Application SoftwareChapter 3

Tools for Thinking & Working More Productively

Key Questions

3.1 What are five ways of obtaining application software?

3.2 What are some common features of the graphical software environment?

3.3 What can you do with word processing software?

3.4 What can you do with an electronic spreadsheet?

3.5 What is database software?

3.6 What are the principal uses of specialty software?

Types of Application Software

Copyright– Commercial: Copyrighted. You can be prosecuted for illegal copy.

– Shareware: Copyrighted. Available free, but you should pay to continue using it.

– Freeware: Copyrighted. Available free.

– Rentalware: Copyrighted. Lease for a fee

Non-Copyright– Public domain: Not copyrighted. You can copy it for free without fear

of legal prosecution.

Files of Data – Importing & Exporting

Types– Document– Worksheet– Database

Importing – receive & convert Exporting – transform & transmit

Productivity Software

Format– Office suite– Groupware

Types– Word processing– Spreadsheet– Database

Types of Application Software

Your Computer’s Dashboard

User interface Pointer Graphical User Interface (GUI)

– Desktop– Icons & rollovers– Menus

Pull-up menu Pop-up menu

Icons Representing Folders

Mouse Language

My Computer Window

Word Processing

Creating documents Editing documents

– Insert/delete, find/replace, and cut/copy & paste, – spelling checker, grammar checker, and Thesaurus

Formatting documents– Font, spacing & columns, margins and justification, pages,

headers, and footers

Printing, faxing or E-mailing documents Saving and retrieving documents

Word Processing

Mouse pointerScroll barStatus barInsertion pointRulersStyle buttonTool barCopy and paste

Mouse pointerScroll barStatus barInsertion pointRulersStyle buttonTool barCopy and paste

Word Processing

Spreadsheets

OrganizationColumns, rows, cells, ranges

FunctionsValues, labels, formulas, functions,

recalculation, and what-if analysisAnalytical graphics

charts

Spreadsheets

Database

Electronically stored collection of data Database manager or database management

system (DBMS) Reduces data redundancy Increases data integrity Organization

– Tables, records, and fields

Specialty Software

Presentations Graphics– uses graphics, animation, sound and data or information to

make visual presentations– E.g., MS Powerpoint

Financial– keep track of income and expenses, write checks, online

banking, and plan financial goals– E.g., MS Money, Quicken

Desktop Publishing– involves mixing text and graphics to produce high-quality

output for commercial printing– E.g., MS Works

Specialty Software

Drawing & Painting Programs– graphics software that allows users to design and illustrate

objects and products– E.g., MS Paint, Visio

Project Management Software– program used to plan and schedule the people, costs, and

resources required to complete a project on time

Computer-Aided Design– programs intended for the design of products, structures, civil

engineering, drawings, and maps