Chapter 1 - Computer Systems Flashcards
Dedicated systems
Dedicated systems perform a single function or set of functions
Computer system
A computer system is a collection of hardware and software that works together to achieve some data processing task
General-purpose systems
General-purpose systems are designed to perform multiple tasks and so can be used for a wide variety of purposes
Control systems
Control systems control machinery, rather than produce an output
Embedded systems
Embedded systems are part of a larger system and are usually control systems or potable devices
Management information systems
Management information systems bring together information from all parts of an organisation and typically produce regular reports
Expert systems
Expert systems are designed to behave like human experts. They have a knowledge base, an inference engine and an interface e.g. medical diagnosis, fault identification
Standards
Standards refer to conventions and rules. They are usually defined by a responsible organisation
Data integrity
Data integrity refers to data being accurate and consistent - data reflects real-world reality and is fit for purpose
De facto
De facto standards develop because of common usage
De jure
De jure standards are de facto standards that have become universally accepted so they have to be adhered to e.g. PDF, ASCII
Industry standards
Industry standards are set by recognised non-commercial organisations
Propriety standards
Propriety standards are owned by an organisation and may be used to reduce competition from rival products. Often kept as a valued trade secret
Data protection
Laws intended to protect individuals when data about them is stored on a computer
Open standards
Open standards are publicly available and produced collaboratively - not dominated by one group or made for profit
