ACCB 133Information Technology and

Accounting Applications

Lecture 6:

Application Software

Lecture Objectives

• Understand what application software is and how it interacts with system software

• Understand and describe how application software can be obtained

• Understand and describe GUI elements• Understand and describe different types of

application software

Application Software

• Definition– software that has been developed to

solve a particular problem, to work on specific tasks or to provide entertainment

• Example– MS Office, SPSS, Red Alert

How to obtain application software

• Commercial software– also known as proprietary software /

packaged software– available for sale openly at software

outlets– when you purchase commercial

software, you essentially purchase a license to use the software

How to obtain application software

• Public domain software– software that is not protected by

copyright– donated by its creator for public use at

no charge

How to obtain application software

• Shareware– copyrighted software that is distributed

free of charge, but requires users to make monetary contributions to continue using it

– freely distributed, but you are not allowed to use it to develop your own competing software

How to obtain application software

• Freeware– copyrighted software distributed for free– why?

How to obtain application software

• Rentalware– software that users lease for a fee– concept used by ASPs - application

software providers

Pirated software

• Definition– software that is obtained illegally

• What can be considered as pirated software?– Software that are illegal copies (copied

without license / approval)– Software that you have borrowed from

a friend who has made a copy of it

Pirated Software

• Disadvantages of pirated software– no support from manufacturer if

something goes wrong– no guarantee– the program may have hidden viruses

or worms

Graphical User Interface

• Common features– Desktop

• the system’s main interface screen• displays pictures (icons) that provide quick

access to programs and information

Graphical User Interface

• Common features– Icons and rollovers

• icons: small pictures / figures that represent programs, data, files or procedures

• rollovers: a small text box explaining the icon

Graphical User Interface

• Common features– Menus

• a list that offers options of commands to choose from

Graphical User Interface

• Common features– Window

• a rectangular frame on the computer display screen, through which data or files can be viewed

Types of software

Entertainmentsoftware

Personalsoftware

Education /reference software

Productivitysoftware

Specialitysoftware

- games - cookbooks- tax

preparationsoftware

- medicalsoftware

- almanacs- encyclopaedias

- wordprocessing

- spreadsheets- database- email

- graphics- web design- statistics- project

management

Types of software

• Productivity software– software that assists people in

becoming more effective and efficient in doing their tasks

• Examples– Word Processing

• allows you to create, edit, format, print and store text material

Types of software

• Examples of Productivity software (cont).– Spreadsheets

• allows users to create tables and financial schedules by entering data and formulas into rows and columns arranged as a grid on a display screen

• used for calculations, graphs and what-if analysis

Types of software

• Examples of Productivity software (cont.)– Database software

• a program that sets up and controls the structure of a database and access to the data

• reduces data redundancy, improves data integrity

Types of software

• Examples of Productivity software (cont.)– Personal Information Managers

• software that helps you keep track and manage information on a daily basis

• some versions have built in email to allow communication

Types of software

• Speciality software– software that have been designed for a

specific purpose

• Example of speciality software– Presentation Graphics software

• uses graphics, animations and sound to make visual presentations

Types of software

• Examples of speciality software– Drawing / Paint Programs

• allows users to design and illustrate objects and designs, simulate painting on-screen and edit images

Types of software

• Examples of speciality software– Financial software

• software that allows personal or corporate financial management, ranging from personal money managers to accounting software

Types of software

• Examples of speciality software– Desktop publishing

• mixing text and graphics to produce high quality output for commercial printing

• used by magazines, publishers etc.

Types of software

• Examples of speciality software– Web Design Software

• used to create web pages• allows a person with minimum HTML

knowledge to design websites

Types of software

• Examples of speciality software– Engineering software

• CAD: Computer Aided Design - used to design products, structures, civil engineering, drawings, maps, etc

• CAM: Computer Aided Manufacturing - allows designs made using CAD to be input into an automated manufacturing system that makes the products

Lecture Summary

• Today we looked at:– application software

• how to obtain• GUI elements used to interact with

application software• different types of application software