Lecture # 3

Computer Software
 Computer Software

“A set of instructions given to the

computer to solve user problems
and to control different operations
of the computer.”
 Computer Software
What is a software?

- The instructions needed to direct the computer to

complete specific tasks.
- Software can be categorized broadly into two types :-
The Programs that are on the disks are
software
 COMPUTER SOFTWARE

• The Computer software is classified into three main

categories:

– Application software
– System software
– Utility software
 Application Software
Application Software consists of programs that tell a
computer how to produce information. Some of the
more commonly used packages are:

• Word processing
• Electronic spreadsheet
• Database
• Presentation graphics
 Word Processing
• Word Processing software is used to create and print
documents. A key advantage of word processing
software is that users easily can make changes in
documents.
 Electronic Spreadsheets
• Electronic spreadsheet software allows the user to add,
subtract, and perform user-defined calculations on rows
and columns of numbers. These numbers can be changed
and the spreadsheet quickly recalculates the new results.
 Database Software
• Allows the user to enter, retrieve, and update data in an
organized and efficient manner, with flexible inquiry and
reporting capabilities.
 Presentation graphic software
• Allows the user to create documents called slides to be
used in making the presentations.
 APPLICATIONS

• MS Internet Explorer
• (Your internet
Browser)
 TYPES OF BROWSERS
 Mozilla Firefox
 Internet Explorer
 Opera
 Safari Flock

 Konqueror
 Flock

Firefox is gaining
Popularity over IE
 System Software:
System Software includes the Operating System and all the
utilities that enable the computer to function.

System software is a term referring to any computer software

which manages and controls the hardware so that application
software can perform a task.

Example:
Operating Systems, Compiler, Disk Drivers etc.
 Operating System

Definition of OS :-
A set of programs that control and supervise a
computer system’s hardware

Purposes of OS :-
• To manage the hardware for efficient utilization of
computer resources

• To interface between a user/an application

program with the hardware
 Operating System

• OS is made up of 2 programs;

Service
Program

Control
Program
 Operating System
1. Control program - three main functions

Resource allocation allocate processor time, primary storage,

input and output devices

Job management to monitor, schedule and control programs

for its efficient processing

Data management -managing access to data for input of

information to printers, disks/displays
- all hardware components activities are
controlled by the supervisor program
 Operating System

2. Service programs
- provides services to the user/programmer
- services include language-translator programs and
utility programs
- language-translator program converts instructions from
English-like language to machine-language to be executed by the
computer
- utility program performs loading, saving, copying, keeping
track of files stored on a disk, preparing a formatted disk
 Operating System

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 TYPES OF OS
 Microsoft Windows (98,
2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8)
 Mac OS (X)
 Linux OS (Hundreds of
even thousands of distros
ex: Red Hat, Ubuntu,
Mandrake etc. Visit
http://distrowatch.com/
for listing of Linux OS)
 Unix OS etc.
 OPERATING SYSTEMS

• MS-DOS
• Windows 95,98,Me
• Windows NT,
2000,XP,7,8

• Red -hat Linux, Ubuntu,

Centos, Fedora, Mint
 System Software

Device Driver
• A program that controls a particular type of device
that is attached to your computer.

• There are device drivers for printers, scanner,

modem, displays, CD-ROM and so on.

• A device driver essentially converts the more general

input/output instructions of the operating system to
messages that the device type can understand.
 Utility Software

• Also known as service routine, utility software

helps to analyze, configure, optimize and
maintain the computer.

• Examples:
– Disk Defragmenters
– Systems Utilities
– Antivirus Scanners
– Disk Cleanser
Thank You