AS Level ICT
Selection and use of appropriate
software: Applications software
Applications software
• Application software is software designed to
perform a specific job
• Application software includes:
– Package software
– Generic software
– Integrated software
– Specific software
– Bespoke or tailor-made software
Package software
• Package software is a bundle of files required to
run a particular program
• It will include any documentation that the user
needs to start and/or operate the program
Generic software
• Generic software is the most common ready-made
software that is available for users
• It includes:
– Word processing software
– Desktop publishing software
– Database software
– Spreadsheet software
– Presentation software
– Web browser
Generic software
• Generic software often comes as part of the basic
software installed on a computer
• Generic software is also sometimes called general
purpose software
• It is very popular because it is usually relatively
cheap, well tested, and has wide support (e.g. easy
to use manuals and tutorials)
• Generic/general purpose software is also known as
‘content free software’
Integrated software
• Integrated software is a package of different
software applications that allow data to be
transferred from one application to another
• For example, Microsoft Office and Open Office
contain word-processing, database, presentation,
spreadsheet, and graphics manipulation
application software
• Furthermore, data from each application within
Microsoft Office or Open Office can be transferred
to every other application within the package
Examples of integrated software
Microsoft Office Professional 2007
includes database, spreadsheet,
presentation, desk-top publishing,
word-processing, and email software
Examples of integrated software
Open Office
includes a wordprocessing
software called
‘Writer’ …
Examples of integrated software
… spreadsheet
software called
‘Calc’ …
Examples of integrated software
… presentation
software called
‘Impress’ …
Examples of integrated software
… graphics
software called
‘Draw’ …
Examples of integrated software
… and database
software called
‘Base’
Integrated software - Advantages
• It is cheaper than buying separate application
programs
• It is easier to move data between application
programs within the package
• The user interface is consistent and therefore
easier for the user to learn how to use
Integrated software Disadvantages
• They tend to have weak areas (e.g. they may be
better at word processing than creating and
manipulating spreadsheets)
• Data may not be easily transferred to programs
that are not part of the package
• They may include applications that the user will not
use often or at all
• Cheap is not always best! (e.g. Microsoft Works is
an integrated software package but it is not
compatible with applications in Microsoft Office,
which is a much more expensive package)
Specific software
• Specific software is software that performs a
particular task
• Examples of specific software includes:
– Payroll software
– Stock control software
– Garden design software
– Kitchen design software
Examples of specific software
Payroll software – this example has been developed
from a spreadsheet program
Examples of specific software
Kitchen design
software – this
example has been
developed by
combining a
spreadsheet and a
graphics program
so that it not only
designs the kitchen
but also works out
the cost
Bespoke/tailor-made software
• Bespoke/tailor-made software is software that is
specifically created for a particular user (i.e. a
business or organisation) because there is no
suitable software available ‘off the shelf’
• Bespoke/tailor-made software is very expensive
because it is specially designed for a specific
purpose for a specific user
Bespoke/tailor-made software Advantages
• The advantages of bespoke/tailor-made software
are:
– The user does not need to modify the way in
which they work to satisfy the needs of the
software
– The software came be designed to do exactly
what the user needs; it does not come with
unnecessary ‘extras’
– The software can be written so that it works with
the user’s existing hardware and software
Bespoke/tailor-made software Disadvantages
• The disadvantages of bespoke/tailor-made
software are:
– It is much more expensive that buying off-theshelf software
– It may require considerably more testing before
any or all the errors and ‘bugs’ have been
removed than off-the-shelf software that has
been adapted to perform the same functions
Off-the-shelf software
• Off-the-shelf software is software that already
exists and is available for a user to purchase from
a supplier
Off-the-shelf software - Advantages
• The advantages of off-the-shelf software are:
– It is much cheaper to buy than bespoke/tailormade software
– It is immediately available for the user to install
and begin using
– It will have an extensive support network of help
desks, manuals, training courses, and online
discussion groups of other users
– It will have undergone extensive testing and
debugging
AS Level ICT
Selection and use of appropriate
software: Applications software