Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. computing ESSENTIALS     2 CHAPTER Application Software Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Competencies computing ESSENTIALS     Software applications Common software features General-purpose applications Software suites Integrated software Some general purpose applications to be covered: Browsers, word processors, spreadsheets, database management systems, presentation graphics Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Software Applications computing ESSENTIALS     Software Applications General-purpose application Widely used software Common tasks Special-purpose application Narrowly focused software Specific tasks General-purpose applications include browsers, word processors, spreadsheets, database management systems, presentation graphics. These types will be the focus of this presentation. Special-purpose applications , also called advanced applications, are specific to one discipline or occupation. These include multimedia, Web authoring, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence (AI). (See chapter 10) Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. computing ESSENTIALS     Common Features User Interface Important part of software Portion where the user interacts with the software Graphical User Interface (GUI) Windows Menus Toolbars Help The user interface is one of the most important part of a software application. If the user doesn’t like or is confused by the interface, then they won’t use it. Most common user interface today is a graphical user interface. (GUI) Pronounced “gooey” Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. computing ESSENTIALS     Windows Rectangular area that displays information Multiple applications in different windows Can be resized, moved, and closed Windows are the portion of the screen where the user interacts with the application software. Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. computing ESSENTIALS     Menus Display commands Present options Drop down list Held in menu bars Menus are commands and options grouped together in common functionality. For example, the File menu displayed above lists commands and options associated with file maintenance. Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. computing ESSENTIALS     Toolbars Contain buttons and menus Commonly used commands Common to many applications Formatting toolbar Standard toolbar Toolbars allow quick access to commands in the application. Toolbars can usually be found under the menu bar. However, they can also be found detached and floating somewhere in the application window. That allows the user to customize their screen. The formatting toolbar above is seen in the vertical position as opposed to the horizontal like the standard toolbar. Most applications in the Windows environment will have toolbars like those seen above. Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. computing ESSENTIALS     Help Contains useful information Access methods Table of Contents Keyword index Text search Explain what students would find using the different tabs How is information listed on Contents Tab? How is information listed on Index Tab? How might a user use the Find Tab? Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. computing ESSENTIALS     Office Assistant Another way to get help is to: Access through F1 function key or Help button on toolbar or click on Office Assistant object (paperclip, ball, cat, dog, Einstein, robot…) Click once to access or F1 Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. computing ESSENTIALS     Web-based Apps ASP – Application Service Provider Provide access to different programs Don’t need to upgrade Store data files on the ASP site Can access data from any location Privacy and Security Data may be compromised ASP are web sites that offer access to different programs such as word processors, spreadsheets, etc. Users can also store their data on those servers. The advantages are that programs and data are easily accessible from any location that has access to the Web. A disadvantage is that the files are more vulnerable to hackers or others as compared to a local machine separate from the Internet. Balance must be found – security versus accessibility. An example of an ASP is www.WebOS.com Some ASPs require a fee, while others may only require registration. See the McGraw-Hill website at http://www.mhhe.com/oleary for further updates and to learn more. Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. computing ESSENTIALS     Browsers Connect to the Web Open and transfer files Display text and images Web site address How a browser locates a web page Uniform Resource Locator (URL) Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. computing ESSENTIALS     Web Page Document file that contains Text and Images Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) Commands that describe layout of page Hyperlinks Connections to other documents Navigating the Web The browser interprets the HTML commands in the document to display the Web page. The first page of a web site is called the Home page. Navigating the web means following hyperlinks from document to document. See Chapter 8 for more detailed discussion of Internet and the Web Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. computing ESSENTIALS     Searching the Web Search services provide databases of Web pages and Internet sites Topic Search Successively select categories Keyword Search Specific word or phrase Search services such as www.google.com, or AltaVista maintain huge databases that contain links to Web pages and Internet sites. Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Word Processing Programs computing ESSENTIALS     Word Processing Programs Create text-based documents, reports, letters, and memos Widely used in business, school, and home Most popular Microsoft Word Corel WordPerfect Lotus Word Pro Makes creation of professional looking documents easy. Most make use of templates to standardize the look of documents created by teams of employees. Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Word Processor Features computing ESSENTIALS     Word Processor Features Common features Word Wrap, formatting Spelling/Grammar Checkers Thesaurus Search and Replace Multimedia object Graphs, tables Audio, video clips Word processors make it easy to professionally layout, edit, and distribute documents. Word wrap will automatically move text to new line when prior line is full. Incorrect spelling is identified and alternatives offered. Identifies poor grammar and makes suggestions. Quickly locate with search or find commands. Other features include AutoText and AutoComplete which anticipate phrases and words and will insert them upon request. Modern word processors allow addition of multimedia objects, such as charts, audio/video clips. See object linking and embedding (OLE) Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. computing ESSENTIALS     Spreadsheets Organize, analyze, and graph numeric data Widely used in many professions Most popular Microsoft Excel Corel Quattro Pro Lotus 1-2-3 Also known as worksheets Consist of grid of numbered rows and columns. Common uses include analyzing sales trends, financial trends, home budgets, recording grades or scores To learn more about software development leaders such as Microsoft, see the website at http://www.mhhe.com/oleary Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. computing ESSENTIALS     Spreadsheet Features Manipulate numeric data Grid of rows and columns Data stored in cells Common features Functions Formulas What-if Analysis Graphs and charts The worksheet is a rectangular grid of rows and columns, the intersection of which is called a cell. Each cell is referenced by a letter (column) and number (rows). Data is stored in the cells. Workbooks are made up of several worksheets. Values are numbers used for calculations; Labels are letters, numbers, or symbols used to represent text (social security number, phone number) Formulas are calculations user creates that calculate results from referenced cells Functions are predefined formulas created by spreadsheet “What if “ scenarios - allows a user to create different scenarios for different results - probably one of the most powerful tools of spreadsheet Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Database Management Systems computing ESSENTIALS     Database Management Systems Organize related data for easy access Database is a specially formatted file that contains data Structured Most popular DBMS Microsoft Access Corel Paradox Lotus Approach Establishes a structure for data storage, usually relational using related tables, so related data can be easily retrieved; also known as DBMS (database managements systems) Can edit, retrieve, and display in different formats (reports or forms) Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. computing ESSENTIALS     Database Structures Relational Most common, simple to create Hierarchical Older, more complex Network (CODASYL) Powerful, complex schemas Object-oriented Data stored as objects Relational databases organize data into fields, records, tables Tables can be linked by a key field, one that is common to both the tables in question Access, Oracle are examples of relational databases. Hierarchical databases are not seen much today. Old databases include IBM’s DL/1, and Unisys DMS1100 Network, or also known as CODASYL, databases are structured in records connected by sets. Example is Micro Data Base Systems, Inc. TITANIUM. Object oriented databases are structured with data objects stored in classes. ODMG is a set of standards developed for object databases. Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. computing ESSENTIALS     field names table field value record Identify the key organization features of a standard database Relational Database Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. computing ESSENTIALS     DBMS Features Capability to locate and display data Sort and analyze data Programming control language Structure Query Language (SQL) Used to create complex, sophisticated applications All DBMSs allow the user to access the data by locating, analyzing and displaying data in an organized manner Used for parts catalog, flight schedules, employee records, search engines, grocery store prices People use DBMS on daily basis – just not always aware Locate and display - ability to quickly locate records based on various criteria Sort and analyze - rearranging or computation based on various criteria Program Control languages - allow sophisticated users to access the database to perform complex queries, joins, deletes, or modifications. Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. computing ESSENTIALS     Picture of relationship table built in Microsoft Access Data from one table is related to the data in a second table by way of common key fields. A series of links let the users sort through, search, and display the data in a structured manner dependent on the search criteria. Link tables using a common (key) field Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Presentation Graphics computing ESSENTIALS     Presentation Graphics Create interesting, professional presentations Combine visual objects, audio/video, text Most Widely Used Microsoft PowerPoint Corel Presentations Lotus Freelance Graphics This presentation was created using PowerPoint Combines variety of visual objects to present attractive, professional presentations Many people learn better when information is visually presented Used in mostly in business and school environments See more on Lotus at http://mhhe.com/oleary Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Presentation Graphics Features computing ESSENTIALS     Presentation Graphics Features Layout files Templates Text layout Background colors and patterns Borders Animations Templates are files that include predefined settings that is used as a pattern to create a presentation. Used to maintain consistency between slides Animations add special visual and sound effects Delivery: Slide show – actual presentation to audience (similar to what we are doing now) Speaker notes – along with a picture of each slide, the audience receives a “notes” area to the right of each slide on which they can take notes as you give your presentation Link parts of your presentation to another application or another part of your presentation or even to the Web. Visual effects Audio effects Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. computing ESSENTIALS     Software Suites Separate applications bundled and sold together Less expensive More convenient Ability to share data between applications Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) Most popular Microsoft Office A collection of separate applications bundled and sold as a group that share information between applications Less expensive than individual applications Microsoft Office Professional includes Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint Other bundled suites: Corel WordPerfect Office, Lotus SmartSuite Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. computing ESSENTIALS     Object Linking Sharing of information between applications Destination file linked to source file Data is automatically updated Always displays most up-to-date data Can automatically update data from one application to another with proper link. An example is a chart in an Excel file is linked into a Word file. The data in the Word file will reflect any changes made to the Excel file. Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. computing ESSENTIALS     Object Embedding Object is part of destination document Data is not automatically updated Object can be opened and edited from inside destination document Added to a destination document where you can modify without altering original (source) document Files are not linked, so update in destination doesn’t affect source document Object in embedded app has look and feel of source application Can run the embedded file from the destination document Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. computing ESSENTIALS     Integrated Packages Single program Multiple functionality Word processor, spreadsheet, DBMS Compared to Suites Lower cost Simpler Capabilities not as extensive Microsoft Works Kind of a Jack-of-all-trades Ideal for less sophisticated users, like home or school, who don’t need the more sophisticated features found in the applications suites. Consult the O’Leary Expansion CD for more information on the Microsoft Works Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. computing ESSENTIALS     A Look to the Future Web-based application software Pay as you go Access only when needed focus is on increased functionality, not a new command and menu structure More powerful functions increase the time for creativity, quality, and quantity New versions taking on look and feel of Internet (Windows XP and Office XP) Copyright 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.