Software Essentials ICT 1 & 2

What is software?  software is the set of instructions stored inside a computer  These instructions tell the computer how to work with the hardware.  They also enable the user to communicate with the computer.

software license  allow you to run the program on 1 or 2 machines and make copies of the software for backup purposes.  protects the software developer from people buying and selling illegal copies  2 types of licenses:  Commercial – the user pays a fee for permission to use the software (Microsoft, Adobe)  Open Source - software whose source code is free. Anyone can change, copy, or distribute it. (Linux, Apache)

two basic types of computer software  Operating System Software - Directs all the activities and sets all the rules for how the hardware and software will work together.  Application Software - Programs that work with operating system software to help the computer to do specific types of work.

System Software  3 common operating system software for desktops and laptops  Microsoft Windows  Mac OS  Linux

Microsoft Windows  commercial software installed on desktops  dominates the market  supports largest amount of application software  suffers many virus attacks

Mac OS  introduced before Windows  commercial software installed only on Apple computers  not as many application software as Windows  not as many viruses as Windows

Linux  open source software installed on desktops  not as widely used  popular with Techies  can run on older machines  very few application software available  hardly any virus attacks

Tablet and Smartphone Operating System Software  3 most common mobile operating systems:  Google Android  Apple iOS  Windows Phone

Google Android  Very large market share because it can be installed on almost every type of smartphone and tablet  Uses icon- and widget-based home screen  Preloaded with an online store called Google Play, which allows users to download millions of audio tracks, movies, TV shows and applications  Google Play offers both paid apps and free apps  Google Android is highly customizable, making it a favorite for technology-savvy consumers

Apple iOS  Large market share, but limited because it is installed only on Apple smartphones and tablets  Sleek and simple user interface with icon-based home screen  Very limited in customizability  Preloaded with an online store called the App Store  The App Store is similar to Google Play in that it offers millions of paid and free multimedia downloads

Windows Phone  Smallest market share compared to Android and iOS  Developed years after Android and iOS  Uses “Live Tiles” that provide live updates on home screen instead of icons to open the related apps  Preloaded with an online store called Windows Marketplace  Windows Marketplace has substantially fewer apps available compared to its competitors

Application Software  Application software allows users to perform specific tasks on their computers.  Examples: writing letters, preparing budgets, playing games, sending and receiving s, browsing the internet.

Types of Application Software Application Software Type FunctionExamples Web BrowserEnables user to view webpages on the Internet Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Apple Safari ClientEnables users to send and receive e- mail messages from their computers Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird, Windows Live Mail, Eudora Word Processor Enables users to create documents such as letters, brochures, business cards, etc. Microsoft Word, OpenOffice Writer, Google Docs Presentation (slide show) Enables users to create visual presentations Microsoft PowerPoint, OpenOffice Impress, Google Slides SpreadsheetsEnables users to create spreadsheets that contain text and numbers and can perform calculations. Can use data to create tables, charts, and graphs Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice Calc, Google Sheets

Cloud Computing  Cloud Applications run within a browser  This means they can run on any operating system  Examples of Cloud Computing Software:  Google Docs  Office 365

File Management  managing files and folders correctly can prevent wasted time, frustration and errors.  proper file management begins with using file naming conventions and good organization.

guidelines for naming files and folders:  Use short, simple file and folder names  Use file and folder names that describe the content accurately.  Use underscores instead of spaces in file names. For example: descriptive_essay  Use all lowercase letters in file names.  Avoid using characters such as: ! # $ ^ ` ~ + ; = in file and folder names. Some systems do not allow you to use characters in file and folder names, and will not accept them.

File Extensions  A file extension is the suffix at the end of a filename that indicates what type of file it is. File TypeExtension Portable Document Format (PDF).pdf Microsoft Word Document.doc,.docx Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet.xls,.xlsx Plain Text File.txt Webpage.htm,.html Compressed File.zip,.rar,.tar Audio File.wav,.mp3,.ogg Video File.avi,.wmv,.mp4,.mpg Graphics File.jpg,.png,.gif