System Software & Application Software (Cambridge (CIE) O Level Computer Science)
Revision Note
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Robert HamptonExpertise
Computer Science Content Creator
System Software & Application Software
Software can be broken down in to two categories, system and application software
What is system software?
System software is software essential for the operation of the computer system
Examples of system software include:
The operating system
Utility software
Without system software a user has no starting point for giving a computer instructions, system software gives users a platform to run applications and carry out tasks
What is utility software?
Utility software is software designed to help maintain, enhance and troubleshoot/repair a computer system
Utility software is designed to perform a limited number of tasks
Utility software interacts with the computers hardware, for example, secondary storage devices
Some utility software comes installed with the operating system
Examples of utility software and their function are:
Defragmentation (maintain)
Defragmentation software groups fragmented files back together in order to improve access speed
As programs and data are added to a new hard disk drive, it is added in order, over time as files are deleted this leaves gaps
As programs and data are added over time, these gaps get filled and data becomes fragmented
Defragmentation can only be used on magnetic storage
Exam Tip
If the concept of defragmentation still seems a little difficult then hopefully this analogy will help
In a tidy bedroom you can find your things faster because they are in the right place (in order)
Over time you move things, forget to put them back and/or add new things
The time taken to find your things increases, until...
You tidy your room and finding things becomes quicker again (defragmentation!)
Compression (enhance)
Compression reduces the amount of secondary storage required by performing an algorithm on the original data
Lossy compression physically removes data from the original data to reduce its size, the original file can not be re-created
Lossless compression uses mathematics to order data more efficiently reducing its size, the original files can be re-created as no data is lost
Encryption (enhance)
Encryption is the process of scrambling data using an algorithm from plain-text into cipher-text in order to make it unreadable to users without the master key
Encryption software enhances the security of the computer system and keeps data safe
Task manager (troubleshoot/repair)
Task manager is software that is built into the operating system to allow users to monitor system resources in order to help troubleshoot potential problems
Task manager gives system information such as:
Processes
Performance
App history
Start-up apps
Users
Services
What is application software?
Application software (abbreviated 'apps') is software chosen by a user to help them carry out a specific task
Application software is installed on top of system software and is user chosen to best suit induvial requirements
Common categories of application software include:
Productivity - get things done efficiently (word processors, spreadsheets & presentation)
Communication - stay connected (email, browser, messaging)
Entertainment - Watch movies, play games or listen to music
Exam Tip
Do not use brand names when talking about software, it is ok to talk about software categories or software types but brand names do not get awarded marks
e.g. word processors instead in Microsoft Word
Worked Example
A hotel has a computer-based booking system which is running slowly. A technician has
said that the hard disk drive is fragmented. The technician has suggested using utility software to defragment the drive.
Explain how the hotel’s hard disk could have become fragmented [4]
How to answer this question
The keyword is 'how', do not just explain what fragmented means in general, you must give examples of how it could have become fragmented in the hotel. What does a hotel use a computer for?
Answer
Booking have been saved onto the system and then deleted once completed [1]
New bookings are created [1] which may need more space than the completed ones left behind [1]
The booking files are split up [1]
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