Chapter

Computer Software
5
• Software (also program) consists of a series of
related instructions, organized for a common
purpose that tells the computer what tasks to
perform and how to perform them.
 Ownership

• Proprietary Software
• Shareware
• Freeware
• Public-domain software
• Open source software
Proprietary Software
• Computer programs that are exclusive property
of their developers or publishers, and cannot be
copied or distributed without complying with
their licensing agreements.

• Examples: Microsoft Windows, Adobe Flash Player, PS3

OS, iTunes, Adobe Photoshop, Google Earth, macOS
(formerly Mac OS X and OS X), Skype, WinRAR,
Oracle's version of Java and some versions of Unix.
Shareware
• Copyrighted software that is distributed at no
cost for trial period. To use a shareware beyond
that period, you send payment to the program
developer
• Examples: WinZip, Spyware Doctor with
Antivirus
Freeware

• Copyrighted software provided at no cost to

a user by an individual or company that
retains all rights to the software

• Examples: Free Studio, Adobe Reader,

Skype, Mozilla
Public-domain software

• has been donated for public ands no copyright

restrictions
• anyone can copy or distribute public-domain
software to others at no cost

• examples: SQLite, I2P and CERN

Open-source software
• provided for the use, modification and
redistribution
• has no restriction from the copyright holder
regarding modification of the software's
internal instructions and distribution
• can be downloaded from the Internet
Open-source software
• Examples:
▫ Linux, Ubuntu, Firefox
▫ Open Office, Libre Office
▫ Java, PHP, Phython, Perl
▫ MySQL
Categories of Software
• System Software

• Application Software

• Computer Programming Tools

SYSTEM SOFTWARE

• consists of the programs that control or

maintain the operations of the computers
and its devices.

• It serves as the interface between the user,

the application software, and the computer
hardware.
 Role of Systems Software
Operating
Application and
software systems
software

Users
Hardware
Types of System Software
Operating System
• a set of programs that coordinates
all the activities among computer
hardware devices.

• provides a means for users to

communicate with the computer
and other software.

• Many of today’s computers use

Microsoft’s Windows or Mac OS,
Apple’s operating system.

• It is sometimes called the platform.

Operating System Functions
• Starting and Shutting Down a Computer
• Providing a User Interface
• Managing Programs
• Coordinating Tasks
• Configuring Devices
• Establishing an Internet Connection
• Monitoring Performance
• Providing File Management and Other Utilities
• Updating Software Automatically
• Controlling a Network
• Administering a Security
• Backup Utility
Starting and Shutting Down a
Computer
• Booting - is the process of starting or restarting a computer. When
turning a computer that has been powered off completely, you are
performing a cold boot. A warm boot is the process of using the
operating system to restart a computer

• Each time you boot a computer, the kernel and other frequently
used operating system instructions are loaded, or copied, from the
hard disk (storage) into the computer’s memory (RAM).

• The kernel is the core of an operating system that manages

memory and devices, maintains the computer’s clock, starts
applications, and assigns the computer’s resources, such as devices,
programs, data, and information. The Kernel is a memory resident.
Other parts of the operating system are nonresident that remain on
the hard disk until they are needed.
Providing a User Interface
• You interact with software through user interface.
User interface controls how you enter data and
instructions and how information is displayed on
the screen. Two types:
• Command-line Interface -a user types
commands or presses special keys on the keyboard
to enter data and instructions. It is difficult to use
because it requires exact spelling, grammar, and
punctuation.
• Graphical User Interface (GUI) – you interact
with menus and visual images such as buttons and
graphical objects to issue commands.
Command-line
Interface

Graphical –User
Interface
Managing Programs

• Some Operating System support a single user

and only one running program running at a
time. Others support thousands of users
running multiple programs.

• Single user/single tasking operating

system – one user to run one program.
Example: MS – DOS and Palm OS used in PDAs,
smart phones, and other small computing
devices
Managing Programs
• Single use/multitasking operating system – one user
work on two or more programs that reside in memory at the
same time. Example: an open web browser while working
with word processing or spreadsheet application software.
When a computer is running multiple programs concurrently,
one program is the foreground and others are in the
background. Foreground is the active program that is the
one you currently are using. Background is programs
running but not in use.

• Multiuser operating system enables two or more users to

run programs simultaneously. Networks, servers,
mainframes, and super computers allow hundreds to
thousands of users to connect at the same time, and thus are
multiuser.
Managing Programs
• Multiprocessing operating system enables two or
more processors running programs at the same time.
Multiprocessing involves the coordinated processing of
programs by more than one processor. Multiprocessing
increases a computer’s processing speed.

• Fault-tolerant computer has separate processors. It

continues to operate when one of its components fails,
ensuring that no data is lost. It has duplicate processors,
memory, and disk drives. Airline reservation systems,
communications networks, automated teller machines,
and other systems that must be operational at all times
use fault-tolerant computers.
Configuring Devices

• A driver is a small program that tells the

operating system how to communicate with a
specific device.
• Plug and Play means the operating system
automatically configures new devices as you
install them
Managing Memory
• The purpose of memory management is to
optimize the use of random access memory
(RAM)
• The operating system allocates, or assigns, data
and instructions to an area of memory while
they are being processed, monitors the contents
of memory, and releases these items from being
monitored in memory when the processor no
longer requires them
Scheduling Jobs
• The operating system determines the order in
which jobs are processed

• A job is an operation the processor manages.

Jobs include receiving data from input device,
processing instructions, sending information to
an output device, and transferring items from
storage to memory and from memory to storage.
Scheduling Jobs
• A buffer is a segment of the memory or storage
in which items are placed while waiting to be
transferred from an input device or to an output
device.
• Spooling sends print jobs to a buffer instead of
sending them immediately to the printer
• A program, called print spooler, intercepts
print jobs from the operating system and places
them in queue.
Establishing an Internet Connection

• Operating systems provide a means to establish

Internet connections.

• Some operating systems also include a Web

browser and an e-mail program, enabling you to
begin using the web and communicate with
others as soon as you set up the Internet
connection.
Monitoring Performance
• It is a program that assesses and reports
information about various computer resources
and devices
• The information in the performance reports
helps users and administrators identify a
problem with resources so they can try to resolve
any problems.
Providing File Management and other
Utilities
• Operating systems often provides users with the
capability of managing files, viewing images,
securing a computer from unauthorized access,
uninstalling programs, scanning disks,
defragmenting disks, diagnosing problems,
backing up files and disks, and setting up screen
savers.
Controlling a Network
• Some operating systems are network operating
systems.

• A network operating system is an operating

system that organizes and coordinates how
multiple users access and share resources on a
network
Administering Security
• The network administrator uses the network OS
to establish permission to resources. This
permission defines who can access certain
resources and when they can access those
resources.
• For each user, the network administrator
establishes a user account, which enables a user
to access, or log on to, a computer or a network.
• Each user account consists of a user name and
password.
Types Of Operating Systems
Stand-Alone Operating Systems
• a complete operating system that works on a
desktop computer, notebook computer, or
mobile computer device
• can operate with or without a network.
• include networking capabilities, allowing the
home and small business user to set up a small
network.
Stand-Alone Operating Systems
• DOS (Disk Operating System) it refers to several
single user operating systems developed in the early
1980s for personal computers.It uses command line
interface. Example: PC-DOS and MS-DOS

• Windows XP – provides graphical user interface

(GUI). It is available in five (5) editions: Home
Edition, Professional, Media Center Edition, Tablet
PC Edition

• Windows Vista - the successor to Windows XP. It

is available in several editions, which are grouped
into two general categories: Home and Business.
Stand-Alone Operating Systems
• Windows 7, 8 & 10 - release of Microsoft Windows for
use on personal computers, including home and business
desktops, laptops, notebooks, tablet PCs, and media
center PCs.

• Mac OS X – Macintosh Operating System. It is

operating system used with Apple Macintosh computers.
Its latest version is multitasking operating system.

• UNIX– (pronounced as you-nix) is a multitasking

operating system. Although, some versions of UNIX
have a command-line interface, most versions of UNIX
offer a graphical user interface.
Stand-Alone Operating Systems
• Linux – (pronounced as LINN-uks)is a popular,
open source, multitasking UNIX-type operating
system. It includes many free programming
languages and utility programs.

• Google Chrome OS is a Linux-based lightweight

open source operating system designed by Google to
work exclusively with web applications (cloud-based
applications) and will run only on specifically
designed hardware. Only used for connecting to the
Internet.
Network Operating Systems
• Network Operating system is designed
specifically to support all sizes of networks,
including medium to large-sized business and
Web servers.

• It resides on a server.
Network Operating Systems

• Novell’s Netware designed for client/server

networks.

• Windows Server 2008 which is an upgrade

to Windows Server 2003, which was an upgrade
to Windows 2000 Server, which was an upgrade
to Windows NT Server.
Network Operating Systems
• UNIX and Linux often are called multipurpose
operating systems because they are both stand-
alone and network operating systems.

• Solaris, a version of UNIX developed by Sun

Microsystems, is an operating system designed
specifically for e-commerce applications.

• Netware
Embedded Operating Systems

• built in into the circuitry of an electronic device

• found in a wide variety of devices including

appliances, automobiles, bar-code scanners, cell
phones, medical equipment, and personal digital
assistants
Embedded Operating Systems
• Windows CE – designed for use on communications,
entertainment, and computing devices with limited functionality.
Examples of devices that use Windows CE include Voice over IP
devices, industrial control devices, point-of-sale terminals, security
robots, navigations systems, media players, ticket machines, and
computerized sewing machines.
• Windows Mobile – based on Windows CE. Window Mobile-based
devices include PDAs, called the Pocket PC or smart phones. With
the Windows Mobile and operating system and a Pocket PC or smart
phones, users have access to the basic PIM (Personal Information
Manager) functions such as contact lists, schedules, tasks, calendar,
and notes.
• Palm OS, which is a competing operating system to Windows
Mobile, runs on PDAs and smart phones. With Palm OS and a
compatible PDA, users manage schedules and contact, telephone
messages, project notes, reminders, tasks and address lists, and
important dates and appointments.
Embedded Operating Systems
• BlackBerry OS is a proprietary mobile operating system,
developed by Research In Motion for its BlackBerry line of
smartphone handheld devices. The operating system provides
multitasking and supports specialized input devices that have been
adopted by RIM for use in its handhelds, particularly the
trackwheel, trackball, and most recently, the trackpad and
touchscreen.
• Google Android is Google's tablet OS, because it's built around a
touch-screen interface.
• Embedded Linux – designed for PDAs, smart phones, smart
watches, set-top boxes, Internet telephones, and many other types
of devices and computers requiring an embedded operating system.
PDAs and smart phones with embedded Linux offer calendar and
address book and other PIM functions, touch screens, and
handwriting recognition.
• Symbian OS is an open source multitasking operating system
designed for smart phones. Users enter data by pressing keys on
keypad or keyboard, touching the screen, and writing on the screen
with stylus.
Utility Program
• Utility Programs allow a user to perform
maintenance-type tasks usually related to
managing a computer, its devices, or its
programs
• Most operating systems include several utility
programs for managing disk drives, printers,
and other devices and media
Examples of Utility Programs
• File Manager
• Disc Burning
• Image Viewer
• Uninstaller
• File Conversion
• Disk Defragmenter
• Backup and Restore Utilities
• Screen Saver
• Personal Firewall
• Antivirus Programs
• Spyware and Adware Removers
• Internet Filters
• File Compression
• Personal Computer Maintenance
File Manager

• performs formatting and copying disks;

displaying a list of files on a storage medium;
checking the amount of used or free space on a
storage medium; and organizing, copying,
renaming, deleting, moving, and sorting files.
Image Viewer

• allows users to display, copy, and print the

contents of graphic files.

• Users can see images without having to open

them in paint or image editing programs.
Antivirus Programs
• protects a computer against viruses by identifying
and removing any computer viruses found in
memory, on storage media, or on incoming files.
Example of Antivirus software: McAfee VirusScan
and Norton Antivirus

• Computer virus describes potentially damaging

computer program that affects, or infects, a
computer negatively by altering the way the
computer works without the user’s knowledge or
permission. Examples of virus: Worm and Trojan
horse.
Spyware Remover
• detects and deletes spyware, adware, and similar
programs.

• Spyware is a program placed on a computer

without the user’s knowledge that secretly collects
information about the user, often related to Web
browsing habits. It communicates the information it
collects to some outside source while you are online.

• Adware is a program that displays online

advertisement in a banner or pop-up window on
web pages, e-mail, or other Internet services.
Internet Filters
• remove or block certain items from being
displayed. Three widely used Internet filters are:

• Anti-Spam Programs is a filtering program

that attempts to remove spam before it reaches
your inbox. Spam is an unsolicited e-mail
message or newsgroup sent to many recipients
at once.
Internet Filters
• Web Filter Software is a program that restricts
access to certain material on the Web.
• Many businesses use it to limit employee’s Web
Access.
• Some schools, libraries, parents use this to restrict
access to minors.

• Pop-Up Blockers is a filtering program that stops

pop-up ads from displaying on Web pages.
• A pop-up ad is an Internet advertisement that
appears in a new window in the foreground of a Web
page displayed in your browser
File Compression
• shrinks the size of file(s)
• a compressed file takes less storage space than
original file
• uploading and downloading compressed files to
and from the Internet reduces the file
transmission time.

• Compressed files are called zipped files. You

must uncompress or unzip received or
downloaded files to restore its original form.
Two popular stand-alone file compression
utilities are PKZIP and WinZip.
File Conversion
• transforms the contents of a file or data from
one format to another.
▫ PDF to Word
▫ PDF to Excel
▫ PDF to PowerPoint
CD/DVD Burning
• writes text, graphics, audio, and video files on a
recordable or rewritable CD or DVD. It also
includes photo editing, audio editing, and video
editing capabilities.
Personal Computer Maintenance /
Disk Scanner
• Operating Systems typically include a diagnostic
utility that diagnose computer problems but does
not repair them.
• A personal computer maintenance utility
identifies and fixes operating system problems,
detects and repairs disk problems (both physical and
logical problem in the hard disk: such as scratch and
corrupt files), and includes the capability of
improving a computer’s performance
• Norton System Works is a popular personal
computer maintenance utility designed for windows
operating system.
Backup and Restore Utilities
• It allows users to copy, or backup, selected files
or an entire hard disk to another storage
medium such as CD or DVD, external hard disk,
tape or USB flash drive.
• Backup files are compressed during the backup
process
• If you need the backup files, a restore program
reverses the process and returns them in their
original form.
Personal Firewall
• protects a personal computer from unauthorized
intrusions
• If you operating system do not include a firewall
or you want additional protection, you can
purchase stand-alone personal firewall utility or
a hardware firewall, which is a device such as
router that has a built-in firewall.
Uninstaller
• deletes files and folders from the hard disk, as
well as removes program entries from the
system files.
Screen Saver
• causes a display device’s screen to show a
moving image or blank screen if no keyboard or
mouse activity occurs for a specified time.
• When you touch the keyboard or move the
mouse, it disappears and the screen returns to
the previous states.
Disk Defragmenter
• reorganizes the files and unused space on a
computer’s hard disk so the operating system
accesses the data more quickly and programs
run faster.