Chapter 3
Computer Software
2
Chapter Contents

Section A: Software Basics

Section B: Popular Applications

Section C: Buying Software

Section D: Installing Software and Upgrades

Section E: Security Software
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Software Basics

Software Categories

Application Software

Utility Software

Device Drivers
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Software Categories
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Application Software

Productivity software can be defined
as any type of application software
that has the potential to help people
do their work more efficiently

Groupware is designed to help
several people collaborate on a single
project using local networks or
Internet connections
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Utility Software

Utility software (a type of system software) is designed to help you
monitor and configure settings for your computer system equipment, the
operating system, or application software

A desktop widget is a specialized utility program that appears on a
computer’s screen-based desktop
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Device Drivers
 A device driver is
software that helps a
peripheral device
establish
communication with a
computer
 Windows Device
Manager
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Popular Applications

Document Production Software

Spreadsheet Software

“Number Crunching” Software

Database Software

Graphics Software
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Popular Applications

Music Software

Video Editing and DVD Authoring Software

Educational and Reference Software

Entertainment Software

Business Software
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Question
 Just about everyone has used iTunes
software to download music. iTunes software
also allows you to list the songs you’ve
downloaded, delete songs, find songs, and
organize your music into play lists. These
features of iTunes are similar to what type of
software?
 A. Word processing software
 B. Spreadsheet software
 C. Database software
 D. Groupware
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Document Production Software

Assists you with composing, editing,
designing, printing, and electronically
publishing documents



Word processing
Desktop publishing
Web authoring
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Document Production Software
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Document Production Software

Document production software may include:

Spelling checker




Thesaurus
Grammar checker
Feature to analyze the reading level


Spelling dictionary
Readability formula
Search and Replace feature
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Document Production Software

The format for a document refers to the way that all elements
are arranged on the page
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Document Production Software
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Document Production Software
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Document Production Software

Mail merge automatically creates personalized letters by
combining the information in a mailing list with a form letter

Additional capabilities of word processing software include:




Automatically generating table of contents and index
Numbering and positioning footnotes
Providing document templates and document wizards
Exporting to HTML format
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Spreadsheet Software

A spreadsheet uses rows and columns of numbers to create a model or
representation of a real solution

Spreadsheet software, such as Microsoft Excel, iWork Numbers, or
OpenOffice Calc, provides tools for creating electronic spreadsheets
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Spreadsheet Software
When a cell contains
a formula, it displays
the result of the
formula rather than
the formula itself. To
view and edit the
formula, you use the
Formula bar.
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Spreadsheet Software

A formula tells the computer how to use the
contents of cells in calculations

Cell references





Relative reference
Absolute reference
Mathematical operators
Functions
Automatic recalculations
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Spreadsheet Software
As shown in the
examples, relative
references within a
formula can change
when you change
the sequence of a
worksheet’s rows
and columns. An
absolute reference
is anchored so that
it always refers to a
specific cell.
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“Number Crunching” Software

Provides a structured environment dedicated to a particular number
crunching task



Statistical software
Mathematical modeling software
Money management software


Personal finance software
Tax preparation software
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Database Software

A database is a collection of data

Database software helps you enter, find, organize, update, and
report information stored in a database
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Database Software
Database
software
provides tools
for specifying
fields for a series
of records.
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Database Software

A query language such as SQL (Structured Query Language) provides
a set of commands for locating and manipulating data


Natural language query
Query by example
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Graphics Software

Designed to help you create,
manipulate, and print graphics






Paint software
Photo editing software
Drawing software
3-D graphics software
CAD software
Presentation software
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Graphics Software
A computer-based
presentation
consists of a
series of slides,
created with
presentation
software.
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Music Software

Allows you to make your own digital voice
and music recordings
 Audio editing software
 CD ripper software
 Audio encoding software
 Ear training software
 Notation software
 Computer-aided music software
 MIDI sequencing software
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Video Editing and DVD Authoring
Software


Provides a set of tools for

Transferring video footage from a
camcorder to a computer




Clipping out unwanted footage
Assembling video segments
Adding special visual effects
Adding a sound track
DVD authoring software creates DVDs with
Hollywood-style menus
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Educational and Reference Software

Educational software


Helps you learn and practice new skills
Reference software

Provides a collection of information and a way to access that
information

Generally shipped on CD or DVD, or accessed on the Web
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Entertainment Software

Computer games are the most popular type of entertainment
software







Role-playing
Action
Adventure
Puzzle
Simulation
Sports
Strategy
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Business Software

Vertical market software is designed to automate specialized tasks in
a specific market or business

Horizontal market software is generic software that just about any type
of business can use



Payroll software
Accounting software
Project management software
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Buying Software

Consumer Basics

Software Copyrights and Licenses
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Question
 Suppose you purchase a new computer and it
comes with Microsoft Office installed. After using
this software for 30 days, it displays a message
indicating that to keep using it, you will have to
pay. This software is an example of all of the
following EXCEPT:
 A. Proprietary software
 B. Open source software
 C. Commercial software
 D. Demo-ware
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Consumer Basics
 Most operating systems include a handful of small
applications and a good variety of useful utility
software
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Consumer Basics

A software suite is a collection of application software sold as a
single package
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Consumer Basics

Available in many types of stores

Software contained on distribution media

Make sure your computer meets the system requirements
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Software Copyrights and Licenses

A copyright is a form of legal protection that
grants the author of an original “work”
exclusive rights


Copyright notice
Software licenses, also called license
agreements, define the ways in which you
may use a computer program





Single-user
Site
Multiple-user
Concurrent
Shrink-wrap
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Software Copyrights and Licenses
 EULA (End-User License Agreement)

Different types of software licenses
 Public domain
 Proprietary
 Commercial software
 Demo-ware
 Shareware
 Freeware
 Open source
 BSD
 GPL
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FastPoll True/False Questions
Answer A for True and B for False
 Word processing software and operating systems
are examples of application software.
 Spreadsheets are classified as utility software.
 The software you install to help a printer
communicate with a computer is called a device
driver.
 Desktop publishing software is based on frames.
 Spreadsheet software is particularly useful for
what-if analyses.
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FastPoll True/False Questions
Answer A for True and B for False
 Database software stores information in HTML codes.
 CAD software is a good choice for professional-quality photo
editing.
 Payroll software is a good example of vertical market business
software.
 If the main screen of a software product does not contain a
copyright notice, it is legal to make copies and share them with
your friends.
 A EULA is a license agreement that specifies how to legally
use a software product.
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FastPoll True/False Questions
Answer A for True and B for False
 Open source software is public domain.
 The Windows Registry is a database that keeps
track of a computer’s peripheral devices,
software, preferences, and settings.
 Downloaded software is usually zipped to
decrease download time.
 Hash codes are used to generate a unique
number as part of the software activation
process.
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Installing Software and Upgrades
 Installation Basics
 Installing Local Applications
 Installing Portable Software and Web Apps
 Software Updates
 Uninstalling Software
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Installation Basics

Software installation is a process that places a program into a
computer so that it can be run or executed
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Installing Local Applications
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Installing Local Applications
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Installing Portable Software
and Web Apps

Portable software is designed to run from removable storage, such
as a CD or USB flash drive


Installation is simply a matter of getting program files to the
media on which they are supposed to run
A Web application, or Web App, is software that is accessed with a
Web browser

May require client-side program to be installed
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Software Updates

Software publishers regularly update their software



Add new features
Fix bugs
Update security

Software patches replace part of the software you currently
have installed

Service packs correct problems and address security
vulnerabilities
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Software Updates

Updates are usually available online for registered software

Always install patches and service packs when they become
available

Many software publishers require users to type in a validation code
to complete an update
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Uninstalling Software
 Uninstall routines delete
the software’s files from
the various folders on
your computer’s hard
disk
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Question
 Suppose that you’re looking for software to
convert a YouTube video into a format you can
use with Windows Media Player or iMovie. You
don’t want to bother downloading or installing
any software on your computer. What should
you look for?
 A. A Web app
 B. Open source software
 C. A .zip file
 D. A portable app
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Security Software

Security Software Basics

Security Suites

Antivirus Modules
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Security Software Basics

Security software is designed to protect computers from various
forms of destructive software and unauthorized intrusions

The terms malicious software and malware refer to any computer
program designed to surreptitiously enter a computer, gain
unauthorized access to data, or disrupt normal processing
operations

A blended threat describes malware that combines more than one
type of malicious program
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Security Software Basics

Computer virus

Computer worm - A worm is a program very similar to a virus; it has the ability to selfreplicate and can lead to negative effects on your system.

Trojan horse - Another unsavory breed of malicious code are Trojans or Trojan horses,
which unlike viruses do not reproduce by infecting other files, nor do they self-replicate like
worms. In fact, it is program which disguises itself as a useful program or application.
 Keylogger
 Remote Access Trojan (RAT)

Bot - A malicious bot is self-propagating malware designed to infect a host and connect
back to a central server or servers that act as a command and control (C&C) center for an
entire network of compromised devices, or "botnet." With a botnet, attackers can launch
broad-based, "remote-control," flood-type attacks against their target(s).
 Zombie
 Botnet

Spyware - is a type of malware (malicious software) installed on computers that collects
information about users without their knowledge.
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9 Types of Viruses Common
to Computers
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1. Boot Sector Virus – affects the first sector on a partitioned storage device.
2. Browser Hijacker – hijacks certain browser functions, usually in the form of re-directing
the user automatically to particular sites.
3. Direct Action Virus - only comes into action when the file containing the virus is executed.
4. File Infector Virus - takes root in a host file and then begins its operation when the file is executed.
5. Macro Virus -A wide variety of programs, including productivity applications like Microsoft Excel,
provide support for Macros – special actions programmed into the document using a specific macro
programming language. Unfortunately, this makes it possible for a virus to be hidden inside a seemingly
benign document.
6. Multipartite Virus -A virus of this type may spread in multiple ways, and it may take different actions
on an infected computer depending on variables, such as the operating system installed or the existence
of certain files.
7. Polymorphic Virus - actually mutates over time or after every execution, changing the code used to
deliver its payload.
Antivirus programs often find viruses by the specific code used. Obscuring or changing the code of a
virus can help it avoid detection.
8. Resident Virus - inserts itself into a system’s memory. It then may take any number of actions and
run independently of the file that was originally infected.
9. Web Scripting Virus - Displaying online video in your browser, requires the execution of a
specific code language that provides both the video itself and the player interface. This code can
sometimes be exploited, making it possible for a virus to infect a computer or take actions on a computer
through a website; many such cases of virus exist because of code inserted into a site without the
webmaster’s knowledge.
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Security Software Basics

What does malware do?
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Security Software Basics

The term rootkit refers to software tools used to conceal
malware and backdoors that have been installed on a victim’s
computer

A virus hoax usually arrives as an e-mail message containing
dire warnings about a supposedly new virus on the loose
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Security Suites

A security suite integrates several security modules to protect against the
most common types of malware, unauthorized access, and spam

A security suite costs less than purchasing standalone security modules
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Security Suites
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Antivirus Modules

Antivirus software is a type of utility software that looks for and
eradicates viruses, Trojan horses, worms, and bots

A virus signature is a section of program code, such as a unique
series of instructions, that can be used to identify a known
malicious program, much as a fingerprint is used to identify an
individual

Virus signatures and other information that antivirus software
uses to identify and eradicate malware is stored in one or more
files usually referred to as virus definitions
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Antivirus Modules
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Antivirus Modules
 Most experts recommend that
you configure your antivirus
software to periodically scan
all the files on your computer
 If, during the scanning
process, your virus protection
software identifies a virus,
worm, Trojan horse, or bot in
a file or attachment, it can try
to remove the infection, put
the file into quarantine, or
simply delete the file
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