I need you to create one reply to each topic, 4 topics total

1st topic:

The difference between application software and system software can be explained based on several factors or parameters like definition, development language, necessity, usage, installation, user interaction, dependency and others [Darshan Kumar Panigrahi, 2023]. Before starting off with the parameters the most essential difference that lies between an application software and system software is that the system software is utilized on the machine-side dealing with the computer hardware and the application software is the one on the user’s side that enables users perform tasks of their choice.

Parameter

System Software

Application Software

Definition

This acts as an interface between the application software and the computer

This is the type of software that runs based on the user instructions

Development Language

Generally written in low-level language for easier interaction with hardware.

Generally written in high-level language for being development specific.

Necessity

Basic functioning of the system will not happen properly without this software

These can be installed based on the purpose of the user.

Installation

Installed during the installation of operating system

Installed based on user’s requirements

User Interaction

This has minimal or no user interaction as they are installed only once during the installation of the OS.

This software cannot run independently without system software

Examples

OS, compilers, debuggers

Web browsers, word processors, media players

2nd topic:

There are different functions performed by the application software and the system software on an electronic device.

The system software:

Computers need system software to operate. It includes managing hardware and system resources, as well as providing an application platform. Systems software includes operating systems, drivers, and utilities (such as Windows, macOS, and Linux).

In this regard, the operating system functions as a bridge between the hardware and the user, facilitating tasks such as file management, memory management, and task scheduling (Stallings, 2018).

Using application software:

On the other hand, application software facilitates specific tasks. Depending on the task, they might be productivity tools (like word processors and spreadsheets) or entertainment tools (like video games and media players).

Basically, it runs on top of your system software, using its resources and services (Sommerville, 2015).

Applications software, on the other hand, focuses on user-oriented tasks and functionalities while system software ensures the computer’s basic operations run smoothly.

3rd topic:

Data marts are essentially the miniature versions of data warehouses. They are mostly focused on one specific department of the organization. Thereby, this enables the data marts to perform the same analysis as that of the data warehouses. Now moving on to the advantages and disadvantages of data marts compared to data warehouses are stated below and have been referred from the course textbook [Hossein Bidgoli, (2021)].

Advantages: 1. It is very fast and easy to access information from a data mart rather than a data warehouse due to their smaller size.2. As data marts are focuses to analyze the functionalities of only specific groups or departments of an organization, the user response time is relatively fast.3. Data marts are pretty much easy to build due to their seamless and uncomplex structure.Disadvantages:1. Data marts can focus only on one group at once which makes them less efficient than data warehouses, because data warehouses can handle and analyze the whole organization.2.  It is difficult to consolidate data from various departments into data marts due to their smaller sizes.

4th topic:

There are a lot of benefits to data marts, but we’re only going to focus on two

1. Specificity: Data marts are more targeted and specialized than data warehouses since they’re designed to handle specific business areas or departments. It helps stakeholders make faster decisions and run more efficiently by providing insights and analysis (Inmon, 2005).

2. Flexibility: Data marts can be modified or updated easily. In many cases, they’re built using agile methodologies, making it easier to deploy new data and functionality faster. Because of their flexibility, they’re great for organizations that need to react quickly to market changes.

Data Marts have some drawbacks

1. Limited scope: Data marts are designed to serve a specific business unit or department, so they’re not as comprehensive as data warehouses. In some cases, the data might not be available for cross-domain analysis or reporting, so its value and scalability could be limited.

2. Integration challenges: Data marts often require data integration from multiple source systems, which can be time-consuming and difficult. In the absence of a central data management system, ensuring data quality, maintaining consistency, and enforcing data governance policies can be hard(Kimball & Ross, 2013).

Overall, data marts have the advantage of being specific and flexible, but they also have the disadvantage of limited scope and complex integration. A data warehouse, however, offers a broader data scope and may require more resources. Business goals and needs determine whether data warehousing or data mart is right for you.