Unit #3 Objectives: Software Part 1: Introduction

The objective of unit Software Part 1: Introduction is to learn to recognize and understand the 12 key unit vocabulary terms. This is accomplished by completing the readings and other activities.

Unit Vocabulary

Below is a list of key vocabulary terms in this unit. You can also Print out the vocabulary list.

to end a program or a process before its completion

When the program crashed the user had to abort and lose all the unsaved changes.

an error in a computer program

The average developer will create one bug for every 10 lines of code written.

software in which the license stipulates that the user cannot see, edit, or manipulate the source code of a software program

The government computing department had a strict policy not to use any closed source software for security reasons.

capable of being used without modification

The IBM 360 was the first commercially successful computer with a wide array of compatible parts which could be interchanged.

a computer failure due to faulty hardware or a serious software bug

The user was advised to reboot the computer after a serious crash in which the computer no longer responded.

a person who uses a product or service on a computer

Developers must maintain a close relationship with end users if they want to have a successful career.

an incorrect action attributable to poor judgment, ignorance, or inattention

The computer reported a "division by zeros" error and automatically exited the program.

to start a program on a computer

The program was set to execute every night at midnight.

something a computer program is "supposed" to do; these are often reasons to use a particular program or upgrade to a more recent version

The man upgraded to Word 2003 because of a new feature that allowed him to spell-check documents in Spanish.

a program in which the code is distributed allowing programmers to alter and change the original software as much as they like

The article stated that many programmers prefer open source solutions because they can modify features and fix bugs without waiting for an upgrade or patch from the manufacturer.

a person who writes or modifies computer programs or applications

The business needed to hire three new programmers to help debug their flagship application.

privately developed and owned technology

You cannot modify the source code of Windows XP because it is proprietary software.