Software

1. Software Generic Application Software

2. Learning Objectives • Describe generic applications in general. • Describe common generic applications.

3. Generic / General Purpose Software • Can be used in different situations to accomplish different things.

4. Word Processing • Used for applications that have the need to communicate with others using text. • E.g. • Writing letters / reports – to customers or suppliers etc.. • Junk mail/ mail merging to produce personalised letters. • Preparing text documents for use in other software packages.

5. Mail Merge • A standard letter is written containing empty fields or data markers / areas. • A database is queried with criteria to find the required records. • The fields are merged in from the query and the personalised letters printed. • http://www.video2brain.com/en/lessons/introduction-to-mail-merge • https://www.ischool.utexas.edu/technology/tutorials/office/mail_merge/02partI.php

6. Spreadsheets • Stores different types of data. • Perform automatic calculations and functions (e.g. Look Up) on the areas (cells) where the numerical data is being stored. • E.g. • To do business accounts / produce invoices • Budgeting. • Financial modelling. • Payrolls (although other, more specialised, payroll software would be used in a large scale application). • Any situation that requires the manipulation of figures to give accurate results or forecasts or predictions.

7. Databases • Store data (e.g. all the students in a college, lists of the recipients of junk mail, customer / stock files) in tables as records and fields to allow fast searching for answers to queries. • Fields (columns) - storage space for one data item. • E.g. 0ne student's name. • Records (rows) - All the data about an entity. • E.g. A single student • If a field is supposed to contain an image then pointers to the start and end of each image are stored in the field of each individual record. • i.e. Not the image itself.

8. Presentation software • Produces shows which typically follow a storyboard of individual screens and can consist of: • Slide transitions • Text • Graphics • Animation • Sound • Output: • A single monitor for an automated display in a department store. • Presentations for marketing, advertising or training.

9. Image Manipulation Software • Digital camera used to capture images / photographs or scanner to digitize an image using an array of light sensitive pixels. • It can then be uploaded onto a computer using a USB cable or flash card reader. • It would then be stored in computer memory, hard disk or a flash memory stick as a series of bytes in jpeg, gif or bitmap forms. • Image can be cropped / resized / enhanced / colour contrast changed / manipulated. • Image data can be compressed using file compression utility. • e.g. storing area of single colour rather than individual bits and by reducing the colour space to the most common colours in the image.

10. Desktop publishing (DTP) • Produces a page of printed output that has been designed by using advanced layout techniques. • Contains powerful tools for arranging these individual items on the page. One of these tools is frames which divide up the content and to wrap text around graphics to make it attractive to customers. • E.g. • Production of advertising material, newsletters, leaflets, posters, proof copies of books and magazines. • As word processors have become more advanced the distinction between a DTP package and a word processor has become blurred.

11. Computer Aided Design (CAD) • The use of a computer system to design a commodity. • E.g. new buildings, a carburettor to fit a particular engine, a new traffic flow system around a town. • Automatically calculates things like costs / stresses / volumes of material needed / etc. ... • Can simulate finished product and test in different situations before physical manufacture. • Allows for changes to be easily made before physical manufacture.

12. Computer Aided Manufacture (CAM) • Use of a computer to help with the manufacturing process.

13. CAD and CAM • A seamless process whereby CAD produces the design which is electronically sent to CAM where the design is produced by a computer controlled robot.

14. Hard Copy (paper) Vs Electronic Form • Hard copy: • Text can be read easily as some people find looking at a screen for long periods uncomfortable. • Easier to record notes on hard copy • Electronic form: • Can be sent from person to person without delay • Corrections can be easily made

15. Stock Control System Software • Uses a unique bar code on each stock item. • Before an item is sold a bar code reader reads each bar code. • The bar code is automatically found in the stock file, the number in stock read and then decreased by 1. • The number in stock is compared with the reorder level. If it is less and an order is not pending(already made earlier) then a new order is made by reading the supplier code and then searching the linked supplier file for this code. When found the supplier details would be read and a new order created. • When the order is received, the process is repeated but the number in stock is increased instead. • Note that many examiner reports say that students often forget that new orders would not be made if a previous order exists and has not been received yet, this avoids double ordering.

16. Point of Sale systems • Identify the goods being bought. • Standard method - read barcode. • Carry out whatever processing is required and to produce a satisfactory output. • Code validated and then sent to the processor. • The processor uses this barcode as the key field when searching the product file. • When the record is found the contents of the record are used to produce a printout for the customer (till receipt), and to accumulate the total value of all the goods that have been bought. • Arrange for payment. • Payment can be made electronically by sending details of the customer account to the bank or credit card company from where payment will be made to the store immediately.

17. Plenary • Describe generic applications in general. • Describe common generic applications.