COMPUTERS, PART

OF YOUR LIFE
Grade 11
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SOFTWARE
Module 1.4

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3
SOFTWARE
Module 1.4

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Functions of an Operating System

 Manages Hardware Components

 Provides a User Interface
 Provides a structure for File
Management
 Provides built-in Utilities

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Contents
 Application software
 Multimedia software
 Communications software
 Compatibility issues
 Software bugs
 Updating your software
 Online software
 Software for physically challenged
users
 Test and improve 6
 APPLICATION
SOFTWARE
Programs that perform
specific tasks for us as users

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 Multimedia software
Used to create or view
multimedia content

Combines text, sound, images, drawings,

animations and video to communicate ideas

Most popular
way to create
multimedia is
by using HTML
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 New types of
multimedia
products have
come about

Interactive
multimedia textbooks
created for use on
devices such as the
iPad
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 Communications
software
Used to make electronic
communications simple,
effective and efficient

• Email programs
• Web browsing software
• Online chat rooms
• Instant Messaging
• VoIP software
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COMPATIBILITY
ISSUES

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Reason for compatibility
issues
Every company has a different way to
encode data in files

Software expects data to be encoded

in a certain way

If encoding is not what is expected –

error message or a scrambled
document 12
 Solutions to compatibility
issues
Save the document in another
Export format

Import / ‘Open with’ – open a

Import file in another format

Have the latest versions or

Upgrade consider subscription

Everyone in organisation uses

Standardise the same version of software

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SOFTWARE BUGS

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Software bug – an error in a program
caused by the way it was programmed

Tools for combating software

 Testing bugs
‘Beta’ versions of software are tested by the public

 Error reporting
Use error reporting facilities – often provided when a
program crashes

 Keeping software up to date

Updates contain bug fixes that make software work better

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UPDATING YOUR
SOFTWARE

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 Updating software
Process of getting the latest ‘bug fixes’,
or obtaining new, additional features

• Check the ‘Help’ or

‘About’ menus – look
for check for
updates

• If connected to the
internet, the software
will check if an update
is available

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 SERVICE PACKS vs. UPDATES

Service packs Updates

• Collection of all • Software regularly
previous updates checks for
for last period of updates
time • Updates are
• Pretty much a automatically
downloaded and
thing of the past installed

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ONLINE SOFTWARE

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?
‘online software’
‘cloud computing’
‘Web
applications’ .....
software
actually runs on
servers on the
internet 20
 Advantages of online
software
• Software always up to date
• Don’t have to download or install anything
• Does not take up space on local storage
• Server CPU may be more powerful than
your own CPU – run more powerful
software
• Use the software and access your data
from any computer anywhere in the world

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 Disadvantages of online
software
• Needs internet connection
• If no internet connection – cannot access
software or your data
• No control over data security / backup
policy
• May have to pay a monthly fee to use it
• Might lack features or abilities of desktop
software
• Might run slower – depending on speed of
internet connection 22
 GOOGLE DOCS
Free software – web-based word
processor, presentation and
spreadsheet applications

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 Blogs / Weblogs
Online publishing tools

WordPres Blogger Squarespace

s
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 Good practices when
blogging
• Update your blog frequently

• Interact with readers – respond to comments

• Be casual, informative and interesting

• Use catchy titles and graphics

• Have opinions and express them well

• Link to your sources and other sites of

interest
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 Advantages of blogging

 Share ideas and get feedback

 Personal and business use – advertising and
marketing
 Used as help forums – people with common
interests can share ideas
 Used for social change, promote freedom of
expression and speech
 WordPress and Blogger host blogs for free

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 Disadvantages of blogging

 Must update constantly to maintain interest

among readers

 Responses posted can be worthless

 Constant display of advertisements (free

sites)

 Postings appear from newest to oldest –

older postings can get ‘lost’

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 Stand-Alone or Desktop
Apps
A stand-alone or desktop application runs on a
computer without any need to interact with
any other software.

The application uses the hardware and

operating system of the computer to perform
its functions.

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 Web Based Applications
A web based tool, application or program is software
that runs on your web browser.

They run on a remote server that you access with

your web browser.

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 CLOUD BASED APPLICATIONS

These are a more advanced

form of web-based apps.

They need a web browser to

run but are not totally reliant
on the web browser to
function.

Users typically only pay for

the service they need.

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 SOFTWARE FOR
PHYSICALLY
CHALLENGED USERS
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Operating systems contain settings
and utilities to help make the
computer easier for disabled people
to use

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 Ease of access settings
o Magnifying an area of the screen
o Text to speech (Narration)
o Making the mouse cursor larger
o Higher contrast settings – easier to read
o Displaying visual notices instead of sound
o Sticky Keys, Slow Keys and on-screen
display of non-alphabetic keys
o Speech recognition for voice control /
dictation of text instead of typing
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 Sticky keys/ Slow keys

Sticky Keys
Use keyboard shortcuts
or type capital letters
without pressing more
than one key at a time

Slow Keys
Inserts a short pause
between the press of a
key and the display of
the letter on the screen 

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 Many companies design software
with features similar to those
built into the operating system

These programs improve

upon what the operating
system offers

E.g. camera tracking – where software

tracks your head movement, so that moving
your head is like moving a mouse
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 MAGic software

MAGic Screen Magnification Software

Increases the size of what is seen on the screen,
and can read it aloud with a synthesiser –
useful for those with low vision
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TEST AND IMPROVE
USE THE SUMMARY FOR OWN REVISION

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WRITTEN MODULE
ACTIVITY

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