Computing topic 1

Computing topic 1

1. Testing a computer system

   • Alpha testing
     • To identify weaknesses with the system in meeting specification
     • To identify errors when coding.
   • Beta testing
     • Others test
       • Can get paid for testing
       • public can download it for free

2. standards

   • Proprietary standards
     • ownd by a company
     • Looks and feels like the OS
     • The updates are free of charge
   • Industry standards
     • Allows other devices to connect
     • Universal serial bus (USB)
     • In most computers now
   • De facto standards
     • Developed over time
     • e.g layout of a car
   • Open standards
     • Publicly available
     • WWW.
     • Anyone can modify it

3. What is a computer system

   • an integrated collection of parts
   • What a computer has
     • Input
     • output
     • Storage
     • Processor
     • Software

4. Reliability on a computer

   • AVAIL
     • This is the percentage of time the system is available to the user
   • MTTF
     • “Mean Time To Failure”.
   • Mostly reliable but it can rarely break

5. Ethical ans legal considerations

   • Ethics
     • What is wrong and what is right
     • Not the same as laws
     • personal thing
   • Legal issues
     • Designed by law
     • The data protection act
       • 1998
       • It must be collected and used fairly and inside the law
     • the computer miss use act
       • phishing for personal details
       • introducing viruses and other malware into a computer system

6. Enviroment issues

   • Advantages
     • Energy consumptions
     • Automate recycling
     • Can work at home save petrol
     • Help monitor the weather and issues
     • Helps not needing to traveller
   • Disadvantages
     • Technological waste
     • We need to generate electricity out of fossil fuels
     • All the mining
     • Very expensive to produce
     • Battery need charging more