ICT AQA C2 System Specifications

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System Specifications

        

        For my database to run efficiently, the luxury car dealership needs a computer with certain specifications in order to run the certain software. I have researched the necessary system requirements for the software I use to create and run databases. These programmes include the operating system (the OS) and the program I use to create the actual databases.

        

        Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate

        

  • 1Ghz 32-bit or 64-bit processor
  • 1GB of system memory
  • Direct X 10
  • 128Mb Graphics Card
  • 40GB HDD with 15GB of free space
  • DVD-ROM Drive
  • Audio Output Capability
  • Internet Access Capability
  • Keyboard and Microsoft mouse or compatible pointing device

Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007

  • 500-MHz or faster processor
  • 256Mb of RAM or greater
  • 2GB of Hard Drive Space
  • DVD Disc Drive
  • Windows Vista, Windows XP Home, Professional or Media Centre Edition with Service Pack 2
  • Super VGA (800x600) Monitor or greater
  • Broadband Connection
  • Programmes included are the 2007 versions of: Microsoft Access, Communicator, Excel, InfoPath, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher and Word.  

Microsoft Office includes all of the necessary programs for the car dealership’s database including Microsoft Access to create it and Microsoft Word for the mail merge. It is quite expensive but it is compatible with all documents and is a quality product, used by many businesses every day. I myself use these Microsoft Office programs so it is easier for me to create the database.

As well as Microsoft Office, there is also another type of software currently found on the internet and as a free download. The program is called “Star Office”. This is available for free from a website: www.sun.com, where you can download the program for free. The program can be linked with Microsoft Office, as there is a word processor (Microsoft Word), spreadsheets (Microsoft Excel), presentations (Microsoft PowerPoint), E-Mail Client (Microsoft Outlook) and Databases (Microsoft Access).

The system specifications of “Star Office” are:

  • 320Mb of Hard Drive Space
  • 128Mb of RAM
  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition/Professional/Media Center Edition 2005 with Service Pack 2
  • For Download from the Internet – Broadband Connection
  • For Installation by Disc – DVD Disc Drive

The advantages of using Star Office are that it is free from their website, it includes most of the functions from Microsoft Office and it does not take up a lot of space on the Hard Drive or RAM. The fact that the software is free is that is it not as good as Microsoft Office because it cannot open all the documents, which could be difficult for the dealership if they create a document on Microsoft Office (say from their home) and when they try to upload it onto the computer at work, it might not be able to open.

I decided to choose the Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007 for the company because it is a quality product and it is compatible with all documents. It is also the top of the range version with all of the necessary programs for the dealership, unlike Star Office. It is also much easier to use for both new and existing users of the dealership. However, it is quite expensive but the overall cost is less than using Star Office. The computer’s operating system is also made by Microsoft, which is a genuine company and are also the company who make Microsoft Office, so they are compatible. The company users may also have used Microsoft Office before so it would be familiar to them.

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The company have also asked me to purchase new computers that will benefit them. I have looked at several computer websites and tried to find a computer with at least the exact specifications shown above for Microsoft Windows Vista and Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007. As I have been with the knowledge of computers for a long time, I know which computer manufacturers to trust. I looked at several online stores including PC World, Currys Digital and Sony Centre Online and I have found two PC’s that meets my needs and the company itself.

        I chose Sony as the ...

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