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2 Applications software
SOFTWARE FUNDAMENTALS
(Tomorrows Technology and You - Chapter 4)
Software refers to the programs that we run on computer systems. They allow the hardware to do their job; without software, the hardware wouldn't know what it was supposed to do. Software is made up of a series of instructions or computer code. It is these instructions which tell the hardware it needs to print a document or save a file or even change the word 'form' to 'from'. There are two main types of computer software: system software and application software: System software includes the operating system and utility programs that control how the hardware of a computer works. Application software includes the everyday programmes that you use such as Word Processors, Spreadsheets and Databases. It also includes e-mail packages, web browsers and anti-virus software
(A)SYSTEM SOFTWARE
Types of System software
1. Operating system
Definition of an Operating system An operating system is a collection of related programs that enable the computer to perform its functions with minimum human interventions from the user. An operating system controls the performance of a computer by doing a variety of jobs to ensure the proper, orderly and efficient use of the hardware by application programs.
An OS is a program that allows applications software to communicate with the hardware. A computer cannot function without an operating system.
The sophistication and speed of modern computers is beyond capabilities of human operators to control without the aid of an operating system.
The operating system is part of the system software; it is needed to make the system work. All computers have an operating system. It controls the hardware and is the link between you and the computer Examples of operating systems are, Windows XP, Windows NT, UNIX, MacOS
-Input/output interrupts. -Protecting hardware, software and data from improper user. -Memory management. Memory Management i.e. calls into Main Storage of programs and sub-routines as and when required. Storing, retrieving, erasing and copying data files or programs on magnetic storage. Supports various file organization methods. -Job sequencing Passing of control from one job (job sequencing) to another under a system of priority when more than one applications program occupies Main Storage (i.e. provision for multi-programming operations). -Furnishing a log of events Provision of the events or jobs and keeping track of their execution and hardware use. Furnishing a complete recording of all that happens during processing. Usually in the form of a printed log. (Logging the system). Operating Systems can keep record of what the human operator is doing.
Types of operating system There are different types of operating system:
Single-user Multi-user or network operating systems. Network systems are more complicated as they have to deal with more than one user at a time.
Tasks of the operating system The operating system performs many roles, these are just a few:
It sorts out where to store data on disk drives It deals with security user names and passwords It allows you to organise files using folders, and to copy and delete files It manages the data travelling between the peripherals i.e. printer/monitor It allows the application you are using to print, save and open files
2. Utility programs
These are another useful set of systems software. A Utility program is designed to do one or perhaps two tasks very well and nothing else. For example, you may want to compress a file to let you save it on to a floppy disk. For this task you would choose to use a file compression utility program. Quite often, a Utility program is built right in to the operating system. For example Windows XP has a built in 'Zip' compression utility you can use to compress a file or folder. Here are some very common tasks that are carried out by different Utility programs
File sorting File renaming File conversion ( e.g. convert a sound file to MP3) File repair
Disk monitoring and defragmentation (defragging) Printing jobs Backing up data. Anti-Virus
3. Software driver
Is another piece of essential system software.
A driver is a specially written program which translates the commands from the operating system into commands that hardware understands, for example the printer, mouse and keyboard each have a driver to make it work with the operating system. It also translates responses back from the hardware to the operating system. When the operating system is first released by the manufacturer, it will contain most of the drivers needed for the devices on the market. This is because they have been working hard with the main hardware suppliers to ensure that as many drivers are available straight out of the box. However, as new
devices are manufactured, their drivers will have to installed. Normally the device comes with an installation disk that will load the new drivers into the operating system. If you try to use a device without the correct driver, then it probably won't work.
4. Firmware
In computing, firmware is a computer program that is embedded in a hardware device, for example a microcontroller. It can also be provided on flash ROMs or as a binary image file that can be uploaded onto existing hardware by a user. As its name suggests, firmware is somewhere between hardware and software. Like software, it is a computer program which is executed by a computer. But it is also an intimate and vital part of a piece of hardware, and has little meaning outside of that particular hardware.
A microcontroller, like this PIC18F8720 is controlled by firmware stored inside on FLASH memory
1. General-purpose A general-purpose application package is a type of software that can perform many different (but related) tasks. Word processors, spreadsheets, databases, graphics and presentation software are all examples of general purpose application packages This type of software is sometimes called generic software. This means, for example, that any one of the many different word processing packages that you could buy will all do the same general sorts of tasks as each other Most computer users buy application packages off-the-shelf. There are several good reasons for using this type of ready-made software:
it is relatively cheap; it is readily available and can be installed quickly and easily; it will have been thoroughly tested so there will be very little chance of it having any serious faults or bugs; it will be well supported with a lot of books about how to use it available as well as on-line help and discussion forums on the Internet.
2. Integrated package An integrated package combines many different types of application together in one single package Integrated packages normally include facilities for word processing, spreadsheets, databases, graphics, presentation and communications Microsoft WORKS is an example of an integrated package The advantages of using integrated packages are:
it is much cheaper to buy one integrated package rather than several separate application packages; different applications have the same user interface; data can be transferred quickly and easily between applications; they are much quicker to install than several separate application packages
A problem with integrated packages is that the individual applications do not have as many features compared to the single application package Integrated packages have gradually been replaced by applications bundled together by software manufacturers and sold as suites of programs Bundled suites offer the advantages of applications with a complete set of features, a common user interface and easy facilities for sharing and exchanging data Microsoft Office XP is an example of a bundled suite of application programs database, spreadsheet, word processing and desktop publishing software are all included 3. Specialist application software performs a single very specific type of task Examples:
plan driving routes work out income tax returns deal with stock control
4. Sometimes an organization finds that off-the-shelf software will not do exactly what they want.
In this case they might decide to have special software specially developed for the purpose, this is called Tailormade, or bespoke software. The main advantage is that the company gets exactly what it needs. The main drawbacks of this approach are the high cost and long time that some programs take to develop. As the organization requires new features in their tailor-made software, they will have to pay yet more money to get it written, tested and re-released. With 'off-the-shelf' software this development cost is effectively shared amongst thousands of customers.
Public domain - Programs that are un copyrighted because their authors intended to share them with
everyone else are in the public domain. The UNIX community has developed a number of such programs over the years. Programs in the public domain can be used without restriction as components of other programs. When reusing such code, it is good to understand its history so that you can be sure it really is in the public domain.
Freeware - Like shareware, freeware is software you can download, pass around, and distribute without any
initial payment. However, the great part about freeware is that you never have to pay for it. No 30 day limit, no demo versions, no disabled features -- it's totally free. Things like minor program updates and small games are commonly distributed as freeware. Though freeware does not cost anything, it is still copyrighted, so other people can't market the software as their own.
Commercial software- Software that is designed and developed for sale to the general public. Integrated software Same as integrated package discussed above that is -these are separate
software components or applications that have been combined into one package.