Specification Content - ICT2
11.4 Software: Nature, Capabilities and Limitations

Software: Nature, Capabilities and Limitations looks at the nature, capabilities and limitations of software! What else did you REALLY expect?
 

• Describe the need for interfacing with peripherals, storage devices, input and output devices and display devices; describe the need for printer and other peripheral drivers.

Nature and types of software

• Describe the distinction between systems software and applications software; the purposes of operating systems.
   

• Describe the nature of package software, generic and specific, and of bespoke software.
   

• Describe the general characteristics of generic packages and the integration of objects and facilities for processing data protocols and standards.
   

• Describe the functionality offered by software which provides access to the internet.

Capabilities of Software

• Describe the desirable features of packages that would be appropriate to particular users and activities such as: links to other packages; search facilities; macro capabilities; application generators; editing capabilities; ability to change or extend data and record structures; short access times; data portability and upgrade paths.

Upgradability

• Explain the technical and human implications of package change/upgrade.

Reliability

• Explain the difficulties of thoroughly testing complex software.
   

 

11.4 Book references

See the books page for more details about the titles listed below

McWeeney

Mott & Leeming

Doyle

Heathcote

AQA past papers
Past papers. Not as useful as the Psionica database AQA shamefully closed but...

Practice questions
Practice questions for 11.4 (.rtf file - opens in Word/Writer). A whopping 37 questions!

Past paper answers
Answers to the questions above. Password protected .doc file. Sorry but the password is only available to teachers.

Older Exam Papers
Past papers (pre 2000) not included on the official AQA site from Colchester VI Form College. These still contain some relevant questions for this topic. Look for IT02/ICT2 papers.

Links to general online resources for 11.4. I'd recommend right clicking links/icons and "Save Target As..." for anything other than web pages (see key below)

	Flash Notes
Steve Longley provides 3 excellent sets of online flash notes for 11.4 - Nature & Types of Software; Capabilities of Software and Upgradability & Reliability
	Flash Notes
Offline versions of the above.  Right click link below and Save Target As... 1 , 2 , 3
	Categories of Software
Brief revision notes from David Yates of The KJS fame.
	Introduction to Software
Short PowerPoint presentation based on Heathcote Chapter 20.
	11.4 Software
Page of software links from Alcester Grammar School.
	Generic Software
Short PowerPoint presentation based on Heathcote Chapter 22.
	Computer Software
Good lecture notes covering nature, types and capabilities of software from Campbell School of Business.
	Computer Software
The same lecture notes as a Word file (in case you want to edit the the VERY dated bit on OS's!!!)
	Revision Questions
Handout containing a couple of questions. Suitable for homework, revision, blah de blah de blah.
	Operating Systems
How Stuff Works overview explains the purpose and functions of an OS.
	11.3 Organisation of Data
Summary notes and questions from North Chadderton High School.
	Device Drivers
Wikipedia definition for device driver. See also Win2000.com
	Macros
Another Wikipedia definition. This one's for macro. See also WhatIs.com
	Characteristics of Software
Online PowerPoint presentation from OCRICT. Highly recommended by FatMax
	Characteristics of Software
Above presentation from OCRICT available as a self extracting zip file

Key to resources:

PowerPoint presentation Word file Web page Macromedia Flash

Word, PowerPoint and Excel resources will also open in OOo Writer, Calc and Impress - check the downloads page.