Social Implications & System Technologies Hardware/Software Questions and Answers Grade 12

Plug-and-Play (PnP)

The OS detects new hardware and installs its driver without user setup.

Switch

A switch sends data only to the device it is meant for.

Bandwidth

It measures how much data a connection can carry per second.

D: Flashing the ROM.

Flashing rewrites the firmware stored in the device's ROM.

A: Thrashing

Constant swapping between RAM and disk slows the system sharply.

Three functions of the disk clean-up utility are:

1. It removes temporary files created by the system and applications.
2. It empties the Recycle Bin.
3. It deletes temporary Internet files and system cache files.

Two advantages of HDMI compared to VGA are:

1. HDMI carries video and audio in one cable, while VGA carries video only.
2. HDMI uses a digital signal that gives a clearer, more stable image and supports higher resolutions than the analogue VGA signal.

POST is a start-up test run by the BIOS to check that essential hardware such as RAM, keyboard and storage is present and working.

Booting is finding the operating system on storage and loading it into RAM.

Two benefits of software updates are:

1. They fix bugs found in earlier versions of the software.
2. They close security weaknesses that could let malicious users gain unauthorised access.

A patch is a small update that fixes a specific bug or security weakness.

A service pack is a collection of fixes, updates and new features released since the original software, bundled into one installable package.

Two reasons for compressing files and folders are:

1. Saves storage space: compressed files are smaller, so more can be kept on the disk.
2. Faster transfer: smaller files upload, download and e-mail more quickly and use less bandwidth.

Cloud storage is a service where data and files are stored on remote servers and accessed over the Internet.

Two advantages of cloud storage are:

1. Files can be accessed from anywhere with an Internet connection on any device.
2. Storage space can easily be increased or decreased as needed (scalability), and data is backed up.

Two languages that use interpreters are:

1. Python
2. Java

An API acts as a link between the programming language and the hardware, operating system or other software, so they can communicate.

Two advantages of high-level languages are:

1. Fewer lines of code are needed because of built-in methods and libraries of pre-written code.
2. The code is closer to human language, so it is easier to understand and debug.

Two advantages of a WLAN are:

1. It is easy to add new devices because no network point or cable is needed for each device.
2. Users can connect from anywhere within Wi-Fi range, including places where cabling is difficult.

Two disadvantages of connecting using Wi-Fi are:

1. Speeds are generally lower than wired connections and signals can be hit by interference from walls and other devices.
2. Wi-Fi is more open to hacking if it is not secured properly.

Two ways to control access to an extranet are:

1. Require a username and password.
2. Use two-factor authentication.

A thin client has little or no storage and relies on the server to run applications and store files.

A fat client has its own storage and RAM and runs most software from its local hard drive.

Two advantages of thin clients are:

1. They are cheaper to buy because of their lower hardware specifications.
2. Maintenance is easier because updates are done on the server only.

Two resources shared by a server are:

1. Printing services.
2. Files (file storage).

Voice over Internet Protocol.

VoIP is a protocol that lets voice calls be made over a network such as the Internet.

Two disadvantages of VoIP are:

1. Both users need a stable Internet connection, and call quality drops when bandwidth is limited or the network is congested.
2. VoIP systems can be attacked by hackers, so calls may be intercepted if not encrypted.

Two advantages of web-based e-mail accounts are:

1. They are easy to set up and usually come with free online storage.
2. E-mail can be accessed from anywhere using a browser or app with an Internet connection.

The digital divide is the gap between people who have access to ICT and people who do not.

A digital citizen is a person with the knowledge and skills to use ICT and the Internet responsibly towards others and the environment.