BBCM 1023 Management Information System

When selecting an operating system, you must consider the current and
future requirements for application software to meet the needs of the
organization. In addition, your choice of a particular operating system must be
consistent with your choice of hardware.

◦ Identify and briefly describe the functions of the two basic kinds of software
◦ Outline the role of the operating system and identify the features of several popular
operating systems

PRINCIPLES OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS, SEVENTH EDITION 2

Do not develop proprietary application software unless doing so will meet a
compelling business need that can provide a competitive advantage

Discuss how application software can support personal, workgroup, and

enterprise business objectives
Identify three basic approaches to developing application software and discuss
the pros and cons of each

PRINCIPLES OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS, SEVENTH EDITION 3

Choose a programming language whose functional characteristics are
appropriate for the task at hand, taking into consideration the skills and
experience of the programming staff

Outline the overall evolution of programming languages and clearly

differentiate among the five generations of programming languages

PRINCIPLES OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS, SEVENTH EDITION 4

The software industry continues to undergo constant change; users need
to be aware of recent trends and issues to be effective in their business
and personal life

Identify several key issues and trends that have an impact on

organizations and individuals

PRINCIPLES OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS, SEVENTH EDITION 5

 An Overview of Software
Computer programs: sequences of instructions for the computer

Documentation: describes program functions to help user operate

computer system

Systems software: set of programs that coordinates the activities of

hardware and programs

Application software: programs that help users solve particular problems

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Table 4.1: Classifying Software by
Type and Sphere of Influence

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 Systems Software: Operating
Systems
Operating system (OS): a set of computer programs that controls the
computer hardware and acts as an interface with application programs

Kernel: ties all of the components of the OS together and regulates other
programs; controls the most critical processes

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 Operating Systems
(continued)
Activities performed by the operating system:

◦ Perform common computer hardware functions

◦ Provide a user interface and input/output management

◦ Provide a degree of hardware independence

◦ Manage system memory

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Operating Systems
(continued)

Activities performed by the operating system:

◦ Manage processing tasks

◦ Provide networking capability

◦ Control access to system resources

◦ Manage files

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Figure 4.2:
Operating system as interface between
application software and hardware

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Operating Systems
(continued)
Common hardware functions

◦ Get input from the keyboard or some other input device

◦ Retrieve data from disks

◦ Store data on disks

◦ Display information on a monitor or printer

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Operating Systems
(continued)
User interface and input/output management
◦ User interface: allows individuals to access and command the computer
system

◦ Command-based user interface: requires that text commands be given to

the computer to perform basic activities

◦ Graphical user interface (GUI): uses icons and menus displayed on screen to
send commands to computer system

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Operating Systems
(continued)
Application program interface (API): allows applications to make use of
the operating system

Memory management: control how memory is accessed and maximize

available memory and storage

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Figure 4.3: Application Program
Interface Links Application Software
to the Operating System

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 Operating Systems (continued)

Processing tasks
◦ Multitasking: capability allowing more than one program to run at the same time
◦ Time-sharing: allows more than one person to use a computer system at the same
time
◦ Scalability: ability of the computer to handle an increasing number of concurrent
users smoothly
Networking capability: features and capabilities of the OS that aid users in
connecting to a computer network

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Operating Systems
(continued)
Access to system resources

◦ Protection against unauthorized access

◦ Logins and passwords

File management: ensures that files in secondary storage are available

when needed and that they are protected from access by unauthorized
users

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Table 4.3: Popular Operating
Systems Cross All Three Spheres of
Influence

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Current Operating Systems
Microsoft PC operating systems

Apple computer operating systems

Linux

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Workgroup Operating
Systems
Windows Server

UNIX

NetWare

RedHat Linux

Mac OS X Server

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Utility Programs
Utility programs are used to:

◦ Merge and sort sets of data

◦ Keep track of computer jobs being run

◦ Compress data files before they are stored or transmitted over a network

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Utility Programs (continued)
Hardware utilities

Virus-detection and virus-recovery utilities

File-compression utilities

Spam and pop-up blocker utilities

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Table 4.4: Examples of Utility
Programs

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Application Software
Primary function is to apply the power of the computer to give
individuals, workgroups, and the entire enterprise the ability to solve
problems and perform specific tasks

Application programs interact with systems software; systems software

then directs the computer hardware to perform the necessary tasks

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 Types and Functions of
Application Software
Proprietary software: a one-of-a-kind program for a specific application,
usually developed and owned by a single company

Off-the-shelf software: existing software programs that are purchased

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Table 4.5: A Comparison of
Proprietary and Off-the-Shelf
Software

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Table 4.5: A Comparison of
Proprietary and Off-the-Shelf
Software (continued)

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Personal Application
Software
Serve the needs of an individual user

Include personal productivity software, which enable users to improve

their personal effectiveness

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Table 4.6: Examples of Personal
Productivity Software

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Table 4.6: Examples of Personal
Productivity Software (continued)

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 Workgroup Application
Software
Workgroup application software: designed to support teamwork, whether
people are in the same location or dispersed around the world

Groupware: software that helps groups of people work together more

efficiently and effectively

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Enterprise Application
Software
Software that benefits an entire organization

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software: a set of integrated

programs that manage a company’s vital business operations for an
entire multisite, global organization

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Table 4.9: Examples of Enterprise
Application Software

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 Programming Languages
Programming languages: sets of keywords, symbols, and a system of rules for
constructing statements

Allow humans to communicate instructions to be executed by a computer

Different languages have different characteristics

Syntax: a set of rules associated with a programming language

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Table 4.11: The Evolution of
Programming Languages

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 First Generation

Machine language

Required use of binary symbols (0s and 1s)

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Second Generation

Assembly languages

Use symbols rather than binary digits

Assemblers: programs that translate assembly languages into machine code

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Third Generation
Greater use of symbolic code

Examples: BASIC, COBOL, C, and FORTRAN

Compiler: a software program that converts the programmer’s source

code into the machine-language instructions consisting of binary digits

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Figure 4.18: How a Compiler
Works

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Fourth Generation
4GLs: fourth-generation languages

Easier to use, and more English-like, than third generation languages

Programs tell the CPU the desired results, not how to get them

Examples: SQL, SAS

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 Languages Beyond the
Fourth Generation

Artificial intelligence, visual, and object-oriented languages

Easier for nonprogrammers to use
Programming languages used to create artificial intelligence or expert systems
applications are called fifth-generation languages (5GLs)
Visual languages use a graphical or visual interface for program development
Object-oriented programming languages are based on objects (data and the
actions that can be performed on it)

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Software Issues and Trends
Software bugs: defects in a computer program that keep it from
performing in the manner intended

Copyrights and licenses

Open-source software: software that is freely available to anyone in a

form that can be easily modified

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 Software Issues and Trends
(continued)

Shareware and freeware: software that is very inexpensive or free, but whose
source code cannot be modified

Multiorganizational software development

Software upgrades

Global software support

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Summary
Computer programs: sequences of instructions for the computer
Systems software: coordinates the activities of hardware and
programs
Applications software: helps users solve particular problems
Operating system (OS): a set of computer programs that controls the
computer hardware and acts as an interface with application
programs

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Summary (continued)
Graphical user interface (GUI): a user interface that uses icons and
menus displayed on screen to send commands to the computer
system
Time-sharing allows more than one person to use a computer system
at the same time
Proprietary software: a one-of-a-kind program designed for a specific
application, usually developed and owned by a single company
Off-the-shelf software: existing software program that is purchased

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Summary (continued)
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software: manages a company’s
vital business operations for an entire multisite, global organization
Programming languages allow humans to communicate instructions to
be executed by a computer
Programming languages can be classified as first generation, second
generation, third generation, fourth generation, and languages beyond
the fourth generation

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