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 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, buttonsand 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.

Click below to watch a short video clip about

Computer Applications

COMMON APPLICATION SOFTWARE

Application 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 S S I B I L I T I E S I N T H E

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

Works Cited

http://www.informatics-tech.com/

http://www.gcflearnfree.org/