Module V- Computer Software

Learning Outcomes:
1. Differentiate software from hardware.
2. Compare application software and system software.
3. Explain the differences between commercial
software and open source software and describe
models for software distribution.
4. Explain the different options for purchasing
software.
5. Categorize the types of application software used 2. Application Software - Application software
to enhance productivity and describe their uses directs the computer to execute commands
and features. given by the user and may be said to include
6. Discuss the functions of the operating system. any program that processes data for a user.
7. Explain the most popular operating systems for Application software thus includes word
personal use. processors, spreadsheets, database
8. Explain the different kinds of operating systems for management, inventory and payroll programs,
machines, networks, and business. and many other applications.
9. Explain how the operating system provides a
means for users to interact with the computer.
10. Explain how the operating system helps manage
hardware such as the processor, memory, storage,
and peripheral devices.

What is a computer software?

Software involves programs or instructions that tell a

computer what to do based on its four functions.
Software comprises the entire set of programs,
procedures, and routines associated with the operation
Proprietary vs. Open Source software: The main
of a computer system. The term was coined to
difference between proprietary vs. open source is
differentiate these instructions from hardware—i.e., the
ownership. Proprietary or sometime called commercial
physical components of a computer system. A set of
software refers to software that is owned by the
instructions that directs a computer’s hardware to
individual or company who published it. Open source
perform a task is called a program, or software program.
refers to software that is available for anyone to access
or change the code.
What is the difference between software and
Open-source software is distributed with its source
hardware?
code, and lets users freely inspect, modify, and
enhance it per its licensing agreement, while proprietary
Software vs. Hardware. A computer system is divided
software is the copyrighted property of an individual or
into two categories: Hardware and Software. Hardware
company that limits its use, distribution, and
refers to the physical and visible components of the
modification by way of a proprietary license.
system such as a monitor, CPU, keyboard and mouse.
Software, on the other hand, refers to a set of
instructions which enable the hardware to perform a
specific set of tasks.

Two Type of Software:

1. System Software - System software controls a
computer’s internal functioning, chiefly through
an operating system, and also controls such
peripherals as monitors, printers, and storage
devices.
 App Creation Software - Application development, or
Configuration and Use of Applications: app development, is the process of planning, designing,
creating, testing, and deploying an application to
1. Local Installation - installing the application by using perform various business operations. It can be done by
the Windows installer (.exe) or MacOS installer (.dmg). massive organizations with large teams working on
2. SaaS (Software as a Service) - use of the application projects or by a single freelance developer.
by accessing it using cloud platforms or systems.
Ex: Subscription Software (Software as a Service) What is an operating system?

Beta version – an application hat is still undergoing Operating System - An operating system (OS) is the
testing and finalization of development processes. program that, after being initially loaded into the
computer by a boot program, manages all of the other
Kinds of Applications: application programs in a computer. The application
programs make use of the operating system by making
Apps serve different purposes and needs depending on requests for services through a defined application
individual organizations and industries. They’re helpful program interface (API).
across healthcare, banking, education, travel, retail,
logistics, etc. The primary purpose of every application There are five popular operating systems: Apple macOS,
is to simplify a specific operation or help users get Microsoft Windows, Google's Android OS, Linux
something done more effectively. Operating System, and Apple iOS.
Today, users have a plethora of apps at their disposal,
and they can determine which ones to use based on There are three main purposes that an operating system
their requirements. fulfills:
The following are the different types of applications 1. Managing hardware, including the processor,
based on need: memory, and storage devices, as well as peripheral
1. Database apps devices such as the printer.
2. Custom apps 2. Managing software, which allows application
3. Web-based apps software to work with the central processing unit
4. Low code apps (CPU).
5. No code apps 3. Managing tasks, such as scheduling and
6. Enterprise apps coordinating processes (like reading strokes from
the keyboard) and managing network resources.
Productivity Applications - Productivity software is
software intended to make a user more effective or
efficient at office tasks. Productivity software usually
assists in the creation of some data content such as
documents, spreadsheets, graphics, or databases.

Multimedia Software- a type of software that can be Operating systems allocate resources between different
used to create, edit and play games, videos and applications, deciding when they will receive central
animations. Due to their technological foundations, processing unit (CPU) time or space in memory. On
careers and educational programs in software and modern personal computers, users often want to run
media applications tend to overlap. several applications at once. In order to ensure that one
program cannot monopolize the computer's limited
hardware resources, the operating system gives each
application a share of the resource, either in time (CPU) users to interact with electronic devices through
or space (memory). The operating system also must graphical icons and visual indicators such as secondary
isolate applications from each other to protect them notation. In many applications, GUIs are used instead of
from errors and security vulnerability in another text-based UIs, which are based on typed command
application's code, but enable communications labels or text navigation.
between different applications.

Operating systems provide an interface that abstracts

the details of accessing hardware details (such as
physical memory) to make things easier for
programmers. Virtualization also enables the operating
system to mask limited hardware resources; for
example, virtual memory can provide a program with
the illusion of nearly unlimited memory that exceeds the
computer's actual memory.
Operating systems provide common services, such as
an interface for accessing network and disk devices.
This enables an application to be run on different
hardware without needing to be rewritten. Which
services to include in an operating system varies greatly,
and this functionality makes up the great majority of
code for most operating systems.

What is user interface?

User Interface - The user interface (UI) is the point of

human-computer interaction and communication in a
device. This can include display screens, keyboards, a
mouse and the appearance of a desktop.

Types of User Inferface:

1. Command-driven Interface - A command driven

interface, also known as a command line interface (CLI),
is a way of interacting with a computer by using
commands only. There is no support for graphics and
all the communication with the computer takes place by
using only commands.

2. Menu-driven Interface – The menu-driven interface

employs a series of screens, or “menus”. When a user
makes a selection by tapping/clicking on the list format
or graphics, it takes them to the next menu screen until
they complete the desired outcome.

3. Graphical User Interface - A graphical user

interface, or GUI, is a form of user interface that allows