FCC113 (Week 3)

The role of computer software

       I had learnt about basic computer hardware in week two. I could understand what computer hardware is, then I learnt about Computer Software in the next week with

most basically known as an intangible part of a computer. It is also called as a program with a collections of related data in a computer. It tells what a compute supposed to carry out and how to do it.

There are some categories of software that is known as: System software that controls and maintains the operations of the computer and its devices, Application software makes users more productive and assists them with their tasks and Programming Language enables people (called programmers) to communicate instructions to a computer.

        These are two types of Computer Software:

A.   Operating System (OS) is a set of programs that coordinates all the activities among computer hardware resources.

I would like to describe what Operating System (OS) is. OS is the most important part of all computer systems that is called as platform program. Some computers can run multiple OS on the machine like Windows, Ubuntu, Linux, etc. The functions of OS are starting and shutting down a computer, providing a user interface, managing program and memory, coordinating tasks, configuring devices, establishing an Internet connection, monitoring performance, providing file management and other utilities, updating software automatically, controlling a network, and administering security.

Here are some types of Operating System, such as:

1. Stand-alone OS – a complete OS on a computer:

    - DOS, Windows, Mac OS, UNIX, Linux

2. Server OS – an OS that supports a network:

    - Windows NT, UNIX, Linux,    Solaris, Net-Ware

3. Embedded OS – built-in on a ROM chip mainly for mobile devices.

     - Windows CE, Palm OS, BlackBerry, Google Android.

     B.  Utility Programs is a set of programs that allows a user to perform maintenance-type tasks concerning the computer itself, its devices and its programs.

In Utility Programs, most of Operating Systems has some function, such as files/ programs - manage, search, install/ uninstall, view, backup, protect, compress, secure, disk – clean up, defragment, backup, burn, and format.

      I want to give some important things that we can protect or take care of our computers effectively by using Utility Programs, like Screen saver, Personal firewall, Antivirus programs, Spyware and adware removers and Internet filters (anti-spam, web filters, phishing filters, pop-up blockers). These Utility Programs allow us protecting our computers from any kind of inconvenience virus.

There are many software that we uses in our computers to make our works much easier. For instance, Application software that include package software, custom software, web application, etc. I would like to explain more about software that is useful in our computers.

1.   Personal Application Software:

·        Serves the needs of an individual user

·        Includes personal productivity software; enable users improve their personal effectiveness.

·        Software suite: collection of single application programs packaged in a bundle.

Eg. Microsoft Office, Corel’s Word-Perfect Office, Lotus Smart-Suite, Sun Micro-systems’s Star Office.
2.     Work-group Application Software:

·        Work-group application software.

·        Groupware.

3.     Enterprise Application Software:

·        Software that benefits an entire organization

·       Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software: set of integrated programs that manage          a company’s vital business operations for an entire multisite, global organization

4.     Business Application Software:

·        Business software is application software that assists people while performing business activities.
5.     Graphics and Multimedia:

·        CAD – Computer Aided Design

·        DTP- Desktop Publishing

·        Paint/ Image Editing

·        Photo Editing

·        Video/ Audio Editing

·        Multimedia Authoring

·        Web Page Authoring

 6.     Communication software:

·        Web Browser

·        E-Mail

·        Instant Messaging

·        Chat Room

·        Blogging, etc.