2

Software
Introduction
• Computer hardware is generally of no use without an
operating system and application software running on it.
• Computers are only as smart or sophisticated as the
programs that are running them.
 Role of Software
Application
software Systems
software

Users

Hardware
 Software Categories
Computer
Software

System Application
software Software

System System System General Application-specific

Management Support Development Purpose Programs
Programs Programs Program Application

- Operating Systems - System Utilities - Programming - Word Processing - Accounting

- Database - Performance Language - Spreadsheets - Marketing,
Management Monitors translators - Databases Sales analysis
System - Security monitors - Programming - Telecommu- - Manufacturing
- Telecommunications environments nications - Production
monitors - CASE packages - Graphics Control
System Software
• System software includes: Operating systems (OS),
programming languages, system utilities, etc.
– The most essential type of system software is the OS.
System Software
• System software also includes utility software, which
helps to analyze, configure, optimize, and maintain the
computer.
o A disk defragmenter is an example of utility software.
It detect computer files located at several locations on
the hard disk, and then move the fragments to one
location to increase efficiency.
Operating Systems
• Every general-purpose computer has an OS. They can be
classified according to the primary purpose for which
they have been designed:
o Single-user: designed primarily for a single user, such
as Windows, Mac OS, Android, etc.
o Multiuser: permits hundreds of concurrent users (e.g.,
Linux, Unix, and Windows Server Editions).
Operating Systems
– Provide a user interface (GUI)
– Provide a degree of hardware independence
– Manage system memory
– Manage processing tasks
– Provide networking capability
– Control access to system resources
– Manage files

Windows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqkkByP8RDM
Mac OS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0YfEzWWJhs
Task Management
• While an OS is executing functions, it determines
which applications must be run for the computer to
function properly.
• The OS usually has a priority scheme that establishes
the sequence in which many programs are queued for
execution.
Task Management
• The OS is responsible for controlling and scheduling
what data are sent to the CPU for processing.
• By rapidly switching between processes, the OS can
give the appearance that it is running a multitude of
processes simultaneously, called multitasking.
Memory Management
• One of the most important tasks that the OS performs is
the management of a computer's memory resources.
• The OS is responsible for organizing and remembering
where data have been placed in memory so that they
can be retrieved and used.
Memory Management
• The OS is responsible for assigning data a place in
storage and for remembering those locations.
• The storage task is complicated by the fact that the data
that constitute a single file may not be physically
located sequentially.
Memory Management
• Many OS rely on a device called a file allocation table
(FAT) to index where data are stored.
• The FAT keeps a record of the locations of all the
particular bytes that form a file.
Memory Management
• When you delete a file, the information is not
immediately removed from the disk.
• Instead, the OS simply updates the database keeping
track of files on the disk to acknowledge that the file is
no longer needed.
Memory Management
• The information is only removed when, at some point in
the future, the OS decides to use that space to store
another file (few minutes later, or many weeks later,
depending on how the computer is used).
• Before then, the data could be recoverable using data
recovery programs.
Memory Management
• When you do a wipe (also sometimes called a secure
delete), you are telling the operating system to overwrite
the disk space with either zeros or random data.
• So the idea is to make it much harder or even impossible
to recover any previously deleted files. CCleaner, for
example, is one freeware program that makes this task
easy with a simple click.
Device Management
• The BIOS is responsible for loading and starting the OS
and establishing device management.
• When booting a computer, the first job for the BIOS is
to initialize and identify system devices such as the
keyboard, mouse, hard disk, CD/DVD drive, and other
hardware.
Device Management
• The BIOS locates software held on a peripheral
devices, such as a hard disk or a CD, and loads and
executes that software, giving it control of the
computer.
Device Management
• The OS coordinates the input and output of data to and
from its peripherals using special programs called
drivers.
• They are used to translate data sent between the
processor and various hardware devices such as
printers, disk drives, and monitors.
Development Languages
• When software developers write a program they use
computer source code.
• Later, compilers/interpreters translate the code into
executable programs.
In-Demand Programming Languages

http://www.codingdojo.com/blog/8-most-in-demand-programming-languages-of-2016/
Application Software
Consists of instructions that direct a
computer system to perform specific
information-processing activities and also to
provide functionality for users.

• Software Suite
• Personal Application Software
Personal Application
Software
• Spreadsheets
• Word Processing
• Data Management
• Presentation
• Graphics
• Personal Information Management
• Personal Finance
• Communications
Proprietary Software

• Software that has been developed by a company and

has restrictions on its use, copying, and modification.
• Usually the source code of proprietary software is not
made available, and modifications are only contracted
with the developing company.
Proprietary Software

• Software Licensing: Many people routinely copy

proprietary software. However, making copies without
the manufacturer’s explicit permission—a practice
known as piracy—is illegal.
Open-Source Software
• Open-source software is computer software whose
source code, unlike other copyrighted source code, is
available under a license that permits users to study,
change, improve, and at times also distribute the
software.
Linux
• Linux is an open-source family of operating systems.
It is installed on a wide variety of computer hardware,
from mobile phones, tablets, and video game consoles,
to mainframes and supercomputers.
Linux
• The development of Linux is one of the most prominent
examples of free and open-source software
collaboration.
• Typically all the original source code can be used, freely
modified, and redistributed, both commercially and non-
commercially, by anyone under the terms of the GNU
General Public License.
Linux
• Companies and individuals choose Linux for their
servers because it is secure, and can receive excellent
support from a large community of users, in addition to
companies like Canonical, SUSE, and Red Hat, which
offer commercial support.
• Many of the devices we own, such as Android phones,
digital storage devices, personal video recorders,
cameras, wearables, and more, also run Linux versions.
Even cars have Linux running under the hood.