PhotoScape

Creating and Manipulating Images Using PhotoScape

There are plenty of image manipulation tools but if you are going to create a website, you have to use the one which is efficient. PhotoScape is a good tool because it is feasible for beginners and advanced users alike.

On PhotoScape’s main screen, you will see the many features it has that you can use for creating web content as follows:

Viewer - as the name implies, is a picture viewer with features the same with most image viewers like changing image orientation.

Editor - alters the appearance of a single image

Batch Editor - alters the appearance of multiple images

Page - arranges several photos to create a single one; similar to a mosaic

Combine - links several images together to form a bigger image

Animated GIF - allows you to create an animated GIF from several pictures

Print - readies picture for printing

Splitter - divides a single photo into multiple parts

Screen Capture - captures the screen and saves it

Color Picker - grabs a pixel from your screen to be used in editing

Raw Converter - converts RAW images (uncompressed images usually from digital camera) to JPEG

Rename - allows you to rename a batch of photos

Paper Print - useful tool for printing your own calendars, sheets, lined paper, graph paper, etc.

For this lesson, we will only focus on the ones that we can use for our future website project: the Editor and Batch Edit

Editor Edit

1. Open PhotoScape then choose editor.
2. Choose the folder where the image you want to manipulate is located using the file explorer on the upper left.
3. Once you have selected the folder, you will see a preview of all images found on that folder at the bottom of the file explorer.
4. From the preview, select the image you want to use. The image now be shown on a much bigger preview inside your work area similar to what is shown below.
5. Notice the properties of the image like the file name, the image size (in pixels), and the file size found on the bottom of the preview.

     6. Manipulate the image using the tools on the bottom.

Home Tab – this is where you can add a frame, resize, sharpen, and add filters and effects to your image



Objects Tab – this is where you can place a wide variety images like texts, shapes, and symbols





Crop – this is where the various tools can be found in order to properly crop an image to desirable size



Tools – includes other tools like red eye correction, mole removal, mosaic effect, and brush tools. For more information about the tool, simply click it and a tip will be displayed describing how to use it.







7. Click SAVE located on the lower right of the program. The SAVE AS dialog box will appear. Save it in your activities folder with the file name editorexer.jpg. Check the file size and see how much space you save.

Batch Edit

            Batch editing is one of the most useful tools when trying to easily manipulate all image at the same time. This is most useful when you create a gallery of photos for a website. You can make their sizes uniform to what you have specified. For this exercise, you will need to take at least ten pictures and save in your desired folder. It is highly recommended that your photos share the same orientation (portrait or landscape)

1. Select the folder where your photos are located, then on the Preview window, drag the photos you want to be part of the batch edit to the work area (center).
2. Use the tool on the right to edit your photo. This is similar to the options in edit except the Crop and Tools tab which are replays by the Filters tab. The Filters tab is used to add a certain filter that will apply to all your photos.
3. Resize the pictures so that they do not exceed 800 pixels in width. Add filters if you want. 
4. Click on Convert All button found on the upper right.
   
5. The Save dialog box will appear that will allow you to change the location, the name of the images, and the file type. Since we are working on photographs, we are going to keep it as JPEG. For this exercise, save the batch images in a new folder labeled as “batch” inside your resource folder.

Combatting Cybercrimes

There are several ways the authorities can help solve or prevent cybercrimes. Here are some of them:

1. Network Security. Before a hacker can get through the unauthorized files he or she is targeting, the hacker has to get through several security measures like firewalls, secure connections, passwords, anti-malwares, and data encryptions. Encryption is the process of converting raw data into code. However, these methods are not 100% secure and there will always be a way for a hacker to hack.
2. Investigation. URL tracing and logging are used by websites to track your unique IP addresses. This can be used by investigators to trace hackers. In piracy, trackers are used to identify IP addresses currently sharing a pirated file.
3. Penalties. More and more laws are being created and implemented today. Penalties include both a fine and imprisonment.

Spreadsheet Programs

There are several popular options for spreadsheet programs. Choose from one of the following based on your computer and Internet access.

1. Microsoft Office's Excel

Use Microsoft Office's Excel program. This is most commonly used by businesses who buy a license for all of the computers in their office. It is user friendly and there is a large amount of helpful advice for its use available on the Internet.

2. Apache Open Office

Download Apache Open Office. This is the open source spreadsheet program based in many ways on Microsoft Excel. Many of the Excel tutorials can help you use Open Office Calc. The program is free for personal use.



3. Google Docs/Drive Spreadsheet

Use Google Docs/Drive spreadsheet program. If you want cloud access to your spreadsheet or multiple users who can edit, then this is the best choice. This is a free service associated with your Google account. Go to Google.com/Drive

4. Apple's iWork

Use Apple's iWork program. The spreadsheet program is called "Numbers." It may not be as powerful of a program as other spreadsheets, but it will work for most people who are using them for personal use.

Cybercrime Law in the Philippines

The Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, officially recorded as Republic Act No. 10175, is a law in the Philippines approved on September 12, 2012. It aims to address legal issues concerning online interactions and the Internet in the Philippines.

The Disadvantages of ICT

Cybercrimes are illegal acts done through the use of the internet. People all over the world use the Internet to commit a host of crimes, some of which the public doesn't even know are capable of being done electronically.

1. Phishing and Spoofing

Spoofing attack is when a malicious party impersonates another device or user on a network in order to launch attacks against network hosts, steal data, spread malware or bypass access controls. There are several different types of spoofing attacks that malicious parties can use to accomplish this.

Phishing is the attempt to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details (and sometimes, indirectly, money), often for malicious reasons, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.

Difference Between Phishing and Spoofing

    

        The misconception that phishing and spoofing are synonymous, based on nothing more than aesthetic similarities, pervades the Internet. Phishing and spoofing are clearly different beneath the surface. One downloads malware to your computer or network, and the other tricks you into giving up sensitive financial information to a cyber crook. Phishing is a method of retrieval, while spoofing is a means of delivery.

2. Blackmail/Extortion                                              

Extortion (also called blackmail, shakedown, out wresting, and exaction) is a criminal offence of unlawfully obtaining money, property, or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Using the Internet to threaten to cause damage with the intent to extort from any person any money or other thing of value.

3. Accessing Stored Communications 

 

Accessing Stored Communications or hacking; Intentionally accessing, without authorization, a facility through which an electronic communication service is provided. The act of obtaining unauthorized access to data from computer network. This is typically done to commercial and government sites to threaten its owner. In late 2015, a group of Anonymous Philippines  hacked the Twitter account of actress Maine Mendoza, who plays the famous character Yaya Dub of the popular AlDub tandem and posted links and messages on the account.

4. Sports Betting

Sports Beating is engaging in the business of betting or wagering on any sporting event or contest over the Internet. In some countries, gambling (including sports betting) is illegal even if you are doing it over the Internet.

5. Non-Delivery of Merchandise

Devising any scheme to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, or promises, and using the Internet for the purpose of executing the scheme. The non-delivery scam occurs when the scammer places an item up for sale when there is actually no item at all. The item is subsequently never delivered to the buyer after they purchase the item.

6. Electronic/ Cyber Harassment

Cyber harassment refers to online harassment. Cyber harassment or bullying is the use of email, instant messaging, and derogatory websites to bully or otherwise harass an individual or group through personal attacks. Cyber harassment can be in the form of flames, comments made in chat rooms, sending of offensive or cruel e-mail, or even harassing others by posting on blogs or social networking sites. Cyber harassment is often difficult to track as the person responsible for the acts of cyber harassment remains anonymous while threatening others online. This usually applies to school-age children.

7. Child Pornography

Using the Internet to transmit child pornography. Child pornography is distributed nowadays mainly through the Internet. Child pornography are produced not only on a professional scale by commercial providers, but also privately using victims from the producer’s own environment, from the exploitation of children by clients of child prostitutes. Child pornography is sold over commercial websites and also exchanged in closed groups or via peer-to-peer networks. Criminal groups also use the Internet to make big money selling child pornography. 

8. Prostitution

Persuading, inducing, enticing, or coercing any individual to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution.The internet has become one of the preferred methods of communication for prostitution, as clients and prostitutes are less vulnerable to arrest or assault and for its convenience

9. Drug Trafficking

Delivering, distributing, or dispensing a controlled substance by means of the Internet. Darknet markets are used to buy and sell recreational drugs online. Some drug traffickers use encrypted messaging tools to communicate with drug mules. The dark web site Silk Road was a major online marketplace for drugs before it was shut down by law enforcement (then reopened under new management, and then shut down by law enforcement again)

10. Criminal Copyright Infringement

Criminal Copyright Infringement, the act of piracy mainly for financial gain. In late 2014, the number one pirate website, The PirateBay, was raided for the second time due to years of pirating movies, music, games, books, and other software. These kinds of websites earn money through advertsing.