Lecture # 3

Computer Software

Computer Software
A set of instructions given
to the computer to solve
user problems and to
control different
operations of the
computer.

Computer Software

What is a software?

The instructions needed to direct the computer to

complete specific tasks.

Software can be categorized broadly into two types :-

System
Software

Application
Software

The Programs that are on the disks are

software

COMPUTER SOFTWARE
The Computer software is classified into
three main categories:

Application software
System software
Utility software

Application Software
Application
Software
consists
of
programs that tell a computer how to
produce information. Some of the
more commonly used packages are:
Word processing
Electronic spreadsheet
Database
Presentation graphics

Word Processing
Word Processing software is used to
create and print documents. A key
advantage of word processing software is
that users easily can make changes in
documents.

Electronic Spreadsheets
Electronic spreadsheet software allows
the user to add, subtract, and perform
user-defined calculations on rows and
columns of numbers. These numbers can
be changed and the spreadsheet quickly
recalculates the new results.

Database Software
Allows the user to enter, retrieve, and
update data in an organized and efficient
manner,
with
flexible
inquiry
and
reporting capabilities.

Presentation graphic software

Allows the user to create documents
called slides to be used in making the
presentations.

APPLICATIONS
MS Internet
Explorer
(Your internet
Browser)

TYPES OF BROWSERS
Mozilla Firefox
Internet Explorer
Opera
Safari
Konqueror
Flock

Firefox is gaining
Popularity over IE

Flock

System Software:
System Software includes the Operating System
and all the utilities that enable the computer to
function.
System software is a term referring to any
computer software which manages and controls
the hardware so that application software can
perform a task.
Example:
Operating Systems, Compiler, Disk Drivers etc.

Operating System
Definition of OS :A set of programs that control and supervise
a computer systems hardware
Purposes of OS :
To manage the hardware for efficient
utilization of computer resources

To interface between a user/an

application program with the hardware

Operating System
OS is made up of 2 programs;
Service
Program

OS
Control
Program

Operating System
1. Control program - three main functions

Resource
allocation

allocate processor time, primary

storage, input and output devices

Job
management

to monitor, schedule and control

programs for its efficient
processing

Data
management

-managing access to data for input

of information to printers,
disks/displays
- all hardware components
activities are controlled by the
supervisor program

Operating System
2. Service programs
- provides services to the user/programmer
- services include language-translator programs and
utility programs
- language-translator program converts instructions from
English-like language to machine-language to be executed by the
computer
- utility program performs loading, saving, copying, keeping
track of files stored on a disk, preparing a formatted disk

Operating System
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TYPES OF OS
Microsoft Windows
(98, 2000, XP, Vista,
7, 8)
Mac OS (X)
Linux OS (Hundreds
of even thousands of
distros ex: Red Hat,
Ubuntu, Mandrake
etc. Visit
http://distrowatch.co
m/

OPERATING SYSTEMS
MS-DOS
Windows 95,98,Me
Windows NT,
2000,XP,7,8
Red -hat Linux,
Ubuntu, Centos,
Fedora, Mint

System Software
Device Driver
A program that controls a particular type of
device that is attached to your computer.
There are device drivers for printers, scanner,
modem, displays, CD-ROM and so on.
A device driver essentially converts the more
general input/output instructions of the
operating system to messages that the
device type can understand.

Utility Software
Also known as service routine,
utility software helps to analyze,
configure, optimize and maintain
the computer.
Examples:
Disk Defragmenters
Systems Utilities
Antivirus Scanners
Disk Cleanser

Thank You