ICT WJEC A2 - TOPIC 2: THE INTERNET

WEBCRAWLER- continually searching the web looking for new pages and recording the information they find

SEARCH ENGINE- an application that is accessed over the internet that maintains indexes of webpages. key words are required to find the information required

URL (UNIFORM RESOURCE LOCATOR)- recorgnised method for referring to resources on the internet... if you know the web address to the site, then simply type it in and it will take you there

HYPERLINKS- an area of a page that contains a link to another location on the web... allows you to surf the internet, so you are moving from one part of the internet to another by the hyperlinks

BOOLEAN SEARCH-a search using the operators AND, OR or NOT [using AND will find you documents that have both the requirements, using OR will find you documents that have either one of the requirement. using NOT will exclude the specified points.]

FTP - a standard set of rules that have been established to allow the exchange of large files over the internet.

USES OF FTP:

• Uses of FTP for a company: 1)uploading a database of sales from one branch of the organisation to the head office. 2)uploading websites onto the internet.
• Uses of FTP for a bank:  1)sending account information between the bank and customers.  2)used for uploading databases of transactions form one branch to the head office.
• Use of FTP for a school: sending students reports to parents. 

ADVANTAGES OF FTP:

• not limited to the file size (unlike email attatchments)
• allows reliable transfer of files between platforms
• greater security

DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING: where a series of computers are networked together and they are all working on solving the same problem. Each computer shares data processing, storage and bandwidth in order to solve a single problem.

CASE STUDY: SETI (SEARCH FOR EXTRATERRESTRIAL INTELLIGENCE)

• purpose of the SETI project: to search for intelligent life outside Earth - this needs a radio telescope.
• to search for the narrow bandwidth signals, a great amount of computer power is needed. Initially, supercomputers were used to process the huge amounts of data from the telescopes.
• A virtual supercomputer consisting of a huge number of internet- connected home computers, could be used instead of a supercomputer.

*another case study for distributed computing is 'popular power project (helping to develop flu vaccines)'

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING:

ADVANTAGES:

• reduces costs- do not need an expensive powerful computer (eg. supercomputer)
• can pass work to computers anywhere in the world via the internet
• can improve performance by adding more computers

DISADVANTAGES:

• issues with the security of the data- as it is spread out to so many different places
• heavy reliance on networks and communications which may not always be available
• increased costs due to the expensive communication lines

Facilities that an organisation needs to put in place to make their website into an e-commerce:

• maintain a company website- (will need trained staff for this)
• catalogue of stock (database of stock)
• methods of secure payment
• database of customer orders
• order tracking (details and updates)

ADVANTAGES TO THE BUSINESS:

• people can email them with enquiries (so they are less likely to lose out on sales)
• cuts overheads (no need to rent a building...)
• more efficient customer targeting
• (can sell 24/7)

DISADVANTAGES TO THE BUSINESS:

• need for trained staff (training costs - money and time)
• increased costs of delivery vans and transport

ADVANTAGES TO THE CUSTOMERS:

• no travelling (can be done from the comfort of ones home)
• allows disabled people to do more shopping
• quicker price comparison
• see other customer reviews
• (available 24/7)

DISADVANTAGES TO THE CUSTOMERS:

• copycat websites look legit and steal bank detials
• lack of social interaction
• the item ordered may not be as shown on screen in real life

DIAL UP:

ADVANTAGES-

• cheaper for light users (as you only have to pay when you use it)
• can be used anywhere there is a phone line

DISADVANTAGES-

• slow and limits use

BROADBAND:

ADVANTAGES-

• streaming- less need for buffering / greater bandwidth
• doesnt tie up the phone line
• makes video conferencing possible

DISADVANTAGES-

• blackspots- not available everywhere

"There is no effective ownership or control of the internet" Discuss, with suitable examples, whether you consider this statement to be true or false. (8 mark)

Parents of young children are very concerned about the lack of control of the internet. Discuss, using suitable examples, their likely concerns. (8 marks)

(ensure that both sides are considered when answering (for AND against)!!!)

• the internet is for everybody and no one actually owns it
• there is little control over the content of the material on the internet (although some governments have started to control what can be seen)
• there is no contol over the people who can access the material on the internet
• ^this means that unless special software is used, children can easily gain access to inappropriate images (eg. violent images)
• because the internet isnt checked to ensure the information is accurate, it is then up to the user to check if the source is reliable and accurate
• if a site is banned it can make it more popular
• young children could accidentally access sites that are not appropriate for them to see

"The internet, whilst bringing a number of benefits to society, has also raised a number of issues." Discuss in detail, moral, social or ethical issues associated with the use of the internet. Illustrate your answers with distincly different examples for each use. (8 marks)

• censorship- eg. China/ Burma
  
• accuracy of information- people believe anything they find on the internet even if it isn't true
• privacy- eg. people can look at photos that are only meant to be viewed by family/friends
• effects upon communities- increased online shopping results in smaller businesses closing down eg. the corner groceries shop
• ownership and control- who owns the information?
• plagarism- eg. buying exam papers
• lack of social interaction- people stay on the internet and dont go out much
• gaming addiction- (or gambling addiction eg. online poker)
• electronic bullying- nasty comments on pictures/ students sending spam emails

The use of the internet causes major moral, social and ethical issues. Discuss, using appropriate examples, these issues and the effect that they are having on modern society. (18 marks)

• deliberately setting up websites containing incorrect imformation- people may rely on this and believe it to be true
• bullying- eg. chat rooms, email...
• inappropriate websites- eg. videos and images that are violent/ racist
• spreading rumours- causes distress to the person/ people who it is about (they generally tend to be false accusations)
• using someones wifi without permission
• using photo-editing software to distort reality
• privacy issues- eg. socail networking sites
• gambling addiction
• computer game addiction- (may result in low grades as they have not focused enough on studies)

...MAKE A POINT, EXPLAIN THE POINT AND THEN GIVE AN EXAMPLE...