Chapter I Introduction - Software Engineering PDF

Software can be defined as aggregates of computer programs together with their appropriate documentation and set of data they need for real life computation/processing. Engineering Engineering normally employs well defined procedures/principles to achieve its objective. Software Engineering Sof...

Software can be defined as aggregates of computer programs together with their appropriate documentation and set of data they need for real life computation/processing. Engineering Engineering normally employs well defined procedures/principles to achieve its objective. Software Engineering Software engineering can be defined as the act of employing established engineering principles in the development of good, functional, reliable and maintainable computer software. Software engineering deals with software developed by teams rather than individual programmers. Software engineering is a discipline that integrates methods, tools, and procedures for the development of computer software (Pressman, 2000). Software engineering is the establishment and the use of sound engineering principles to obtain economically software that is reliable and works effectively on computers (Mbam B.C , 2002). Software engineering is an emerging discipline that focuses on the creation, development, operation and maintenance of cost effective, reliable, correct, and high quality solutions to software problems (Berry). Characteristic of well-engineered software Be easy to use 1. Be easy to maintain 2. Be reliable 3. Be efficient 4. Provide an appropriate user interface. CLASIFFICATION OF COMPUTER SOFTWARE System Software is computer software designed to operate the computer hardware and to provide and maintain a platform for running application software. Operating System (OS) - is the basic software that controls a computer. The Computer BIOS and Device Firmware - is a type of firmware used during the boot process (power-on/start up). Firmware is a software program or set of instructions programmed on a hardware device. Device firmware are software routines stored in read-only memory (ROM). The Utility Software - software helps to analyse, configure, optimise and maintain the computer system. Application Software - is computer software designed to help the user to perform singular or multiple related specific tasks. Word Processor - is a computer application used for the production (including composition, editing, formatting, and possibly printing) of any sort of printable material. Electronic Spreadsheet Applications - is an electronic document in which data are arranged in the rows and columns of a grid and can be manipulated and used in calculations. Desktop Publishing Software - is commonly used to describe page layout skills. Presentation Software - is a computer software package used to display information, normally in the form of a slide show. Programming Languages are the various methods of writing computer instructions. Low Level Languages - are divided into two; the machine language and the assembly language. Machine Language - It deals directly with the computer hardware. Assembly Language - is a programming language that consists of instructions that are mnemonic codes for corresponding machine language instructions. High Level Languages - are more like natural languages of the computer users. Itemize the specific functions of the operating system.