Application Software

examples of general-purpose software that can be customized by automating certain parts of the software or writing and adding programming modules to perform specific tasks

Word - processing, spreadsheet and database programs

special software programs provide

facilities specifically for the purpose for which they were designed.

This modification is usually done by

using macros or plugins.

Custom-written software may be written by

programmers within the company or a software house.

General - purpose software refers to

software that is not written for any specific business or organization, but can be usedor adapted to suit their specific needs.

Application software is

the name given to any program that enables the computer to carry out one or more specific tasks.

Special purpose (or Specialised) software is written for

a specific task rather than a broad application area.

Plugins:

blocks of code that add features to an overall package.

Application software can be categorized as:

General - purpose Specialised (special - purpose) software Integrated package

Examples of integrated software

Microsoft Office suite, Adobe creative suite and IWork used by apple Macs

Custom-written software offers

a solution unique to an organisation based on their specialised requirements.

Off-the-shelf software is designed for

a broad range of customers, offering a comprehensive set of features to streamline operations

Custom-written software is also referred to as

bespoke or tailormade software

Disadvantages of custom-written software

- Costs incurred by developing software, on - site installation, support and training are often high - Lengthy development time - Increased probabiltiy of undetected errors

Advantages of integrated software

- Ease with which data can be transferred from one component to another. E.g inserting a graph from a spreadsheet into a word processing via copy and paste. - Cheaper than purchasing individual packages - Easier to learn, as the user interface for choosing commands is the same - More likely to be error (bug) free

Disadvantages of off-the-shelf software

- For off-the-shelf software, there is a higher customization cost - Slow to change with industry needs - Sometimes off-the-shelf software has too many features, most are annoying and get in the way

Disadvantages of integrated software

- Not all features of single application are included - Some integrated packages do not contain all the applications that may be required to complete a task.

Advantages of custom-written software

- Software can be quickly changed when the needs of the business shange - Performs tasks that general - purpose software cannot perform i.e The software meets the need of the user specifically

Disadvantages of General Purpose Software

- The package may be poorly documented - The package may have hidden problems - The package may not fit the user's need exactly - The package may not be user friendly

advantages of using General Purpose Software

- You can install it yourself by following the easy instruction in the installation manual that comes with the software. - Most users may already be familiar with previous versions of the software, so no intensive training program is required. - Several persons use the software, therefore help is easy to find.

Advantages of off-the-shelf software

- software is easy to use and install as many people already know how to use it - cheap and cost effective - software is well tested before it's been sold

Examples of special software programs:

A payroll program to deal with a company's payroll, Expert systems (for instance, medical expert systems), Airline booking systems

Integrated Software

An integrated software package is a set of related programs combined in a single package that allows data to be transferred easily between the programs and has a similar look across the programs.

Examples of organisations which may use custom-written software

Military, hospitals, air traffic controllers, banks and other financial institutions

Examples of general-purpose software

a teacher can use a spreadsheet package to prepare students' end of year grades, or a word processor to write a letter to parents. Businesses can use the same packages for memo - writing or accounting.

A basic integrated package may contain

a word processor, spreadsheet, database etc.

Customised Software is

general-purpose software that has been modified to better meet the needs of an individual or organization.

Custom-written software is

software that is written to meet the specific needs of a company.

Application software can also be categorized according to source:

Off - the - shelf Customized Custom - written

General-purpose software is also called

off the shelf software

Macros:

short programs written to automate several steps in software.

Off the shelf software are

standardized software applications that are mass - produced, available to the general public, and fit for immediate use.

General-purpose software are well

tested and relatively cheap.