What you have to know

1. What is a General Purpose Package Examples of GPP’s What GPP’s are used for Common features of GPP’s Types of data used What you have to know

2. General Purpose Packages (GPPs) are commercially available, fully tested software packages that are designed to allow the user to solve a range of problems. What are General Purpose Packages?

3. Examples of GPPs Word processing Graphics Spreadsheet Database Desktop publishing Web page creation What are General Purpose Packages?

4. Word processing; producing text documents, such as letters, memos, essays, and books Database; storing, searching, and sorting data such as: names and addresses, customers’ details, pupils’ test scores. What do General Purpose Packages do?

5. Spreadsheet; storing numbers and performing calculations using formulae Examples: bank account details, household expenditure, league tables. Graphics; producing graphics, illustrations, drawings, cartoons, diagrams, processing digital photographs What do General Purpose Packages do?

6. Web page creation; producing web pages and websites Multimedia and presentation; producing multimedia presentations What do General Purpose Packages do?

7. Desktop publishing; producing documents that enable you to combine text and graphics with a high degree of control and precision What do General Purpose Packages do?

8. Expert system; storing and processing the knowledge of an expert Used to help people make complex decisions. What do General Purpose Packages do?

9. Common features refers to the things that most GPPs do that are the same: Commands that do the same thing Run: open an application New: create a new empty file Load: open an existing file Save: stores any changes Print: produces a hardcopy Common features of GPPs

10. Operations (actions) within the application that are the same Insert: add information Amend: alter information Delete: remove information Change: alter text appearance Copy: duplicate information Move: rearrange information Common features of GPPs

11. Three types of data that can be stored using GPPs Numbers Text Graphics Storing data in GPPs

12. GPPs are multipurpose Application packages such as games are only single purpose For example a word processing program can be used for many different purposes You have to add your own data or information to a GPP What are General Purpose Packages?

13. Why are General Purpose Package’s used The advantages of using GPP’s What you have to know

14. GPPs are very productive allowing us to perform tasks such as calculations or searching for information GPPs enable us to complete our tasks quickly and efficiently. Why use GPPs?

15. Documents (files) and data can be kept accurate and up to date much easier than if done on paper because entering data and amending existing data is simple Lots of files can be stored in the one place and backup copies kept in case of loss or corruption Why use GPPs?

16. You can easily access the files stored on backing storage for example on your computers hard disk or the network’s server You can easily change the style of the content or the layout of a document any time you need to. Why use GPPs?

17. Using GPPs you can produce a whole range of different types of documents that you can use to communicate ideas and information to people With word processing software you can write letters, produce handouts, write essays, create menus and lists, and produce worksheets. Why use GPPs?

18. Using GPPs means that businesses can reduce their costs by employing less staff to the same amount of work The applications can be expensive but the increase in productivity they bring will reduce costs in the long term Why use GPPs?

19. Information is processed more speedily and accurately than if done by pen, paper and brain power alone It is easy to make amendments (changes) It is easy to change the layout of a document Information is easier to access than if it was stored in a filing cabinet especially using a computer network Leading to an overall increase in productivity The advantages of GPPs

20. What is the Human Computer Interface The different types of HCI The different elements of a HCI What you have to know

21. The Human Computer Interface (HCI) is the part of the computer system that people use to interact and communicate with the computer The Human Computer Interface

22. Customizing the HCI means changing the user interface The Human Computer Interface

23. The Graphical User Interface (GUI) GUIs use graphics to control the computer’s actions or commands for example loading an application or printing a document The Human Computer Interface

24. The most common type of GUI is called a WIMP environment: Window Icon Menu Pointer The Human Computer Interface

25. The Human Computer Interface • Windows • A window contains information that is relevant to a task for example a word processing document or what is in a folder

26. The Human Computer Interface • Icons • These are small pictures that represent different actions or commands

27. The Human Computer Interface • Menus • These are often “drop down” and give the user a list of options

28. The Human Computer Interface • Pointers • Usually in the form of an arrow, a pointer can be moved around the screen using a mouse a

29. WIMP environments have been developed to make communicating with the computer more user friendly The easier a computer or piece of software is to use the more user friendly it is The Human Computer Interface

30. Toolbars The toolbar is a line of screen buttons (icons), which represent the actions or tools that are currently available This makes communicating with the computer easy as the most frequently used actions are represented on the toolbar The Human Computer Interface

31. The Human Computer Interface A Selection of toolbars available in Microsoft Word

32. What is a Wizard What is a Template What is an integrated package What are the advantages of an integrated package The social implications of using GPP’s What you have to know

33. User friendly applications will give you help to create documents using a wizard A wizard takes you through the process of setting up a document step by step Wizards and Templates

34. A wizard usually offers a choice of templates for you to use A template is a ready made document with blank areas for you to insert text or graphics Wizards and Templates

35. Wizards and Templates Some examples of templates for use in PowerPoint presentations

36. Here you can see the areas in which the user has to add the data

37. Integrated packages combine two, three or more GPPs Integrated packages have some advantages over using separate GPPs Integrated packages

38. Advantages Different types of documents can be open at the same time and you can easily switch between them Integrated packages cost less than buying a series of individual GPPs Integrated packages

39. All integrated packages have a common HCI That means the will share common commands, icons and keyboard presses will be the same menus will be similar especially menus like File and Edit Integrated packages

40. Advantage of a common HCI Because the HCI is so similar in each application, it makes it easier for the user to move between the different parts of the integrated package without having to learn about new menus, icons and keyboard shortcuts. Integrated packages

41. Some jobs might be lost but for most people the introduction of new systems and packages means that their jobs change to fit in with the computer systems New jobs are created such as computer programmers and web site designers Social Implications of GPPs

42. Some people may have to be retrained so that they can learn new skills Training can be expensive however once its done then the business should run more efficiently and productivity should increase Social Implications of GPPs

43. Economic costs Initial costs: the cost of purchasing and installing all the hardware and software Social Implications of GPPs

44. Although there are costs associated with GPPs the view is that the advantages of GPPs outweigh the disadvantages which are: speed of processing data accuracy of processing ease of amendment Summary

45. Productivity The rate at which goods or services are produced especially output per unit of labour. Why use GPPs? Return to slide 19

46. Now answer all the questions in the worksheet Click on the hyperlink below GPP PP f.g.c. questions 1.30 Once you have finished go to the next slide

47. GPP revision Do this after completing the revision questions Click on the hyperlink below Bitesize revision