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Learning Material
Quarter 1
(TYPES AND PURPOSE OF
SOFTWARE)
Prepared by:
Checked by:
MARVIN C. PANLILIO Noted:
Teacher III SUSAN B. CELI
Master Teacher I MARLON C.
TUGADE
HT III, Tech-Voc
0
Lesson 2 Types and Purposes of Software

Description:

This lesson covers the performance in the classification of software according to types and purposes.

In this lesson, you will learn how to

• classify of software according to types and purposes.

For you to satisfactorily complete this lesson, you are expected to:

• get at least fifteen (15) correct answers in Activity 3.1.1- Classifying Software According to Type;
• get at least four (4) correct answers in Activity 3.1.2- Classifying Software According to Purpose;
and
• pass the Assessment Test of this lesson.

43 Classifying Computer Software

Definitions/descriptions of computer software:

 Software is computer instructions or data often regarded as anything but hardware or anything that
can be stored electronically.

 Software refers to the programs inside your computer.

 It is a general term used in describing the role that computer programs, procedure and
documentation play in a computer system.

 It provides instructions for a computer.

 It is general term for the various kinds of programs used to operate computers and related devices.

 It refers to the programs, programming languages, and data that direct the operations of a computer
system.

Two types of computer

software: - controls the programs inside your computer
1. System Software - needed to control the operations of computer including managing
memory and peripherals, booting, transferring data from memory
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 to disk, rendering text onto a display device and more.
- Operating System and Utility System are included under this
category

a. Operating System - directs all the activities and sets all the rules for how the
hardware and application software work together
- To allow the user to work, a user must have an interface that
serves as the medium of interaction among the user, software and
hardware. Two interfaces have emerged on the market of
operating systems: CLI and GUI interfaces.

Two Interfaces of Operating System

CLI (Command Line Interface)

 In this interface, the user types in the command.

 The user sees the command line on the monitor.
 A command prompt, shown on the monitor, waits for commands from the user.
 Examples of CLI are DOS, MSDOS and UNIX.

GUI (Graphical User Interface)

 This interface provides graphical representations of files,

folders, commands and programs.
 It makes the computer easier to use.
 Examples of GUI are Mac OS, Ubuntu and different Microsoft
Windows version.

b. Utility Software - a program that that performs a very specific task and
maintains a very specific part of the Windows operating
system

Examples of utility software available in your system are

enumerated below:

Virus Protection – software that scans the computer’s memory, all

files and storage devices that are accessed. Its function is to search
for and remove viruses from your computer.
Disk Compression – software or hardware that compresses or
decompresses data when needed
Disk Cleanup – provides help to the user by searching for files that
can be safely deleted to save space in the hard disk
File Compression – software that makes files smaller than their
original size to decrease the amount of disk space it occupies

2. Application Software works with the operating system software to help you use your
computer to do specific tasks such as typing letters and reports,
making presentations, editing videos, and recording songs

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a. Word Processor

 used to create documents such as letters, reports, manuals, certificates, newsletters, calendars,
and specialized documents such as Web pages. Early word processing programs include Wordstar
and Multimate in the 1980s, and Write and Ami Pro in the 1990s.
 Common word processing programs today include Microsoft Word, WordPerfect and Ami Pro
which was renamed as Word Pro.

Figure 3.4 Screenshots of word processing applications.Word Perfect (behind) and Microsoft Office Word (in
front)

b. Spreadsheet Application o used to store numeric data that can be used in calculations

 calculations can be made automatically as formulas have been preset into the spreadsheet o the
first spreadsheet program was called Visicalc
 Recent spreadsheet programs include Microsoft Excel, Lotus 123 and Quattro Pro.

Figure 3. 5 The past and the present. Screenshots of Visicalc (Left) and Microsoft Office
Excel(Right)
c. Presentation Software

 used to create professional-looking presentations that can may contain text, drawing, pictures,
sounds, video, etc.
 popularly used for presenting reports instead of the usual visual aids
 Examples of this kind of software are Microsoft PowerPoint, Corel Presentation and Lotus
Freelance Graphics.

Figure 3. 6 Presenting the screenshots of presentation software. Impress (left) and Microsoft
Office PowerPoint (right)

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d. Database Application

 used to store and manage large quantities of data organized as records, fields, and files using the
computer
 structures information so you can search the database by specific or generalized content called a
query
 Most industries, schools and other large companies use database applications such as Microsoft
Access, Lotus Approach and dBase Plus database programs.

Figure 3.7 Database software splash screens.

(From rear to front) FileMaker Pro, Microsoft Office Access and Oracle

e. Desktop Publishing Application

 used to create newspapers, newsletters, brochures, and similar types of publications

 commonly used programs today are Microsoft Publisher and Adobe PageMaker

f. Graphics Editing Software

 used to create, scan and edit images and digital photographs on your computer
 Examples are Microsoft Paint, Adobe Photoshop, Corel Photo Paint and CorelDraw.

g. Multimedia Software o used to present data in more than one medium, such as combining text, graphics,
animation, audio and video.

 These kinds of programs are widely used by filmmakers utilizing computers for their special
digital effects. Such programs are the Microsoft Movie Maker, Flash and Power Director.
h. Web Browser

 used to access and view websites and its web pages

 Examples of web browsers are Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator and Mozilla Firefox.

Figure 3. 8 Examples of web browsers shortcut icons