COMPUTERS, PART
OF YOUR LIFE
Grade 11
1
SOFTWARE
Module 1.4
2
Contents
 Application software
 Multimedia software
 Communications software
 Compatibility issues
 Software bugs
 Updating your software
 Online software
 Software for physically challenged users
 Test and improve
3
APPLICATION SOFTWARE
Programs that perform
specific tasks for us as users
4
Multimedia software
Used to create or view
multimedia content
Combines text, sound, images, drawings,
animations and video to communicate ideas
Most popular
way to create
multimedia is
by using HTML 5
5
New types of
multimedia
products have
come about
Interactive multimedia
textbooks created for
use on devices such
as the iPad
6
Communications software
Used to make electronic
communications simple,
effective and efficient
•
•
•
•
•
Email programs
Web browsing software
Online chat rooms
Instant Messaging
VoIP software
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COMPATIBILITY ISSUES
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Reason for compatibility issues
Every company has a different way to
encode data in files
Software expects data to be encoded
in a certain way
If encoding is not what is expected –
error message or a scrambled
document
9
Solutions to compatibility issues
Export
•
Save the document in
another format
Import
•
Import / ‘Open with’ – open
a file in another format
Upgrade
•
Have the latest versions or
consider subscription
•
Everyone in organisation
uses the same version of
software
Standardise
10
SOFTWARE BUGS
11
Software bug – an error in a program
caused by the way it was programmed
Tools for combating software bugs
 Testing
‘Beta’ versions of software are tested by the public
 Error reporting
Use error reporting facilities – often provided when a
program crashes
 Keeping software up to date
Updates contain bug fixes that make software work better
12
UPDATING YOUR
SOFTWARE
13
Updating software
Process of getting the latest ‘bug fixes’, or
obtaining new, additional features
•
Check the ‘Help’ or
‘About’ menus – look
for check for updates
•
If connected to the
internet, the software
will check if an update
is available
14
SERVICE PACKS vs. UPDATES
Service packs
• Collection of all
previous updates
for last period of
time
• Pretty much a
thing of the past
Updates
• Software regularly
checks for updates
• Updates are
automatically
downloaded and
installed
15
ONLINE SOFTWARE
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?
‘online software’
‘cloud computing’
‘Web applications’ .....
software actually
runs on servers on
the internet
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Advantages of online software
•
Software always up to date
•
Don’t have to download or install anything
•
Does not take up space on local storage
•
Server CPU may be more powerful than
your own CPU – run more powerful software
•
Use the software and access your data
from any computer anywhere in the world
18
Disadvantages of online software
• Needs internet connection
• If no internet connection – cannot access
software or your data
• No control over data security / backup policy
• May have to pay a monthly fee to use it
• Might lack features or abilities of desktop
software
• Might run slower – depending on speed of
internet connection
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GOOGLE DOCS
Free software – web-based word
processor, presentation and
spreadsheet applications
20
Blogs / Weblogs
Online publishing tools
WordPress
Blogger
Squarespace
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Good practices when blogging
• Update your blog frequently
• Interact with readers – respond to comments
• Be casual, informative and interesting
• Use catchy titles and graphics
• Have opinions and express them well
• Link to your sources and other sites of interest
22
Advantages of blogging
 Share ideas and get feedback
 Personal and business use – advertising and
marketing
 Used as help forums – people with common
interests can share ideas
 Used for social change, promote freedom of
expression and speech
 WordPress and Blogger host blogs for free
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Disadvantages of blogging
 Must update constantly to maintain interest
among readers
 Responses posted can be worthless
 Constant display of advertisements (free sites)
 Postings appear from newest to oldest – older
postings can get ‘lost’
24
SOFTWARE FOR
PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED
USERS
25
Operating systems contain settings and
utilities to help make the computer
easier for disabled people to use
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Ease of access settings
o Magnifying an area of the screen
o Text to speech (Narration)
o Making the mouse cursor larger
o Higher contrast settings – easier to read
o Displaying visual notices instead of sound
o Sticky Keys, Slow Keys and on-screen display
of non-alphabetic keys
o Speech recognition for voice control /
dictation of text instead of typing
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Sticky keys/ Slow keys
Sticky Keys
Use keyboard shortcuts
or type capital letters
without pressing more
than one key at a time
Slow Keys
Inserts a short pause
between the press of a
key and the display of
the letter on the screen

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Many companies design software
with features similar to those built
into the operating system
These programs improve
upon what the operating
system offers
E.g. camera tracking – where software tracks
your head movement, so that moving your
head is like moving a mouse
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MAGic software
MAGic Screen Magnification Software
Increases the size of what is seen on the screen,
and can read it aloud with a synthesiser –
useful for those with low vision
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TEST AND IMPROVE
USE THE SUMMARY FOR OWN REVISION
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WRITTEN MODULE ACTIVITY
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