99-CE COMPUTER STUDIES --- PAPER I (B)   12 marks

Solutions:
1.a.i)   The desktop has a modem installed which allows Peter                        to connect to the international computer network. The desktop has a monitor of 15", which is a better choice over the 10.4" LCD for viewing his architectural plans.
           
    ii)   The modem modulates the digital form signals into analog form for transmission along the telephone lines and demodulates the analog form signals received into digital form ready for use by the computer.

1.b.i)   Plotter.
   
     ii)   Optical character reader and handwriting recognition system.

1.c)     Advantages of sending email include instant transmission of information and knowing whether the information has successfully reached the recipient.

1.d.i)   He has to backup his files and install a virus-scan program to protect his files from being inappropriately altered or destroyed and ensure that the freeware does not contain virus that may infect his system. Also, he needs to be aware that the freeware may set cookies in his computer that allow unauthorized persons to retrieve data from his system.

1.d.ii)  Peter's act violates the copyright law because buying and downloading of any software does not grant the user right s to copy or distribute it further. Only the copyright holder is allowed to sell his software to other people and obtain a gain from it.