Chapter 3 Questions
Fudamentals of Information Systems
Complete the following sentences:
 Software types are system software and application software.
 Application software Performs information processing tasks for end users
 System software Manages and supports operations of computer systems
and networks.
 General purpose application software are programs that perform common
information processing jobs for end users.
 Application-specific application software are programs that support specific
applications of end users.
 Custom software are software applications that developed within an
organization for use by that organization.
 COTS software is a software developed with the intention of selling the
software in multiple copies.
 Why would you choose Custom over COTS?
 Why would you choose COTS over Custom?
 Software suites integrate software packages
 State the advantages of software suites.
 State the disadvantages of software suites.
 Integrated packages combine the functions of several programs into one
package.
 Web Browser is a software application that support navigation through the
point-and-click resources of the Web.
 Web Browsers become a universal software platform for Internet-based
applications.
 XML is a Web document content description language
 E-mail software is a software to communicate by sending and receiving
messages and attachments via the Internet, intranet or extranet.
 Weblog or blog is a personal website in dated log format.
 Word processors used to create, edit, revise and print documents.
 Desktop Publishers used to produce printed materials that look
professionally published.
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 Presentation Graphics used to prepare multimedia presentations including
graphics, photos, animation, and video clips.
 Groupware is a software that helps workgroups collaborate on group
assignments.
 Middleware is software that helps diverse applications work together.
 Outsourcing development and maintenance of software is one of the
Software alternatives.
 Application service providers (ASPs) are companies that own, operate and
maintain application software and computer system resources.
 All software (COTS, ASP) is licensed.
 You don’t buy software: you buy a license to use the software under the
terms of the licensing agreement.
 License found to protect the vendor’s property rights.
 System software manages and supports a computer system.
 System software types are system management programs and systems
development programs.
 System management programs are programs that manage hardware,
software, network, and data resources.
 System development programs are programs that help users develop
information system programs.
 Operating System is an Integrated system of programs that Manages the
operations of the CPU, Controls the input/output and storage resources and
activities of the computer system.
 User Interface is a part of the operating system that allows you to
communicate with it.
 Types of user interface are Command-Driven , Menu-Driven , and Graphical
User Interfaces (GUI).
 Swapping parts of programs and data between memory and magnetic disks
is called Virtual memory.
 Resource management is part of operating system that manages the
hardware and networking resources of a computer system.
 Resource management Includes CPU, memory, secondary storage devices,
telecommunications, and input/output peripherals.
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 File management Part of the operating system that controls the creation,
deletion, and access of files of data and programs.
 File management involves keeping track of the physical location of files on
magnetic disks and other secondary storage devices.
 Unix is a multitasking, multiuser, portable operating system.
 Linux is a low-cost, powerful, reliable, Unix-like Open-source operating
system.
 MAC OS X is an Apple operating system for the iMac.
 The name Multitasking is given to task management approach that allows
for several tasks to be performed in a seemingly simultaneous fashion.
 Utilities perform miscellaneous housekeeping and file conversion functions.
 Performance monitors are programs that monitor and adjust computer
system to keep them running efficiently.
 Security monitors are programs that monitor and control use of computer
systems to prevent unauthorized use of resources.
 System utilities and performance and security monitors programs are sort of
system management programs.
 Software programs like Microsoft Works and Apple Works that combine the
functions of several programs into one package are called integrated
packages.
 Middleware is a software that helps diverse software applications and
networked computer systems exchange data and work together more
efficiently.
 Machine Languages are first-generation programming languages.
 Assembler languages are second-generation languages.
 Assembler languages are used by systems programmers.
 High-Level Languages are Third-generation languages.
 Macroinstructions: each statement generates several machine instructions
when translated by compilers or interpreters.
 High-Level Languages are machine independent
 High-Level Languages are less efficient than assembler Languages.
 Fourth-Generation Languages are Variety of programming languages that
are nonprocedural and conversational.
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 In the case of nonprocedural languages; users specify results they want
while computer determines the sequence of instructions that will
accomplish those results.
 Natural Languages are very close to English or other human language
 Object-Oriented Languages Combine data elements and the procedures that
will be performed upon them into Objects.
 Object-Oriented Languages are most widely used software development
languages today.
 Object-Oriented Languages are easier to use and more efficient for graphicsoriented user interfaces.
 Object-Oriented Languages are reusable: can use an object from one
application in another application.
 HTML is a page description language that creates hypertext documents for
the Web.
 XML describes the contents of Web pages by applying identifying tags or
contextual labels to the data in Web documents.
 Java is simple, secure and platform independent.
 Microsoft’s .NET is a collection of programming support for what are known
as Web services.
 Assembler translates assembler language statements.
 Compiler translates high-level language statements.
 Interpreter compiler translates and executes each statement in a program
one at a time.
 Programming tools help programmers identify and minimize errors while
they are programming.
 CASE tools are a combination of many programming tools into a single
application with a common interface.
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