1.14 Different Types of Software Systems

Question 1

What are the three types of
software?

Answer 1

1.
Open Source

2.
Bespoke

3.
Off- The- Shelf

Question 2

Give 2 advantages for open source.

Answer 2

1.
Usually Free

2. You can customize code to your own needs

Question 3

What is open source software? (2)

Answer 3

1.
Software that can be modified by users.

2.
The software is shared for free.

Question 4

Give 2 disadvantages for open source.

Answer 4

1.
No right to support if any bugs exist.

2.
More powerful features of paid- for software may not be available.

Question 5

What is bespoke software?

Answer 5

Software that has been written to order for a specific client.

Question 6

Give 2 advantages for bespoke software.

Answer 6

1.
Customized to the user’s exact needs.

2.
May provide a unique competitive edge

Question 7

Give 2 disadvantages for bespoke software.

Answer 7

1.
Can be very expensive.

2.
You must wait for design and development of software.

Question 8

What is Off-the-shelf software?

Answer 8

General- purpose software purchased from a retailer.

Question 9

Give 3 advantages for Off-the-shelf software.

Answer 9

1.
Cheap, but not a cheap as open source

2.
Readily available on demand.

3.
Lots of support is available online

Question 10

Give 2 disadvantages for Off-the-shelf software.

Answer 10

1.
May not solve the problem exactly as you want it solved.

2.
Users tend to pay for large number of features that they may not use.

Question 11

What is a weather forecasting system?

Answer 11

Software that predicts the state of the atmosphere at a given location.

Question 12

What are the inputs of weather forecasting software? (2)

Answer 12

1.
Sensors positioned throughout the world.

2.
Temperature, Pressure, Wind/direction, moisture sensors

Question 13

What are the processes in weather forecasting? (2)

Answer 13

1. Complex calculations that require
   immense CPU and RAM specifications.

2.
Uses geographic models and previous weather history

Question 14

What are the outputs of weather forecasting?

Answer 14

Localized positions of temperature, wind precipitation etc.

Question 15

Give a problem for predictive window sis.

Answer 15

Accuracy reduces as the prediction window sis made longer.

Question 16

What is computer- aided design?

Answer 16

Use of computers for producing new product designs.

Question 17

What are the inputs devices for CAD?

Answer 17

A mouse/ touchscreen- based input.

Question 18

What can users do with CAD?

Answer 18

Users can specify the position and dimensions of parts, textures, materials.

Question 19

What are the processes of CAD? (5)

Answer 19

1.
Calculate the cost of making components.

2.
Modelling physics

3.
Rotating a design to be viewed from different angles.

4.
Walk- throughs

5.
CAD requires high spec processors and graphics cards

Question 20

What are the outputs of CAD? (3)

Answer 20

1.
Images of design from multiple angles

2.
Animations of walk- throughs

3.
Tabulated costs and lists of materials

Question 21

What are the inputs of robotics?

Answer 21

Many position sensors.

Question 21

What are robotics? (2)

Answer 21

1.
Machines that be used to do jobs.

2. Some machines need human help and others can work on their own.

Question 22

Give an example of the processes of robotics?

Answer 22

E.g. Car production line might use a weight sensor to determine that the car is in correct position.

Question 22

What are the output devices of robotics?

Answer 22

Robots can be programmed to do move using servos (motors).

Question 23

What are computer generated imagery (CGI) and animation?

Answer 23

Creating graphics (images) and moving pictures using computers.

Question 24

What are the inputs of CGI and animation?

Answer 24

1.Photographs 2.bitmaps 3.vector graphics 4.3D image constructed from meshed of polygons.

Question 25

What are the processes in CGI and animation? (3)

Answer 25

1. Processes to render layer, and apply visual effects to images. 2. Animations require either frame-by-frame animation or tweening. 3. High spec processors and Ram needed, as well as a powerful CPU.

Question 26

What are the typical file formats for CGI and animation?

Answer 26

1. Variety of images 2. Variety of movies

Question 27

Give 3 examples of image files.

Answer 27

1. ICO 2. JPEG 3. JPG

Question 28

Give 3 examples of movie files.

Answer 28

1. MP4 2. MOV 3. WMV

Question 28

What are expert systems?

Answer 28

A knowledge- based system that attempts to replace a human ‘expert’.

Question 29

Give an application of expert systems.

Answer 29

An application of artificial intelligence (AI).

Question 30

How do expert systems work?

Answer 30

It will ask questions on in a subject area and attempts to form a conclusion on based on the answers provided.

Question 31

Give 2 ways expert systems help doctors.

Answer 31

1. A doctor inputs the patients symptoms. 2. Used to help the doctor make decisions.

Question 32

Give 2 other uses of expert systems.

Answer 32

1. A medical diagnosis expert system (eg MYCIN). 2. A database is searched to give suggestions on the disease and its treatments.

Question 33

Give 5 advantages for expert system.

Answer 33

1. Stores more information than humans 2. Does not forget or make mistakes 3. Data can be kept up-to-date 4. Is available 24/7 and will never retire 5. Can be used at a distance over a network

Question 34

Give 3 disadvantages for expert systems.

Answer 34

1. Loss of jobs. Can cause experts to be out of a job 2. Can cause people to become lazy 3. Lack of a ‘human touch’

Question 35

What are 3 parts of an expert system consist of?

Answer 35

1. Knowledge base 2. Inference engine 3. User interface

Question 36

What is the knowledge base? (3)

Answer 36

1. A detailed database written in a declarative rule- based language. 2. Allows the expert system to come to a firm conclusion 3. Attempts to mimic the nature of a human expert’s knowledge

Question 37

What is the inference engine?

Answer 37

A set of rules which determines what questions the user will be asked next, based on previous answers and a search of the knowledge base.