• Why user documentation is important?
o What are ‘standards organisations’?
o What is ISO?
o What is IEC?
o What is Standards Australia?
• The purpose of user documentation?
• What to include in user documentation?
• Types of user documentation?
• Tips for writing and designing effective user documentation? Please include Content Features and Layout Features.
• What are Developer Tools?
• What is Quality Assurance (QA)?
Who reviews the user documentation?
What is the review process?
What do the reviewers review?
Analysing the feedback?
Version control?
Documentation sign off
Who signs off?
The sign off process?
Produce a discussion paper that lists the benefits and disadvantages of the three operating systems. Use the discussion outline below as a guide for what to include.
Follow this discussion outline for the points and arguments that you should include in your discussion paper. Research information given in Learning Pack 1 and any suitable websites to substantiate your points.
• Identify the purposes of an operating system and also include the basic functions of operating systems. Try to be generic in your approach to the purpose and functions of operating systems, that is, identify generally the features and disadvantages that are common to all operating systems, not just Windows XP, Apple and Linux.
• Discuss why In Designs would need a multi user/multi tasking system and the benefits gained from using such a system instead of other types of systems. Ensure you name those other systems.
• ??Discuss in your own words why memory management is important.
• Discuss in your document the reason for having virtual memory and why it is important.
• Produce a table for the client that shows the major differences/similarities, pointing out advantages and disadvantages, between the three operating systems. Be aware that some of the features of each system could be the same.
• Ensure that you note in your document, any references to websites, magazines, journals that you have used or quoted from.
• Your company wishes to purchase a new software package. What are three sources you might use to gather information about the packages which are available?
• What is a ‘benchmark’?
• You are required to provide a recommendation for a printer for your office. What are five technical specifications you will use to compare different printers? Give a brief explanation of each technical specification?
Apart from technical specifications for computer software or hardware, what other criteria are used to assess the options and provide recommendations?
Practice
• Select a video editing software package suitable for your operating platform?
• Use the Internet to determine the minimum system requirements for the software to run?
• Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5 that you can research?
• Apple Final Cut Pro HD that you can research
• Select an appropriate hard drive for an IDE (ATA) interface, 80GB capacity, to be installed in a desktop PC?
• Note the model number, name and interface for a hard drive/s you’ve selected?
• Give a brief description of considerations that Seagate recommend that you look at when selecting a hard drive. Give typical values for a disk drive suitable for a desktop PC?
Why is it important to have an installation schedule when implementing new computer systems?
Why is it important to consult your clients when proposing or preparing to install (new) operating systems?
Why is it important to document the installation process?
Why is it important to minimise disruption to your client when installing an operating system?
Should you have a disaster and recovery plan when installing a new operating system?
Identify some of the major points to consider when devising an installation schedule?
What is ‘cloning software’ and why could it be helpful when installing new operating systems?

What is ‘open source’?
To install the Windows XP operating system you can use:
• The xp CD-ROM to boot from
• a pervious verision of windows and a upgrade disk
• a set of boot disks created from the
• all of the above
Preview
In this Learning Pack you will develop the knowledge and skills to use different system tools which can optimise (improve) an operating system’s performance. These tools can help to make the system run smoother, improve system reliability and performance, and secure the system against possible problems.
Most operating systems have a range of built-in tools that are used to enhance or test the performance of the system. Some are installed by the installation process, while others may come as secondary programs on the installation CD and can be added when needed. There are also a range of third party tools that can be sourced from various vendors or downloaded over the Internet. These optimisation tools, with similar functions, are available in most operating systems. They may simply be labelled different names.
learning outcomes
After completing this topic you will be able to:
• Identify and manage virtual memory.
• Optimize the system to meet organizational requirements.
Before your start
Before doing this topic it is helpful if you have installed an operating system. However, if you haven’t, you can still use the tools that are available on your own computer for whatever operating system you are using. You should also be able to identify the basic functions of operating systems and the different types of operating systems commonly in use within industries.
Check your understanding
Do you think you may already have the knowledge and skills covered in this topic? Test your knowledge by trying to answer the following questions.
Virtual memory
1. Grab a screen shot of the area on your operating system where you configure virtual memory.
2. Discuss why a computer needs virtual memory.
3. Discuss how you could change the settings in virtual memory.
4. Microsoft recommends that you allow Windows to manage virtual memory. Do you agree with this statement? Give reasons as to why or why not.
Defragging
• Discuss why a computer’s files become ‘defragged’ and what the consequences are of having defragmented files. Is there anything that can be done to stop this from happening? Explain what the process of ‘defragging’ does.
Additional requirements
• Ensure that you note in your document any references to websites, magazines or journals that you have used or quoted from.
What is virtual memory?
Do all windows-based systems use virtual memory?
What is the recommended minimum size for a swap file?
What is file ‘fragmentation’?
For what reason is the Event Viewer used in Windows?
What is a ‘share’?
Why is NTFS preferred over FAT/FAT32?
Defragging:
• Discuss why a computer’s files become ‘defragged’ and what the consequences are of having defragmented files. Is there anything that can be done to stop this from happening? Explain what the process of ‘defragging’ does
•
• Additional requirments :
• Ensure that you note in your document any references to websites, magazines or journals that you have used or quoted from
1. Provide a summary of the steps you would follow to configure a Windows 7 system to capture the appropriate information.
2. After testing the process by logging on and off as different users, provide screen dumps of the audit log information.
3. Write up your process and findings in a report, addressing the report requirements.
Questions:
True or false
The amount of administration you do on the network will depend upon the features provided in the operating system.
The service level agreement (SLA) covering network services should:
• Describe administration tasks in general ways to allow for flexibility
• Describe the need for external outsourcers
• Specify the way performance is to be measured
• Specify the exact tools to be used
What sources can be used to check on network administration issues?
List five activities that can be part of a network administration role.
The most common administration tools are normally:
• Purchased from a specialist vendor
• Downloaded from the Internet
• Part of the operating system
• Written by the organisation
Answer true or false.
• Network settings do not need to be documented since they are so easy to determine with administration tools.
In most networks the most basic permission that can be granted is:
• Owner
• Read
• Write
• Change
• Full Control
Network service packs that solve security issues should be added:
• As soon as they are available
• Once a year during maintenance
• Only when you suffer a problem on the network
• At the time of upgrading the operating system to a new version
Answer true or false.
Since network administration is a technical role, when presenting proposals to managers it is expected that the discussion will be technical.
Questions
List the information or network settings that can be recorded.
Answer true or false
Network settings do not need to be documented since they are so easy to determine with administration tools.
Answer true or false
The move to wireless networks will mean that cable schematics are no longer required.
What information may be documented about server settings?
A typical subnet mask would be:
• 255.255.0.0
• 127.0.0.0
• 125.125.0.0
• 0.0.0.1