IT 301 - Overview of Hardware, Software, Emerging Technologies, and Requirement Analysis Flashcards

Flashcards created from IT 301 lecture notes covering overview of hardware, software characteristics, emerging technologies, and requirement analysis.

Computer Hardware

The set of physical parts of a computer system that can be seen with the naked eye, such as the monitor, keyboard, mouse, and system unit.

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The brain of the computer, consisting of three associated elements: the arithmetic/logic unit, the control unit, and register areas.

Arithmetic/Logic Unit (ALU)

The part of the CPU that performs mathematical calculations and makes logical comparisons.

Control Unit

The part of the CPU that sequentially accesses program instructions, decodes them, and coordinates data flow in and out of the ALU, registers, primary storage, and secondary storage.

Register

A high-speed storage area in the CPU that temporarily holds small units of computer-generated instructions and data immediately before, during, and after execution.

Primary Storage

The part of the computer (also known as main memory or memory) that processes program instructions and data.

Instruction time (I-time)

The time required to perform the fetch-instruction and decode-instruction steps of the instruction phase.

Execution time (E-time)

The time required to execute an instruction and store the results.

Machine Cycle

The complete execution sequence consisting of the instruction phase followed by the execution phase.

Pipelining

A form of CPU operation in which multiple execution phases are performed simultaneously within a single machine cycle.

Application

A computer program designed to perform specific user tasks such as word processing or spreadsheets.

Bit

The smallest unit of information stored on a computer, represented as either a 0 or a 1.

Blinking Cursor

A vertical blinking bar on a computer screen that locates the exact position where text can be inserted or deleted.

Byte

A unit of data storage composed of 8 consecutive bits, representing one character such as a letter or number.

Kilobyte (KB)

A unit of digital data storage equal to 1,000 bytes.

Megabyte (MB)

A unit of digital data storage equal to 1,000 kilobytes (KB).

Gigabyte (GB)

A unit of digital data storage equal to 1,000 megabytes (MB).

Terabyte (TB)

A unit of digital data storage equal to 1,000 gigabytes (GB).

Cache

A fast memory type similar to RAM used by the computer to move data quickly between RAM and the CPU.

CD-ROM

A removable optical disk storing data that can only be read, meaning new data cannot be recorded onto it.

CD-Rewritable disk

An optical disk that allows data to be recorded, saved, and modified.

DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)

An optical disc technology capable of storing significantly more information than a CD-ROM and supporting write operations.

File

A named collection of related data stored on a computer.

Flash Drive

A small portable storage device that plugs into a USB port to transfer files between computers; also known as a thumb drive.

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

A program providing visual controls, pictures, and icons to simplify interaction with an operating system and application programs.

Hard Drive

The primary internal hardware location where computer programs and files are stored long-term.

Random Access Memory (RAM)

The amount of temporary storage memory available for active use, which is wiped clear when the computer is powered off.

Modem

A hardware device that transfers data across telephone or cable lines to connect to the Internet or handle faxes.

Monitor

An output display screen similar to a television that displays data visually to the user.

Motherboard

The primary circuit board of a computer to which functioning components like the CPU, RAM, and cache connect.

Mesh Topology

A network topology in which every device is connected to every other device on the network through a dedicated point-to-point link.

Star Topology

A network topology where all devices connect to a central hub, requiring all inter-device communications to pass through the hub.

Bus Topology

A network topology where a main central cable connects all network devices using drop lines and interface taps.

Ring Topology

A network topology where each device links directly to two adjacent devices on either side to form a circular transmission loop.

Hybrid Topology

A network topology created by combining two or more distinct network structures, such as star and mesh topologies.

ISO 9126

An international standard model for software quality assessment divided into quality models, internal metrics, external metrics, and quality-in-use metrics.

ISO 9126-1

A refined software quality standard categorizing software quality factors into six main characteristics and sub-characteristics.

Internal Quality Attributes

System properties that can be measured and evaluated during inspection while software is undergoing development or operation.

External Quality Attributes

System properties tested and observed by users while inspecting the software device during actual operation or repair.

Functionality

A primary software characteristic describing software performance relative to its intended functional purpose.

Suitability

A functionality sub-characteristic concerning the basic appropriateness and explicit specifications of software accessibility.

Accurateness

A functionality sub-characteristic regarding the precision and correctness of software results and functions.

Interoperability

A functionality sub-characteristic concerning the ability of a software component to interact and communicate with other modules or structures.

Compliance

A functionality sub-characteristic describing the compatible operation of a program with mandatory government or business rules (e.g., SOX).

Security

A functionality sub-characteristic referring to protection against unauthorized or improper access to software features.

Reliability

A primary software characteristic describing the software's ability to maintain required performance under specified operational restrictions.

Maturity

A reliability sub-characteristic concerning the frequency and extent of software malfunctions during use.

Fault Tolerance

A reliability sub-characteristic describing software capacity to withstand and recover from component failures or environmental disruptions.

Recoverability

A reliability sub-characteristic concerning the capability to restore a broken system to full operational service, including data and network links.

Usability

A primary software characteristic describing the ease with which users can utilize and interact with the software.

Understandability

A usability sub-characteristic determining how simply system functions and user interface representations can be interpreted.

Learnability

A usability sub-characteristic describing the effort needed for diverse user categories (beginners, professionals, casual users) to learn application tasks.

Operability

A usability sub-characteristic regarding the software's capacity to be conveniently controlled by an operator in a given context.

Efficiency

A primary software characteristic describing the ability of the software to optimize performance relative to available hardware resources.

Time Behavior

An efficiency sub-characteristic characterizing software reaction times, response speeds, and transaction throughput rates.

Resource Behavior

An efficiency sub-characteristic characterizing the amount and duration of memory, CPU, disk, and network resources used.

Maintainability

A primary software characteristic describing the ease of modifying a software system to extend functionality, enhance performance, or correct errors.

Analyzability

A maintainability sub-characteristic characterizing the capacity to identify, diagnose, and locate the root cause of software issues.

Changeability

A maintainability sub-characteristic characterizing the quantity of code and system adjustments required to modify program logic.

Stability

A maintainability sub-characteristic characterizing system resilience against unexpected detrimental side-effects resulting from software modifications.

Testability

A maintainability sub-characteristic characterizing the testing effort needed to validate modified software functions.

Portability

A primary software characteristic describing the ease with which developers can migrate software across different operating platforms.

Adaptability

A portability sub-characteristic characterizing the capacity of software to adjust to new operational environments or system requirements.

Installability

A portability sub-characteristic characterizing the level of initiative and effort required to install software in a designated environment.

Conformance

A portability sub-characteristic denoting software adherence to portability standards, such as Open SQL database compliance.

Replaceability

A portability sub-characteristic describing the plug-and-play simplicity of swapping out a software module within a framework.

System Software

Programs operating and commanding core computer system functions to utilize hardware resources efficiently and effectively (e.g., Operating Systems).

Real-time Software

Software designed to monitor, evaluate, and control real-world events within strict, guaranteed response timeframes (e.g., ATM transaction software).

Business Software

Software managing database records to execute business transactions such as payroll, inventory, and accounting.

Engineering and Scientific Software

Software designed to perform highly complex calculations and statistical analysis for real-time applications such as orbital shuttle paths.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Software

Software capable of rational behavior that simulates cognitive capabilities including logical reasoning, problem-solving, assessment, and discovery.

Web-based Software

Software functioning as an interface between users and the Internet, displaying hyperlinked text, audio, and video content via web browsers.

Personal Computer (PC) Software

Versatile applications used for routine formal and personal tasks across businesses, schools, and homes.

Software Maintenance

The post-delivery modification and updating of software applications to correct defects and improve system performance.

Corrective Maintenance

Day-to-day software maintenance performed to repair faults, design errors, logical defects, and coding bugs (accounts for 20% of maintenance).

Design Bugs

Software faults that occur when system changes are incomplete, incorrect, or when change requests are misunderstood.

Logical Bugs

Software errors resulting from invalid test data, flawed decision conclusions, or incorrect implementation of algorithms.

Coding Bugs

Source code program errors that lead to unexpected or mathematically incorrect results.

Adaptive Maintenance

Software modifications executed to keep software compatible with changes in hardware, operating systems, or business rules (accounts for 25% of maintenance).

Perfective Maintenance

Software enhancements performed to evolve system features based on user feedback or remove unused components (accounts for 50-55% of maintenance).

Preventive Maintenance

Proactive code refactoring and documentation revisions performed to reduce software decay and improve long-term maintainability (accounts for 5% of maintenance).

Emerging Technologies

Radically novel and fast-growing technological innovations with potential to exert major socio-economic impacts over the next 5 to 10 years.

Input Device

Any hardware peripheral allowing users to enter data and commands into a computer during the first stage of information processing.

Output Device

Computer hardware that receives internal processed data and translates it into audio, visual, textual, or printed hard-copy formats.

Light Pen

A light-sensitive pen-like pointing device containing a photocell used to select screen items or draw directly on a monitor.

Trackball

A stationary pointing input device featuring a rotatable ball controlled by fingers to move the screen cursor.

Touch Screen

A dual input/output display screen that lets users control software directly by touching icons or menus with their fingers.

Digitizer

An input device that converts analog visual drawings into digital signals and numerical data for image creation and manipulation.

Scanner

An optical input device operating on photocopying principles to capture image data and save it digitally to a hard disk.

Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

Technology combining scanning hardware and software to convert scanned bitmap images of text into editable ASCII character codes.

Optical Mark Reader (OMR)

An optical scanning device designed to evaluate marks made by pen or pencil, commonly used to grade multiple-choice answer sheets.

Bar Code Reader (BCR)

An optical scanner that reads printed black-and-white barcode lines, converts them to alphanumeric data, and sends the information to a computer.

Magnetic Ink Card Reader (MICR)

A specialized scanner used primarily by banks to process cheques by reading unique routing numbers printed in magnetic ink.

Electronic Card Reader

A card swipe or chip reader device that decodes data stored on plastic debit or credit cards for transaction processing.

Microphone

An audio input device capturing sound waves and converting them into digital audio signals for recording or processing.

Projector

An output display device that projects computer video signals onto a large white wall or projection screen.

Plotter

A specialized vector graphics output printer designed to draw continuous lines for CAD drawings and architectural blueprints.

Braille Display

An electronic tactile output device for blind users that dynamically translates computer text into raised Braille pins.

GPS (Global Positioning System)

A satellite navigation system providing precise 3D geographical positioning and time data anywhere on Earth.

3D Printer

An additive manufacturing hardware device invented by Chuck Hull in 1984 that builds physical 3D objects layer-by-layer from digital models.