CATEGORIES OF

SOFTWARE FOR
BUSINESS ACTIVITIES
LECTURE THREE:
Lecturer : mr. Wangilisasi contact: 0752 564 511
WHAT IS SOFTWARE?
 Computer software or just software is the collection of
computer programs and related data that provide the
instructions telling a computer what to do.
 Refers to one or more computer programs and data held in
storage of the computer for some purposes.

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WHAT IS SOFTWARE?
In contrast to hardware software is intangible meaning it
cannot be touched.
 Software is categorized into two types which are
1. Application Software
2. System Software

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 Application Software
 Application software is the type of software that performs a
specific task to the end user. Examples of application software are
word processing application, spreadsheets, videogames,
accounting packages etc.
 Application software is developed for some specific purpose
which an end user intends to accomplish.
The primary function of application software is to accomplish a
certain task the end-user wishes to accomplish. E.g .typing a
document, performing financial calculations etc.

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 Types of application software
 User specified application software
 General purpose software

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 User Specified Software
 User specified application software is software developed
for a task, specific to a company or specific group of users.
 It is specially designed for that specific user since its
inception.
Examples of user specific software includes; TANCIS of TRA,
OLAS of HESLB etc.

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 General Purpose application Software
 General purpose application software is used to perform
common information processing jobs for end users.
 They are also called productivity packages.
Examples of general purpose software includes; Web
browsers, electronic mail, word processing, spreadsheets,
database management, presentation , graphics etc.

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 SYSTEM SOFTWARE
 System software is the type of software responsible for
managing a variety of independent hardware components so
that they can work together harmoniously.
It purpose is to remove a burden from the application software
developer from the often complex details of the particular
computer being used including accessories as communication
devices, printers, device readers, displays & keyboards and also
partitioning resources such as memory and processor time in a
safe and stable manner.

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 SYSTEM SOFTWARE
Basic functions of system software includes;
i. Managing hardware components, so that they can work
harmoniously.
ii. Manages computer’s resources such as memory and
processor time in safe and stable manner
iii. Provides basic functions of computer usage, thus removing
a huge burden from the application software developer.

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 Types of System Software
i. Operating systems
ii. Utility software
iii. Device Drivers

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 Operating systems
 An operating system is an interface between the a
computer user and computer hardware.
 is a software which performs all the basic tasks like file
management , memory management, process
management, handling input and output, and controlling
peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers.
Some popular operating systems include; Linux, Windows,
OS X.

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 Utility Software
A utility program is a program which performs a specific
task , usually related to managing a computer, its devices or
its programs.
Examples of utility software include; Antivirus programs,
file conversion programs, System File Checkers, DirectX,
Registry Checker etc.

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 Device Drivers
A device driver is a particular form of software application
that is designed to enable interaction with hardware
devices. Without the required device driver, the
corresponding hardware device fails to work.
A device driver usually communicates with the hardware by
means of the communications subsystem or computer bus
to which the hardware is connected.

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 Device Drivers
Device drivers are operating system-specific and hardware-
dependent. A device driver acts as a translator between the
hardware device and the programs or operating systems
that use it.

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 FUNCTIONS OF SOFTWARE
1. Allocating system resources: The system resources are time,
memory, input, and output. The time in the CPU is divided into time
slices. The time slices is measured in terms of milliseconds. Based on
the priority of tasks the time slices are assigned. Memory is also
managed by operating system. Disk space is the part of main
memory. The data flow is controlled by operating system.
2. Monitoring system activities: The system security and system
performance is monitored by system software. System performance
includes response time and CPU utilization. System security is a part
of operating system. Multiple users can’t access without the security
code or password.
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 FUNCTIONS OF SOFTWARE
3. File and disk management: The user needs to save, copy,
delete, move and rename the files. The system software will
handle those functions. Disk and file management is the
technical task.
4. Performing Specific Task - Application software packages
enables users to perform a specific task for the user, such as
accounting, word processing.

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 THANK YOU

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