Software Category and Operating Systems

Vocabulary flashcards covering software categories, specific application types, historical operating systems, and computer file basics.

Open System

Software that can be modified for use with any hardware.

Propriety (Proprietary)

Software products designed for particular systems that cannot be used with other hardware.

Word Processors

Applications that are usually the first to lead people to use computers for work; examples include Microsoft Word XP, Lotus WordPro, and Word Perfect.

Spreadsheet Software

Software commonly used for accounting purposes, such as tabulating complex mathematical equations with a row and column matrix.

Database Software

Programs that manage large amounts of data organized as files and records.

Query

A search of a database by specific or generalized content.

Presentation Software

Software designed to showcase information to an audience using graphics, charts, diagrams, photos, and text blocks; examples include Microsoft PowerPoint and Lotus Freelance Graphics.

Web Browsers

Programs used to view web pages, such as Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, and Mozilla Firefox.

Personal Information Manager (PIM)

Software designed to organize names, addresses, and random notes, acting as an electronic equivalent of a conventional book-type personal organizer.

Integrated Software Packages

A single software program that includes multiple applications like word processing, spreadsheet, database, and personal management with limited graphics.

Application Suites

A bundle of applications created and designed to work together, such as Microsoft Office and Lotus SmartSuite.

Operating System

The software that controls the allocation and use of a computer’s hardware and acts as a communicator between the user, hardware, and software.

Operating System Components

The three main parts: User Interface, Kernel (OS Executive), and File Management System.

CP/M (Control Program for Microcomputer)

The first operating system written in 1973 by Gary Kildall using a program language he invented.

MS-DOS and PC-DOS

The 'Quick and dirty Operating System' or Q-DOS, first developed by Tim Patterson of Seattle Computer Products.

Xerox’s Alto

A workstation developed by 1974 that featured the first graphical user interface, mouse, and computer-to-computer communication.

OS/2

An IBM operating system upgrade that was one of the most powerful systems available when initially released.

MAC OS

The name given to Apple Computer's system 7 operating system in 1997, known for its GUI and standard Plug-and-Play configuration.

UNIX

An operating system developed in 1969 for users with huge and complex power needs, offering stability and power.

LINUX

A free UNIX-type operating system originally created by Linus Torvalds under the GNU General Public License.

Windows 1.x

Released on November 20, 1985, it was Microsoft’s first attempt at a multitasking graphical user interface-based operating environment.

Windows 2.x

A 16-bit graphical user interface-based operating environment released in November 1987.

Windows 3.x

The third major release of Microsoft Windows, released on 22 May 1990.

Windows 95

Operating system released in August 1995 that introduced numerous changes and additions.

Windows 98

A more polished version of Windows 95 released to manufacturing on May 15, 1998.

Windows Millennium (Me)

A graphical operating system released on September 14, 2000, that introduced system recovery features.

Windows XP

Released in August 2001 for personal computers; the name is short for 'eXPerience'.

Bits

Digits based on the Binary number system where ON is represented by (1) and OFF is represented by (0).

Files

Clumps of computer data stored with a name, location, length, and usually a date, which can be read by the computer.

Anything.exe / .com / .bat

File extensions for a program or a list of instructions that can be executed by the computer.

Anything.gif

A file extension for graphical information viewed using a graphics program.

Lesson3.html

Textual information that is viewed in a pretty format using a browser program.

RAM

Random Access Memory, a type of special read-only memory in computers.

ROM

Read Only Memory, a special type of memory in computers.