Tools for Information Processes: Displaying

Name: ___________________________
Displaying is the method by which information is output from the system to meet a purpose.
Displaying is considered a sub-process within other information process. Eg- when collecting data
online a monitor is used to display the data entry form. So whenever a person receives information
from a system, a displaying information process has occurred.
Any device that performs actions based on information from a system is a display device. This
includes any output device that includes visual and audio aspects.
Software is used to interface with display hardware and it is also used to prepare information into a
suitable form for display. Choosing the most effective method of display enhances the information,
which means the systems purpose is more effectively achieved.

HARDWARE FOR DISPLAYING

Types of hardware for displaying:
Screens:

Video cards (display adaptors)

LCD (liquid crystal display) based monitors
CRT (cathode ray tube) based monitors
Plasma screens
Projectors
Interactive Whiteboard (IWBs)

Printers:
Laser Printers
Inkjet printers
Audio display:
Sound cards
Speakers

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TASK: Using your textbook, fill in the information for the following headings. Include what it
is and how it works.
Screens: Information to be displayed on a screen is received by the video system via the system
bus. It is mostly obtained from the main memory without direct processing by the CPU. The video
system contains the video card (or display adaptor) which translates the data into a form that can be
displayed by the screen.
Video cards (display adaptors): _____________________________________
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LCD (liquid crystal display): ________________________________________________
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 CRT (cathode ray tube): __________________________________________________

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Plasma screens: _________________________________________________________

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THINK
LCD based computer monitors have
almost completely replaced CRT based
monitors. Why do you think this has occurred?
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 Projectors (include LCOS, DMD & GLV): _______________________________________

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o Interactive Whiteboards (IWBs): ____________________________________

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Printers: Printers produce hard copies of electronic documents to be stored in a physical form.
Some printers receive data via USB connection, where as many network printers use Ethernet or
wireless to connect directly to the LAN. Printers can either be impact; contact is made with the
paper, or non-impact; the printing head does not strike the paper. The most common types of
printers available are laser and inkjet printers.
THINK

-Can you name any other types of printers? __________________________________

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Laser Printers: ______________________________________________________________
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Inkjet Printer: _______________________________________________________________

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THINK

- What type of printers are laser and inkjet? Impact or non-impact?_______________

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Audio Display: is basically the idea of audio as a representation of data. Speakers and sound cards
are examples of audio display. The components within speakers are similar to those found within
microphones; the processes occurring to display audio are essentially the reverse of the processes
occurring during audio collection. Older sound cards were used for both collection and display of
sound however could not use both aspects at the same time. Modern designs allow for simultaneous
use of collection and display, which is full duplex.
Sound Card: ________________________________________________________________
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Speakers: _______________________________________________________________
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SOFTWARE FOR DISPLAY

Software used by the displaying information process includes all the various display features present
within all software applications. The manipulation of the information design improves the
presentation of information in preparation for display. The purpose is to produce the information in
a structure that best fulfils the aims of the information system.

Software that interfaces with display hardware

The software interface between software applications and display devices is essentially the same as
the ____________________________________________________________________________
The only significant difference being that _____________________________________________
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Display features within application software

o Reporting with database applications _______________________________________
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o Formatting within word processing applications ______________________________
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Fonts: __________________________________________________________
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 Spacing: ________________________________________________________
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Layout: _________________________________________________________
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o Designing and developing simple web pages: ________________________________
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HTML Tables: ___________________________________________________
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HTML Frames: __________________________________________________
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o Combining information from different sources _______________________________
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Embedding: _____________________________________________________
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 Linking: ________________________________________________________
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Mail-Merge: _____________________________________________________
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What processes are completed to perform a mail-merge:
1. _____________________________________________________________
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2. _____________________________________________________________
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3. _____________________________________________________________
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NON-COMPUTER TOOLS FOR DISPLAYING
Many non-computer tools are used to assist in the design of displays or used for display.
THINK

- Name some types of non-computer displaying examples ______________________

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Story Boards _____________________________________________________________
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HOMEWORK: Examine a companys web site and create a diagram similar to the one on page
371 of your text book, Fig 9.46, which describes the links between pages on the site.

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 Traditional methods of display _________________________________________________

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SOCIAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH DISPLAYING
The display output from an information system is intended for a human audience, therefore must be
presented in a context that can be understood by the intended audience. This is the main objective of
the displaying information process, to suit the needs of those viewing it. EG- Computer-based
displays rely on vision; therefore consideration needs to be made to those who are vision impaired.
Some issues of particular importance to the displaying information process include:
Communication skills of those presenting displays: _________________________________
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Common presentation mistakes include:
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 Appropriate displays for the visually impaired

The visual output of information from an information system is either from the screen or a printer.
For visually impaired people, technology has been created to enhance their availability to this
output. The software is used to alter the colour and size of displays. For example, increasing
contrast and enlarging fonts.
o Braille Screens: _______________________________________________________
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o Braille embossers: _____________________________________________________

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o Speech Synthesis: ______________________________________________________

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TASK: Translate the following Braille code to learn a fact about Braille.

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 Displays suitable for young children

Young children learn and absorb information very easily, and the best way they do is when they are
having fun. Exploring and discovering in an unstructured random setting provides a productive way
of developing knowledge about the world around them. Young children enjoy repeating the same
activity over and over, therefore a mixture of familiar elements and unknown settings creates an
exciting area to explore, and develop new areas of interest.
Developing fine motor skills is essential in the development of young children. Children can
become quickly disinterested when they are unable to understand how to operate software or find it
difficult to use a keyboard. Screen display is a consideration when children are using computers.

Criteria to consider when creating and selecting software for young children:
o ____________________________________________________________________
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o ____________________________________________________________________
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 Past, present and emerging trends in displays

There has been a great increase in processing power, accesses speed and capacity of display
memory, as well as the advanced development of hardware technologies, has created a great impact
on the formation of computer based displays, both screen and printed.
o Past trends: ___________________________________________________________
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o Present and emerging trends: ___________________________________________

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RESEARCH TASK: Using the internet, identify recent advances in standard screen and printer
technologies.
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Page 16

TASK: Using the alphabet key on page 13, list some significant information you learnt about this
topic, in Braille:

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