2.7 Different types of software systems

Question 1

What is ‘Off the shelf’ software?

Answer 1

Piece of software which is available to purchase by anyone.
Commercially available and sold with full support of the manufacturer.

Question 2

What is ‘Bespoke’ software?

Answer 2

Custom made software for a given purpose.
Organization specifies to the programmers what they wish the system to do for a high price.

Question 3

What is ‘Open Source software?

Answer 3

Freely distributed without charge and the full source code is available.
Can be changed/customized to meet new requirements.

Question 4

What are 3 advantages of Open Source software?

Answer 4

Reliable as software is continually analysed and improved by a large community.
Removes any problems of incompatible formats.
Independence from the original authors.

Question 5

What are 3 examples of safety related systems?

Answer 5

Air Traffic Control, Auto-Pilots and Nuclear Power Stations

Question 6

What are 4 advantages of driverless trains?

Answer 6

No possibility of human error.
Obstruction can be detected ahead.
Maximum speed limit correctly followed.
No driver salaries therefore no sickness or lateness.

Question 7

What are 5 advantages of using robots for building cars?

Answer 7

Expensive to install but cheaper than humans over a long period of time.
More accurate and consistent.
Doesn’t get tired, can work 24/7 without breaks.
Can do processes which could be hazardous to human health.
Machine learning.

Question 8

What are 5 issues that could arise from using robots?

Answer 8

Human workers may be better at spotting impending problems/providing context.
May be redundancies of skilled workforce.
Jobs that remain will be deskilled.
Highly skilled jobs will be created for designers.
Machinery needs to learn from existing skilled workers.

Question 9

How are weather models created for forecasting?

Answer 9

Data such as rainfall, temperature and wind speed are fed into a computer.
Data is collected from thousands of sensors.
Data is then put into a mathematical model where calculations take place.
Predictions are then made based on the current conditions.

Question 10

What are 3 advantages of using powerful computers for weather forecasting?

Answer 10

The more up-to-date the model is, the more accurate the forecast is.
Parallel processing is used for the complex calculations.
Distributed processing enables computers to share the load and collaborate with other countries.

Question 11

What are 3 disadvantages of using powerful computers for weather forecasting?

Answer 11

Predictions are not always 100% accurate.
Equipment is extremely expensive.
Weather predictions cannot account for freak patterns.

Question 12

What is an expert system?

Answer 12

A software system with a large database and a built-in set of facts and rules which enables it to solve complex problems in an expert area with a human.

Question 13

What are 4 benefits for doctors from implementing an expert system?

Answer 13

Helps them diagnose/treat unusual conditions.
Saves the doctor’s time.
Reduce time spent training doctors.
Information is up-to-date.

Question 14

What is the main disadvantage for doctors using an expert system?

Answer 14

They may become over reliant on the system and become complacent.

Question 15

What are expert systems made up of?

Answer 15

Knowledge Base - database containing expert knowledge.
Rule Base - links knowledge together through facts.
Interference Engine - works out queries by using the rule base.
User Interface.

Question 16

What are search engines?

Answer 16

Used on the internet to locate specific information.
Types in keywords to display a list of results.

Question 17

What is Crawling?

Answer 17

Discovery process where search engines send out a team of robots (Crawlers) to find new and updated content.
The content is found by following links on webpages to find new URLs and then adding them to the index of discovered URLs.

Question 18

What is Indexing?

Answer 18

Search engines store the information they find in an index.
The index is a large database of all content that was discovered and deemed suitable to serve searchers.

Question 19

What is Ranking?

Answer 19

During a search, search engines look through their index for highly relevant content to solve the user’s query.
The higher a website is ranked, the more relevant the search engine believes it is to query.

Question 20

What is a Web Log?

Answer 20

A web log (blog) is a set of entries on the world wide web which is accessible to any web user.
Could be used by a student to add photos and videos to keep their friends up-to-date.

Question 21

What is Instant Messaging?

Answer 21

Real-time conversation with someone using internet technology.
When a message is sent, it appears on the recipients computer instantly.

Question 22

What is E-commerce?

Answer 22

The use of computer technology for commercial operations like sales or business.

Question 23

What are the big concerns regarding E-commerce?

Answer 23

Impersonal nature of E-commerce.
Effect on high streets - shops closing.
Effect on employment - shops closing.

Question 24

What is On-Line shopping?

Answer 24

A specific type of E-commerce where customers can access a website 24/7 to purchase items for delivery.

Question 25

What are 10 downsides of On-Line shopping?

Answer 25

Cannot try on items.
Lacks social aspect of shopping.
Need access to credit/debit card.
Can’t get the item immediately.
Sometimes delivery is charged.
Need to be at home when delivered.
Could get lost in the post.
Difficult to return the item.
Websites may be fraudulent.
Shops could close down as a result.

Question 26

What are 2 advantages of On-Line auctions?

Answer 26

Users can bid on items for sale and get them for a good price.
Can access items which might not be available in shops.

Question 27

What are 2 disadvantages of On-Line auctions?

Answer 27

Items may not be as advertised.
Seller might not post the items out on time.

Question 28

What is a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)?

Answer 28

A software system designed to help teachers and pupils in the management and use of learning resources.
Could contain details about homework, feedback from teachers and teaching materials.

Question 29

What is an Intranet?

Answer 29

A collection of webpages only accessible within a specific network.
For example a school network can only be accessed by staff/students.

Question 30

What is an Extranet?

Answer 30

Where a company allows some access from outside to its intranet.
Access would normally be through a firewall or username and passwords.

Question 31

Why is an Internet Website different to an Intranet/Extranet?

Answer 31

It is publicly available to anyone with an internet connection.

Question 32

What 5 things could schools put on their Internet Website?

Answer 32

Newsletters.
Achievements of pupils.
School prospectus.
School inspection reports.
Weather reports.

Question 33

Why might Downloading Music introduce some difficulty?

Answer 33

Download speeds may be slow.
Access may be unreliable.
Excessive data/subscription charges.

Question 34

Why might Online Banking introduce some difficulty?

Answer 34

There may be concerns over security with data transfers between countries.