Wesleyan University-Philippines

College of Business and Accountancy

Comp.1- Introduction to IT concepts w/ Keyboarding

Chapter 3: Computer Software

Section A- Software Basics
(HAND-OUT REVIEWER)

Software-The instructions that tell a computer how to carry out a task are referred to as a computer program.

Two Main Categories of Software:

 Application software
 System software

TWO MAIN CATEGORIES OF SOFTWARE

Application software- designed to help people accomplished real-world tasks.

System software- designed for computer centric-tasks.

System software refers to the files and programs that make up your computer’s operating system.

APPLICATION SOFTWARE

Music software- Offers many ways to work with music, sound effects, and narration from your desktop, notebook, or
handheld computer.

The most popular music software capabilities:

 Download music and other sound files.

 Play music and sound files
 Create playlist
 Transfer music to handheld devices
 Convert audio CD’s into digital music
 Record music and narrations
 Edit volumes, speed and quality of digital recordings.
 Crop and mix recordings

Video editing software- provides a set of tools for creating video production from raw footage.

Consumer-level video editing software provides a set of tools for video production tasks, such as:

 Transfer footage from camera to computer hard disk

 Split video into smaller clips
 Rearrange clips
 Add still photos
 Add transitions between clips
 Add soundtracks
 Add titles and captions
 Add special effects

GRAPHICS SOFTWARE

Graphics software- is designed to help you create, manipulate, and print graphics.

Graphics- refers to any picture, drawing, sketch, photograph, image, or icon that appears on your computer screen.
5 TYPES OF GRAPHIC SOFTWARE

 PAINT SOFTWARE
 PHOTO EDITING SOFTWARE
 DRAWING SOFTWARE
 3-D GRAPHICS SOFTWARE
 CAD SOFTWARE

Paint software- Provides a set of electrical pens, brushes, and paints for painting images on the screen.

Photo editing software- includes features specially designed to fix-poor-quality photos by modifying contrast and
brightness, cropping out unwanted objects, and removing red eyes.

Drawing software- provides a set of lines, shapes, and colors that can be assembled into diagrams, corporate logos, and
schematics.

3D graphics software- provides a set of tools for creating wineframes that represent three dimensional objects.

CAD software- is a special type of 3-D graphics software designed for architects and engineers who use computers to
create blueprints and product specifications.

MAPPING AND LOCATION BASED SOFTWARE

Mapping application- typically displays satellite aerial, or street maps used to locate places and get directions between
two addresses.

Location based software- is able to access your current location and use it to show you the closest shops, restaurants,
and theatres, as well as information about each location.

BUSINESS AND “NUMBER CRUNCHING” SOFTWARE

Vertical market software- is designed to automate specialized tasks in a specific market or business.

Horizontal market software-is generic software that just about any kind of business can use.

Statistical software- Is designed for analysing large sets of data to discover relationships and pattern.

Mathematical modelling software- provides tools for solving a wide range of math, science, and engineering problems.

SYSTEM SOFTWARE

Utility software- is designed to help you to monitor and configure settings for your digital gear, its operating system, or
application software.

A Desktop Widget is a specialized utility program that appears on a computer’s screen-based desktop

These are some of the most useful operating system utilities for:

 Back up hard disk

 Change the desktop backgroud
 Adjust screen resolution
 Adjust mouse and trackpad sensitivity
 Change keyboard and language
 Troubleshoot problems
  Manage user accounts and passwords
 Monitor network connectivity
 Adjust speaker volumes
 Monitor the device’s power settings

Adaptive utilities- alter a device’s user interface to create an accessible environment by providing closed captions, text-
to-speech, speech-to-text, or large screen text.

A device driver is software that helps a peripheral device establish communication with a computer