LOYOLA JESUIT COLLEGE, ABUJA.

JS3, TERM 1, 2019/20 COMPUTER

STUDIES NOTES

By Olawale Dorothy
WEEKS TOPICS OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

Week 1 Human issues - Draw a list of career opportunities associated with
computer usage
- State the functions of each of these professionals
- List the qualities of good computer professionals.
- List the computer professional bodies
- State the function of each of the computer professional
bodies and association;
2 Computer virus - State the meaning of a computer virus
- State types of computer viruses
- List examples of computer virus
- State sources through which a computer can be infected
with a virus.
3 Computer Network - Define networking
- List and explain the types of networks based on
proximity.
4. Logic Gates - Define logic gates
- Identify types of logic gates
- Draw their truth tables and logic diagrams.
5 Introduction to Corel - Identify the various tools and try their hands on using
draw each tool
- Design a simple business card
- Design birthday invitation card, wedding invitation card,
identity card and letter headed paper
6 Ms Excel - Insert and edit charts and work sheets.

7 Ms Word - Produce the following documents, Time tables, memos,

application letters and newsletters
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HUMAN ISSUES: CAREERS ASSOCIATED WITH COMPUTER
CAREER
A career is an individual's journey through learning, work and other aspects of life. There are a number of ways
to define a career and the term is used in a variety of ways.
Career Paths Associated with the usage of computer system
Below you’ll find a detailed breakdown of some careers for computer science degree holders. Learn a bit about
the duties, outlook and earning potential for each position.

1. Software developer
Daily duties:
 Design or customize computer applications software
 Modify existing software to optimize operational efficiency or correct errors
 Evaluate software requirements and user needs to determine software feasibility

2. Computer systems analyst

Daily duties:
 Analyze data processing problems to improve computer systems
 Develop and test system design procedures
 Enhance system compatibility so information can be shared easily

3. Computer \systems engineer

Daily duties:
 Develop solutions to complex applications problems and other network concerns
 Provide technical guidance for troubleshooting computer systems
 Confirm stability and security of system architecture

4. Network systems administrator

Daily duties:
 Install and support an organization’s network system
 Examine website functions to ensure performance without interruption
 Perform data backups and disaster recovery operations

5. Database administrator
Daily duties:
 Test and administer computer databases
 Coordinate changes and correct errors to computer databases
 Apply security measures to safeguard information
6. Business intelligence analyst
Daily duties:
 Analyze market strategies through examining competitors and share trends
 Collect and compile data from public information, industry reports or purchased sources
 Produce business intelligence and trend data to support recommendations for plans of action

7. Web developer
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Daily duties:
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 Write, design or edit web page content, or direct others producing content
 Identify and correct problems uncovered by testing or user feedback
 Back up website files for immediate recovery in case of problems

8. Computer programmer
Daily duties:
 Create and test the code that allows computers to run properly
 Analyze user needs and develop software solutions
 Write computer programs to store, locate or retrieve data

9. Software systems developer

Daily duties:
 Design, develop and test various software for a variety of industries
 Alter existing software to correct errors or improve performance
 Analyze data to identify, recommend and plan new system installations or modifications

10. Software quality assurance (QA) tester

Daily duties:
 Develop test plans to identify software errors
 Create and maintain a database to track software defects
 Review software documentation to confirm accuracy and mitigate risks

Who is a computer professional?

A person who has undergone training in a computer-field-related colleges, universities and computer institutes;
or a person who has proven extensive knowledge in the area of computing.
Job titles for a computer professional include:

 computer incident responder

 computer repair technician
 computer scientist
 database administrator
 digital forensics analyst
 firewall administrator
 information technology consultant
 intrusion detection system analyst
 network administrator
 programmer (also known as a software engineer)
 system administrator
 systems analyst
 web developer

Computer Professional Bodies

CPN – Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria

BCS – British Computer Society

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IACSIT – International Association of Computer Science and Information Technology

IS – Internet Society

COAN – Compute Association of Nigeria

NITDA - National Information Technology Development Agency

ACM – Association for Computing Machinery

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COMPUTER VIRUS
A virus is a malicious software designed to replicate itself and stealthily gain access to computer files in order
to disrupt its normal functioning.
A virus is a type of malicious software program ("malware") that, when executed, replicates itself by modifying
other computer programs and inserting its own code. Infected computer programs can include, as well, data files,
or the "boot" sector of the hard drive. When this replication succeeds, the affected areas are then said to be
"infected" with a computer virus.
Classes of virus:
1. Boot sector virus: From a user perspective, boot sector viruses are some of the most dangerous. Because
they infect the master boot record, they are notoriously difficult to remove, often requiring a full system
format. This is especially true if the virus has encrypted the boot sector or excessively damaged the code.

2. Direct Action Virus: A direct action virus is one of the two main types of file infector viruses (the other
being a resident virus). The virus is considered “non-resident”; it doesn’t install itself or remain hidden
in your computer’s memory.

It works by attaching itself to a particular type of file (typically EXE or COM files). When someone
executes the file, it springs into life, looking for other similar files in the directory for it to spread to.

3. Resident Virus: Resident viruses are the other primary type of file infectors. Unlike direct action
viruses, they install themselves on a computer. It allows them to work even when the original source of
the infection has been eradicated. As such, experts consider them to be more dangerous than their direct
action cousin.

4. Multipartite Virus: While some viruses are happy to spread via one method or deliver a single payload,
Multipartite viruses want it all. A virus of this type may spread in multiple ways, and it may take different
actions on an infected computer depending on variables, such as the operating system installed or the
existence of certain files.

They can simultaneously infect both the boot sector and executable files, allowing them to act quickly
and spread rapidly.

The two-pronged attack makes them tough to remove. Even if you clean a machine’s program files, if
the virus remains in the boot sector, it will immediately reproduce once you turn on the computer again.

5. Polymorphic Virus

According to Symantec, polymorphic viruses are one of the most difficult to detect for an anti-virus
program. It claims anti-virus firms need to “spend days or months creating the detection routines needed
to catch a single polymorphic”. But why are they so hard to protect against? The clue is in the name.
Anti-virus software can only blacklist one variant of a virus – but a polymorphic virus changes its
signature (binary pattern) every time it replicates. To an anti-virus program, it looks like an entirely
different piece of software, and can, therefore, elude the blacklist.

6. Overwrite Virus
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To an end-user, an overwrite virus is one of the most frustrating, even if it’s not particularly dangerous
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for your system as a whole.

 That’s because it will delete the contents of any file which it infects; the only way to remove the virus is
to delete the file, and consequently, lose its contents. It can infect both standalone files and entire pieces
of software.

Overwrite viruses typically have low visibility and are spread via email, making them hard to identify
for an average PC user. They enjoyed a heyday in the early 2000s with Windows 2000 and Windows
NT, but you can still find them in the wild.

7. Spacefiller Virus

Also known as “Cavity Viruses”, spacefiller viruses are more intelligent than most of their counterparts.
A typical modus operandi for a virus is to simply attach itself to a file, but spacefillers try to get into the
empty space which can sometimes be found within the file itself.

This method allows it to infect a program without damaging the code or increasing its size, thus enabling
it to bypass the need for the stealthy anti-detection techniques other viruses rely on.

Luckily, this type of virus is relatively rare, though the growth of Windows Portable Executable files is
giving them a new lease of life.

Ways to prevent virus

As always, taking sensible steps to protect yourself is preferable to dealing with the potentially crippling fallout
if you’re unlucky enough to get infected.

Use a highly-regarded anti-virus suite, don’t open emails from unrecognized sources, don’t trust free USB
sticks from conferences and expos, don’t let strangers use your system, and don’t install software from random
websites.

Examples of virus:

1. C-Brain: Amjad and Basit, two pakistani brothers, developed this software in January 1986.

2. Macmag: This virus attacked Apple Macintosh computers only. Not much damage is reported because of this
virus. This was not noticed on any IBM compatible PCs. It displayed a message of peace on the monitor and
killed itself.

3. Cascade: This virus attacked IBM PCs and compatibles. The letters on the screen could be seen dropping
vertically down to the bottom of screen after the virus picked them off in alphabetical order. This is a sort of
parasitic virus. It attaches itself to other programs and gets activated when the host program is executed. It gets
copied to other PCs when the programs are copied.

4. Jerusalem: Found in 1987 at Hebrew University, Jerusalem, this virus was designed to activate only on Friday,
January 13 and delete all the files executed on that day. This infects the COM and EXE files.

5. Daracrime/Columbus or October the 13th virus: This virus is similar to Jerusalem and was programmed to
attack on October 13, 1989. Track zero of computer hard disk is destroyed and the contents of discs are rendered
unreadable. This virus enters COM and EXE files and damages the hard disk.

6. Bomb: This is also known as 'Logic Bomb' and 'Time Bomb'. An event triggered routine in a program that
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causes a program to crash is defined as a 'bomb'. Generally, 'bomb' is a software inserted in a program by a
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person working in the company.

SOURCES OF COMPUTER VIRUS

The top sources of computer virus attack include:

 Downloadable Programs done illegitimately

 Cracked Software without a legal license
 Email Attachments (containing spywares, logic bombs and Trojan horses)
 Internet (phishing)
 Using infected storage devices like flash drives, CD’s etc

EFFECTS OF COMPUTER VIRUSES

1. Replication

One of the primary purposes of a computer virus is to infect as many other systems as possible. In order to do
this, the virus replicates itself by attaching to other files on your computer. A common method of spreading to
other computers is by sending out email messages with a infected attachments to everyone in your address book.
If you find that the free space on your computer is rapidly decreasing or people are receiving infected email from
you, it is very possible that your computer has a virus.

2. Reduced Computer Performance

While computers can become slower over time due to the amount of available hard drive space decreasing, it is
also possible for a virus to drastically reduce performance. The boot time of an infected computer is often much
slower than usual and programs take much longer to launch as well. You might also notice an increase in crashes
and freezes when working with the infected computer. It is also not uncommon for the infected computer to
restart unexpectedly or display strange error messages.

3. Corrupt Data/Loss of Data

The data on a computer that is infected by a virus often becomes corrupted. This is either through the virus
attaching itself to files which renders these files unusable in the process or by maliciously destroying the data.
Files or folders are either deleted outright or become inaccessible. When attempting to launch applications, you
might receive error messages about the file not being found or not being valid. In some cases, this can lead to
the operating system not starting due to missing or corrupted files.

4. Unusual Browser Activity

While pop-ups are on the Internet are normal, if you repeatedly receive the same ones no matter what Web page
you are viewing it could be due to a virus. Once your computer is infected, the virus might also change your
browser startup page to a website that contains other malicious code. The virus also sometimes blocks access to
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security websites with updates or information on how to remove it. These types of viruses often attempt to install
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further malware on your computer by displaying links – disguised as system messages – to software that will
purportedly clean the infection.

5. Loss of Integrity: As a business enterprise, once your company and organization have been attacked, it
becomes difficult for people doing business or keeping their funds with you to trust you. As such, integrity and
reputation that takes years to build is lost. When this continues, your business may seize to exist in the nearest
future (extinction).

Antivirus Software: Anti-virus software is a program or set of programs that are designed to prevent, search
for, detect, and remove software viruses, and other malicious software like worms, trojans, adware, and more.

These tools are critical for users to have installed and up-to-date because a computer without anti-virus software
installed will be infected within minutes of connecting to the internet.

EXAMPLES OF ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE INCLUDE:

1. Avast
2. Kaspersky
3. 360 Total Security
4. Avira
5. NOD -32
6. Comodo
7. Panda

WAYS TO PREVENT COMPUTER VIRUS ATTACK INCLUDE:

1. Install Anti-Virus/Malware Software. ...

2. Keep Your Anti-Virus Software Up to Date. ...
3. Run Regularly Scheduled Scans with Your Anti-Virus Software. ...
4. Keep Your Operating System Current. ...
5. Secure Your Network. ...
6. Think Before You Click.

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COMPUTER NETWORK
A network is a link of two or more computers (nodes) and or relevant devices to share resources and
communicate.
They are various types of networks. Networks are classified based on various criteria
Classification based on proximity of the computers/ devices we have

- Personal Area Network

- Local Area Network
- Metropolitan Area Network
- Wide Area Network

NETWORK TOPOLOGY
This is the physical/logical arrangement of computers in a network.

TYPES OF NETWORK TOPOLOGY

Network Topology is the schematic description of a network arrangement, connecting various nodes(sender and
receiver) through lines of connection.

BUS Topology
Bus topology is a network type in which every computer and network device is connected to single cable. When
it has exactly two endpoints, then it is called Linear Bus topology.

Features of Bus Topology

1. It transmits data only in one direction.

2. Every device is connected to a single cable

Advantages of Bus Topology

1. It is cost effective.
2. Cable required is least compared to other network topology.
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3. Used in small networks.

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4. It is easy to understand.
5. Easy to expand joining two cables together.
Disadvantages of Bus Topology

1. Cables fails then whole network fails.

2. If network traffic is heavy or nodes are more the performance of the network decreases.
3. Cable has a limited length.
4. It is slower than the ring topology.

RING Topology
It is called ring topology because it forms a ring as each computer is connected to another computer, with the
last one connected to the first. Exactly two neighbours for each device.

Features of Ring Topology

1. A number of repeaters are used for Ring topology with large number of nodes, because if someone wants to
send some data to the last node in the ring topology with 100 nodes, then the data will have to pass through
99 nodes to reach the 100th node. Hence to prevent data loss repeaters are used in the network.
2. The transmission is unidirectional, but it can be made bidirectional by having 2 connections between each
Network Node, it is called Dual Ring Topology.
3. In Dual Ring Topology, two ring networks are formed, and data flow is in opposite direction in them. Also,
if one ring fails, the second ring can act as a backup, to keep the network up.
4. Data is transferred in a sequential manner that is bit by bit. Data transmitted, has to pass through each node
of the network, till the destination node.
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Advantages of Ring Topology

1. Transmitting network is not affected by high traffic or by adding more nodes, as only the nodes having tokens
can transmit data.
2. Cheap to install and expand

Disadvantages of Ring Topology

1. Troubleshooting is difficult in ring topology.

2. Adding or deleting the computers disturbs the network activity.
3. Failure of one computer disturbs the whole network.

STAR Topology
In this type of topology all the computers are connected to a single hub through a cable. This hub is the central
node and all others nodes are connected to the central node.

Features of Star Topology

1. Every node has its own dedicated connection to the hub.

2. Hub acts as a repeater for data flow.
3. Can be used with twisted pair, Optical Fibre or coaxial cable.

Advantages of Star Topology

1. Fast performance with few nodes and low network traffic.

2. Hub can be upgraded easily.
3. Easy to troubleshoot.
4. Easy to setup and modify.
5. Only that node is affected which has failed, rest of the nodes can work smoothly.
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Disadvantages of Star Topology

1. Cost of installation is high.

2. Expensive to use.
3. If the hub fails then the whole network is stopped because all the nodes depend on the hub.
4. Performance is based on the hub that is it depends on its capacity

MESH Topology
It is a point-to-point connection to other nodes or devices. All the network nodes are connected to each other.
Mesh has n(n-1)/2 physical channels to link n devices.
There are two techniques to transmit data over the Mesh topology, they are :

1. Routing
2. Flooding

Routing
In routing, the nodes have a routing logic, as per the network requirements. Like routing logic to direct the data
to reach the destination using the shortest distance. Or, routing logic which has information about the broken
links, and it avoids those node etc. We can even have routing logic, to re-configure the failed nodes.
Flooding
In flooding, the same data is transmitted to all the network nodes, hence no routing logic is required. The network
is robust, and the its very unlikely to lose the data. But it leads to unwanted load over the network.

Types of Mesh Topology

1. Partial Mesh Topology : In this topology some of the systems are connected in the same fashion as mesh
topology but some devices are only connected to two or three devices.
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2. Full Mesh Topology : Each and every nodes or devices are connected to each other.
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Features of Mesh Topology

1. Fully connected.
2. Robust.
3. Not flexible.

Advantages of Mesh Topology

1. Each connection can carry its own data load.

2. It is robust.
3. Fault is diagnosed easily.
4. Provides security and privacy.

Disadvantages of Mesh Topology

1. Installation and configuration is difficult.

2. Cabling cost is more.
3. Bulk wiring is required.

TREE Topology
It has a root node and all other nodes are connected to it forming a hierarchy. It is also called hierarchical
topology. It should at least have three levels to the hierarchy.

Features of Tree Topology

1. Ideal if workstations are located in groups.
2. Used in Wide Area Network.
Advantages of Tree Topology
1. Extension of bus and star topologies.
2. Expansion of nodes is possible and easy.
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3. Easily managed and maintained.

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4. Error detection is easily done.

Disadvantages of Tree Topology
1. Heavily cabled.
2. Costly.
3. If more nodes are added maintenance is difficult.
4. Central hub fails, network fails.

HYBRID Topology
It is two different types of topologies which is a mixture of two or more topologies. For example if in an office
in one department ring topology is used and in another star topology is used, connecting these topologies will
result in Hybrid Topology (ring topology and star topology).

Features of Hybrid Topology

1. It is a combination of two or topologies

2. Inherits the advantages and disadvantages of the topologies included

Advantages of Hybrid Topology

1. Reliable as Error detecting and troubleshooting is easy.

2. Effective.
3. Scalable as size can be increased easily.
4. Flexible.

Disadvantages of Hybrid Topology

1. Complex in design.
2. Costly.
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LOGIC GATES AND TRUTH TABLES
Logic gates are electronic circuits that regulate the flow of electricity/signals through it when certain conditions
are met. Each gate has minimum two inputs except for the NOT gate which accepts only one input.
The diagram below explains further.

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COREL DRAW
INTRODUCTION TO CORELDRAW

CorelDraw is a vector graphics editor developed and marketed by Corel Corporation of Ottawa, Canada. It is
also the name of Corel's Graphics Suite, which bundles CorelDraw with a bitmap image editor, Corel Photo
Paint, and other graphics-related programs

Versions of CorelDraw

CorelDraw versions are from 1 through sixteen known as (X6). However, the famous ones are version 9, 12, 14,
15 and 16.

Tools in CorelDraw

Here is a list of the basic tools of CorelDraw’s interface. To view animation of how it works, just click on the
icon or the name of the tool. These icon were based on CorelDraw X5 interface.

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PECULIARITY IN CORELDRAW VERSIONS ON DIFFERENT PLATFORMS

Different versions of CorelDraw run on different platforms. The computer program user should be conversant
with these peculiarities as it can affect software functionality.

Some graphic tasks that can be performed in CorelDraw are:

a. Designing of letter-head paper

b. Invoice

c. Receipt

d. Greeting cards

e. Complementary cards

f. I.D Cards

g. Posters

h. Banners etc.

WORKING WITH EXCEL

The students will create simple work books in excel showing the financial statement as presented by the
teacher.

WORKING WITH Ms WORD

Students will be required to do the following
1. Prepare their personal reading timetable
2. Type a letter of application
3. Type a letter of recommendation
4. Produce curriculum vitae.
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