What is a Software?
Software means computer instructions or data. Anything that can be storedelectronically is software, in contrast to storage devices and display devices which are called hardware.
The terms software and hardware are used as both nouns and adjectives. For example, you can say: "The problem lies in the software," meaning that there is a problem with the program or data, not with the computer itself. You can also say: "It's a software problem."
The distinction between software and hardware is sometimes confusing because they are so integrally linked. Clearly, when you purchase a program, you are buying software. But to buy the software, you need to buy the disk(hardware) on which the software is recorded.
The terms software and hardware are used as both nouns and adjectives. For example, you can say: "The problem lies in the software," meaning that there is a problem with the program or data, not with the computer itself. You can also say: "It's a software problem."
The distinction between software and hardware is sometimes confusing because they are so integrally linked. Clearly, when you purchase a program, you are buying software. But to buy the software, you need to buy the disk(hardware) on which the software is recorded.
Brief History
The first theory about software was proposed by Alan Turing in his 1935 essay Computable numbers with an application to the Entscheidungsproblem (decision problem). Colloquially, the term is often used to mean application software. In computer science and software engineering, software is all information processed by computer system, programs and data. The academic fields studying software arecomputer science and software engineering.
As more and more programs enter the realm of firmware, and the hardware itself becomes smaller, cheaper and faster as predicted by Moore's law, elements of computing first considered to be software, join the ranks of hardware. Most hardware companies today have more software programmers on the payroll than hardware designers, since software tools have automated many tasks of Printed circuit board engineers. Just like the Auto industry, the Software industry has grown from a few visionaries operating out of their garage with prototypes. Steve Jobs and Bill Gates were the Henry Ford andLouis Chevrolet of their times, who capitalized on ideas already commonly known before they started in the business. In the case of Software development, this moment is generally agreed to be the publication in the 1980s of the specifications for the IBM Personal Computer published by IBM employee Philip Don Estridge. Today his move would be seen as a type of crowd-sourcing. Computer hardware companies not only bundled their software, they also placed demands on the location of the hardware in a refrigerated space called a computer room.
Until that time, software was bundled with the hardware by Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as Data General, Digital Equipment and IBM. When a customer bought aminicomputer, at that time the smallest computer on the market, the computer did not come with Pre-installed software, but needed to be installed by engineers employed by the OEM. Computer hardware companies not only bundled their software, they also placed demands on the location of the hardware in a refrigerated space called a computer room. Most companies had their software on the books for 0 dollars, unable to claim it as an asset (this is similar to financing of popular music in those days). When Data General introduced the Data General Nova, a company called Digidyne wanted to use its RDOSoperating system on its own hardware clone. Data General refused to license their software (which was hard to do, since it was on the books as a free asset), and claimed their "bundling rights". The Supreme Court set a precedent called Digidyne v. Data General in 1985. The Supreme Court let a 9th circuit decision stand, and Data General was eventually forced into licensing the Operating System software because it was ruled that restricting the license to only DG hardware was an illegal tying arrangement. Unable to sustain the loss from lawyer's fees, Data General ended up being taken over by EMC Corporation. The Supreme Court decision made it possible to value software, and also purchase Software patents.
There are many successful companies today that sell only software products, though there are still many common software licensing problems due to the complexity of designs and poor documentation, leading to patent trolls.
With open software specifications and the possibility of software licensing, new opportunities arose for software tools that then became the de facto standard, such as DOS for operating systems, but also various proprietary word processing and spreadsheet programs. In a similar growth pattern, proprietary development methods became standard Software development methodology.
As more and more programs enter the realm of firmware, and the hardware itself becomes smaller, cheaper and faster as predicted by Moore's law, elements of computing first considered to be software, join the ranks of hardware. Most hardware companies today have more software programmers on the payroll than hardware designers, since software tools have automated many tasks of Printed circuit board engineers. Just like the Auto industry, the Software industry has grown from a few visionaries operating out of their garage with prototypes. Steve Jobs and Bill Gates were the Henry Ford andLouis Chevrolet of their times, who capitalized on ideas already commonly known before they started in the business. In the case of Software development, this moment is generally agreed to be the publication in the 1980s of the specifications for the IBM Personal Computer published by IBM employee Philip Don Estridge. Today his move would be seen as a type of crowd-sourcing. Computer hardware companies not only bundled their software, they also placed demands on the location of the hardware in a refrigerated space called a computer room.
Until that time, software was bundled with the hardware by Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as Data General, Digital Equipment and IBM. When a customer bought aminicomputer, at that time the smallest computer on the market, the computer did not come with Pre-installed software, but needed to be installed by engineers employed by the OEM. Computer hardware companies not only bundled their software, they also placed demands on the location of the hardware in a refrigerated space called a computer room. Most companies had their software on the books for 0 dollars, unable to claim it as an asset (this is similar to financing of popular music in those days). When Data General introduced the Data General Nova, a company called Digidyne wanted to use its RDOSoperating system on its own hardware clone. Data General refused to license their software (which was hard to do, since it was on the books as a free asset), and claimed their "bundling rights". The Supreme Court set a precedent called Digidyne v. Data General in 1985. The Supreme Court let a 9th circuit decision stand, and Data General was eventually forced into licensing the Operating System software because it was ruled that restricting the license to only DG hardware was an illegal tying arrangement. Unable to sustain the loss from lawyer's fees, Data General ended up being taken over by EMC Corporation. The Supreme Court decision made it possible to value software, and also purchase Software patents.
There are many successful companies today that sell only software products, though there are still many common software licensing problems due to the complexity of designs and poor documentation, leading to patent trolls.
With open software specifications and the possibility of software licensing, new opportunities arose for software tools that then became the de facto standard, such as DOS for operating systems, but also various proprietary word processing and spreadsheet programs. In a similar growth pattern, proprietary development methods became standard Software development methodology.
Types of Software
Application Software – programs that people use to get their work done
Example of “Applications”
System Software-computer software designed to operate the computer hardware, to provide basic functionality, and to provide a platform for running application software.
Example of OS
Example of Programs
Programming- A Program is a sequence of instruction that tells the hardware of the computer what operations to perform on data.
Types of Programming
Software Category
Application Software
Operating System
Components of OS
The User Interface
How does an OS Works?
Major OS
MS-DOS and PC-DOS
MS-DOS Versions
MS-DOS 1.x
Other Windows Versions
MAC OS
Bits - It is a contraction of the words Binary dIgiT. Bit is the binary number system On and Off (1 and 0)
In order for a computer to save information it saves it in terms of Bytes.
Bytes - It is a contraction of the words BinarY digiTs Eight. A byte is necessary in order for the computer to store a character of information.
Files - These are clumps of computer data stored somewhere in your computer. Each file has a name, location and length and usually a date when it was last changed.
What do files do?
Example of “Applications”
- Word Processor
- Spreadsheet Software
- Presentation Software
- Database Software
- Web Browser
- Games
System Software-computer software designed to operate the computer hardware, to provide basic functionality, and to provide a platform for running application software.
- Device Drivers
- Servers
- Utilities- such as antivirus and disk defragmenter
- Operating System- software that controls the computer and runs the applications. It keeps all the hardware and software running together smoothly.
Example of OS
- DOS
- Windows
- Mac OS
- Linux
- Unix
Example of Programs
- Visual Basic
- Delphi
Programming- A Program is a sequence of instruction that tells the hardware of the computer what operations to perform on data.
Types of Programming
- Program Language - The instructions that the computer understands. It is a particular pattern of binary digital information.
- Machine Language – the command in computer which is binary-based language.
- Assembly Language – a short mnemonic codes to each machine language command.
- High-Level Language- (3rd Generation)It often use words that are more like the English language as commands that might stand for a sequence of tens and hundreds of machine-language instructions.
- Fourth & Fifth Generation Language- features a symbolic icons and drag-and-drop technique and English-like statements.
- FORTRAN (1954) – the first comprehensive high level programming language that was widely used. It facilitated computer use in scientific application.
- ALGOL (1960 ‘s-70’s) –another scientifically oriented language used in Europe.
- COBOL – A commercial and business programming language, concentrated on data organization and file handling.
- Example of third generation language
- BASIC- use by non-professional computer users
- PASCAL – teaching tool named after Blaize Pascal.
- LOGO- developed to introduce children to computers.
- C Language- the standard in developing systems programs such as language translators.
- PROLOG- used in research on artificial intelligence.
- ADA- designed for military applications.
- JAVA(early 90’s)- used for internet and intranet applications.
Software Category
- Open System- Software can be modified for use with any hardware. It is not the exclusive property or design of a particular vendor.
- Proprietary- software product are designed for particular system and cannot be used with other hardware. It’s inner workings are protected information.
Application Software
- Word Processors - It is the first application that leads people to using a computer for their work.
- Spreadsheet Software- commonly used for accounting purposes. It is designed to use number and formulas to do calculations with ease.
- Database software- a program that manages large amount of data organized as fields, record and files
- Presentation Software – designed to showcase an information to an audience.
- Web Browsers – a program that you use to view web pages.
- Personal Information Manager – it is designed to organized names, addresses and random notes for easy and efficient retrieval.
- Integrated Software Packages – A single software program that includes multiple applications.
- Application Suites- a bundle of application that were created packaged and designed to work together.
Operating System
Components of OS
- User Interface
- Kernel (OS Executive)
- File Management System
The User Interface
- It is what users see onscreen and interact with ,when giving a computer instructions and commands. A user communicates to the computer either by typing commands through a graphical user interface.
- Its job is to regulate disk files, memory management, program objectives and tasks and program execution and processes. The kernel is considered the OS core because it controls a computer’s hardware, and is responsible for either directly activating computer hardware or for interfacing with software that drives the hardware.
- It is the OS Organizer, arranging files in hierarchical tree-like structure the root directory. Files are data collection with single, logical names. File name extensions declare a file’s type. Examples are .txt, .jpg, .bmp, .gif
How does an OS Works?
- It takes charge of important activities from the boot up process to the shut down process.
- During the startup routine, the computer looks for an OS, once it has been found, it is loaded into RAM before finally being able to responds to directions from the user or from applications.
- manages memory,
- saves, deletes and retrieves data,
- arranges to display data on the monitor,
- sends data to the printer,
- responds to keystrokes,
- recognizes mouse clicks,
- reads and writes data to the hard and floppy disks.
Major OS
- CP/M
- MS-DOS and PC-DOS
- Microsoft Windows
- OS 2
- MAC OS
- Unix
- Linux
- CP/M
MS-DOS and PC-DOS
- It was formerly a Q-DOS developed by Tim Patterson of Seattle Computer Products.
- It was purchased by Microsoft for $100,000.
- It was refined and named it as MS-DOS
- MSDOS and PC-DOS are identical- These two became prevalent and was used on IBM PC.
MS-DOS Versions
MS-DOS 1.x
- Hardware of the times was only capable of accepting the limited features.
- It offers non-graphic interface
- It uses 5.25” floppy disk (320KB)
- It offers a 10MB Hard Drive, 3 new expansion slots and a serial interface
- More flexible with 128KB of RAM and a floppy drive of up to 360KB.
- It introduced the DOS file system’s familiar hierarchical “tree structure” which is a cornerstone for other OS.
- Hard drives grew to 20MB and 256KB of RAM, 6MHz processor and 1.2mb floppy drive
- It used a work-group-like networking structure.
- It also introduced the 3.5” floppy disc which could accommodate 1.44mb of space.
- MS-DOS 4.x
- It gave users a way to manage files, run programs and perform basic maintenance through a single screen.
- User-friendly enhancements included a limited graphical interface and DOS shell access via a mouse.
- It expands conventional memory.
- It introduces UNFORMAT.EXE & UNDELETE.EXE to make accidentally lost data easier to retrieve.
- DOSKEY.COM makes it possible to use the up arrow key to scroll through the list of previously issued commands saving users to re-type the same thing over and over again
- EDIT.COM to provide a popular simple text editor.
- It added a new anti-virus software, back-up software, defragmenting ability, new configuration possibilities and additional commands.
- It includes a program called DriveSpace.
- DriveSpace is a built-in Windows compression utility that was used to optimize available hard drive space by intercepting files then compressing them prior to actually storing them.
- It features a first graphical user interface
- Mouse began to be used.
- Computer to computer communication
- Windows 1.x – allows multi-tasking, tiled windows and mouse access
- Windows 2.x- allows overlapping application windows.
- Windows 3.x – added an email application, users can share files and hardware, better multi-media capability, file and program manager.
Other Windows Versions
- Windows 95
- Windows 98
- Windows 98 SE
- Windows Me
- Windows XP and XP Plus (whistler)
- Windows Vista
- Windows 7
- Windows 8
MAC OS
- Easy to use GUI and standard plug and play hardware configurations.
- It lacks compatibility with software applications enjoyed by PC users.
- IBM Operating System upgrade led to the emergence of the OS/2 family. It was one of the most powerful OS available when it was initially released but lack of support has forced this OS to disappear from the mainstream market.
- It was designed to accommodate 286 processor
- Designed for users whose power needs are huge and complex.
- It offers major complexity, stability and power
- It forms the operating base for the internet.
- A free Unix-type OS originally created by Linus Torvalds.
- The source code is freely available to everyone.
- Like unix, it has a cryptic-base interface.
Bits - It is a contraction of the words Binary dIgiT. Bit is the binary number system On and Off (1 and 0)
In order for a computer to save information it saves it in terms of Bytes.
Bytes - It is a contraction of the words BinarY digiTs Eight. A byte is necessary in order for the computer to store a character of information.
Files - These are clumps of computer data stored somewhere in your computer. Each file has a name, location and length and usually a date when it was last changed.
What do files do?
- It hold and store information that can be read by the computer.
- What kinds of files are there?
- All files are basically the same. They all have a name, location, a date and they all hold information. However, they can hold lots of different kinds of information, so we often think of this as different kinds of files. Actually, it is just the type of information that is different.