Software Basics and Distribution

Software Basics

• Software is a set of instructions that tells the computer what to do.
• Two basic types of software:
  • Application software
  • System software

Distributing Software

• Software is created in two main ways:
  • Proprietary (commercial)
  • Open source (free)
• Software is distributed in several ways:
  • Local installation
  • Software as a Service (SaaS)
  • Subscription

Purchasing Software

• Software can be purchased from a brick and mortar store or downloaded from the internet.
• Freeware is available for download, and beta versions are offered to test software.
• Student discounts may apply.

Installing and Uninstalling Software

• System requirements must be met before installation.
• A restore point can be created to revert system changes.
• Choose between a full or custom installation.
• To recover from a crash, a recovery drive is useful.
• Software can be uninstalled.
• Certain programs cannot be uninstalled without damaging the computer or software.

Upgrading Software

• Upgrades/updates are not needed for subscriptions or SaaS.
• Software updates or patches are released between upgrades.
• Consider the cost-effectiveness of upgrading.

Software Licenses

• An End User License Agreement (EULA) specifies:
  • Ultimate owner
  • Allowed copies
  • Number of allowed installations
  • Warranties
• Copyleft protects open-source software.

Productivity and Business Software

• Productivity software facilitates various tasks at home, school, and business.
• Examples:
  • Proprietary: Microsoft Office and Apple iWork
  • Open source: LibreOffice
  • Web-based: Microsoft Office Online, Google Docs, Zoho, ThinkFree

Productivity Software: Word Processing

• Creates and edits documents.
• Examples: Word, Writer

Productivity Software: Spreadsheet

• Performs calculations and numerical analyses.
• Data types include:
  • Text
  • Values and dates
  • Formulas
  • Functions
• Examples: Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice Calc

Productivity Software: Presentation

• Tips for good presentation design:
  • Use images
  • Be mindful of color choices
  • Utilize bullets for key points
  • Consider font size and style
  • Minimize animation and background audio

Productivity Software: Database

• Stores and organizes data.
• Components:
  • Fields
  • Records
  • Tables

Productivity Software: Note-taking

• Examples: OneNote, Evernote

Productivity Software: Personal Information Manager (PIM)

• Manages e-mail, contacts, calendars, and tasks.
• Examples:
  • Outlook
  • Web-based PIMs: Yahoo! and Google
  • Other options: Toodledo, OmniFocus

Productivity Software Features: Wizards, Templates and Macros

• A wizard guides users through task completion.
• A template is a pre-designed form.
• A macro combines a series of commands.

Understanding System Software

• An Operating System (OS) coordinates and directs the flow of data and information.

The User Interface

• Enables interaction with the computer.
• Types of interfaces:
  • Command-driven interface
  • Menu-driven interface
  • Graphical user interface (GUI)

Hardware Coordination

• An event triggers an interrupt handler.
• Preemptive multitasking allows multiple tasks to run simultaneously.
• A spooler manages the print queue.

Memory and Storage Management

• RAM has a limited capacity.
• Virtual memory uses hard drive space as temporary RAM.
• Increasing RAM minimizes the use of virtual memory.
• A swap file manages movement of data between RAM and the hard drive.
  • Paging: Movement of data between RAM and the swap file.
  • Thrashing: Occurs when the system constantly moves data between RAM and the swap file.

Hardware and Peripheral Device Management

• A device driver allows the OS to communicate with hardware.
• Plug and Play (PnP) automatically install hardware drivers.
• Roll Back reverts to previous driver settings if necessary.

Software Application Coordination

• Application programming interface (API):
  • Blocks of code recognized by the CPU
  • Used for similar procedures
  • Example: Microsoft Direct X

The Boot Process

• BIOS manages data exchange between the OS and input and output devices.
• BIOS loads the OS into RAM.
• The Power-On Self-Test ensures essential devices are attached and functioning correctly.

File Management

• File Explorer
  • Manages computer contents.
  • Displays drive locations and folder contents.

File Management: Naming Files

• A file name is given to each file.
• An extension identifies the file type.

File Management: Copying, moving, and deleting files

• Files can be opened, copied, cut, renamed, deleted, and placed in the recycle bin.

File Management: File Compression Utility

• Makes large files more compact.
• Easier and faster to send files.
• Built-in file compression is available.

Utility Programs

• Utility programs are incorporated into the operating system and include firewalls and file compression utilities.
• Standalone utility programs include antivirus and security programs.
• Freeware is also available.

Windows Administrative Utilities: System performance utilities

• Examples: Disk Cleanup, Task Manager, and Disk Defragmenter.

Windows Administrative Utilities: File and system backup utilities

• Examples: File History and System Restore.

Windows Administrative Utilities: Accessibility utilities

• Designed for users with special needs.

Collaborating and Communicating on the Web

• Real-time communication options:
  • Texting
  • Instant messaging
  • VoIP

Conducting Business on the Web

• Types of e-commerce business models:
  • Business-to-consumer (B2C)
  • Business-to-business (B2B)
  • Consumer-to-consumer (C2C)

Additional Types of E-Commerce

• Social commerce
• Mobile commerce or m-commerce

E-Commerce Safeguards

• Guidelines for safer online shopping:
  • Check for secure websites (Secure Sockets Layer Protocol)
  • Use reputable websites
  • Pay with a credit card, not a debit card
  • Check return policies
  • Avoid using public computers

Web Browsers

• Web browsers are graphical applications used to navigate the web.
• Features include:
  • Navigation bars
  • Search bars
  • Tabbed browsing
  • History
  • Bookmarking
  • Pop-up blockers

URLs, Protocols, and Domain Names

• Every website has a unique URL, which indicates the web document location.
• URLs have parts that identify the specific document.
• Common web protocols:
  • Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
  • File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
• A domain name identifies the website.
• Top-level domain (TLD) examples: .com, .org, .net

Navigating the Web

• Use hyperlinks to move between pages.
• A breadcrumb trail shows the current page's location.
• Bookmarks (Favorites) save website links.
• View past sites in the history.
• Tagging/social bookmarking helps organize and share web resources.

Searching the Web Effectively

• A search engine uses keywords provided by a user to find websites.
• Search engine components:
  • Keywords: Words or phrases used to search
  • Spider: Crawls the web to gather information
  • Indexer: Creates an index of web content
  • Search engine software: Processes searches and displays results

Specialized Search Engine

• Designed for a specific purpose or content.

Metasearch Engine

• Queries multiple search engines simultaneously

Obtaining Better Search Results

• Use Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT)
• Search for a specific phrase
• Search within a specific website
• Use wildcards (e.g., * or ?)