C O M P U T E R T E C H N O L O G Y( S 1 O B J 2 2 - 3 A N D O B J 3 - 2 )

SOFTWAREUNIT 1—PART B

SOFTWARE CATEGORIES

• There are two main type of software categories• Operating Systems Software• Application Software

• Each serve a different but important part in the information processing cycle.

UNDERSTANDING OPERATING SYSTEMS

OPERATING SYSTEM’S JOB

• Booting: the sequence of events that occurs when you turn the computer on and when it becomes ready to process data.

• During this process, the computer does several things:• It runs a self-tests to make sure everything is working

correctly.• It checks for peripheral devices (a device connected to the

computer that expands the computer’s input, output or storage capabilities).

• It then loads the operating system.

OPERATING SYSTEM SOFTWAREFOR PERSONAL COMPUTERS

• The Operating System is the master controller on your computer. Computers cannot function without an operating system.• The OS manages the computer's memory, processing, software and hardware.

TYPES OF OPERATING SYSTEMS

• Operating systems usually come preloaded on a computer when you buy it. • Most people use the operating system that comes

with their computer, but it is possible to upgrade or even change operating systems.• The three most common operating systems for

personal computers are Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.

WINDOWS OPERATING SYSTEMCHARACTERISTICS

• Almost 90% of the operating system market share • Introduced in 1995• Pros: • Compatibility: Almost every application, driver or game will

work on Windows.• Ease of use: Much easier to use than Linux• Software Selection: Windows has the largest selection of

software available

• Cons:• Security: More vulnerable to virus attacks • Slower: Windows requires a lot of computer resources

(memory, processor, disk space), and thus, runs slower.• Price: Costs over a hundred dollars. Software available for

Windows computers can also be expensive.

MAC OPERATING SYSTEMCHARACTERISTICS

• MAC OS has the first ever successful graphical-based operating system, released one year before Windows.

• Pros:• Viruses: Macs get fewer viruses—(mostly because of Window superior market)

• Reliability: Mac OSX is very stable. When an application crashes, only the application is affected, thus it keeps working without the entire system crashing.

• Speed: The system manages its resources more effectively

• Cons: • Expensive: MAC OSX costs more than Windows. Also MAC computers

cost more than a comparable PC.• Only available on Apple computers: If you already have a computer,

you cannot install MAC OS on it unless it's an Apple• Compatibility: Fewer programs and games run on MAC than its

Windows counterpart

LINUX OPERATING SYSTEMCHARACTERISTICS

• Smaller Operating System than Windows or MAC OS, but growing

• Pros:• Cost: Linux is F-R-E-E. You can download it, install it, use it, and customize it

FREE!• Variety: To use Linux, additional software needs to be bundled with it. Several

hundred bundles (called "distributions" or "distros") exist. The most popular ones include Ubuntu, Mint and Fedora. The good thing is, with so many different ‘distros,’ there is always one to suit your needs!

• Reliability: Can often be used for months without needing to be rebooted.

• Cons:• Complicated: Linux requires advanced computer knowledge in order to get it

to work. • Compatibility: Does not have as many programs or games as Windows,

although some distros allow you to run Windows software • Vendors: You won't find a lot of vendors selling Linux computers. Usually, you'll

just end up buying a Windows computer, reformatting the hard drive, and installing Linux yourself.

GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE

• Modern operating systems use Graphical User Interface, or GUI (pronounced gooey)

• An interface allows you, the user, to communicate with your computer.

• GUI lets you use a mouse to click on icons, buttons and menus• Icon: An image (graphic) that represents an executable file.• Menu: A dropdown list or table of executable options

• Before GUI, computers used command-line interface which meant the user had to type every single command and the computer would only display text.

Command-Line Interface

vs. Graphical User

Interface

GUI has made computers much easier to use!

WYSIWYG

• WYSIWYG ( /ˈwɪziwɪɡ/ WIZ-ee-wig)is an acronym for What You See Is What You Get. The term is used in computing to describe a system in which what you see displayed on your screen during editing appears in a form close to its appearance when printed or displayed as a finished product, which might be a printed document, web page, or slide presentation.• This was not possible with a command-line

interface.

• Operating Systems for mobile devices generally aren't as fully-featured as those made for desktop or laptop computers. • You can still do a lot of things on your mobile

device including: watching movies, browsing the internet, managing your calendar, playing games, and more…

Operating Systems for Mobile Devices

OPERATING SYSTEMS FOR MOBILE DEVICES

• Mobile devices such as phones, tablet computers, and mp3 players run operating systems that are designed specifically for mobile devices. • Examples of mobile operating systems include

Apple iOS, Windows Phone 7, and Google Android.

UNDERSTANDING APPLICATIONS

WHAT IS AN APPLICATION OR APP?

• An application (or app) is software designed to help the user perform specific tasks.• Applications for desktop or laptop computers are

sometimes called desktop applications or application software.• Applications for mobile devices are called mobile

apps.• When you open an application, it runs inside the

operating system until you close it. • You can have more than one application open at

the same time--this is known as multitasking.

APP VS. APPLICATION

• Remember:

• Mobile Apps are simple applications that can be downloaded from the Internet cheaply or even for free. Many apps are available for mobile devices and even some TVs.• Desktop Applications are more full-

featured software that allow you to run complex software like a word processor, spreadsheet, computer game, or web browser.

COMMON APPLICATION SOFTWAREApplication Software Categories

Category Example Possible uses for this software

Word Processing MS Word Writing a letter, creating a report…

Presentation MS PowerPoint Creating a presentation (slide show) about a specific topic.

Spreadsheet MS Excel Calculating a set of numbers, creating charts…

Database MS Access A collection of information organized to provide efficient retrieval

Desktop Publishing

MS Publisher Creating flyers, catalogues and posters

Web Browsers Internet Explorer, Firefox

Viewing a web page

Image Editing Photoshop, Paint Sketching, shrinking and re-coloring images

Accounting Quicken, Sage Keeping track of money coming in and going out in a business

THE END!T H E R E I S N E V E R A N E N D T O T H E P O SS I B I L I T I E S I N T H E

W O R L D O F C O M P U T I N G !

Works Citedhttp://www.informatics-tech.com/

http://www.gcflearnfree.org/