System And Application Generations (Do not use)

Question 1

What do Utility programs do?

Answer 1

Optimise the performance of the computer and perform useful background tasks

Question 2

List 5 examples of utility software

Answer 2

Disk defragmenter 
Automatic backup
Automatic updater
Virus checker
Compression software

Question 3

What does disk defragmentation software do?

Answer 3

Over time the data on a hard drive disk becomes separated, so the read/write head has to move to a different part of the disk to continue reading the file. Disk defragmentation software moves the data for files so they are in order next to each other on the disk, so it makes it faster for the computer to read.

Question 4

What does automatic backup software do?

Answer 4

Periodically updates the data on a computer to a selected location. It may do it incrementally so that only files that have been changed are updated.

Question 5

What is application software?

Answer 5

Software that performs a task to benefit the user

Question 6

What is “off the shelf” software?

Answer 6

Ready made software available for anyone to purchase

Question 7

What is “bespoke” software?

Answer 7

Software that is custom created for a specific user. Bespoke software is mostly used by businesses rather than individuals.

Question 8

What is open source software?

Answer 8

Software where the source code is available to anyone. The software is free for anyone to use. Anyone can modify the software.

Question 9

What is freeware software?

Answer 9

The software is free for anybody to use but the source code is not freely available.

Question 10

What is a code library?

Answer 10

A set of pre written functions that can be inserted into a program?

Question 11

What is a linker used for?

Answer 11

A linker combines multiple parts of code and combines them into one file. For example inserting a pre written library into a new program.

Question 12

What does a loader do?

Answer 12

The job of the loader is to copy the program and any linked subroutines into main memory to run. When the executable code was created it may assume the program will load in memory address 0. However, memory addresses in the program will need to be relocated by the loader because some memory will already be in use.

Question 13

What does an assembler do?

Answer 13

An assembler converts assembly code into machine code.

Question 14

What is machine code?

Answer 14

Code written in binary that can be directly executed by the computer.

Question 15

What is assembly code?

Answer 15

Low level code that can be easily converted into machine code.

Question 16

What is high level code?

Answer 16

Code that is close to plain english. Often has to be converted into a low level language before it can be converted into machine code.

Question 17

What are the advantages of a compiler?(3 things)

Answer 17

An executable file is created so the code can be quickly run again.
Once the code has been compiled, it will run faster than if it is being interpreted.
It is hard for someone else to understand that code once it is an executable file.

Question 18

What are the disadvantages of a compiler?(2 things)

Answer 18

If you make a small change to the code you have to wait for the code to compile again to run it, which can be slow.
The code may need to be compiled multiple times in order to work on different operating systems.

Question 19

What are the advantages of an interpreter?

Answer 19

You are able to quickly test small changes to the code.

Using the interpreter the code can easily be run on multiple operating systems

Question 20

What are the disadvantages of an interpreter?(2 things)

Answer 20

The code is slower to run than if the code had been compiled

The user needs the interpreter installed in order to run the code.

Question 21

What is a complier?

Answer 21

All of the code is converted into machine code all at once and a new file is generated so that the code can be run any time without it having to be converted. If one error is encountered the compile stops.

Question 22

What is an interpreter?

Answer 22

The code is converted to machine code line by line as the program is run. The code will run until the program ends or an error is encountered.