Chapter 4 MIS notes
Application Service Provider (ASP) 149
A large and fast-growing number of companies are turning to application service providers (ASPs) , instead of developing or purchasing the application software they need to run their businesses. Application service providers are companies that own, operate, and maintain application software and the computer system resources (servers, system software, networks, and IT personnel) required to offer the use of the application software for a fee as a service over the Internet. The ASP can bill their customers on a per-use basis or on a monthly or annual fee basis. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 149). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Programming language 162
A programming language allows a programmer to develop the sets of instructions that constitute a computer program. Many different programming languages have been developed, each with its own unique vocabulary, grammar, and uses. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 162). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Middleware 162
Another important software trend is the use of system software known as application servers, which provide a middleware interface between an operating system and the application programs of users. Middleware is software that helps diverse software applications and networked computer systems exchange data and work together more efficiently. Examples include application servers, Web servers, and enterprise application integration (EAI) software. Thus, for example, application servers like BEA's WebLogic and IBM's WebSphere help Web-based e-business and e-commerce applications run much faster and more O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 162). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Companies that own, operate, and maintain application software for a fee as a service over the Internet. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Application Service Provider (ASP)
Programs that direct the performance of a specific use of computers. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Application Software
CASE tools (173)
As the range of support tools expanded, manufacturers began to integrate them into a single application using a common interface. Such tools were referred to as CASE tools (computer-aided software engineering). CASE tools can take a number of forms and be applied at different stages of the software development process. Those CASE tools that support activities early in the life cycle of a software project (e.g., requirements, design support tools) are sometimes called front-end or upper CASE tools. Those that are used later in the life cycle (e.g., compilers, test support tools) are called back-end or lower CASE tools. Exploring the details of CASE tools is beyond the scope of this text, and you will encounter them again when you study systems analysis and design. For now, remember that CASE is an important part of resolving the problems of complex application development and maintenance of software applications. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 173). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Uses instructions consisting of symbols representing operation codes and storage locations. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Assembler Language
Assembler language (162)
Assembler languages (or second-generation languages) are the next level of programming languages. They were developed to reduce the difficulties in writing machine language programs. The use of assembler languages requires language translator programs called assemblers that allow a computer to convert the instructions of such language into machine instructions. Assembler languages are frequently called symbolic O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 162). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Integrated software tool that supports the development of software applications. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
CASE Tools
Acronym meaning commercial off-the-shelf. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
COTS Software
An approach to computing where tasks are assigned to a combination of connections, software, and services accessed over a network. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing 150
Cloud Computing One of the most recent advances in computing and software delivery is called cloud computing. Cloud computing is a style of computing in which software and, in some cases, virtualized hardware resources are provided as a service over the Internet. Users need not have knowledge of, expertise in, or control over the technology infrastructure "in the cloud" that supports them. The term cloud is used as a metaphor for the Internet, based on how the Internet is often depicted in computer network diagrams. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 150). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Language translator 172
Computer programs consist of sets of instructions written in programming languages that must be translated by a language translator into the computer's own machine language before they can be processed, or executed, by the CPU. Programming language translator programs (or language processors) are known by a variety of names. An assembler translates the symbolic instruction codes of programs written in an assembler language into machine language instructions, whereas a compiler translates high-level language statements. An interpreter is a special type of compiler that translates and executes each statement in a program one at a time, instead of first producing a complete machine O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 172). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Software designed in-house for use by a specific organization or set of users. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Custom Software
Enables you to produce your own brochures and newsletters. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Desktop Publishing DTP
Uses your networked computer to send and receive messages. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Desktop publishing (DTP) 144
End users and organizations can use desktop publishing (DTP) software to produce their own printed materials that look professionally published. That is, they can design and print their own newsletters, brochures, manuals, and books with several type styles, graphics, photos, and colors on each page. Word processing packages and desktop publishing packages like Adobe InDesign, Microsoft Publisher, and QuarkXPress are used for desktop publishing. Typically, text material and graphics can be generated by word processing and graphics packages and imported as text and graphics files. Optical scanners may be used to input text and graphics from printed material. You can also use files of clip art, which are predrawn graphic illustrations provided by the software package or available from other sources. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 144). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Might take the form of query languages and report generators. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Fourth-Generation Language
Software available for the specific applications of end users in business, science, and other fields. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Function Specific Application Software
A category of application software that performs common information processing tasks for end users. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
General Purpose Application Program
General-purpose application programs 135
General purpose application programs are programs that perform common information processing jobs for end users. For example, word processing, spreadsheet, database management, and graphics programs are popular with users for home, education, business, scientific, and many other purposes. Because they significantly increase the productivity of end users, they are sometimes known as productivity packages. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 135). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Software to support the collaboration of teams and workgroups. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Groupware
Groupware 147
Groupware GROUPWARE is software that helps workgroups and teams collaborate to accomplish group assignments. Groupware is a category of general-purpose application software that combines a variety of software features and functions to facilitate collaboration. For example, groupware products like Lotus Notes, Novell GroupWise, and Microsoft Exchange support collaboration through e-mail, discussion groups and databases, scheduling, task management, data, audio and videoconferencing, and so on. Groupware products rely on the Internet and corporate intranets and extranets to make collaboration possible on a global scale by virtual teams located anywhere in the world. For O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 147). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Produces hyperlinked multimedia documents for the Web. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
HTML
HTML 166
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is a page description language that creates hypertext or hypermedia documents. HTML inserts control codes within a document at points you can specify that create links ( hyperlinks) to other parts of the document or to other documents anywhere on the World Wide Web. HTML embeds control codes in the ASCII text of a document that designate titles, headings, graphics, and multimedia components, as well as hyperlinks within the document. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 166). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Uses instructions in the form of brief statements or the standard notation of mathematics. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
High-level Language
High-level language 163
High-level languages (or third-generation languages) use instructions, which are called statements, that include brief statements or arithmetic expressions. Individual high-level language statements are actually macroinstructions; that is, each individual statement generates several machine instructions when translated into machine language by high-level language translator programs called compilers or interpreters. High-level language statements resemble the phrases or mathematical expressions required to express the problem or procedure being programmed. The syntax (vocabulary, punctuation, and grammatical rules) and semantics (meanings) of such statements do not reflect the internal code of any particular computer. For example, the computation X 5 Y 1 Z would be programmed in the high-level languages of BASIC and COBOL as shown in Figure 4.18 . High-level languages like BASIC, COBOL, and FORTRAN are easier to learn and program than an assembler language because they have less rigid rules, forms, and syntaxes. However, high-level language programs are usually less efficient than assembler language programs and require a greater amount of computer time for translation into machine instructions. Because most high-level languages are machine-independent, programs written in a high-level language do not have to be reprogrammed when a new computer is installed, and programmers do not have to learn a different language for each type of computer. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 163). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
COTS Software 138
In contrast, COTS software (an acronym that stands for commercial off-the-shelf ) is developed with the intention of selling the software in multiple copies (and usually for a profit). In this case, the organization that writes the software is not the intended target audience for its use. Examples of common COTS applications include Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, or Intuit's Quickbooks. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 138). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Custom software 135
In other words, the organization that writes the program code is also the organization that uses the final software application. This means the custom application can be designed to do exactly what the organization wants or needs. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 138). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Enables you to communicate and collaborate in real time with the online associates in your workgroup. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Instant Messaging IM
A program that performs several general purpose applications. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Integrated Package
A popular object-oriented language for Web-based applications. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Java
Translates high-level instructions into machine language instructions. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Language Translator
Uses instructions in the form of coded strings of ones and zeros. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Machine Language
Machine language 162
Machine Languages Machine languages (or first-generation languages) are the most basic level of programming languages. In the early stages of computer development, all program instructions had to be written using binary codes unique to each computer. This type of programming involves the difficult task of writing instructions in the form of strings of binary digits (ones and zeros) or other number systems. Programmers must have a detailed knowledge of the internal operations of the specific type of CPU they are using. They must write long series of detailed instructions to accomplish even simple processing tasks. Programming in machine language requires specifying the storage locations for every instruction and item of data used. Instructions must be included for every switch and indicator used by the program. These requirements make machine language programming a difficult and error-prone task. A machine language program to add two numbers together in the CPU of a specific computer and store the result might take the form shown in Figure 4.18 . O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 162). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Software that helps diverse applications work together. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Middleware
The ability to do several computing tasks concurrently. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Multitasking
Multitasking 155
Multitasking (sometimes referred to as multiprogramming or timesharing) is a task management approach that allows for several computing tasks to be performed in a seemingly simultaneous fashion. In reality, multitasking assigns only one task at a time to the CPU, but it switches from one program to another so quickly that it gives the appearance of executing all of the programs at the same time. There are two basic types of multitasking: preemptive and cooperative. In preemptive multitasking, the task management functions parcel out CPU time slices to each program. In contrast, cooperative multitasking allows each program to control the CPU for as long as it needs it. If a program is not using the CPU, however, it can allow another program to use it temporarily. Most Windows and UNIX-based operating systems use the preemptive approach, whereas most Apple-style platforms use cooperative multitasking. Although the terms multitasking and multiprocessing are often used interchangeably, they are actually different concepts based on the number of CPUs being used. In multiprocessing, more than one CPU is being accessed, but in multitasking, only one CPU is in operation. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 155). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
As easy to use as one's native tongue. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Natural Language
Natural language 163
Natural languages are sometimes considered fifth-generation languages (5GLs) and are very close to English or other human languages. Research and development activity in artificial intelligence (AI) is developing programming languages that are as easy to use as ordinary conversation in one's native tongue. For example, INTELLECT, a natural language, would use a statement like, "What are the average exam scores in MIS 200?" to program a simple average exam score task. Try going to www.hakia.com , a natural language search engine, O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 163). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Languages that tie together data and the actions that will be performed on the data. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Object-Oriented Language
Object-oriented language 165
Object-oriented languages like Visual Basic, C11, and Java are also considered fifthgeneration languages and have become major tools of software development. Briefly, whereas most programming languages separate data elements from the procedures or actions that will be performed on them, object-oriented languages tie them together into objects. Thus, an object consists of data and the actions that can be performed on the data. For example, an object could be a set of data about a bank customer's savings account and the operations (e.g., interest calculations) that might be performed on the data. An object also could be data in graphic form, such as a video display window plus the display actions that might be used on it. See Figure 4.19 . In procedural languages, a program consists of procedures O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 165). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Windows, Linux, and Mac OS are common examples. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Operating System
Helps you keep track of appointments and tasks. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Personal Information Manager PIM
Converts numeric data into graphic displays. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Presentation Graphics Software
Presentation graphics software 146
Presentation graphics software packages help you convert numeric data into graphics displays such as line charts, bar graphs, pie charts, and many other types of graphics. Most of the top packages also help you prepare multimedia presentations of graphics, photos, animation, and video clips, including publishing to the World Wide Web. Not only are graphics and multimedia displays easier to comprehend and communicate than numeric data, but multiple-color and multimedia displays can more easily emphasize key points, strategic differences, and important trends in the data. Presentation graphics have proved to be much more effective than tabular presentations of numeric data for reporting and communicating in advertising media, management reports, or other business presentations. See Figure 4.9 . Presentation graphics software packages like Microsoft PowerPoint, OpenOffice Impress, Lotus Freelance, or Corel Presentations give you many easy-to-use capabilities that encourage the use of graphics presentations. For O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 146). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Includes programming editors, debuggers, and code generators. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Programming Language
Virtual memory 154
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. An operating system uses a variety of resource management programs to manage the hardware and networking resources of a computer system, including its CPU, memory, secondary storage devices, telecommunications processors, and input/output peripherals. For example, memory management programs keep track of where data and programs are stored. They may also subdivide memory into a number of sections and swap parts of programs and data between memory and magnetic disks or other secondary storage devices. This process can provide a computer system with a virtual memory capability that is significantly larger than the real memory capacity of its primary storage circuits. So, a computer with a virtual memory capability can process large programs and greater amounts of data than the capacity of its memory chips would normally allow. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 154). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
A combination of individual general- purpose application packages that work easily together. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Software Suites
Creates and displays a worksheet for analysis. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Spreadsheet Packages
Spreadsheet packages 145
Spreadsheet packages SPREADSHEETS like Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice Calc, and Corel QuattroPro are used by virtually every business for analysis, planning, and modeling. They help you develop an electronic spreadsheet, which is a worksheet of rows and columns that can be stored on your PC or on a network server, or converted to HTML format and stored as a Web page or Web sheet on the World Wide Web. Developing O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 145). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
A system of programs that manages the operations of a computer system. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
System Software
System software 153
System software consists of programs that manage and support a computer system and its information processing activities. For example, operating systems and network management programs serve as a vital software interface between computer networks and hardware and the application programs of end users. We can think of system software much like the central nervous system in the human body. It is responsible for making sure all of the parts are connected properly to the brain so the "system" (in this case, the human body) will respond properly to commands sent from the brain. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 153). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
User interface 154
THE USER INTERFACE. The user interface is the part of the operating system that allows you to communicate with it so you can load programs, access files, and accomplish other tasks. Three main types of user interfaces are the command-driven, menudriven, and graphical user interfaces. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 154). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Software suites 140
The best place to start our discussion is by looking at software suites, which are very likely the most widely used productivity software packages. Software suites bundle together a variety of general-purpose software applications. Examples of popular software suites include Microsoft Office, Lotus SmartSuite, Corel WordPerfect Office, Sun's StarOffice, and their open-source product, OpenOffice. Examining their components gives us an overview O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 140). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Function-specific application software 139
The best thing about software is that it can literally be designed to do whatever you want. Thousands of function-specific application software packages are available to support needs of end users in business, education, and day-to-day activities. For example, business application software supports the reengineering and automation of business processes with strategic e-business applications like customer relationship management, enterprise resource planning, and supply chain management. Other examples are software packages that Web-enable online applications or apply to the internal activities of organizations like human resource management, accounting, and finance. Still other software empowers managers and business professionals with decision support tools like data mining, enterprise information portals, or knowledge management systems. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 140). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Operating system 153
The most important system software package for any computer is its operating system. An operating system is an integrated system of programs that manages the operations of the CPU, controls the input/output and storage resources and activities of the computer system, and provides various support services as the computer executes the application programs of users.
Personal information manager PIM 147
The personal information manager (PIM) is a popular software package for enduser productivity and collaboration, as well as a popular application for personal digital assistant (PDA) handheld devices. Various PIMs such as Lotus Organizer and Microsoft Outlook help end users store, organize, and retrieve information about customers, clients, and prospects or schedule and manage appointments, meetings, and tasks. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 147). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Fourth-generation language 163
The term fourth-generation language describes a variety of programming languages that are more nonprocedural and conversational than prior languages. These languages are called fourth-generation languages (4GLs) to differentiate them from machine languages (first generation), assembler languages (second generation), and high-level languages (third generation). Most fourth-generation languages are nonprocedural languages that encourage users and programmers to specify the results they want, while the computer determines the sequence of instructions that will accomplish those results. Thus, fourth-generation languages have helped simplify the programming process. Natural languages are sometimes considered fifth-generation languages (5GLs) and are very close to English or other human languages. Research and development activity in artificial intelligence (AI) is developing programming languages that are as easy to use as ordinary conversation in one's native tongue. For example, INTELLECT, a natural language, would use a statement like, "What are the average exam scores in MIS 200?" to program a simple average exam score task. Try going to www.hakia.com , a natural language search engine, and typing a questions like "What is the population of Chicago, IL?" O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 163). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Application software 135
The two main categories available to computer users are application software and system software as shown in Figure 4.2 . Figure 4.2 shows that application software includes a variety of programs that can be further subdivided into general-purpose and application-specific categories. Generalpurpose application programs are programs that perform common information processing jobs for end users. For example, word processing, spreadsheet, database management, and graphics programs are popular with users for home, education, business, scientific, and many other purposes. Because they significantly increase the productivity of end users, they are sometimes known as productivity packages. Other examples include Web browsers, e-mail, and groupware, which help support communication and collaboration among workgroups and teams. In today's environment, it is hard to imagine a computer user, regardless of job role or intention, who has not encountered a word processor, spreadsheet, or Web browser in some form or another. These applications are essential. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 135). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Integrated package 141
These drawbacks are one reason for the continued use of integrated packages like Microsoft Works, Lotus eSuite WorkPlace, and AppleWorks. Integrated packages combine some, but not all, of the functions of several programs—word processing, spreadsheets, presentation graphics, database management, and so on—into one software package. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 141). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
The function that provides a means of communication between end users and an operating system. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
User Interface
Utilities 161
Utility programs, or utilities, are an important example. Programs like Norton Utilities perform miscellaneous housekeeping and file conversion functions. Examples include data backup, data recovery, virus protection, data compression, and file defragmentation. Most operating systems also provide many utilities that perform a variety of helpful chores for computer users. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 161). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Performs housekeeping chores for a computer system. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Utilties
Provides a greater memory capability than a computer's actual memory capacity. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Virtual Memory
Helps you surf the Web. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Web Browser
Links business functions within applications for the exchange of data between companies via the Web. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Web Services
Web services 170
Web Services As discussed above, Web services are software components that are based on a framework of Web and object-oriented standards and technologies for using the Web that electronically link the applications of different users and different computing platforms. Thus, Web services can link key business functions for the exchange of data in real time within the Web-based applications that a business might share with its customers, suppliers, and other business partners. For example, Web services would enable the purchasing application of a business to use the Web to check the inventory of a supplier before placing a large order, while the sales application of the supplier O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 170). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Allows you to create and edit documents. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
Word Processing Software
A Web document content description language. O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 177). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
XML
XML 167
XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is not a Web page format description language like HTML. Instead, XML describes the contents of Web pages (including business documents designed for use on the Web) by applying identifying tags or contextual labels to the data in Web documents. For example, a travel agency Web page with airline names and flight times would use hidden XML tags like "airline name" and "flight time" to categorize each of the airline flight times on that page. Or product inventory data available at a Web site could be labeled with tags like "brand," "price," and "size." By classifying data in this way, XML makes Web site information much more searchable, easier to sort, and easier to analyze. For example, XML-enabled search software could easily find the exact product O'Brien, James; Marakas, George (2012-07-01). Introduction to Information Systems - Loose Leaf, 16th edition (Page 167). Business And Economics. Kindle Edition.
