Understanding Computers — Chapter 8

Easy Notes with Daily Life Examples

Slide 35 — Evaluating Search Results

When you search on Google, how do you know if a website is trustworthy? Here's what to check:
• Does the title match what you're looking for?
• Is the website from a real company or organization (like .gov, .edu)?
– Check the AUTHOR — who wrote it?
– Check the SOURCE — is it reliable or biased?
– Check the DATE — old articles may have outdated info!
• Always double-check with a second website
📌 Daily Life Example: You Google 'best medicine for fever.' One site is [Link] and another is a
random blog from 2008. Trust [Link] — it's a reliable source with a recent date!

Slide 36 — Citing Internet Resources

Citing means giving credit to whoever wrote the information you used. It prevents plagiarism (copying
without permission).
A proper citation must include:
• Author — who wrote it
• Date of publication — when it was written
• Title of the article or web page
• 'Retrieved' statement — the date YOU found it, and the URL (website address)
📌 Daily Life Example: You used an article for your assignment from BBC News. You write: Smith,
J. (2023, May 10). How AI is changing jobs. BBC News. Retrieved May 28, 2026, from
[Link]/...

Slide 37 — Citation Table (APA Style Examples)

Different types of internet content have different citation formats:
• Web page article (magazine) → cite author, date, title, site name, URL
• Journal article → include journal name, volume, pages, URL
• Web page with no author → start with article title
• Email → personal communication, listed only in text — NOT in reference list
📌 Daily Life Example: Citing a WhatsApp message your professor sent you? That's a 'personal
communication' — you mention it in your essay but don't add it to your bibliography!

Slide 38 — Quick Quiz

• Q1: Which search type lets you SELECT a category? → Answer: b) Directory Search
 • Q2: 'trailer NOT horse' finds horse trailers? → Answer: FALSE — it EXCLUDES horse-related
pages
• Q3: Program search engines use to find pages = ___? → Answer: Search Engine
📌 Daily Life Example: Directory search = like a restaurant menu where you pick a category
(Burgers, Pizza, etc.). Keyword search = like telling the waiter exactly what you want!

Slide 39 — Beyond Browsing: Instant & Text Messaging

Email isn't the only way to communicate online. There are faster options:

Instant Messaging (IM)

• Real-time back-and-forth chat
• Example of presence technology (you can see if someone is online)

Text Messaging (SMS)

• Used on mobile phones
• Short Message Service = SMS
• Replacing email for personal/casual chats
• Can be sent to a group
📌 Daily Life Example: WhatsApp is IM + group messaging. When you see a green dot next to your
friend's name, that's 'presence technology' — it tells you they're online right now!

Slide 40 — How It Works: Geofencing

Geofencing = drawing a virtual boundary around a real-world location on a map.
• A form of geobrowsing (location-based services)
• Businesses can set up geofences
– When a customer enters/exits the zone → business gets a notification (location-based
marketing)
– You can set personal reminders based on location (e.g., 'remind me to buy milk when near
the store')
📌 Daily Life Example: You walk near McDonald's and suddenly get a notification on your phone:
'Special Deal: Buy 1 Get 1 Free today!' That's geofencing — they detected you're nearby and sent
you a targeted ad!

Slide 41 — Beyond Browsing: Twitter & Social Networking

Social media offers quick ways to share updates with the world:

Twitter (now X)
• Users post short updates called tweets
• Used in both personal and business life
• Other platforms offer similar status updates (Facebook posts, Instagram captions)
 📌 Daily Life Example: A celebrity posts 'Just won the award!' on Twitter and millions see it in
seconds. Businesses use it too — like airlines tweeting about flight delays so passengers know
instantly!

Slide 42 — Beyond Browsing: Forums & VoIP

Forums
• A web page where people post messages on a topic and others reply

VoIP — Voice over Internet Protocol

• Making phone calls over the Internet instead of traditional phone lines
• Computer to computer (Skype, WhatsApp calls)
• More permanent VoIP setups replace landline phones
• Very cheap — as low as $25/month
• WARNING: Does NOT work if your internet or power goes out!
📌 Daily Life Example: When you call your friend on WhatsApp for free — that's VoIP! The call
travels over the internet, not the phone network. Cheap calls to other countries use the same
technology!

Slide 43 — VoIP Diagram (How It Works)

Step 1: Your conventional phone plugs into a VoIP adapter, which connects to a broadband modem.
Step 2: Your call travels as internet data to the other person's phone.
📌 Daily Life Example: Think of it like sending a voice message as a WhatsApp audio note — but it
happens in real-time so it feels like a normal call!

Slide 44 — Web Conferences & Webinars

Web Conference
• A face-to-face meeting held over the internet (video call)
• Done via PC or mobile phone
• Used by individuals and businesses
• Great for meetings with people in different cities or countries
📌 Daily Life Example: During COVID, school moved to Zoom — that was a web conference!
Companies use Google Meet or Teams to hold meetings with employees working from home in
different countries.
Slide 45 — Webinar, Webcast & Social Media
Webinar
• An online seminar — like attending a lecture via internet

Webcast
• A one-way presentation broadcast online (you watch, can't interact)

Social Networking Site

• A site where a community shares info and communicates (Facebook, Instagram)

Social Media
• The collection of all social networking sites and online communication channels
📌 Daily Life Example: Webinar = online class where you can ask questions. Webcast = watching
a live sports match online — you see it but can't interact with the players!

Slide 46 — Social Media Uses & Safety

What can you do on social media?
• Share info about yourself (Facebook)
• Connect with people in your city or neighborhood
• Check in to locations (tell people where you are)
• Sign in to other websites using social media accounts
• Market your business
Safety Tips:
• Be careful — don't share too much personal info
• Colleges and employers CHECK your social media!
• Delete anything embarrassing before applying for jobs/colleges
📌 Daily Life Example: You post a party photo in college. Three years later, a company looks at
your Instagram before hiring you. They see it and don't call you back. That's why digital reputation
matters!

Slide 47 — Social Networks Integrated Into Websites

Many websites now allow you to log in using your Facebook or Google account instead of creating a
new account.
• LOGIN: Sign in with Facebook or Twitter on other sites
• SHARE: Share web content via social media directly
📌 Daily Life Example: When you open a new app and it says 'Continue with Google' — that's
social network integration! It saves you from creating yet another username and password.
Slide 48 — Online Shopping & Investing
Online Shopping
• Buying products or services over the Internet (Amazon, Daraz)

Online Auction
• Bidding for items — highest bidder wins (eBay)

Online Banking
• Doing your banking activities online (check balance, transfer money)

Online Investing
• Buying and selling stocks via the web
📌 Daily Life Example: You order food on Foodpanda (online shopping), bid on a vintage watch on
eBay (auction), pay bills via your bank app (online banking), and buy shares via Robinhood (online
investing). All from your phone!

Slide 49 — Online Entertainment: Music, TV & Movies

Online Music
• Streaming or downloading music via the web (Spotify, YouTube)

Online TV, Videos & Movies

• Videos watched or downloaded via the web
• Live or recorded TV shows (YouTube Live, Netflix)
• Feature films available via web (Amazon Prime)
• Video-on-Demand (VoD) — download movies on demand
• IPTV — Internet Protocol TV, content goes straight to your TV
📌 Daily Life Example: You watch a movie on Netflix tonight — that's VoD (Video-on-Demand).
Your cable box that runs internet channels is IPTV. Spotify playing your playlist = online music
streaming!

Slide 50 — Online Entertainment (Hulu / VoD Screenshot)

This slide shows examples of online TV platforms. Hulu, Netflix, and similar sites let you:
• Watch TV shows and movies online for free (ad-supported) or paid
• Rent or purchase movies via Video-on-Demand
• Stream to computer, phone, tablet, or TV
📌 Daily Life Example: Your family has no cable TV but subscribes to Netflix and YouTube
Premium. All content comes via internet — that's online entertainment replacing traditional TV!
Slide 51 — Technology & You: High Tech Workouts
• Video workout apps available for smartphones and tablets
• Usually streamed via the internet
• Some are free; others need a subscription
• Smart devices for fitness: watches that record data, smart scales
📌 Daily Life Example: You use a YouTube workout video every morning on your phone. Your
Apple Watch counts your steps and heart rate. Your smart scale shows your weight trend on an
app. All high-tech workout tools!

Slide 52 — Online Entertainment: Online Gaming

Online Gaming
• Playing games via the web (mobile games, PC games online)
• Web-based games, multiplayer games (PUBG, Fortnite, etc.)
• Often linked to Internet Addiction: unable to stop internet use even when it interferes with life

Gamification
• Using gaming elements (points, rewards, levels) in NON-game situations
• Used for customer engagement, employee motivation, learning apps
📌 Daily Life Example: You use Duolingo to learn English — it gives you points, streaks, and
badges. That's gamification! It feels like a game but you're actually learning. PUBG played with
online strangers worldwide = online gaming.

Slide 53 — Online News, Reference & Information

Online News
• From websites of TV networks, newspapers, magazines (BBC, CNN, Dawn)
• Updated constantly throughout the day
• Many papers are dropping print and going web-only (cheaper)
• News archives available — sometimes with a fee
📌 Daily Life Example: You read Dawn News on your phone instead of buying a newspaper. That's
online news! Old news articles from 2005 are in their archive — some are free, some require a paid
account.

Slide 54 — Reference Sites & Portal Pages

Reference Sites
• Provide useful specific information: phone books, weather, maps, encyclopedias, dictionaries
Portal Web Page
• Designed to be your browser's homepage
• Can be customized with your preferences
📌 Daily Life Example: [Link] is a portal — it's the page you open your browser on, has
search, news, weather, and you can customize it. Wikipedia is a reference site — you go there for
quick encyclopedia-like info!

Slide 55 — RSS Feeds & Podcasts

RSS Feeds (Really Simple Syndication)
• A news tool that delivers new web content to subscribers automatically as it's published

Podcasts
• Recorded audio or video file — played or downloaded via the web
• Made by individuals or businesses
• Used to share knowledge, opinions, poems, songs, short stories
• Usually uploaded on a regular schedule
📌 Daily Life Example: You subscribe to a news RSS feed — every time BBC publishes an article,
it automatically appears in your RSS reader app. Podcasts = like radio shows you can download
and listen to anytime. Spotify podcasts are a perfect example!

Slides 56–57 — Product, Government & Other Online Info

• Huge amount of product and government info available online:
– Product specs, instruction manuals, tax forms, government publications, legislative bills
• Non-profit organizations, conservation groups, political parties also share info online
📌 Daily Life Example: You need to file your taxes — the FBR website (Federal Board of Revenue)
has all the tax forms free online. You buy a new TV and download the manual from Samsung's
website. No paper needed!

Slide 58 — Trend Box: Internet of Things (IoT)

• IoT = everyday objects connected to and identified on the Internet
• Also called Machine-to-Machine (M2M)
• Examples: smart shoes with sensors, fitness devices, home automation, smart farm equipment,
smart traffic lights
• Devices talk to each other and give feedback to users
• Early uses: home automation (smart bulbs, thermostats) and wearable tech
📌 Daily Life Example: Your Google Home speaker turns off your lights when you say 'Goodnight.'
Your smart thermostat learns your schedule and adjusts temperature automatically. Your fitness
band tracks sleep and shares it with your phone. All IoT!
Slide 59 — Trend Box: IoT in Action (Nike FuelBand)
The FuelBand was an early IoT wearable:
• Worn on the wrist during the day
• Tracks your physical activity using motion sensors
• Syncs with your phone to show history and let you compare with friends
📌 Daily Life Example: Today's version: Fitbit, Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch. They count
steps, monitor heart rate, track sleep, and share everything to an app on your phone. That's IoT
wearable technology!

Slide 60 — Online Education

Online Education
• Using the internet to facilitate learning
• Web-based Learning Management Systems (LMS): deliver course content, assignments,
grades (e.g., Google Classroom, Moodle)
• Student Response Systems: students use phones/devices to answer quiz questions or polls live
during class
📌 Daily Life Example: Your university uses Google Classroom — you submit assignments, check
grades, and read lectures there. During class, your teacher uses Kahoot and you answer questions
on your phone. All online education tools!

Slide 61 — Online Education Continued

Web-Based Training (WBT)
• Any instruction delivered via the web
• Commonly used for employee training in companies

Distance Learning
• Students take classes from a different location than the teacher

Online Testing
• Taking exams via the internet
• Available for objective (MCQ) and performance-based exams
• Usually graded automatically by the system
• Cheating is a major concern
📌 Daily Life Example: You take an online quiz on Google Forms and see your score instantly —
that's online testing with automatic grading. Companies train new employees using video modules
online (WBT). MOOC platforms like Coursera = distance learning!
Slide 62 — Online Writing
Blogs
• A web page with short, frequently updated personal entries in chronological order

Wikis
• A collaborative web page anyone can edit and add to
• Wikipedia is the most famous wiki
• WARNING: Anyone can enter false info — always verify!

E-Portfolios
• A collection of a person's work accessible via the web
📌 Daily Life Example: Your teacher has a blog where she posts lesson summaries. Your class
creates a Wiki page about your school project together. You create an e-portfolio on LinkedIn to
show employers your projects and certificates!

Slide 63 — Censorship and Privacy Issues: Censorship

What is Censorship?
• Some countries block certain internet content
• Reasons: block political opposition, filter offensive material, protect national security
• Some countries try to regulate internet content
• Challenge: hard to define 'offensive' or 'indecent'
• Hard to balance protection vs freedom of speech
📌 Daily Life Example: In some countries, YouTube or Twitter is blocked by the government to
prevent people from seeing certain political content. In schools, social media sites are blocked to
keep students focused — that's a form of controlled censorship!

Slide 64 — Internet Filtering

• Using software or browser settings to block specific websites or types of pages
• Used by individuals, schools, employers, and public libraries
• Can use browser built-in settings OR special software (e.g., Net Nanny)
• Works on both computers AND mobile devices
📌 Daily Life Example: A school installs filtering software that blocks YouTube and gaming sites on
school Wi-Fi. Parents use Net Nanny on their child's phone to block adult content. You set up
parental controls on your home router — all internet filtering!
Slide 65 — Web Browsing Privacy & Cookies
Web Browsing Privacy
• Covers what info about you is available online, how it's used, and who sees it

Cookies
• Small files stored on your computer by a web server
• Used to recognize you when you return to a site
• Can track your browsing activity
• Can be personal (your name) or non-personal (just a number)
• You can view, delete, or block cookies in browser settings
📌 Daily Life Example: You visit Amazon, look at headphones but don't buy them. Later on
YouTube, you see an ad for those exact headphones. That's cookies tracking your browsing and
showing targeted ads!

Slide 66 — Cookie Prompts

When websites ask 'Do you allow cookies?' — that's a cookie prompt.
• Selecting 'Prompt' means you'll accept or reject each cookie request manually
• Selecting 'Allow All' lets all cookies through
• Selecting 'Block All' rejects all tracking
📌 Daily Life Example: Every time you visit a European website and it says 'We use cookies —
Accept or Decline?' — that's the cookie prompt! Europe has strict laws (GDPR) requiring websites
to ask permission before tracking you.

Slide 67 — Spyware & Adware

Spyware
• Software secretly installed WITHOUT your knowledge
• Sends your data through your internet connection without permission
• Used by advertisers for marketing data
• Also used by criminals to steal personal info from your computer

Adware
• Software supported by showing ads on your screen
• Often bundled with free apps
• Does NOT collect your information
• Is installed with your (sometimes unknowing) consent
📌 Daily Life Example: You download a free game and suddenly your browser has a new toolbar
and shows pop-up ads — that's adware! If someone hacks your computer and secretly sends your
passwords elsewhere — that's spyware. Very dangerous!
Slide 68 — E-Mail Privacy
• Only encrypted email can be truly private
• Your employer and ISP (internet provider) can read emails sent through their systems
• Businesses and ISPs keep archives of emails
📌 Daily Life Example: If you use your company email to send personal messages, your boss CAN
legally read them. Even deleted emails can be recovered from archives. Always use personal email
for private matters!

✅ End of Chapter 8 Notes — Good luck with your exam!