Computer Software Chapter 3

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software2 Chapter Contents  Section A: Software Basics  Section B: Popular Applications  Section C: Buying Software  Section D: Installing Software and Upgrades  Section E: Security Software

3 SECTION A Chapter 3: Computer Software3 Software Basics  Software Categories  Application Software  Utility Software  Device Drivers

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software4 Software Categories

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software5 Application Software  Productivity software  Productivity software can be defined as any type of application software that has the potential to help people do their work more efficiently  Groupware  Groupware is designed to help several people collaborate on a single project using local networks or Internet connections

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software6 Utility Software  Utility software  Utility software (a type of system software) is designed to help you monitor and configure settings for your computer system equipment, the operating system, or application software widget  A desktop widget is a specialized utility program that appears on a computer’s screen-based desktop

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software7 Device Drivers device driver  A device driver is software that helps a peripheral device establish communication with a computer  Windows Device Manager

3 SECTION B Chapter 3: Computer Software8 Popular Applications  Document Production Software  Spreadsheet Software  “Number Crunching” Software  Database Software  Graphics Software

3 SECTION B Chapter 3: Computer Software9 Popular Applications  Music Software  Video Editing and DVD Authoring Software  Educational and Reference Software  Entertainment Software  Business Software

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software10 Document Production Software  Assists you with composing, editing, designing, printing, and electronically publishing documents –Word processing –Desktop publishing –Web authoring

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software11 Document Production Software Document production software makes it easy to get your ideas down on your screen-based “paper.”

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software12 Document Production Software  Document production software may include: –Spelling checker issues?Spelling dictionary (common issues?) –Thesaurus –Grammar checker –Feature to analyze the reading level Readability formula –Search and Replace feature formatting –Sophisticated formatting functions

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software13 Document Production Software format  The format of a document refers to the way that all elements are arranged on the page formatting options  Typical formatting options include: –Fonts (type, color, size, underline, bold, italic) –Alignment (left, right, center, justify) –Headers and footers Titles, page numbers, date, etc. –Line and paragraph spacing –Tabs and indentation –Tables and columns

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software14 Document Production Software  Fonts

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software15 Document Production Software style By defining a style, you can apply multiple font attributes with a single click.

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software16 Document Production Software frames DTP frames give you exact control over the position of elements on a page, such as a figure and a caption on top of it.

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software17 Document Production Software  Mail merge other uses  Mail merge automatically creates personalized letters by combining the information in a mailing list with a form letter (also, other uses)  Additional capabilities of word processing software include: –Automatically generating a table of contents and index –Numbering and positioning footnotes –Providing document templates –Exporting to HTML (and other) formats

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software18 Spreadsheet Software spreadsheet  A spreadsheet uses rows and columns of numbers to create a model or representation of a real solution  Spreadsheet software, such as Microsoft Excel, provides tools for creating worksheets

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software19 Spreadsheet Software When a cell contains a formula formula, it displays the result of the formula rather than the formula itself. To view and edit the formula, you use the Formula bar Formula bar. You can think of the formula as working behind the scenes to perform calculations and then display the result.

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software20 Spreadsheet Software formula  A formula tells the computer how to use the contents of cells in calculations references –Cell references Relative reference Absolute reference –Mathematical operators –Logical operators –Functions –Automatic recalculations

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software21 Spreadsheet Software As shown in the examples, relative references within a formula can change when you change absolute reference the sequence of a worksheet’s rows and columns. An absolute reference is “anchored” so that it always refers to a specific cell.

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software22 “Number Crunching” Software  Provides a structured environment dedicated to a particular number crunching task –Statistical software (e.g., SPSS, STATISTICA) –Mathematical modeling software (Matlab) –Money management software (QuickBooks) Personal finance software (Quicken, MS Money) –Tax preparation software (TaxCut, TurboTax)

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software23 Database Software databasee.g. ??)  A database is a collection of data (e.g. ??)  Database software helps you store, find, organize, update, and report information stored in a database

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software24 Database Software tools for specifying fields for a series of records Database software provides tools for specifying fields for a series of records.

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software25 Database Software query language  A query language such as SQL (Structured Query Language) provides a set of commands for locating and manipulating data –Formal –Formal query language –Natural –Natural language query example –Query by example

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software26 Graphics Software  Designed to help you create, manipulate, view and print graphics –Paint software –Photo editing software –Drawing software –3-D graphics software –CAD software –Presentation software

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software27 Graphics Software presentation software A computer-based presentation consists of a series of slides, created with presentation software.

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software28 Music (Audio) Software digital voice and music recordings  Allows you to make your own digital voice and music recordings –Audio editing software –CD ripper software –Audio encoding software –Ear training software –Notation software –Computer-aided music software –MIDI sequencing software

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software29 Video Editing and DVD Authoring Software  Provides a set of tools for –Transferring digital video footage from a camcorder to a computer –Clipping out (cut) unwanted footage –Assembling/organizing video segments –Adding special visual effects, like fade in/out, morphs, etc. –Adding (and queuing) a sound track

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software30 Educational and Reference Software  Educational software –Helps you learn and practice new skills  Reference software –Provides a collection of information and a way to access that information –Generally shipped on CD or DVD, or accessed on the Web

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software31 Entertainment Software  Computer games are the most popular type of entertainment software –Role-playing –Action –Adventure –Puzzle –Simulation –Sports –Strategy

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software32 Business Software  Vertical market specific market or business  Vertical market software is designed to automate specialized tasks in a specific market or business  Horizontal marketgeneric  Horizontal market software is generic software that just about any type of business can use –Payroll software –Accounting software –Project management software

3 SECTION C Chapter 3: Computer Software33 Buying Software  Consumer Basics  Software Copyrights and Licenses

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software34 Consumer Basics  Most operating systems include a handful of small applications and a good variety of useful utility software Windows XP Distribution, Application Software

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software35 Consumer Basics software suite  A software suite is a collection of application software sold as a single package

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software36 Consumer Basics  Available in many types of stores  Software contained on distribution media  Make sure your computer meets the system requirements

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software37 Software Copyrights and Licenses  A copyright is a form of legal protection that grants the author of an original “work” exclusive rights –Copyright notice  Software licenses define the ways in which you may use a computer program –Single-user –Site –Multiple-user –Concurrent –Shrink-wrap

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software38 Software Copyrights and Licenses  A EULA (end-user license agreement) is displayed on-screen when you first install software  Different types of software licenses –Commercial software –Demoware –Shareware –Freeware –Open source –BSD –GPL

3 SECTION D Chapter 3: Computer Software39 Installing Software and Upgrades  Installation Basics  Installing Local Applications  Installing Portable Software and Web Apps  Software Updates  Uninstalling Software

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software40 Installation Basics  Software installation is a process that places a program in computer storage so that it can be run or executed.

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software41 RAM (Memory) Installation Basics Distribution Media Hard Drive (Storage) CPU (Processor) Install Configure & Load (Start) Execute (Run)

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software42 Installing Local Applications

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software43 Installing Local Applications

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software44 Installing Portable Software and Web Apps  Portable software is designed to run from removable storage, such as a CD or USB flash drive –Installation is simply a matter of getting program files to the media on which they are supposed to run  A Web application is software that is accessed with a Web browser –May require client-side program to be installed

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software45 Software Updates  Software publishers regularly update their software –Add new features –Fix bugs –Update security  Software patches replace part of the software you currently have installed  Service packs correct problems and address security vulnerabilities, usually in operating systems

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software46 Software Updates  Updates are usually available online for registered software  Always install patches and service packs when they become available  Many software publishers require users to type in a validation code to complete the installation

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software47 Uninstalling Software  Uninstall routines delete the software’s files from the various folders on your computer’s hard disk

3 SECTION E Chapter 3: Computer Software48 Security Software  Security Software Basics  Security Suites  Antivirus Modules

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software49 Security Software Basics  Security software  Security software is designed to protect computers from various forms of destructive software and unauthorized intrusions malicious software and malware  The terms malicious software and malware refer to any computer program designed to surreptitiously enter a computer, gain unauthorized access to data, or disrupt normal processing operations  A blended threat describes malware that combines more than one type of malicious program

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software50 Security Software Basics  Computer virus  Computer worm  Trojan horse (looks like what it isn’t) –Keylogger –Remote Access Trojan (RAT)  Bot (the malicious kind) –Zombie –Botnet  Spyware

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software51 Security Software Basics  What does malware do?

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software52 Security Software Basics rootkit  The term rootkit refers to software tools used to conceal malware and backdoors that have been installed on a victim’s computer –originally, a set of Unix tools –contemporary use might, for example, disable virus software and prevent the use of other system tools virus hoax  A virus hoax usually arrives as an message containing dire warnings about a supposedly new virus on the loose

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software53 Security Suites security suite  A security suite integrates several security modules to protect against the most common types of malware, unauthorized access, and spam  A security suite usually costs less than purchasing standalone security modules individually

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software54 Antivirus Modules  Antivirus software looks for and eradicates viruses  Antivirus software is a type of utility software that looks for and eradicates viruses, Trojan horses, worms, and bots virus signature –A virus signature is a section of program code, such as a unique series of instructions, that can be used to identify a known malicious program, much as a fingerprint is used to identify an individual –Virus signatures and other information that antivirus software uses to identify and eradicate malware is stored in one or more files usually referred to as virus definitions

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software55 Antivirus Modules  What can antivirus modules do for you?

3 Chapter 3: Computer Software56 Antivirus Modules periodically scan  Most experts recommend that you configure your antivirus software to periodically scan all the files on your computer remove quarantine delete  If, during the scanning process, your virus protection software identifies a virus, worm, Trojan horse, or bot in a file or attachment, it can try to remove the infection, put the file into quarantine, or simply delete the file

Chapter 3 Complete Computer Software