Unit 2, Task 4, M1

Functions/Features	Windows	Mac OS
Machine and peripheral management	The operating system controls the whole machine and all of the components in there. It also controls peripherals such as, keyboard, mouse and printer. Windows controls the monitor by changing the resolution, the mouse by setting the speed, etc.	The control of the computer components are similar to Windows. However almost all of the devices need to be bought specifically for a Mac. Macs can control the keyboard by changing the language. For other devices such as iPhones, the keyboard can change to landscape mode. This means that the screen is also controlled.
Security	On Windows XP, the operating system makes sure that everything works properly and no unauthorised files get onto your computer. Windows has security functions such as, user accounts with password protection, firewall and many other functions.	The Mac OS has security features such as application sandboxing. This limits the kind of operations an application can perform, such as opening documents and accessing the network. Sandboxing makes it much more difficult for a security threat to affect the system. There is also authentication to access files where the user has to enter their Apple ID and password.
File Management	The Windows XP system needs to have file management to show files , create new files, delete files and edit files. Windows has a process called explorer.exe to handle the file management.	The program for file management that Mac OS uses is called Finder. It is very similar to Windows explorer.exe however it has an appropriate icon for every file.
Device Drivers	Drivers are programs that tell the operating system what to do. When you buy a new graphic card, in order for it to work properly with all of its power and efficiency you need to install drivers provided with the card.	As the same as Windows, the drivers are programs that control the devices. Every needed driver to run the computer is included in the system. However, if you want to install a printer, you have to install a new Mac OS.
Ability To Customise	There are many ways that you can customise Windows. Accessibility features have been built in to Windows. These features are useful for people who have trouble typing or who are deaf or blind. These features can be installed during setup. You can use Control Panel and other built-in features to adjust the appearance and behaviour of Windows. You are able to adjust colours and sizes, sound volume and the behaviour of the mouse and keyboard.	It is quite difficult to customise your computer when using Mac OS as it is very limited. Additional software is required in order to make these changes. Without the additional software, it is practically impossible for the user to make changes. All they can do is change the background of the desktop. With the correct software, you are able to customise your Mac. System preferences control the settings. System preferences allows you to adjust things such as: screen resolution, keyboard controls, mouse controls, sound, printer, account settings and sharing settings.
Support for Connectivity of Portable Media	Windows supports almost every type of portable media as long as it has one of the connectors that fits into the computer. Windows supports all media including ones that can be connected via USB such as, phones, cameras and headphones, voice control and ethernet cables for internet.	The Mac OS supports the typical computer peripherals such as: computer mouse, monitor and keyboards. They also support headphones, CDs and DVDs, USB ports for cameras and phones. Also ethernet cables for internet.
Stability and Reliability	This is down to the applications that are installed and not the core of the operating system. Windows offers more of a wider range so therefore has more potential stability problems.	Mac OS offers less of a wider range of applications than Windows does therefore is potentially more stable and reliable than a Windows operating system.
Ease of Management	Windows is probably the easiest to use but it depends on the user. As the Windows operating system seems to be the most popular with customers, it shows that it is easier to use.	Mac OS and Windows are quite similar for ease of management as it mainly depends on the user and what they are used to. Mac OS is a newer type of operating system meaning that the younger generation may find it easier to use.
Associated Utilities	Windows has a wider range of associated utilities on offer however it depends on what the user is used to. Windows is not that good for graphic design and video editing but it is good for general use.	Mac OS has alternatives for pretty much everything. It is much better at graphics design and video editing.

There are many applications on a Mac that Windows have tried to replicate. These are things such as, the dock, time machine, dash board and cover flow.

The dock is the row of icons that you see at the bottom of the screen on the home page. It makes it quicker to access the apps that come with the Mac but you can personalise it and add your own. You are also able to add folders to the dock in order to access them quicker. To access an app you can click on it from the dock, it is similar to creating a shortcut.

Windows have replicated the dock by making the XWindows Dock. This is practically a clone of the dock and works in the same way. The icons on the XWindows Dock are fully customisable. It has pre-installed plugins and also supports your other plugins too. For example, the Container plugin allows you to organise your items into groups.

The Mac time machine is a built in backup software application that works with your Mac and external drive. The time machine automatically backs up your entire Mac, including system files, applications, accounts, preferences, emails, music, photos and more. The time machine also remembers how your system was on any given day. You are able to see your Mac as though it was in the past.

Windows have replicated this by making the Rollback Rx. Generally, Rollback is better than the Mac time machine. Rollback can be used as a full reset system. This means that you are able to go back to a particular point in time when a snapshot was taken. If, by any chance, a file is deleted or corrupted, you are able to retrieve it without resetting your whole computer system.

The Mac dashboard gives access to applications called widgets. It includes widgets for some Mac apps such as calendars and contacts. These widgets make it easier to access apps without fully opening them. You are able to make the dashboard your own by downloading more widgets.

The Windows equivalent is XWidget. This provides easy customisation. It allows you to get widgets and install them quickly on your computer. Like the Mac dashboard, you are able to create new widgets. You are able to easily rearrange the widgets by clicking and dragging them.

Unit 2, Task 1, P5

Witness statement
Learner name		Kirstie Little
Qualification		BTEC National 1st certificate in IT
Unit number and title		Unit 2.2 computer systems.
Assignment		P5 set up a standalone computer system, installing hardware and software components [SM3]
Description of activity undertaken (please be as specific as possible)
After making a successful start in your role as an IT trainer for the IT Support Department of RS Components, you have been have been asked to prepare training material of a more advanced and practical kind. Before you are allowed to do this you are required to prove your abilities in hardware and software upgrades. Task Achieved Date achieved Connect a monitor to a computer Yes 16th October 2014 Connect a keyboard to a computer Yes 16th October 2014 Connect a mouse to a computer Yes 16th October 2014 Demonstrate where the graphics card is installed Yes 16th October 2014 Install MS Office 2003 Yes 16th October 2014 Install MS security essentials Yes 16th October 2014 Create a user account Yes 16th October 2014 Configure system software, application software and documents Yes 16th October 2014
Assessment and grading criteria
P5 set up a standalone computer system, installing hardware and software components [SM3] For P5, learners must install at least one hardware and one software component in a stand-alone system. This is best evidenced with a witness statement or observation record and screen shots. Learners must use suitable safety equipment/tools and pay due regard to health and safety issues.
How the activity meets the requirements of the assessment and grading criteria, including how and where the activity took place
Kirstie connected the mouse, keyboard and monitor and then put the cage back on. She was then able to log back in successfully.  Kirstie can demonstrate where the graphics card is. She can also explain that the graphics card connects to the monitor through a wire which is how we get pictures on the screen. She was able to install MS Office 2003 and MS security essentials. Also, she could create a user account and configure system software, application software and documents.
Witness name	Victoria Slaven		Job role	Student
Witness signature			Date	16/10/14
Assessor name	Phil Wilkinson
Assessor signature			Date	16/10/14

Unit 2, Task 2, P6

Witness statement
Learner name		Kirstie Little
Qualification		BTEC National 1st certificate in IT
Unit number and title		Unit 2.2 computer systems.
Assignment		Set up and maintain a computer system
Description of activity undertaken (please be as specific as possible)
Task 2 (P6) Using the computer system provided: Change the icon size to large Change the font size to large colour/background to red
Assessment and grading criteria
P6.configure a computer system to meet user needs For P6, learners must configure some basic system settings, such as left and right mouse buttons, powersaving options, screen resolution, desktop theme, font size, default language setting, default folder locations etc.
How the activity meets the requirements of the assessment and grading criteria, including how and where the activity took place
Kirstie was able to change the icon size to large, change the font size to large and change the background to red. To change the icon size, she went onto her documents and clicked on the drop down menu and selected 'large icons'. To change the font size, Kirstie right clicked on the background and selected the personalise option. This also allowed her to change the background colour.
Witness name	Victoria Slaven		Job role	Student
	MB
Witness signature			Date	16/10/14
Assessor name	Phil Wilkinson
Assessor signature			Date	16/10/14

Unit 2, Task 3, P3

Security virus protection - Virus protection software is designed to prevent viruses, worms and trojan horses from getting onto a computer. They also remove any software that has infected a computer. Most virus protection utilities now have anti-spyware and anti-malware to go along with the anti-virus protection. Internet security systems include additional capabilities like anti-spam , anti-phishing, firewall, file protection and PC optimization. Viruses can allow hackers to access your files. The hacker is then able to take over your computer system. Updates should be done regularly on your anti-virus software in order to prevent hackers finding new ways to get into your computer.

Clean up tools for removal of cookies - Clean up tools improve a computer’s performance. They deleted all unwanted files and make sure that your hard drive is organised. By removing cookies, it means that your computer will run faster. You can also delete your internet history which will free up disk space and improve the performance of your computer. The recycle bin is a clean up tool and is built in to most computers. The recycle bin is used to permanently remove files and delete items from your hard drive. You should perform scheduled defragmentation on a regular basis in order to keep your computer’s performance at a high standard. Defragmenting your hard drive after deleting unnecessary and unwanted files will arrange files on your hard drive so that they are easier to access.

Drive formatting - Drive formatting is used to get rid of all data on the hard drive however sometimes the data can be retrieved. This is only used for sensitive information and a military level formatting is used to ensure that files can be retrieved. Disk formatting tools can be used to part drives into different areas so that they can be formatted into different file formats such as NTFS.