Software Technologies

Platform Dependency
Platform Dependency is when [most] games are designed and
built on computers before theyre ported over to its desired or
relevant platform e.g. consoles. [1] Games and software that
are platform dependent (e.g. consoles) have a very specific
development cycle so the games are exclusive to their
platform i.e. PlayStation 4. An example of this is that
developers are given dev kits if theyre interested in creating a
game where its IP and software is dependent only to i.e. PS4.

http://www.unchartedthegame.com/en-us/games/uncharted-4 &
http://www.coolsmartphone.com/2015/07/30/farewell-ouya-we-never-
really-knew-ya/

On the other hand, games and software that are platform

independent such as Ouya will have cross-platform capable
software, allowing the games to work over a variety of
platforms rather than just one platform and encouraging an
easier, more open development cycle.
Platform Operating Systems
An Operating System is a piece of computer software where its
role is to act as computer hardware management for computer
hardware such as CPUs, GPUs etc. by connecting hardware
with the user and any program running on the computer. [2] To
elaborate on this, when a person boots up their computer and
views the desktop, the software will send out a system call,
calling out to hardware components to perform must-finish
tasks in order for the software itself to continue to function. [3]
If it doesnt continue to function, it wont be able to send any
more requests to hardware components [and more], including
being able to organise and process them, so the computer
wont know what to do and crash.

http://balkan-metin2.tk/heli/crashed-computer-wuh.php & http://finitysoft-

memory-manager.soft112.com/

Relating back to system calls, system calls are received by an

operating system memory manager to provide a block size of
system memory to an initiated program so it can run properly
and hopefully efficiently. This block size of memory will not be
wasted forever as the memory manager terminates the
memorys usage from its corresponding program once its
closed, therefore the memory will go back to the manager so it
can be reserved for other programs the user opens. All system
calls are translated into the hardwares language which the
operating system then slots into an active queue, altering the
queue how it sees fit to make sure that everything in the
computer is well-managed.
Furthermore, operating systems have a programming
responsibility too as they bootstrap programs; when operating
systems lace together one program to the next, executing them
in sequence whilst other programs are loading, hence the term
bootstrapping. [4] Operating systems are heavy multi-taskers
as they control of lots of other functions: file management,
resource allotment (by sending keyboard/mouse inputs to
programs), security issue handling (like restore points and
back-ups in case e.g. system files temporarily get lost) and
interface provision (such as graphical user interfaces (GUIs)
AKA sign-in buttons, buffering sign etc.

https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photos-loading-buffering-icon-set-
preloaders-vector-illustration-image35761573

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Mobile-Phone-Tools/Sony-Ericsson/PC-File-
Manager-software-for-Sony-Ericsson-P9xx.shtml &
http://www.robertyale.com/blog/2011/3/2/find-lost-files-when-autosave-
fails-in-microsoft-word.html

In addition to this, utility apps may be included in operating

systems to improve its performance. For example, there are
disk defragmenters that make hard disks run faster by
rewriting files and putting them together to prevent them from
slowing down the computers drives. Another example is a
software firewall that stop[s] unwanted traffic from the internet
entering the computer and the last example is an anti-virus
software which is a malware prevention attempter; it prevents
malware from entering the computer by scanning it and
connected devices e.g. flash drive.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/usb-flash-drives/b?ie=UTF8&node=430554031

http://www.frys.com/product/8043284 &
http://www.theeldergeek.com/disk_defragmenter_utility.htm

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/free-firewalls-windows/ &
http://www.technoinsta.com/top-5-best-antivirus-software-of-2012/

There are many examples of operating systems and all function

on specific platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac OS X Lion, Apple,
Snow Leopard for the PC, Windows [CE] and Palm OS for
Handheld Devices, Symbian OS, BREW and Mophun for Mobile
Devices & Xross Media Bar, Xbox 360 System Software, Wii
System Software for Consoles. Most of the mentioned operating
systems are network operating systems (NOS), meaning that
these operating systems will be on every computer connected
to [their] network. There are two types of NOS: server NOS e.g.
Microsoft Windows and client NOS e.g. Windows 7
Professional both needed for a client-server network.

https://www.extremetech.com/computing/128247-getting-started-with-
linux-commands,
http://vsrecommendedgames.wikia.com/wiki/File:Palm_OS_logo.png,
https://www.esato.com/board/viewtopic.php?topic=116988 &
http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/site/support/support_console.html

Device Drivers (Sound & Graphic)

Operating systems interact with hardware devices like sound
and graphic cards by using software known as device drivers,
which will be loaded/booted from the memory of the platform
e.g. computer to indirectly control the device. These drivers are
important since they enable hardware, such as the sound and
graphic cards, to write their code and once their code has been
written, the drivers permit the code to work on a plethora of
computers as long as they have the same (or similar,
depending on the circumstances) operating systems. Hardware,
such as the mentioned cards, are either difficult or impossible
to update so their platform performance tends not to be up-to-
scratch (unless a firmware upgrade updates them), so
hardware manufacturers update [their] drivers instead to
improve performance and/or include additional functionality
manufacturers can add these updates, but the users must
accept them to get the maximum performance that their
platform hardware can achieve.
 https://www.draytek.co.uk/archive/kb_vigor_reflash.html

There are 3 types of device drivers: sound card drivers,

graphics card drivers and network interface controllers (NIC).
Sound Card & Graphics Card Drivers basically act as the
consumers of their hardware counterparts provision as the
hardware counterparts (sound cards and graphics cards) need a
driver so that their software components are passed into a
compatible hardware device which can then relay information
from the working cards into the computer. [5] On the other
hand, a NIC is an installable card that permits a long-term, full-
time connection of the users computer to a network there are
NICs that contain local area network (LAN) transmission
technology so computers can connect to a LAN. [6]

http://ph.rs-online.com/web/p/network-interface-cards/6733093/

Application Software
Application software is software that is used as a set of tools
for building software programs including games. An example of
application software is an Application Programming Interface
(API) which provides building blocks that programmers can use
to build their game[s], making it simpler to develop games.
APIs also make the production of games simpler and more
efficient by interpreting or compiling code languages e.g.
UnrealScript and Maya and scripting.

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?
itemName=georgewfraser.vscode-javac

http://www.yingpeigames.com/tech/tech-unreal-script.html

Interpreted code languages like Java are the slowest out of all
the accessible code language types to process in comparison to
compiled code languages like C++ are faster to process. In
addition to the comparison of both these code languages
speed, the lines of code in interpreted code languages (when
read and processed) are checked and processed one after
another meaning that if there is a loop in the programming
code, it will continuously check the same lines of code over and
over. Whereas, compiled code languages can run 6x quicker
than interpreted code languages because lines of code within
these code languages dont need to be checked and processed
constantly. Not to mention that compiles lines of code can be
compressed, so the speed (in which theyre read) is more rapid.
Due to these comparisons, interpreted code languages are
often adopted on e.g. mobile devices whereas compiled code
languages are typically used for larger games such as games
produced for a console.

https://www.lynda.com/in/C-Plus-Plus

The other three unmentioned code languages are object-

oriented, scripting/scripts and embedded: Firstly, object-
oriented codes / code languages such as C++ can have
different parts of code wrapped around their own objects until
theyre needed during the run-time of programs. Secondly,
Scripts such as UnrealScript are used in the background of
running games and are normally entwined with complex game
engines, i.e. UnrealScript is entwined with UnrealEngine, to
run them. Since scripts are short, they can be rapidly written
and designed to carry out complex actions and events e.g.
action = a cut-scene and event = rendering certain areas. As a
brief point, scripts are also required to control artificial
intelligence (AI). Finally, embedded languages such as VBA are,
as the name implies, programming languages that are
embedded into an application. [7] Moreover, these languages
exist to be an app extension to extend upon the apps
foundation!

http://www.techspot.com/downloads/6697-unreal-engine.html,
http://ccm.net/faq/1629-vba-getting-all-the-information-about-a-file &
 http://bergman-udl.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/cool-chrome-extensions-
photo-editing.html

Graphical APIs

http://rfmw.em.keysight.com/wireless/helpfiles/n7600b/Content/Main/API_
Programming_Examples.htm &
http://hardwareandsoftwaretechnologiesforgames.weebly.com/graphics-
api-sound-api.html

Graphical APIs are application program interfaces that are used

to define 2D and 3D graphics on platforms and hardware for
those platforms such as displays - two of the main Graphical
APIs that are used in games are the OpenGL and the
DirectX/Direct3D graphical APIs. [8]

http://directx-windows.ru/directx-9-skachat-dlya-windows-7-64-32,
couldnt find OpenGL graphics adapter so this is a random graphics
adapter: http://salestores.com/matrox01.html

Companies that would develop graphical applications would

have to rewrite those to work accordingly with different
operating systems that are used on different platforms; The
Open Graphics Library (OpenGL) is one of the leading graphical
APIs because an [OpenGL] application can create the same
effects in any operating system using any OpenGL-adhering
graphics adapter which is good since it means that OpenGL
can connect to operating systems and their windowing
environments whilst being independent to each OSs windowing
characteristics.
Graphical APIs allow for the use of a large number of built-in
capabilities, if the user has the correct application programs,
such as alpha blending, texture mapping, viewing and
modelling transformations, atmospheric effects etc. Plus, the
obvious function of the [graphical] APIs is that people can
develop applications for e.g. OpenGL for free, which are easily
accessible to download on operating systems like Microsofts
Windows Systems, despite themselves not being dev kits.
 Sound APIs

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb945061.aspx,
http://focusmelodie.pt/?portfolio=direct-sound,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenAL &
https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?
itemName=georgewfraser.vscode-javac

Three of the main Sound APIs that are used in games are the
DirectSound, OpenAL and the Java Sound API. Sound APIs such
as DirectSound were originally designed for the purpose of
enhancing audio for games only, but now theyre used in a wide
selection of audio apps (for instance, Adobe Audition CC 2015).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Adobe_Audition_CC_Logo.png &
http://gamedesh.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/free-download-adobe-audition-
cs5-5.html

Using DirectSound as the main example, this Sound API

provides a low-latency interface to sound card drivers written
for a range of Windows operating systems spanning from
Windows 95 to Windows XP. [9] Sound APIs (as a whole) are
APIs that are specifically designed for sound creation and
manipulation.
 http://www.drivers.com/update/drivers-news/audio-drivers-and-sound-cards/,
http://driver-pro.com/related/english/solving-sound-driver-problems/ &
http://www.guidebookgallery.org/screenshots/win95, PRESENTATION

These are some of the examples of its capabilities: its ability to

handle the mixing and recording of multiple audio streams &
data, including being able to record, mix and add affects to
existing sound itself and pass audio data to sound cards / sound
card drivers. The allowance of audio capture, when utilising an
[sound] input device like a microphone or a sound recorder, and
the ability to control the effects of the audio throughout the
duration of the audio capture process. Finally, it has the ability
to play multichannel/multitrack sounds at [a] high resolution.

http://superuser.com/questions/633515/my-computer-microphone-is-
recording-to-only-one-channel &
https://multimedia.journalism.berkeley.edu/tutorials/audio-recorders/

Television
There are 3 ways software is utilised for televisions (TVs):
Conditional Access software, ITV and ETV. Conditional access
software restricts users from accessing through scrambled
channels and restricts users from accessing specific content on
the TV by encrypting it unless the user enters the correct,
required information.
http://pagalstudent.blogspot.co.uk/p/what-is-conditional-access-system-it-
is.html

Interactive Television (ITV) is a government enforced licence-fee

paid-based service that (in the name) acts as an approach for
interactivity and live communication between both the viewers
and the advertisers + programming executives. [10] This is
achieved via ideas like shopping channels that broadcast
available products for viewers to respond and buy.

http://0113038.ru/tv-shopping-tv.php &
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20111118/arts-
entertainment/hollywood-blockbusters-for.394451

To conclude as the final explanation, Enhanced Television (ETV)

is television that is enhanced by providing a larger variety of
channels, releasing the viewer from the previously limited
selection of channels. Concerning the question of being able to
get ETV, service providers provide smart cards for purchase
which enhances the content of the customers television. Plus,
for those who love to use the internet as well as watching
television, they can get their streaming content enhanced
through linked software codes.
 Conclusion
As a conclusion to software technologies, software is very
important to our platforms as its the more controlling ware of
the whole platforming platforms i.e. the software controls and
manages the hardware which helps its platform to function and
perform [at its best]. Not to forget to mention that software
itself enhances the performance of platforms and our
experience of using those platforms, because without it we
would feel decrepit in a thriving technological world.
As a side note, exclusively for the belief of the future for code
languages, it will be intriguing if we could progress to a point
where we could create code languages that are so valuable (not
money-wise) that they can fix the smallest problems such as
the current capability of document recovery. Now, a document
can be recovered up to its last saved point; if code languages
were pushed to e.g. have code written and processed faster
than compiled code languages which could, for this common
problem, recover document literally at the point the user lost
the document. It may not be considered a breakthrough, but it
would have a much bigger impact than expected for many
people!
With software advancing the depths of our control over modern
technology, it wouldnt be surprising if other wares in the future
are designed to manage the software as the software manages
the hardware!
 Reference List
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[Accessed: 3 November 2016].
[2] Pearson. (2013). BTEC First: Information and Creative Technology.
1sted. Essex: Pearson Education Ltd.
[3] Software Technologies Part Two Operating Systems. (2016). Frazer
McLeod. Available from. https://prezi.com/vjsnrgpx-dqc/software-
technologies-part-two-operating-systems/ [Accessed: 17 November 2016].
[4] Software Technologies. (2016). Frazer McLeod. Available from.
https://prezi.com/o4w8jovkaemq/software-technologies/ [Accessed: 17
November 2016].
[5] Liutilities. (2016). How to Install a Sound Driver. Retrieve from.
http://www.liutilities.com/how-to/install-a-sound-driver/ [Accessed: 17
November 2016].
[6] TechTarget. (2006). network interface card (NIC). Retrieve from.
http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/definition/network-interface-card
[Accessed: 17 November 2016].
[7] PCMag. (2016). embedded language. Retrieve from.
http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/42549/embedded-language
[Accessed: 17 November 2016].
[8] TechTarget. (2011). OpenGL (Open Graphics Library). Retrieve from.
http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/OpenGL-Open-Graphics-Library
[Accessed: 15 November 2016].
[9] Wikipedia. (2016). DirectSound. Retrieve from.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DirectSound [Accessed: 15 November 2016].
[10] TechTarget. (2011). interactive TV (interactive television). Retrieve
from. http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/interactive-TV-interactive-
television [Accessed: 15 November 2016].