Software of
Information Systems
Hun Myoung Park, Ph.D.,
Public Management and Policy Analysis Program
Graduate School of International Relations
International University of Japan
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Outline
Computer Software
System Software
Operating Systems
Application Software
Software License
Open Source Software
Software Selection
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Computer Software
Tell computer hardware to do what you
want.
Computer programs that instruct computer
hardware to perform designated tasks.
A well organized set of instructions written in
computer languages to achieve particular
goals and then complied by a translator
Systems software and application software
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System Software
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System Software
To control computer systems
Bridge between hardware and application
software
Not to perform specific tasks you want to do
Consists of operating systems, utility
programs, and language translators
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Operating Systems
Kernel
User interface
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Operating Systems 2
Server
Parallel CPU, virtualization
BIOS, bootstrap routine
Diagnostic routine
JCL (Job control language)
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Kernel 1
Kernel performs core functions
Control hardware and access
Manage memory
Manage data (files)
Manage network
Manage I/O devices
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Kernel 2
Manage programs:
 Multitasking (single user system)
 Multithreading (multiple threads of a program)
 Multiprogrammings (multi-user system)
 Mutiprocessing: Use multiple processors
 Parallel processing: a process/task uses more
than one processor
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Morley & Parker (2010: 198)
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User Interface 1
Interacts between users and OS (kernel)
Often integrated into OS
Command line (text based) versus desktop
environment
Graphical user interface (GUI)
Touch user interface (mobile devices)
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User Interface 2
Xerox PARC Alto (Xerox Star)
Apple Lisa and Mac
KDE (1996), desktop environment
GNOME (1999), GNU (GNU’s Not Unix)
Network object model environment
Mac OS (1984)
X Window System (1984) by MIT
Microsoft Windows (1985), version 3.1 in 1992
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Development of OS 1
UNIX (1969) by AT&T
Apple DOS (1978)
CP/M (1980)
PC-DOS by IBM (1981), Microsoft DOS (1981)
Netware (1983) by Novell
Mac OS (1984)
Microsoft Windows (1985) 3.x/95/98
OS/2 (Warp) by IBM since 1987
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Development of OS 2
NEXTSTEP (1989)
SunOS/Solaris (1992)
GNU/Linux (1992)
Microsoft NT/2000/XP/Vista/7/8
Embedded and mobile editions (e.g.,
Blackberry OS, iOS, embedded Linux, or
Window mobile or Window phone)
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Utilities
Backup/recovery utilities
Compression utilities
Diagnostic program
Security/Spam-filtering utilities
Drivers
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Language Translators
Assembler for assembly language
Compiler (batch)
Interpreter (interactive)
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Middleware
Software layer between operating system
and application software (Wiki)
Connect software components and
applications
CGI (Common Gateway Interface)
API (Application Program Interface)
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Application Software
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Application Software 1
Perform specific tasks
Do actually what you want
Match between operating systems and
application software (e.g., platform and
word size matter)
For example, a 32bit application software
does not work perfectly in a 64bit operating
system)
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Application Software 2
Wordprocessor: WordPerfect, Microsoft Word,
LibreOffice (StarOffice)
Spreadsheet: VisiCalc, Lotus 1-2-3, Microsoft
Excel, Quattro, Quattro Pro
Database: dBase III+, FoxBase, FoxPro,
Microsoft Access, DBII, Oracle, Microsoft SQL
Server, MySql
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Application Software 3
Presentation: Powerpoint, Presentations,
Impress, …
Statistics and mathematics: SAS, Stata, SPSS
Graphics: Adobe Photoshop, illustrator
Desktop publishing: Corel Ventura, Adobe
Pagemaker, QuakXpress, Adobe InDesign
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Application Software 4
Geographic information system (GIS)
Video, audio, gaming, …
Groupware: Lotus (IBM) Notes
Project management
Financial management
Personal information manager
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Types of Software
Off the shelf (ready made), in-house (house
made), customized software (contractor)
Proprietary versus open source software
Web-based (Web suite), mobile software
(software as a service)
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Software Suite
Microsoft Office
Corel WordPerfect Office
Lotus symphony
Oracle OpenOffice (StarOffice), LibreOffice
Adobe Creative Suite
Apple iWork
Hancom Office
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Software Suite
Microsoft
Office
Corel
WordPerfect
Office
OpenOffice Hancom
/ LibreOffice Office
Wordprocessor Word
WordPerfect
Writer
Hangeul
Spreadsheet
Excel
Quattro Pro
Calc
HanCell
Presentation
PowerPoint
Presentations Impress
Database
Access
Paradox
Base
Web
(Frontpage)
Graphics/DTP
Publisher
(Ventura)
Draw
HanShow
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Software License 1
A “legal instrument (contract) governing the
use or distribution of software” (Wiki)
“When people purchase software, they
don’t actually own the software” (p.167)
They just get official permission to use and
distribute software.
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Software License 2
Fixed time versus perpetual license
Single versus multiple users license
Stand-alone versus network license
Site license (anyone on the particular site)
Concurrent use license limits the number of
users who can use the software at the same
time. Managed by a license server
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Software License 3
Proprietary (commercial) license
Free license
Shareware (fee to get better service),
Public domain license (donated to public
domain)
Open source license (copyleft)
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Software License 4
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Open Source Software 1
Source codes are open to the public (users)
Non-proprietary software,
GNU general public license (GPL), BSD and
MIT licenses
Free software foundation in 1985
Open source initiative in 1998 by Eric S.
Raymond
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Open Source Software 2
Source codes are open but copyrighted
Thus, often called “Copyleft”
Free copy, modification, distribution in
general
Oftentimes, not free to use commercially
(e.g., MySql) despite free download and
installation.
Linux, Apache, Firefox, OpenOffice, etc.
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Lessons
Software dominance
System software for server
Open source movement (Linux, Apache,
Firefox, etc.) and anti-monopoly
Intellectual property right: good or bad
Samaritans?
Lock-in effect and education
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References
Stair and Reynolds. 2016. Principles of
information systems, 12th ed. Cengage
Learning.
Stair and Reynolds. 2012. Information systems,
10th ed. Cengage Learning.
Morley and Parker. 2015. Understanding
computers, 15th ed. Cengage Learning.
Hutchinson and Sawyer. 2000. Computers,
Communications, and Information, 7th ed.
Irwin/McGraw-Hill