AS Level ICT

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AS Level ICT

• Selection and use of input devices and input
  media Capturing transaction data

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Selecting suitable input methods

• An ideal solution to the inputting of data would
  make it
• Automatic
• Fast
• Cheap
• Accurate
• When entering transaction data, these ideals
  become necessities rather than being priorities

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Transaction data capture devices

• The most common types of transaction data capture
  devices are
• Readers (including magnetic strip readers,
  barcode readers, optical character
  readers/recognition, magnetic ink character
  readers/recognition, and optical mark
  readers/recognition)
• Touch screens
• Terminals (including hand-held, EPOS, and EFTPOS
  terminals)

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Magnetic strip readers

• The most common magnetic tape readers are those
  used at electronic points of sale (EPOS)
  terminals
• These read the personal data stored on the
  magnetic strip of a credit or debit card

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Magnetic strip readers

• The encoded on the magnetic tape on a credit or
  debit card includes
• The account number
• The expiry date of the card
• Security data

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Magnetic strip readers - Advantages

• The advantages of using magnetic strip input are
• Fewer errors data does not need to be keyed in
• Added security the encoded security details are
  not visible and this reduces (but does not
  remove) the possibility of fraud
• It is fast the data on the magnetic strip is
  read almost instantly

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Magnetic strip readers - Disadvantages

• The disadvantages of using magnetic strip input
  are
• The strips can be damaged by scratching (e.g. if
  it is not stored properly between usages) or
  magnetic fields (e.g. if placed near a CRT
  computer terminal or mobile phone)
• Credit and debit cards can be lost or stolen
  (often with information such as the PIN
  Personal Identification Number - that will
  enable the thief or finder to access the card)

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Magnetic strip readers - Disadvantages
What has been added to most credit and debit
cards to improve the level of security? What
changes has this additional security made to the
process of accessing data stored on magnetic
strips?
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Touch screen

• The touch screen is a special type of screen
  which is sensitive to touch
• Selections can be made by touching the screen
• These are particularly useful in banks, building
  societies, and shops, where customers who are not
  used to using a keyboard can interact with a
  computer system
• They are also used in some satellite navigation
  systems where a keyboard would be difficult or
  dangerous to use

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Touch screen
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Barcode readers

• Barcodes are used
• In supermarkets to record what stock has been
  delivered and then sold
• In warehouses as part of the stock control system
• In parcel tracking systems
• As a means for libraries to link users to books
  borrowed and returned
• On luggage labels at airports and docks

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Barcode readers

• The lines on a barcode represent numbers, and can
  be scanned very quickly using a laser scanner

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Barcode readers - Advantages

• The advantages of barcode readers are
• Speed of input a barcode reader can read a
  barcode much faster than a human can input the
  same data
• Accuracy unless the barcode is damaged (e.g.
  folded or torn) it can be read correctly
• Cheapness barcodes can be printed directly onto
  packaging or labels

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Barcode readers - Disadvantages

• The disadvantages of barcode readers are
• They can only read numbers expressed in the form
  of different thicknesses and combinations of
  lines
• The system can be expensive to set up and
  maintain (e.g. barcode readers have to be
  installed at the tills in shops they then
  require a computer system with suitable
  software installed to operate)

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POS terminals

• POS (Point Of Sale) terminals come in a variety
  of forms
• Touch screen displays (e.g. ticket machines at
  cinemas and railway stations)
• Keyboards (e.g. concept keyboards in fast food
  restaurants)
• Magnetic strip readers (e.g. chip and pin
  payment machines in shops)
• Barcode readers (e.g. automatic tills in
  supermarkets)

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POS terminals

• Barcode reader
• Touch screen
• Magnetic strip reader

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POS terminals

• EPOS (Electronic Point Of Sale) and EFTPOS
  (Electronic Fund Transfer at Point Of Sale)
  terminals are connected, via secure Internet
  connections, to the computers of the main banks
  and credit card companies
• EPOS and EFTPOS allow a retailer to transfer the
  cost of what they have sold to a customer from
  the customers credit card or bank account to
  their own bank account

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POS terminals

• This is much faster than accepting payment by
  cheque, and more secure than accepting payment in
  cash
• It also gives the retailer an opportunity to
  collect information about their customers, and to
  develop individual customer profiles (i.e. know
  what an individual customer may want to buy)
• This helps to retailer to target individual
  customers with special offers etc

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AS Level ICT

• Selection and use of input devices and input
  media Capturing transaction data