IT Fundamentals

Computer Software
Prepared by: Josh Buzz
Computer Systems
What Is A Computer?
- one that computes; specifically : a programmable usually electronic device
that can store, retrieve, and process data.
- http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/computer

What Is A System?
- a regularly interacting or interdependent group of items forming a unified
whole.
- http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/system

Two Components:
> Hardware
> Software

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 Computer Software
Computer Software
- a set of programs, procedures, algorithms and its documentation
concerned with the operation of a data processing system.
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software

Types of Software:
Computer
Software

Application System
Software Software

General-Purpose System System

Application-Specific
Application Management Development
Programs
Programs Programs Programs

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Computer Software
1. Application Software
Are programs that are of actual value to the user. From the word
“application”, these kind of software simply “apply” (make use) of the
capabilities of the computer (such as high speed calculations, accuracy given
the right algorithm, etc) to solve anything from simple daily tasks (such as e-
mail, word-processing, etc) to complex special purpose computing (managing
the power grid, controlling a nuclear reactor, managing a police database).
These can be further classified into two:

> 1.1 General-purpose Software

Are software that perform common information processing jobs for the
end-user, such as; word-processing, presentation management, web-
browsing, and many more. They are called general purpose because it is
mainly the end-user that decides how he will use these applications. They are
flexible and may be used for many purposes.
> 1.2 Application-specific Software
Are software that are designed to accomplish a specific purpose.
Examples include ERP, CRM, SCM, and other business applications. These
kind of software tend to be more inflexible in purpose, but performs more
efficiently on the purposes they were made for.
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 Computer Software
1.1. General-Purpose Software
Software Suites
A collection functionally related software, often sharing similar GUI,
bundled together. Software suites save both money and effort that could have
been spent by purchasing individual software. Examples of productivity suites
include; MS Office, Adobe Creativity Suite, LibreOffice, iWork.

Corel Corp's Corel Apple Corp's

Draw Graphics iWorks '09 office
Suite X6 productivity suite

Microsoft Corp's
line of (2010)
office productivity
suites

Adobe Corp's comparisson table of CS6 suites. 5

Computer Software
Software Suites (cont'd)
Office Productivity Suites
Are collections of productivity programs intended to be used by
knowledge workers. They include the following, and sometimes, more:
> Word Processors
Surely beats old typewriters. They are easier to use, with auto-spell
and grammar checking, templates to choose from, word arts, easier to
generate tables, columns, graphics, and much more. They are an invaluable
part of every office.
> Electronic Spreadsheets
Highly flexible, fast with the numbers, spreadsheets specialize in
organizing, calculating, and even (in some level) analyzing data. Data can be
organized into tables, or cells. Payrolls, household expenses, mathematical
equations and many other things can be calculated in an instant with
formulas. The ability to organize data can make spreadsheets seem like (and
work like) a primitive database.
> Presentation Software
Far better, easier, and “eye-candy-er” than the old transparencies and
overhead projectors, and the old movie reels in WWII. They come very handy
in business presentations, reporting, orientations, discussions, and many 6
more.
Computer Software
Software Suites (cont'd)
Office Productivity Suites
An Example.

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Computer Software
Software Suites (cont'd)
Integrated Development Environment Suites
Are suites, or programs bundled together for the development of new
software. This may include code-generating software, CASE-tools, testing
and debugging tools, and more. (NOTE: These fall better under the system
software category.)
Graphics Processing Suites
Are used for image processing, these usually include image-
processing, motion-processing, image-authoring or a combination of the
aforementioned applications.

(Sample Adobe products)

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Computer Software
Web Browsers
Are client software that reads and renders web pages. They are
proving to be more and more flexible. From simply rendering static web
pages, web browsers are now used to deliver desktop-like applications such
as office productivity suites, banking transactions, marketing transactions,
games, and many more.

Web browsers are also primary vessels for carrying out e-mail,
instant messaging, social networking. These three are playing vital roles in
today's marketing, and improving project team collaboration and efficiency.

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Computer Software
Software Acquisition Options
Organizations usually have a choice of three for their software needs:
A. Purchase COTS software
B. Custom-built them
C. Subscribe to ASPs
A. COTS
(Commercial Off-The-Shelf) softwares are ready-made software, mass-
produced for commercial use. They are usually licensed to purchasers, and
are available for download through the web, or sold in local retail stores.

They are usually cheaper (sometimes free), and are readily-available.

However, they offer little customizability.
B. Custom-built
Software that are built on-demand either by the organization's own IT
department or by third-party software development firms hired to build
software.

More tailor-built for the organization, but needs more experienced IT

personnel if to be built in-house, and usually more costly than COTS. 10
Computer Software
C. ASP
(Application Service Provider)(s) an alternative to COTS and
custom-built software. ASPs are business firms that offer software as
services (for a fee) through the Internet. Actual software are housed on their
own servers, hardware, and developed and maintained by their own people.

Subscribers worry less about maintenance and trouble-shooting, have thinner

(and cheaper) clients, and pay less than acquiring their own copy of the
software (usually). Some businesses (as well as business-customers) have a
privacy-concern with their data being/going through the hands of third-parties,
and network downtimes may lead to no work being done at all.

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Computer Software
2. System Software
Are software that are used to either create, run, manage, or support
the operation of the computer system itself. They are software that usually
talk directly to the system's hardware. Regular end-user's usually do not
concern themselves much about such software. Examples of which include;
operating systems, hardware drivers, and programming languages. These
may also be further classified into two:

> System Management Software

Are basically software that run, manage, and/or support computer
hardware, networking, application software execution, and data resources.
Examples include operating systems, network management programs,
DBMS, and system utilities.
> System Development Software
Are software that are used in creating, or facilitating the creation of
new computer software, both application and system software. Examples
include compilers, IDEs, CASE tools, and other programming tools.

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- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software
 Computer Software
2.1 System Management Software
Operating System
A collection of software that manages computer hardware resources and
provides common services for computer programs. The operating system is a
vital component of the system software in a computer system. Application
programs usually require an operating system to function.

Different Linux distributions for PC (LTR, Penguin

excluded): PC and Mobile OS compatible Popular Mobile device OSs
LinuxMint, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, and PCLinuxOS OSs (TTB): (TTB):
Windows (Win7 for PC, and Android OS, BlackBerry OS
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Windows Phone 7 for mobile),
Apple iOS for mobile devices,
and MacOS for PC.
Computer Software
2.1 System Management Software
Device Drivers
A computer program that operates or controls a particular type of device
that is attached to a computer. A driver typically communicates with the
device through the computer bus or communications subsystem to which the
hardware connects. Most popular forms of drivers are motherboard, graphics
card, and printer drivers:

Famous graphics card hardware and driver manufacturers Famous printer hardware and software manufacturers
(LTR): (LTR):
ATI Radeon, and Nvidia Hewlett-Packard, and Epson.

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Famous motherboard hardware and driver manufacturers (LTR):
ASUS, Intel, and Gigabyte
Computer Software
2.2 System Development Software
Programming Languages
An artificial language designed to communicate instructions to a machine,
particularly a computer. Programming languages can be used to create
programs that control the behavior of a machine and/or to express algorithms
precisely.

Oracle's Java Python Software Foundation's

Python Bell Labs' C++

Microsoft's Visual C#

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Computer Software
2.2 System Development Software
Integrated Development Environments
Are suites, or programs bundled together for the development of new
software. This may include code-generating software, CASE-tools, testing
and debugging tools, and more. (As mentioned before under software suites).

Popular IDEs (LTR):

Eclipse IDE, MS Visual Studio, Dev C++, and NetBeans IDE.

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Computer Software
2.2 System Development Software
Programming Languages - Levels of Programming Languages
1GL – Machine Language
Lowest level of programming languages. Easiest to understand by
hardware, hardest to code by humans. Uses binary language and opcodes.
Ex. 1010 11001
1011 11010
1100 11011
2GL – Assembly Language
Still a low level language, easier than machine language. Uses symbolic
coded instructions. Fast and light, still harder to learn than higher level
languages. Provides more atomic control. Makes use of assemblers to
convert assembly code into machine code.
Ex. MOV AX, BX
LEA DX, BX
ADD CX, 5

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Computer Software
Levels of Programming Languages
3GL – High-Level Languages
Much easier to understand and implement for humans. Uses statements.
More support for libraries and predefined functions. Need to be compiled or
interpreted before running.
Ex. (In C): x = y + z;
(In COBOL): COMPUTE X = Y + Z

4GL – Natural Languages

Even more closer to human language than 3GLs. Uses a structured
language approach (English-like words and phrase), and sometimes
graphical symbols. Usually used in database queries, report generators, GUI-
builders, to name a few.
Ex. (MySQL):
SELECT employee_ID FROM EMPLOYEE WHERE age=24;

(IBM Informix 4GL):

DISPLAY " INFORMIX-4GL By Example Application" AT 2,15
ATTRIBUTE (REVERSE, GREEN)
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Computer Software
Other Languages:
Web Languages
Web application development languages and frameworks also exist.
Markup languages such as HTML, XML, help make up all web applications.
Scripting languages such as PHP, AJAX, JavaScript give interactivity to
static HTML pages.
Frameworks such as .NET, WordPress, Apache Struts make development
much easier and more organized.
RIA languages
(Rich Internet Application) a Web application designed to deliver the
same features and functions normally associated with desktop applications.
RIAs generally split the processing across the Internet/network divide by
locating the user interface and related activity and capability on the client
side, and the data manipulation and operation on the application server side.
Examples include: Microsoft Silverlight, JavaFX, and Adobe Flash.

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Computer Software

Application Software

Driver
Operating System Softw
are

System Hardware

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Sources:
Web:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_information_manager
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/groupware
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Device_driver
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programming_language
http://searchsoa.techtarget.com/definition/Rich-Internet-Application-RIA

PDF:
INFORMIX-4GL by Example

Book:
Introduction to Information Systems 13th Edition by James
A. O'brien and George M. Marakas

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