Chapter #4 Application Software: Programs That Let You Work and Play

software suite

A collection of software programs that have been bundled together as a package.

web-based application

A program that's hosted on a website and that doesn't require installation on the computer.

beta version

A version of the software that's still under development. Many beta versions are available for a limited trial period and are used to help the developers correct any errors before they launch the software on the market.

database software

An electronic filing system best used for larger and more complicated groups of data that require more than one table and the ability to group, sort, and retrieve data and generate reports.

open source software

Program code made publicly available for free; it can be copied, distributed, or changed without the stringent copyright protections of proprietary software products.

desktop publishing (DTP) software

Programs for incorporating and arranging graphics and text to produce creative documents.

personal information manager (PIM) software

Programs such as Microsoft Outlook or Lotus Organizer that strive to replace the various management tools found on a traditional desk such as a calendar, address book, notepad, and to-do lists.

productivity software

Programs that enable a user to perform various tasks generally required in home, school, and business. Examples include word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, personal information management, and database programs.

multimedia software

Programs that include image-, video-, and audio-editing software, animation software, and other specialty software required to produce computer games, animations, and movies.

web page-authoring software

Programs you can use to design interactive web pages without knowing any HyperText Markup Language (HTML) code.

application software

The set of programs on a computer that helps a user carry out tasks such as word processing, sending e-mail, balancing a budget, creating presentations, editing photos, taking an online course, and playing games.

system software

The set of programs that enables a computers hardware devices and application software to work together; it includes the operating system and utility programs.

software piracy

Violating a software license agreement by copying an application onto more computers than the license agreement permits.

computer-aided design (CAD)

A 3-D modeling program used to create automated designs, technical drawings, and model visualizations.

template

A form included in many productivity applications that provides the basic structure for a particular kind of document, spreadsheet, or presentation.

program

A series of instructions to be followed by a computer to accomplish a task.

software license

An agreement between the user and the software developer that must be accepted before installing the software on a computer.

freeware

Any copyrighted software that can be used for free.

vertical market software

Software that's developed for and customized to a specific industry's needs (such as a wood inventory system for a sawmill) as opposed to software that's useful across a range of industries (such as word processing software).

simulation program

Software, often used for training purposes, which allows the user to experience or control an event as if it's reality.

custom installation

The process of installing only those features of a software program that a user wants on the hard drive.

cloud computing

The process of storing data, files, and applications on the web, which allows access to and manipulation of these files and applications from any Internet-connected device.

software

The set of computer programs or instructions that tells the computer what to do and that enables it to perform different tasks.

system requirements

The set of minimum storage, memory capacity, and processing standards recommended by the software manufacturer to ensure proper operation of a software application.