Chapter 2

What is a Software?

Software is a set of programs, procedures and routines that instructs a computer system on what to
do.

System Software

➢ Programs that are designed to maintain or operate the computer system are known as
system software.
➢ Utility Software (utilities) is one form of system software, which carries out configuration
and maintenance tasks.
➢ Defragmentation – The process of reorganizing the data stored on the hard drive so that
related pieces of data are put back together, all lined up in a continuous fashion.
➢ Compression – Reduce the original file size of a file or a set of files. Data can be compressed
to remove unnecessary use of code or space in the file.
➢ Formatting
➢ Backup – Backup utilities create a copy of files and programs. It can be set to run
automatically or can be started by a user.

Formatting – Disk formatting is the configuring process of a data storage media such as a hard disk
drive, floppy disk, or flash drive for initial usage.

Operating Systems

An operating system is the most important software that runs on a computer. It manages the
computer's memory and processes, as well as all of its software and hardware. It also allows you to
communicate with the computer without knowing how to speak the computer's language. Without
an operating system, a computer is useless.

➢ memory management
➢ resource management
➢ input and output control
➢ error handling
➢ provide user interface
➢ file handling

Types Of Operating System

Single-user operating system - A type of operating system that provides facilities to only one user at
a time. Single-user single-task OS and single-user multi-task OS are two types of Single-user OS.
Windows and Apple Mac OS are some examples of single-user OS. Single users OS only allow for a
general user and do not provide the option to customize the user interface for different users. They
are often found in household appliances

Multi-user operating system - A type of operating system that provides resources and services to
multiple users at a time. Timesharing OS and Distributed OS are some types of multiuser OS. UNIX
and Linux are two examples of Multi-user OS.
Network operating systems - have additional functionality, including:

➢ sending requests to a server when users log in with their username and password
➢ separating user accounts and ensuring that users cannot access each other's files
➢ providing access to network storage and shared resources such as networked printers.

What is memory management?

It is the process of controlling and coordinating computer memory. Parts called blocks are allocated
to various running programs to optimize overall system performance. Memory management resides
in hardware, operating system, and programs and applications.

SECURITY

Operating systems can give users secure access to a computer's storage and other hardware through
usernames and passwords, biometric scanning or personal access cards. This process is called
authentication. Operating systems can provide software firewalls to authorize or prevent network
data from remotely accessing a service or application.

Spool Printing

➢ Allows print jobs transferred from a computer to be temporarily stored, and then prints
them after they are transferred.

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Application Software

➢ Software applications - allow users to produce a digital product, such as a presentation or

image, or carry out specific tasks that are not related to the operating system.
➢ Each type of application software has particular features that make it suitable to perform a
particular function.

Word Processing – Microsoft Word

Word processing software lets users create documents that mostly include words, but also some
images. They can also include tables, hyperlinks, equations, simple drawings and shapes, and
charts.

■ letters

■ reports

■ essays

■ books

Some word processing applications allow people to work together on a document. Comments
can be added to the text so that others can understand the writer's intention and give feedback

DTP – Microsoft Publisher

DTP software has many similar features to those in the word processing software. The main
difference is the way in which the software allows users to work with complicated page layouts.
Spreadsheet – Microsoft Excel

Spreadsheet applications are used to do calculations. Users can use and create formulae and
functions to perform automatic calculations on values that can be entered and changed later.

Database – Microsoft Access

Database management systems (DBMS) are used to enter, edit and search data. Some systems can
also produce reports that dynamically display real time changes to the data as it updates. DBMS
features include:

■data entry forms so that users can input data

■query editors so that users can select all data that meets certain criteria

■report builders so that users can display data in a more readable format

Web Authoring Software – Adobe Dreamweaver

Web authoring software lets users create web pages that include text and images.

The pages are output as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML).

HTML is read by web browser software such as Google® Chrome™3, Microsoft® Edge or Mozilla®
Firefox®4.

Web browsers translate HTML into pages that people can see and read.

Sound Editing – Audacity

Sound editing software allows users to edit audio files or to join together different audio files in order
to create multitrack music or soundtracks for video. Features of this software include:

■ cut and join audio clips

■ mute and solo some audio tracks

■ alter volume levels for individual tracks

■ change tempo

■ frequency equalization (changing the levels of high and low pitch frequencies

■ add effects like reverberation

■ apply audio processing:

➢ reverse
➢ noise reduction
➢ normalization
➢ fade the volume in, so that it gets louder, or out, so that it gets quieter.

Graphics Editors & Photo Editors – Video Editing/Photo Editing SW

Presentation Software – Microsoft PowerPoint

Control Applications – IOT

Project Management Software – Microsoft Project

What is a Communication Software?

Communication software provides remote access to systems and allow users to contact people using
the internet. It can be used to send files and messages as text, images, audio and video.

WEB BROWSERS

➢ Allow users to view web pages and websites created on web authoring software and
hosted on servers that are connected to the internet.
➢ These servers may be in another country. Different browsers have different features and
compatibility with file types used on the World Wide Web.
➢ Browsers also allow users to access other systems that use the internet but are not on
the World Wide Web, such as file transfer protocol (FTP) servers.

EMAIL

➢ Emails can be sent and received by software installed on a computer. This locally installed
software acts as a client to an email server.
➢ As well as locally installed applications, users can access email through webmail software,
which they reach through a web browser.
➢ Webmail is an example of a web application that is hosted on a web server and accessed
using an internet connection. Some webmail applications allow users to store emails offline
for access when they do not have an internet connection.
➢ Email applications often provide features such as labels to help organize emails and filters.

SOCIAL MEDIA - Facebook, Instagram, Twitter...

SMS (Short Messaging Service) – Allow users to send up to 160 text characters per message.

MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) – Can deliver more than 160 characters per message and can
include videos, animations, images and audio.

INSTANT MESSAGING – Wechat, Signal, Telegram…

• Very similar to MMS but they require a connection to the internet.

• They allow users to see when others are typing, and users can also prevent others from
seeing when they are typing.

Software Licensing

Sometimes, users require a software license to be able to install and use the software on a computer.
There are many types of software licenses and the details of software licensing are complicated. To
make things easier to understand, you can think about the two types of software that are available:

■ free or open-source - Free software licenses give users the right to study, modify, copy or distribute
a program. The user can decide if, and how much, to charge for a copy of the software or any service
provided by the software.

- Open-source software licenses make the source code available to users so

that they can modify how the software works, or distribute the modified or unmodified software.

■ proprietary - Proprietary software is software that is marketed and distributed by its owner under a
brand name. The software owner can decide the fee for the software and whether or not the
software should be distributed.
 Software Updates

➢ Fixing security vulnerabilities or bugs

➢ Increasing compatibility with newer operating systems
➢ Improving performance and efficiency
➢ Introducing new features
➢ Improving usability

Software updates are usually made available for download from a server on the internet. Some
updates can be scheduled to happen automatically when they are released. It is important to back
up a system and files before updating software in case the update introduces problems, such as
removing components that other software needs in order to function.