Exam #2 Flashcards
What is the technical term for software?
refers to a set of instructions that tells the computer what to do.
What is a program?
an instruction set that provides a means for us to interact with and use the computer.
What is application software?
the software you use to do tasks at home, school, and work.
What is system software?
software that helps run the computer and coordinate instructions between application software and the computer’s hardware devices.
What are mobile apps?
installed on a computing device but generally a device that is mobile and connected constantly to the internet. Need internet to function.
What are web based applications?
Apps used almost exclusively online. They are obtained as Software as a Service. Gmail, google docs.
Productivity software
Software that is used to do productive tasks. Word processing, powerpoint, etc.
Software Suite
A collection of productivity programs that are bought together.
What is a personal information manager (PIM) software?
Productivity suites that let you moderate email, calendars, contacts, etc. Ex. Outlook
Software as a service
Vendors host the software online and you access and use the software over the internet.
wizard
Walks you through the steps necessary to complete a complicated task.
template
a predesigned form.
macro
a small program that groups a series of commands so that they will run as a single command.
financial planning software
helps you manage you daily finances. mint, etc
tax preparation software
lets you prepare your state and federal taxes on your own instead of hiring a professional. Turbo Tax, HR Block
accounting software
helps small business owners manage their finances more efficiently by providing tools fro tracking accounts receivable and accounts payable.
Desktop publishing
Allows professionals to design books and other applications.
Web Authoring software
allows anyone to design awesome websites instead of using HTML 5.
Vertical market software.
software used by Big businesses to do BIG and specific things; real estate companies use it.
computer aided design
programs that lets you make cool designs and fancy drawings, and 3D stuff. AutoCad is a program that lets you do this.
Cloud computing
where you can store files and data on the web. Google drive
Simulation programs
gives you an experience that lets you control a software as if you were actually using it. Flight training, surgical instrument training, etc.
Course management software
tools and information are found here. blackboard, canvas.
freeware
Copyrighted software that you can use for free.
public domain software
there is absolutely no ownership such as copyright, trademark, or patent.
Beta version
an application that is still under development.
End User License Agreement (EULA)
an agreement between you, the user, and the software company. It is a legal contract that outlines the acceptable uses of the program and any actions that violate the agreement.
Software License
Synonymous to EULA
software piracy
making illegal copies of software, or using it outside of the EULA.
System requirements
a set that specifies the minimum recommended standards for the operating system, processor, RAM, and hard drive.
operating software
a group of programs that controls how your computer functions.
manages computer’s hardware, helps application software work with the CPU, and is responsible for the management, scheduling, and coordination of tasks.
utility program
a small program that performs many of the general housekeeping tasks for your computer.
user interface
you interact with your OS through the user interface. desktop, icons, and menus.
multitask
perform more than one process at a time
Real time operating system RTOS
also called embedded system; require minimal user interaction. has a specific purpose, and it must guarantee certain response times.
multiuser operating system (network operating system)
lets more than one user access the computer system at a time by handling and prioritizing requests from multiple users.
Unix
a multiuser, multitasking OS that is used as a network OS.
Window 10
Microsoft’s newest OS, provides an interface optimized for touch screen devices and is designed to run across all devices: phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops.
windows OS
An operating environment that incorporates a user friendly, visual interface similar to Apple’s first OS.
Mac OS
first commercially available OS to incorporate the ability to interact with the computer with a user friendly point and click technology.l
Linux OS
an open source os designed for use on personal computers and as a network OS.
command-driven interface
interface is one in which you enter commands to communicate with the computer system.
menu driven interface
interface in which you choose commands form menus displayed on the screen.
GUI
interface that displays graphics and use the point and click technology of the mouse and cursor, making them much more user friendly
spooler
program that helps coordinate all print jobs currently being sent to the printer.
buffer
temporary storage in RAM for print queue
virtual memory
The process of optimizing RAM storage by borrowing
virtual memory
The process of optimizing RAM storage by borrowing hard drive space.
swap file
when more RAM is needed, the OS swaps some
swap file
when more RAM is needed, the OS swaps some “less used” data to a temporary storage area (swap file)
paging
Process of swapping data from the swap file back onto the ram
thrashing
when your computer becomes sluggish because of excessive paging.
device driver
Each device connected to your computer comes with a special program called a device driver that facilitates communication between the device and the OS.
plug and play
a software and hardware standard designed to facilitate the installation of new hardware in PCs by including in the OS the drivers these devices need in order to run.
boot process
- Activating BIOS
- Performing the Power-on self test
- loading the OS
- authentication
BIOS
Basic input/output system, stored on a Read only memory. Manages the exchange of data between the OS and all the input and output devices attached to the system, and loads the OS into the RAM form its permanent location.
POST
Power on self test. The first job of BIOS performs is to ensure that essential peripheral devices are attached and operational.
System files
the main files of the OS. When it is located, the OS loads into the RAM from its permanent storage location on the hard drive.
kernel (supervisor program)
the kernel is the essential component of the OS. It’s responsible for managing the processor and all other components of the computer system.
registry
the registry contains all the different configurations (settings) used by the OS and by other applications. Contains the customized settings you put into place, such as mouse speed, as well as instructions as to which programs should be loaded first.
authentication
The verification of your login name and password
desktop
The desktop is The primary working area.
taskbar
The taskbar displays open and favorite applications for easy access.
start menu
the start menu provides you with access to all your applications in one convenient screen.
pinning
You can choose which application are visible on the start menu through a process called pinning.
file management
file management provides an organized structure to your computer’s contents.
directory
windows organizes the contents of your computer in a hierarchal directory structure composed of drives, libraries, folders, subfolders, and files.
file
a file is a collection of program instructions of data that is stored and treated as a single unit.
folder
collection of files.
file explorer
the main tool for finding, viewing, and managing the contents of your computer.
file path
locating a file by tracking its path from the drive, folders, and subfolders.
path separator
the backlash character (/) used by windows.
file name
generally the name you assign to the file when you save it.
extension (file type)
follows the file name and a period, extension identifies what kind of family of family of files the file belongs to, or which application should be used to read the file.
recycle bin
a folder on the desktop, represented by an icon that looks like a recycling bin, where files deleted from the hard drive reside until you permanently purge them from your system.
file compression utility
a built in utility program that takes out redundancies in a file (zips it) to reduce the file size.
Disk clean up
a windows utility that removes unnecessary files from your hard drive.
FAT (file allocation table)
“table of contents” for file names and hard-drive locations.
Task manager
the task manager lists all the programs you’re using and indicates their status. If a program has stopped working, you can use the windows task manager.
disk defragmenting
rearranges fragmented data so that related file pieces are unified.
track
where data is recorded on hard disks in concentric circles.
sector
section of tracks broken down into pie shaped wedges.
clusters
the smallest segments within sectors.
sytem restore
a utility in windows that lets you roll your system settings back to a specific date when everything was working well.
system restore point
a snapshot of your entire system’s setting.
information system
includes data, people, procedures, hardware, and software that help in planning and decision making.
SDLC
system development life cycle. an organized process to ensure that development proceeds in an orderly fashion. made to be free of errors and well supported.
PDLC
Each programming project follows several steps, from conception to final development.
Algorithm
sequential steps that describe exactly what the computer program must do to complete the work.
Problem Statement
the starting point of programming work; its a clear description of what tasks the computer program must accomplish and how the program will execute those tasks and respond to unusual situations
data
the raw input that users have at the start of the job.
information
the result, or output, that the users require at the end of the job.
error handling
what the program should do if the input data is invalid.
flowchart
provide a visual representation of the patterns the algorithm comprises.
pseudocode
a text based approach to documenting an algorithm.
decision point
places where the program must choose from a list of actions based on the value of a certain input.
binary decision
decision point that can only be answered in one of two ways.
loop
In a loop a question is asked and if answered yes, a set of actions is performed.
test condition
a check to see whether the loop is completed
control structure
keywords in a programming language that allow the programmer to direct the flow of the program based on a decision.
reusability
the reusability of programming because of the the general creation of the programming.
syntax
an agreed on set of rules defining how a language must be structured.
syntax error
violations of the strict, precise set of rules that define the programming language.
logical errors
logical errors are caught after the program executes. They are errors with the information provided, not necessarily the syntax.
Keywords
a set of words that have predefined meanings for a particular language.
coding
Translating an algorithm into a program language.
programming language
a kind of “code” for the set of instructions the cpu knows how to perform.
first generation language
machine language. the sequence of 1s and 0s
second generation language
assembly language. allows programmers to write their programs using s set of short, english like commands that speak directly to the CPU
third generation language
uses symbols and commands to help programmers tell the computer what to do.
fourth generation language
database query languages. Like the structured query language.
fifth generation of language
the most natural language.
portability
capability to easily move a program among different types of computers.
variable
Each input and each output item that the program manipulates
compilation
the process by which code is converted into machine language- the language the CPU can understand.
compiler
a program that understands both the syntax of the programming language and the exact structure of the CPU and its machine language.
bugs
errors that are made during programming, keep the program from behaving the way it is supposed to.
debugging
the process of running the program over and over to find and repair errors and to make sure the program behaves in the way it should.
debugger
helps programmers dissect a program as it runs.
runtime error
writing code that may divide by zero.
service pack
publications that address problems in a program after its commercial release to the public
Visual Basic
language used for prototypes; a powerful programming language used to build a wide range of windows applications.
c, c++
higher level programming language features, but still allows programmers to manipulate the system memory and cpu registers directly.
java
language used to collect information from networked computers.
objective c
language most used to program os x, and ios applications.
swift
a new programming language introduced by Apple for developing for ios and os x.
HTML
hypertext markup language; uses tags that control how a web browser will display text, images, and other content.
javascript
a scripting language thats customized to work with the elements of a web page and its often used to add interactivity to web pages.
database
a collection of related data that can be stored, sorted, organized, and queried.
data redundancy
unnecessary extra copies of data in a database
data inconsistency
when different versions of the same data appear in different places in a data base.
data centralization
no need for multiple lists
data integrity
ensures accuracy and reliability.
normalization
process to ensure data is organized most efficiently.
database administrator
an it professional who is responsible for designing, constructing, and maintaining databases.
DBMS
database management system is the software that allows a computer to perform database functions.
field
a database organizes data into categories called fields.
field name
each field is identified by a field name
record
a group of related fields is a record.
table
file; a group of related records
field properties
metadata/design…. field size, default value, and caption.
data type
the data type indicates what type of data can be stored in the field and prevents the wrong type of data from being entered into the field.
field size
defines the maximum number of characters that a field can hold.
character
a single digit number or 1 alphabetic letter
relational database
operates by organizing data into various tables based on logical groupings.
relationship
a link between tables that defines how the data is related.
primary key
provides a unique value for each record.
foreign key
the common field in the related table.
query language
a specially designed computer language used to manipulate data in or extract data from a database.
SQL
structured query language; a standard language used to construct queries to extract data from relational databases.
default value
the value the database automatically uses for the field unless the user enters another value.
input forms
used to control how new data is entered into a database.
validation
the process of ensuring that data entered into a field meets specified guidelines.
validation rule
part of the data dictionary and is specified in the field properties.
range check
ensures that the data entered into the field falls within a certain range of values.
field constraint
a property that must be satisfied for an entry to be accepted into the field.
completeness check
ensures that all required fields have been completed.
consistency check
compares the values of data in two or more fields to see if those values are reasonable.
alphabetic check
confirms that only textual characters are entered in a field.
numeric check
confirms that only numbers are entered in the field.
filter
visual sorting/extraction of table data.
query
a question; extracts a subset of data from a database.
data warehouse
a large scale collection of data that contains and organizes in one place all the data from an organization.
time variant data
meaning it doesn’t all pertain to one period in time.
clickstream data
software used on company websites to capture information about each click that users make as they navigate through the site.
data mart
small slices of the data warehouse
data mining
great amounts of data extracted, analyzed, and investigated to find patterns
information system
software based tools to gather and analyze data.
TPS
transaction processing system; keeps track of everyday business transactions or activities.
batch processing
means that transaction data is accumulated until a certain point is reached and then several transactions are processed at once.
real time processing
means that the database is updated while the transaction is taking place.
OLTP
online transaction processing; ensures that the data in the TPS is current]
business intelligence systems
another form of business system; a set of technologies used to analyze and interpret large sets of data in order to enable managers to make informed decisions about how to best run their business.
MIS
management information system. provides timely and accurate information that enables managers to make critical business decisions
detail report
provides a list of the transactions that occurred during a certain time period.
summary report
provides a consolidated picture of detailed data.
exception report
shows conditions that are unusual of that need attention by system users.
AI
Artificial intelligence; the branch of computer science that deals with the attempt to create computers that think like humans.
knowledge based system
provides intelligence that supplements the user’s own intellect and makes the DSS more effective.
expert system
tries to replicate the decision making processes of human experts in order to solve specific problems.
NLP
Natural language processing system; enable users to communicate with computer systems using natural spoken or written language instead of using a computer programming language.
fuzzy logic
enables the interjection of experiential learning into the equation by considering probabilities. close; not exact
erp
enterprise resource planning system; a software system that accumulates in a central location all information relevant to running a business and makes it readily available to whoever needs it to make decisions.
Steps in the System development life cycle
- problem and opportunity identification
- analysis
- design
- development
- testing
- maintenance
steps in the program development lifecycle
- describing the problem
- making a plan
- coding
- debugging
- testing and documentation
