COS1202

Computer Application

Computer Software
Lecture 3

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 Computer Software
• Software is a set of instructions that drive a computer
to perform specific tasks.
• These instructions tell the machine’s physical
components what to do.
• A set of instructions is often called a program.
• When a computer is using a particular program, it is
• said to be running or executing the program.
• The two most common types of programs are system
software and application software.

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 Computer Software
• System software: helps the computer to carry out its
basic operating tasks.
• Application software: helps the user carry out a
variety of tasks.
• A Computer hardware is useless without software.

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 Types of software
Computer
software

Application System
software software

General Application System System

Purpose Specific Management Development
Programs Programs Programs Programs

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 System Software
• System Software: computer software designed to operate
the computer hardware, to provide basic functionality, and
to provide a platform for running application software.
• It functionality is to bridge computer system hardware and
application software.
• Examples
• Device drivers
• Utility programs
• Operating systems
• Compiler
• Firmware
• Networking software
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 Operating System (OS)
 It is a software that controls
the system’s hardware and
interacts with the user and
application software.

 The operating system acts as

an intermediary between
application programs and
the computer hardware.

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 Operating System (OS)

 Mediates between the application and computer, and

control peripheral devices.
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 How OS works?
• When a computer is powered on, it loads the OS, normally
from the disk drive into RAM.
• Kernel: portion of OS code that interact with the computer
hardware.
• Shell: portion that interfaces with the applications and user
using either the command line interface (CLI) or graphical
user interface (GUI).
• CLI, user interacts directly with the system in text-based
environment by entering commands on the keyboard at
command prompt.
• GUI users interact with the system in an environment that
uses graphical images, multimedia, and text. Its user friendly
and requires less knowledge.

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 Functions of an OS
 Resource management: allocate computer resource
such as CPU time, main memory, secondary storage, i/o
devices for use.
 Data management: govern the input & output of data
and their location storage and retrieval.
 Task management: monitors, control, schedules and
prepares jobs for execution.
 Memory management
 File management
 Booting the computer
 Provides user interface
 Enforces protection policies
 Provides a variety of support services

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 Types of an operating system
Operating systems can be categorized according to
availability, number of users, type of interface design and
manufacturer:

According to manufacturer
 Microsoft window: XP, Vista, 2003 Server, windows7,8

 UNIX-Based

 Linux (Ubuntu)

 Macintosh OS

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 User Interface
• User interface
• A function of the operating system that allows
individuals to access and command the computer
• Command-based user interface (CLI)
• A particular user interface that requires text commands
be given to the computer to perform basic activities
E.g., unix, DOS
• Graphical user interface (GUI)
• A user interface that uses pictures (icons) and menus
displayed on the screen to send commands to the
computer system E.g. Windows, MAC OS

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 Types of an operating system
Single-User/Single-Tasking Operating Systems:
 Allows a single user to perform just one task at a time
 Take up little space on disk
 Run on inexpensive computers
 Examples include; MS-DOS and Palm OS for palm
handheld computers.
Single-User/Multi-Tasking Operating Systems:
 Allows a single user to perform two or more functions at
once.
 Commonly used on personal computers.
 Examples include; Microsoft Windows and MAC OS.

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 Types of an operating system
4) Multi-User/Multitasking
Operating Systems:
 Allows multiple users to
use programs that are
simultaneously running
on a single network
server.
 Here, each user is given a
user session on the server.
 UNIX, Linux are
examples.
 Maintenance can be easy.
 Requires a powerful
computer.
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 Types of an operating system
Real-Time operating Systems:
- - Very first, relatively small OS.
- - Also referred to as embedded OSs
- - Built into a circuitry of a device, not loaded from a disk
drive
- - RTOS is needed to run real-time applications.
- - A real time application is an application that responds to
certain inputs extremely quickly.
- - As the name suggests, there is a deadline associated with
tasks and a RTOS adheres to this deadline as missing a
deadline can cause affects ranging from undesired to
catastrophic.

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 Types of an operating system
The two most common types of user interfaces are graphical and
command line.
1) Graphical user Interfaces (GUI):

 Most common interface used in versions of;

Windows, MAC OS, in some versions of LINUX and UNIX.
 Uses a mouse to work with graphical objects such as
windows, menus, icons, buttons and other tools.
 Can use Shortcuts to open programs or documents.
 It enables task switching.
 Advantage: It frees a computer user from memorizing and
typing text commands.

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 System Software
• A utility program: is a program used to enhance
performance of the system. Utilities are used to manage
disks, troubleshoot hardware problems….

• Some independent software developers offer utilities for

sale separately. E.g. Norton Utilities by Symantec.
For example
• Symantec antivirus
• Partition Magic
• Disk defragmentation
• Screen saver
• Backup, etc…
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 System Software
• Device driver: A computer program that can establish
communication because it contains information about
the characteristics of your computer and of the device.

• Each peripheral device requires a device driver.

• Helps the computer communicate with that particular

device.

• When we add a device to an existing computer, part of

its installation includes adding its device driver to the
configuration.

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 System Software
• Compiler: Software that translates a high-level
language program into machine language.
• Input to the compiler is a source file (created by
word processor or editor) containing the text of
a high-level language program.
• If it is syntactically correct, compiler will save in
an object file which is a machine language
instructions for the same job.

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 Files
• A file is a named collection of data, stored on a storage
medium such as a hard disk.
• There are two types of files
• Data files contains text, images, or other data that can be
used by a program.
• Executable files contains programs or instructions that tell
the computer how to perform a task.
• Filename extensions describe a file’s contents. For
example Executable files usually end in .exe, word files
end in .doc, adobe acrobat documents end in .pdf etc.

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 Managing files and folders
• What do you do with files and folders?
• You Create a new file or folder….
• You Move files and folders; you “nest” folders
• You Open a document file… Let’s see:
• OS looks at file extension
• OS checks if enough free memory space
• OS finds and loads the APP (if not loaded)
• OS finds and loads the document
• OS keeps track of what data goes with what program (all sharing
same RAM)
• OS turns control over to the APP

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 Application Software
Application Software: Tells the computer how to
accomplish specific tasks, such as word
processing or drawing, for the user.

Most applications are purchased on diskette or

CD-ROM.

They are installed by copying the programs from

the diskettes/CD-ROM to the hard disk.

Payroll systems, Inventory Control, Manage

student database

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 Categories of Applications Software
• Word processing software for creating text-based
documents
• Spreadsheets for creating numeric-based documents
such as budgets.
• Presentation programs for creating and presenting
electronic slide shows.
• Graphics programs for designing illustrations or
manipulating photographs, movies etc.
• Database management software for building and
manipulating large sets of data such as names, addresses
etc.

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 Word Processors:
It is a tool that helps user in creating, editing, and
printing documents. Word processors will normally have
the following capabilities built into them:
- Spell checking
- Standard layouts for normal documents
- Some characters appearing in bold print, italics, or
underlined
- Center lines, make text line up on the left side of the
paper, or the right side of the paper
- Save the document so it can be used again
- Print the document.
Examples: WordPerfect and Microsoft Word
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 Spreadsheets:
The spreadsheet packages are designed to use
numbers and formulas to do calculations with
ease. Examples of spreadsheets include:
• Budgets
• Payrolls
• Grade Calculations
• Address Lists
The most commonly used spreadsheet programs
are Microsoft Excel and Lotus 123.

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 Actions to prevent virus infection
• Forget opening unexpected e-mail attachments, even if
they're from friends
• Get trained on your computer's anti-virus software and
use it.
• Have multiple backups of important files. This lowers
the chance that all are infected.
• Install security updates for your operating system and
programs as soon as possible.
• Jump at the chance to learn more about your
computer. This will help you spot viruses.

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 Security Software
• Security software: designed to protect computers
from various forms of destructive software and
unauthorized intrusions
• The terms malicious software and malware refer to
any computer program designed to secretly enter a
computer, gain unauthorized access to data, or
disrupt normal processing operations

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 What is computer virus?
• Computer virus refers to a program which
damages computer systems and/or destroys or
erases data files
• Once it’s running, it spreads by inserting copies of
itself into other executable code or documents

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 Types of Computer Virus
• Computer Worm
• Trojan Horse
• Spyware
• Time Bomb
• Logical Bomb
• Micros Virus
• Script Virus

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 What does malware/virus do?

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 Symptoms of computer virus
• Computer runs slower than usual
• Display unusual error messages
• New icons appear on desktop
• Programs disappear from the computer
• Reformat the hard disk
• Duplicate of files
• Computer restarts all the time

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 Typical things that some current
Personal Computer (PC) viruses do
• Display a message
• Erase files
• Scramble data on a hard disk
• Cause erratic screen behavior
• Halt the PC
• Many viruses do nothing obvious at all except
spread!

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 Actions to prevent virus infection
• Always update your anti-virus software at least weekly.
• Back up your important files and ensure that they can
be restored.
• Change the computer's boot sequence to always start
the PC from its hard drive
• Don't share Drive C: without a password and without
read-only restrictions.
• Empty floppy drives of diskettes before turning on
computers, especially laptops.

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 Sources of computer virus
• Fake games
• Infected software
• Opening infected files
• Contact with infected systems or devices
• Free or shareware software

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