List and explain three types of user interfaces.                      (6 mks)

    c)Describe the following categories of software:

       i) Firmware                 (1mk)

       ii) Proprietary software  (1mk)

     d) a new company XYZ intends to go into the business of desktop publishing. Advise the company on three computer hardware system specification features to consider as a measure of enhancing performance. (6 mks)

18. a) distinguish between the following sets of terms as used in spreadsheets.        (2mks)

     i)Worksheet and workbook

     ii) Filtering and sorting

     b) State one way in which a user may reverse the last action taken in a spreadsheet package.        (1 mk)

     c)The following is a sample of a payroll. The worksheet row and column headings are marked  1, 2, 3, .  and A, B, C.  respectively