Applications Software
Software that has been developed to
solve a particular problem, to perform
useful work on specific tasks, or to
provide entertainment.
Applications software and system software
You interact principally with the applications software.
The applications software interacts with the components
of the system software, which in turn interacts directly
with the computer
The Five Categories of Applications
Software
• Software can change the way we act, even the
way we think.
• Application software can be classified into five
categories:
– Entertainment Software
– Home/personal Software
– Education/reference Software
– Productivity Software
– Specialty Software
The Categories
Common features of Application
Software
• Special Purpose Keys - are used to enter,
delete and edit data and to execute
commands.
• Function Keys - labelled F1, F2, etc are
positioned along the top or left side of the
keyboard. They are used to execute
commands specific to the software being
used.
• Macros - also called keyboard shortcuts, is
a single ,or series of, keystrokes or
commands used to automatically issue a
longer, predetermined series of keystrokes
or commands.
The User Interface
• The user interface is the user controllable
part of the software that allows you to
communicate, or interact, with it.
• The kind of interface used by most people is
the Graphical User Interface (GUI).
Graphical User Interface - GUI
• With a GUI you may use graphics and
menus as well as keystrokes to choose
commands, start programs and see lists of
files and other options
• Common features of GUIs are menus,
windows, icons, buttons and dialog boxes.
• A menu is a list of available commands
presented on screen.
• Menus may appear as menu bars, pull-down
(drop-down) menus and pop-up menus.
• Windows - a rectangular area that appears
on the screen and displays information from
a particular part of a program.
• Icons - an icon is a picture used in a GUI to
represent a command, a program, a file or a
task.
• Buttons - is a simulated on-screen button
(like an icon) that is activated by a mouse or
other pointing device to issue a command
eg ‘Save’ and ‘Cancel’
• Dialog Box - is a box that appears on the
screen and displays a message requiring a
response from you.
Tutorials
• A tutorial is an instruction book or program
that takes you through a prescribed series of
steps to help you learn how to use the
product
Documentation
• Documentation is a user guide or reference
manual that is a narrative and graphical
description of a program.
• It may be print based, on CD-ROM or on
the Internet.
Types of Application Software
• Wordprocessing - this software allows you
to use computers to format, create, edit,
print and store text material, as well as
graphics, etc.
• Spreadsheet - allows users to create tables
and financial schedules by entering data and
formulas into rows and columns arranged as
a grid on a display screen.
• Database - databases are collections of
interrelated files in a computer system.
Database software is a program that
controls the structure of a database and
access to the data.
• Financial Software - ranges from personal
finance managers to entry-level accounting
programs to business financial-management
packages.
• Communication Software - manages the
transmission of data between computers.
Also known as data communications
software.
• Electronic Mail Software - (email
software) - enables users to send letters and
files from one computer to another.
• Integrated Software - combines the most
commonly used features of several
applications programs eg wordprocessing,
spreadsheet, database into one software
package.
• Software Suites - are applications with a
standard user interface that are bundled
together and sold for a fraction of what the
programs would cost if sold individually Eg
Clarisworks
Specialty Software
• Desktop Publishing - involves using a
microcomputer and a mouse, scanner, laser
or ink-jet printer for mixing text and
graphics to produce high-quality output for
commercial printing.
• Presentation Software - uses graphics and
data/information from other software tools
to communicate or make a presentation of
data to others, such as clients, etc
• Project Management Software - a
program used to plan, schedule and control
the people, costs and resources required to
complete a project on time.
• Computer Aided Design - CAD- software
programs for the design of products,
structures, civil engineering drawings and
maps.
• Drawing Programs - graphics software
that allows users to design and illustrate
objects and products.
• Painting Programs - graphics programs
that allows users to simulate painting on
screen.
• Groupware - software that is used on a
network that allows users in the same
building or even in different countries
working on the same project to share ideas
and update documents.
• Multimedia Authoring Software - enables
users to create multimedia applications that
integrate text, images ,sound, motion and
animation.
• Web Browsers - software that enables you
to ‘browse through’ and view web sites
using web tools such as web directories and
search engines
Other Software
• Public-Domain Software - is software
that is not protected by copyright and
may be copied by anyone at will.
• Freeware - is software that is available
free of charge.
• Shareware - is copyrighted software that
is distributed free of charge, but requires
users to make a contribution in order to
continue using it.
• Proprietary Software - software whose
rights are owned by an individual or
business.
Problems with New Software
• Bloatware - some software has too many
features which can cause it to run very
slowly on older computers.
• Shovelware - software makers are in such a
hurry to ship out their products into the
market place that software has not been
tested properly and therefore is full of flaws.
Help
• There are a number of sources for help
when using software – Instruction manuals
– Help software
– Telephone line help
– Commercial how-to books
– Knowledgeable friends
Ethics - Copyright
• Copyright is the exclusive legal right that
prohibits copying of intellectual property
without the permission of the copyright
holder.