11. 4 : SOFTWARE: NATURE, CAPABILITIES AND LIMITATIONS
SPECIFICATION STATEMENTS (AQA 5521)
NATURE AND TYPES
Describe the need for interfacing with peripherals, storage devices, input and output devices and display devices
Describe the need for printer and other peripheral drivers
Describe the distinction between systems software and applications software
Describe the purposes of operating systems
Describe the nature of package software, generic and specific, and of bespoke software
Describe the general characteristics of generic packages and the integration of objects and facilities for processing data protocols and standards.
Describe the functionality offered by software which provides access to the Internet
CAPABILITIES OF SOFTWARE
Describe the desirable features of packages that would be appropriate to particular users and activities such as:
links to other packages
search facilities
macro capabilities
application generators
editing capabilities
ability to change or extend data and record structures
short access times
data portability and upgrade paths
UPGRADABILITY
Explain the technical and human implications of package change / upgrade
RELIABILITY
Explain the difficulties of thoroughly testing complex software
(Note the word DESCRIBE here... don't need to explain how they work...)
PERIPHERALS
STORAGE DEVICES
INPUT AND OUTPUT DEVICES
DISPLAY DEVICES
Drivers are required to allow devices to communicate with each other. Each device needs an INTERFACE: a 'filter' that translates the messages that it gets.
The driver is the software that runs the hardware. If you plug in a digital camera, the computer has to be able to 'talk' to it and allow it to operate correctly. With Windows XP and other modern OS, devices may be able to be 'hot-plugged': without the need to power down the computer after plugging them in. I recently did this with my new TFT screen, although the ICT technician wasn't pleased....
SOFTWARE TYPES
Students don't often consider the SYSTEMS SOFTWARE: the OPERATING SYSTEM and BOOTSTRAP LOADER which is required to start up the computer. Users don't need to know about the OS. What if your computer doesn't load up when you switch it on ? You need a RESCUE DISC.
Will also need DRIVERS for the peripherals so that they can talk to the Operating System. What if an old printer is attached to a new machine ? Unlikely to be of use...
Also need software: BATCH programs for LOGGING ON to networks etc.
Then have APPLICATIONS SOFTWARE.
These take the form of GENERIC SOFTWARE, which are appropriate to many areas, and which will form the basis for the MINOR and MAJOR project, or more SPECIFIC packages for a particular use e.g. Graphics packages, or BESPOKE software: which has been designed for a particular user's needs... The word BESPOKE is often used in association with TAILORING (not that many students know what a TAILOR is these days, or have ever stepped into one...)
A BESPOKE suit would therefore be one that was specially made with measurements from the person who was going to wear it - or you could have an OFF THE PEG suit...
What can you do with a program ? This is the CAPABILITIES....
Links to other packages.
Search facilities
Macro
Editing
Application Generators
One of the features that much modern software has built in is/are WIZARDS. These 'automate' certain procedures, and generate the necessary code for any software..
These allow the user to specify the interface and the main functions, often from a menu of choices.
Report Generators
Used to generate and store reports by allowing user to specify headings, fields etc.