1. Chapter 14
Computer Software

2. Learning Objectives
Describe several important trends occurring in computer software.
Give examples of several major types of application and system software.

3. Learning Objectives (continued)
Explain the purpose of several popular software packages for end user productivity and collaborative computing.
Outline the functions of an operating system.

4. Learning Objectives (continued)
Describe the main uses of software programming languages and tools.

5. Application Software: End User Applications
Section I
Application Software: End User Applications

6. Software
Types of software
Application software
System software

7. Application software for end users Application-specific
Software (continued)
Application software for end users
Application-specific
General-purpose
Perform common information processing jobs
Sometimes known as productivity packages

8. Software Suites and Integrated Packages
Suites are a number of productivity packages bundled together
Microsoft Office
Lotus SmartSuite
Corel WordPerfect Office
Sun StarOffice

9. Software Suites and Integrated Packages (continued)
Advantages of suites
Cost
Similar graphical user interface
Share common tools
Programs are designed to work together
Disadvantages of suites
Large size
Many features never used by many end users

10. Software Suites and Integrated Packages (continued)
Combine SOME of the features of several programs
Cannot do as much as individual packages or suites

11. Web Browsers
Key software interface to the hyperlinked resources of the World Wide Web and the rest of the Internet
Internet Explorer
Netscape Communicator

12. Electronic Mail and Instant Messaging
Has changed the way people work and communicate
Instant Messaging
An /computer conferencing hybrid technology
Allows real time communication/collaboration

13. Word Processing and Desktop Publishing
Has computerized the creation, editing, revision, and printing of documents.
Advanced features
Desktop Publishing
Design and print newsletters, brochures, manuals, and books
Page design process
Page makeup or page composition
WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get)

14. Electronic Spreadsheets
Used for business analysis, planning, and modeling
Involves designing its format and developing the relationships (formulas)

15. Electronic Spreadsheets (continued)
Allows end users to perform:
What-if
Goal-seeking
Sensitivity analysis
Strength
Computation and calculation

16. Database Management Performs four primary tasks Database development
Define/organize content, relationships, and structure of the data
Database Interrogation
Selectively retrieve and display information
Produce forms, reports, & other documents

17. Database Management (continued)
Four primary tasks (continued)
Database maintenance
Add, delete, update, and correct the data
Application development
Develop prototypes of web pages, queries, forms, reports, and labels

18. Database Management (continued)
Strength
Storage of large amounts of data
Weakness
Computation and calculation

19. Presentation Graphics
Helps convert numeric data into graphic displays
Helps prepare multimedia presentations
Easy to use

20. Personal Information Managers
For end user productivity and collaboration
Store, organize, and retrieve information
Information about customers
Appointments
Contact lists
Task lists
Schedules

21. Groupware Collaboration software
Helps workgroups and teams work together to accomplish group assignments
Combines a variety of software features and functions
Discussion groups and databases
Scheduling
Task management
Audio and videoconferencing
Data sharing

22. Other Business Software

23. System Software: Computer System Management
Section II
System Software: Computer System Management

24. System Software Overview
Programs that manage and support a computer system and its information processing activities
Serves as the software interface between computer networks and hardware and the application programs of end users

25. System Software Overview (continued)
Two major categories
System management programs
Operating systems
Network management programs
Database management systems
System utilities
System development programs
Programming language translators & editors
CASE (computer-aided software engineering)

26. Operating Systems Integrated system of programs that
Manages the operations of the CPU
Controls the input/output and storage resources and activities of the computer system
Provides various support services as the computer executes application programs

27. Operating Systems (continued)
Performs five basic functions
Provides a user interface
Allows humans to communicate with the computer
Command-driven
Menu-driven
Graphical user interface

28. Operating Systems (continued)
Five basic functions (continued)
Resource management
Manages the hardware and networking resources of the system
Virtual memory capability

29. Operating Systems (continued)
Five basic functions (continued)
File management
Controls the creation, deletion, and access of files of data and programs
Keeps track of the physical location of files

30. Operating Systems (continued)
Five basic functions (continued)
Task management
Manages the accomplishment of the computing tasks of end users
Multitasking
Multiprogramming
Timesharing

31. Operating Systems (continued)
Popular Operating Systems
Windows
95, 98, ME NT
2000 XP

32. Operating Systems (continued)
Popular operating systems (continued)
UNIX
Linux
Mac OS X

33. Network Management Programs
Perform functions such as
Automatically checking client PCs and video terminals for input/output activity
Assigning priorities to data communication requests from clients and terminals
Detecting and correcting transmission errors and other network problems
Sometimes functions as middleware that allows diverse networks to communicate with each other

34. Database Management Systems
Controls the development, use, and maintenance of databases.
Helps organizations use their integrated collections of data records and files
Allows different user application programs to easily access the same database
Simplifies the process of retrieving information from databases

35. Other System Management Programs
Utility Programs
Perform miscellaneous housekeeping and file conversion functions
Data backup
Data recovery
Virus protection
Data compression
Data defragmentation
Performance monitors and security monitors

36. Programming Languages
Allows a programmer to develop the sets of instructions that constitute a computer program
Machine Language
First generation language
Written using binary codes unique to each computer

37. Programming Languages (continued)
Assembler Language
Second generation
Requires language translator programs called assemblers
Allows a computer to convert the instructions into machine instructions
Frequently called symbolic language

38. Programming Languages (continued)
High-level Languages
Third generation
Uses instructions, called statements, that use brief statements or arithmetic expressions
Uses translator programs called compilers or interpreters
Syntax and semantics

39. Programming Languages (continued)
Fourth-generation Languages (4GLs)
More nonprocedural and conversational than prior languages
Natural languages
Ease of use gained at the expense of some loss in flexibility

40. Programming Languages (continued)
Object-Oriented Languages (OOP)
Ties data elements to the procedures or actions that will be performed on them into “objects”
Easier to use and more efficient for programming GUIs

41. Programming Languages (continued)
HTML, XML, and Java
Important for building multimedia Web pages, websites, and Web-based applications
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)
A page description language that creates hypertext or hypermedia documents

42. Programming Languages (continued)
XML (eXtensible Markup Language)
Describes the contents of web pages by applying identifying tags or contextual labels to the data
Makes the web site more searchable, sortable, and easier to analyze
Java
Designed for real-time, interactive, Web-based network applications
Applets

43. Programming Software Helps programmers develop computer programs
Two basic categories
Programming language translators
Programming tools

44. Programming Software (continued)
Language Translator Programs
Assembler
Translates symbolic instruction codes into machine language instructions
Compiler
Translates high-level language statements
Interpreter
Translates and executes each statement in a program one at a time

45. Programming Software (continued)
Programming Tools
Programming editors and debuggers
Provides a computer-aided programming environment or workbench
Diagramming packages
Code generators
Libraries of reusable objects & code
Prototyping tools
CASE

46. Discussion Questions
What major trends are occurring in software? What capabilities do you expect to see in future software packages?
How do the different roles of system software and application software affect you as a business end user? How do you see this changing in the future?

47. Discussion Questions (continued)
Why is an operating system necessary? Why can’t an end user just load an application program in a computer and start computing?
Should a Web browser be integrated into an operating system?

48. Discussion Questions (continued)
Are software suites, Web browsers, and groupware merging together? What are the implications for a business and its end users?
How are HTML, XML, and Java affecting business applications on the Web?

49. Discussion Questions (continued)
Do you think Windows 2000 and Linux will surpass Unix and Netware as operating systems for network and Web servers?
Which application software packages are the most important for a business end user to know how to use?

50. Real World Case 1 – Intuit Inc.
Why has Intuit’s success improved under Bennett’s leadership?
What are several things Intuit could do to successfully compete with Microsoft and others in the future?

51. Real World Case 1 (continued)
Why does Intuit dominate its small-business software market segment?
What software products and services does Intuit have that might support Bennett’s strategy to appeal to larger small businesses?

52. Real World Case 1 (continued)
Do you agree with CEO Bennett’s strategy to have Intuit compete with Microsoft in the software market for larger small businesses?

53. Real World Case 2 – Amazon, Orbitz, and Others
The Business Case for Linux
What are the business and technical benefits of switching from proprietary systems to Linux on Intel-based servers?

54. Real World Case 2 (continued)
Why can Linux make a strategic difference in the profitability of some companies?
What are the limitations of Linux for business use?

55. Real World Case 2 (continued)
Should most companies investigate the use of Linux for their businesses?
Why or why not?

56. Real World Case 3 – Burlington Coat Factory and Others
Evaluating Software Suite Alternatives
What is the business case for switching from Microsoft Office to alternatives like Sun StarOffice or gobeProductive?

57. Real World Case 3 (continued)
What is the business case against such a switch?
What are the weaknesses of the “Office” competitors?

58. Real World Case 3 (continued)
What are several business or technical improvements the developers of Sun StarOffice or gobeProductive could make to better compete with Microsoft Office?

59. Real World Case 4 – Clark Retail & Others
Evaluating Operating System Upgrades
Why do many companies have no plans to switch to Windows XP?

60. Real World Case 4 (continued)
What is a business case for switching to Windows XP?
What is a business case against switching?

61. Real World Case 4 (continued)
What are several improvements you would like to see Microsoft make in the next version of Windows?

62. Real World Case 5 – Dollar Rent A Car & Imperial Sugar
Pioneering Web Services
What are Web services?
How are they used?

63. Real World Case 5 (continued)
What is the purpose and business value of Web services?
What is delaying the implementation of Web services at many companies?

64. Real World Case 5 (continued)
What can companies do now to prepare to implement Web services?
What do you see as the future for Web services?