Module 4 – Programs and Apps: Using Apps for Productivity, Graphics, and Security

Question-and-Answer style flashcards covering key definitions, concepts, technologies, and distinctions from Module 4 of Discovering Computers 17e. These cards span categories of programs/apps, acquisition methods, productivity tools, graphics & media, AR/VR/AI, security, and system management to aid exam review.

What four broad categories are commonly used to classify apps?

Productivity, Graphics & Media, Personal Interest, and Communications (plus related Security & System tools).

What is a local app?

An application installed on and run directly from a computer’s internal storage drive.

Which type of app runs from a USB flash drive, external disk, or the cloud without traditional installation?

A portable app.

Define a native app.

Software written for and installed on a specific operating system or device platform.

How is a web app accessed?

Through an Internet browser; the application’s code runs on a web server.

What distinguishes a mobile app from a web app?

Mobile apps are downloaded to and run on smartphones/tablets, whereas web apps run inside a browser.

Give two advantages and two disadvantages of mobile web apps (Table 4-2).

Pros: Quick to create; accessible on the go. Cons: Slower and fewer features than native; poorly designed apps discourage users.

Which three core web technologies power most web apps?

HTML5 for structure, JavaScript for interactivity/performance, and CSS for styling.

What is m-commerce?

Mobile commerce—using a mobile device to purchase goods or services via dedicated apps.

Why was Digital Rights Management (DRM) developed?

To enforce copyright law by controlling how software and digital media can be used, modified, and distributed.

Differentiate shareware and freeware.

Shareware is free for a trial period but requires payment for continued use; freeware is permanently free, though still copyrighted.

What characterizes open-source software?

Source code is available; users may modify, redistribute, or sell altered versions without restriction from the original copyright holder.

What is a public-domain program?

Software donated for unrestricted public use, with no copyright limitations.

Name the three common license-agreement types.

Single-user (EULA), multiple-user license, and site license.

Contrast a patch, a service pack, and an upgrade.

Patch: fixes a single issue; Service pack: bundle of many updates; Upgrade: new major release that may require payment.

Which tool removes both program files and related system entries?

An uninstaller.

Define piracy in the context of software.

Illegal copying, distribution, or sale of copyrighted programs or digital media.

List six common productivity application types.

Word processing, Spreadsheet, Presentation, Database, Note-taking, and Project/Calendar/Contact managers.

In a spreadsheet, what is a workbook?

The entire spreadsheet file containing one or more related worksheets.

What is the intersection of a column and a row called?

A cell.

Name three key features of spreadsheet software aside from calculations.

Formatting tools, data-analysis features (such as charts), and web-sharing capabilities (hyperlinks/save as web page).

What is a slide master?

A template that controls the overall formatting and theme for all slides in a presentation.

Define relational database.

A database consisting of tables where data is organized into rows (records) and columns (fields) linked through relationships.

What does a field name represent?

The column label describing the data stored in that field.

Give two popular productivity suites and one component app each.

Microsoft Office – Word; Google Workspace – Sheets.

Why might a database be preferable to a spreadsheet for large datasets?

It offers efficient querying, relationships between tables, multi-user access, and better data integrity for complex, voluminous information.

Distinguish bitmap (raster) and vector graphics.

Bitmap images are pixel-based; vector graphics use mathematical formulas to describe shapes and scale without loss.

How does resolution affect an image?

Higher resolution provides sharper clarity but increases file size.

What is lossy compression?

A file-size-reduction method that permanently discards some data (e.g., JPEG, MP3).

Which bitmap file format supports transparency and up to 16 million colors with lossless compression?

PNG (Portable Network Graphics).

What does a sound card do?

Processes audio input and output for a computer.

Explain sampling in audio digitization.

Converting analog sound waves into digital data by measuring amplitudes at regular intervals.

What creates digital music directly without first recording analog sound?

A synthesizer producing synthesized music files.

Define codec and container in digital video.

Codec encodes/compresses and decodes video/audio data; container bundles the codec data with audio, captions, etc., into one file.

List the three main digital video resolution categories and an example resolution for each.

SD – 640×360; HD – 1920×1080; UHD/4K – 3840×2160.

What animation technique moves real-world objects frame by frame?

Stop-motion animation.

What is rendering in 3-D graphics?

Applying lighting, textures, highlights, and shadows to a 3-D wireframe to create a solid image.

Define streaming media.

Receiving audio/video from a server and playing it in real time without downloading the entire file first.

Differentiate virtual reality and augmented reality.

VR immerses users in a fully simulated 3-D environment; AR overlays digital information onto the physical world.

What is mixed reality?

An environment where physical and digital objects interact and co-exist (blend of AR and VR).

Describe machine learning in one sentence.

A branch of AI where systems learn from data, identify patterns, and make decisions with minimal human programming.

What role does natural language processing play in digital assistants?

It allows the assistant to interpret spoken commands, convert them to digital instructions, and respond appropriately.

How does a personal firewall differ from a network firewall?

A personal firewall protects an individual computer; a network firewall safeguards an entire network.

What happens to an infected file placed in quarantine?

It is isolated on the drive until the user deletes or restores it after disinfection.

Give three examples of Internet filter types.

Anti-spam, phishing filters, pop-up/pop-under blockers (also web filters and ransomware blockers).

What does ransomware typically do?

Encrypts or blocks access to data and demands payment for its release.

Define troubleshooting in system management.

The systematic process of identifying and resolving hardware or software problems such as crashes.

What core tasks do file managers perform?

Displaying, organizing, copying, moving, renaming, and deleting files and folders.

List five categories of personal-interest applications.

Lifestyle, Medical, Entertainment, Convenience, Education, and Financial (any five).

According to the case study, which app type can help manage bill reminders?

A financial app.

What knowledge-check answer identifies the goal of creating interactions between physical and digital objects?

Mixed reality.