Unit 1 – Information Technology Basics – Software

At the end of this section you should be able to:

Define software

Differentiate between system software and aplication software

List some types of aplication software

Define copyright

Explain different types of copyright

Define licensing

Introduction

Software is all data, programs and information processed by the computer.

Software can be sold as installations packaged on optical discs, though increasingly software is
downloaded from the Internet and activated by a purchased license key.

System software is run directly on the hardware and includes the operating system, device drivers
and maintenance utilities. Aplication software provides task-specific functionality beyond the
operation of the computer itself.

What is an operating system?

Operating systems are very large and complex pieces of software composed of millions of lines of
programming code. An operating system has the essential job of managing the way in which the
CPU accesses the instructions in different programs, when multiple programs are running at the
same time.

An operating system provides an environment in which other software programs can run and also
provide functionality for users to interact with the computer. Examples of operating systems include
Windows, Linux and Mac OS.

[Figure 1] – How software is structured

Functions of the operating system

Think of the functions of an operating sistem as services that are provided for the user and for the
computer itself.

System services include:

CPU scheduling and management- decide what programs have access to the CPU, in what order
and for how long.

memory management.
error-handling.

control over the input and output devices.

User services include:

access to the underlying computer hardware

an interface to access stored data

allows users to run aplications

security services- file permissions management.

Popular operating systems

Table 1 – operating systems

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows operating systems are currently the most commonly used operating systems on
desktop personal computer systems. Windows operating systems offer a command line
environment for situations in which the Graphic User Interface (GUI) is inappropriate or
undesirable.

UNIX

UNIX is a powerful and flexible operating system, which is often used on servers and in multi-
user/programming environments. With UNIX, the user can access the underlying system resources
through a command line shell. There are GUIs available for UNIX systems, but many UNIX users
enjoy the power and flexibility of the UNIX command line tools.

Linux

Linux is another operating system that is closely related to UNIX. Linux comes in many different
versions and, in most cases, it supports a GUI of some kind. Arguably, there are not as many
desktop software aplications available for UNIX or Linux systems as there are for Windows.

Apple Mac OS and Mac OS X

The Mac OS line of operating systems is designed for Apple’s Macintosh computers. Apple
Macintosh computers (often called Macs) are personal computers of which the architecture differs
from that of most other PCs. Apple provides its own user-friendly, GUI-driven operating system –
the Mac O – for its own line of computers.

What is an aplication?

An aplication is software designed to perform specific tasks or a set of related tasks. There are, for
example, aplications that are designed to manage or interpret data (spreadsheets and databases),
while other aplications are designed to compose music (such as Fruit Loops), or help users to
create and modify text documents or drawings (such as word processing and Photoshop
programs).

Functions of a software application

Software aplications require extensive user interactions to accomplish the goals for which the given
aplication has been designed.
[Figure 2] - Aplication software in relation to system software

Common aplications

As there is such a variety of tasks that people want to perform on their computers, there are
varieties of aplications available to accommodate them. The following table lists some of the most
common types of aplications.

Table 2 – Types of aplication software

Word Processors A word processor provides a user with options for creating, editing and
formatting text-based documents. Widely used word processing aplications are Microsoft Word and
Corel WordPerfect.

Spreadsheet Aplications Spreadsheet aplications are numericaly oriented software programs

that help users store, organise, analyse, track and report data. Some well-known spreadsheet
programs are Lotus 1-2-3, Microsoft Excel, and Corel Quattro.

CAD aplications CAD stands for computer-aided design. CAD aplications are frequently used
in engineering, architectural, construction and surveying/mapping settings. AutoCAD is an example
of a CAD aplication that is frequently used in industry.

Photo/image editing aplications Photo editing software allows users to modify, enhance, edit
and combine digital images. Popular digital image/photo editing aplications include Adobe
Photoshop and Corel Paint Shop Pro.

Software development aplications (IDEs) Software development aplications provide

environments that help programmers organise, create, compile and test programming code. (IDE
stands for integrated development environment). Some well-known IDEs are Microsoft Visual
Studio and the open source program, Eclipse.

Database aplications (DBMS) Database aplications or DBMS (database management

systems) are used to store, organise and retrieve fields and records of data. Some common
database aplications in use today are Oracle, PostgreSQL, and MySQL
and Microsoft Access.

Web browsers Web browsers are aplications that provide users with access to the World Wide
Web. The most commonly used web browsers are Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Opera and
Mozilla Firefox.
Other aplications There are many other software aplication types in use today, including but
not limited to: Video editing aplications Security aplications (firewalls and anti-virus programs)
Computer animation programs Peer-to-peer (also known as P2P) file-sharing programs Optical
disc-authoring (burning) programs Audio/music rekording and editing software

What is a GUI (Graphic User Interface)?

A GUI (pronounced gooey) is part of the aplication or operating system software that provides the
user with a visual representation of the system in order to access to the software’s functions.

A GUI uses graphical symbols that correspond with system components and functions, to allow
users to interact with the same system components and functions.

Table 3 - Common GUI components

Icon An icon is a symbol in the form of a small graphical image that corresponds to a device, a
folder, a file, a program or some other component of the computer system.

Menu A menu is a panel of options that appears when a user clicks on a given menu heading or
symbol. Menus are often used as a means of providing access to the functions and commands in a
software aplication.

Button A button is a small graphical item that gives the visual effect of being pressed when the
user clicks on it (using a mouse or another pointing device).

Pointer A pointer is a small graphic (often in the shape of an arrow head) that is used in GUIs to
show the current location where mouse commands (clicks or dragging) will be implemented.

Cursor A cursor is usually a simple vertical line or underscore – which sometimes flashes - to
indicate the location on the screen where any typed data will be entered.

Window A window is a square or rectangular bounded area that encloses GUI components,
data, and/or the working area associated with a given aplication or system component. Typically,
windows can be minimised, restored, and resized to accommodate the user’s preferences for how
the items on the display screen should be arranged.

Virtualisation

Virtualisation is the simulation of software and/or hardware that provides the ability to run multiple
operating systems on a single physical computer at the same time. Each “virtualised” operating
system, called a guest operating system, can be installed and operated in a separate window
environment called a virtual machine (VM).

The aplication that used to manage virtual machines and their virtual hardware -such as the
processor, memory, hard drive and network adapter - is called the hypervisor or the virtual
machine monitor (VMM).
Another virtualisation term worth mentioning is the host operating system, which refers to the main
operating system on the actual computer on which the virtualisation software is installed.

Types of software distribution

There are several different software programs available to PC
users, which can be downloaded from the Internet, purchased in stores, or accessed off a USB
flash drive. Some software, like an operating system, is often pre-installed on a computer
purchased but it can also be bought separately.

Shareware

Shareware is software that is available for users to try for free. These types of software are usually
downloaded and installed from the Internet. After a certain period, users are required to pay a fee
for the software if they find the aplication to their liking and would like to continue using it. Unlike
traditional commercial software, the copyright and distribution of shareware is not always
discouraged.

Freeware

Freeware is computer software that is freely available for an unlimited time period and at no cost.
Community-minded programmers, who would like to see their software widely distributed among
other users, develop freeware.

Merely because freeware is free does not mean that the user can do whatever he or she wants
with it. This type of software can still have licence agreements that discourage unauthorised
distribution or modification. There is typically copyright on freeware so that the creator of the
program remains in control of its future development.

Open source software

Open source software can be freely used, changed and shared by anyone. It is created by many
people and distributed under licences that comply with the Open Source Definition (OSD), which is
a global non-profit that supports and promotes the open source movement.

EULA (End User License Agreement)

EULA is a form of user agreement specifying the conditions of the software’s use. Most EULAs are
integrated with the installation process. At the beginning of the software installation, EULA usually
appears in a form of an electronic document detailing the copy, distribution and usage rights to
which the software producers want the users to adhere. The user must agree to the terms to install
that certain software.
Legal issues

Software piracy is a major concern in today’s market. Owing to the way that software is published,
distributed and used, it becomes vulnerable to copying.

Copyright
Copyright is a set of rights that control the way in which a particular creation is used or copied.
Examples of possible copyright infringements include:

Making unauthorised copies of the software

Deliberately using an unauthorised copy of a software aplication

Distributing unauthorised copies of the software (e.g. sharing with friends or co-workers)

Purchasing a software aplication that is licensed for a single computer and then using it on multiple
computers

Data-protection legislation

Data-protection legislation refers to government legislation that upholds the rights of citizens to
have data privacy.

Some of the private information stored on computers may include:

Personal information, like names and addresses

Credit reports

Phone numbers

Credit card numbers

CVs

Health records

Various financial/banking data

Criminal records

Tax information

This legislation helps to enforce that:

Organisations give people notice when they collect data.

The collected data is only used for the purposes stated.

The data is disclosed with the given person’s consent.

People have the option of seeing the data an organisation keeps on them.