Fundamentals of Computer Systems

Question 1

Give four examples of input devices.

Answer 1

Joystick, keyboard, scanner, microphone.

Question 2

Give three examples of output devices.

Answer 2

Display screen, printer, speakers.

Question 3

What are four examples of general-purpose systems and what are they designed to do?

Answer 3

Desktops, laptops, tablet computers and smart phones are general-purpose systems designed to perform multiple tasks.

Question 4

How are dedicated systems different from general-purpose systems? Give an example.

Answer 4

Dedicated systems are designed with a specific purpose and aren’t good for much else, such as a ticket machine at a train station.

Question 5

What does a control system do and what is an important example of it?

Answer 5

A control system is a computer system that controls machinery (rather than processing and outputting data for us to use).

Industrial robots are an important application of control systems.

Question 6

Define embedded systems.

Answer 6

Computer systems part of a larger system, usually also control systems.

Question 7

Give two examples of embedded systems.

Answer 7

Traffic lights, systems in cars looking after individual things (like fuel flow).

Question 8

Give three examples of devices that both input and output data.

Answer 8

Touchscreen, CD/DVD, camera.

Question 9

Define a computer system.

Answer 9

A collection of hardware and software that work together to process data for a specific purpose.

Question 9

What are four examples of general-purpose systems and what are they designed to do?

Answer 9

Desktops, laptops, tablet computers and smart phones are general-purpose systems designed to perform multiple tasks.

Question 10

What are expert systems?

Answer 10

Expert systems are intelligent computer systems designed to do the same thing a human expert could do.

Question 11

How many components do expert systems have and what are they?

Answer 11

3: a knowledge base, and inference engine and an interface.

Question 12

How are dedicated systems different from general-purpose systems? Give an example.

Answer 12

Dedicated systems are designed with a specific purpose and aren’t good for much else, such as a ticket machine at a train station.

Question 13

What does a control system do and what is an important example of it?

Answer 13

A control system is a computer system that controls machinery (rather than processing and outputting data for us to use).

Industrial robots are an important application of control systems.

Question 14

Define embedded systems.

Answer 14

Computer systems part of a larger system, usually also control systems.

Question 15

Give two examples of embedded systems.

Answer 15

Traffic lights, systems in cars looking after individual things (like fuel flow).

Question 16

What are expert systems?

Answer 16

Expert systems are intelligent computer systems designed to do the same thing a human expert could do.

Question 17

How many components do expert systems have and what are they?

Answer 17

3: a knowledge base, and inference engine and an interface.

Question 18

Give three uses of expert systems.

Answer 18

Diagnosing diseases, finding faults in machinery, suggesting purchases to customers.

Question 19

What do management information systems do?

Answer 19

Management information systems bring information together so that managers can make decisions.

Question 20

Give two examples of management information systems.

Answer 20

Office Automation Systems, automating workflow and maximising data movement efficiency.
School Management Information Systems, dealing with school admin, teaching and learning.

Question 21

What four things can happen if systems aren’t reliable?

Answer 21

Increased down time, expensive errors, loss of data and compromised privacy.

Question 22

How can reliability of a program be improved before its release?

Answer 22

Testing to uncover errors.

Question 23

Why is testing never 100% accurate?

Answer 23

Software is too complex and testing is both expensive and time-consuming.

Question 24

What is data integrity?

Answer 24

Whether data is accurate and consistent throughout its existence.

Question 25

How can we reduce the risk of malware (e.g. viruses) and software bugs compromising data integrity?

Answer 25

By controlling access to data, via security mechanisms.

Question 26

How can we prevent data integrity from being compromised by human error when inputted?

Answer 26

Use validation rules to prevent the input of invalid data.

Question 29

What are standards?

Answer 29

Conventions or rules, usually defined by a responsible organisation. There are many categories of standards.

Question 30

How do standards affect learning new systems and why?

Answer 30

Leaning new systems is easier because they have similar characteristics.

Question 31

How do standards bring costs down?

Answer 31

There is more competition, meaning companies have to lower the costs.

Question 32

What are de facto standards?

Answer 32

Standards that have been used so often and so widely they have become the norm.

Question 33

What are two examples of de facto standard?

Answer 33

Microsoft word, the qwerty keyboard.

Question 34

What are de jure standards?

Answer 34

De facto standards that have become so universally accepted that they have to be adhered to, or communication is impossible.

Question 35

What is an example of de jure standards?

Answer 35

PDF

Question 36

How can we prevent data integrity being compromised by errors that occur when the data is transmitted?

Answer 36

Use error detection and correction software when transmitting data.

Question 37

How can we reduce the risk of data integrity being compromised by external damaging forces (e.g. a fire) and external damaging forces?

Answer 37

Backing data up regularly