Chapter 04 – Computer Software
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4 Computer Software
CHAPTER OVERVIEW
Chapter 4: Computer Software reviews the basic features and trends in the major types of application software
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After reading and studying this chapter, you should be able to:
1. Describe several important trends occurring in computer software.
2. Give examples of several major types of application and system software.
SUMMARY
• Software. Computer software consists of two major types of programs: (1) application software that directs the
• Application Software. Application software includes a variety of programs that can be segregated into general
purpose and application-specific categories. General purpose application programs perform common information
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• System Software. System software can be subdivided into system management programs and system development
programs. System management programs manage the hardware, software, network, and data resources of a
• Operating Systems. An operating system is an integrated system of programs that supervises the operation of the
CPU, controls the input/output storage functions of the computer system, and provides various support services. An
operating system performs five basic functions: (1) a user interface for system and network communications with
• Programming Languages. Programming languages are a major category of system software. They require the use
of a variety of programming packages to help programmers develop computer programs and language translator
Chapter 04 – Computer Software
KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS
1. Application service provider (143):
An application service provider owns, operates, and maintains application software for access by others via the
Internet.
2. Application software (130):
3. Assembler language (158):
4. CASE tools (168):
5. Cloud computing (145)
Cloud computing provides hardware and software as a service over the Internet.
6. COTS software (130):
7. Custom software (130):
8. Desktop publishing – DTP (139):
9. E-mail (137):
E-mail transmits, storages, and distributes electronic messages to specific addresses over communications
networks.
10. Fourth-generation language (159):
11. Function-specific application software (134):
12. General-purpose application programs (130):
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13. Groupware (141):
Groupware is a type of general purpose software that supports collaboration between members of a work group
with networked computers.
14. High-level language (158):
15. HTML (161):
Hypertext Mark-up Language is a language that creates formatted hypertext or hypermedia documents.
17. Integrated package (136):
Integrated packages consist of two or more software applications designed to seamlessly share functions and
data. These includes less functionality, but at a lower cost, than a software suite.
18. Java (164):
19. Language translator (167):
20. Machine language (157):
21. Middleware (157):
22. Multitasking (151):
23. Natural language (159):
Natural languages, also called fifth-generation languages, are programming languages that resemble human
language.
24. Object-oriented language (160):
25. Operating system (147):
Chapter 04 – Computer Software
26. Personal information manager (PIM) (141):
27. Presentation graphics software (140):
28. Programming language (157):
Programming languages allow a programmer to develop the instructions that a language translator or interpreter
will turn into machine executable instructions.
29. Software suites (135):
30. Spreadsheet package (139):
31. System software (147):
32. User interface (147):
The user interface sends and receives information between the computer and the person using it. It includes
keyboard, monitor, pointing device, and related software.
33. Utilities (156):
34. Virtual memory (150):
Virtual memory allows an operating system to use a secondary storage device as an extension of primary
35. Web browser (136):
A web browser provides the user interface for accessing Internet, intranet, and extranet web sites.
36. Web services (165):
37. Word processing software (138):
Word processing software enables the creation, editing, revision, and printing of documents.
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38. XML (162):
eXtensible Markup Language provides data and its meta-data (contextual labels) to web browsers and other
applications.
ANSWERS TO REVIEW QUIZ
Q.
A.
Key Term
Q.
A.
Key Term
1
5
Cloud computing
20
8
Desktop publishing (DTP)
2
2
Application software
21
26
Personal information manager (PIM)
3
31
System software
22
17
Integrated package
4
1
Application service provider (ASP)
23
29
Software suites
5
4
CASE tools
24
13
Groupware
6
7
Custom software
25
20
Machine language
7
32
User interface
26
3
Assembler language
8
6
COTS software
27
14
High-level language
9
34
Virtual memory
28
10
Fourth-generation language
10
22
Multitasking
29
24
Object-oriented language
11
27
Presentation graphics software
30
23
Natural language
12
19
Language translator
31
28
Programming language
13
33
Utilities
32
15
HTML
14
12
General-purpose application programs
33
38
XML
15
11
Function-specific application software
34
18
Java
16
35
Web browser
35
25
Operating system
17
9
E-mail
36
21
Middleware
18
30
Spreadsheet package
37
16
Instant messaging
19
37
Word processing software
38
36
Web services
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VI. ANSWERS TO DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What major trends are occurring in software? What capabilities do you expect to see in future software
packages?
Trends
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance
• Applications updates and error reporting
2. How do the different roles of system software and application software affect you as a business end user?
How do you see this changing in the future?
System software end-user effects
O/S choice affects a machine’s look and feel, but these differences are relatively minor. Therefore an
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When an organization can not control or predict what operating system an end user might have installed, the
equivalent.
3. Refer to the Real World Case on Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) in the chapter. Do you think GE would
have been better off developing a system specifically customized to their needs, given that GE’s supply chain
is like nothing else in the world?
No: the case makes it clear that Avaro had both the necessary expertise and a product GE’s experts could
4. Why is an operating system necessary? That is, why can’t an end user just load an application program
into a computer and start computing?
In theory, it is possible to program applications that do not require an operating system. However, such a
5. Should a Web browser be integrated into an operating system? Why or why not?
Pro
If the operating system isn’t fully “open”, then a bundled web browser can take advantage of the OS’s secret
6. Refer to the Real World Case about the U.S. Department of Defense and its adoption of open-source
software in the chapter. Would such an approach work for a commercial organization, or is it limited to
government entities? What would be the most important differences in each case, if any?
Commercial organizations
OSS primarily supports commercial organizations, so yes, this approach would work. Organizations with a
Chapter 04 – Computer Software
7. Are software suites, Web browsers, and groupware merging together? What are the implications for a
business and its end users?
Yes.
Implication for business
• Increased ability to partner with customers/suppliers
8. How are HTML, XML, and Java affecting business applications on the Web?
Effects
• These standards enable more sophisticated applications with larger user bases.
• These are vital tools for building multimedia web pages, web sites, and web-based applications.
9. Do you think Linux will surpass, in adoption and use, other operating systems for network and Web
servers? Why or why not?
Organizations are increasingly purchasing commercial versions of Linux such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux for
several reasons.
• Stability (very high mean-time between failures)
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10. Which application software packages are the most important for a business end user to know how to use?
Explain the reasons for your choices.
Important applications
Groupware (and messaging) – enables basic collaboration activities such as e-mail, calendar, schedule, task,
and discussion (or “chat”) capabilities. This allows people to work together more efficiently.
VII. ANSWERS TO ANALYSIS EXERCISES
1. Desktop Application Recognition: Tool Selection
a. Surf the Web and their intranets and extranets.
Web browser
b. Send messages to one another’s computer workstations.
E-Mail
c. Help employees work together in teams.
Groupware
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2. Y2K Revisited: The End of Time
Note: this is our chance to learn from history. This is especially significant as this problem will manifest itself
during our student’s careers.
a. If 1 represents 1 second and 2 represents 2 seconds, how many seconds can be represented in a binary
number 32 bits long? Use a spreadsheet to show your calculations.
b. Given that POSIX time starts at midnight, January 1, 1970, in what year will time “run out”? Remember
that half the available numbers represent dates before 1970. Use a spreadsheet to show your calculations.
c. As a business manager, what can you do to minimize this problem for your organization?
Mitigation steps come directly from lessons learned from past experience. Do not trust your organization’s IT
department to manage this problem for you. Many IT departments are too busy solving today’s problems to
worry about 2038.
Tips:
1) Develop and maintain an inventory of all affected hardware and software systems upon which your
organization depends.
3. Tracking Project Work
a. Build a database table to store the data shown and enter the records as a set of sample data.
b. Create a query that will list the hours worked for all workers who worked more than 40 hours during
production week 20.
c. Create a report grouped by project that will show the number of hours devoted to each task on the
project and the subtotal number of hours devoted to each project, as well as a grand total of all hours
worked.
d. Create a report grouped by employee that will show each employee’s hours worked on each task and
total hours worked. The user should be able to select a production week and find data for just that week
presented.
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4. Matching Training to Software Use: 3-D Graphing
a. Create a spreadsheet illustrating each application’s average use per department. To do this, you will first
enter the data shown above. Then compute the average weekly spreadsheet use by dividing spreadsheet hours
by the number of Sales workers. Do this for each department. Repeat these three calculations for both
database and presentation use. Round results to the nearest 1/100th.
Department
Spreadsheet
Database
Presentations
Sales
1.82
4.89
2.89
b. Create a three-dimensional bar graph illustrating the averages by department and software package.
12.00
14.00
Hours Per Week
c. A committee has been formed to plan software training classes at your company. Prepare a slide
presentation with four slides illustrating your findings. The first slide should serve as an introduction to the
data; the second slide should contain a copy of the original data table (without the averages); the third slide
should contain a copy of the three-dimensional bar graph from the previous answer; and the fourth slide
should contain your conclusions regarding key applications per department. Use professional labels,
formatting, and backgrounds.
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IX. ANSWERS TO REAL WORLD CASES
RWC 1: GE, H.B. Fuller Co., and Others
Case Study Questions
1. What factors should companies take into consideration when making the decision between developing their own
applications, purchasing them from a vendor, or taking the SaaS route, as discussed here? Make a list of factors
and discuss their importance to this decision.
Factors:
• Security
• Flexibility
flexibility requirements.
2. What risks did GE take on when they contracted with a small and less experienced vendor? What contingencies
could have been put in place to prevent any problems from arising? Provide several examples.
Risks:
Ordinarily, potential customers would worry about whether or not the small company would stay in business or be able
to scale up operations as its client base grows.
Contingencies:
As a general practice, an organization can protect itself by working closely with the small vendor. This would help
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3. What should companies do if none of the “configuration options” perfectly fits with their needs? Should they
attempt to customize, or select the least-worst alternative? When would they do each?
Options:
• Customize
• Influence the next release
Real World Activities
1. The case mentions that GE’s implementation of SaaS was, at the time, the largest rollout of the technology in
the world. What other companies have started using SaaS extensively since? Go online and research recent
implementations. How are those different from GE’s experience? Prepare a report to share your findings.
2. By implementing systems based on SaaS, companies are relinquishing control over ownership of the technology
and are putting access to valuable data on the hands of a third party. What are the perils of taking this approach?
How could companies guard against them? Break into small groups to discuss these issues and provide some
suggestions and recommendations.
Perils:
• Theft
Chapter 04 – Computer Software
RWC 2: U.S. Department of Defense
Case Study Questions
1. Given the critical nature of defense activities, security in this environment is a primary concern. How do
the agencies discussed in the case address this issue? Can you think of anything else they could be doing?
Provide some recommendations.
Security
OSS improves security by exposing their code to more eyes. This helps find and correct errors more quickly.
2. The U.S. Department of Defense is arguably one of the largest organizations in the world. Managing
technology for such an organization is certainly a major endeavor. Does the shift toward open-source
initiatives help in this regard? Does it hurt? Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of adopting open–
source applications in large organizations.
Advantages
• Increased programmer pool
3. After reading the case, do you think the shift to opensource software involved a major cultural change for
the Department of Defense? Would you expect the same to be the case for large companies? Justify your
answer.
Cultural impact
Yes, the shift to opensource software involves a major cultural shift for any large organization. Required
cultural changes include:
1. Small open-source applications have been around for quite some time, but large-scale open-source
systems have begun to emerge. Go online and search the Internet for examples of businesses adopting open–
source technologies for major organizational systems. Prepare a presentation to highlight several examples
from your research.
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2. How does the open-source model of application development and distribution differ from the more
common, proprietary approach? Do open-source applications present a legitimate threat to commercial
software development, or will they remain niche applications? Break into small groups to discuss various
reasons that the companies may or may not want to adopt opensource technologies.
Propriety software differences
Note that proprietary software differs depending on whether or not a 3rd party developed and supports the
software or the organization developed its own proprietary software in-house.
RWC 3: Wolf Peak International: Failure and Success in Application Software for the Small–to-Medium
Enterprise
Case Study Questions
1. What problems occurred when Wolf Peak upgraded from QuickBooks to a new accounting software
package? How could those problems have been avoided?
Problems
• No built-in data conversion capability for QuickBooks
Chapter 04 – Computer Software
2. Why did SAP’s Business One prove to be a better choice for Wolf Peak’s management than the new
accounting software? Give several examples to illustrate your answer.
• SAP’s software enabled more flexible reporting.
3. Should most SMEs use an integrated business software suite like SAP Business One instead of specialized
accounting and other business software packages? Why or why not?
Yes, most SMEs should use off-the-shelf (OTS) integrated business software. A few organizations may have
Real World Activities
1. This case demonstrates failure and success in the software research, selection, and installation process, as
well as some major differences among business application software packages in capabilities, such as ease of
use and information access for employees and management. Search the Internet to find several more
examples of such success and failure for software suites like SAP Business One or Oracle E-Business Suite
and specialized business packages like QuickBooks or Great Plains Accounting.
Not surprisingly, the software manufacturers post numerous success stories on their website. Even so, they do
provide useful, brief illustrations.
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2. Break into small groups with your classmates to discuss several key differences you have found on the
basis of your Internet research. Then make recommendations to the class for how these differences should
shape the business application software selection decision for an SME.
Issues:
• Flexibility
RWC 4: Power Distribution and Law Enforcement: Reaping the Benefits of Sharing Data Through XML
Case Study Questions
1. What is the business value of XML to the organizations described in the case? How are they able to
achieve such large returns on investment?
XML provides a common format for data exchange within and between organizations. The fact that many
2. What are other ways in which XML could be used by organizations to create value and share data? Look
for examples involving for-profit organizations to gain a more complete perspective on the issue.
3. What seem to be important elements in the success of projects relying on extensive use of XML across
organizations, and why? Research the concept of metadata to inform your answer.
From this case and others several key factors manifest themselves:
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Budget to integrate
As noted in the case, individual police departments may lack the budget to purchase an expensive case system
A common data scheme
XML uses a data scheme (a form of meta-data) to communicate information about the shared information. This
Real World Activities
1. XBRL stands for eXtensible Business Reporting Language, and it is one of the family of XML languages
that is becoming standards for business communication across companies. Among other uses, the Securities
and Exchange Commission has run a voluntary XBRL filing program since 2005. Go online and research the
current status of XBRL implementation and adoption, including examples of companies that are already
using it for business purposes. Prepare a report to share your findings.
The SEC has dropped the “voluntary” option and made this the required standard for financial reporting in
2. Investigate other large scale, system-wide implementations of XML such as the one described in the case
involving the California Independent System Operator. Prepare a presentation with the proposed or realized
costs and benefits of those efforts and share your findings with the class.
Project: establish electronic voting in the UK to help boost voter participation. The e-Voting initiative has been
underway for six years, has included numerous small pilots, and played a feature role in London’s mayoral election.
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Benefits:
Nine out of ten voters want to be able to vote via PC, but about 50% do not trust mobile devices for this task.
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