What kind of task does utility software carry out?

It carries out housekeeping for the machine, such as compressing files, checking a disc for errors, defragmenting a drive or scanning for malware.

What is off-the-shelf software?

It is a ready-made package written for a general market and sold to anyone who wants it, so the same product is used by many different organisations.

What is bespoke software?

It is software written specially for one customer to meet the requirements of that customer's own way of working.

Give three advantages of buying an off-the-shelf package.

It is available immediately, it costs far less than paying for development, and it has already been tested and corrected by a very large number of users.

WJEC AS-Level Computer Science 601-5345-3

Hardware: Architecture, Memory and Storage

Topic overview Components of a computer system and how they connect Von Neumann architecture and the CPU The fetch-execute cycle Memory and caching Parallel processing Input and output devices and their uses Secondary storage, fragmentation and defragmentation

Networks and Data Transmission

Topic overview Serial and parallel transmission Simplex, half duplex and full duplex Multiplexing and switching Packets and the TCP/IP protocol stack Networks, standards and protocols Collisions and shared media Routing, addressing and the internet

Logic Gates and Boolean Algebra

Topic overview Logic gates and their truth tables Boolean notation and expressions Building and reading truth tables Boolean identities and rules Simplifying Boolean expressions De Morgan's laws Masking and clearing registers

Data Representation and Data Types

Topic overview Bits, bytes and words The binary number system Hexadecimal notation Character sets and storing characters Primitive data types and storage requirements Binary arithmetic and negative numbers Real numbers, truncation and rounding

Data Structures

Topic overview Data structures and data types One-dimensional arrays Two-dimensional arrays Manipulating arrays Records and fields Arrays of records Choosing a data structure

Organisation of Data: Files and Records

Topic overview Files, records and fields Fixed and variable length records Master and transaction files File access and organisation methods Sequential file access and update algorithms File security, backup and archiving Data validation and verification

Database Systems

Topic overview Flat files and the relational model Relational and other contemporary database systems Primary, foreign, composite and candidate keys Indexes and links between tables Entity relationship modelling Normalisation to third normal form The database management system, queries and user views

The Operating System

Topic overview The need for an operating system The kernel and process management Memory protection and the backing store The user interface between user and hardware Directory structures and file attributes Utility software Batch, real time control and transaction processing

Algorithms and Programs

Topic overview Defining and designing algorithms Variables, constants and identifiers Scope, subprograms and parameter passing Sequence, selection and repetition Mathematical and logical operations Standard algorithms: sorting, searching and compression Dry running, trace tables and test data

Principles of Programming

Topic overview Procedural programming Event-driven and visual programming Mark-up languages Object-oriented programming: objects, classes and methods High-level languages Low-level languages Choosing a language for a problem

Systems Analysis

Topic overview The systems life cycle and the feasibility study Methods of investigation Analysis, abstraction and decomposition Design and data flow diagrams Testing and changeover Maintenance Backup, recovery and documentation

Software Engineering and Program Construction

Topic overview Integrated development environments and their purpose Editors, syntax highlighting and code entry tools Debugging tools: breakpoints, stepping and watches Translation, source code and object code Lexical analysis and the symbol table Syntax and semantic analysis Code generation and optimisation

Types of Software System

Topic overview Off-the-shelf, bespoke and custom software Open source and proprietary software Computers in weather forecasting Computer aided design and manufacture Robotics in industry Computer generated graphics and animation Expert systems

Practical Programming

Topic overview Designing data structures: fields, records and data types Key fields and methods of access Validation of input data Designing routines with pseudocode Tracing code and test data Prototyping and evaluating a solution Annotated listings and readable code

Data Security and Integrity

Topic overview Dangers of holding files of personal data Levels of permitted access and access control Passwords and authentication Clerical procedures and write-protection Threats to computer systems Malicious and accidental damage to data Contingency planning and disaster recovery

Computing, Society and the Law

Topic overview Social and economic change from computing Computers and the nature of employment The digital divide and cultural change Environmental cost of computing Data protection and freedom of information law The Computer Misuse Act 1990 and computer crime Copyright, surveillance and professional codes

Types of Software System

7 subtopics
21 things to know
AS Unit 1

What Types of Software System covers

Types of Software System is examined in AS Unit 1, Fundamentals of Computer Science. It covers off-the-shelf, bespoke and custom software, open source and proprietary software, computers in weather forecasting, computer aided design and manufacture, Robotics in industry, computer generated graphics and animation and expert systems.

Where it is assessed

AS Unit 1

Fundamentals of Computer Science, examined again at A2 at a more demanding level.

Check the WJEC specification ↗

The 7 subtopics

Each one has its own page. WJEC AS Computer Science students sit this topic in the first year.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started

Key term

Why is a supercomputer needed for weather forecasting?

Key term

Describe the role of sensors in a robotic system.

Key term

Why do interactive games aim for a higher frame rate than film?

Key term

Distinguish real-time rendering from pre-rendered animation.

Key term

Distinguish between system software and application software.

Key term

Explain why open source does not simply mean free of charge.

Key term

Distinguish a wireframe model from a solid model.

Key term

Name the main components of an expert system.

Key term

Why is training easier to obtain for a widely sold package?

Key term

Name three widely used open source products.

Key term

Name four sources of the observations a weather model is fed with.

Key term

Why are libraries of standard components valuable in a design package?

Key term

Explain how feedback makes robot movement accurate.

Key term

Give three fields in which expert systems are used.

Evaluation

State two disadvantages of an off-the-shelf package for a business with unusual requirements.

Evaluation

Explain the argument that publishing source code improves security.

Key term

Describe how the atmosphere is represented inside a forecasting model.

Key term

How are layers used in a design drawing?

Evaluation

Give three advantages of using robots on a production line.

Key term

What is rendering?

Key term

State three benefits an organisation gains from an expert system.

Take Types of Software System further

The same content, four other ways.

Questions from this topic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
Distinguish between system software and application software.
Model answer
System software runs and manages the machine itself, such as the operating system, drivers and utilities; application software carries out tasks for the user, such as writing a letter or keeping accounts.
2
What kind of task does utility software carry out?
Model answer
It carries out housekeeping for the machine, such as compressing files, checking a disc for errors, defragmenting a drive or scanning for malware.
3
What is off-the-shelf software?
Model answer
It is a ready-made package written for a general market and sold to anyone who wants it, so the same product is used by many different organisations.
4
What is bespoke software?
Model answer
It is software written specially for one customer to meet the requirements of that customer's own way of working.
5
Give three advantages of buying an off-the-shelf package.
Model answer
It is available immediately, it costs far less than paying for development, and it has already been tested and corrected by a very large number of users.
6
Why is training easier to obtain for a widely sold package?
Model answer
Because so many organisations use it there are published books, online courses, community forums and staff who already know it, none of which exist for a program written for one customer.

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Hardware: Architecture, Memory and Storage

Networks and Data Transmission

Logic Gates and Boolean Algebra

Data Representation and Data Types

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AEncryption is reversible.

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Types of Software System revision questions

Is Types of Software System examined at AS in WJEC Computer Science?: Yes. It sits in AS Unit 1, which you take in the first year, so it is on the AS paper as well as counting towards the full A level.
What does Types of Software System cover in WJEC AS-Level Computer Science?: 7 subtopics: off-the-shelf, bespoke and custom software, open source and proprietary software, computers in weather forecasting, computer aided design and manufacture, robotics in industry, computer generated graphics and animation and expert systems. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
How is Types of Software System organised?: By the WJEC 601-5345-3 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.

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