1. Management Information Systems
Managing Information Technology in the Business Enterprise

2. Chapter 14
Computer Software

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

4. 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.
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
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 Functions
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
Manages user interface, resources, files, tasks, and utility and support services

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

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

29. Operating Systems 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 Functions (continued)
Task management
Manages the accomplishment of the computing tasks of end users
Multitasking
Multiprogramming
Timesharing

31. Operating Systems Functions (continued)
Utility Programs
Perform miscellaneous housekeeping and file conversion functions
Data backup
Data recovery
Virus protection
Data compression
Data defragmentation
Performance monitors and security monitors

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

36. 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

37. 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

38. 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

39. 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

40. 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

41. 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

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

43. 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

44. 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

45. Summary
Computer software can be divided into application software and system software
Application software can be divided into general purpose and application specific software
System software can be divided into system management programs and application development programs
Operating systems supervise the CPU, handle Input/Output, and run utilities

46. Summary (continued)
Computer languages can be divided into machine, assembler, high-level, fourth-generation, object-oriented, and special purpose languages.

47. 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?

48. 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?

49. 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?

50. 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?

51. Real World Case 1 – Bank of Montreal & IBM
How has ASP benefited the Bank of Montreal business Process?
What are the advantages and disadvantages to a business of using software provided by an ASP or software company?
Should consumers switch to using software as a service, instead of buying software packages?

52. Real World Case 2 – Foster Parents Plan
Self-Serve Data Warehouse
Identify different software used by FPP to develop its new knowledge management system.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using different software from the same vendor, such as Microsoft?
Do you think FPP should have considered ASP for handling its requirements for an effective and efficient knowledge management system?

53. Real World Case 3 – 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?
Why can Linux make a strategic difference in the profitability of some companies?
What are the limitations of Linux for business use?