Different Types of Software

Question 1

Systems software

Answer 1

System software centres around the running of a system and its hardware.

Question 2

Application software

Answer 2

Application software centres around the user and provides them with a tool for a particular job.

Question 3

General purpose software

Answer 3

General-purpose software is purchased in-store or online from a retailer and is available to the public.
+ Cheap, but not as cheap as open source. Readily available on demand. Lots of support should exist.
- May not solve the problem exactly as you want it solved. Users tend to pay for large numbers of features they ultimately do not use.

Question 4

Bespoke software

Answer 4

Bespoke software is written to order for a specific client – the client usually being a business.
+ Software can be customised to the user’s exact needs. Unique software can provide a unique competitive edge.
- Can be incredibly expensive, software is not immediately available; you must wait for design and development.

Question 5

Open source software

Answer 5

Open-source software is freely available to anyone.
+ Usually free. If you can program competently, you can customise to your own needs.
- No right to support if any bugs do exist. More powerful features of paid-for software may not always exist.

Question 6

Weather Forecasting

Answer 6

Generating a forecast requires processing and storage resources that only supercomputers are capable of delivering the forecast early enough for it to be of any use. Supercomputers then apply complex algorithms to data to generate predictions.

Question 7

CAD

Answer 7

Computer Aided Design involves using a computer to support the design of anything, including engine components, rooms, buildings, furniture and packaging.

Question 8

Robotics

Answer 8

A robot can be programmed to perform a task.
+ Robots can work 24-hour days and do not get tired or bored. Robots can work where it might be dangerous for humans. Robots generally work faster, more accurately and more consistently than humans.
- The initial expense for a new robot is very high, and extra expense can be incurred to pay for experts to maintain the robot. A malfunctioning robot may not know that it is malfunctioning, and continue to perform the same job incorrectly for a long time without detection. A robot, unlike a human, cannot think for itself and can only follow its program.

Question 9

Expert system

Answer 9

An expert system is a computer system that emulates the decision-making ability of a human expert.

Question 10

Knowledge base

Answer 10

A detailed database which contains enough data to allow the expert system to come to a firm conclusion or at least have an educated guess.

Question 11

Inference engine

Answer 11

An expert system has a wealth of questions it can ask. The inference engine consists of a set of rules which determines what question the user will be asked next, based on answers the user has provided so far.

Question 12

User interface

Answer 12

This is the part of the program that presents questions and feedback to the user and accepts input from the user in the form of answers.