Soidhneachadh Bathar-bog

### Software

Programs that run on a computer are called software.
Instructions carried out by the computer's processor.
Some computers can only run one program at a time, others can run multiple programs simultaneously.
Some computers are single-purpose; others are general-purpose.
Two basic groups of software: system software and application software.

Designed to maintain or operate the computer system.
Utility software is one form of system software; it carries out configuration and maintenance tasks.
Backup utilities create file and program copies; can be set to run automatically or manually.

Identify the purpose of system software and applications software.
Discuss operating systems and system software such as utilities.
Understand the operating system's role, including single user/network, memory & resource management and security.
Discuss software applications, including office productivity tools, web authoring and image/sound/presentation software, and project management software.
Know about software licensing-types (free/open source, proprietary).
Understand the purpose of communication software, which provides remote access to systems and exchanges files/messages.
Understand software updates, configuration and data/system risks.
Identify how ICT systems can be configured to meet accessibility needs.
Justify choices made when identifying and configuring hardware/software.

Allow users to control and manage a computer's hardware.
Single user operating systems do not allow users to customise the user interfaces for different users.
Network operating systems have additional functions, such as separating user accounts and access to resources.
Memory management: the operating system allocates memory to applications.
Memory management also handles virtual memory.

Compression utilities reduce the size of files/sets of files by storing repeated data patterns only once.
Compression utilities cannot be used to read the original compressed file without first decompressing it.

Formatting prepares storage media for first use.
Formatting erases all data on a storage device making it unreadable by applications.
Formatting can make a disk compatible with all operating systems- depending on the parameters selected by the user.

System resources, including components (like the processor and graphics card), and external devices (like printers), are managed by the operating system.
The operating system manages resources available for applications.
If a resource is already being used by another application, it can place the request into a queue.
The operating system can tell the user when a resource, like a printer, becomes available.
Security: Operating systems use usernames/passwords,biometric scanning or personal access cards for user access and authorising/preventing network data from remotely accessing a service.

During large print jobs, pages are kept in a queue and printed faster than the printer can print them.
This process is called Print Spooling.

### Office Productivity Software

Includes applications that address work-related tasks.
Often available as an application suite.
Word Processing Software: creates documents including text, images, tables, hyperlinks, equations, drawings, and charts.
Software that can be used for letters, reports, essays and books..

Software that allows users to create web pages, containing text and images.
HTML is used for the structure/layout of web pages, and is read by web browser software (e.g., Chrome, Edge or Firefox).
Web pages can be linked together to create websites for viewing on intranets or internet servers.

Software for creating and editing bitmap images (photos) or vector graphics such as drawings.
Editing features: vectorizing, layers, adding text, shapes and lines, and altering colors/fills.

Software that allows users to create and edit vector graphics.
Examples of features: vectorizing images, layers, adding text, adding/drawing shapes, resizing/aligning/moving shapes/lines, and altering colors.

Software that is used to edit photos.
Examples of features: adjusting brightness/contrast; resizing images; altering sharpness and blurring; applying filters and effects such as distortion, red-eye removal and cropping.

Software used to edit audio files and combine them to create multimedia content (like soundtracks for videos).
Features: cut, join audio clips; silence/solo audio tracks; alter/change volume; alter tempo.

Creates multimedia content, such as images, text, animation and video.
Used for slides or pathways to illustrate/support spoken content or talks given to an audience.

Software used to automate actions in a physical environment.
Used for tasks like controlling the movement, of control devices or actuators, such as motors.

Objects in homes, such as appliances, can be connected to the internet to be controlled remotely.

Software used to plan and track tasks in a project.
Project managers can monitor timelines and milestones, allocate tasks, assign team members to more than one task, manage costs and schedules, among other functions.

Provides remote access to systems and allows for contact using the internet.
Types of communication software: SMS, MMS, Instant Messaging, emails, web browsers and social media apps.
Software can be used to send files, messages, text, images, audio, and video.

### Software Licensing

Licenses are legal agreements that give the right to install and use software.
Two types of software licensing: free/open-source and proprietary.
Free/open-source software is distributed/modified by users with source code made available.
Proprietary software is marketed by its owners under a brand name. Often paid.
Piracy: using software without a license.

Software developers release updates to fix security vulnerabilities (bugs), improve compatibility, performance, features and usability.
Users should back-up their system/files before updating software.

Memory: stores instructions for the processor to execute.
RAM(Random Access Memory): faster than secondary storage; used to store instructions for the processor to quickly retrieve to process. Volatile; data lost when the power is off.
ROM(Read Only Memory): non-volatile; data permanently stored; used to boot up/load operating systems from secondary storage. Cannot be changed or altered.
Flash Memory: Type of EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory).
Processors (CPUs): carry out software instructions. Multi-core Processors (multiple CPUs) can work faster.
Clock Cycles per Second (Hz/kHz/MHz/GHz), measure the speed of a processor.