Read the text. Interview: Analyst/Programmer

Interview: Analyst/Programmer

Computing jobs often include a mixture of duties. An Analyst/Programmer does some systems analysis and some programming. The person we hear being interviewed in this unit is part of a team working on the development of a computer program that will be used for teaching mathematics to young adults with numeracy problems. The program uses graphics and animation, and has a database to store information used in the mathematical problems.

Programs can be written in a variety of computer languages. There is a large number of computer languages available for use by programmers. Each language is designed for use in solving particular types of problem and therefore has particular strengths and weaknesses. A system analyst has to decide which language is most appropriate in ach situation. Languages such as C++ are particularly suitable for writing systems programs.

The language chosen will depend on a number of factors including what system the program will run on, what the function of the program is, and the knowledge of the programmer. This analyst/programmer uses a variety of computer languages including C++(C plus plus), HTML(HyperText Markup Language),JavaScript, VB(Visual Basic), and Delphi. Programs written usinghigh-level languages are usually compiled. i.e. converted into machine code consisting of only 1s and 0s, by a program called a compiler.

Sections of program code that are used often are stored together in a file called a library file. The Active Server system mentioned by the analyst/programmer is a system that allows webpages to be used for running small programs on the main server computer on a network.

An error in a computer program is often called a bug and the processes of finding and fixing errors is known as debugging. In this project, three types of programming errors are mentioned, i.e. compilation errors, linking errors, and logic errors. Logic errors sometimes occur at branches and loops in a program.

A branch is a programming structure where two different paths can be followed depending on whether a given condition is true or false.

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Structure Action

IF condition processes the instructions

THEN instructions if the condition is true

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A loop is a programming structure where a part of the program is repeated a fixed number of times or until a condition is met.

 

Structure	Action
FOR condition instructions NEXT variable	Repeats the instructions a fixed number of times set by the condition and increases the variable by 1 each time the loop is completed
REPEAT Instructions UNTIL condition	Repeats the instructions until the condition is true

 

3 Answer the following questions:

1 What does an Analyst/Programmer do?

2 What does a team of programmers work on in this unit?

3 Does the program use graphics and animation?

4 What has the program to store information used in the mathematical problems?

5 What factors will the language chosen for writing the program depend on?

6 What computer languages are used by the team in this unit?

7 What function performs the compiler?

8 What is a library file used for?

9 What three types of programming errors are mentioned in this unit?

10 Where logic errors can sometimes occur at?