Chapter 4 Software: Unit 4.1: Types of Software and Interrupts Part 1

Question 1

What are the 2 types of software?

Answer 1

System software
Application software

Question 2

What are the general features of system software?

Answer 2

Set of programs to control and manage the operation of computer hardware
Provides a platform on which other software can run
Required to allow hardware and software to run without problems
Provides a human computer interface (HCI)
Controls the allocation and usage of hardware resources

Question 3

What are the general features of application software?

Answer 3

Used to perform various applications on a computer
Allows a user to perform specific tasks using the computer’s resources
May be a single program or a suite of programs
User can execute the software as and when they require

Question 4

Name 8 examples of typical application software.

Answer 4

Word processor
Spreadsheet
Database
Control and measuring software
Apps
Photo editing software
Video editing software
Graphics manipulation software

Question 5

What is word processing software used for?

Answer 5

Manipulate a text document
Text is entered using a keyboard

Question 6

What does word processing software provide?

Answer 6

Provides tools for copying, deleting and various types of formatting

Question 7

What are the functions of word processing software?

Answer 7

Creating, editing, saving and manipulating text
Copy and paste functions
Spell checkers and thesaurus
Import photos/images into a structed page format
Translation into a foreign language

Question 8

What is spreadsheet software used for?

Answer 8

Organise and manipulate numerical data
Numbers are organised on a grid of lettered columns and rows

Question 9

What are the functions of spreadsheet software?

Answer 9

Use of formulas to carry out calculations
Ability to produce graphs
Ability to do modelling and “what if” calculations

Question 10

What is database software used for?

Answer 10

Organise, manipulate and analyse data
A typical database is made up of one or more tables. Tables consist of rows and columns, also known as records and fields.

Question 11

What does database software provide?

Answer 11

Basic structure for the organisation of the data within the database

Question 12

What are the functions of database software?

Answer 12

Ability to carry out queries on database data and produce a report
Add, delete and modify data in a table

Question 13

What is control and measuring software used for?

Answer 13

Allowing a computer or microprocessor to interface with sensors so that it is possible to:
Measure physical quantities in the real world
To control applications by comparing sensor data with stored data and sending out signals to alter process parameters

Question 14

Describe apps.

Answer 14

Short for applications
Normally refer to software that runs on mobile phones or tablets
Usually downloaded from an app store
Range from games to sophisticated software such as phone banking
Examples:
Video and music streaming
GPS
Camera

Question 15

Describe photo editing software.

Answer 15

Allows a user to manipulate digital photos stored on a computer

Question 16

Describe video editing software.

Answer 16

Ability to manipulate videos to produce a new video
Enables the addition of titles, colour correction and altering/adding sound to the original video.
Includes:
Rearranging, adding and/or removing sections of video clips and/or audio clips
Applying colour correction, filters and other video enhancements
Creating transitions between clips in the video footage

Question 17

Describe graphics manipulation software.

Answer 17

Allows bitmap and vector images to be changed.

Question 18

Name 5 examples of typical system software.

Answer 18

Compilers
Linkers
Device drivers
Operating Systems
Utilities

Question 19

Describe compilers.

Answer 19

Computer program that translates a program written in a high-level language into machine code so that it can be directly used by a computer to perform a required task.
The machine code can be used again and again to perform the same task without re-compilation.

Question 20

Describe linkers.

Answer 20

Computer program that takes one or more object file produced by a compiler and combines them into a single program which can be run on a computer.
Simplifies the programming task - program is broken up into
small, more manageable sub-tasks.

Question 21

Describe device drivers.

Answer 21

Software that enables one or more hardware devices to communicate with the computer’s operating system.
Without drivers, a hardware device would be unable to work with the computer.
All hardware devices connected to a computer have associated drivers.

Question 22

Describe the operating system.

Answer 22

Software running in the background of a computer system. Manages many of the basic functions.
Without the OS, most computers would be very user-unfriendly and the majority of users would find it almost impossible to work with computers on a day-to-day basis.
Operating systems allow:
- input/output operations
- users to communicate with the computer
- error handling
- loading and running of programs
- managing of security

Question 23

Describe utilities software.

Answer 23

Software that is designed to carry out specific tasks on a computer.
Programs that help to manage, maintain and control
computer resources, for example:
- anti-virus (virus checkers)
- anti-spyware
- back-up of files
- disk repair and analysis
- file management and compression
- security
- screensavers
- disk defragmenter/ defragmentation software