Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
2.7 The Need for Different Types of Software Systems and their Attributes
2.7 The Need for Different Types of Software Systems and their Attributes
Software
Open - Where source code is included, meaning people can modify their programs.
Closed (Proprietary) - Source code isn't included with the software, meaning people can't edit or change the software. Commonly used in most products.
Bespoke - Software made for a single/small group of users. Usually highly specific for the requirements of the customer.
Off the shelf - Software that is created and sold openly to anyone who wants to buy it. Usually a digital download.
Systems
Safety Critical - A system where it is important that it doesn't fail. This includes systems that would be life-threatening or would damage company assets, were they to fail.
Fail Safe - Has a manual override/safety procedures in place if the system does fail.
Fail Tolerant - Has a backup system in place to take over, if a fail occurs.
Fail Passive - Systems that will continue to operate in the best way it can, when it fails.
Knowledge Based (Expert) - Contains a huge knowledge database and will attempt to solve problems it is given, based on rules and relationships. It will then either give an answer with a degree of accuracy, or ask for more information. Eg. Siri
Corporate Software
Presentation - Designed to aid a speaker deliver information to a group of people. Eg. PowerPoint
Desktop Publishing - Allows the user to create things like leaflets, banners and posters, giving them control over moving objects around with ease. Eg. Publisher
Spreadsheets - Allow the user to handle large amounts of numerical data, calculating and representing it. Eg. Excel
Drawing - Allows the user to create images. Vector handles shapes and objects which a user will reshape. Eg. Shapes in Word. Bitmap works in pixels and allows paintbrushes and erasers. Eg. Paint, Photoshop
Databases - Allows a user to create, view, edit and delete records and tables within a database. This could be at SQL level or a easier UI level. Eg. Access
Mobile Apps - Applications that run on mobile devices, can perform a variety of functions, at a relatively low processing power. They can be built in or downloaded off of an app store.
Animation and Graphics - Allows users to create complex 3D images and models. It allows things like light sources and textures to change the image, and it must be rendered before being used.
Weather Forecasting - Data from across the country is collected and processed automatically to try to predict the weather as accurately as possible.
Automation and Robotics - Systems that make objects move in the physical world. This could be as simple as automatic doors or as complex as full size robots.
CAD/CAM - Allow designers and manufacturers to use technology in their work. CAD software will help someone create a model of their product in 3D, while CAM helps the user to build it, usually in mass quantities.
Search Engines
Indexing - Web spiders will look through websites and find key words and links and store them in a huge database. When you use a search engine, you are basically searching through their list of indexes
Page Rank Algorithm - Looks at every webpage in the world and calculates how many links go to that page. Ranks them in order of that. Used by Google.