What is a software and it's uses in detail

Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
McGraw-Hill Technology Education
Revision of Networks

Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
McGraw-Hill Technology Education
Week 5
Software

Software
Def#1
• Software is a set of instruction that use to operates
various kind of program.
Def#2
• Software is a generic term for organized collections of
computer data and instructions.
• Software, is a collection of computer programs that
provide the instructions for telling a computer what to
do and how to do it.
2A-3

Types of software
It is divided in to two major categories
• System software System software is a
program designed to run a computer's
hardware and applications and manage
its resources, such as its memory,
processors, and devices.
• Application software which is used by
users to accomplish specific tasks.
2A-4

Types of software
• System software
– Operating System
– Utility Program
– Device Drivers
2A-5

System Software
• Serves as the interface
between the user, the
application software,
and the computer’s
hardware.
• Example:
Operating system
Device Drivers
Utilities
2A-6

System Software
• Stem software is responsible
for controlling, integrating,
and managing the individual
hardware components of a
computer system.
• Generally, system software
consists of an operating
system and some
fundamental utilities such as
• disk formatters
• file managers
• display managers
• user authentication (login)
• and management tools
• device control software
2A-7

Operating System
• A program that acts as an intermediary
between a user of a computer and the
computer hardware.
Operating system goals:
– Execute user programs and make solving user
problems easier.
– Make the computer system convenient to use.
Operating system Examples:
Linux, Unix, XP ,Windows 7 ,Windows 8.
2A-8

Operating System Functions
 starting a computer,
 providing a user interface,
 managing programs, memory,
 coordinating tasks,
 configuring devices,
 monitoring performance,
 providing file management utilities.
2A-9

• What is a command line interface (CLI)?
2A-10

• What is a graphical user
interface (GUI)?
– User interacts with
menus and visual
images such as
buttons and other
graphical objects
• Basic Interface
• Windows Aero
Interface
2A-11

Device Drivers
• In computing, a device driver or software driver is a
computer programs to interact with a hardware device.
• Drivers are hardware-dependent and operating-system-
specific.
• Device Driver or Software Driver is a computer
program allowing an external components to interact
with computer system.
Drivers may interface with;
• Printer
• Scanner
• Sound card
• VGA card
• Network card. etc….
2A-12

Device Drivers
Shell
Kernel
Every device is unique & works in
unique way. Thus to help an OS, interact
with it, every device connect with a
specially written program called device
driver.
2A-14

Operating System Utility Programs
• What is a Utility Program?
– System software that performs maintenance-type tasks related to
managing computers devices or programmes
• Also called utility
2A-15

Utility Programs
• Utility software is a kind of system software designed to
help analyze, configure, optimize and maintain the
computer.
• A single piece of utility software is usually called a utility or
tool.
Utility software :
• Antivirus
• Data compression software (win RAR)
• Disk partitioning
• Backup etc…
2A-16

Utility Programs
• File Manager
– Performs functions related to file management
– A file manager displays list of files on storage medium
– Organizes file into folder
– Used for Copy, Delete, Rename, Move and shortcut of
files
• File compression
– Shrinks size of files to free up room and improve
performance
– Compressed files are sometimes called zipped files
– Two popular utilities:
Win RAR and WinZip
2A-17

Utility Programs
• Disk Defragmentation
• Reorganizes files and unused space on hard disk so
that programs run faster
2A-18

Utility Programs
• Backup utility
– Copies selected files
or entire hard disk
onto another storage
medium
– Most compress files
during backup to
require less storage
space
2A-19

Application software
• Application Software run under System Software , and
are made to do a specific task i.e ( Word Processing etc)
, which have indirect access to the hardware (i.e Behind
System Software) .
• Designed to make users more productive and to assist
them to complete tasks
Examples :
Web browser, word processing software, spreadsheet
software, presentation graphics software.
• Opera (Web Browser)
• Microsoft Word (Word Processing)
• Microsoft Excel (Spreadsheet software)
• Microsoft PowerPoint (Presentation Software)
• iTunes (Music / Sound Software)
• VLC Media Player (Audio / Video Software )
• World of Warcraft (Game Software)
• Adobe Photoshop (Graphics Software)
2A-20

• Word Processing Software
– Allows users to create and manipulate text and
graphics.
• Spreadsheet Software
– Organizes data in rows and columns
– Performs calculations and recalculates when
data changes
2A-21

• spreadsheet organized
– Columns identified by letters
– Rows identified by numbers
– A cell is the intersection of a column and row
2A-22

• Database Software
2A-23
Allows you to create,
access, and
manage data
Add, change, delete,
sort, and retrieve data

• power point (presentation
software)
– Used to create visual aids for
presentations
– A presentation is sometimes
called a slide show
2A-24

Software can be purchased or acquired as:
• Shareware:
– Usually intended for sale after a trial period.
• Freeware:
– Free software but with copyright restrictions .
• Licenses:
A software is a legal instrument (usually by way of
contract law) governing the usage or redistribution of
software. All software is copyright protected, except
material in the public domain
• Key Generator
A license or product key generator (keygen) is a
computer program that generates a product licensing key,
serial number, or some other registration information
necessary to activate for use a software application
2A-25

Shareware
• Is provided to users without payment on a trial basis
and is often limited by any combination of
functionality.
• Shareware is often offered as a download from an
Internet website or as a compact disc to give buyers
the opportunity to use the program and judge its
usefulness before purchasing a license for the full
version of the software.
• Firms with superior software thus have an incentive to
offer samples, except if their product is already well
known, or as a full version but for a limited trial period
of time. Once the trial period has passed, the program
may stop running until a license is purchased.
2A-26

Freeware
• Freeware (from "free" and "software") is
computer software that is available for use at
no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with
one or more restricted usage rights.
• Freeware is in contrast to commercial
software, which is typically sold for profit, but
might be distributed for a business or
commercial purpose in the aim to expand the
market share of product.
• Popular examples of freeware include Adobe
Flash Player.
2A-27

software license
• A software license is a legal instrument
(usually by way of contract law)
governing the usage or redistribution of
software. All software are copyright
protected except public domain
software.
• A typical software license grants an end-
user permission to use one or more
copies of software giving user exclusive
rights under copyright law.
2A-28

Key generator
• A license or product key generator
(keygen) is a computer program that
generates a product licensing key, serial
number, or some other registration
information necessary to activate for
using a software application.
2A-29

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