General Concepts
What is software?
Answer: A set of instructions or programs that enable a computer to perform specific tasks
Name one example of system software.
Answer: Operating systems like Windows, macOS, or Linux
Give one example of application software.
Answer: Microsoft Word, Zoom, or Google Chrome
What type of software is an antivirus program?
Answer: Utility software, a type of system software.
Name the two main types of software.
Answer: System software and application software.
What is the primary role of an operating system?
Answer: To manage computer hardware and software and provide a user interface.
What is the primary purpose of application software?
Answer: To help users perform specific tasks like writing documents or browsing the web.
Which type of software is installed by the user for personal tasks?
Answer: Application software.
Explain the relationship between system software and application software.
Answer: System software provides the platform for application software to work. Application software depends on system software to function and performs specific tasks for users.
Differentiate between an operating system and utility programs.
Answer: An operating system manages hardware and provides the platform for running applications, while utility programs perform maintenance tasks like disk cleanup or virus scanning.
Answer: An operating system manages hardware and provides the platform for running applications, while utility programs perform maintenance tasks like disk cleanup or virus scanning.
How is application software different from system software?
Answer: Application software is task-specific and depends on system software to work, while system software manages the overall system hardware and resources.
Identify one similarity and one difference between system software and application software.
Answer: Similarity: Both are essential for performing tasks on a computer. Difference: System software manages hardware, while application software performs user-specific tasks.
Why is system software essential for a computer system?
Answer: System software manages hardware, provides a user interface, and runs application programs. Without it, the computer hardware cannot function.
What would happen if a computer did not have an operating system installed?
Answer: The hardware would not function properly, and users could not interact with the computer.
Why can't application software run directly on hardware without system software?
Answer: Application software requires an interface to communicate with hardware, which is provided by the system software.
Is a web browser considered system software or application software? Why?
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Answer: Application software because it is used for a specific task, like accessing the internet, and relies on the operating system to function
Can you give an example of a scenario where application software might not work correctly without proper system software?
Answer: If an outdated operating system (system software) does not support a new game (application software), the game may crash or fail to install.
How does system software optimize hardware performance?
Answer: It manages resources like CPU, memory, and storage efficiently, allocates them to different programs, and ensures stable operation.
Can one application software function in multiple operating systems? Give an example.
Answer: Yes, some application software is cross-platform. For example, Google Chrome runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Explain how utility software bridges the gap between system software and application software.
Answer: Utility software, a type of system software, performs maintenance and optimizations (e.g., virus scanning) to ensure both hardware and application software work efficiently.