Section 6 Flashcards
What is the definition for hardware?
A generic term for the physical parts both internal and external
What is the definition for software?
A generic term for any program that can be run on a computer.
What are the definitions for application software and system software?
Application - refers to all of the programs that the user used to complete a particular task
System - covers a range of programs that are concerned with the more technical aspects of setting up and running the computer.
What is the definition of utility programs?
Programs that perform specific common task related to running the computer
What is the definition of library programs?
Library programs are code, data and resources that can be called by other programs
What are RAMs?
RAM is random access memory this is volatile storage as it can only be accessed when the power is on.
What is a utility program?
A utility program is software that performs maintenance tasks.
Examples include compression software, anti-virus software, back-up software, and registry cleaners.
What are library programs?
Library programs are similar to utility programs and are written to carry out common tasks. They are code, data and resources that can be called by other programs
What is the role of DLL files in Windows?
DLL files contain code, data, and resources, and are loaded dynamically by Windows as required.
What are translators in programming?
Translators are software used to convert programs from one language to another, including compilers, assemblers, and interpreters.
What is an operating system?
An operating system is software that acts as an interface between the user and the computer, managing overall operations.
What does an operating system do?
It links hardware, applications, and the user while hiding the complexity of the computer.
This creates a so-called virtual machine.
What are the system requirements for Microsoft Windows 8?
Windows 8 requires a minimum of 1 GB of RAM and 16 GB of hard disk space.
What is a translator in programming?
Software that converts programming language instructions into Os and 1s (machine code)
Translators include compilers, assemblers, and interpreters.
What are the three types of translators?
- C compilers
- Assemblers
- Interpreters
What is a compiler?
A program that translates a high-level language into machine code by translating all of the code.
What is an assembler?
A program that translates a program written in assembly language into machine code.
What is an interpreter?
A program for translating a high-level language by reading each statement in the source code and immediately performing the action.
What is operating system software?
A suite of programs designed to control the operations of the computer.
What is the concept of a virtual machine?
The concept that all of the complexities of using a computer are hidden from the user and other software by the operating system.
What is application software?
Programs that perform specific tasks that would need doing even if computers didn’t exist, e.g. editing text, carrying out calculations.
Application software is designed for end-users to accomplish tasks.
What are utility programs?
Programs that perform specific common tasks related to running the computer, e.g. zipping files.
Utility programs help manage, maintain, and control computer resources.
What are library programs?
Code, data, and resources that can be called by other programs
Library programs are essential for software development as they provide reusable functionalities.
What is the primary function of an operating system in terms of resource management?
To manage access to the processor and other resources such as peripherals and memory.
Define ‘scheduling’ in the context of operating systems.
A technique to allocate access to the processor and other resources.
What is ‘time slicing’?
A method that allocates a fixed time period to each task for processor access.
What does ‘round-robin’ scheduling refer to?
A scheduling method where each task is given an equal amount of processor time.
Fill in the blank: The _______ is the slowest part of any computer system.
processor
What is the purpose of managing input/output devices?
To control the way the various input and output devices are allocated, controlled, and used by programs.
True or False: In a computer with only one processor, multiple programs can run simultaneously.
False
What is one of the main tasks of an operating system?
To ensure that each program is allocated enough memory to operate efficiently.
What does the term ‘resource management’ refer to?
How an operating system manages hardware and software to optimize performance.
What is the simplest way an operating system can schedule access to the processor?
Time slicing.
What happens when a processor is waiting for user input?
It is wasting processor time.
What is memory management?
How the operating system uses RAM to optimize the performance of the computer
What does RAM stand for?
Random Access Memory
True or False: Memory management is only concerned with the allocation of RAM.
False
Fill in the blank: The operating system uses _______ to manage memory effectively.
various algorithms
What is one primary goal of memory management?
To optimize performance
List two functions of memory management.
- Allocation of memory
- Deallocation of memory
What role does the operating system play in memory management?
It allocates and manages RAM resources
Fill in the blank: Effective memory management can lead to _______ performance in computer systems.
improved
True or False: Memory management has no impact on the speed of applications running on a computer.
False
What is a key benefit of efficient memory management?
Maximizing the use of available RAM
What is the purpose of an operating system in file management?
To store and retrieve files
An operating system provides the necessary functions to manage files on a computer, including their organization and access.
Fill in the blank: The operating system _______ files.
stores and retrieves
True or False: File management is solely the responsibility of the user.
False
File management is a function of the operating system, although users interact with it.
What does file management involve?
Storing, retrieving, and organizing files
Effective file management allows users to efficiently access and manage their data.
What is a low-level language?
A language that is closer to machine code and assembly language.
Low-level languages provide little abstraction from a computer’s instruction set architecture.
What is a high-level language?
A programming language that allows programs to be written using English keywords and that is platform independent.
High-level languages are designed to be easy for humans to read and write.
Define an imperative language.
A language based on giving the computer commands or procedures to follow.
Imperative languages focus on how to perform tasks.
What is an object-oriented language?
A programming paradigm that encapsulates instructions and data together into objects.
Object-oriented languages promote code reusability and modularity.
Define declarative languages.
Languages that declare or specify what properties a result should have, e.g., results will be based on functions.
Declarative languages focus on what the program should accomplish rather than how to accomplish it.
What is a functional language?
A programming paradigm that uses mathematical functions.
Functional languages treat computation as the evaluation of mathematical functions and avoid changing-state and mutable data.
Fill in the blank: A _______ is a programming paradigm that encapsulates instructions and data together into objects.
object-oriented language
True or False: High-level languages are platform dependent.
False
High-level languages are designed to be platform independent.
