Software Applications - Quick Reference

Chapter 1: Introduction to Software Applications

  • Software suite: collection of related programs—usually application or programming software—sharing a similar GUI and the ability to exchange data with each other.

  • Advantages:

    • Less costly than buying individual packages

    • Identical or very similar GUI

    • Designed to interface with each other

    • Helps the learning curve of the user

  • Disadvantages:

    • Some purchased features may never be used

    • May take significant disk space (bloatware)

    • Likely to require significant effort for maintenance

  • Types of Software Suites:

    • Office suite: bundled productivity software for knowledge workers; components distributed together with a consistent UI and ability to interact

    • Internet suite: includes web browser, email client, news client/address book, download manager, HTML editor, IRC client

    • Graphics suite: graphics tools distributed together; programs can interact at a higher level than the OS allows; examples include Adobe Graphics Suite, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite, Microsoft Expression Studio

  • Integrated Development Environment (IDE): software application that provides facilities for software development; typically includes a source code editor, build automation tools, and a debugger; some IDEs include a compiler/interpreter, others do not

Lesson 2: Office Tools

  • Office tools are application software that assist users in regular office tasks (creating/updating/maintaining documents, handling data, creating presentations, scheduling, etc.).

  • Benefits: saves time; automates repetitive tasks.

  • Core components:

    • Word processors

    • Spreadsheets

    • Presentation software

    • Email tools

Word Processor

  • Purpose: create, save, and edit text documents

  • Common examples: MS Word, WordPad, WordPerfect, Google Docs

Spreadsheet

  • Purpose: process and analyze tabular data; data entered in cells; supports formulas and functions

  • Common examples: MS Excel, Gnumeric, Google Sheets

  • Typical activities: simple calculations, charts/graphs, data entry, data formatting, cell formatting, calculations based on logical comparisons

Spreadsheet Activities (summary)

  • Simple calculations

  • Chart/graph creation

  • Data entry and formatting

  • Cell-level formatting

  • Logical calculations

Presentation Tool

  • Purpose: present information in small chunks across slides

  • A slide deck forms a coherent idea for an audience; slides may include text, images, tables, audio, video, and other media

  • Popular tools: MS PowerPoint, OpenOffice Impress, Lotus Freelance

Email Tools

  • Email is a service to send messages electronically over the internet; efficient, inexpensive, real-time means of distributing information

References

  • https://www.tutorialspoint.com/basicsofcomputers/basicsofcomputersofficetools.htm

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzS2ivdiSS8