Cs 100 – Introduction to

Computer Applications

Software
 What is Software
Software:
• Software is a set of instruction that use to
operates various kind of program.
OR
• Software is a generic term for organized
collections of computer data and
instructions.
 Software
Software, is a collection of computer
programs that provide the instructions for
telling a computer what to do and how to
do it.

In contrast to hardware, software is

intangible, meaning it “cannot be touched”
having no physical existence.
 Types of software
It is divided in to two major categories

• System software that provides the basic

non-task-specific functions of the
computer.
• Application software which is used by
users to accomplish specific tasks.
 Types of Software
• Application software
• System software
1. Operating System
2. Utility Program
3. Device Drivers
 System Software
 Serves as the interface between the user, the
application software, and the computer’s hardware.

Example:
Operating system
Device Drivers
Utilities

p. 135 Fig. 3-2 Next

 System software
• System software is responsible for controlling,
integrating, and managing the individual hardware
components of a computer system.
• Generally, system software consists of an operating
system and some fundamental utilities such as
• disk formatters
• file managers
• display managers
• user authentication (login)
• and management tools
• networking software
• device control software
 System Software
What is system software?
Programs that control Two types are
or maintain operation operating systems
of computer and utility programs

Operating system (OS)

(sometimes called the platform)
coordinates all activities
among computer
hardware
resources

p. 398 - 399
 Operating System
• is a set of programs including instructions
that coordinate all the activities among
hardware resources.
– Examples:
Windows,Macintosh,Linux,Unix
 Operating System
• A program that acts as an intermediary
between a user of a computer and the
computer hardware.
Operating system goals:
– Execute user programs and make solving
user problems easier.
– Make the computer system convenient to use.
Operating system Examples:
Linux, Unix, XP ,Windows 7 ,Windows 8.
 Operating System Functions
 starting a computer,
 providing a user interface,
 managing programs, memory,
 coordinating tasks,
 configuring devices,
 establishing an internet connection,
 monitoring performance,
 providing file management utilities.

p. 400 Fig. 8-2

 Operating System Functions
• What is a command line interface (CLI)?
 Operating System Functions
What is a graphical user interface
(GUI)?

 User interacts with menus and visual images

such as buttons and other graphical objects
 Basic Interface
 Windows Aero Interface

p. 403 Fig. 8-5a and 8-5b

 Device Drivers
• In computing, a device driver or software driver
is a computer program computer programs to
interact with a hardware device.

• Drivers are hardware-dependent and operating-

system-specific.
 Device drivers
• Device Driver or Software Driver is a computer
program allowing an external extended mother
board components to interact with computer
system.
Because of the diversity of modern update
hardware and operating systems, drivers operate
in many different environments. Drivers may
interface with;
• Printer
• Scanner
• Sound card
• VGA card
• Network card. etc….
 Operating System Utility Programs
What is a Utility Program?
 System software that performs maintenance-type tasks
related to managing computers devices or programmes
 Also called
utility

p. 411 Fig. 8-14

Utilities
 Utilities
• Utility software is a kind of system software designed to help
analyze, configure, optimize and maintain the computer. A
single piece of utility software is usually called a utility or
tool. Utility software should be contrasted with application
software, which allows users to do things like creating text
documents, playing games.

Utility software :
• Antivirus(MC cafee)
• Data compression software (win RAR)
• Disk partitioning
• Backup
• Memory testers
• Network utilities etc…
 Utilities
• utility software usually focuses on how the computer
infrastructure (including the computer hardware,
operating system, application software and data storage)
operates.
 File Manager
• A file manager displays list of files on storage medium
• Organizes file into folder
• Used for Copy,Delete,Rename,Move and shortcut of files
 Operating System Utility Programs
What is a Disk Defragmentation?
 Reorganizes files and unused space on hard disk so that programs run faster

p. 414 Fig. 8-19

 Utility Programs
What is File compression?

 Shrinks size of files to free up room and improve

performance
 Compressed files are sometimes called zipped files
 Two popular utilities:
Win RAR and WinZip

p. 427
 Operating System Utility Programs
What is a Backup utility?
 Copies selected files or entire hard disk onto another storage medium

 Most compress files

during backup to
require less storage
space

p. 415 Fig. 8-20

 Application software
• Application Software run under System Software , and are
made to do a specific task i.e ( Word Processing etc) , which
have indirect access to the hardware (i.e Behind System
Software) .
Examples :
Web browser, word processing software, spreadsheet
software, database software, presentation graphics software.
• Opera (Web Browser)
• Microsoft Word (Word Processing)
• Microsoft Excel (Spreadsheet software)
• MySQL (Database Software)
• Microsoft Powerpoint (Presentation Software)
• iTunes (Music / Sound Software)
• VLC Media Player (Audio / Video Software )
• World of Warcraft (Game Software)
• Adobe Photoshop (Graphics Software)
 Application Softwares
• Designed to make users more productive
and to assist them to complete tasks
 Application Software
What is word processing software?

 Allows users to create and

manipulate text and
graphics.

Next
 Business Software
What is spreadsheet software?
 Organizes data in rows and columns
 Performs calculations and
recalculates when data changes

p. 142 - 144 Next

 Business Software
How is a spreadsheet organized?
 Columns identified by letters
 Rows identified by numbers
 A cell is the intersection of a column and row

p. 142 - 143 Fig. 3-8 Next

 Business Software
What is database software?

Allows you to create,

access, and
manage data

Add, change, delete,

sort, and retrieve data

p. 145 Next
 Business Software
What is power point (presentation software)?

 Used to create visual aids for presentations

 A presentation is sometimes
called a slide show

p. 146 Fig. 3-12 Next

Software can be purchased or acquired as:
• Shareware:
– Usually intended for sale after a trial period.
• Freeware:
– Free software but with copyright restrictions .
• Licenses:
A software is a legal instrument (usually by way of
contract law) governing the usage or redistribution of
software. All software is copyright protected, except
material in the public domain
• Key Generator
A license or product key generator (keygen) is a
computer program that generates a product licensing key,
serial number, or some other registration information
necessary to activate for use a software application
 Shareware
Is provided to users without payment on a trial basis
and is often limited by any combination of functionality
.

Shareware is often offered as a download from an

Internet website or as a compact disc to give buyers
the opportunity to use the program and judge its
usefulness before purchasing a license for the full
version of the software.
 Shareware cont’d
Firms with superior software thus have an
incentive to offer samples, except if their
product is already well known,
or as a full version but for a limited trial period
of time. Once the trial period has passed, the
program may stop running until a license is
purchased.
 Freeware
• Freeware (from "free" and "software") is
computer software that is available for use at no
cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one
or more restricted usage rights.
• Freeware is in contrast to commercial software,
which is typically sold for profit, but might be
distributed for a business or commercial purpose
in the aim to expand the marketshare of
product.
• Popular examples of freeware include Firefox,
Google Chrome, 7-Zip and Adobe Flash Player.
 Software license
• A software license is a legal instrument (usually
by way of contract law) governing the usage or
redistribution of software. All softwares are
copyright protected except public domain
softwares.
•
• A typical software license grants an end-user
permission to use one or more copies of
software giving user exclusive rights under
copyright law.
 Key generator
• A license or product key generator (keygen) is a
computer program that generates a product
licensing key, serial number, or some other
registration information necessary to activate for
using a software application.