PDF vs DOC

A PDF file can not be altered but a word document can be.  Also a PDF file can be opened by all operating systems while a word document has to be opened in word.

Compressing files

Compressing files into zip folders is a very useful tool for various reasons.  If the folder is needed to be moved or sent somewhere, compressing it into a zip file means that it is a smaller file to be moved.  It also allows you to keep any formatting that the folders and files already have.  For example if a folder has folders and files inside it, by compressing it into a zip file, the formatting will be the same when the folder is unzipped.  To zip a folder, you select it then right click.  You then select 'send to' then 'compressed 'zipped' folder'.  This will make the folder into a zip file.  To unzip, simply double click on the file.

Threats to data

It is very important to protect your data from threats because otherwise you could lose all your work and wont be able to get it back.  Some common threats and ways to protect your data from them are:

• Viruses - Install a virus protection to protect your computer from viruses.  You can get the viruses form anywhere such as e mails or websites.
• Theft - Keep backups for your server and personal data.  Putting it on an external hard drive in a different place such as work or a friends house could protect it from theft and natural disasters.
• Computer failure - Constantly save your work so if something goes wrong with your computer you can get most of your work back.
• Renaming files with names which aren't understood - Name your files properly so your computer doesn't have a problem with them.  No spaces or symbols is a good rule to keep.
• Hacking - Protect your password.  Don't have a password that is easy to guess and don't tell anyone what it is.  It is also good practice to change your password from time to time if you want to be extra careful.

At school, two hard drives were stolen, but because there were back ups stored somewhere else, the school were able to get back all the files they lost.  

In Photoshop, I didn't know how to name files properly and named the image with spaces.  The computer could not understand this and wouldn't open the file so I couldn't open the image again.  

Quite often the computer with freeze or shut down and if I haven't saved my work, I could lose everything I have been working on.  

File management

File management is when you create structure in your file using naming conventions, folders and sub folders to make it easier to locate a file when you need it.
Different file conventions are:

• Camel case - Every letter starts with a capitol and there are no capitols.
• Underscore - No capitol letters and an underscore is put between all the words.  

I use camel case for all of my file naming because that is what I have always use.  However you chose to name your files, you should always be consistent.  

You should also name your files with meaningful names so you can know what the file contains without having to open it.  This could contain the date, title or what the file is for.

I organise my file on the computer by having a folder for each year.  Inside that folder is the subjects I am taking.  Inside each of these is a folder for each topic we study with all the files I used for that topic.

OS

GUI

GUI, or graphical user interface allows to user to easily use the computer.  The GUI is what users see when using the computer and allows the user to easily access applications and personalise their computer.  Every operating system has a different GUI.  Using GUI allows me to change the wallpaper to a different photo and easily open the applications I want.

File management

File management allows the user to save, move, rename and easily access file from the directory.  Using file management allowed me to save files to a file so I could easily find it later.

Application execution

Application execution is when the OS opens and closes applications at the will of the user.  OS give the application and icon so the user can find it quickly and easy.  I use application execution whenever I use an application such as Microsoft word or internet explorer.

Input/Output management

The input and output management works out what inputs and outputs are being used and what is necessary for them to be used.  For example a keyboard, the OS works out what buttons are being pushed and what the computer should do when they are pushed.  When I type on the keyboard for a word document, it will add the letter pushed to the document.  The screen, the OS works out what should be displayed on the screen. 

Graphical User Interface for Operating Systems

The graphical user interface, or GUI, for operating systems is what the user sees and uses to interact with the computer.  The GUI allows the user to easily communicate with the computer using things like windows and buttons via the mouse instead of entering text on a command line.  Each operating system has its own user interface.

Microsoft Windows

OSX


Linux

Operating systems

An operating system is software which all computers must have to be used.  Computers communicate with binary code, so we can not use it unless we have an operating system.  The operating system is sort of the middle man or translator.  It allows us to be able to tell the computer what we want it to do.