APPLICATIO

N
SOFTWARE
Application Software
• Is a group of programs that are developed to solve
particular problems. They directly provide the
processing that users want to have performed. They
may be produced by the computer manufacturer or
supplier, a software house, or the computer user.
Carries out user-related tasks and can be classified as
general purpose applications, special purpose
applications, and bespoke applications.
Application Programs
• Are mostly written by the users to carry out a
task, e.g., payroll programs; hence they are also
called user programs or tailor-made programs.
Advantages of Application Software
1. The user gets a well-tried and tested program.
2. Implementation is quicker and possibly cheaper.
3. System design, programming, and systems testing are
minimized.
4. Systems documentation is provided with the packages.
5. Efficiency in terms of speed, storage requirements, and
accuracy.
6. Portability from the existing computer system to another.
General-purpose packages
• A general-purpose application package is a type of software
that can perform many different related tasks. Word
processors, spreadsheets, databases, graphics, and
presentation software are all examples of application
packages.
• This type of software is sometimes called generic
software.
• Most computer users buy application packages ‘off-the-
shelf’.
 It is relatively cheap
Reasons for
using this It is readily available and can be installed
type of ready- quickly and easily

made It will have been thoroughly tested so there

will be very little chance of it having any
software serious faults or ‘bugs’
It will be well supported with a lot of books
about how to use it available as well as on-line
help and discussions on the internet
Types of General Purpose Software
1. Data packages (e.g. MS Access, Lotus Approach, Paradox) are used to
store and retrieve information
2. Spreadsheet packages (e.g. MS Excel, Lotus 123) are used for tasks
that involve a lot of calculations or for the production of graphs and
charts
3. Word processing packages (e.g. MS Word, WordPerfect) are used to
produce text-based documents such as letters, reports, and memos
4. Desktop publishing (DTP) packages (e.g. MS Publisher, PageMaker,
PagePlus) are used to produce professional quality publications such as
posters, books, newsletters, newspapers, and magazines
5. Graphics packages (e.g. Paint, PaintBrush, Serif Draw, Corel Draw) are
used to produce and manipulate artwork
6. Computer-aided design (CAD) packages (e.g. 2D-Design, AutoCAD,
TurboCAD) are used to produce engineering designs and architectural plans
7. Communications software (e.g. Internet Explorer, Netscape
Communicator) is used to access the internet and send and retrieve e-mail
8. Presentation graphics packages (e.g. PowerPoint, Lotus Freelance) are used
to create slide shows and presentations like this which can be viewed on-
screen or with a data or overhead projector
9. Web page editors (e.g. MS FrontPage, Macromedia Dreamweaver) are used
to create Web pages
Advantages of General Purpose Software
1. You can install it yourself by following the easy instructions in the
installation manual that comes with the software
2. Cheaper than employing a programmer to write the software for you
3. Easy updating and revising, each new version can be had at a
reduced price if the owner can show proof of purchase of a previous
version
4. Most users may already be familiar with previous versions of the
software, so no intensive training programme is required
5. Several persons use the software, therefore help is easy to find
Disadvantages of General Purpose Software
1. The package may be poorly documented
2. The package may have hidden problems
3. The package may not fit the user’s needs exactly
4. The package may not be user friendly
Special purpose application software
• Is a type of software created to execute one specific
task. For example, a camera application on your phone
will only allow you to take and share pictures. Other
examples of special purpose application software are
web browsers, calculators, media players, calendar
programs, etc.
Advantages of Special Purpose Software
Easy to use because they work the way you work
Changes can be implemented quickly to meet new legislations or
client requirements
Precisely match your working practices resulting in improved
efficiency, less supervision, and fewer errors
Increased productivity and reduces costs by automating repetitive
tasks
Differentiate the owner from competitors with unique and better
product and services
Information can be integrated from existing applications, suppliers,
and customers
Disadvantages of Special Purpose Software
Developing the software designed to meet specific purposes can prove
to be quite costly for developers
Some bespoke programs may not be compatible with other general
software
Developing bespoke software takes a lot of time because there is a
need for constant communication between the developer and the
customer/user/owner
Selecting the appropriate developers is extremely difficult since there
are many inexperienced and unprofessional programmers
If you don’t have a copy of the source code for your application, you
are depended on the developer of the software
There will be little in the way of user support and online help
Application Software Selection
1. Comprehensiveness. The package must satisfy users requirements.
2. Cost. it should be affordable to the user.
3. Reliability. The package should have been used by other
organizations for some time with considerable degree of success.
4. Flexibility. It should be fairly easy to be amended, modified, and
upgraded.
5. Portability. The package should be suitable for use with any computer
system acquired in the future by the user.
6. Interfacing. The package should link up conveniently with existing
systems and routines.
7. Peripherals. The input and output hardware devices required by the
package should be compatible with the user’s existing devices.
8. Storage. The package should be able to be accommodated within the
main storage and backing storage existing on the user’s system.
9. Documentation. It must be well documented. The procedures for
input, processing, and output should be clearly documented.
10. Timing. The time required to process a particular application such as
payroll should be compared on a number of similar packages.
Bespoke Application Software
• In today's world, it is regarded that a personalized and
customized approach is the perfect solution towards solving
the day’s problems and delivering satisfaction in the way
things are done. This is true for all things be it custom emails,
custom clothing, custom greetings, and even custom
software.
Five types of Bespoke Application System
1. Content Management System (CMS)
2. Customer Relation Management (CRM)
3. Business Process Automation System
4. Automated Invoicing
5. Ecommerce System Solution
Advantages:
1. Individuality crafted solution
 Bespoke software is comparable to a custom-tailored suit. It will fit
your parameters perfectly. Compared to the suit that you buy in shops,
it needs some adjustments and alterations in order to fit you perfectly.
The same is true for off the shelf products as well. Compared to
custom software, they are an all-purpose solution, which can be used
by many companies and this software often ends up trying to change
your business to fit the technology rather than changing the
technology to fit the business.
2. Returns on Investment
•While bespoke software can often involve investments, you often start experiencing financial
benefits for your investments almost immediately. When it is well planned and well built, the
time, as well as the human resource savings, can quickly pay for themselves, as can the
competitive edge that you can gain by developing better systems than your rivals. Bespoke
software can increase your company's operating efficiency when it is well planned and
executed to develop custom software for your business.
3. Better Security
•Common off the shelf products have one major disadvantage, hackers know all the security
loopholes of such kind of programs and can often take advantage of these weaknesses. That is
the reason why you do not feel 100% secure when you're using such software. On the other
hand, custom software or bespoke software is only used by your business and this cuts the
chances of hacks and break-ins to a bare minimum. This also reduces the chances of
incentives for hacking. When you use an off the shelf product, you can get successful in
hacking one system and can potentially access thousands more that use the same software.
4. Scalability
•If your company grows or it expands to cover various other market sectors, the off
the shelf solution may not cope or input in a way the system develops over time.
Bespoke software can grow and scale together with your business as it expands.
5. Time Saving
•Bespoke software can help you to save time and resources that help you utilize the
full potential of your resources. Because the software is custom designed to fit your
needs, you can use the software to manage a critical business process that saves you
time. This does not happen with off the shelf products. As they say, time saved is
money saved.
Disadvantages:
1. Initial costs are higher than off-shelf software
•The upfront costs that are borne by the company in the initial stages associated with
custom software development is the biggest disadvantage. Bespoke software or custom
made software often costs more than its off-shelf variants, mainly due to the fact that it
requires more time and effort to create the perfect solution. Eventually, the benefits that
any organization can get once the software is developed often can bring you much
more money than you spend on it.
2. Waiting Time is high
•Since custom software or bespoke software is created from scratch, companies need to
wait for some time for the developers to build it. However, this is the perfect fit for
your business, it is well worth the wait because all good things require some time and
effort to be created.