A Summary of Personal Computer
(PC) Software
Investigate all underlined words for detailed information.
System Software
( Windows OS, Macintosh OS, UNIX
OS, Linux OS )
System Software consists of programs controlling the
operations of the computer and peripheral devices and serves as the interface between the user, application software and computer hardware.
One type of system software, the operating system contains instructions
that coordinate all of the activities of the hardware devices in a
computer. The operating system also
includes instructions that allow the user to use application software which
consists of various types of software used on all sorts of computers.
Utility
Software ( Defragmentation, Disk
Clean&Wipe, AntiVirus, AntiSpam )
In computers, a utility is a small program that
provides an addition to the capabilities provided by the operating system. In some
usages, a utility is a special and nonessential part of the operating system. The
print "utility" that comes with the operating system is an example.
It's not absolutely required to run programs and, if it didn't come with the
operating system, you could perhaps add it. In other usages, a utility is an application that is very
specialized and relatively limited in capability. A good example is a search-and-replace utility.
Some operating systems provide a limited capability to do a search-and-replace
for given character strings. You can add a much more capable search-and-replace
utility that runs as an application program. However, compared to a word processor, a
search-and-replace utility has limited capability. AntiVirus, AntiSpam, Defrag, DiskChk, etc…
Application Software ( Explanations below: Production, Communication, Multimedia, Educational )
Application software may
consist of a single program, such as an image
viewer; a small collection of programs (often called a software
package) that work closely together to accomplish a task, such as a spreadsheet
or text processing system; a larger collection
(often called a software suite) of related but independent programs
and packages that have a common user interface
or shared data format, such as Microsoft
Office, which consists of closely integrated word
processor, spreadsheet, database management
system, etc.; or a software system, such as a database management
system, which is a collection of fundamental programs that may provide some
service to a variety of other
Production
Software ( Word processor, Spreadsheet, Database, Paint&Draw * MSO WPS
MSW AWS )
In computers, an
production software, sometimes called an office or
suite also integrated software program, is a computer
program or set of programs intended to be used by users in a personal and
professional manner. The components are
generally distributed together and able to interact with each other on a higher
level than the operating system would normally allow, with a
consistent user interface between the components. Production software is designed to allow
users to be more effective and efficient in performing daily personal and
professional tasks.
Communication
Software ( Microsoft Outlook, Qualcomm Eudora, MS Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox )
A variety of programs that help users establish a
connection to another computer or network;
manage the transmission of data, instructions, and information; and provide an interface for users to
communicate with one another via Email, WWW, Newsgroups, Newsletters, Chat
Rooms, Instant Messaging, File Transfer Protocol plus many other means of Telecommunications or
Internet Suite.
Multimedia
Software ( Slideshow, PowerPoint, Hyperstudio, Web Pages ) ( Multimedia
by Encarta )
The use of several different media to convey
information (text, audio, graphics, animation, video, and interactivity).
Multimedia also refers to computer media. As the information is
presented in various formats, multimedia enhances user experience and helps
grasping information better and faster.
Presenting information in various formats is nothing new to human
beings, but multimedia generally implies presenting information in various digital formats.
Although it is also used in visual arts to describe works created using more
than one medium. Multimedia finds its application in various areas including,
but not limited to, education, entertainment, engineering, medicine, mathematics,
and scientific research. In education,
multimedia is used to produce Computer Based Training courses (popularly
called CBTs), reference books like encyclopedias and alamanacs.
Educational
Software ( Sometimes referred to as Curriculum Software ) ( Learning Software )
Educational
software is computer
software whose primary purpose is teaching. It
ranges from programs for pre-school children, which have a large entertainment
component, to straightforward typing tutors and programs that teach foreign languages (computer-assisted language
learning, a.k.a. CALL). Some suppliers of
educational software are Broderbund, Davidson, e-Learning Consulting, Inspiration Software, Knowledge Adventure, The Learning Company.
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