2.1.3 Software Flashcards
(19 cards)
What is system software?
A type of software that controls the computer’s hardware
What is an operating system?
A system that manages the computers memory and processes as well as all its software and hardware
Examples of what an operating system does
Controls CPU, memory and storage. Hides complexities of the hardware from the user so they don’t have to understand what’s happening
Features of a command line interface
Text based, enter command manually, e.g. DOS, Raspian (for raspberry pie)
Features of a graphical user interface
Contains windows, icons and menus, e.g. windows 10, Mac os, android
Advantages of command line interface
Requires fewer resources, concise and powerful, easier to automate via scripting, wider range of commands, needs little computer power
Disadvantages of command line interface
Commands aren’t obvious, user must remember complex codes, lots of typing needed for simple tasks, higher chance of errors when typing commands
Advantages of a graphical user interface
Easier to use, looks more professional, can work faster on it, quicker to enter commands, less chance of making errors
Disadvantages of a graphical user interface
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
What is utility software?
A type of system software, that is designed to help analyze, configure, optimize, or maintain a computer
Examples of utility software
Antivirus, disk cleaner, data compression, memory testers, hex editors, backup software
What does antivirus do?
Scans and removes malicious files
What does firewall do?
Prevents unwanted access to a computer over a network, e.g. a local network
What does spyware detection do?
Blocks and removes programs designed to collect personal information and transmit it to others
What does encryption do?
Uses an algorithm to scramble the file according to the key used, the key is needed to decrypt the file back
What do system clean up tools do?
Clean up the files on your machine, this can be old copies, temporary files, recycle bin etc.
What does disk defragmentation do?
Moves all the files to a similar space in the hard drive
What does file compression do?
Makes the file smaller, but attempts to keep the quality, e.g. lossless and lossy
How do files become fragmented?
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
