Scribd
Upload
61 views

ICT 131 - Lecture 4 - Software Types - MU - 2023

This document discusses different types of software, including application software, system software, programming software, and driver software. It provides examples of popular application software from the 1970s-1980s like VisiCalc and AutoCAD. System software includes the operating system, BIOS, boot programs, and device drivers. Programming software is used by programmers to write code that is then translated to machine language. Driver software operates devices like printers and sound cards that are connected to the computer. The next lecture will cover operating systems.

Uploaded by

blessingsmawisa
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
61 views

ICT 131 - Lecture 4 - Software Types - MU - 2023

This document discusses different types of software, including application software, system software, programming software, and driver software. It provides examples of popular application software from the 1970s-1980s like VisiCalc and AutoCAD. System software includes the operating system, BIOS, boot programs, and device drivers. Programming software is used by programmers to write code that is then translated to machine language. Driver software operates devices like printers and sound cards that are connected to the computer. The next lecture will cover operating systems.

Uploaded by

blessingsmawisa
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 24

MULUNGUSHI UNIVERSITY

ICT 131
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTERS
Lecture 4
Software Types
Lecturer: Dr. Lusungu Ndovi
INPUT AND OUTPUT DEVICES
SOFTWARE TYPES

• Software became popular in the 1970s and 80s


with the arrival of personal computers.
• Apple released Apple II in 1977, an 8-bit home
computer and one of the world’s first
successful mass-
produced microcomputer products.
• VisiCalc, the first spreadsheet software for
personal computers, was released for the Apple
II in 1979.
SOFTWARE TYPES

• The software was written in specialized


assembly language.
• Other companies such as IBM soon developed
home computers.
• Software for productivity and business
dominated the early stages of personal
computing.
• Popular software applications during this time
included AutoCAD, Microsoft Word,
and Microsoft Excel.
SOFTWARE TYPES

• Computer software and hardware require each


other – neither can be used on its own.
• A book provides a useful analogy.
• The pages and ink of a book are the hardware.
• The words, sentences, paragraphs, and overall meaning
are the software.
• A computer without software is like a book full of
blank pages.
• A computer needs software to make it useful just as
words are needed to make a book meaningful.
SOFTWARE TYPES
SOFTWARE TYPES
SOFTWARE TYPES
SOFTWARE TYPES
SOFTWARE TYPES

• Software is a set of instructions, data,


or programs used to operate a computer and
execute specific tasks.
• In simpler terms, software tells a computer how
to function.
• It’s a generic term used to refer
to applications, scripts, and programs that run
on devices such as PCs, mobile phones, tablets,
and other smart devices.
SOFTWARE TYPES

• Software contrasts with hardware, which is


the physical aspects of a computer that perform
the work.
• Without software, most computers would be
useless.
• For example, a web browser is a software
application that allows users to access the
internet.
SOFTWARE TYPES

• Without the web browser software, reading this


internet pages on wouldn’t be possible.
• An operating system (OS) is a software
program that serves as the interface between
other applications and the hardware on a
computer or mobile device.
SOFTWARE TYPES

• TCP/IP is built into all major operating


systems to allow computers to communicate
over long distance networks.
• Without the OS or the protocols built into it, it
wouldn’t be possible to access a web browser.
SOFTWARE TYPES

• The majority of software is written in high-level


programming languages due to the language
being closer to natural human language as
opposed to machine language.
• The high-level language is then translated
into low-level machine code using
a compiler or interpreter for the computer to
understand.
• Software can also be written in a low-
level assembly language, but it is less common.
SOFTWARE TYPES
SOFTWARE TYPES

Application software
• Application software is software that helps an end
user complete tasks such as doing research, taking notes, setting
an alarm, designing graphics, or keeping an account log.
• Application software lies above the system software and is
different from system software in that it’s designed for the end
use and is specific in its functionality.
• This type of software is sometimes referred to as non-
essential software because it’s installed and operated based
on the user’s needs.
• Any application on a mobile phone is an example of
application software.
SOFTWARE TYPES

Types of application software include:


• Word processors: Applications used for documentation.
Examples include Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and
AppleWorks
• Spreadsheet software: Software used to compute quantitative
data. Examples include Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, and
Quattro Pro
• Database software: Software used to create and manage a
database to organize data. This is also known as database
management software (DBMS). Examples include MySQL,
Clipper, and FileMaker
SOFTWARE TYPES

• Multimedia software: Tools that are able play, create, or record


images, audio, or video files. It’s used for video editing,
animation, graphics, and image editing. Examples include
Adobe Photoshop and Picasa
• Application suites: A collection of related programs sold as a
package. Microsoft Office is the most widely used application
suite.
• Internet browsers: Software used to access and view websites.
Examples include Google Chrome and Internet Explorer.
• Email programs: Software used for emailing. Examples
include Outlook and Gmail.
SOFTWARE TYPES

System software
• System software helps the user, hardware, and
application software interact and function with
each other.
• System software acts as a mediator or middle layer
between the user and the hardware.
• It’s essential in managing the whole computer
system when a computer is first turned on, it’s the
system software that is initially loaded into memory.
SOFTWARE TYPES

• Unlike application software, system software isn’t


used by end users.
• Instead, it runs in the background of a device.
• The most well-known example of system software is
the OS, which manages all other programs in a
computer.
• Aside from the OS, other examples of system software
include:
SOFTWARE TYPES

Basic input/output system (BIOS): the built-


in firmware that determines what a computer can do
without accessing programs from a disk.
• Boot: loads the OS into the computer’s main memory
or RAM.
• Assembler: Takes basic instructions and converts them
into a pattern of bits that the processor can use to
perform basic operations.
• Device driver: Controls a particular type of device
attached to the computer, such as a keyboard or mouse.
SOFTWARE TYPES

Programming software
• Classified as a type of system software, programming software
isn’t used by the end user.
• It’s used by programmers who are writing code.
• Programming software is a program that is used to write,
develop, test, and debug other software, including application
and system software. These programs serve as a sort of
translator.
• It takes programming languages such as Python or C++ and
translates it into something a computer will understand, known
as machine language code. Besides simplifying code, it also:
SOFTWARE TYPES

Driver software
• Also classified as a type of system
software, driver software operates and
controls devices and peripherals plugged into
a computer, enabling a device to perform
the designated task.
• Hardware devices that need a driver to
connect to a system include displays, sound
cards, printer, mice, and hard disks.
INPUT & OUTPUT DEVICES

**********END************

* The next Lecture will look at Operating Systems

You might also like