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Introduction To Computer Software: Management Information Systems, 4 Edition

This document provides an overview of computer software, including: - Computer programs consist of instructions in binary that tell the computer what to do. Application software allows users to perform tasks while system software manages hardware and allows applications to run. - Programming languages make creating instructions easier for humans. Visual programming languages generate code automatically. Object-oriented programming focuses on reusable objects. - System software includes operating systems, which manage computer resources, and data communication programs, which support networking. Bugs are errors that need to be eliminated for programs to run smoothly.

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amber shah
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25 views

Introduction To Computer Software: Management Information Systems, 4 Edition

This document provides an overview of computer software, including: - Computer programs consist of instructions in binary that tell the computer what to do. Application software allows users to perform tasks while system software manages hardware and allows applications to run. - Programming languages make creating instructions easier for humans. Visual programming languages generate code automatically. Object-oriented programming focuses on reusable objects. - System software includes operating systems, which manage computer resources, and data communication programs, which support networking. Bugs are errors that need to be eliminated for programs to run smoothly.

Uploaded by

amber shah
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 23

Introduction to

Computer Software

Management Information Systems, 4 th Edition 1


Software: Instructions
to the Computer
• A computer program is a series of instructions to a
computer to execute any and all processes

• Computers only “understand” instructions consisting


of electrical signals alternating between two states

Management Information Systems, 4 th Edition 2


Software: Instructions
to the Computer (Cont.)
• Application software enables users to complete a
particular task, such as word processing

• System software enables application software to run


on a computer and manages the interaction between
hardware devices

Management Information Systems, 4 th Edition 3


Programming Languages

• Abbreviated forms of instructions that translate into


machine language

• New programming languages make programming


easier for people who are not necessarily hardware
experts

Management Information Systems, 4 th Edition 4


Visual Programming
• Languages that let programmers create field
windows, scroll-down menus, click buttons, etc.,
by choosing from a palette

• Appropriate code written automatically

• Accelerates work

• Microsoft’s Visual Basic

Management Information Systems, 4 th Edition 5


Object-Oriented Programming
(OOP)
• Emphasis on the objects involved in the task, not
on the procedure
• An object encapsulates a data set with the code
that is used to operate on it
• Standardized programming modules can be reused
• Applications can be rapidly developed with
appropriate objects from an object library
Management Information Systems, 4 th Edition 6
Object-Oriented Programming
(OOP) (Cont.)

Management Information Systems, 4 th Edition 7


Application Software vs. System
Software
• Application:
– Program developed to address a specific
business need; software for development of
such programs
• System:
– Programs designed to carry out general routine
operations, such as loading, copying, or
deleting a file

Management Information Systems, 4 th Edition 8


Programming Languages (Cont.)
– Levels of Programming Languages: Pluses
and Minuses
– Language Translation: Compilers and
Interpreters
• Source code
• Object code
• Compiler
• Interpreter

Management Information Systems, 4 th Edition 9


Programming Languages (Cont.)

Management Information Systems, 4 th Edition 10


Programming Languages (Cont.)

Management Information Systems, 4 th Edition 11


Bugs
• Errors in a program to be eliminated before it
runs smoothly

• Occur when a certain operation cannot be


carried out

• Logic errors are most difficult to spot

Management Information Systems, 4 th Edition 12


Application Software
• Application-specific programs

– Programs designed to perform specific jobs

• General-purpose programs

– Usable for different purposes

Management Information Systems, 4 th Edition 13


Custom-Designed Application
Advantages

• Meeting the organization’s needs exactly

• In-house developers are sensitive to the


organizational culture

Management Information Systems, 4 th Edition 14


Custom-Designed Application
Disadvantages

• High cost

• Production schedule subject to long delays

• Incompatible with other organizations’ systems

Management Information Systems, 4 th Edition 15


Advantages and Disadvantages

Management Information Systems, 4 th Edition 16


Multimedia
• Can handle many different types of data such as
text, voice, and image

• Powerful means of communicating

• Uses include education, training, research, and


business

Management Information Systems, 4 th Edition 17


System Software
• Manages computer resources and performs
routine tasks not specific to any application
– Copying and pasting sections and files

– Printing documents

– Allocating memory

• Developed to partner with application software

Management Information Systems, 4 th Edition 18


Operating Systems (O/S)
• Most important system software

– Developed for a certain microprocessor or


microprocessors

– Addresses technical details such as registers and


RAM addresses

– Plays the role of “traffic cop” or the “boss” of


computer resources

Management Information Systems, 4 th Edition 19


Operating Systems (O/S) (Cont.)

Management Information Systems, 4 th Edition 20


System Software

Management Information Systems, 4 th Edition 21


Operating System Functions
• Systems Management
• User Interface
• Memory Allocation
• Multitasking, Multiprogramming, and
Multiprocessing
• Times and Statistics
• Increasing Services from O/Ss
Management Information Systems, 4 th Edition 22
Data Communication Programs
• Controls and supports data communication
activities in a network
– Setting up rules that govern transmission and
reception of data
– Connecting and disconnecting communication
links
– Assigning priorities among terminals in a network
– Detecting and correcting transmission errors
Management Information Systems, 4 th Edition 23

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