Discovering Computers 2010 Chapter 3 Application Software

Application Software Application software  Programs designed to make users more productive and assist them with personal tasks. Uses/Categories of application software?  To make business activities more efficient  To assist with graphics and multimedia projects  To support home/personal/educational tasks  To facilitate communications ( – Web browser)

How is software distributed?  Packaged software, mass-produced that meets the need of a wide variety of users.  Custom software, performs functions specific to a business or industry  Web-based software (Web Application), hosted by a Web site to allow users interact with software from any computer connected to the internet. Some web application hosts provide free access to their software. Some web sites require you to download software in order to run their web application  Open source software, provided for use, modification, and redistribution

 Shareware, copyrighted software that is distributed free for trial period  Freeware, copyrighted software provided at no cost. Programmers cannot incorporate freeware in applications they intend to sell.  Public-domain software, freeware with no copyright restrictions How is software distributed? Product activation is a technique that some software manufacturers use to ensure the software is not installed on more computers than legally licensed.

What is system software?  Serves as the interface between the user, the application software, and the computer’s hardware  Also called “Operating System” or O/S  Windows, UNIX, Linux  To use application software, your computer must be running system software. What is Malware?  Malicious software is a program that acts without a users knowledge and deliberately alters the computers operations.

Graphical User Interface.  A menu contains a list of commands from which you make selections  A command is an instruction that causes a program to perform a specific action.  A window is a rectangular area of the screen that displays data and information.  When you instruct a program to perform an activity such as printing, the program displays a dialog box.  A dialog box is a window that provides information, presents available options, or requests a response. Often contain option buttons, text boxes, check boxes and command buttons.

Graphical User Interface.  Button is a graphical element that you activate to cause a specific action to occur.  Icon is a small image displayed on the screen that represents a program, document, or some other object.  A file is a named collection of stored data or information.  To distinguish among various files, each file has a file name.  When you save a file, the computer transfers the document from memory to a storage medium.  When a program is started, its instructions load from storage medium to memory.

What is business software?  Software that assists people in becoming more effective and efficient while performing business activities. What is word processing software?  An application software that allows users to create and manipulate documents containing mostly text and sometimes graphics.

 As you type more lines of text, the top portion of the document moves upward, or scrolls, off the screen.  Clip art is a collection of images that you can insert in documents  Word wrap is a feature that allows users to type words in a paragraph continually without pressing the ENTER key at the end of each line  Most word processing software allows users to incorporate many types of graphics such as digital pictures and clip art in document. Word processing software?

What is a font?  A name assigned to a specific design of characters  Font size specifies the size of the characters  Font size measured by a measurement system called points.  A single point is about 1/72 of an inch height.  Font style adds emphasis to a font such as bold, italic, and underline  Two basic types of fonts are serif and sans serif  Serif font has decorative lines  Sans serif font does not have decorative lines  Header is text that appears at the top of each page  Footer is text that appears at the bottom of each page

What is spreadsheet software?  Organizes data  Performs calculations and recalculates when data changes  Intersection of rows and columns forms small boxes called cells.  Cells can contain three types of data: 1.Labels 2.Values 3.Formulas  Charting (graphing) capabilities  Three popular chart types are line, column and pie charts.

 Line chart displays lines  Column chart displays bars of different lengths  Pie Chart is pie cut into slices  Function is a predefined formula that performs common calculations -SUM(B10:B15) // Add -AVERAGE(B10:B15) // Calculate the average -MAX(B10:B15) // Finds the maximum value -MIN(B10:B15) // Finds the minimum value -COUNT(B10:B15) // Counts  Formulas K2+K3+K4+K5 C5/C6 C2*D2

What is database software? Allows you to create, access, and manage data What are the parts of a database?  A table contains records  A record is a row in a table that contains information about a given person, product, object, or event  A field is a column in a table that contains a specific category of data within a record How do you extract information from a database?  Run queries to retrieve data.  Query is a request for specific data in the database.

What is presentation software?  Used to create visual aids for presentations to communicate ideas, messages.  A presentation is sometimes called a slide show What is note taking software?  Enables users to enter typed text, handwritten comments, drawings, or sketches anywhere on the page What is Personal Information Manager software?  Help users organize personal information by using calendar, address book, notepad, and other features  In addition to PIM software, a huge variety of business software is available for PDAs

What is a software suite? Popular business software suites include Microsoft office, apple iWork, and Google Docs. A collection of individual applications sold as a single package or unit Two major advantages: lower cost ease of use

What is project management software?  Allows you to plan, schedule, track, and analyze the events, resources, and costs of a project  Advantages : Complete project on time Complete project within budget What is accounting software?  Helps companies record and report their financial transactions.

What is document management software?  Provides a means for sharing, distributing, and searching through documents by converting them into a format that can be viewed by any user.  PDF (Portable Document Format)  Falls into the business category of application software. What is enterprise computing software?  A typical enterprise consists of a wide variety of departments, centers and divisions – collectively known as functional units  Each functional unit has/may have specialized software requirements

What is computer-aided design (CAD)?  Software that allows you to create engineering, architectural, and scientific designs What is desktop publishing (DTP) software?  It is ideal for the production of high quality color documents such as textbooks.  Professional designers use DTP software because it supports page layout.  Page layout is the process of arranging text and graphics in a document.  Color library is a standard set of colors used by designers and printers to ensure that colors will print exactly as specified.

What is paint/image editing software?  Paint software, sometimes called illustration software  Image editing software provides the capabilities of paint software and also includes the capability to modify existing images.  Image stitching is the process of combining multiple images into a larger image.

What is video and audio editing software?  Video editing software allows you to modify a segment of a video, called a clip  Audio editing software allows you to modify audio clips  Audio editing software usually includes filters, which are designed to enhance audio quality.  Video editing software typically includes audio editing capabilities.

 Graphics and multimedia application software  Allows users of all skill levels to create Web pages What is Web page authoring software?  Allows users to edit digital photos  Photoshop is an example What is Photo Editing software? Photo Management software?  User can view, organize, sort, catalog, print and share digital photos.

Home/ Personal/ educational Application software.  Personal finance Software  Legal software Provides standard contracts and documents associated with buying, selling, and renting property.  Tax Preparation Software  DTP  Paint/Image Editing Software  Photo Editing Software  Clip art/image Gallery, which is a collection of clip art and photos.  You can use the images, fonts, and other items from the clip art/image gallery.

 Video and Audio Editing Software  Travel And mapping Software  Reference and Educational Software  Entertainment Software includes interactive games, videos, and other programs designed to provide enjoyment.  Home/landscape designing software assist with the design, remodeling or improvement of a home, deck or landscape. Home/ Personal/ educational Application software.

What is Web-based training (WBT)?  It is a type of computer based training ( Computer aided instruction ).  Often is combined with other materials for Distance learning and E-learning.  E-learning is the delivery of education via some electronic methods such as the internet, networks, or optical discs. What is Online Help?  Electronic equivalent of a user manual  When working with a program, you can use online help to ask a question or access the help topics.