Software

Module 1.4

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Software
Module 1.4

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 Content

• Choosing the right software

• Application software
• Fixing software problems
• Test and Improve
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Choosing the right
software

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 The purpose of the
software
• Many applications that can perform the task you
want to perform. Often basic software could be
adequate, but you may need more advanced
programs specifically designed.

• Notepad can be used to write anything, but Word

provides more features.
Notepad
MS Word
2016

• Microsoft Paint 3D or more advanced Adobe 5

Photoshop
 Web-based applications
vs. installed applications

Advantages of
Disadvantages
web‑based applications
• Use the software from any • Cannot use the software if
computer (with internet). you do not have an internet
• Software always up to date. connection.
• Don’t have to download or • Performance of software
install application – saves affected by speed and
storage space. quality of internet.
• Hardware requirements to • Web applications may have
access and run software not slower performance than
as high. desktop.
• No compatibility issues. • Software might not have all
• Many apps offer free online the features or capabilities.
storage.
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 Web-based applications –
examples
G-Suite apps:
• Google Calendar
• Google Hangouts
• Google Drive
• Google Forms
• Google Maps

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 Web-based applications –
examples

• Office 360/365 and Google Docs

• Facebook apps
• Adobe Photoshop Express

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 Web-based applications –
examples
Adobe Photoshop Express
• Web‑based image editing app from Adobe
• can be used to edit photos on blogs and social
networking sites directly.

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Subscription-based software
• Traditional licensing models – the user pays ‘up-
front’ for a license to use the software indefinitely.
• With subscription software, the user pays a monthly
or yearly subscription for the use of the software.
• Office 365 gives you access to an offline version,
but you need internet connectivity at least once a
month for updates and account verification.

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 Compatibility

• Compatibility with the operating system

• Any app you want to install must be able to work
with your operating system e.g. Android 7 or
Windows 10.
• Vendors produce software to work with specific sets
of operating systems. Platform-specific versions of
apps are sold to online stores.

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 Compatibility

• Compatibility between versions of the same

application
• Most software applications are ‘downward/backward
compatible’.
• Some older versions may not support features from
newer versions.

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 System requirements
• Check hardware and software specifications
before buying software.
• Minimum or recommended requirements.
• E.g. Photoshop
Processor Intel® Core 2 or AMD Athlon® 64 processor; 2 GHz or
faster processor
Memory 2 GB or more of RAM (8 GB recommended)
Disk space 3.1 GB of available hard disk space for installation
Graphics 1024 x 768 display (1280 x 800 recommended) with 16-
requirements bit colour and 512 MB or more dedicated video RAM
Operating Microsoft Windows 7 with Service Pack 1(SP1), Windows
system 8.1 or 10
Connectivity An internet connection for software activation, user 13
validation and access to online services
Application
software

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 Office suites
• Word processing – create, edit, format or work
with a document.
• Spreadsheet – budgeting, financial and
business planning, analysis.
• Presentation – creating slides to get your
message across to an audience.
• Database – collect, store, search, filter and
report on data.

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Productivity software for the mobile
user
Lightweight versions of productivity software for
mobile devices.
• Automatic meeting
• Scheduling
• Video conferencing
• Note taking
• Project management
• Time and travel tracking, etc.

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 Reference software

• The web much easier to use; mostly more up

to date than a CD/DVD.
• People increasingly use reference apps on
mobile devices.

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 Web browsers

• A web browser allows you to navigate and

view and also interact with their content (web
pages).
• Web browsers have ability to view content
such as pdf documents and multimedia.
• Many add-ons or extensions to download to
add functionality: creating RSS feed, video clip
downloaders, note-taking apps etc.

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 E-mail software
• All e‑mail software allows you to receive mail,
read it, reply to it and create your own messages.
• E‑mail software such as Outlook includes a
database of contacts, a to‑do list and a calendar
function, message rules, spam detection and
meeting scheduling.

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 Document management
software – using the PDF

• Create your document using whatever software

you want to use.
• Then create a PDF file by
• using the Save As option
• using PDF creation software

• You can send it to anyone and they will see the

document the way you created it.

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 Software that enhances
accessibility, efficiency and
productivity
• Voice recognition software
• Voice recognition – the ability to talk to the
computer
and for it to ‘understand’ you.
Advantages Limitations
• Allows disabled users to • Have to invest a lot of
control a computer by time and effort to train
verbalising instructions. the computer to
• Enter text by dictating it recognise your voice.
rather than typing it. • Background noise and a
• Situations where you poor quality microphone
can’t afford the can have a serious
distraction of looking at a impact on the
screen and typing. effectiveness. 21
 Software that enhances
accessibility, efficiency and
• Voice recognition
productivity
software
• Voice recognition on computer
• Google Docs Voice Typing
• Siri
• Windows Speech Recognition software (used in Word)
• Google Voice Search
• Dragon range by Nuance Software

• Voice recognition on smartphones and tablets

• Intelligent systems that can act as your ‘personal
assistant’.
• Software will ‘understand’ your natural voice and
respond, based on context.
• Virtual assistant software coupled to ‘pods’: Alexa and 22

Siri.
 Software that enhances
accessibility, efficiency and
productivity
•Note‑taking software
• Make handwritten notes on touch screen devices
• Keep handwritten notes, text, images, photos, links to
web pages and other documents in one document
• Record sound during a session that you are taking
notes in and it will synchronise the notes that you
write with the recording
• Examples: OneNote, Evernote

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 Software that enhances
accessibility, efficiency and
• Education or training
productivity
software
• Includes video tutorials, online courses and specific
software
• Advantages:
• Work at your own pace.
• Immediately assessed and given feedback.
• Motivated to learn by the immediate feedback and
competing against yourself and others.
• Learning material easily updated and quickly
customised for different groups.
• Working with online content promotes green
computing. 24

• You can collaborate with others online.

Software – which, where, when,
by whom
• Software choices mainly task related
• Writing
• Home user will go for Google Docs (free web-based).
• Running a small business from home might prefer
Microsoft Word because of compatibility needed when
sharing documents with others.
• Working with photos
• To save photos, crop them and share them, a program
such as Paint 3D.
• Web-based Adobe Photoshop Express – free of
charge.
• To produce high quality photographs would need 25

program such as Adobe Photoshop, at an expensive

Software – which, where, when,
by whom
• Calculations
• Spreadsheets allow for all kinds of calculations,
invoices and budgets.
• Also assists with stock control for small businesses.
• Large companies might need software especially
designed for complex payroll systems.
• Communication
• Every user will make use of a web browser and email
software.
• More experienced users might make use of RSS feeds
in web browsers
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Fixing software
problems

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 Basic troubleshooting
‘Freezing’ – non-responsive
programs
• The software seems to ‘freeze’ and become non-responsive.
• The rest of the system works fine.
Close the ‘frozen’ application by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete and close
the ‘frozen’ application.

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 Basic troubleshooting
Software ‘crash’
• Reboot your system and try again.
• Run the problem software without loading any other
programs, to prevent conflicts.
• Uninstall programs you have recently installed.
• Check the online forums and help system.
• Send an email to the company to inform them of the
problem.
• Make sure your software is up to date.

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 Basic troubleshooting
• Read-only files
• Might be because it was loaded from read-only medium.
• Copy file to another location and remove read-only
attribute.
• Copy the file and save it under different name or in a
different folder.
• Be careful in a network environment, as ‘read-only’ file
might be in use by another user.
• If program crashes, reload program to recover the file.

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 Bugs – why we need to
keep software updated
Any software will initially have ‘bugs’ in it. These are not
viruses, but are ‘mistakes’ or errors that were introduced when
the programmers wrote the software. Risks include:
• Corrupted data or invalid information
• Unexpected or dangerous behaviour of computer-controlled
machinery
• Security breaches and existence of ‘loopholes’ for malware
and hackers
Beta versions of software are made available for people to test
the software, find errors and report them.
Developers work continually on improving the versions of their
software.
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 User-centred design
Basic guidelines for user-centred
design:
Use of
Layout and
Font and colour instructions and
readability
graphics
• Don’t put too • Appropriate • Simple concise
much on a colour language
single page, combinations • Commonly
slide, etc. • No distracting known and
• Group related colours and used icons
items together fonts • Clear graphs,
• ‘White space’ • Legible text diagrams and
• Clear labels sizes – tables
and headings appropriate
• Links must be fonts and font
used in sizes
consistent • Use formatting 32

fashion and all to emphasise

 User-centred design

• Some steps to include in the

process of user-centred design:
• Put the needs of the user first.
• Test on real users.
• Repeat and refine.

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Test and improve

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