Technology guide 2 software. This chapter presents the following content: Discuss the major software issues that confront modern organizations, describe the general functions of the operating system, iIdentify the major types of application software. | 16-12-09 TECHNOLOGY GUIDE 2: Software INFORMATION SYSTEMS Supporting and Transforming Business Fourth Canadian Edition RAINER • PRINCE • SPLETTSTOESSER • SÁNCHEZ-RODRÍGUEZ 1 TECHNOLOGY GUIDE 2: SOFTWARE Software Issues Systems Software Application Software 2 LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. Discuss the major software issues that confront modern organizations. 2. Describe the general functions of the operating system. 3. Identify the major types of application software. 3 1 16-12-09 FIGURE TG TYPES OF SOFTWARE 4 INTRODUCTION TO SOFTWARE • Software: a set of computer programs that enable the hardware to process data • Computer program: the sequence of instructions for the computer, which comprise software • Documentation: written description of the functions of a software program • Systems software: a set of instructions that serves primarily as an intermediary between computer hardware and application programs • Application software: a set of computer instructions that provide more specific functionality to a user 5 TG SOFTWARE ISSUES • Software Defects • Software licencing: see topics from The Software Alliance: • Open Systems • Open-source Software 6 2 16-12-09 OPEN-SOURCE SOFTWARE • Advantages • • • • High quality Reliability Low Cost Flexibility • Disadvantages • Cost of maintenance • Ease of use • Training costs • Compatibility issues 7 TG SYSTEMS SOFTWARE • Operating system: supervises the overall operation of the computer by monitoring the computer’s status, scheduling operations, and managing input and output processes. • Functions performed by systems software: • Control and support information processing activities • Control and support peripherals (. printers, keyboard, mouse) • Enables self-regulatory functions of the computer • Provides commonly used sets of instructions for all applications • Supports application software by directing .
