COMPUTER SOFTWARE
Unit -3 By : Smita Agarwal
COMPUTER SOFTWARE
Introduction to Software
System Software
Business Application Software
Programming Languages
Assemblers, Interpreters and Compilers
Software suites and Integrated Package
Text Book :
Introduction
to Information Technology - Turban, Rainer and
Potter, Chapter -4
INTRODUCTION TO SOFTWARE
Part-1
INTRODUCTION
Computer software, or just software, is a
collection
of
computer
programs
and
related data that provide the instructions for telling a
computer what to do and how to do it.
Computer program: The sequences of instructions
for the computer.
Software Development: The process of building
software applications. It is slow, complex and error
prone.
80% of IT personnel maintain existing software and
20% develop new application.
SOFTWARE CRISIS
Software development process is slow, complex
and error prone.
It gets more expensive as the complexity in the
software grows .
The organizations are not able to develop new
software applications fast enough to keep up with
rapidly changing business conditions and rapidly
evolving technologies.
SOFTWARE FUNDAMENTALS
The process of writing programs is called
Programming
The individuals who perform this task are called
Programmers
Stored Program Concept. Modern hardware
architecture in which stored software programs are
accessed and their instructions are executed
(followed) in the computers CPU, one after
another.
Documentation. Written description of the
functions of a software program
DIFFERENT TYPES OF SOFTWARE:
System Software: The class of
computer instruction that
serve
primarily as an intermediary between
computer hardware and application
programs; provides important selfregulatory functions for computer
systems.
Application Software: The class of
computer instructions that direct a
computer system to perform specific
processing activities and provide
functionality for users. Its primarily to
manipulate data or text to produce or
provide information.
SYSTEM SOFTWARE
Part -2
SYSTEMS SOFTWARE
The class of computer instruction that
serve
primarily as an intermediary between computer
hardware and application programs; provides
important self-regulatory functions for computer
systems.
System Software is the class of programs that
Control and support computer hardware
Facilitates programming , testing and debugging
Support application software
System Software is grouped into two categories
System Control Programs
System Support Programs
SYSTEM CONTROL PROGRAMS
System
control programs: Software
programs that controls the use of the
hardware, software, and data resources of
a computer system.
Operating system: The main system
control program, which supervises the
overall operations of the computer,
allocates CPU time and main memory to
programs, and provides an interface
between the user and the hardware.
10
SYSTEM SUPPORT PROGRAMS
System
support programs: Software that
supports the operations, management and
users of a computer system by providing a
variety of support services. Examples
include
System utility programs
Performance monitors, and
Security monitors
11
SYSTEM SUPPORT PROGRAMS
System utilities: Programs that accomplish
common tasks such as sorting records, locating
files, creating directories and sub- directories
and managing memory usage.
System performance monitors: Programs that
monitor the processing of jobs on a computer
system and monitor system performance in areas
such as processor time, memory space and
application programs.
System security monitors: Programs that monitor
a computer system to protect it and its resources
form unauthorized use, fraud or destruction.
12
APPLICATION SOFTWARE
Part-3
APPLICATION SOFTWARE
The
class of computer instructions that
direct a computer system to perform specific
processing
activities
and
provide
functionality for users. Its primarily to
manipulate data or text to produce or
provide information.
Types of Application Software are :
Proprietary application software / Contract
software
Off-the-shelf application software / Package
APPLICATION SOFTWARE
Proprietary application software. Software that
addresses a specific or unique business need for a
company ; may be developed in-house or may be
commissioned from a software vendor. Such specific
software programs developed for a particular company
by a vendor are called contract software.
Off-the-shelf
application
software.
Software
purchased, leased, or rented from a vendor that
develops programs and sell them to many
organizations; can be standard customizable. Package
is a commonly used term for a computer program (or
group of programs) that have been developed by a
vendor and is available for purchase in a prepackaged
form.
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TYPES OF PERSONAL APPLICATION SOFTWARE
Personal application software is generalpurpose, off-the-shelf application programs that
support general types of processing (e.g. Microsoft
Office).
Nine Types of Personal Application software
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Spreadsheets
Data Management
Word Processing
Graphics
Desktop Publishing
Multimedia
Communications
Speech recognition Software
Groupware
16
1. SPREADSHEETS
Spreadsheets. Software that uses a grid of
coded rows and columns to display
numeric or textual data in cells (e.g.
Microsoft Excel, Lotus 1-2-3).
Macros : Sequences of commands
used in spreadsheet software that can
be executed with just one simple
instruction
Integrated
packages. Spreadsheet
packages that offer data management
and graphical capabilities in addition to
regular spreadsheet functionality.
2. DATA MANAGEMENT
Data Management Software that supports
the storage, retrieval, and manipulation of
related data.
Simple Filling Program traditional manual
data filing programs
Database Management Programs Fast and
Accurate programs with ability to store and
retrieve data in primary and secondary storage.
E.g : Ms - Access
18
3. WORD PROCESSING
Software that allows the user to manipulate text
using many writing and editing features (e.g.
Notepad, Word Pad, Microsoft Word). It can
include:
Editor program
Formatting program
Print program
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Grammar checker
Mailing List Program
Integrated graphics, Charting and Drawing Programs.
4. GRAPHICS SOFTWARE
Software that enable the user to create, store,
and display or print charts, graphs, maps, and
drawings.
Presentation graphic software. Software that
enables users to create graphically rich
presentations by pasting graphic images into a
textual presentation (e.g. Microsoft PowerPoint).
Analysis graphic software. Software that
provides the ability to convert previously
analyzed data into graphic formats (e.g. bar
charts, pie charts).
Computer-aided Design (CAD) Software allows
designers to design and build production
prototypes in software, test them, compile parts
lists, out-line assembly procedures, and then
transmit the final design directly to machines
20
5. DESKTOP PUBLISHING SOFTWARE.
Software that enables user to
combine
photographs
and
graphic images with text, to
produce a finished, camera
ready document for newsletter ,
advertisement , announcement
etc. E.g. :MS-Publisher
6. MULTIMEDIA SOFTWARE.
Software that combines spatially based media (text and images) with
time based media ( sound and video) for input or output of data.
21
7. COMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE
Software that allows computers, wherever they are
located, to exchange data via cables, telephone
lines, satellite relay systems, or microwave circuits.
E.g. : E- Mail like MS -Outlook, Video conferencing
Software like Skype
22
8. SPEECH-RECOGNITION SOFTWARE
Software
that recognizes and interprets
human speech, either one word at a time
(discrete speech) or in a stream (continuous
speech)
Discrete speech
Recognition- Can interpret
only one word at a time. User must pause
between the words. It is used to control PC
Software using words like Print, Execute .
Continuous speech Recognition- can interpret
the continuous stream of words. Software must
understand the context of a word and must
overcome accent.
EXAMPLE:
Handling calls with speech recognition. JetAir
Belgium (jetair.be), a travel company, handles
3,000 calls a day from 2,000 travel agents. Before
installing its voice- recognition system, JetAir lost
20 percent of its calls, because operators were
busy or the calls were too complicated for toneactivated voice mail. The speech-recognition
system recognizes both Flemish and French among
13 supported languages. In addition to retaining the
lost calls, JetAir estimates that it handles 150 extra
calls daily, worth up to $25 million in annual
revenue
9. GROUPWARE
Software that facilitate communication, coordination,
and collaboration among people.
It allows workgroupspeople who need to interact with
one another within an organization to communicate
and share information, even when they are working
together at a distance.
Groupware can provide many benefits to businesses,
including more efficient and effective project
management,
location
independence,
increased
communications capability, increased information
availability, and improved workflow
E.g. : IBMs Lotus Notes/Domino, is a documentmanagement system, a distributed client/server
database, and a basis for intranet and electronic
commerce systems, as well as a communication support
tool. This class of groupware supplements real-time
communications
with
asynchronous
electronic
connections
SOFTWARE SUITES
Software suites are collections of application
software packages that integrate some or all of the
nine functions of the packages.
Software suites can include word processors,
spreadsheets, database management systems,
graphics programs, communications tools, and
other applications. Microsoft Office, Novell Perfect
Office, and Lotus SmartSuite are widely used
software suites for PCs.
SOFTWARE ISSUES
Software defects
Alien software
Software evaluation and selection
Software licensing
Software upgrades
Open systems
Open source software
Copyright 2007 John
Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Technology Guide 2
27
