General Purpose Package Notes
St Roch’s Secondary School
Standard Grade Computing
General Purpose Packages
Part 1
Standard Grade Computing
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General Purpose Package Notes
What is an application package?
The most common method of processing data with a computer system is by using a series of
instructions stored in a computer program called an application package – there are many
different types of application package – from the word processing software used to create
these notes to computer games like Call of Duty.
What is a General Purpose Package?
Some software such as games software only has one purpose – to play a game. Other
software can be used for many different purposes but you must supply your own information
in order to use the software. Application packages that require you to supply your own
information like this are called General Purpose Packages.
Advantages of General Purpose Packages Over Manual Systems
There are four advantages of using GPPs:
 Documents are always up-to-date and accurate as corrections are
easily made using tools like spellcheck.
 Documents can be saved allowing them to be used again later
without re-entering data.
 Documents have increased flexibility in layout.
 Ease of access – within a company the information can be accessed by a large number
of people at the same time.
What does a General Purpose Package consist of?
When you buy a general purpose package it includes a CD-ROM containing the program, but
there is more than just the program on the CD-ROM. Other files you would expect to find
on the CD-ROM are:
 A manual (a book of instructions on how to use the package).
 A tutorial guide (contains a series of lessons which teach you how to use the package).
 A demonstration program to teach you how to use the package this usually easier to
follow and much quicker than the manual.
 An installer program to install the software on your computer system.
 An uninstaller program to delete the software from your computer system.
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General Purpose Package Notes
Types of General Purpose Packages
The General Purpose Packages that we will look at in this topic are:
Package
Main Purpose
Word Processing
Spreadsheets
Databases
Graphics
Desktop Publishing
Presentation
Web page Creation
Expert Systems
Communications
Entering and editing text.
Creating tables of calculations.
Storing and organizing data.
Drawing pictures, graphs or charts.
Combining text and graphics e.g. newspapers and magazines.
Production of slideshows.
Making web pages.
Offers advice when human expert is not available.
Allows computers to communicate with each other e.g. e-mail, web
browser etc.
Common Features of General Purpose Packages
Many general purpose packages use the same commands such as:
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Run – opens the application
New – creates a new document
Open – opens an existing document
Save - saves a file to backing storage
Print – produces a hard copy of the document
Other commands which are also the same for different packages are:
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Insert – putting additional information into the document.
Amend – changing the contents of the document.
Delete – removing parts of the document
Changing Text Appearance – changing the font, size or style of the text.
Copy – copying parts of the text and placing them in the same document or anther
document.
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General Purpose Package Notes
The Human Computer Interface
The human computer interface (HCI) is the way the user and the
program communicate with each other. Many different things could be
regarded as part of the HUI – the way the screen looks, how easy it is
for the user to know what to do next in the package.
Customising HCI
Changing the HCI to suit the needs of the user is called customising the HCI. The HCI
parameters control the many different ways in which the user and the computer interact.
These include changing the display font, choosing a dictionary and altering the package’s
menus. The background and background colours can be altered to suit the needs of the user.
The order files are viewed can be changed – alphabetically, in order of last modified etc.
The HCI can be altered to meet the needs of individual users. Users with sight problems
may find the need to increase the size of font in menus, size of icons, use the magnifier etc.
Wimp Environments (Windows Icons Menu and Pointer)
This involves the use of windows, icons, menus and pointers. The idea behind the WIMP
environment is that it is makes it easier for the user to understand by the user of pictures
etc to aid understanding. Wimp environments, which use icons to represent different things
on the screen are often called Graphical User Interfaces.
A WIMP environment consists of:
 Window – is an area on the computer where you can see the contents of a folder, a
document or a program. Several windows can be opened at once and layered on top of
each other if necessary.
 Icons – these are small pictures that appear on the screen to represent a file,
application program, directory or utility. Examples of common icons are wastepaper
basket, printer icon etc.
 Menu – menus can pop up or pull down; they give you a list of choices to which you can
select by clicking on one of the choices in the menu.
 Pointer – you use the pointer in order to make a selection – to select icons or select
options from menus. You move the pointer across the screen by moving the mouse.
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General Purpose Package Notes
Toolbars
A toolbar is a line of screen buttons, which represent the actions or tools that are currently
available within an application package.
Some ways that a toolbar make a software package more user friendly are:
 Toolbars are easier to use than remembering commands.
 If the icon on the toolbar looks like the action it is to carry out then it makes it more
intuitive.
Wizards
A wizard is a feature of a program that asks the user questions,
then helps the user to carry out a specific task. E.g. the charting
wizard in a spreadsheet takes the user step by step through how
to create a chart from data.
Templates
A template is an outline document with the structure already entered. All
the user has to do is enter the information. Using a template can speed of
the creation of a document because much of the layout has already been
done for you.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Advanced users find moving the mouse up to a menu too slow, therefore programs offer
keyboard shortcuts e.g. Ctrl- P to print.
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General Purpose Package Notes
Online Help
Online help provides you with:
 On screen advice how to carry out a task if you get stuck trying to
use a feature whilst using the software – already have some
experience of using the software.
 Many have a search facility that makes finding the information
easier.
Online Tutorial
Online tutorial provides you with:
 On-screen instructions to teach you how to use the software step
by step usually in the form of lessons. Usually used by beginners.
Separate Packages v Integrated Packages
 An integrated package has several packages all built in to
the one program e.g. ClarisWorks of Microsoft Works.
 Separate packages have a single main purpose (but nowadays are able to
carry out more than one task).
Advantages of Integrated Packages
 Cheaper to buy one integrated package than several separate packages.
 Takes less memory to run integrated package than several separate packages.
 Data can be easily transferred between the parts of the integrated package e.g.
chart can be copied from a spreadsheet into a word processing document without any
change in the data.
 Common HCI – all programs look the same and are basically the same to use.
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General Purpose Package Notes
Advantages of Separate Packages
 Additional features that might not be available to the integrated package e.g.
grammar check may be available within packages that are not part of integrated
package.
 You only need to buy programs you actually want and are going to use (with an
integrated package you may get programs you will never have any use for).
Software Suite
A software suite is a group of separate packages bundled
together e.g. Microsoft Office. You can buy the packages
together but you can buy them separately if you require. It
has the advantages of both the integrated package and the
separate packages.
Advantages of a Software Suite
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Cheaper to buy the software suite than buying the packages separately.
Data can be easily transferred between the parts of an integrated package.
Common HCI – all programs look similar so are easier to learn.
Has all the additional features found in separate packages.
Static and Dynamic Linkage
Dynamic Linkage
 Dynamic Linkage is when data is copied; a change in the original data will
automatically change in the copy.
 This is because the link between the data and the copy still exists.
Static Linkage
 When data is copied, a change made in the original will not automatically change in
the copy.
 This is because the link between the data and the copy has been broken.
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General Purpose Package Notes
Data Types
Computers store and handle information. Information is handled by a computer in the form
of data. There are several types of data:
Data Type
Description
Number
Text
Graphics
Photographic
E.g. 1, 2, 3, 4 …………..100, 101 etc
E.g. A, B,C,D …………X, Y, Z
Diagrams and pictures are examples of graphics.
Photographic data is a graphic produced by a still camera, webcam or
scanner. Photographic data refers only to still images.
Is data made up of moving graphics – creation of apparent movement
through the presentation of a sequence of slightly different still graphics.
Movies or videos are a type of data produced by a digital video camera.
Video data is made up of a sequence of moving or live action images.
Animation
Video
Standard File Formats
Standard file formats are used so that the same data can be read by many types of software
package without any change/data loss.
In this section we need to know three standard file formats:
Text – Data stored in Text format can be transferred easily between application packages
providing both packages are capable of recognizing it.
ASCII – American Standard Code for Information Interchange. This type of file format
consists of plain text. Each character in ASCII has its own unique code. It stores no
formatting information but is capable of storing information on where line breaks are.
RTF – Rich Text Format. In addition to the text information, it capable of storing some
formatting information such as font, size, style etc. Can be used to transfer data between
most word processing software.
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General Purpose Package Notes
Legislation
Data Protection Act (1998)
This act covers the storage of personal information. There are two parties mentioned within
this act:
The Data Subject – is the person who the data is about
The Data Controller – the person or organisation holding the data. The controller must
register as a data controller with the Information Commissioner that they will be holding
data – purpose, type etc must be specified.
Rights of the Data Subject
 See data held about themselves.
 Have any errors corrected provided they can prove it is wrong.
 Seek compensation for any distress caused if the act is broken.
The Eight Data Protection Principles:
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Data should be fairly and lawfully processed.
Data should be only used for the purposes specified/purpose intended.
Data should be adequate, relevant and not excessive.
Data should be accurate and kept up-to-date.
Information should be kept no longer than necessary.
Data must be processed in accordance with the rights of the data subjects.
Security measures should be kept secure.
Data should not be transferred to countries outside the EC except to those countries
which have appropriate data protection legislation.
Computer Misuse Act 1990
There are three crimes mentioned in this act:
 Gaining illegal access to data (hacking).
 To write and distribute computer viruses.
 Use computers for fraud.
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General Purpose Package Notes
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act
This Act helps to protect copyright owners from having their work copied by others without
payment. This Act covers a vast variety of areas – from music, books, and inventions to the
copying of computer software without paying or the author’s permission!
Freedom of Information Act
This is a new Act - only coming into being in 2005. This allows a person to gain information
from any Scottish public authorities – hospitals, schools etc.
Social and Economic Implications of General Purpose Packages
Social implications are the effect it has on society. Some social implications are:
 Redundancies – where many employees were required because of the developments in
technology, perhaps only one operator will be required to oversee the work done. E.g.
many typists were required to type letters etc but because of the ability to save and
edit work less workers are required.
 Retraining – many workers may have to retrain to a new job. E.g. typists would have had
to retrain in order to use word processing software on computers.
 Increased Paper – because of facilities like mail merges companies can generate vast
amounts of ‘junk mail’ each day.
Economic implications are the money implications involved in the introduction of computers
and general purpose packages. Some economic implications are:
 High Initial Costs – buying the computers and the software packages.
 Running Costs – day to day costs like electricity, toner, paper etc.
 Replacement Costs – hardware will not last forever and after a number of years will
have to be replaced.
 Staff Costs – workers who are use computers tent to be paid more. Also people who
are made redundant will need to get redundancy pay.
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General Purpose Package Notes
Backups
A backup is a second copy of the data (a printout is not a backup). Backups should be:
 Made to a different backing storage device (e.g. original stored on hard disk and the
backup copy on a CD)
 Made regularly.
 Kept in a lock proof, fireproof safe.
Security
A company should all reasonable precautions to ensure the security of the data/information
they hold. Types of security include:
 Access Security – Usernames and passwords
 Physical Security – Locking the computer room door.
 Firewall – A firewall is a program that stops people from hacking into your computer
system.
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