Chapter 2: Introduction to Software and Apps

low-level language

-a programming language that includes machine and assembly languages -fast -doesn't use a lot of computer memory -technically difficult -time-consuming to write

multiple-user license

-an agreement that gives multiple software users legal access to software -the number of users and the price vary by license -bought by businesses and schools

copyright

-law that gives authors and artists the legal right to sell, publish or distribute an original work (computer software) -goes into effect as soon as the work exists in physical form -the exclusive intellectual property of the work's creator (software developer or publisher)

application software (app)

-mobile app software -productivity software a program that lets you perform specific tasks: -writing a document (Microsoft Word) -analyzing a set of numbers -preparing a presentation (Microsoft PowerPoint) -listening to music -editing photos -going to websites -checking/sending email

system software

-operating system software -utility software a program that controls operations and maintenance of a computer and its peripherals

comment

1+ lines of text programmers write within software code that gives other programmers an overview of the program and identifies the purpose of each section of code

service pack

a collection of software patches

security suite

a collection of software that typically contains antivirus, antispam, anti spyware and firewall software; may contain parental controls and network monitoring

Digital Rights Management (DRM)

a collection of technologies used by software publishers and trade groups to fight software piracy and prevent unauthorized copying of digital content; includes authentication, certificates of authenticity, encryption and digital watermarks

software publisher

a company that produces and then sells or distributes computer software; ex: Microsoft, Oracle, Apple, Google

crash

a computer program ceases to function or start properly

digital watermark

a form of DRM technology that consists of a hidden pattern or signal inserted into digital content to identify the copyright holder; can also regulate and track who makes copies of the content and how often

web-based Help

a form of assistance for software applications that can be found on a software publisher's website, blog or another software-related site; ex: online chat with a customer support rep, step-through a tutorial, training video or discussion board

application Help

a form of assistance for software applications that can include user manuals, on-screen Help and web-based resources

user manual

a form of assistance for software applications that gives instructions on using the program's features and troubleshooting common problems; come with packaged software or you can download them from the software publisher's website

on-screen Help

a form of assistance for software applications that serves as an electronic user manual with additional benefits such as the ability to search for specific topics or click links to online resources; accessed from almost every window or dialog box in a program

spyware

a form of malware installed on networked computers to track and transmit personal data such as financial info or browsing habits without the user's knowledge or permission

encryption key

a hardware device that makes secure digital content readable

programming language

a language used by software developers to create code that computers can read

site license

a legal agreement that allows an organization to install software on all computers at a site (locally or through a network); generally priced at a flat rate per site

end-user license agreement (EULA)

a legal agreement that gives a user the right to use software; ex: single-user and multiple-user license

software license

a legal agreement that grants a user rights to use software in specified ways; a contract between the software publisher and the user appears in the program settings

upgrade

a new version of software containing new features and issued by software publishers; costs users less than buying the software outright

suite

a packaged collection of purchased software such as Microsoft Office that has similar features and is sold together

software developer/computer programmer

a person who writes computer software programs using programming languages

graphical user interface (GUI)

a presentation of computer data that you interact with by selecting icons, buttons and other objects with a pointing device or your fingertip rather than typing commands

intellectual property

a product created by and belonging to the creator which is protected by U.S. copyright law from illegal copying and distribution; ownership of intangible assets such as ideas, art, music, movies and software

antispam software

a program that blocks spam from an email inbox

firewall software

a program that creates a personal security zone around your computer by monitoring all incoming and outgoing traffic and by blocking suspicious activity

debugger

a program that examines software code line by line to identify errors or bugs such as incorrect formulas or logic errors

antivirus software

a program that finds and removes viruses, Trojan horses, worms and bots from a computer; scans incoming and outgoing email messages to identify threats

custom software

a program that is designed to meet the unique needs of an organization or business; may be created by outside companies or by a company's internal developers (more time consuming and expensive than purchasing packaged software)

packaged software

a program that is mass produced and appeals to a wide range of users; generally copyrighted and has many features, it includes application software such as Microsoft Word and Adobe Photoshop

antispyware

a program that prevents spyware from installing itself on a computer and removes any existing spyware

web app

a program that resides on a server on the Internet rather than a user's device and is run through a web browser; available for common apps such as email, games, mapping, photo sharing, etc. some apps are free, some require a one-time registration fee and some require a periodic subscription charge

security software

a program you can install to protect your computer from harm caused by malware

high-level language

a programming language developers use to create source code with words and structures similar to spoken language; easier to use than a low-level language but must be translated from source code into machine code before a computer can read it

extreme programming model

a programming methodology that relies on short development cycles and continual feedback to drive design and coding; changes can be made to the design and software code throughout the development process

authentication (technologies)

a security method that requires users to provide a valid user ID and password to access data; grant access to web-based software

encryption

a security method that scrambles or codes data as it is transmitted over a network or that makes digital content unreadable unless viewed with a valid encryption key or authorized hardware device

two-factor authentication

a security technology that requires more than one user verification method such as a password as well as entering a code sent to the user's mobile phone

Software as a Service (SaaS)

a service that allows users to purchase a monthly software subscription for a set amount per month, instead of paying for a product all at once and using it perpetually; ex: Microsoft Office 365

(software) program

a set of instructions that tells a computer what to do, how to do it and where to send the results or output

machine language

a software development language that uses 1s and 0s (binary code) which can run directly on the processor

assembly language

a software development language that uses symbols and abbreviations known as "op codes"

assembler

a software tool that translates assembly language into machine code

compiler/interpreter

a software tool that translates source code from high-level languages into machine code so it can be understood by the processor; identifies coding errors

text/program editor

a software tool used by software programmers that allows them to write code using a word processing-like interface that often includes features such as AutoCorrect and AutoComplete

algorithm

a step-by-step procedure that programmers use in coding instructions for solving specific problems using programming languages and program development tools

quality assurance (QA)

a team that tests an application thoroughly to confirm that it works as advertised; involves communication between the testers and the programmers as bugs are found and then fixed

copy protection technology

a technology that prevents consumers from copying digital content or limit the number of copies they can make; ex: Apple limits the number of times you can copy a song that you purchase at the iTunes store

beta

a test version of software distributed by software publishers to selected users so they can help identify problems and even request new features before final software is released

in-app purchase

a way that developers monetize otherwise free apps

single-user license

an agreement that grants one software user the right to use the software; bought by students and home users

license

an agreement you enter into when you use purchased software; may include how many computers the software can be installed on and whether there is an expiration date

adaptive

an automotive technology that can detect if your car is following another car too closely and adjust the speed to maintain a safe distance

restore point

an electronic marker indicating a particular computer configuration at one time

Linux operating system

an open-source operating system developed in 1991 by Linus Torvalds

software update

an updated version of a program issued by the software publisher periodically to fix problems, enhance features and improve performance; can be in the form of a patch (minor fix) or service pack (major enhancement) that replaces small sections of existing code with the new, improved code

productivity software

application software that makes people more productive by automating common or repetitive tasks; includes word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentation and graphics programs

code library

contains modules of customizable code for common functions such as accessing files or issuing the Print command

open source software

copyrighted software whose source code is available to the public (open); users can copy, modify and customize the software with certain restrictions -typically distributed for free and requires less disk space and memory than commercial programs -lacks customer support -can cause compatibility issues with other software -ex: Firefox, Audacity, OpenOffice

software development kit (SDK)

creating software by software developers (programming); collections of programming tools designed for specific types of applications or programming languages

backed up

describes data that is copied to an external drive or online location for safekeeping

spam

electronic junk mail; reduced by anti-spam software

predictive methodology

in designing, writing and testing software, a methodology designed to minimize changes later in the development process; useful for large-scale development projects using many programmers across multiple locations ex: development progresses sequentially from one phase to the next; when one phase is finished, the next begins

agile/adaptive methodology

in designing, writing and testing software, a methodology that focuses on flexibility, where program designs and specifications change and evolve as a project moves forward -useful for projects with small development teams working closely together -ex: extreme programming model

Integrated Development Environment (IDE)

in programming software, collections of programming tools designed for specific types of applications or programming languages; ex: Visual Studio

replicate

in troubleshooting a computer problem, the ability to reproduce a problem in an effort to determine its cause

instructions

lines of computer code that execute events in sequence to complete a task

malware

malicious software including viruses and spyware that installs itself without permission and can damage data and programs

safe mode

mode for rebooting your computer that runs only essential programs so you can isolate problems

vertical market software

productivity software customized for specific industries such as student information software used by schools to process course registrations, build class schedules and track attendance and grades

mobile app

program designed specifically for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets

computer software

programs that manage the functions of computers and many other devices; includes system and application software and can be found on other types of devices such as refrigerators, cameras and cars to control their operation

software development methodology

provides a framework for designing, writing and testing software; ex: predictive and agile (each has many different models)

rebooting

restarting a computer either from a cold boot or warm boot

warm boot

restarting your computer from a powered-on state; uses the operating system to restart

restore

return an operating system to a previous version or to a restore point created by the operating system; preserves files, but recent drivers, apps & updates are removed

reset

returns a computer to its factory settings; used in extreme cases of computer malfunction (only after carefully backing up your data)

source code

software code created by high-level languages using words and structures similar to spoken languages; instead of binary code, might include "print"

software development/programming

software developers creating computer software; the act of writing computer-readable code

freeware

software distributed free of charge via the Internet where the developer retains the software rights

app store

software publishers' online stores that allow you to purchase and download applications after creating an account and signing in; ex: Windows Store, Google Play

preinstalled software

software that is already installed on a computer at the time of purchase; includes an operating system and utility programs

perpetual software

software that is purchased once and can be used indefinitely

horizontal market software

software that performs tasks common to an industry such as payroll processing, accounting and project management

public domain

software whose ownership rights are public property and which is available to anyone at no cost

utility software/program

system software that performs maintenance-related tasks on computers such as locating files cleaning up or defragmenting (consolidating data on) disks and compressing files; runs and maintains the computer

operating system (OS)/platform

system software, such as Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac OS X and Linux, that allocates memory, launches applications, configures hardware devices and establishes your Internet connection

piracy

the illegal copying and distribution of copyrighted software; a widespread problem for software publishers

input

the information a computer user provides when issuing a command to a computer by typing on a keyboard, selecting a menu option, pressing a button or interacting with a touch screen

cold boot

the process of restarting your computer from a powered-down state

monetize

to design software features that will create income for the developer; ex: in-app purchases, ads, partnerships with other brands that target similar users

download

to electronically copy information such as packaged software from the Internet to your computer

load

to read and transfer data as when a computer or mobile device loads a program or app from a storage device into memory so you can use it

uninstall

to remove such as removing unwanted programs from a computer

software patch

updated software code that fixes a known bug

debugging tool

used by software programmers to test for errors

device driver

utility program that controls peripheral devices such as keyboards, printers or scanners; run in the background