4- Software.pdf

Chapter 01: An Introduction to Information Systems Stair, Reynolds and Chesney: Principles of Business Information Systems, Fourth edition (9781473774605) © Cengage Learning 2021  Introduction to Software » Software consists of comp...

Chapter 01: An Introduction to Information Systems Stair, Reynolds and Chesney: Principles of Business Information Systems, Fourth edition (9781473774605) © Cengage Learning 2021  Introduction to Software » Software consists of computer programs that control the workings of computer hardware. » Computer programs are sequences of instructions for the computer. » Documentation describes the program functions to help the user operate the computer system. For use with Principles of Business Information Systems, 4e by Stair, Reynolds & Chesney © 2021 Cengage Learning  Supporting Individual, Group and Organizational roles » Some Information systems serve the needs of individual users. » These information systems help users improve their personal effectiveness, increasing the amount and quality of work. Such software is called personal productivity software. E.g. EndNote software allows users to manage their references and insert them in documents in the format they want, all by the click of a button. For use with Principles of Business Information Systems, 4e by Stair, Reynolds & Chesney © 2021 Cengage Learning Supporting Individual, Group and Organizational roles » When two or more people work together to achieve a common goal, they form a workgroup. » A workgroup might be a large formal, permanent entity, such as a section or department or a temporary group formed to complete a specific project. » An information system for the workgroup helps workgroup members attain their common goals. » For example, people can use online calendar software such as Google Calendar to store personal appointments and also to schedule meetings with others. For use with Principles of Business Information Systems, 4e by Stair, Reynolds & Chesney © 2021 Cengage Learning Supporting Individual, Group and Organizational roles » Information systems that operate for the enterprise support the firm in its interaction with its environment, which includes customers, suppliers, shareholders, competitors, government agencies. » For example, many enterprises use IBM Cognos software as a centralized web-based system where employees and partners can report and analyze financial data. For use with Principles of Business Information Systems, 4e by Stair, Reynolds & Chesney © 2021 Cengage Learning  Systems Software » Controlling the operations of computer hardware is one of the most critical functions of systems software. » Systems software also supports the application programs. For use with Principles of Business Information Systems, 4e by Stair, Reynolds & Chesney © 2021 Cengage Learning  Systems Software Operating Systems: » An operating system (OS) is a set of programs that controls the computer hardware and acts as an interface with applications. For use with Principles of Business Information Systems, 4e by Stair, Reynolds & Chesney © 2021 Cengage Learning  Systems Software Operating systems can control one or more computers, or they can allow multiple users to interact with one computer. » Single computer with a single user. This system is commonly used in a personal computer, tablet computer or a smartphone that supports one user at a time. Examples of OSs for this setup include Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and Google Android. For use with Principles of Business Information Systems, 4e by Stair, Reynolds & Chesney © 2021 Cengage Learning  Systems Software » Single computer with multiple simultaneous users. This system is typical of larger server or mainframe computers that can support hundreds or thousands of people, all using the computer at the same time. » Examples of OSs that support this kind of system include UNIX, z/OS and HP UX. For use with Principles of Business Information Systems, 4e by Stair, Reynolds & Chesney © 2021 Cengage Learning  Systems Software » Multiple computers with multiple users. This type of system is a network of computers, such as a home network with several computers or a large computer network with hundreds of computers supporting many users, sometimes located around the world. » Network server OSs include Red Hat Linux, Windows Server and Mac OS X Server. For use with Principles of Business Information Systems, 4e by Stair, Reynolds & Chesney © 2021 Cengage Learning  Systems Software » Special-purpose computers. This type of system is typical of a number of computers with specialized functions, such as those that control sophisticated military aircraft, space shuttles, digital cameras or home appliances. » Examples of OSs include Windows Embedded and Symbian. For use with Principles of Business Information Systems, 4e by Stair, Reynolds & Chesney © 2021 Cengage Learning  Operating System » The OS plays a central role in the functioning of the complete computer system. » It is usually stored on: - disc on general-purpose computers - in solid state memory on special purpose computers such as mobile phones and smartphones » After you start, or ‘boot up’, a computer system, portions of the OS are transferred to memory as the system needs them. For use with Principles of Business Information Systems, 4e by Stair, Reynolds & Chesney © 2021 Cengage Learning  Application Software » The primary function of application software is to apply the power of the computer to give people, workgroups and the entire enterprise the ability to solve problems and perform specific tasks. For use with Principles of Business Information Systems, 4e by Stair, Reynolds & Chesney © 2021 Cengage Learning  Application Software » Proprietary software is one-of-a-kind software designed for a specific application and owned by the company, organization or person that uses it. » Proprietary software can give a company a competitive advantage by providing services or solving problems in a unique manner, better than methods used by a competitor. » Off-the-shelf software is mass-produced by software vendors to address needs that are common across businesses, organizations or individuals. For use with Principles of Business Information Systems, 4e by Stair, Reynolds & Chesney © 2021 Cengage Learning  Application Software » Today, many companies are running software on the web. This approach is called Software as a Service (SaaS), which allows businesses to subscribe to web-delivered application software. E.g. google cloud services. For use with Principles of Business Information Systems, 4e by Stair, Reynolds & Chesney © 2021 Cengage Learning  Application Software Type of Software Explanation Example Word-processing Create, edit and print Microsoft Word text documents Google Docs Apple Pages LibreOffice Writer Spreadsheet Provide a wide range of Microsoft Excel built-in functions for IBM Lotus 1-2-3 statistical, financial, Google Spreadsheet logical, database, Apple Numbers graphics, and date and LibreOffice Calc time calculations For use with Principles of Business Information Systems, 4e by Stair, Reynolds & Chesney © 2021 Cengage Learning  Application Software Type of Software Explanation Example Database Store, manipulate and Microsoft Access retrieve data IBM Lotus Approach Borland dBASE Google Base LibreOffice Base Graphics Develop graphs, Adobe Illustrator illustrations and Canva drawings Microsoft PowerPoint LibreOffice Impress For use with Principles of Business Information Systems, 4e by Stair, Reynolds & Chesney © 2021 Cengage Learning  Application Software Type of Software Explanation Example Project management Plan, schedule, allocate Microsoft Project and control Symantec On Target people and resources Scitor Project (money, time and Scheduler technology) needed to Symantec Time Line complete a project according to schedule Financial management Provide income and Intuit Quicken expense tracking and reporting to monitor and plan budgets (some programs have investment portfolio management features) For use with Principles of Business Information Systems, 4e by Stair, Reynolds & Chesney © 2021 Cengage Learning  Application Software Type of Software Explanation Example Desktop publishing Use with personal QuarkXPress (DTP) computers and high- Microsoft Publisher resolution printers to Adobe InDesign create high-quality printed Corel Ventura Publisher output, including text and Apple Pages graphics; various styles of pages can be laid out; art and text files from other programs can also be integrated into published pages For use with Principles of Business Information Systems, 4e by Stair, Reynolds & Chesney © 2021 Cengage Learning