What is Software?
Software – is the component of a computer system, which refers to the set of instructions written in a code that computers can understand and execute.
Another name of these sets of instructions is program. Without software, a computer would be useless collection of electronic circuitry. Since it is literally inconceivable to think of all the possible ways a computer could be used, the amount of software that could be written in similarly inconceivable and unlimited.
1. System Programs - computer programs that provide a particular service to user; for example, compilers, interpreters, assemblers, operating systems, sort / merge programs, graphic support programs and mathematical programs.
2. Application Programs – the programs
normally written by using organization that enable the computer to produce
useful work; for example, inventory control, payroll system, attendance
monitoring system, accounting, linear programming and medical accounting
systems.
SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS AND SUITES
Common Types of Software
1. Word Processors – A word processing program is designed primarily to edit text. It is primarily advantage is the amount of time it saves. The current crop of word processors, however, actually has capabilities that reach far beyond simple text editing functions.
Essentially, word processing programs allow you to do the following to text:
·
Easily
correct errors.
·
Make
additions and deletions.
·
Check
Spelling and Grammar.
·
Change
the order of paragraphs.
A word processor can do all there without the need to manually retype an entire document. Imagine how much of time saver this can be for people and organizations who need to type letters, reports, manuals, books and so on, regularly. Some examples of current popular word processing programs available are WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, AmiPro and WordStar.
Spreadsheets – are primarily designed for maintaining numerical tables and calculating formulas using the figures enter the spreadsheet. Like word processing programs, spreadsheets are major time saver, calculating results rapidly on even the most complex spreadsheets set-ups and formulas. The magic of spreadsheets is that once a formula or number has been entered, it is stored for automatic use and does not need to be re-entered.
For example, when calculating numbers and formulas manually, any little change will require you to go through all your figures again to come up with an answer to the problem. With spreadsheets, however, all you have to do is enter the change and the spreadsheet will automatically re-calculate the result using all the formulas and numbers entered previously.
A spreadsheet is made up of little blocks of information called cells. Each cell can contain a number, formula or descriptive text. These cells are organized and grouped together in row and columns, with a row being a horizontal group of cells and a column being a vertical group.
Some common applications for spreadsheets are financial accounting, financial planning and statistics. Some examples of current popular spreadsheet programs available are Microsoft Excel, Lotus 1-2-3 and Quattro Pro.
Database – A database program stores huge quantities of information and organizes them by any number of specified categories. The main purpose of database programs is to maintain and retrieve a large quantity of records of information. For example, a database that consist of personnel records can be maintained and can be searched by name, sex, class, address or basic salary.
Categories or fields in a database are often used to link with corresponding categories or fields in another database with different data to create a much larger and complex system of information. This is called a relational database.
Some more common uses for database programs are inventory records, employee personnel information and mailing list. Some example s of current popular database programs available are Microsoft Access, Oracle, dBase, Visual Foxpro, CA – Clipper and Paradox.
Graphics Program – A graphics program let you draw and paint on your computer. They range from programs with simple black and white and line drawing capabilities – to professional complex programs that allows you to work with thousands of colors and create photographic quality artwork.
Businesses have started using some simpler programs that do presentation graphics. These programs merely represent information – which may already be stored in a spreadsheet or database – in a graphical way, like pie charts, bar charts and line charts. Some of the latest graphics programs is use in offices fall within the multimedia categories, allowing you to incorporate audio, animation and video in your business presentations.
An example of graphics programs that is widely used today is Microsoft PowerPoint, CorelDraw, Adobe PhotoShop, Micromedia Flash, Dreamweaver and Paintshop Pro.
CAD - stands for Computer Aided Design programs are very technically oriented application and have powerful mathematics and visual modeling capabilities. AutoCAD is an example of CAD program.
THE GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE
Graphical User Interface – A way of communicating with the computer by manipulating icons (pictures) and windows with a mouse. Before GUI became widespread, it was common for computers to operate in a mode where only text no graphics could be displayed on the screen. This is common scenario is you are using DOS (Disk Operating System) as your operating system in your computer.
Xerox developed a machine with a graphical user interface in the 1970’s, but the first widely used GUI machine was the Apple Macintosh in 1984. The release of Microsoft Windows 3.0 in 1990 led to widespread use of graphical user interface in IBM PC-compatible computers.