Information System Software

What is software?

Software is the general term for various kinds of programs used to operate and manipulate computers and their peripheral devices. Software is intangible meaning it “cannot be touched” and it also can be thought of as the variable part of the computer. There are many types and categories of software.

Application software - allow end users to accomplish one or more specific (not directly computer developed related) tasks.

Under the application software there are two type of software which are general purpose application software and function-specific application software.

	General Purpose Application Software			Function-Specific Application Software
Function	-Program that perform common information processing jobs for end users. Since they significantly creates the productivity of end users, they are sometimes known as productivity packages.			-Thousand of these packages support specific application for end users.
Example	- Word processing, spreadsheet, Database management ,graphic program, web browsers, electronic mail and groupware.			- Customer relationship management, enterprise resource planning, supply chain management, web-enabled electronic commerce.
General Purpose Application Program		Function				Example
Web Browsers		- software application design to support the navigation through the point-and-click hyper-linked resources of the web.				Internet explorer, Netscape Navigator, Firefox, Opera or Mozilla.
E-mail			- software to communicate by sending and receiving messages and attachments via the internet, intranet, or extranet.		Window live hotmail, yahoo mail
Word-processing			- allow user to create, edit, and print documents and it can also convert document to HTML format.		Microsoft word, Lotus WordPro, Corel WordPerfect
Electronic Spreadsheet			-Used by business for analysis, planning and modeling. - worksheet of rows and columns. -Help you develop charts and graphic displays of spreadsheet results.		Microsoft Excel and Corel QuattroPro
Database			- software that provides tools for organizing data into a form that allows for efficient search and retrieval.
Groupware			- software that helps workgroups collaborate on group assignments. -combines a variety of software and functions to facilitate collaboration.		Lotus notes, Novell Group Wise, Microsoft Exchange

Application software for business comes in two primary forms : Custom software and Commercial Off-the-shelf(COTS).

Custom software - use to identify software applications that are developed within

an organization for used by the organization and it is owned by

the organization that developed it.

Commercial Off-the-shelf - developed with the intention of selling the software in

multiple copies to make profit. The purchasers of

COTS software generally have no control over the

specification, schedule, evolution, or access to either

the source code or internal documentation. A COTS

product is sold, leased, or licensed to the general

public but the vendor of the product retains the

intellectual property rights of the software.