411 REFERENCE · Wikibooks
A-level Computing/AQA/Computer Components, The Stored Program Concept and the Internet/Fundamentals of Computer Systems
Reference material by Wikibooks contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
3 From the Specification : Hardware and Software
Understand the relationship between hardware and software and be
able to define both.
/Hardware and software/
3 From the Specification : Classification of Software
Be aware of how software is classified.
Be able to explain what is meant by system software and application software.
Understand the need for and attributes of different types of software
/Classification of Software/
3 From the Specification : System Software
Understand the need for, and functions of, system software:
Operating system software
Utility programs
Library programs
Translator software (compiler, assembler, interpreter)
/System software/
3 From the Specification : Application Software
Describe the different types of application software and the criteria for selecting appropriate software for particular purposes.
General purpose application software.
Special purpose application software.
Bespoke application software
/Application software/
3 From the Specification : Generations of Programming Language
Describe machine-code language and assembly language.
Awareness of the development of programming languages and the
limitations of both machine-code and assembly-language programming
First generation - Machine code
Second generation - Assembly language
Third generation - Imperative high level language
Explain the term imperative high level language and its relationship to first and second generation languages
Fourth generation - Declarative language
Explain the term declarative programming language and where and why declarative languages are used
/Generations of programming language/
3 From the Specification : Types of Program Translator
Define each type of language translator and describe situations
where each would be appropriate.
Assembler
Compiler
Interpreter
/Types of program translator/