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L-11 Computer Software

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9 views

L-11 Computer Software

Uploaded by

Sumaiya Hossain
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Computer Software

Learning Objectives

◾ In this Lecture you will learn about:


✓ Term “Software” and its relationship with “Hardware”
✓ Various types of software and their examples
✓ Relationship among hardware, system software, application
software, and users of a computer system
✓ Different ways of acquiring software
✓ Various steps involved in software development
✓ Firmware
✓ Middleware
Software
◾ Hardware refers to the physical devices of a
computer system.

◾ Software refers to a collection of programs


◾ Program is a sequence of instructions written in a
language that can be understood by a computer

◾ Software package is a group of programs that solve


a specific problem or perform a specific type of job
Relationship Between
Hardware and Software
◾ Both hardware and software are necessary for a
computer to do useful job. They are complementary to
each other

◾ Same hardware can be loaded with different software


to make a computer system perform different types of
jobs
◾ Except for upgrades, hardware is normally a one-time
expense, whereas software is a continuing expense

◾ Upgrades refer to renewing or changing components


like increasing the main memory, or hard disk
capacities, or adding speakers, modems, etc.
Types of Software
◾ Most software can be divided into two major categories:

✓ System software are designed to control the operation and


extend the processing capability of a computer system

✓ Application software are designed to solve a specific problem


or to do a specific task
System Software
◾ Make the operation of a computer system more
effective and efficient

◾ Help hardware components work together and


provide support for the development and execution
of application software

◾ Programs included in a system software package are


called system programs and programmers who
prepare them are called system programmers

◾ Examples of system software are operating systems,


programming language translators, utility programs,
and communications software
Application Software
◾ Solve a specific problem or do a specific task

◾ Programs included in an application software


package are called application programs and the
programmers who prepare them are called
application programmers

◾ Examples of application software are word


processing, inventory management, preparation of
tax returns, banking, etc.
Logical System Architecture
Ways of Acquiring Software

◾ Buying pre-written software

◾ Ordering customized software

◾ Developing customized software

◾ Downloading public-domain software

◾ Each of these ways of acquiring software has its own


advantages and limitations
Advantages and Limitations
of Buying Pre-written Software

◾ Usually costs less


◾ Planned activity can be stared almost
immediately
◾ Often, operating efficiency and the
capability to meet specific needs of user
more effectively in not as good for pre-written
software packages as for in-house developed
software packages
Advantages & Limitations of
Ordering Customized Software

◾ User need not maintain its own software


development team, which is an
expensive affair

◾ User needs to always depend on the


vendor for carrying out the changes and
the vendor may separately charge for
every request for change
Advantages & Limitations of
Developing Customized
Software
◾ Easier to carry out changes in the software, if it is developed in-
house

◾ Developing software in-house means a major commitment of


time, money, and resources

◾ In-house software development team needs to be maintained


and managed
Advantage & Limitations of
Downloading Public-domain
Software
◾ Available for free or as shareware, and are usually
accompanied with source code

◾ Usually community-supported as author does not support users


directly

◾ Can be downloaded and used immediately

◾ They may not be properly tested before release

◾ Open Source Software (OSS) are becoming popular due to:


◾ Allows any user to download, view, modify, and redistribute
◾ User can fix bugs or change software to suit needs
◾ Copyright is protected for both original and subsequent authors
◾ Not all open source software are free and vise-verse
Software Development Steps

◾ Developing a software and putting it to use is a


complex process and involves following steps:

◾ Analyzing the problem at hand and planning the


program(s) to solve the problem

◾ Coding the program(s)

◾ Testing, debugging, and documenting the


program(s)

◾ Implementing the program(s)

◾ Evaluating and maintaining the program(s)


Firmware
◾ Firmware is software substituted for hardware
and stored in read-only memory
◾ Firmware technology has enabled production
of various types of smart machines having
microprocessor chips with embedded
software
Middleware
◾ Basic idea is to have a separate software layer
to:
◾ Act as “glue” between client and server parts of
application
◾ Provide programming abstraction
◾ Mask heterogeneity of underlying network, hardware,
and OS

◾ Encourages three-tier software architecture


against two-tier popularized by Server-Client
architecture
Key Words/Phrases

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