Testing the computer program

There are two kinds of errors or bugs with which programmers mast deal. The first type is the coding error. Such errors are syntax errors that prevent the language processor from translating successfully the source program to object program code. The language processor identifies the nature and the location of the error on the source program listing, so these errors are relatively easy to find and correct.

The second type of bug is the logic error. The computer program can be successfully translated, but the program does not produce the desired results. These errors are generally much more difficult to find and to correct than coding errors. Logic errors can be avoided through careful planning of the program logic, but it is the programmer’s responsibility to test thoroughly all of the program functions, in order to verify that the program performs according to specifications.

There are many tools provided to the programmer to help in debugging the program logic. These tools are called debug packages or tracing routines. They assist the programmer in following the logic by printing out calculation results and field values used in making logic decisions in the program. In a few cases it may be necessary to use a memory dump – a printout of the instructions and date held in the computer memory – in order to find the cause of logic errors.

Task 15

How would you describe what the Internet is? Discuss it with your partner.

Task 16

Match the terms and their definitions.

a) Internet

b) World Wide Web

c) e-mail

1. A global network connecting millions of computers.

2. The transmission of messages over communications networks.

3. A system of Internet servers that support specially formatted documents.

Task 17

Now read the text and try to describe the Internet again using the key vocabulary in bold type.

Believe it or not, the Internet was created way back in 1969, during the Cold War, by the United States military. It was meant to be a "nuke-proof"(1) communications network. Today, the Internet spreads across the globe and consists of countless networks and computers, allowing millions of people to share information. Data that travels long distances on the Internet is transferred on huge lines known collectively as the Internet backbone. The Internet is now maintained by the Internet service pro-viders.

Many people think the Internet and the World Wide Web are the same thing. They're not! The World Wide Web is what you are browse. It is one of the many features of the Internet. E-mail, FTP(2), and Instant Messaging (3) are also features of the Internet.

(1) "nuke-proof" витривалий до впливу ядерної зброї

(2) FTP File Transfer Protocol протокол передачі файлів (використовується в мережі між хост-комп’ютерами)

(3) Instant Messaging система миттєвої передачі текстових повідомлень

Task 18

Interview your partners if they surf the Internet. Use the questions given below.

1. Do you often surf the Internet? Which websites do you usually visit?

2. Do you download any programs from the Internet? If so, what are they?

3. Do you belong to any chat forum? Why? / Why not?

4. What feature of the Internet do you consider the most attractive? Why?

5. What is netiquette?

Task 19

Read the passage below and think if you always follow the netiquette. Why? / Why not? Discuss it with your partner.

Netiquette, or net etiquette, refers to etiquette on the Internet. Good netiquette involves respecting others' privacy and not doing anything online that will annoy or frustrate other people. Three areas where good netiquette is highly stressed are e-mail, online chat, and newsgroups. For example, people that spam other users with unwanted e-mails or flood them with messages have very bad netiquette. You don't want to be one of those people. If you're new to a newsgroup or online chat room, it may help to observe how people communicate with each other before jumping in.

Task 20

Think of good and bad points of the Internet and fill in the table. You can work either individually or in pairs.

Advantages of the Internet	Disadvantages of the Internet

Task 21

Do the crossword.

1. Electronic messages sent to someone over the Internet.

2. Copy information from a web site to your own computer.

3. The place on the Internet where a company/organization/etc stores its documents.

4. A system linking millions of documents stored on Internet computers around the world.

5. Move form one document or web site to another, to find information.

6. Text, image or button that connects to other destination on the web.

7. A device that makes connecting to the Internet possible.

8. A group of computers joined together.

9. Now provide your own definition.

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1	o	o	o	o	o	o	o	o
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Task 22

Fill in the gaps and retell the joke in indirect speech.