Assignment Code: MLII-103/AST/TMA/Jul. 2022-Jan. 2023

Course Code: MLII-103

Assignment Name: Fundamentals of Information Communication Technologies

Year: 2022-2023

Verification Status: Verified by Professor

1.1 What is software? Describe different types of software’s in detail. (10)

Ans) In general, software is a group of programmes that tell computers how to do things. A software programme is just a list of steps for a computer to follow. In other words, it means everything that is written to run on a computer. Programming languages are the different languages that are used to write the programmes. Usually, software programmes are kept on extra storage media that can be moved to the CPU's RAM when needed. The software also includes documentation that helps to understand how the programme works and how it works. The software is an intellectual product that can't be seen or touched. The computer's software is the set of programme instructions that are stored on a magnetic or optical storage medium and then loaded into the CPU's RAM to be run. Some computer systems come with these software packages already installed. This is part of the computer unit's specs.

Types of Software’s

System Software: System software is a group of one or more programmes that tell a computer how to work. System software makes it easier and more effective for the computer to work. In general, system software helps the other software run well, communicates with peripheral devices, helps develop other types of software, and keeps track of how different hardware resources are being used. In short, it gives  a place to build and run application software. System software comes in many different forms, such as Firmware, Operating System, Translator, Simulators, and Emulators.

Application Software: Application software does work that isn't directly related to how the computer works. It does things like special functions or other useful work. Application Software Packages are computer programmes that have one or more programmes made for them to do a certain kind of work. It is made to meet the needs of many different organisations. Adobe PhotoShop, MS-Word, Lotus 123, Excel, Page Maker, CorelDraw, PowerPoint, MSPhoto Editor, FoxPro, dBase, CAD, and other programmes are some examples. Some people would like to have a separate category for a set of programmes that do everyday tasks like listing or compressing data, saving files from getting viruses, etc. This could be called utility software or a programme or software that helps the system. The utility software is made so that it can keep the system or its parts in good shape. Because of this, it is also called Service Software. Some examples are Win Zip, PC Tools, Norton Utility, etc.

2.1 What is network? Describe importance of the various kinds of telephone networks for communication. (10)

Ans) We know about postal networks, train networks, airline networks, and so on. In a postal network, a post office picks up letters from a number of mailboxes in the area, sorts them by address, and sends them to other post offices to be delivered in their area or sent on to other places. Junctions are places in a rail network where trains change tracks to go to different places. In this part, we talk about the basics of telecommunication networks, which are similar to postal and rail networks in many ways. Telecommunication networks collect and send out information, process addresses, and switch paths so that information can flow. The main difference between telecommunication networks and other networks is that telecommunication networks work in the electrical, optical, or electromagnetic domains.

Types of telephone networks for communication

Landline Networks: The first automatic switching system was made of electricity and mechanics. It was called the Strowger System, after the man who made it, Alan B. Strowger. These systems were made so that  could connect to them step by step. About 40 years were spent using them. At the end of the 1930s, a new type of switch called crossbar exchange was put into use. As digital computers became more common, electronic switches became more common. The control used in electronic exchanges was called "stored programme control," or "SPC," and it meant that a computer was being used for control. In electronic exchanges, the switching method can be either space division switching or time division switching. In space division switching, a physical path is set up inside the switch between the inlet and the outlet that stays the same for the whole time that information is being sent. In time division switching, sampled values of the speech signal are sent at regular intervals using a shared resource within the switch.

Mobile Networks: From the point of view of the network, the most important thing about mobile communication technology is how easy it is for subscribers to connect. From the subscriber's point of view, the most impressive thing about mobile technology is that it lets them stay in touch with anyone at any time and from anywhere. The personal mobile system (PMS) of today is based on cellular communication. Instead of one large central station, the target area is covered by a network of smaller radio stations called base stations (BS). In a distributed network, the cell phones only need to talk to the base station that is close by. Because of this, they are small, light, and can be held in one hand.

3.1 Define e-publishing, explain categories of e-publishing. (10)

Ans) "Electronic publishing" or "e-publishing" is a general term for making anything that is published in a digital form. It uses new technology that lets publishers get documents and other content to people quickly and easily.

Categories of e-publishing

Commercial E-publishing: Commercial e-publishing is a lot like commercial printing and publishing in how it works. Manuscripts are accepted based on how good they are and how likely they are to sell. Before publishing, most commercial publishers then go through the same steps of reviewing, editing, and proofreading as print publishers. It has been found that less than 10% of submissions are accepted by most commercial e-publishers as well. Even though authors don't get an advance, they do get royalties, and they don't have to pay anything toward making the book. In other words, authors don't have to pay a fee to be published, but they do get royalties.

Vanity E-publishing: Some people call vanity publishing "subsidy publishing" because the author pays to have a book published. Subsidy: Just like print publishers, e-publishers make and sell books for a certain fee per manuscript. The authors get a royalty, which is usually the same as what commercial e-publishers offer. Many subsidy publishers charge extra for things like formatting the book if the author didn't do it, illustrations, cover designs, editing, an ISBN or copyright registration, etc. These fees can quickly add up. subsidy-published e-books can be found in most online bookstores, just like commercially published e-books.

No-fee Distributors: A hard-to-classify type of e-publishing is when a publisher accepts electronic manuscripts as they are, usually already formatted by the author, and has a bookstore where those books can be bought. Most of the time, a distributor like this doesn't charge the author anything, but they do take a cut of the royalties. Most of the time, a distributor doesn't help edit, design, or make the document, and the price is usually set by the author. Some distributors, like Booklocker.com, are very picky about which books they will sell.

Electronic Self-publishing: Electronic self-publishing is a way for an author to create, publish, and sell his or her own book. The author is in charge of every step of the process, from planning to marketing. Many authors choose to self-publish their manuscripts on the Internet. In self-publishing, the author formats the text and is in charge of getting an ISBN and registering the book's rights. This is a cheap alternative to self-publishing in print, because someone don't have to pay a lot of money to get our book printed. Most of the time, a self-published e-book will be posted or sold on the author's site, not that of a publisher.

4.1 Define reprography. Explain different kinds of methods of reprography. (10)

Ans) `"Repro" means "to rewrite" or "to make a copy," and "graphy" means "something that is printed or written." So, reprography means making copies of something that has been printed or written. Reprography includes all of the methods and processes used to copy and duplicate (make multiple copies) of documents. Reprography is now a term that is used all over the world. It has replaced the terms "document copying" and "documentary reproduction," which were used before. To sum up, Reprography includes microscopy, photocopy, duplication, and printing done in-house.

Methods of reprography

Based on how they work, most of the different ways to make copies can be put into one of three main categories:

1. Methods of photography (Light sensitive).

2. Using thermography (Heat sensitive).

3. How electrostatics work (Charge sensitive).

Using these basic principles, the following methods and processes can be judged:

"Photocopies" technically refers to all kinds of copies made with a camera, but here it is used to mean only copies that can be read with the naked eye. Microcopies are processes where the copy has to be read with an optical device that makes it bigger. The way microcopies work and what they can be used for is its own field, so it has been studied separately.

One thing that makes it hard to understand how photocopying works is the number of technical and trade names that are used. Often, there is no good alternative to the trade name for a process, and the trade name has become part of everyday language. The word "Photostat" is a well-known example of this. This is a trade name, and it is wrong and against the law to use it to describe any other process. Still, many people will call a photocopy or photostat by either name. In a similar way, Xerox copy is a trade name for the Rank Xerox Corporation.

Library Requirements: Libraries, unlike printing presses, usually only have to make one copy of a document. This is because the original is usually in a book or journal and is printed on both sides of the page. To sum up what Libraries need, we can say the following:

1. The process must be able to make single copies from originals that are opaque or have two sides.

2. It needs to be able to copy from big and/or thick books.

3. The copy must cost as little to make as possible.

4. The process should be quick, clean, and not need a skilled person to run it.

5. The copy should last for a long time.

6. The cost of the equipment should be reasonable, it should take up little space, and it shouldn't need a darkroom.

5.0 Write short notes on any two of the following: (10)

a) Microprocessor Technology

Ans) Microchips are still very important to the progress of information and communication technologies in general and computer technologies in particular. Silicon is still the main raw material for both logic chips and memory chips, which are called DRAM chips today (DRAMC).

The first thing that computers did with integrated circuit technology was build a processor. The same technology could also be used to make memories, it was found. Just as the number of parts on memory chips kept going up, so did the number of parts on processor chips. This meant that less and less chips were needed to make a single computer processor. Through this process, a microprocessor came to be. Intel is the company that made the first microprocessor. The 4004 was the first chip to have all of a CPU's parts on a single chip. This chip was called a "microprocessor." It was the first step in a long process of making microprocessors faster and more powerful.

b) Satellite Communication

Ans) The source signals for satellite communication are also carried by microwaves. A microwave carrier called a "uplink carrier" is used to send signals from a ground station to the satellite. When the satellite gets the signals, it sends them back to the ground using a different carrier, which is called the "downlink carrier." Satellite communication is used for both one-way broadcasts like TV and radio and two-way conversations like phone calls. Information is sent from a TV studio to a satellite, and the downlink is picked up by cable operators and sent to TV sets. A satellite works like a big microwave repeater in the sky. It gets the uplink signal, filters out the noise in the signal, boosts the clean signal, and sends it back to the ground on the downlink frequency. Inside the satellite, a device called a "transponder" does things like filter out noise, boost signals, and change the frequency. Most satellites have a lot of transponders, and each one can handle a certain number of signals.