Using Information Technology Chapter 3 Application Software.

Using Information Technology

Chapter 3Application Software

Application Software:Tools for Thinking & Working More Productively

3.1 Application Software

3.2 Common Features of Software

3.3 Word Processing

3.4 Spreadsheets

3.5 Database Software

3.6 Specialty Software

3.1 Application Software

Application software is software that has been developed to solve a particular problem, to perform useful work on specific tasks, or to provide entertainment.

Normally executables hold applications (.exe)Command files (.com)

Application Software

Commercial software Public-domain softwareSharewareFreewareRentalware

Commercial software

Commercial software: Commercial software, also called proprietary software, is software that’s offered for sale, such as Microsoft Word or Office 2000.

Copyright: The exclusive legal right that prohibits copying of intellectual property without the permission of the copyright holder.

Software License: Sign a contract in which users agree not to make copies of the software to give away or for resale.

Public-domain software

Public-domain software is not protected by copyright and thus may be duplicated by anyone at will.

Shareware: Copyrighted software that is distributed free of charge but requires users to make a monetary contribution in order to continue using it.

Freeware: Copyrighted software that is distributed free of charge, today most often over the Internet

Rentalware: Software that users lease for a fee.

Pirated Software: Software obtained illegally.

Is piracy good for industry?

Tutorials & Documentation

Tutorial - an instruction book or program that helps you learn to use the product by taking you through a prescribed series of steps

Documentation - a user guide or reference manual that provides a narrative and graphical description of a program

http://www.microsoft.com/insider/learning/lessons.asp

FilesA file is a named collection of (1) data or (2) a program that exists in a computer’s secondary storage.

Three well-known types of data files:

Document filesWorksheet filesDatabase filesThe applications on your computer are also files.

Exchanging files between programs

Importing: Defined as getting data from another source and then converting it into a format compatible with the program in which you are currently working.Demo: Comma delimited text file imported in Excel

Exporting: Defined as transforming data into a format that can be used in another program and then transmitting it.Demo: Excel file exported in comma delimited file.

Excel file exported in HTML format for www

Other Types of Software

Examples:

Word processingSpreadsheetsDatabase managers

Industrial automation software like controlling a machine or a robot with a computer

Productivity software - software whose purpose is to make users more productive at particular tasks

Other Types of Software

Office suite: Bundles several applications together into a single large package.

Groupware: Online software that allows several people to collaborate on the same project.

e.g. MS Source safe

3.2 Common Features of Software

User interface - the user-controllable display screen that allows you to communicate, or interact, with the computer

Graphical user interface (GUI) - allows you to use a mouse or keystrokes to select icons and commands from menus

Pointer - on-screen object that responds to mouse movements; it changes shape depending on the application

Desktop, Icons & Menus

Desktop - the system’s main interface screen, which displays pictures that provide quick access to programs and information



Pull-down menu - a list of options that pulls down from the top of the screen

Menu - a list of options to choose from--a list of commands for manipulating data


Fly-out menus - menus that seem to explode out to the right


Pull-up menu - a list of options that pulls up from the bottom of the screen

Pop-up menu - a list of command options that can "pop up" anywhere on the screen when you click the right mouse button.

A Pull-up menu

Documents, Toolbars, & Windows

Toolbar - a bar across the top of the display window, which displays menus and icons representing frequently used options

TOOL BAR

Windows

A window is a rectangular frame on the computer display screen. Through this frame you can view a file of data--such as a document, spreadsheet, or database--or an application program.

The Help Command

Help command - a command generating a table of contents, an index, and a search feature that can help you locate answers

Usually activated by F1 Key

3.3 Word Processing

Use of computers to create, edit, format, print, and store text material.

• Creating• Editing• Formatting• Saving • Printing• Web documents creation

Features of the Keyboard

Special-purpose keys - used to enter, delete, and edit data, and to execute commands

EndCtrl AltDelInsHome

Features of the Keyboard

Function keys - keys labeled F1.. F12, etc., positioned along the top or left side of the keyboard, which are used to execute commands specific to the software being used

Macros

A single keystroke or command--or a series of keystrokes or commands-- used to automatically issue a longer, predetermined series of keystrokes or commands.

Demo: Record a macro to change color of a column.

Creating Documents

Cursor - the movable symbol on the display screen that shows you where you may next enter data or commands

Creating Documents

Scrolling - moving quickly upward, downward, or sideways through the text or other screen display

Word wrap

Automatically continues text on the next line when you reach the right margin. The text "wraps around" to the next line.

Editing Documents

Editing – The act of making alterations in the content of your document. Some features of editing are insert and delete, undelete, find and replace, cut/copy and paste, spelling checker, grammar checker, and thesaurus.

Insert and delete

Inserting is the act of adding to the document.

Deleting is the act of removing text, usually using the Delete or Backspace keys.

Find and replace

The Find, or Search, command allows users to find any word, phrase, or number that exists in a document.

The Replace command allows users to automatically replace it with something else.

Cut/Copy and paste

In a word processing application users can select (highlight) the portion of text they want to copy or move. Then they can use the Copy or Cut command to move it to a special area in the computer’s memory called the clipboard. Once the material is on the clipboard, the user can "paste," or transfer, it anywhere in the existing document or in a new document.

Spelling checker – Tests for incorrectly spelled words.

Grammar checker – Highlights poor grammar, wordiness, incomplete sentences, and awkward phrases.

Thesaurus – Presents users with the appropriate word or alternative words.

Formatting Documents with the Help of Templates & Wizards

Formatting - determining the appearance of a document

Template - a preformatted document that provides basic tools for shaping a final document

Wizard - answers your questions and uses the answers to lay out and format a document

Formatting Documents

Font - typeface and type size

10 point Times New Roman

14 pointArial Black

16 pointCourier New

32 pointArial

18 point

Comic Sans MS

24 points

Tahoma

18 points

Verdana


Spacing and columns:

Single-spacedDouble-spacedOne-columnTwo columnsMany columns

Users can choose whether they want the lines to be single spaced or double-spaced. Users can specify whether they want text to be one column, two columns, or several columns.


Users can indicate the dimensions of the margins--left, right, top, and bottom--around the text. Justify means to align text evenly between left and right margins, as for example, is done with most newspaper columns (and the text in this Instructor’s Manual). Left justify means to not align the text evenly on the right side, as in many business letters ("ragged right").

Margins and justification:

Left marginRight marginTop marginBottom marginJustificationLeft-justification


Pages, headers, footers:

Page numbersHeadersFooters

Other formatting:

BordersShadingTablesFootnotesGraphicsClip art

3.4 Spreadsheet

A grid of Rows and Columns that allows users to create tables and financial schedules by entering data into rows and columns.

In Microsoft Excel a workbook is a collection of worksheets.

Spreadsheet – Organization

Column headings appear across the top ("A" is the name of the first column, "B" the second, and so on).

Row headings appear down the left side ("1" is the name of the first row, "2" the second, and so forth).

Labels are any descriptive words, such as APRIL, RENT, or GROSS SALESExcel

The Basics: How Spreadsheets Work

Where columns and rows meet:

Cell - the place where a row and a column intersect

Cell address - position of a cell, such as A2

Value - a number or date entered in a cell

The Basics: How Spreadsheets Work

Why the spreadsheet has become so popular:

Formulas - instructions for calculations

Functions - built-in formulas

Recalculation - process of recomputing values

What-if analysis

The Basics: How Spreadsheets WorkAnalytical graphics - graphical forms that make numeric data easy to analyze

3.5 Database

A database is any electronically stored collection of data in a computer system. The data may be in any form, text, picture, sound etc.

Or

A collection of interrelated files.

A Simple Data Management Problem:

Suppose we want to save Phone Numbers…

Solution 1

• A blank notebook OR a phone/address book• Entries recorded by pen, in time order

Advantages

• Cheap, simple, private, reliable, space efficient

Disadvantages

• Hard to search, update, share, expand• Hard to add information, e.g. email addresses

Database software

A program that sets up and controls the structure of a database and access to the data, called a Database Manager or Database management System (DBMS).

Advantages of Integrated Database Approach

Sharing of DataFiles owned by single user – DB is owned by

organizationControl of Redundancy

Different users may have same data (Names of NIIT students) – DB contains only one occurrence of same data

Data ConsistencyEffect of eliminating redundancy. Data needs to be

updated only once at one place. Files are distributed and data needs to be updated in all of the files.


(cont)Improved Data Standards

DBA defines organization-wide standards on how to represent data in a database. (format, conventions)

Better Data SecurityFiles are not secure. DB can give security to the very basic

level.Remember you could not enter evaluation information for

teacher in your evaluation database after time expired…Improved data Integrity

DB gives DBA the power to define integrity constraints. E.g BIT-4 student cannot study a course offered to BIT-3

Constraints can be within the records (Intra-Record) or between the records (Inter-record)

Balancing of Conflicting RequirementsEach department has different conflicting

requirements. DB can be designed in a manner to avoid conflicts.

Faster Development of New ApplicationsA well-designed DB is always modular. When a new application is purposed DB mostly

contains data for such a DB application.Better Data Accessibility

Query Language support allows any user to get data required anytime. No need for a programmer.


(cont)

Economy of ScaleCost and resources are pooled. So lower cost per

department.More Control of Concurrency

Simultaneous access by two or more users is allowed.

Better Backup and Recovery ProceduresSimple backup. Imagine backing up all the files of all

the departments.


(cont)

DisadvantagesHigh Cost of DBMS

SQL Server is costs around 4,000 USD for 10 UsersHigher Hardware Costs

Cost of high end servers is more than 100K USDHigher Programming Cost

You guys wont work for FREE! High Conversion Cost

Data to be removed from files and filled into the DBSlower Processing of Some Applications

Sequence of records might not be there and you may need to arrange it.

Increased VulnerabilityHACKERS!!!

More Difficult RecoveryUnlike files there are certain rules by which DB is

recovered.

End Users

Roles in the Integrated Database Environment

DB

DBMS

Prewritten Program

SQLInterface

ApplicationsIn C/C++

VB, Java, ASP, JSP etc

Commands To Create, Maintain,

modify DB

NaïveUsers

CasualUsers

ApplicationProgrammers DBA

Relational Database Management System (RDBMS)

A database management system in which the data is organized into related tables.

Table is based upon real world entity

It is based upon relational algebra i.e. Union, Join, Intersection etc.

You can’t just keep mathematics out

Organization of RDBMS

Tables of rows and columns

Row (record) - example: a person’s address

Column (field) - example: the person’s last name

Entity set is the Table containing entities

EntityEntity is basically a single ROW in the

table.Attributes

Attributes are columns in the database table

Working of RDBMS

Key field – A unique identifier - a field that can be used as a common identifier.

Querying - locating and displaying records

Working of RDBMS

Analyzing – Sorting and applying formulas

Putting Search Results into Use – Saving, formatting, printing or transmitting

Lab on databases will be after web development lab

Personal Information ManagersPersonal information manager (PIM) - software to help you keep track of and manage information you use on a daily basis, such as addresses, telephone numbers, appointments, to-do lists, and miscellaneous notes

Microsoft Outlook

http://calendar.yahoo.com/

3.6 Specialty Software

Presentation Graphics Financial Software Project Management Software Computer Aided Design Computer Aided Manufacturing Desktop Publishing Drawing & Painting Programs Web page design/authoring software Video/audio editing software

Presentation GraphicsPresentation graphics software - uses graphics, animation, sound, and data or information to make visual presentations

PowerPoint outline view

Financial SoftwareFinancial software - a growing category that ranges from personal-finance managers to entry-level accounting programs to business financial-management packages

Quicken software

Project Management Software

A program to plan and schedule the people, cost, time and resources required to run and complete a project with a timeline.

Microsoft Project is an excellent software. Do try it

Computer Aided Design (CAD)

Programs intended to assist design of electronics circuits or other products, structures, maps etc.

AutoCAD, Solid Edge are world leaders

Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM)

Software that allows a computer aided designed product to be manufactured over automated manufacturing machines.

G-Code language

Desktop PublishingDesktop publishing (DTP) - mixing text and graphics to produce high-quality output for commercial printing, using a microcomputer and mouse, scanner, laser or ink-jet printer, and DTP software

Drawing & Painting Programs

Drawing program - graphics software that allows users to design and illustrate objects and products

Painting program - graphics program that allows users to simulate painting on screen

Vector image

Raster image