Introduction To Information Technology: Computer Software

Introduction to Information
Technology
2nd Edition
Turban, Rainer & Potter
© 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Chapter 4:
Computer Software
Prepared by:
Roberta M. Roth, Ph.D.
University of Northern Iowa
Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

4-1
© 2003 John Wiley & Sons
Chapter Preview
 In this chapter, we will study:

Systems Software
Application Software
How software applications are
developed
How software has evolved and where
it’s headed
Software for the enterprise

4-2
The Software Crisis
Computer System  New software
applications cannot
be developed fast
Hardware Software enough to:
 Keep up with dynamic
business environment
 Keep pace with rapid
hardware advances
 Lag in software
development limits
IS capabilities

4-3
The Software Crisis (continued)
 In addition to new application
development, existing software must
also be maintained (80% IT personnel
effort towards maintenance).
 Increasing complexity leads to the
increased potential for “bugs.”
 Testing and “debugging” software is
expensive and time-consuming.

4-4
Software Fundamentals
 Some basic terms…
Computer programs - sequences of
instructions for the computer
Stored program concept – instructions
written in programs are stored and
executed by CPU when needed
Programming - process of writing (or
coding) programs
Programmers - individuals who perform
programming

4-5
Software Fundamentals
(continued)
Computer Software  Systems Software
 Instructions that
Systems Application manage the
Software Software hardware
Makes the Does resources
computer something  Application
function interesting
Software
 Instructions that
perform specific
user tasks

4-6
System Software
 System software is software that:
Controls and supports the computer
system’s activities
Supports application software by
directing the computer’s basic functions
Facilitates program development,
testing, and debugging
Is independent of any specific type of
application
4-7
Systems Software (continued)
Systems Software  System Control
Programs
 Control use of all
System Systems system resources
Control Support (hardware,
Programs Programs
software, data);
operating system
 System Support
Programs
 Specialized
support
capabilities
4-8
System Control Programs
 Operating System - main system

control program
supervises the overall operation of the
computer
allocates CPU time and main memory
to programs running on the computer
provides an interface between the
user and the hardware

4-9
Operating System Services
 Process management – manage program(s)
running on processor
 Multitasking or Multiprogramming - managing
two or more tasks, or programs, running on the
computer system at the same time
 Multithreading – type of multitasking; run two or
more tasks from the same application simultaneously
 Timesharing - many users share same CPU, each
using a different input/output terminal
 Multiprocessing – simultaneous processing with
multiple CPUs

4-10
Operating System Services
(continued)
 Virtual memory - simulates more main memory
than actually exists in the computer system
 File management and security - managing
the arrangement of, and access to, files held in
secondary storage
 Fault tolerance - system can produce correct
results and continue to operate even in the
presence of faults or errors
 User interface - allows users to have direct
control of visible objects (icons) and actions that
replace complex command syntax

4-11
Types of Operating Systems
 Major Desktop Operating Systems

Microsoft Products: MS-DOS
Windows 95 Windows 98 Windows ME
Windows NT Windows 2000 Windows XP
Other Products: UNIX Linux

Java Operating System (JavaOS)
IBM O/S 2
Macintosh Operating System

4-12
Types of Operating Systems
(continued)
 Departmental Server Operating
Systems
Support hundreds of concurrent users
UNIX, Linux, Windows 2000, Windows XP,
Novell NetWare
 Enterprise Operating Systems
Support thousands of concurrent users;
millions of transactions per day
IBM’s OS/390, IBM’s VM (Virtual Machine),
IBM’s VSE (Virtual Storage Extended), and
IBM’s OS/400
4-13
System Support Programs
 Support the operations, management,
and users of a computer system
 Examples:
System Utilities
• Perform common tasks: sorting records,
checking disk integrity, creating directories
and subdirectories, restoring accidentally
erased files, locating stored files, managing
memory usage, and redirecting output.

4-14
System Support Programs
(continued)
 Examples (continued)
Performance monitors
• monitor job processing
• produce statistical reports on system
resource usage
Security monitors
• monitor the use of a computer system to
protect it and its resources from
unauthorized use, fraud, or destruction

4-15
Application Software
 Programs performing specific information
processing activities and user
functionality
 Types of Application Software
 Proprietary application software
• Addresses a specific or unique business need for a
company
 Off-the-shelf application software
• Vendor developed programs sold to many
organizations
• May be standard package or may be customizable

4-16
Application Software (continued)
Personal Application Software - off-the-
shelf application programs supporting general
types of processing
 Spreadsheets  Multimedia
 Data management  Communication
 Word processing
 Speech-
 Desktop publishing
recognition
 Graphics
 Groupware
 Presentation;
Analysis; CAD

4-17
Software Issues
 Software Evaluation and Selection
Selection factors
• Size and location of the user base
• System administration tools
• Initial and subsequent costs
• Current and future system capabilities
• Existing computing environment
• In-house technical skills

4-18
Software Issues (continued)
 Software Licensing
 Copyright - exclusive legal right to
reproduce, publish, and sell the software
 Licenses - permission granted under the law
to engage in an activity otherwise unlawful
 Software Upgrades
 May or may not offer valuable
enhancements
 Risk that revised software may contain bugs
 Upgrading in a large organization is a major
undertaking, so must assess the merits of
the new release
4-19
Software Issues (continued)
 Open Systems
A model of computing products that work
together
Empower designers to choose the best
computer hardware, operating system,
and application software without
compatibility concerns
 Open Source Software
Software code offered freely to developers

4-20
Programming Languages
 Various programming languages enable
people to tell computers what to do
 Foundation for developing applications

4-21
How are Programs Understood by the
Computer?
(The Language Translation Process)
Program written in Translator program Program written in

programming  Assembler machine language
language (source  Compiler (object code)
code)  Interpreter
Processed
By CPU

4-22
 Machine Language (first generation of programming
languages)
 The computer’s ‘native language’
 Composed of binary digits (0s, 1s)
 The only language that computers understand
 Assembly Language (second generation of
programming languages)
 One-to-one correspondence to machine language
 Somewhat more user-friendly than machine
language (mnemonic rather than binary digits)
 Assembler – program that translates an assembly
language program into machine language

4-23
(continued …)
 Procedural Languages (third generation
languages)
 One instruction translates into many machine
language instructions
 Programs describe the computer’s processing
step-by-step
 Closer to natural language; uses common words
rather than abbreviated mnemonics
 Examples: Cobol, C, Fortran, QuickBasic
 Compiler - translates the entire program at once
 Interpreter - translates and executes one source
program statement at a time

4-24
(continued)
 Nonprocedural Language (fourth generation
languages)
 Allows the user to specify the desired result
without having to specify the detailed
procedures needed for achieving the result
 Example – data base query language - SQL
 Can be used by non technical users
 Natural Language Programming
Languages (fifth generation (intelligent)
languages)
 Translates natural languages into a
structured, machine-readable form
 Are extremely complex and experimental
4-25
Current Programming Languages
 Visual Programming Languages
Used within a graphical environment
Example : Visual Basic and Visual C++
Popular to non technical users
 Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)
standard language used in World Wide
Web
contains text, images, and other types of
information such as data files, audio,
video, and executable computer programs
4-26
 Extensible Markup Language (XML)
Improved on web document
functionality
 Componentware
Software components that may be
assembled by developer as needed
“Plug and Play” software development

4-27
(continued)
 Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML)
 a file format for describing three-dimensional
interactive worlds and objects
 can be used with the World Wide Web
 Object-Oriented Programming Languages
(OOP)
 based on objects – packaging data and the
instructions about what to do with that data
together
 Examples: Java, C++
 Unified Modeling Language (UML)- modeling
tool for object-oriented systems
4-28
Enterprise Software
 Problem faced in many organizations…
 Competitive pressures require change in
organizational procedures, however
 all the different types of software and hardware in use
cause so much complexity that change is difficult
 Solution options
 Software packages with integrated functional modules
(i.e., human resource, operations, marketing, finance,
accounting, etc.)
 Use of middleware to link disparate applications
 Enterprise software that manages all organizational
operations

4-29
Chapter Summary
 Software can be broadly categorized as Systems
software and Applications software
 Systems software provides an interface between
the hardware and the application software
 Application software performs specific business
functions
 Programming languages provide the means for
humans to give computers instructions
 Organizations seek enterprise wide software
solutions to provide integrated organizational
systems

4-30
Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction or translation of this work beyond that permitted in Section 117
of the 1976 United Stated Copyright Act without the express written
permission of the copyright owner is unlawful. Request for further
information should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John
Wiley & Sons, Inc. The purchaser may make back-up copies for his/her own
use only and not for distribution or resale. The Publisher assumes no
responsibility for errors, omissions, or damages, caused by the use of these
programs or from the use of the information herein.

4-31

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Introduction to Information

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

 In this chapter, we will study:

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

 Operating System - main system

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

 Major Desktop Operating Systems

Other Products: UNIX Linux

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

Program written in Translator program Program written in

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

Introduction to Information Technology, 2nd Edition

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