Computing Revision
Revision notes for Scottish Higher, Intermediate and Standard Grade Computing
Higher Computing
Optional Units
You have studied either Artificial Intelligence,
Computer Networking or Multimedia Technology.
ONLY ANSWER THE QUESTIONS ON THE SECTION YOU HAVE
STUDIED!
What do you need to know? - Artificial Intelligence
Human and Artificial Intelligence, the Turing Test
Development of game playing programs, language processing and expert systems - successes and limitations
How hardware developments have aided AI
Neural networks (ANS) - detailed description, comparison with human brain, how they learn
Applications -
Breadth-first and depth-first search, combinatorial explosion, heuristics
Semantic nets
Prolog: facts, rules (including recursion), complex queries, negation, inheritance
Hints and tips - AI
1. Don't waffle in a question about defining intelligence, or developments in AI. Look at the number of marks, and make sure you make that number of clear and distinct points. Use numbered bullet points to keep yourself relevant.
2. The "Prolog" question: show clearly how Prolog arrives at its answer, by writing down the number of every clause examined, and writing down when a variable is "instantiated" to a value.
3. Be able to describe (using a labelled diagram) depth-first and breadth-first searches
What do you need to know? - Computer Networking
The OSI model - 7 layers
Protocols - Telnet, HTTP, FTP, SMTP
IP addressing - all classes - and the Domain Name System
Use of HTML tags to construct a simple web page
Issues - RIP Act, fraud, censorship, information rich/poor
Network security - user access rights, DoS attacks, firewalls, filtering, disaster avoidance
Data transmission - synchronous and asynchronous, error checking (parity and CRC)
TCP/IP, CSMA/CD, circuit and packet switching
Wireless networking - WPAN, wirelwss LAN, wireless WAN
Internet connection - dialup modem, ADSL, cable modem, leased line, ISDN
Hints and tips - Networking
1. Don't waffle: you must be able to describe networking in appropriate technological detail.
2. Learn all the abbreviations
What do you need to know? - Multimedia Technology
Application of software development process to MM
Creation of MM application - editors, authoring software, presentation software
Bit-mapped graphics - detailed knowledge of storage techniques (including CLUT, RLE, LZW)
Digitised sound - detailed knowledge of storage techniques (including PCM, ADPCM, MP3)
Video - detailed knowledge of storage techniques
Calculation of file sizes for graphic, sound and video
Vector graphics - detailed knowledge of storage techniques
MIDI sound - attributes
Contemporary technologies and trends
Hints and tips - MMT
1. Don't waffle: you must be able to describe multimedia concepts in appropriate technological detail.
2. Learn all the abbreviations
3. You need to know more than the Intermediate 2 unit!
Any questions?
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