ICT & Multimedia Fundamentals

1. Data, information and knowledge

Data is raw material for data processing. data relates to fact, event and transactions. Data refers
to unprocessed information.
Information is data that has been processed in such a way as to be meaningful to the person
who receives it. it is any thing that is communicated.
Knowledge is usually based on learning, thinking, and proper understanding of the problem
area.

2. Define ICT and multimedia

CT covers all forms of computer and communications equipment and software used to create,
design, store, transmit, interpret and manipulate information in its various formats. Personal
computers, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, transport systems, televisions, and network
technologies are just some examples of the diverse array of ICT tools.

Multimedia' refers to documents / software applications that contain a mixture of:

• text
• images
• animations
• video
• audio
Multimedia applications are commonly used for training / education. Compared to learning
from a textbook, multimedia applications allow students to see animations, videos, etc. This can
bring a subject to life and make it much easier to learn.

3. Explain the hardware aspect of computing technology

Computer hardware is the physical components that make up the computer system. Hardware
is useless without software.

An Input device feed raw data to the

processor. A processor processes raw
data and turns it into useful information.
A storage device keeps or stores both
process and unprocess data for later
usage. An output device shows or
displays the processed data.

Computer hardware block diagram ( above )

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PROCESS
The processing unit controls all activities within the system. For every instruction, the
control unit repeats a set of four basic operations called the machine cycle:

Fetching
the process of obtaining a program instructions or
data item from memory.
Decoding
the process of translating a program instruction into
signals that the computer can execute.
Executing
the process of implementing the instructions in a
program.
Storing
the process of writing the result to the storage or
memory.

The CPU is the 'brain' of the computer. It is the device that carries out software instructions.

The speed of a CPU is measured in Hertz (Hz).

The speed generally corresponds to the number of actions the CPU

can perform every second.

• 1 Megahertz (MHz) is 1,000,000 (1 million) Hertz

• 1 Gigahertz (GHz) is 1,000,000,000 (1 billion) Hertz

A typical, modern, fast CPU runs at around 2.8GHz. That means it can
perform almost 3 billion actions every second!

Pentium 3, Pentium 4, AMD Athlon, AMD Turon, AMD Phenom, Intel Core i7 and Intel Atom
are examples of a CPU.

CPUs usually plug into a large socket on the main circuit board (the motherboard) of a
computer. They get very hot when they are operating so usually have a large fan attached to
their top to keep them cool.

STORAGE
Storage is a location which data, instruction and information are held for future use. Every
computer uses storage to hold system software and application software. When we issue a
command to start the application software, the operating system locates the program in
storage and loads it into memory.
A storage medium, also called secondary storage is the physical material in the computer
that keeps data, instruction and information. A storage device is the computer hardware
that records or retrieves items to and from storage media. There are two types of storage
which are primary storage and secondary storage.

• Random Access Memory (ROM) – PRIMARY STORAGE

Random Access Memory (RAM) is the part of the computer that temporarily stores the
instructions that the computer is running, and the data it is processing. RAM is a volatile

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storage device. This means that if the computer’s power is turned off the contents of
RAM disappear and are lost.

• Read-Only Memory (ROM) – PRIMARY STORAGE

Read-Only Memory (ROM) is used in most computers to hold a small, special piece of
software: the 'boot up' program. This software runs when the computer is switched on
or 'boots up'. The software checks the computer’s hardware and then loads the
operating system. ROM is non-volatile storage. This means that the data it contains is
never lost, even if the power is switched off.

• What is Secondary / Backing Storage? – SECONDARY STORAGE

Secondary storage (sometimes called backing storage) is the name for all of the devices
(apart from ROM and RAM) that can store data in a computer system.

A hard drive, a CD-ROM, a floppy disc and a USB memory stick are all examples of
secondary storage devices. Secondary storage is non-volatile, so data that is stored on
these devices remains there safely.

INPUT
Input is any data or instructions that we enter into the computer system for processing.
There are some common ways of feeding input data into the system, which are:
• typing on a keyboard
• pointing with a mouse
CPU accepts instruction from the user and translates the instruction into readable
information (decode).

What Are Input Devices?

Devices that pass data into the computer are known as input devices. A keyboard, a mouse
and a webcam are all examples of input devices. They all take information from the outside
world (key presses, hand movements, images), convert them into data and then send this
data into the computer for processing.

OUTPUT
Output is data that has been processed into a useful form, called information. There are four
types of output, which are texts, graphics, audio and video. The text consists of characters
that are used to create texts, sentences and paragraphs. Graphics are digital representations
of non text information such as drawings, charts and photographs. Audio is music, speech or
any other sound. Video consists of images that provide the appearance of full motion.

What Are Output Devices?

Devices that take data from the computer are known as output devices. A monitor, a
printer and a loudspeaker are all examples of output devices. They all take information from
the computer and convert it into real world things (images, paper hardcopy, sound).

4. Explain the software aspect of computing technology

Software is a program which consists of a set of instructions that tells the computer how to
perform a specific operation. A computer is just a machine with no special benefits without
software. Software can be divided into two categories, which are:
a. System Software
Software that is used to control and manage computer devices and operations.

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b. Application Software
Software that is used to help a user perform a task and solve a problem.

An operating system is a special piece of software that manages the general operation of a
computer system:

• It provides a user interface so that we can interact with the computer

• It manages applications that are running on the computer, starting them when the user
requests, and stopping them when they are no longer needed
• It manages files, helping us save our work, organise our files, find files that we have saved
and load files
• It manages the computers memory, deciding what should be loaded into memory and what
should be removed
• It looks after computer security, preventing unauthorised access to the system
• It manages the computer’s input and output hardware such as printers, etc.

Without an operating system, a computer is of little use. But, just having an operating system
running alone on a computer is also not very useful - we need to have application software
(such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Sony Vegas, Macromedia dreamweaver and etc.) so
that we can actually do useful tasks with the computer.

A utility program which is also called a utility is a type of system software that allows a user to
perform maintenance-type tasks usually related to managing a computer, its devices or its
programs. Types of utility program are antivirus, screen saver, file manager, file compression,
diagnostic utility and disc defragmenter.

Examples of utility program are Winzip, Winrar, Flashplayer, Adobe Reader, CCleaner, iTunes,
VLC Player, Shockwave etc.

Useless!
On its own, the hardware of a computer is a fairly useless lump of plastic and
metal!

It Works!
(But it's not very useful)

Add in an operating system and you have a computer that actually works.

Useful!
To do any useful work you will also have to add application software.

+ +

For a computer system to be useful it has

to consist of both hardware and software.

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Software :
• Freeware is software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee,but usually
with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial
software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or
commercial purpose in the aim to expand the marketshare of a "premium" product.
• Shareware (also termed trialware or demoware) is proprietary software that is provided
to users without payment on a trial basis and is often limited by any combination of
functionality, availability (it may be functional for a limited time period only), or
convenience (the software may present a dialog at startup or during usage, reminding
the user to purchase it ).
• A software suite is a collection of individual programs sold as a single package. The
software suite is designed to enhance the performance of our work. It typically includes
word processing, spreadsheet, presentation and e-mail. Currently, Microsoft Office is a
very popular example of software suite being used. Another examples areMicrosoft
Office, Appleworks, Corel WordPerfect Office, Office.Org, Lotus Smart Suite.
• Groupware refers to programs that help people work together collectively while located
remotely from each other. Programs that enable real time collaboration are
called synchronous groupware. Groupware services can include the sharing of calendars,
collective writing, e-mail handling, shared database access, electronic meetings with
each person able to see and display information to others, and other activities.

Type of Application Software

a. Word Processing
Word Processing an office application that enables user to create, edit, format and print
textual document. A word processing program is an office application that enables users to
create, edit, format and print textual documents. It also offers commands that enables
users to format a document so that they can create an attractive appearance.
A word processing software can be used to produce documents such as letters, memos,
reports, fax cover sheets, mailing labels, newsletters, and web pages. Examples of word
processing software are Microsoft Word, StarOffice Writer, TextMaker and Corel
WordPerfect.
Some features of word processing include the capability of:
creating and editing document
defining the size of paper on which to print and specifying the margin
changing the shape and size of characters
organizing texts in newsletter-style columns
incorporating many types of graphical images
typing words in a paragraph continually without processing the ENTER key at the end of
each line
reviewing the spelling of a document (spelling checker)
inserting header and footer in a document
drawing tables of any size or shape

b. Spreadsheet
A program that processes information in the form of tables. Tables cells can hold values or
mathematical formula. A spreadsheet is a program that processes information in the form of
grid of columns and rows. It is also called a table. Table cells can hold values or
mathematical formulas. Spreadsheets are indispensable tools for anyone who works with
numbers.
Some features of spreadsheet include:
creating, editing and formatting worksheet in rows and columns

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containing formulas which can perform calculations on the data in the worksheet
making charts, which depicts the data graphically such as column charts or pie charts
what-if analysis, the ability of recalculating the rest of the worksheet when data in a
worksheet changes.
Examples : Corel Quattro Pro, Microsoft Excel, Sun StarOffice Calc

c. Presentation
An application software that allows a user to create visual aid for presentation to
communicate ideas, messages and other information to a group. A presentation software
enables users to create transparencies, slides and handouts for presentation. It allows a user
to create visual aids for presentation to communicate ideas, messages and other
information to a group.
Some features of presentation software include:
providing a variety of predefined presentation formats that define the
complementary colours for backgrounds, text and graphical accents on the slides
providing a variety of layouts for each individual slide such as a title slide, a two-
column slide and a slide with clip art, a picture, a chart, a table or animation
enhancing text, charts and graphical images on a slide with 3-D and other special
effects such as shading, shadows and textures
setting the slide timing so that the presentation automatically displays the next slide
after a preset delay
applying special effects to the transition between each slide
inserting images, video and audio clips
Examples : Microsoft PowerPoint, Sun StarOffice Impress, Corel Presentations

d. Graphics Editing
Program that can edit digital representation or non-text information such as drawing, charts
and photograph. Some features of graphics software include:
drawing pictures, shapes and other graphical images with various on-screen tools
such as a pen, brush, eyedropper and paint bucket
modifying the contrast and brightness of an image
cropping unwanted objects
removing “red eye”
adding special effects such as shadows and glows
Examples : Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, Paint, Macromedia Freehand, Corel Draw

5. Explain the communication technology

A computer network is two or more computers, or other electronic devices, connected together
so that they can exchange data.

For example a network allows computers to share files, users to message each other, a whole
room of computers to share a single printer, etc.

Network connections between computers are typically created using cables (wires). However,
connections can be created using radio signals (wireless / wi-fi), telephone lines (and modems)
or even, for very long distances, via satellite links.

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Type Of Computer Network

a. Local Area Network (LAN)

A Local Area Network is a network confined to one building or
site. Often a LAN is a private network belonging to an
organisation or business. Because LANs are geographically small,
they usually use cables or low-power radio (wireless) for the
connections.
Examples: the email system within the school lab in SMK KL

b. Metropolitan Area Network

A MAN is a collection of LANs with the same geographical area,
for instance a city. MAN is a network of computers located at
different sites within a large physical area, such as a city.
Companies that have several branches within the Kuala Lumpur
city such as banks, might find a MAN useful to them.
Example : the email system within KL city

c. Wide Area Network (WAN)

A Wide Area Network is a network that extends over a large area.
A WAN is often created by joining several LANs together, such as
when a business that has offices in different countries links the
office LANs together.

Examples : the email system between KL and London

Because WANs are often geographically spread over large areas

and links between computers are over long distances, they
often use quite exotic connections technologies: optical fibre
(glass) cables, satellite radio links, microwave radio links, etc.

Network Topology

i. Bus Topology
In this type of network, a long, central cable, the
‘bus’ is used to connect all of the computers
together. Each computer has a short cable linking
it to the ‘bus’. Bus topology :

• Is cheap to install (just one long cable)

• Can be quite slow since all computers share the same cable when communicating
• Will stop working if there is a break in the central bus cable.

ii. Ring Network

In this type of network each computer is connected
to a loop of cable, the ‘ring’. (If you took a bus
network and connected the ends of the bus cable
together, you would have a ring network). A ring
network :

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• Can cope with a break in the ring cable since all computers are still joined together
(it is now a bus network)

iii. Star Network

In this type of network every computer is connected to a central device. The device
passes messages between computers. At the centre of a star network you might use a
hub (cheap, but slower) or a switch (more expensive, but faster). A star network :

• Is quite expensive to install (you have to buy lots

of cable and the central device)
• Is very fast since each computer has its own cable
which it doesn’t need to share
• Can cope with a broken cable (only one computer
will be affected)
• Will stop working if the central device breaks
• Is the most common network topology

Types of Network Architecture

Network architecture is the overall design of
a computer network that describes how a
computer network is configured and what
strategies are being used.
There are two main network architectures:
client/server network
peer-to-peer network

a. CLIENT/SERVER NETWORK
A client/server network is a network in which
the shared files and applications are stored in
the server but network users (clients) can still
store files on their individual PCs. A server is a computer that shares information and
resources with other computers on a network. These services might include:

• Providing a central, common file storage area

• Sharing hardware such as printers
• Controlling who can or can’t have access the network
• Sharing Internet connections
Servers are built to be very reliable. This means that they are much more expensive that
normal computers. A client is a computer which requests services or files from a server
computer.

b. PEER-TO-PEER NETWORK
Peer-to-peer or P2P network is a network with all the nodes acting as both servers and
clients. A PC can access files located on another PC and can also provide files to other PCs.
All computers in the peer-to-peer network has equal responsibilities and capabilities to use
the resources available on the network. With peer-to-peer network, no server is needed;
each computer in the network is called a peer.

Protocols
Protocols provide the rules on how computers communicate. They define how devices
intercommunicate in a network environment. Some protocols :

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• Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) – This protocol is used to access, send and receive
Hypertext Markup Language files (HTML) files on the Internet.
• Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) – This protocol is used for transferring e-mail
between computers.
• File Transfer Protocol (FTP) – FTP is responsible for allowing files to be copied between
devices.
• TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol) is the internet communication
protocol. It is a standard that sets the rules computers must follow in communicating with
each other on a network. Some refer TCP/IP as the Internet Protocol Suite.

Types of Network Communication Technology

The Internet is one of the types of network
communications technology besides intranet and
extranet.

a) Internet
• The Internet, or the Net, is the
worldwide, publicly accessible system of
interconnected computer networks that
transmit data by packet switching using
the standard Internet Protocol (IP). It
consists of millions of smaller business,
academic, domestic and government networks, which together carry various
information and services, such as electronic mail, online chat, and the interlinked Web
pages and other documents of the World Wide Web. Internet is one of the uses of
communication. Through the Internet, society has access to global information and
instant communication.
• Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Protocol (IP) are the protocols for
communication on the Internet.
• A stream of data that is sent over the Internet is first broken down into packets by the
TCP.
• Data packets include the receiving computer's address, a sequence number, error
correction information, and a small piece of data.
• IP is responsible for sending the packet to its destination along a route.
• A telephone dial-up account and modem, a cable modem, or a Digital Subscriber Line
(DSL) is required for network connection.
• An ISP (Internet Service Provider) offers one or more Points of Presence (POPs) to
connect to the ISP's server.
• The PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) and the TCP/IP software are required to connect to the
Internet through an ISP.
• The amount of data expressed in terms of bits per second (bps) is referred to as
bandwidth.
• The greater the bandwidth, the lesser will be the time taken to upload or download
data.
• Low-bandwidth modem connections are a bottleneck for sending multimedia across the
Internet.
• Bandwidth bottlenecks can be avoided using the following options:
o Compress data before transmitting.
o Oblige users to download data only once, and then store that data on the
system's hard disk.

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o Design multimedia elements to be efficiently compact.
o Design alternate low-bandwidth and high-bandwidth navigation paths to
accommodate all users.
o Implement incremental streaming methods.
• Each Internet service is implemented on an Internet server by dedicated software
known as a daemon.
• Daemons are agent programs that run in the background and wait to act on requests.
• It supports services such as Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and Post Office Protocol
(POP).
• The other services provided by the Internet include https, ftp, gopher, usenet, telnet,
Internet Relay Chat (IRC), Simple Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP), and mud.
• Recognizable documents and formats are required to work with multimedia on the
Internet.
• MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) type is a standard list of file name
extensions.
• It identifies the nature and purpose of the transmitted data.

b) Intranet
An Intranet (intra means within) is an internal network that uses Internet technologies and it
is a small version of the Internet that exists within an organisation. An intranet is a private
computer network that uses Internet protocols, network connectivity and possibly the public
telecommunication system to securely share part of an organisation’s information or
operation with its employees. Intranet generally make company information accessible to
employees and facilitate working in groups.
Simple intranet applications include electronic publishing of organisational materials such as
telephone directories, event calendars and job postings.
c) Extranet
An extranet is a private network that uses Internet protocols, network connectivity, and
possibly the public telecommunication system to securely share part of a business’s
information or operations with suppliers, vendors, partners, customers or other businesses.
Package shipping companies, for example, allow customers to access their network to print
air bills, schedule pickups, and even track shipped packages as the packages travel to their
destinations.

Type of Transmission Media

In our daily activities, such as talking over the phone, sending short messages, sending email or
uploading files to remote users, will likely involve a combination of transmission mediums along the
way. The sender and the receiver will also involve many communication devices
especially switches and routers. These devices are interconnected by transmission mediums that can
be from any of the physical or wireless transmission mediums stated earlier.

1. Wired transmission media :

Physical transmission media refers to material substances that can propagate waves or energy. It
is used to guide electrical messages from one end to the other.

Twisted-Pair Cable - Two insulated copper wires that are twisted around each other. Each
connection on twisted-pair requires both wires.
Coaxial Cable - A cable consisting of a conducting outer metal tube that encloses and is
insulated from a central conducting core, used primarily for the transmission of high-
frequency signals.

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Fibre Optic Cable - Glass fibre used for laser transmission of video, audio and/or data.

2. Wireless transmission media

Wireless is a method of communication that uses electromagnetic waves rather than wire
conductors to transmit data between devices. Wireless networks are telephone or computer
networks that use radio frequencies and infrared waves as their carrier. Wireless transmission
can be categorised into three broad groups:
• Radio Waves - There is no clear difference between radio waves and microwaves.
Electromagnetic waves ranging in frequencies between 3 KHz and 1 GHz are
normally called radio waves. Waves ranging in frequencies between 1 and 300 GHz are
normally called microwaves.
• Microwaves - Electronic waves with frequencies between 1 GHz to 300 GHz are normally
called microwaves. Unlike radio waves, microwaves are unidirectional, in which the sending
and receiving antennas need to be aligned. Microwaves propagation is line-of-sight
therefore towers with mounted antennas need to be in direct sight of each other.
• Infrared - Infrared is used in devices such as the mouse, wireless keyboard and printers.
Some manufacturers provide a special port called the IrDA port that allows a wireless
keyboard to communicate with a PC. Infrared signals have frequencies between 300 GHz to
400 THz. They are used for short-range communication.
• Bluetooth – Bluetooth is a wireless networking technology designed for very short-range
connections (typically just a few metres). The idea of Bluetooth is to get rid of the need for
all of those cables (e.g. USB cables) that connect our computer to peripheral devices such as
printers, mice, keyboards, etc. Bluetooth devices contain small, low-power radio
transmitters and receivers. When devices are in range of other Bluetooth devices, they
detect each other and can be 'paired' (connected)

Communication devices

A. Network Interface Card (NIC)

Any computer that is to be connected to a network, needs to
have a network interface card (NIC).
Most modern computers have these devices built into the
motherboard, but in some computers you have to add an
extra expansion card (small circuitboard)
Some computers, such as laptops, have two NICs: one for
wired connections, and one for wireless connections (which
uses radio signals instead of wires)

In a laptop, the wireless radio antenna is usually built in to

the side of the screen, so you don't need to have a long bit
of plastic sticking out the side of your computer!

B. Hub
A hub is a device that
connects a number of computers together to make a LAN. The
typical use of a hub is at the centre of a star network (or as part
of a hybrid network) - the hub has cables plugged into it from
each computer.

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A hub is a ‘dumb’ device: if it receives a message, it sends it to every computer on the network.
This means that hub-based networks are not very secure - everyone can listen in to
communications.

Hubs are pretty much obsolete now (you can't buy them
any more), having been superseded by cheap switches.

C. Switch
A switch, like a hub, is a device that connects a number of
computers together to make a LAN.

The typical use of a switch is at the centre of a star network (or

as part of a hybrid network) - the switch has cables plugged into
it from each computer.

A switch is a more ‘intelligent’ device than a hub: if it receives a

message, it checks who it is addressed to, and only sends it to that specific computer. Because
of this, networks that use switches are more secure than those that use hubs, but also a little
more expensive.

D. Router
A router is a network device that connects together
two or more networks. A common use of a router is to
join a home or business network (LAN) to the Internet
(WAN). The router will typically have the Internet cable
plugged into it, as well as a cable, or cables to
computers on the LAN.
Alternatively, the LAN connection might be wireless (WiFi), making the device a wireless router.
(A wireless router is actually a router and wireless switch combined)
Routers are the devices that join
together the various different
networks that together make up the
Internet.

These routers are much more complex

than the one you might have in your
home

E. Bridge
A bridge is a network device that typically links
together two different parts of a LAN. Whereas a
router is usually used to link a LAN to a WAN (such as
the Internet), a bridge links independent parts of a
LAN so that they act as a single LAN.

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F. Firewall
A firewall is a device, or a piece of software that is placed between your computer and the rest
of the network (where the hackers are!)

If you wish to protect your whole LAN from

hackers out on the Internet, you would
place a firewall between the LAN and the
Internet connection.

A firewall blocks unauthorised connections

being made to your computer or LAN.
Normal data is allowed through the firewall
(e.g. e-mails or web pages) but all other
data is blocked.

In addition to physical devices, firewalls can also be software. In fact most computer operating
systems have a software firewall built in (e.g. Windows, Linux and Mac OS)

G. Modem
Before the days of broadband Internet
connections, most computers connected to
the Internet via telephone lines (dial-up
connections).

The problem with using telephone lines is

that they are designed to carry voices,
which are analogue signals. They are not designed for digital data. The solution was to use a
special device to join the digital computer to the analogue telephone line. This device is known
as a modem.

The reason telephone lines were used is that almost every building in the world is already joined
to every other via the telephone system. Using the telephone system for connecting computers
meant that people didn’t have to install new wires to their houses and offices just for computer
use. In the last few years however, this is exactly what people have done. Special cables have
been installed just for Internet access. These special cables are designed to carry digital data, so
no modem is required.
The word modem is an abbreviation of MOdulator DEModulator.

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So, simply put, a modem is required because computers are digital devices and the
telephone system is analogue. The modem converts from digital to analogue and from
analogue to digital.

IMPORTANCE OF NETWORKS AND COMMUNICATIONS

a) E-business or electronic business refers to conducting business transactions on the internet,
not only limited to buying and selling but also servicing customers and collaborating with
business partners.
b) With a network connections, online education is made possible. Students at any location
around the world can participate in an online classroom, download tutorial questions and
submit their assignments.
c) E-banking or electronic banking is the most popular banking facility nowadays. It handles all
types of banking transactions like account management, fund transfer and payments
primarily over the internet.
d) Long distance communication is made easy via network availability. Communication is
possible via voice, text or video. The cost of having this type of communication is cheaper
than making a normal phone call and definitely faster and more effective than
corresponding via letters of fax.
e) Easily share files and data
f) Share resources such as printers and Internet connections
g) Communicate with other network users (e-mail, instant messaging, video-conferencing, etc.)
h) Store data centrally (using a file server) for ease of access and back-up

Disadvantages of Using a computer connected to a network means that…

• The computer is vulnerable to hackers

• If the network breaks, many tasks become very difficult
• Your computer can more easily be attacked by a virus

In particular, if we use a computer connected to The Internet…

• We have to be careful about revealing personal information

• We have to be careful to avoid suspect websites that might contain malware
• We have to be aware that information found on The Internet is not always accurate or
reliable

9. Explain the information ( content ) types

Information comes in a various way. It can be text, animation, video, graphic or video.
Information, in its most restricted technical sense, is a sequence of symbols that can be
interpreted as a message. Information can be recorded as signs, or transmitted as signals.

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Information is any kind of event that affects the state of a dynamic system. Conceptually,
information is the message (utterance or expression) being conveyed.

10. Explain the software development tools

Programming language is a syntax, grammar, and symbols or words used to give instructions
to a computer.

Machine Code
The first generation of codes used to program a computer, was called machine language or
machine code, it is the only language a computer really understands, a sequence of 0s and 1s
that the computer's controls interprets as instructions, electrically.

Assembly Language
The second generation of code was called assembly language, assembly language turns the
sequences of 0s and 1s into human words like 'add'. Assembly language is always translated back
into machine code by programs called assemblers.

High Level Language

The third generation of code, was called high level language or HLL, which has human sounding
words and syntax (like words in a sentence). In order for the computer to understand any HLL, a
compiler translates the high level language into either assembly language or machine code. All
software programming languages need to be eventually translated into machine code for a
computer to use the instructions they contain.
The lack of portability between different computers led to the development of high-level
languages—so called because they permitted a programmer to ignore many low-level details of
the computer's hardware. Further, it was recognized that the closer the syntax, rules, and
mnemonics of the programming language could be to “natural language” the less likely it
became that the programmer would inadvertently introduce errors (called “bugs”) into the
program. Hence, in the mid-1950s a third generation of languages came into use. These
algorithmic, or procedural, languages are designed for solving a particular type of problem.
Unlike machine or symbolic languages, they vary little between computers. They must be
translated into machine code by a program called a compiler or interpreter.

Early computers were used almost exclusively by scientists, and the first high-level language,
Fortran [Formula translation], was developed (1953–57) for scientific and engineering
applications by John Backus at the IBM Corp. A program that handled recursive algorithms
better, LISP [LISt Processing], was developed by John McCarthy at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology in the early 1950s; implemented in 1959, it has become the standard language for
the artificial intelligence community. COBOL [COmmon Business Oriented Language], the first
language intended for commercial applications, is still widely used; it was developed by a
committee of computer manufacturers and users under the leadership of Grace Hopper, a U.S.
Navy programmer, in 1959. ALGOL [ALGOrithmic Language], developed in Europe about 1958, is
used primarily in mathematics and science, as is APL [A Programming Language], published in
the United States in 1962 by Kenneth Iverson. PL/1 [Programming Language 1], developed in the
late 1960s by the IBM Corp., and ADA [for Ada Augusta, countess of Lovelace, biographer of
Charles Babbage], developed in 1981 by the U.S. Dept. of Defense, are designed for both
business and scientific use.

BASIC [Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code] was developed by two Dartmouth
College professors, John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz, as a teaching tool for undergraduates

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(1966); it subsequently became the primary language of the personal computer revolution. In
1971, Swiss professor Nicholas Wirth developed a more structured language for teaching that he
named Pascal (for French mathematician Blaise Pascal, who built the first successful mechanical
calculator). Modula 2, a Pascallike language for commercial and mathematical applications, was
introduced by Wirth in 1982. Ten years before that, to implement the UNIX operating system,
Dennis Ritchie of Bell Laboratories produced a language that he called C; along with its
extensions, called C++, developed by Bjarne Stroustrup of Bell Laboratories, it has perhaps
become the most widely used general-purpose language among professional programmers
because of its ability to deal with the rigors of object-oriented programming. Java is an object-
oriented language similar to C++ but simplified to eliminate features that are prone to
programming errors. Java was developed specifically as a network-oriented language, for writing
programs that can be safely downloaded through the Internet and immediately run without fear
of computer viruses. Using small Java programs called applets, World Wide Web pages can be
developed that include a full range of multimedia functions.
Fourth-generation languages are nonprocedural—they specify what is to be accomplished
without describing how. The first one, FORTH, developed in 1970 by American astronomer
Charles Moore, is used in scientific and industrial control applications. Most fourth-generation
languages are written for specific purposes. Fifth-generation languages, which are still in their
infancy, are an outgrowth of artificial intelligence research. PROLOG [PROgramming LOGic],
developed by French computer scientist Alain Colmerauer and logician Philippe Roussel in the
early 1970s, is useful for programming logical processes and making deductions automatically.
There are also procedural languages that operate solely within a larger program to customize it
to a user's particular needs. These include the programming languages of several database and
statistical programs, the scripting languages of communications programs, and the macro
languages of word-processing programs.

Mark-up Language

Mark-up language is a language that annotates text so that the computer can manipulate the
text. Most markup languages are human readable because the annotations are written in a way
to distinguish them from the text. For example, with Hypertext Markup Language(HTML),
Extensible Markup Language(XML), and Extensible Hypertext Markup Language(XHTML), the
markup tags(embeds processing instructions) are < and >.

Annotations – act of adding note.

American National Standard Dictionary of Information Technology (ANSDIT) defines markup is

text added to the data of a document to convey information about the document. Example:
tags, processing instruction and hyperlinks. It also states that Markup language is a text-
formatting language designed to transform raw text into structured documents, by inserting
procedural and descriptive markup into the raw text. In other words, also a language designed to
describe/transform in space/time data, text, or objects into structured data, text, or objects.
Example: SGML , HTML , VRML.

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• HTML
o Basics of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML):
o HTML is a markup language.
o It uses tags to perform functions such as formatting text and embedding media.
o HTML tags are enclosed by angular brackets.
o The tags can be written either in upper case or in lower case. They can be
bounding or stand-alone tags.
o HTML provides tags for inserting media into HTML documents. These are:
The <IMG> tag for inserting inline images.
The <EMBED> and <OBJECT> tags for embedding compound documents.
The <APPLET> tags for code.

Scripting Language

Scripting languages is a programming language that supports writing of script, it is also

interpreted by another program at runtime rather than compiled by the computer's processor as
other programming languages (such as C and C++) are.
Scripting language can be embedded within HTML to add functionality (different menu styles,
graphic displays, to serve dynamic advertisement) and enhance feature to a Webpage. Besides
that, scripting languages can be used to create specialized GUIs (graphical user interfaces) and
forms that enhance the convenience of search engines, Web-based e-mail and e-commerce.
JavaScript, ASP, JSP, PHP, Perl, Tcl and Python are examples of scripting languages.

Authoring Tools
Authoring tools (authorware) refers to a program that helps to write hypertext or multimedia
applications, it helps to link the objects together such as paragraph of text, illustration or a
song. Authors (Authoring Tools User) can produce attractive and useful graphic by define the
object’s relationship to each other and sequence them in an appropriate (suitable and fitting)
order. Besides that, it supports scripting language for more sophisticated (ahead in
development) application.

Authoring tools are exclusively for applications that present a mixture of textual, graphical, and
audio data. Types of authoring tools have card-based, icon-based, timebased, and object-based.

Examples for authoring tools are Adobe Authorware, Comil Zamrud and Adobe Flash, Adobe
Director.

11. Explain the Internet and World Wide Web

The Internet is a world-wide network that has grown and evolved from an experimental
network (ARPANet) created by the US military back in the 1960s. Over the years, as more and
more computers and networks have connected to this network, it has grown into the Internet
that we know today.

The Internet connects millions of people, and thousands of businesses, governments, schools,
universities and other organizations.

• The World Wide Web was designed by Tim Berners-Lee.

• It is a protocol for linking multiple documents located on computers anywhere within the
Internet.

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• The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) provides rules for a simple transaction between two
computers on the Internet.
• Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is a document format for presenting structured text
mixed with inline images.
• The Internet connects private companies, organizations, universities, and individuals.
• The Internet is a cluster of computers.
• ISPs provide network connections through a dial-up account, a cable modem, or a Digital
Subscriber Line (DSL).
• The Domain Name System (DNS) manages the identities of computers connected to the
Internet.

What Can We Use the Internet For?

The Internet provides the network connections that links computers together. There are many
ways that we can use these connections:

• View web pages on the WWW (World-Wide Web)

• Sending and receiving e-mail messages
• Sharing files
• Communicating using voice (VOIP) and video (video-conferencing)
• Playing multi-player games
• Listening to streamed music or watching streamed video

The small, hand-drawn map above show the plan for the
first connections between four computers on the
ARPANet. It was drawn by one of the engineers who
created the network back in 1969.

From these tiny beginnings, the Internet has grown to a

size that would be hard to believe forty years ago.

Statistics published at the start of 2008 show that 1.3

billion people now have access to the Internet (20% of
world population).

INTERNET SERVICES
Internet users can access services like:
Email
E-mail is a system that allows messages to be sent and received by computers. E-
mail is the most common form of electronic communication. E-mail messages are
text-based, but other types of file can also be sent as ‘attachments’. E-mails that
are received wait in a user's inbox until the user is ready to read them. (Unlike a
telephone call, the user is free to ignore e-mails until they have time to deal with
them.)

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WWW
The World Wide Web or the Web consists of a worldwide collection of electronic
documents.
Each electronic document on the Web is called a web page which can contain text,
graphics, audio and video.These pages are written in Hypertext Markup Language
(HTML). Every website has an address or Uniform Resource Locator (URL). The URL is
formed by the protocol, domain, directory and the document name.

VoIP
Internet telephony, or 'VOIP', is becoming very popular both for personal use, and
within the workplace. Instead of using the normal telephone network (designed to
carry voices using analogue signals), VOIP systems send voices through the Internet
as digital data, just like any other Internet data (e.g. e-mails, files, webpages, etc.
VOIP systems use your Internet
connection to send and receive phone
calls.
VOIP systems can work in several ways:

• VOIP software can be installed on a

computer. Calls are then made using a
headset (headphones / microphone)
or by using a special USB handset
(looks just like a normal phone)
• Special VOIP telephones can be
plugged directly into the network (or can connect wirelessly using WiFi)

VOIP systems have a number of advantages over a normal telephone system:

• No telephone line is required

• Call costs are very low, especially for long-distance calls
• Can include video
They also have some disadvantages:

• Require special hardware and an Internet connection

• Not as reliable as normal phones, so cannot be relied upon for emergency calls
(911, or 999)
• Call quality depends on the speed of the Internet connection
The most well-known public VOIP service is Skype, but there are others such as
Google Talk, Vbuzzer, Fring, ooVoo, and SightSpeed.

Newsgroup
A newsgroup is a discussion about a particular subject consisting of notes written to
a central Internet site and redistributed through Usenet, a worldwide network of
news discussion groups.

Blogging
A blog (web log or weblog) is one of the popular activities on the Internet. Most of
these blogs are publicly shared and the authors frequently update the content on a
regular basis. A blog is usually referred to the text produced by the author about his

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or her thoughts, experiences or interests. A blog is usually referred to the text
produced by the author about his or her thoughts, experiences or interests.

Mailing lists
Mailing list is a collection of names and addresses used by an individual or an
organization to send material to multiple recipients.

Internet Relay Chat

The Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is a system for chatting that involves a set of rules and
conventions, and client/server software. A chat is a real-time typed conversation
that takes place on a computer. A chat room is a location on an Internet server that
permits users to chat with each other. Anyone in the chat room can participate in
the conversation, which usually is specific to a particular topic.

Instant messaging
Instant messaging (IM) is a form of communication over the Internet, that offers
quick transmission of text-based messages from sender to receiver.

Video Conferencing
Video-conferencing is a system that allows people to have conversations and
meetings with other people in different locations, but without leaving their office.

A video-conference involves people sitting in front of a camera and a microphone,

whilst watching other people of a screen and listening to them through
loudspeakers.

Note: The camera is usually TV quality - much better than a standard webcam.
The system uses the following hardware:

• Video camera
• Monitor
• Microphone
• Loudspeakers
• High-speed network / Internet
connection
Video conferencing is very popular with
businesses as it means:

• No travel costs
• No time wasted travelling to other cities / countries
• Can organise meetings at short notice
However there are some problems with video conferencing:

• Less personal than face-to-face meetings

• Documents (e.g. contracts) cannot be signed

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12. Describe the evolution of ICT convergence : information ( content ), computer and
communication

Definition Of Computer
An electronic device for storing and processing data, typically in binary form, according to
instructions given to it in a variable program.

First Generation Computers

The period of first generation computers were from the years of 1946-1958. These computers
used vacuum tubes. It's purpose was to act like an amplifier and a switch. The first generation
computers were huge, slow, expensive, and often undependable. In 1946 two Americans,
Presper Eckert, and John Mauchly built the ENIAC ( Electronic Numerical Integrator And
Computer) electronic computer. The ENIAC led to other vacuum tube type computers like the
EDVAC (Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer) and the UNIVAC I (UNIVersal
Automatic Computer). The ENIAC gave off so much heat that they had to be cooled by gigantic
air conditioners. However even with these huge coolers, vacuum tubes still overheated
regularly. It was time for something new.

Second Generation Computers

Second generation computers lasted from 1959-1964. These computers used transistors which
functioned similar to the vacuum tube. The transistor was faster, more reliable, smaller, and
much cheaper to build than a vacuum tube. One transistor replaced the equivalent of 40 vacuum
tubes. These transistors were made of solid material, some of which is silicon. Therefore they
were very cheap to produce. Transistors were found to conduct electricity faster and better than
vacuum tubes. They were also much smaller and gave off virtually no heat compared to vacuum
tubes. Their use marked a new beginning for the computer.

Third Generation Computers

The development of the integrated circuits was the hallmark of the third generation of
computers. Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon chips, called semiconductors,
which drastically increased the speed and efficiency of computers. Instead of punched cards and
printouts, users interacted with third generation computers through keyboards and monitors
and interfaced with an OS, which allowed the device to run many different application at one
time with a central program that monitored the memory. Computers for the first time became
accessible to a mass audience because they were smaller and cheaper than their predecessors.
These computers lasted from 1964-1971.

Fourth Generation Computers

The microprocessor brought the fourth generation of computers, as thousands of integrated
circuits were built onto a single silicon chip. What in the first generation filled an entire room
could now fit in the palm of the hand. The Intel 4004 chip, developed in 1971, located all the
components of the computer—from the central processing unit and memory to input/output
controls—on a single chip. In 1981 IBM introduced its first computer for the home user, and in
1984 Apple introduced the Macintosh. Microprocessors also moved out of the realm of desktop
computers and into many areas of life as more and more everyday products began of use
microprocessors. As these small computers became more powerful, they could be linked
together to form networks, which eventually led to the development of the Internet. Fourth
generation computers also saw the development of GUIs, the mouse and handheld devices.

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Fifth Generation Computers
Fifth generation computing devices, based on artificial intelligence, are still in development,
though there are some applications, such as voice recognition, that are being used today. The
use of parallel processing and superconductors is helping to make artificial intelligence a reality.
Quantum computation and molecular and nanotechnology will radically change the face of
computers in years to come. The goal of fifth-generation computing is to develop devices that
respond to natural language input and are capable of learning and self organization.

Computer category
Computers come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. You are all familiar desktop PCs and laptops, but
did you know that computers can be as small as your mobile phone (in fact your phone is a
computer!) and as large as a room?!

a. Mainframe Computer
A mainframe computer is a large computer, often used by large businesses, in
government offices, or by universities.

Mainframe computers are typically:

• Powerful - they can process vast amounts of data, very quickly

• Large - they are often kept in special, air-conditioned rooms
• Multi-user - they allow several users (sometimes hundreds) to use the computer
at the same time, connected via remote terminals (screens and keyboards)

From their invention back in the 1940s until the late 1960s, computers were large, very
expensive machines that took up the whole of a room (sometimes several!) These were
the only computers available.

The circuit-boards of these computers were attached to large, metal racks or frames. This
gave them the nickname 'mainframe' computers.

b. Supercomputer
Some of the most powerful mainframe computers can process so much data in such a
sort time, that they are referred to as 'supercomputers'

c. Personal Computer (PC)

The early 1980s saw a revolution in computing: The
creation of computers that were small enough to fit
on a desk, and cheap enough that everyone could

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have their own, personal computer, instead of having to share access to a mainframe.
These computers came to be known as desktop computers, or personal computers
(PCs).

A typical PC contained the same basic components as a mainframe computer (CPU,

RAM, storage, etc.) but at a fraction of the size and cost.
Early PCs were quite unlike the PCs that we all use today:

• Displays were black and white, and only

displayed text (no graphics)
• No hard-drives (way too expensive)
• Just a few 100 kB of RAM (not MB or GB!)
• Slow - a typical speed would be 5MHz (not GHz!)
• No mouse (no pointer to move!)
• Light brown case (for some reason every early PC
was brown!)
Because PCs were so much smaller than mainframe
computers, they were called 'microcomputers' for a
while

d. Laptop Computer
A 'laptop' computer is a light, compact and portable PC.
Laptops contain a rechargeable battery so that they can
be used even when not plugged in to a mains power
supply. They also have a built-in LCD monitor. To make
them as portable as possible,
most laptops try to avoid any
sort of cable or wire. Instead of a mouse, a trackpad is used.
Instead of a wired connection to a network or printer,
'wireless' radio connections are used.
Early portable computers were far from being 'laptops' - you
would have crushed your legs if you'd tried to put these beasts
on your lap!

e. Palmtop Computer
A palmtop computer is similar to a laptop computer, but smaller.
It's small enough to fit in the palm of your hand (hence the name!)
Palmtops are usually not very powerful since fast CPUs require a
large battery and get hot - both problems in a small device.

A typical palmtop have a very small keyboard - too small to type on

normally. Instead the user types using both thumbs. Also there is
no room for a trackpad, so a touchscreen or tiny joystick is used
instead. Palmtops are extremely portable, but the small keyboard
and screen make the devices tiring to use for long periods.

Early palmtop computers were pretty basic by today's standards

Palmtops are often called ultra-mobile PCs (UMPC)

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f. Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)
A PDA is similar to a palmtop computer, except it is even more
compact, and typically has no keyboard, using a touchscreen for
all data input. Since the screen is so small, many PDAs have a
small stylus (plastic stick) that is used to press things on the
screen.
Most PDAs use some sort of handwriting-recognition system to
allow the user to write on the screen, and have their writing
converted into text. PDAs tend to be used a 'digital diaries'
allowing users to take their e-mail, documents, appointments,
etc. with them wherever they go.
Note: You never see PDAs any more since
modern 'smart' phones can do all of this, and
work as a phone too!

Early PDAs, like early palmtops, were pretty basic. But they were a
revolutionary way to take digital data with you on the move.

In the 1990s every business person either had, or wanted one of these!
PDAs are often called Pocket-PCs (for obvious reasons!)

Real-Time Processing
Sometime we need to process data immediately - we cannot wait and
process it later (e.g. using batch processing). For example, if we want to book a seat on a flight,
the booking must be processed immediately. We can't put it in a pile and do it later, because
other people might be trying to book the same seat!

If an item of input data must be processed immediately, and the result is ready before the next
input data is accepted, this is known as a real-time system. Typical application where real-time
processing must be used:

• Any type of monitoring system (e.g. hospital patient monitoring)

• Any type of computer control system (e.g an automatic production line, an aircraft auto-
pilot, the system controlling a nuclear power station, etc.)
• Payment systems (e.g. EFPOS and ATM cash withdrawal)
• All booking systems (e.g. flight booking, cinema seat booking, etc.)
• Computer games (e.g. FPS, driving games, etc.)

Batch Processing
Sometimes we have a lot of data to process and it is all of a similar form (e.g. we might have to
calculate the pay for 10,000 employees - the calculations we have to do for each employee are
very similar)

In cases like this, we can prepare the data into a set or 'batch' and hand it over to the computer
to be processed in one go. Once we have prepared the batch of data, no user input is required -
the computer works its way through the data automatically.

This type of data processing is known as batch processing. An advantage of this type of system is
that the processing can occur when the computer is not being used for anything else (e.g. at
night). The job is setup, people go home, and when they return the next morning the work has
been done.

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Typical application where batch-processing can be used:

• Payroll processing
• Processing bank cheques
• Printing of bank statements
• Updating of a stock database

On-Line Processing
An on-line system is one where the user is directly interacting with the computer - the user is
'on-line' with the computer.

So, any system where the user is entering data directly into the computer must be an on-line
system. If data is being entered and then processed, it's an on-line processing system.

Examples of on-line processing systems:

• All booking systems (e.g. flight booking, cinema seat booking, etc.)
• Computer games (e.g. FPS, driving games, etc.)

References :
http://www.igcseict.info/theory/4/hware/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shareware
http://inventors.about.com/od/sstartinventions/a/software.htm
http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/sci/A0840227.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeware

ICT AND MULTIMEDIA APPLICATIONS AND GOVERNANCE

Usage / Application

Multimedia finds its application in various areas including, but not limited to, advertisements, art,
education, entertainment, engineering, medicine, mathematics, business, scientific research and
spatial temporal applications. Several examples are as follows:

Creative industries

Creative industries use multimedia for a variety of purposes ranging from fine arts, to
entertainment, to commercial art, to journalism, to media and software services provided for any of
the industries listed below. An individual multimedia designer may cover the spectrum throughout
their career.

Commercial uses

Much of the electronic old and new media used by commercial artists is multimedia. Exciting
presentations are used to grab and keep attention in advertising. Business to business, and
interoffice communications are often developed by creative services firms for advanced multimedia
presentations beyond simple slide shows to sell ideas or liven-up training.

Entertainment:

Multimedia is heavily used in the entertainment industry, especially to develop special effects in
movies and animations (VFX, 3D animation, etc.). Multimedia games are a popular pastime and are
software programs available either as CD-ROMs or online. Some video games also use multimedia

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features. Multimedia applications that allow users to actively participate instead of just sitting by as
passive recipients of information are called Interactive Multimedia.

Education:

In Education, multimedia is used to produce computer-based training courses and reference books
like encyclopedia. A user goes through a series of presentations, text about a particular topic, and
associated illustrations in various information formats.

The idea of media convergence is also becoming a major factor in education, particularly higher
education. Defined as separate technologies such as voice (and telephony features), data (and
productivity applications) and video that now share resources and interact with each other,
synergistically creating new efficiencies, media convergence is rapidly changing the curriculum in
universities all over the world.

Multimedia teaching is more intuitive than old ways; teachers can simulate situations in real life. In
many circumstances teachers do not have to be there, students will learn by themselves in the class.
More importantly, teachers will have more approaches to stimulating students’ passion of learning.

Journalism: News reporting is not limited to traditional media outlets. Freelance journalists can
make use of different new media to produce multimedia pieces for their news stories. It engages
global audiences and tells stories with technology, which develops new communication techniques
for both media producers and consumers.

Multimedia reporters who are mobile (usually driving around a community with cameras, audio and
video recorders, and wifi-equipped laptop computers) are often referred to as Mojos, from mobile
journalist.

Engineering: Software engineers may use multimedia in Computer Simulations for anything from
entertainment to training such as military or industrial training. Multimedia for software interfaces
are often done as collaboration between creative professionals and software engineers.

Industry: In the Industrial sector, multimedia is used as a way to help present information to
shareholders, superiors and coworkers. Multimedia is also helpful for providing employee training,
advertising and selling products all over the world via virtually unlimited web-based technology.

Mathematical and scientific research: In mathematical and scientific research, multimedia is mainly
used for modeling and simulation. For example, a scientist can look at a molecular model of a
particular substance and manipulate it to arrive at a new substance.

Medicine: In Medicine, doctors can get trained by looking at a virtual surgery or they can simulate
how the human body is affected by diseases spread by viruses and bacteria and then develop
techniques to prevent it.

Document imaging: Document imaging is a technique that takes hard copy of an image/document
and converts it into a digital format (for example, scanners).

Disabilities: Ability Media allows those with disabilities to gain qualifications in the multimedia field
so they can pursue careers that give them access to a wide array of powerful communication forms.

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H. The Application and impact of ICT and MULTIMEDIA as an enabler in agriculture,
manufacturing, e-government, Internet banking and e-commerce that contribute towards the
socioeconomic
development

Agriculture is define as occupation concerned with cultivating land, raising crops, and feeding,
breeding, raising livestock and farming. By using the ICT and Multimedia application such as
Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) to select the most suitable crop to plant, Global
Positioning Systems (GPS) to predict the weather and observe what happening to surrounding,
Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to select the suitable land for the crop to plant, Decision
Support System (DSS) to help decision makers compile useful information from a combination of
raw data, documents, and personal knowledge, or business models to identify and solve
problems and make decisions, and network tool such as mobile phone, radio and wireless
network to promote your product or contact with the buyer. In this case, the positive impact of
ICT and Multimedia is help agriculture increase the productivity of crop, improving marketing
access, opens up new business opportunities around the world, reducing the product cost and
improve the quality of product.

Manufacturing is the process of converting raw materials, components, or parts into finished
goods that meet a customer's expectations or specifications. Manufacturing commonly employs
a man machine setup with division of labor in a large scale production. So with the application of
ICT and Multimedia , such as Computer-aided design (CAD) to assist in the creation,
modification, analysis, or optimization of a design by using computer system and Computer-
aided manufacture (CAM) to control machine tools and related machinery in the manufacturing
of work pieces or to assist in all operations of a manufacturing plant, including planning,
management, transportation and storage by using computer. In this case it come some positive
impact of ICT and Multimedia is to reduce the product development cost, shorten a product’s
time to market and stay ahead of the competition such as using CAM in automobile. Meanwhile
it give a negative impact too, that is reducing the job opportunity for citizen and just providing
the job opportunity for professional technician to operate the computer system.

E-Government is a government services through information and communication technologies

(ICT) to provide better public services to citizens and businesses. It can be further categorized as
Government-to-Citizen (G2C) or Government-To Business (G2B).The e-government services
include information or transactions accessible via websites, processing of applications via kiosks,
agency hotlines or call centers, online voting or council meetings, government payments with
commercial banks, application status updates via landline or mobile phones and the like. For
some example mySMS via mobile phone, www.gov.com.my, www.myeg.com.my and so on. The
positive impact of the ICT and multimedia to egovernment is enables all citizens, enterprises
and organizations to carry out their business with government more easily, more quickly and
at lower cost. Beside that, it also eliminates time and distance as barriers to manage your
personal thing. Meanwhile the negative impact of ICT and multimedia to egovernment is
reducing the job opportunity and replace by using ICT and multimedia.

Internet banking is a system allowing individuals to perform banking activities at home, via the
internet. Some online banks are traditional banks which also offer online banking, while others
are online only and have no physical presence. Online banking has now become something
which million of people do on a daily or weekly because online banking through traditional
banks enable customers to perform all routine transactions, such as account transfers, balance
inquiries, bill payments, credit card application, view direct debit, view historical statement of
banking for previous six month and so on. The application of ICT and multimedia in internet

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banking such as Secure Socket Layer (SSL) used to protect the online transactions between their
customers and so on . The benefit of ICT and Multimedia toward internet banking is eliminates
time and distance as barriers to banking, new and exciting ways of marketing directly to
customers, improve the efficiency and effectiveness of online operations. Meanwhile the
negative impact(threat) of ICT and Multimedia is the attacks on online banking used today are
based on deceiving the user to steal login data with some computer software program such as
Cross-site scripting and keylogger or Trojan horses. For and example of internet banking in
Malaysia is www.maybank2u.com.my , www.citibank.com.my , www.hsbc.com.my and so on.

E-commerce is the buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems such as the
Internet and other computer networks and it also consists of the exchange of data to facilitate
the financing and payment aspects of business transactions. The application of ICT and
Multimedia in ecommerce is online banking, Secure Socket Layer (SSL) to protect the online
transactions between their customers, e-mail and fax. With the above application of ICT and
Multimedia it come a lot of benefit such as effectiveness of online operations and delivery, open
global markets, new and exciting ways of marketing directly to the customers, offer new data
products and services via the Web, helped nations to accelerate their economic growth and to
provide more opportunities for the businesses to grow. At the same time, the opposite impact
of the ICT and Multimedia is concern over privacy of customer, appear scamming case and so on.

I. ICT and multimedia as an industry that contributes towards business opportunity and job
creation

Definition of Business Opportunity

• Ongoing opportunity to generate income as an independent representative of a network
marketing company.
• A business opportunity involves sale or lease of any product, service, equipment, etc. that
will enable the purchaser-licensee to begin a business. The licensor or seller of a business
opportunity usually declares that it will secure or assist the buyer in finding a suitable
location or provide the product to the purchaser-licensee. This is different from the sale of
an independent business, in which there is no continued relationship required by the seller.
Definition of Job Creation
• the process of providing new jobs, especially for people who are unemployed.

Example of Business Opportunity in ICT and Multimedia.

• Business in Cyber cafe/ Game Centre
• IT company (Hardware) & Network
o For an example : Texas Instruments
• Business as Software Company
• Sales Agent / Reseller
• Internet service Provider (broadband, HSDPA, etc)
• Business that offer ICT and Multimedia course at University / College / and also in
some schools
• Animation business
o For example : Upin & Ipin by Les' Copaque Production
o
Example of Job Creation in ICT and Multimedia.
o Programmer
o Animator
o Sound Engineer

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o Salesman
o Software agent
o Hardware agent (supplier of hardware like Kingston, Apple, HP)
o Game programmer
o Web Designer
o Animation Director
o ICT/Computer Lecturer, Teacher, Dean, Senior Lecturer, Professor etc.
o Subject Matter Expert/Content Expert
o Network engineer/Computer technician
o Information System officer (Pegawai Sistem Maklumat)
o System Analyst/Software Manager/Chief Information Officer (CIO)/Chief Knowledge
Officer (CKO)

J. The purpose of acts that govern the usage of ICT and multimedia in Malaysia: Communication
and Multimedia Act 1998, Computer Crimes Act 1997, Telemedicine Act 1997 and Digital
Signature Act 1997

o Cyber Laws
Cyber Laws were formed to promote a high level of consumer confidence and to
protect the information security and network reliability and integrity. Cyber laws
consist of Communication and Multimedia Act 1998 Copyright (Amendment-statement
added to improve document, constitution) Act 1997 Computer Crime Act 1997,
Telemedicine Act 1997, Digital Signature Act 1997

o Communication and Multimedia Act 1998

The purposes of this Act are to promote national policy objectives for the
communications and multimedia industry. It is also to establish a licensing and
regulatory framework in support of national policy objectives for the communications
and multimedia industry. Besides that, the Act is purposed to establish the powers and
functions for the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).This
Act is to establish powers and procedures for the administration (organization) of this
Act.

o Computer Crimes Act 1997

Main concerns are offences due to the misuse of computers and complement the
existing criminal legislation. It deals with unauthorized access to computer material,
unauthorized access with intent to commit other offenses and unauthorized
modification of computer contents. In other words, it offences to illegal transmissions
of data or messages over computers and hacking and cracking of computer systems and
networks.

o Telemedicine Act 1997

Telemedicine is defines as the practice of medicine using audio, visual and data
communications. This Act was first enforced in Mac 1997 with purposes that ensures
that only qualified medical practitioners can practice telemedicine and that their
patient’s rights and interests are protected. Therefore, it is to provide the future
development and delivery of healthcare in Malaysia.

o Digital Signature Act 1997

Digital Signature is identity verification standard that uses encryption techniques to
protect against e-mail forgery (copy). Digital Signature Act 1997 purposed to secures

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electronic communications especially on Internet. The encrypted code consists of the
user’s name and a hash (mess) of all the parts of the message. By attaching the digital
signature, one can ensure that nobody can eavesdrop (overhear), intercept (seize on its
way) or temper (adding something else) with transmitted data. Hence, DSA97 is about
to provides for regulation of public key infrastructure and also make digital signature
legally valid and enforceable as traditional signature.

Note that the encrypted code is refers to a part of the URL where the code is pointing is
encrypted; it can be used to hide sensitive part of target URL of your code to prevent
users from manipulate. For example, change the values of parameters. This can be
relevance.

K. The ethical and social issues in cyberspace of ict and multimedia

o Ethical defined as a guideline is needed to stop the current technology from being
exploited. Example : replicating original CDs and sell it as pirated software .Computer
ethics is a system of moral standards or values used as a guideline for computer users.

o Privacy defined as the state of being private; retirement or seclusion. The state of being
free from intrusion or disturbance in one's private life or affairs: the right to privacy.
Refer to data and information privacy and the right of individuals and companies to
restrict the collection and use of information to others. There are 3 computer
technologies to threaten our privacy: Cookie; Electronic Profile and spyware.

o Obscenity defined as a statement or act which strongly offends the prevalent morality of
the time, is a profanity, or is otherwise taboo, indecent, abhorrent, or disgusting, or is
especially inauspicious. Obscenity is also applied to an object that incorporates such a
statement or displays such an act. In a legal context, the term obscenity is most often
used to describe expressions (words, images, actions) of an explicitly sexual nature.
Example: Pornography

o Defamation defined as false or unjustified injury of the good reputation of another

person. Defamation is the communication of a statement that makes a claim, expressly
stated or implied to be factual, that may give an individual, business, product, group,
government, or nation a negative image.

o Internet security defined as a branch of computer security specifically related to the

Internet, often involving browser security and to establish rules and measures to use
against attacks over the Internet. Example: Firewall.

o Information security means protecting information and information systems from

unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, perusal, inspection,
recording or destruction. Example: Prevent hacker hacking important data from
confidential and spare it.

o Internet Crime defined as any crime or illegal online activity committed on the Internet,
through the Internet or using the Internet. Identity theft, Internet scams and cyber stalking
are the primary types of Internet crime. Computer crime refers to any crime that involves
a computer and a network. Issues surrounding this type of crime have become high-profile,

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particularly those surrounding cracking, copyright, infringement, child pornography, and
child grooming.

L. The types of threat to information, computer and network security

Viruses, Cyber crime, & Intrusive Internet:

1. Adware
Adware can slow down your PC. It can also slow down your internet connection by
downloading advertisements. Sometimes programming flaws in the adware can make your
computer unstable.
2. Backdoor Trojans
A backdoor Trojan may pose as legitimate software, just as other Trojan horse programs do,
so that users run it. Alternatively – as is now increasingly common – users may allow Trojans
onto their computer by following a link in spam mail.
3. Boot Sector Viruses
Boot sector viruses spread by modifying the program that enables your computer to start
up.
4. Cookies
Cookies are files on your computer that enable websites to remember your details.
5. Denial of Service attack (DoS)
A denial-of-service (DoS) attack prevents users from accessing a computer or website.
6. Document Viruses
Document or “macro” viruses take advantage of macros – commands that are embedded in
files and run automatically.
7. Email Viruses
Many of the most prolific viruses distribute themselves automatically by email.
8. Internet Worms
Worms are programs that create copies of themselves and spread via internet connections.
9.Mousetrapping
Mousetrapping prevents you from leaving a website
10. Parasitic viruses
Parasitic viruses, also known as fi le viruses, spread by attaching themselves to programs.
11. Pharming
Pharming redirects you from a legitimate website to a bogus copy, allowing criminals to steal
the information you enter.
12. Phishing
Phishing is the use of bogus emails and websites to trick you into supplying confi dential or
personal information.

Natural Disaster:

13. Natural and Enviromental Threats

Computers are also threatened by natural or environmental disaster. Be it at home, stores,
offices and also automobiles. Examples of natural and environmental disasters:
• Flood
• Fire
• Earthquakes, storms and tornados
• Excessive Heat
• Inadequate Power Supply

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