2 Computer Software

Start
Let’s

Match each icon to the software program it represents.

Windows Word PowerPoint Windows Paint

Media Player 2010 2010 8.1 Program

What is Software?
Just putting the hardware components together will not make a computer work. In order
to work, computer also needs software.
Computer software are programs that are stored and run on the computer hardware. They
help the users like you and me to work on the computer.

Computer Computer
Hardware Software
Computer System User

Software and hardware are inseparable from each other. For example, when we buy a
software, we actually buy a software stored on a CD, which is a hardware.

Remember
Any type of information (programs, movies, games, animations) stored on the computer
can be called a software. Here, software simply means computer programs.

13
Types of Software
There are thousands of different types of software in the market. All these software can be
put into two main categories — System software and Application software.

System Software
The term system software refers to all those programs that are meant for the computer
system. These software control and coordinate the internal working of the computer and
perform many other tasks to maintain the system.
System software can further be divided into three main categories — Operating systems,
System utilities and Development software.

Trendy Bytes
Microsoft Corp. is the biggest software manufacturing company in the world. It was
founded in the year 1975 by two partners — Bill Gates and Paul Allen. Currently the company
is being headed by an Indian IT expert, Satya Nadella.

Operating Systems
Operating System is the main software of a computer. It performs many important
functions, some of which are given below:
¤ It controls and manages the internal working of the computer.
¤ It provides an interface to the users to work on the computer. It helps us to give
commands to the hardware devices, attached to the computer.
¤ It helps the other software (application software) to run on the computer.
Some popular operating system software are given below:

Windows 8.1 Mac O/S Ubuntu

Do You Know?
Most modern operating systems provide a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to work on the
computer. In a GUI, we do not need to memorize any commands. All commands are
listed in the form of clickable menus, options, buttons and icons.

My Amazing Book of Computers - 5 14

System Utilities
The System Utilities are small programs that help in the maintenance and upkeep of the
computer system. Disk Defragmenter, Disk cleanup, Data compression, System restore, Anti-
Virus software, and so on are some examples of system utility software.

Disk Defragmenter Utility Data Compression utility Disk Cleanup utility

Do You Know?
A virus is a malicious program that has been written with the intention of
harming computers and the information stored on them. Antivirus software
track down the viruses and remove them from the computer. Norton
Antivirus, Quickheal, McAfee, Kaspersky and AVG are some well known
antivirus utility software.

Development Software
Development software help us to develop new software (including system software,
application software, computer games, and so on).
Java Eclipse, Visual Studio, .NET Framework, PHP, and so on are examples of some
software that are used by programmers to develop new software.

Java Eclipse .NET Framework PHP Developer

Remember
A program is nothing but a set of
m instructions written in a computer language.
A programmer is a person who writes computer programs.
m
Many inter-related programs are put together to make up a software.
m

15 Computer Software
 Activity
Tick (ü
) the correct answer.
1. Which of these is a software?
a. Mouse b. Windows 8.1 c. Keyboard
2. Which of these is an operating system software?
a. Windows 8.1 b. Mac O/S c. both (a) and (b)
3. Which of these is not a system utility?
a. Disk cleanup b. Disk drive c. Disk defragmenter
4. Which of these is a development software?
a. Java Eclipse b. AVG c. Norton Anti-virus

Application Software
An application software is a program that runs with the help of the operating system
software and allows a user to make files and do some useful work on the computer. There
are two main types of application software — General Purpose Application Software and
Customized Application Software.

General Purpose Application Software

General Purpose Application Software are the software
designed for use by people at large for any general
purpose, such as word processing, designing,
maintaining records, making presentations, and so on.
Some examples of general purpose application
software are MS-Word, MS-PowerPoint and Photoshop.
Photoshop
Customized Application Software
Customized application software are the software specially developed to meet the needs
of a particular person or organization. An attendance system or a payroll system developed
for a particular company are examples of a customized application software.
Trendy Bytes
These days mini versions of heavy application programs such as MS Word, PowerPoint, and
so on are also available for use on the mobile devices such as Smartphones and Tablets.

My Amazing Book of Computers - 5 16

 Activity
State whether these statements are ‘True’ or ‘False’.
1. MS Word is a general purpose application software. ............................
2. All types of computer games are system software. ............................
3. MS PowerPoint is a customized software. ............................
4. Software made according to the requirements of an office is a
customized software. ............................
5. An Inventory system that keeps track of the stock position in a
departmental store is a general purpose application software. ............................

LETs RECALL
Software are programs that help us to work on the computer. These are of two
m
main types — System software and Application software.
System software control and coordinate the internal working of the computer.
m
Operating system is the main software of the computer.
m
System utilities are small programs which help in maintaining the system.
m
Software that are used for making a new software are called development software.
m
Software which help the user to do some useful work on the computer are called
m
application software. These are of two types — General purpose application
software and Customized application software.

Terms to Learn
Software : Programs which run on the computer hardware and make it
possible for us to work on the computer.
System Software : Software like operating system and system utilities which
enables a computer to function properly.
Application Software : Software that helps a user to do a specific type of work on the
computer in files.
Virus : A malicious program which can harm the computer.
Antivirus : A type of software which offers protection from the Virus
programs.

17 Computer Software
 TESTING TIME
Worksheet 1 Fill in the blanks with the help of the Help Box.

Antivirus System utilities application software virus

1. Operating system, ........................ and development software are types of the system
software.
2. MS-Excel is a type of ........................ software.
3. A ........................ is a type of malicious program which can harm your computer.
4. You can protect your computer from viruses by using ........................ software.
5. A ........................ is nothing but a set of inter-related programs.

Worksheet 2 Tick (ü
) the correct answer.
1. What is a Software?

a. a set of keyboards b. a set of programs c. a set of joysticks

2. Which of the following is not an operating system software?

a. Mac O/S b. Ubuntu c. Paint

3. Which of the following is an application software?

a. MS Word b. Disk cleanup c. McAfee

4. Which of the following is not an anti-virus software?

a. AVG b. Quickheal c. JAVA

5. Which of the following is a development software?

a. .NET framework b. Inventory c. Norton

My Amazing Book of Computers - 5 18

Worksheet 3 Match the columns correctly.
1. McAfee a. General purpose application software

2. Attendance software b. Anti-virus software

3. Windows 8.1 c. Customized application software

4. Adobe Photoshop d. Malicious programs

5. Viruses e. Development software

6. JAVA Eclipse f. Operating system software

Worksheet 4 Answer the following questions.

1. What do you understand by the term ‘Software’?
.............................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................
2. Define system software. Name the different types of system software.
.............................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................
3. Define the operating system.
.............................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................
4. What are application software? Name any two application software.
.............................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................
5. Define general purpose application software. Give two examples.
.............................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................
6. Define customized application software. Give two examples.
.............................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................

19 Computer Software
 LAB TIME
Practical 1: Playing with the Windows key.
1. Open any two or three programs like Notepad, WordPad, Paint etc. on your desktop.
2. Now click on the program window to make it your active window. Hold down the Windows logo
key and press the left arrow key. The window will fit into the left half of the screen.
3. Make another window active. Hold down the Windows logo key and press the right arrow key. The
window will fit into the right half of the screen.
4. Now you have two windows side by side to work in.

5. Similarly try other key combinations like Windows+ key, Windows+ key, Windows+
key, Windows+ key and Windows+ key. See what happens each time.

Practical 2: Using the Windows Memory Diagnostic utility.

1. Display the Start screen and click on the
Search icon to open the search pane.
2. Type ‘Diagnose your computer’s memory
problems’ in the search box and press the
Enter key.
... The Windows Memory Diagnostic tool
window will appear.
3. Select one of the options mentioned in the
tool window.
4. If you select the first option the utility will
take care of all the memory related defects in
your computer and will then restart it.

My Amazing Book of Computers - 5 20

 LET’S PLAY
Open the following web page on your
computer and play this typing game to learn
and practice basic keyboarding skills.
www.learninggamesforkids.com/keyboard
ing_games/keyboarding_games_typing_ad
venture1.html
Put your fingers on the Home key (left-hand
— A,S,D,F; right hand — ;,L,K,J) and press
the letter the boy is standing on. If you press
the right key it will take him further while if
you press the wrong key it will give him a
shock. Try other games on the site including
zig-saw puzzles etc.

ACTIVITY TIME
Some software programs are given below. Search and encircle them in the word maze
given alongside. Also ask your teachers about what these programs help you to do.

POWERPOINT I M P R E S S C O M P W
IMPRESS U P O W E R P O I N T O
INKSCAPE C T E R I S A M A C H R
A I N E T H A T H E L D
DISK CLEANUP
L P S U S T O D O T H I
EXCEL
C N G S E X C E L L I K
WORD I N K S C A P E E D A T
CALC D I S K C L E A N U P A

21 Computer Software