2.1.3 Software

Question 1

What is system software?

Answer 1

A type of software that controls the computer’s hardware

Question 2

What is an operating system?

Answer 2

A system that manages the computers memory and processes as well as all its software and hardware

Question 3

Examples of what an operating system does

Answer 3

Controls CPU, memory and storage. Hides complexities of the hardware from the user so they don’t have to understand what’s happening

Question 4

Features of a command line interface

Answer 4

Text based, enter command manually, e.g. DOS, Raspian (for raspberry pie)

Question 5

Features of a graphical user interface

Answer 5

Contains windows, icons and menus, e.g. windows 10, Mac os, android

Question 6

Advantages of command line interface

Answer 6

Requires fewer resources, concise and powerful, easier to automate via scripting, wider range of commands, needs little computer power

Question 7

Disadvantages of command line interface

Answer 7

Commands aren’t obvious, user must remember complex codes, lots of typing needed for simple tasks, higher chance of errors when typing commands

Question 8

Advantages of a graphical user interface

Answer 8

Easier to use, looks more professional, can work faster on it, quicker to enter commands, less chance of making errors

Question 9

Disadvantages of a graphical user interface

Answer 9

Requires more money, may require additional software to be installed, if it isn’t properly built it’s difficult to work with, smaller range of commands, requires more computing power

Question 10

What is utility software?

Answer 10

A type of system software, that is designed to help analyze, configure, optimize, or maintain a computer

Question 11

Examples of utility software

Answer 11

Antivirus, disk cleaner, data compression, memory testers, hex editors, backup software

Question 12

What does antivirus do?

Answer 12

Scans and removes malicious files

Question 13

What does firewall do?

Answer 13

Prevents unwanted access to a computer over a network, e.g. a local network

Question 14

What does spyware detection do?

Answer 14

Blocks and removes programs designed to collect personal information and transmit it to others

Question 15

What does encryption do?

Answer 15

Uses an algorithm to scramble the file according to the key used, the key is needed to decrypt the file back

Question 16

What do system clean up tools do?

Answer 16

Clean up the files on your machine, this can be old copies, temporary files, recycle bin etc.

Question 17

What does disk defragmentation do?

Answer 17

Moves all the files to a similar space in the hard drive

Question 18

What does file compression do?

Answer 18

Makes the file smaller, but attempts to keep the quality, e.g. lossless and lossy

Question 19

How do files become fragmented?

Answer 19

Files get added to the disk in order, but as files are deleted it leaves gaps. When new files are saved they fill in the gaps first so they become fragmented