Lectures Notes 3 - Application Software

Introduction

Not long ago, trained specialists were required to manually perform many of the operations you can now do with a
computer. Market analysts used calculators to project sales. Graphic artists created designs by hand. Data
processing clerks created electronic files to be stored on large computers. 

Now you can do all these tasks—and many others—with a personal computer and the appropriate application
software.

Think of the personal computer as an electronic tool. You may not consider yourself very good at typing, calculating,
organizing, presenting, or managing information. However, a personal computer can help you do all these things and
much more. All it takes is the right kinds of software.

To efficiently and effectively use computers, you need to understand the capabilities of general-purpose application
software, which includes word processors, spreadsheets, presentation programs, and database management
systems. You also need to know about integrated packages and software suites.

Application Software

As  mentioned in a previous lesson, there are two kinds of software: System software and Application software.

System software works with end users, application software, and computer hardware to handle the majority of
technical details.

Application software can be described as end-user software and is used to accomplish a variety of tasks.

Application software can be divided into three categories. 

1. general-purpose applications - includes word processing programs, spreadsheets, presentation software,

and database management systems. 
2. specialized applications - includes thousands of other programs that are more narrowly focused on
specific disciplines and occupations. 
3. mobile apps - consists of programs designed for smartphones and tablets.

User Interface

A user interface is the portion of the application that allows you to control and to interact with the program.
Depending on the application, you can use a mouse, a keyboard, and/or your voice to communicate with the
application. 

Most general-purpose applications use a mouse and a graphical user interface (GUI) that displays graphical
elements called icons to represent familiar objects. The mouse controls a pointer on the screen that is used to select
items such as icons. Another feature is the use of windows to display information. A window is simply a rectangular
area that can contain a document, program, or message. (Do not confuse the term window with the various versions
of Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, which are programs.) More than one window can be opened and
displayed on the computer screen at one time.

The standard GUI uses a system of menus, toolbars, and dialog boxes:
  Menus present commands that are typically displayed in a menu bar at the top of the screen.
 Toolbars typically appear below the menu bar and include small graphic elements called buttons that
provide shortcuts for quick access to commonly used commands.
 Dialog boxes provide additional information and request user input.

Many applications, and Microsoft applications in particular, use an interface known as the Ribbon GUI, which
changes based on the needs of the user. This GUI uses a system of interrelated ribbons, tabs, and galleries.

 Ribbons replace toolbars and menus by organizing commonly used commands into sets of related
activities. These activities are displayed as tabs and appear in the first ribbon.
 Tabs divide the ribbon into major activity areas. Each tab is then organized into groups that contain related
items. Some tabs, called contextual tabs, appear only when they are needed and anticipate the next
operation to be performed by the user.
 Galleries, like dialog boxes, provide additional options and simplify choosing an option by showing the
effect.
Common Features

Most applications provide a variety of features to make entering/presenting, editing, and formatting documents easy.

Some of the most common features include:

 Spell checker - looks for misspelled words.

 Alignment - centers, right-aligns, or left-aligns numbers and characters.
 Fonts and font sizes - specify the size and style of entered numbers and text.
 Character effects - provide a variety of different typefaces, such as bold or italics.
 Edit options - provide easy ways to edit text, such as cut, copy, and paste.

General-Purpose Applications

As mentioned previously, general-purpose applications include word processors, spreadsheets, presentation

software, and database management systems.

Word Processors

Word processors create text-based documents and are one of the most flexible and widely used software tools. All
types of people and organizations use word processors to create memos, letters, and reports. Organizations create
newsletters, manuals, and brochures to provide information to their customers. Students and researchers use word
processors to create reports.

Microsoft Word is the most widely used word processor. Other popular word processors include Apple Pages, Google
Docs, and OpenOffice Writer.

Assume that you have accepted a job as an advertising coordinator for Adventure Travel Tours, a travel agency
specializing in active adventure vacations. Your primary responsibilities are to create and coordinate the company’s
promotional materials, including flyers and travel reports. To see how you could use Microsoft Word as the
advertising coordinator for the Adventure Travel Tours, see the figures below:
Spreadsheets

Spreadsheets organize, analyze, and graph numeric data such as budgets and financial reports. Once used
exclusively by accountants, spreadsheets are widely used by nearly every profession. Marketing professionals
analyze sales trends. Financial analysts evaluate and graph stock market trends. Students and teachers record
grades and calculate grade point averages.

The most widely used spreadsheet program is Microsoft Excel. Other spreadsheet applications include Apple
Numbers, Google Sheets, and OpenOffice Calc.

Assume that you have just accepted a job as manager of the Downtown Internet Café. This café provides a variety of
flavored coffees as well as Internet access. One of your responsibilities is to create a financial plan for the next year.
To see how you could use Microsoft Excel as the manager for the Downtown Internet Café, see the figures below:
Presentation Software

Presentation software are programs that combine a variety of visual objects to create attractive, visually interesting
presentations. They are excellent tools to communicate a message and to persuade people.

People in a variety of settings and situations use presentation software programs to make their presentations. For
example, marketing managers use presentation software to present proposed marketing strategies to their
superiors. Salespeople use these programs to demonstrate products and encourage customers to make purchases.
Students use presentation software to create high-quality class presentations.

Five of the most widely used presentation software programs are Microsoft Powerpoint, Apple Keynote, Google
Slides, OpenOffice Impress, and Prezi.

Assume that you have volunteered for a local animal rescue agency. You have been asked to create a powerful and
persuasive presentation to encourage other members from your community to volunteer. To see how you could use
Microsoft PowerPoint, see the figure below:
Database Management Systems

A database is a collection of related data. It is the electronic equivalent of a file cabinet. A database management
system (DBMS) or database manager is a program that sets up, or structures, a database. It also provides tools to
enter, edit, and retrieve data from the database. 

All kinds of individuals use databases, from hospital administrators recording patient information to police officers
checking criminal histories. Colleges and universities use databases to keep records on their students, instructors,
and courses. Organizations of all types maintain employee databases.

Three widely used database management systems designed for personal computers are Microsoft Access, Apple
FileMaker, and OpenOffice Base. 

Assume that you have accepted a job as an employment administrator for the Lifestyle Fitness Club. To see how you
could use Microsoft Access to create an employee database, see Figure below:
Specialized Applications

While general-purpose applications are widely used in nearly every profession, specialized applications are widely
used within specific professions. These programs include graphics programs and web authoring programs.

Graphics

Graphics are widely used by professionals in the graphic arts profession. They use desktop publishing programs,
image editing programs, illustration programs, and video editors.

 Desktop publishing programs, or page layout programs, allow you to mix text and graphics to create
publications of professional quality. While word processors focus on creating text and have the ability to
combine text and graphics, desktop publishers focus on page design and layout and provide greater
flexibility. Professional graphic artists use desktop publishing programs to create documents such as
brochures, newsletters, newspapers, and textbooks.

Popular desktop publishing programs include Adobe InDesign, Microsoft Publisher, and QuarkXPress.
These programs provide the capability to create text and graphics; however, typically graphic artists import
these elements from other sources, including word processors, digital cameras, scanners, image editors,
illustration programs, and image galleries.
 Image editors, also known as photo editors, are specialized graphics programs for editing or modifying
digital photographs. They are often used to touch up photographs to remove scratches and other
imperfections. The photographs consist of thousands of dots, or pixels, that form images, often referred to
as bitmap or raster images. One limitation of bitmap images, however, is that when they are expanded, the
images can become pixelated, or jagged on the edges. For example, when the letter A in the figure below is
expanded, the borders of the letter appear jagged, as indicated by the expanded view.

Popular image editors include Adobe Photoshop, Corel PaintShop Pro, GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation
Program), and Windows Photo Gallery.
 Illustration programs, also known as drawing programs, are used to create and edit vector images. While
bitmap images use pixels to represent images, vector images, also known as vector illustrations, use
geometric shapes or objects. These objects are created by connecting lines and curves, avoiding the
pixeleted or ragged edges created by bitmap images. Because these objects can be defined by
mathematical equations, they can be rapidly and easily resized, colored, textured, and manipulated. An
image is a combination of several objects.


Illustration programs are often used for graphic design, page layout, and creating sharp artistic images.
Popular illustration programs include Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW, and Inkscape.
 Video editors are used to edit videos to enhance quality and appearance. Once used only by Hollywood
professionals, video editors are now widely used to edit high-quality video captured using smartphones
and other devices. You can readily add special effects, music tracks, titles, and on-screen graphics.

Ju
st a few years ago, video editors were used only by professionals with expensive specialized hardware and
 software. Now, there are several free or inexpensive editors designed to assist the amateur videographer.
Three well-known video editors are Microsoft’s Story Remix, Apple iMovie, and Adobe Premier.

Video Game Design Software

Have you ever thought about designing a video game? Although it may initially be unrealistic to create an immersive
3D world like Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto, you can experiment and create some impressive games on your own
with the right software. The first step is to visualize the game by thinking about the game’s length and plot. The
second step is to choose the right video game design software.

Video game design software will help you organize your thoughts and guide you through the game design process,
including character development and environmental design. There are many choices from free software to very
expensive software designed for professional game designers. The video game design software behind some of the
biggest games include the Unreal Game Engine 4, the Unity development kit, and the CryEngine SDK.

Web Authoring Programs

There are over a billion websites on the Internet, and more are being added every day. Corporations use the web to
reach new customers and to promote their products. Individuals create online diaries or commentaries, called blogs.
Creating a site is called web authoring.

Almost all websites consist of interrelated web pages. Web pages typically consist of HTML (Hypertext Markup
Language) and CSS (cascading style sheets) documents. With knowledge of HTML and a simple text editor, you can
create web pages. Even without knowledge of HTML, you can create simple web pages using a word processing
package like Microsoft Word.

More specialized and powerful programs, called web authoring programs, are typically used to create sophisticated
commercial sites. Also known as web page editors and HTML editors, these programs provide support for website
design and HTML coding. 

Some web authoring programs are WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editors, which means you can build a
page without interacting directly with HTML code. WYSIWYG editors preview the page described by HTML code.

Widely used web authoring programs include Adobe Dreamweaver and Microsoft Expression Web.

Mobile Apps

Mobile apps or mobile applications are add-on programs for a variety of mobile devices, including smartphones and
tablets. Sometimes referred to simply as apps, mobile apps have been widely used for years. 
The traditional applications include address books, to-do lists, alarms, and message lists. With the introduction of
smartphones, tablets, and wireless connections to the Internet, mobile capabilities are almost limitless. Now, any
number of applications are available.

Apps

The breadth and scope of available mobile applications for smartphones and other mobile devices are ever
expanding. There are over 500,000 apps just for Apple’s iPhone alone. Some of the most widely used are for listening
to music, viewing video, social networking, shopping, and game playing.

 Music. For many, their smartphone and/or tablet is their primary source for music. The mobile apps
Pandora and Spotify offer free streaming music with ads and playlists that you can customize in a limited
way. For a monthly fee, most streaming music services will offer ad-free music and extra features. 
 Video. With faster data speeds and higher-resolution screens, smartphones and tablets are becoming a
favorite way to watch TV shows, movies, or video clips. The YouTube app offers access to free online
videos such as movie trailers and video blogs. The Netflix app provides access to more professional
videos for a fee. 
 Social networking. Mobile apps are ideal for sharing a picture while on vacation, checking in at your
favorite coffee shop, or sending out invites to a last-minute party. The Facebook mobile app offers many of
the features of the Facebook website, with additional features that take advantage of a mobile device’s
camera and GPS capability. The Instagram app provides a more specialized and artistic flair by focusing on
sharing photos. 
 Shopping. By scanning a product’s barcode, shopping apps search for the product and provide price
comparisons as well as product reviews. Using Amazon’s Price Check app, all you need to do is take a
picture of the product.
 Games. One of the most popular activities on smart-phones and tablets is game playing. Some of these
games are quite basic, are free, and include in-app optional purchases. 

Many apps are written for a particular type of mobile device and will not run on other types. For example, an app
designed for Apple’s iPhone may not work with Google’s Android.

App Stores

An app store is typically a website that provides access to specific mobile apps that can be downloaded either for a
nominal fee or free of charge. Two of the best-known stores are Apple’s App Store and Google Play.

Although most of the best known app stores specialize in applications for a particular line of mobile devices, other
less well-known stores provide apps for a wide variety of mobile devices.

Software Suites
A software suite is a collection of separate application programs bundled together and made available as a group.
Four types of suites are office suites, cloud suites, specialized suites, and utility suites.

Office Suites

Office suites, also known as office software suites and productivity suites, contain general-purpose application
programs that are typically used in a business situation.

Productivity suites commonly include a word processor, spreadsheet, database manager, and a presentation
application. The best known is Microsoft Office. Other well-known productivity suites are Apple iWork and
OpenOffice.

Cloud Suites

Cloud suites or online office suites are stored at a server on the Internet and are available anywhere you can access
the Internet. Documents created using online applications can also be stored online, making it easy to share and
collaborate on documents with others.

One downside to cloud applications is that you are dependent on the server providing the application to be available
whenever you need it. For this reason, when using online applications, it is important to have backup copies of your
documents on your computer and to have a desktop office application available to use. 

Popular online office suites include Google Docs, Zoho, and Microsoft Office 365 and Office for iPad.

Specialized Suites

Specialized suites focus on specific applications. These include graphics suites like CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X6,
financial planning suites like Moneytree Software’s TOTAL Planning Suite, and many others

Utility suites

Utility suites include a variety of programs designed to make computing easier and safer like Bitdefender Internet
Security and Kaspersky Internet Security suites.