1. Chapter 3 Software Two major types of software
1. Application Software - Programs designed for a specific purpose
2. System Software - Programs that manage the resources and operations of the computer system

2. Software Trends
The trend in software is moving away from customized software designed for a specific company or organization
Getting away from symbolic code
Moving away from procedural programming languages

3. Software Trends
Trend is towards the use of pre-written off-the-shelf software
Use of natural style languages
Visual interface, Object Oriented

4. Reasons for Current Trends
Software developers have assembled software ‘suites’ that bundle several applications together
Designed for ease of use and multiple functions
Most recent trend is towards the offering of application software packages over the Internet

5. Application Software Two types of application software
1. General purpose - word processors, spreadsheets, database management programs, graphics, web browsers, packages, groupware
2. Software suites combine several general purpose applications

6. The Suite Advantage Often called productivity suites
Less expensive than separate purchases
Most suites use a common graphical interface (same look , feel)
Work together (import, export data)

7. Disadvantages of Suites
Experts argue that most users never use the additional features
Suites take up a lot of hard disk space and usually need high amounts of RAM
Suites generally work slower than a stand alone application (because of integration)

8. Integrated Packages
Integrated packages like Microsoft Works are a multifunction single application
Disadvantage is the lack of features available in suites

9. Web Browsers Latest and greatest piece of application software
Offer the ability to connect to the Internet and use Internet technology for additional purposes
Fast becoming the universal piece of application software

10. Email Software Has changed the way people communicate
Allows for messages to be sent to individual recipients or many at one time
Can be secure message (password or encrypting)
Allows for file attachment to message
Can allow for remote access

11. Word Processors and Desktop Publishing
Packages that allow for the creation, editing, revision, and printing of text based documents
Can be converted easily to HTML format for web application
Incorporate utilities such as grammar checkers, spelling checks, word usage, etc

12. Desktop Publishing
Application software that allows for production of newsletters, books, manuals
Allows for designing of page layout to work around non traditional page forms
Allows for importing and formatting of images, graphics

13. Electronic Spreadsheets
Program used for numerical analysis, planning, and modeling
Can be used as database
Very powerful business tool that can be easily customized by the end user

14. Database Management
A database management application allows for the organized storage of data
Allows for:
database development
database interrogation (queries)
database updates (acid functions)
protection of data
application development

15. Presentation Graphics
Used to develop multimedia presentations
Allow for the use of images, pictures, etc
Easy to use
Very effective teaching tool
Can be used for web sites (must be transformed into HTML)

16. Hypermedia Technology
Electronic documents that contain multiple forms of media
Require use of specialized programming languages such as JAVA for development
Creates links within HTML pages

17. Personal Information Managers
Popular for end users
Require no difficult programming
Electronic calendar, appointment manager, schedule book
Good for scheduling meetings within an organization
May have an link

18. Groupware Collaborative work software
Central theme is to make group work possible and to remove barriers
Allow for work folders where project documents are stored for access by project workers

19. System Software Manages the operation of the computer
Link between hardware and application software
Two main types of System Software
System management
System development

20. System Management Software
Programs that manage hardware, software, and data resources of a system
Four main types
Operating systems
Network management programs
DBMS
System Utilities

21. System Development Software
Programs that aid in the development of custom software application
Three basic forms
Translators and compilers
Programming tools
CASE (computer assisted software engineering)

22. Operating System Single most important software package in a system
Manages CPU
Controls inputs, outputs, and system operation
Directs system resources to maximize
Allows for use of peripheral devices

23. Five Functions of Operating System
Provides user interface
Manages resources
Manages tasks
Manages files
Provides for support (help screens) and utilities

24. User Interface
Allows for communication and direction by the user to load programs, access and manage files
Three main types:
Command driven
Menu driven
Graphical User Interface

25. User Interface
The trend is towards graphical interfaces that make system commands appear simple

26. Resource Management
The operating system controls programs that manage many system functions including:
CPU
Memory
Secondary storage
I/O devices

27. File Management
The operating system controls the creation, storage, accessing of and management of files in the system
Keeps track of the physical location of files on disks and other secondary storage devices

28. Task Management
The operating system allows the computer to accomplish multiple tasks seemingly at the same time
Multitasking
Time sharing

29. Popular Operating Systems
MS-DOS
Windows 95/98/2000
Windows NT
OS/2
UNIX
LINUX
Macintosh 7

30. System Development Software
Programs are instruction sets
Programs are written in many different programming languages
There has been a definite evolution in programming languages
There are five main categories of programming languages

31. Machine Language Basic level of programming language
Written using binary code
Very complicated and time consuming
Very error prone

32. Assembler Languages Second generation of programming languages
Usually called Symbolic languages
Simpler to write than machine code
Had to be used with a particular machine

33. High-Level Languages Third generation language COBOL, BASIC, FORTRAN
Easier to learn because of orientation towards natural language
Machine independent
Must be compiled or translated into machine code by the software

34. 4GL More conversational than others Simplifies programming tasks
Use nonprocedural language
Natural language
Somewhat less flexible than some languages

35. Object Oriented Languages
Links data elements and procedures together
Languages include Visual Basic, C, C++, Java
Easier to use
Can use same object in multiple programs

36. HTML and Java
HTML is a page defining language used for internet technology systems
Java is an object oriented language
Java was designed for real time uses
Java code can contain small application programs within large programs called applets and/or JavaBeans

37. Language Translators
Necessary to convert programming languages into machine code
Assemblers - translate symbolic code
Compilers - translate high level languages
Interpreters - Execute instructions one level at a time