Exam revision

Question 0

RAD (Rapid Application Development)

Answer 0

A small prototype of the finished product for a short period of time to allow users to comment on necessary changes

Question 1

Virtual machine

Answer 1

A computer that runs a software to emulate the functions of a real world computer e.g. Windows computer running on a Mac OS

Question 2

Accessibility

Answer 2

Allows a software to be used by everybody including people with certain disabilities. E.g. Users with poor vision have a zoom in option

Question 3

Distributed storage

Answer 3

A term which describes the distribution of data on the file servers and computers connected to the network. It may involve cloud storage to share the load

Question 4

Control unit

Answer 4

This is responsible for initiating the fetching, decoding and execution of instructions by sending out signals to other parts of the computer system.

Question 5

Cache memory

Answer 5

This is a fats access memory either between the processor or memory

Question 6

Data bus

Answer 6

Used to transfer data between the main memory and the processor. It transfers data both ways. Modern desktops usually contain a 64 bit data bus

Question 7

Address bus

Answer 7

Used to specify the address of the memory that is to be read in or written out. They usually have a 32 but address bus

Question 8

Multi core processors

Answer 8

Processors that can execute multiple instructions at once

Question 9

RAM (Random Access Memory)

Answer 9

Stores data that is currently being executed but loses its content when the power is switched off

Question 10

ROM (Read Only Memory)

Answer 10

Same as RAM but it keeps its content when the power is switched off

Question 11

Regulations of investigating powers act

Answer 11

Ensures employees don’t waste time playing games. It also gives the employers the right to track their emails and phone calls to ensure work is getting done

Question 12

Open source

Answer 12

It is software code that is freely on the Internet that allows people to see and edit the code used for the software

Question 13

Proprietory

Answer 13

Software that is on the Internet in which the code is not freely open for people to see on the Internet.

Question 14

Symmetric encryption

Answer 14

Symmetric encrypts data using a script key and encryption algorithm. Both the sender and the receiver need a copy to access the data.

Question 14

Asymmetric encryption

Answer 14

Asymmetric uses a combination of a public and a private key to encrypt data.

Question 15

Data format conversion

Answer 15

Data conversion is the conversion of computer data from one format to another. Throughout a computer environment, data is encoded in a variety of ways. For example, computer hardware is built on the basis of certain standards, which requires that data contains, for example, parity bit checks.

Question 16

Bootstrap loader

Answer 16

Alternatively referred to as bootstrapping, bootloader, or boot program, a bootstrap loader is a program that resides in the computers EPROM, ROM, or other non-volatile memory that automatically executed by the processor when turning on the computer. The bootstrap loader reads the hard drives boot sector to continue the process of loading the computers operating system.

Question 17

Macro virus

Answer 17

A type of computer virus that is encoded as a macro embedded in a document. Many applications, such as Microsoft Word and Excel, support powerful macro languages. These applications allow you to embed a macro in a document, and have the macro execute each time the document is opened.

Question 18

Checksum

Answer 18

A checksum is a count of the number of bits in a transmission unit that is included with the unit so that the receiver can check to see whether the same number of bits arrived. If the counts match, it’s assumed that the complete transmission was received.

Question 19

Iteration

Answer 19

Iteration is the act of repeating a process with the aim of approaching a desired goal, target or result. It is also known as Amiration. Each repetition of the process is also called an “iteration”, and the results of one iteration are used as the starting point for the next iteration.

Question 20

Software development process

Answer 20

A software development process or life cycle is a structure imposed on the development of a software product. There are several models for such processes, each describing approaches to a variety of tasks or activities that take place during the process.

Question 21

Spooling

Answer 21

In computing, SPOOL is an acronym for simultaneous peripheral operations on-line. It is a type of buffering. The most common spooling application is print spooling, which places a task (or ‘print job’) into a queue for extended or later processing.

Question 22

Copyright, designs and patents act

Answer 22

The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, is the current UK copyright law. It gives the creators of literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works the right to control the ways in which their material may be used. This means that people need permission to use their content.

Question 23

Incremental backup

Answer 23

a security copy which contains only those files which have been altered since the last full backup.

Question 24

Agile methodologies

Answer 24

Agile development is an alternative to traditional project management where emphasis is placed on empowering people to collaborate and make team decisions in addition to continuous planning, continuous testing and continuous integration.