Software: examples. Software development

1.6.1. Basic concepts of information process software

Basic Concepts

The capabilities of a computer as the technical basis of information processes and data processing technologies are associated with the software (programs) used.

Program - an ordered sequence of computer commands (instructions) to solve a problem.

Software (software) - a set of data processing programs and documents necessary for their operation.

When implementing information processes using computers, the terms “task” and « application".

Problem (problem, task) - a problem to be solved.

Application (application) - a solution to a problem implemented using information technology.

Thus, a task means a problem to be implemented using information technology tools, and an application means an implemented solution to a problem, although in some cases these terms can be considered synonyms.

From the standpoint of the specifics of development and the type of software, we will distinguish two classes of problems- technological and functional.

Technological challenges problems are posed and solved during the technological process of information processing on a computer. Technological objectives are the basis for development software service tools in the form utilities, service programs, procedure libraries etc. , used to ensure the operation of a computer, the development of other programs, or the processing of functional task data.

Functional tasks appear and require solutions when implementing management functions within information systems of subject areas. For example, managing the activities of a trading enterprise, planning product release, managing the transportation of goods, information retrieval in a database, etc. Functional tasks together form the subject area and completely determine its specificity.

Subject (application) area (application domain) - a set of interconnected functions and management tasks with the help of which the achievement of set goals is achieved.

To solve problems, algorithms, standard models and problem solving methods presented in ready-made software products can be used. In this case, the software product is adapted to the conditions of a specific application. In all other cases, original algorithms and programs for implementing a set of tasks are developed.

Programming (programming)- theoretical and practical activities related to the creation of programs.

Programming is a collective concept and can be considered both “science” and “art”; the scientific and practical approach to program development is based on this.

The program is the result of intellectual work, which is characterized by creativity. Any program has the individuality of its developer; the program reflects a certain degree of skill of the programmer. At the same time, programming also involves routine work, which can and should have strict regulations and comply with standards.

Programming is based on a set of scientific disciplines aimed at research, development and application of specialized tools for creating programs. When developing programs, resource-intensive and knowledge-intensive technologies and highly qualified intellectual work are used, which also determines the specifics of this field of activity.

Programming is a developed branch of economic activity associated with significant costs of material, labor and financial resources. The total turnover in the field of software creation reaches several hundred billion dollars a year.

In connection with the growing need for a variety of data processing programs, the issue of using effective programming technologies and their transfer to an industrial basis is very relevant. It means:

• standardization, replication and reproduction of programming methods by various developers,
• introduction of advanced software development tools,
• the use of special methods and techniques for organizing and performing work on program development (project management methodology).

Concept of a software product

All programs according to the type of their users can be divided into two classes (Fig. 1) - utilitarian programs and software products (products).

This classification feature is decisive. It allows you to change the status of the program; instead of an “auxiliary” data processing tool, it turns into a “main tool”. Thus, depending on the type of “consumer”, programs of “internal” application and software products (products) for “external” distribution.

Utilitarian programs(“programs for yourself”) designed to meet the needs of their developers. Most often, utilitarian programs perform the role of a service in data processing technology, or are a program for solving a functional problem that is not intended for wide distribution.

Software products (products) intended to meet the needs of users, wide distribution and sale, as well as other products that are the subject of purchase, sale or exchange .

The software product must be properly prepared for operation, have the necessary technical documentation, provide service and guarantee the reliable operation of the program, have a manufacturer's trademark, and preferably have a state classifier code. Only under such conditions can the created software complex be called a software product.

The path of “programs for yourself” to software products is quite long; it is associated with changes in the technical and software environment for the development and operation of programs, with the emergence and development of an independent industry of folk - information business, which is characterized by the division of labor of software development firms, their further specialization, the formation market of software and information services. This process is on a global scale.

Software products can be created as:

• individual development to order;
• development for mass distribution among users.

At custom development The development company creates an original software product that takes into account the specifics of data processing for a specific customer.

At development for mass distribution The development company, on the one hand, must ensure the universality of the data processing functions performed, and on the other hand, the flexibility and customization of the software product for the conditions of a specific application. A distinctive feature of software products should be their “systematic nature” - the functional completeness and completeness of the implemented processing functions, which are used together. Development and maintenance of programs for mass use, as a rule, involve large labor costs - correcting detected errors, creating new versions of programs, etc.

Software product development is carried out on the basis industrial technology performing design work using modern programming tools. The specificity lies in uniqueness the process of developing algorithms and programs, depending on the nature of information processing and the tools used. Significant resources are spent on creating software products - labor, material, financial; highly qualified developers are required.

Software products require escort, which is carried out, as a rule, by specialized companies distributing programs (distributors, dealers), less often by development companies.

Maintenance of a software product - maintaining the functionality of a software product, transitioning to new versions, making changes, correcting detected errors, etc.

Software products, unlike traditional products, do not have a strictly regulated set of quality characteristics specified when creating programs, or these characteristics cannot be accurately specified or assessed in advance, since the same processing functions provided by the software have different depth of elaboration. Even the time and costs for developing software products cannot be determined with a high degree of accuracy in advance.

The main characteristics of the programs are:

• algorithmic complexity (logic of information processing algorithms),
• composition and depth of elaboration of the implemented processing functions,
• completeness and consistency of processing functions,
• technical parameters:
• volume of program files,
• requirements for the operating system and technical means of processing on the part of the software: the amount of disk memory, the size of RAM for running programs, the type of processor, the version of the operating system, the presence of a computer network, etc.

1.6.2. Software classification

Classification by area of ​​use

Software products can be classified according to various criteria. Let's consider a classification in which the fundamental feature is the sphere (area) of use software products:

• hardware of computers and computer networks;
• functional tasks of information systems and domain technologies;
• software development technology.

To support information technology in these areas, we will highlight three classes of software products, presented in Fig. 2:

• application software;
• programming technology tools.

System software

Software products of this class are of a general nature of application, regardless of the specifics of the subject area. They are subject to high demands on reliability and manufacturability, convenience and efficiency of use.

Rice. 2. Software classification

System software sent to:

• to create an operating environment for the functioning of other programs,
• to ensure reliable and efficient operation of the computer itself and the computer network,
• for diagnostics and preventive maintenance of computer equipment and computer networks,
• to perform auxiliary technological processes (copying, archiving, restoring programs and databases, etc.).

This class of software products is closely related to the type of computer and is an integral part of it. Software products are mainly aimed at qualified users - professionals in the computer field: system programmer, network administrator, application programmer, operator. However, knowledge of the basic technology of working with this class of software products is also required by end users of a personal computer, who independently not only work with their programs, but also perform the necessary maintenance of the computer, programs and data.

The system software includes operating system, which usually comes with your computer, and service software, which can be purchased additionally.

operating system designed to plan and manage computer computing resources, to control the execution of application software. In this class of software products, the most widely used operating systems are Windows (Microsoft), OS/2 (IBM), and Unix (freeware).

Servicesoftware make up programs and software packages that provide:

• organizing the computing process to expand the capabilities and improve the efficiency of the operating system;
• reliable computer operation;
• more convenient user experience.

Utility programs for expanding the capabilities of the operating system are often called utilities. Utilities are programs used to perform auxiliary operations of data processing or computer maintenance (diagnostics, testing hardware and software, optimizing the use or quality control of disk space, restoring damaged information on a magnetic disk, etc.).

Programming Technology Toolkit

Software products of this class support the program development process and include specialized software developer tools. They support all technological stages of the process of design, programming (coding), debugging and testing of created programs. Users of programming technology tools are system and application programmers. In their work, they are guided by the computer software in the environment in which the programs they create are expected to be used.

This area of ​​software is currently undergoing a stage of rapid development, which is due to the transition to industrial technology production of programs, the desire to reduce time, labor and material costs for the production and operation of programs, ensuring a guaranteed level of their quality.

Programming technology tools can be divided into two subclasses focused on:

• creation of individual applications or their complexes;
• automation of the development and implementation of information systems.

Within these areas, the following groups of software products have been formed:

• tools for creating applications, including:
• local means of performing individual work on creating programs;
• integrated tool environments for program developers to perform a set of interrelated works on creating programs;
• CASE - technology ( Computer-Aided System Engineering), representing methods of analysis, design and creation of software systems using computer technology.

Local Tools and IDEs program developers are the most representative and are based on a variety of programming languages. This is due to the history of their creation and development, relative affordability for a wide range of developers, and acceptable requirements for the technical complex of the development process.

Programming languages, if we take the syntax of the formation of its constructions as a sign of classification, we can conditionally divide into classes:

• computer languages ​​- programming languages ​​perceived by computer hardware (machine codes);
• machine-oriented languages ​​(computer-oriented languages) - programming languages ​​that reflect the structure of a specific type of computer (assembler);
• algorithmic languages ​​(algorithmic language) - programming languages ​​independent of the computer architecture to reflect the structure of the algorithm (PASCAL, FORTRAN, BASIC, etc.);
• problem-oriented languages ​​(universal programming languages) - programming languages ​​designed to solve problems of a certain class (LISP, RPG, SIMULA, etc.);
• integrated programming systems.

Another classification of programming languages ​​is their division into languages ​​focused on the implementation of the basics structured programming, And object oriented languages, such as Visual Basic, Visual C++, supporting the concept of objects, their properties and processing methods.

The further development of programming systems, which combine a set of tools for integrated use at all technological stages of program creation, are integrated software environments developers . The main purpose of this type of toolkit is to increase the productivity of programmers, automate the creation of program codes that provide a graphical user interface, and develop applications for the client-server architecture.

CASE technology is a software package that automates the entire technological process of analysis, design, development and maintenance of complex software systems. The main advantage of CASE technology is support for collective work on a project due to the ability to work in a local network of developers, export/import any fragments of the project, and organizational project management.

CASE technology tools are divided into two groups:

• implementations built into the system - all design and implementation decisions are tied to the selected database management system (DBMS);
• implementations independent of the system - all design solutions are focused on unifying the initial stages of the life cycle and the means of documenting them, providing greater flexibility in the choice of implementation means.

Some CASE technologies are aimed only at system designers and provide special graphical tools for depicting various types of models, for example, data flow diagrams (DFD), entity-relationship diagrams (ERD), etc.

Another class of CASE technologies support stages of the software development life cycle only, including:

• automatic generation of program codes based on their specifications;
• checking the correctness of the description of data models and data flow diagrams;
• documenting programs in accordance with accepted standards and the current state of the project;
• testing and debugging of programs.

Within the framework of CASE technologies, the entire project is supported. Project materials prepared in CASE technology serve as tasks for programmers, and programming itself rather comes down to coding - translation of data structures and methods for processing them into a specific language, if automatic code generation is not provided.

Most CASE technologies also use the “prototyping” method to quickly create programs in the early stages of development. Code generation of programs is carried out automatically.

Application software

Software products of this class serve as software tools for solving functional problems and are the largest class of software products. This class includes software products that process information from functional tasks of various subject areas.

Installation of software products on a computer is carried out by qualified users or specialists, and their direct operation is carried out, as a rule, by end users - consumers of information, in many cases, whose activities are very far from the computer field. This class of software products can be very specific to individual computers.

This class of software is the most representative, which is due to the widespread use of computer technology in all spheres of human activity and the creation of automated information systems in various subject areas.

An approximate classification of application software is presented in Figure 3.

Rice. 3. Classification of application software

Problem-oriented software forms the most representative class of software products, within which classification is carried out according to various criteria:

• types of subject areas,
• information systems,
• functions and sets of tasks, etc.

For some subject areas, it is possible to typify the data structure and algorithms for processing it. This has led to the creation of a market for software products designed for:

• automated accounting;
• financial activities;
• personnel management (personnel records);
• inventory management;
• production management;
• banking information systems, etc.

The most important thing for this class of software products is the creation user-friendly interface for end users.

Main trends in the development of problem-oriented software:

• creation of software systems in the form automated workstations(AWS) of management personnel;
• creation of integrated domain management systems based on computer networks, combining workstations into a single software package with a “client-server” architecture;
• organization of information systems data in the form of a distributed database on a computer network;
• setting up processing functions by end users (without the participation of programmers);
• protection of programs and data from unauthorized access.

For this class of programs it is high requirements for speed of data processing(for example, the throughput for banking systems must be several hundred transactions per second). The volumes of stored information are also large, which places increased demands on data administration tools (updating, copying, ensuring data processing performance).

Computer-aided design software is intended to support the work of designers and technologists related to the development of drawings, diagrams, diagrams, graphic modeling and design, the creation of a library of standard elements (templates) of drawings and their reuse, the creation of demonstration illustrations and cartoons.

A distinctive feature of this class of software products is the high requirements for the technical part of the data processing system, the presence of libraries of built-in functions, objects, interfaces with graphic systems and databases.

End-user workbench contains a wide range of software products that primarily support end-user information technologies. In addition to end users, these software products, due to the built-in software tools, can also be used by programmers to create sophisticated data processing programs.

Method-orientedsoftware includes software products that provide mathematical, statistical and other methods for solving problems for any subject area.

The most common software methods are mathematical programming, solving differential equations, simulation modeling, and operations research. Software products of this class can be standalone or embedded. For example, an Excel spreadsheet has a built-in data analysis package that provides a wide range of statistical methods, as well as a “solution search” package that implements the linear programming method. An example of a stand-alone software product is Microsoft Project, which implements a method of network planning and management. This provided project managers with fairly powerful tools for planning and analyzing professional activities.

Office software draw up programs that provide organizational management of office activities, including:

• organizers (planners) - software for planning working hours, drawing up minutes of meetings, schedules, maintaining an address and telephone book;
• translator programs;
• text recognition and spell checking tools;
• integrated packages - a set of several software products that functionally complement each other, supporting the same type of information technologies on one operating platform.

Integrated packages include the following standard components:

• DBMS;
• text editor;
• graphic editor;
• spreadsheet;
• organizer;
• email support tools;
• presentation creation program.

The components of integrated packages can work in isolation from each other, but the main advantages of integrated packages appear when they are intelligently combined with each other. Users of integrated packages have a unified interface for various components, thereby ensuring the relative ease of their development.

Integrated packages are effective for group work on a network of many users. Thus, from the application program in which the user is located, it is possible to send documents and data files to another user, while standards for transferring data in the form of objects over the network or via e-mail are supported.

Desktop Publishing includes programs that provide information technology for computer publishing:

• formatting and editing texts;
• automatic text pagination;
• creating headers;
• computer layout of the printed page;
• mounting graphics;
• preparation of illustrations, etc.

Multimedia software intended for creating and using audio and video information. Multimedia software products have taken a leading position in the market in the field of library information services, the learning process, and leisure activities. Databases of computer images of works of art, libraries of sound recordings form the basis for applied educational systems, computer games, library catalogs and funds, etc.

Intelligent systems implements individual functions of human intelligence. The main components of artificial intelligence systems are a knowledge base, an intelligent user interface and a program for generating logical conclusions. Their development is proceeding in the following directions:

• shell programs for creating expert systems by filling knowledge bases and logical inference rules;
• ready-made expert systems for decision-making within certain subject areas;
• knowledge base management systems for maintaining semantic models (procedural, semantic network, frame, production, etc.);
• speech analysis and recognition systems, etc.

Conclusions

This topic discusses the basic concepts and classification of information process software. Definitions and explanations of such terms as: program, software, task, application, subject (application) area, problem statement, algorithm and its properties, programming, software product, software product support are provided. A description is given of the classification of software by area of ​​use: system, application, programming technology tools. Each class has subclasses, for which the purpose and their characteristics are determined.

Self-test questions

1. What is the program?
2. What is software?
3. Define the problem and application.
4. What is a subject area?
5. What are the main stages of the software creation process?
6. What is the problem statement?
7. What is an algorithm for solving a problem?
8. Name the main properties of algorithms.
9. What is a software product and what are its properties?
10. What is software product maintenance?
11. How can software be classified?
12. What is included in the system software?
13. What constitutes a subclass of service software?
14. Define a utility program. Give examples.
15. What is programming technology toolkit?
16. Define CASE technology and when it is used.
17. What types of programming languages ​​do you know?
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Software Basics

COMPUTER SOFTWARE

Security questions

1. What is computer architecture?

2. Name the principles of computer construction formulated by von Neumann.

3. What devices are included in the von Neumann computer?

4. What electronic elements are located on the motherboard?

5. What are the main functions of a microprocessor?

6. What is clock speed?

7. What is the microprocessor capacity?

8. What models of microprocessors do you know?

9. What is the purpose of memory devices?

10. What are RAM and ROM?

11. What is abbreviated RAM?

12. What is the minimum piece of information in memory devices for PCs?

13. What is the purpose of the system bus?

14. Name the main groups of keys on a standard keyboard.

15. Which port does the mouse connect to?

16. What is the purpose of the monitor?

17. Describe the operating principle of dot matrix, inkjet and laser printers?

18. What are tracks and sectors on a magnetic disk?

19. Why do you format disks?

20. What is a laser disc?

21. What is a driver?

22. What are the types of ports?

A computer is a software-controlled automatic device for working with information. Without programs, any computer is “dead hardware.” The capabilities of a computer as the technical basis of a data processing system are related to the software (programs) used.

Program (program, routine) - an ordered sequence of computer commands (instructions) to solve a problem.

Software- a set of data processing programs.

Problem (problem, task)- a problem to be solved.

Application- software implementation on a computer of solving a problem.

Software software can be divided into three groups:

– system programs;

– application programs;

– programming systems.

Systemic are called programs that organize the computing process and manage computer resources.

They are intended to control the operation of devices that make up the computer, organize communication with the user (user interface), and work with the file system.

System programs consist of:

– operating systems (OS),

– operating membranes,

– special programs.

Operating system (OS)- a set of programs that provide support for the operation of computer hardware, networks and all programs.

When the computer is turned on, the operating system is first loaded into RAM, under which the operating system is checked and all subsequent operation of the computer is carried out. The work also ends under OS control.

Operating systems

Operating systems are classified by:

– the number of concurrent users per single-user And multi-user OS;

– the number of tasks simultaneously executed under OS control, per single-tasking And multitasking;

– the number of processors used per single-processor And multiprocessor;

– bit depth processors for 8-bit, 16-bit, 32-bit, 64-bit;

– type of user interface on team(text) and object-oriented(graphic);

– the way to use shared hardware and software resources on network And local.

The main difference multi-user systems from single-user systems is the availability of means to protect each user’s information from unauthorized access by other users.

IN multitasking mode Each task (program, application) is alternately allocated a certain share of processor time. Since the switching process is very fast, and the shares of processor time allocated to tasks are quite small, the user gets the impression of simultaneous execution of several tasks at once.

Operating system MS-DOS is a command (text) OS for 16-bit computers based on microprocessors 8086...80486. All MS-DOS programs are stored on magnetic disks, which is why it is called disk operating system(Disk Operating System). The letters MS are an abbreviation for the name of the developer company Microsoft. Several modifications of this OS have been released, so we can talk about the whole family of operating systems MS-DOS.

Operating systems of the Windows family

When creating the Windows operating system, Microsoft used object-oriented approach.

At the user level, the object-oriented approach is expressed in the fact that the interface is a semblance of the real world, and working with a computer is reduced to actions with ordinary objects. So, folders can be opened, closed, moved, or put in a briefcase. Documents can be viewed, corrected, moved from one place to another, destroyed or thrown into the trash.

The Windows OS is based on the following principles:

– WYSIWYG(What You See Is What You Get - what you see is what you get), due to which the same image is formed on the printer as on the display screen. When working in DOS, the appearance of text on the monitor screen and printed on the printer may appear different. This depends on the font selected on the printer.

– Plug and Play(insert and play, or rather, connect and use) allows you to connect new devices to a computer, for example, a printer or laser player, without manual configuration. The English term Plug and Play is pronounced plug and play in Russian. An OS that supports this principle automatically selects the driver necessary for the operation of a new device connected to the computer.

- technology Drag and Drop(drag and drop). Thanks to Drag and Drop technology, it is easy to change the position of any window and its size.

In Windows, you can compose documents from parts that are prepared in various applications. Technology is used to link and embed documents OLE(Object Linking and Embedding), which means “linking and embedding objects.”

When working in the Windows operating system, programs are usually called applications.

The advantage of operating systems of the Windows family is unified user interface(shell), thanks to which different programs maintain the same principles for managing their work. This provides the ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously.

In this case, the user interface of each program is placed in a separate rectangular area called window.

Operating shells–– graphical add-ons created to facilitate work using the operating system. The most popular in Russia are Norton Commander, DOS Navigator, Windows Commander, etc.

Special programs –– perform some additional systemic services. These programs are divided into utilities and drivers.

Utilities- designed to perform frequently repeated operations, for example, formatting magnetic disks, defragmenting disks, archiving files, restoring accidentally deleted files, searching for and removing viruses, etc.

Drivers- system programs that ensure the operation of printers, disk drives, displays, keyboards, etc. The word “driver” comes from the English word driver - driver, driver.

Application packages (APP)

An application program package is a set of interconnected programs for solving problems of a certain class of a specific subject area.

Application programs, enable the user to directly solve their information problems.

Application software, in turn, is divided into two parts:

– general purpose application programs ,

– professionally oriented programs.

TO general purpose applications These include programs that most users need, regardless of their professional interests. They include:

– text processing systems (word processors);

– computer graphics systems (graphics editors);

– spreadsheet calculation systems - electronic tables (spreadsheet processors);

– user-oriented database management systems;

– presentation development tools;

– programs that provide e-mail and Internet access.

Professionally oriented programs They create specialized programs for specialists in a narrow range of tasks.

Programming systems - a tool for professional programmers.

Each such system is focused on a specific programming language: Pascal, BASIC, Fortran, C, Assembly, etc. Programming systems allow you to create program texts, debug and execute programs. All of the above types of software are created by programmers using specially created programming systems.

What is software? We see examples of its practical use every day when we sit down at the computer. Even simply moving the mouse across the screen is the result of the software. What types of software are there? How is software development done?

Software: theory

A computer operates through the combined use of hardware and software. The first refers to a set of chips, boards and other electronic components and devices that make up a PC. The second includes computer programs that are designed to process information and perform useful actions using a PC. The first is often called “hardware” in slang, the second is “software”.

The software appears on the computer through installation - placing the corresponding files on the disk. In some cases it is necessary to update the software. This is, in essence, a re-installation of a more advanced and modern version of the software. To have a so-called “distribution” you need to have it. It is a specialized installer program.

There are two main types of software - system and application. The first type ensures the operation of the PC in terms of its basic functions: launching, loading and performing low-level computing operations. The main types of system software are considered to be tools for managing computer hardware components and setting them up.

These are programs with the help of which practically significant actions are performed on a PC. For example, typing, building tables, drawing, using the Internet, etc.

To simplify the language, it can be summarized as follows: system software is for the computer, application software is for the user. Another way to explain the difference in simple terms: the work is usually not visible. They perform their functions without “coordination” with the user, in hidden mode. In turn, application software works only with the direct participation of the user. Today we will look at examples of both.

There are, of course, “non-computer” types of software. They can control other types of devices - for example, tablets, smartphones, TVs. There is software for climate control systems, industrial facilities, etc.

What is an operating system?

OS is a basic type of system software from the point of view of operating PC capabilities. Why is it included in this category of software? The fact is that all other computer software (both system and application) operates in environments formed by operating systems. OS is the basis for PC operation. If there is no operating system, then no other program will work. The main processes of the OS are hidden from the user.

The most common operating systems for PCs in the world are Windows (the most popular, there are many versions of it - 7th, 8th, XP and others), Linux, MacOS.

System software: drivers

The second, perhaps most important type of system software is the driver. They are designed to ensure the correct operation of hardware components. If the drivers for the disk are not installed on the computer, it will not function. Likewise for a video card, mouse, modem and even processor. Typical network software is a router or modem driver. This type of software is usually supplied by hardware manufacturers (and in many cases included in operating systems).

This is the essence of system software. Next up we have application software, examples of the most popular solutions and the main features that are offered to users.

Application software: antiviruses, utilities

Common types of application software are antiviruses and utilities. The former are designed to protect the PC from malware that can damage other software or even computer hardware components. Some of the most popular antiviruses in Russia are NOD32, DrWeb, Kaspersky. Utilities are designed to ensure stable operation of the PC, monitor how correctly the processor, disks, memory and other hardware components of the computer are working.

Popular Microsoft Word

Which specific examples of application software are in greatest demand today? First of all, this applies to word processing programs. This kind of operation on a computer is historically the very first. One of the most popular programs in the world for word processing and performing related operations (drawing tables, graphs, etc.) is Word. It was developed by one of the world's largest corporations - the American Microsoft. Its Russian transcription is acceptable, which sounds like “Word program”.

To date, several versions of this software have been released. The functions in each of them are different, but the basic (and most popular in practice) task performed by MS Word in one modification or another is formatting text, saving it to a file and ensuring (if necessary) its correct output to the printer.

Microsoft Word: Features

The Word program can perform a huge number of operations. Namely:

Formatting letters and paragraphs (selecting the right font size and basic attributes - underlining, bold, italics, line spacing, etc.)

Designing the appearance of pages (setting colors and patterns on the background, adding graphics, pictures, etc.)

Adding elements accompanying text (tables, graphs, icons, etc.)

Learning to use Word is very easy. Many of the program's controls are intuitive. It is also worth noting that Microsoft, which released Word, has provided its solution with a detailed help system, which the user can access by pressing F1 on the keyboard.

Popular applications: Microsoft Excel

An example of another popular application software is Microsoft Excel (in Russian - “Excel program”). Her narrow specialization is calculations using spreadsheets. This kind of solution greatly simplifies working with numbers.

Despite the fact that this program is considered professional, even novice users can master the basic methods of working with it (which is why it has gained worldwide fame).

Microsoft Excel: features

The simplest operations in Excel are displaying text and numbers in the form of tables. The working field of the program, in fact, looks like a large number of cells, in each of which you can enter something. A more complex procedure is drawing graphs and introducing formulas. Operations that require professional training - programming of so-called "macros" (a kind of internal programs), engineering calculations.

Let us list the most common types of problems in practice that the Excel program can solve:

Mathematical calculations using numerical values ​​in table cells (summing, subtracting, dividing, multiplying, building progressions, etc.);

Application of formulas to automate invoices;

Drawing up reports, forms, questionnaires and other documents that look most comfortable in the form of tables;

Drawing graphs, visualizing statistics using diagrams.

Just like Word, Excel is very easy to learn on your own. The program's controls are largely intuitive. This type of software is also equipped with a detailed help system (which can be useful not only for a novice user, but also for a professional).

Popular Application Programs: Adobe Photoshop

Often users need to use one interesting program - Photoshop. For Windows 7, 8 or XP it exists in a large number of versions. Officially, this program is called Adobe Photoshop. It is designed for drawing (this kind of solution is called “graphics editors”). It is used, as in the case of Word and Excel, by both novice users and professionals: designers, web developers, cartoon creators.

Photoshop refers to programs that process images in the so-called "raster" mode. What does it mean? We can say that the main part of computer graphics belongs to the “raster” category. We are talking about images consisting of a large number of small dots (remember how a picture is built on a TV and monitor - the principle is the same). Using "raster" you can create absolutely any graphic elements. You can draw a portrait of a person, a house, a landscape - anything. In addition to “raster” graphics, there is also “vector” graphics. Images based on it can, in turn, be built only according to the templates embedded in the program.

Adobe Photoshop: features

Using Photoshop, you can not only create pictures, but also make changes to existing ones. Hence the term "photoshopped". You can, for example, modify objects in a photo, add something to them, retouch them - with a lot of experience working with Photoshop, everything can turn out very believable.

Adobe Photoshop works with most graphic file formats thanks to the presence of a large set of converters for different formats. The latter convert graphic information from the file format into the native format of the Adobe Photoshop editor when reading from the file. When writing to a file, converters perform the reverse conversion.

What are the most popular types of operations that are performed in Photoshop? These include the following:

Creating new drawings using virtual brushes, pencils, rulers, shapes using different colors;

Changing the size of pictures or their individual elements;

Combining the contents of two different images;

Changing the color of the picture or its parts;

Application of visual effects using templates and algorithms built into the program;

Transformation of pictures (reflection, rotation, etc.).

Just like Word and Excel, Photoshop's controls are easy to learn and intuitive. So even an inexperienced user can draw something. Many of the versions of the program are equipped with a help system in Russian, which describes in detail how to work with Photoshop.

Popular types of application software: browsers

A browser is a program with which users access the Internet, read news from websites, write messages on social networks, watch videos - in a word, do everything that is typical for the “virtual space”. The most popular solutions of this type in the world are Internet Explorer, Opera, Google Chrome. There are a very large number of their analogues and subtypes. The functionality of each of them is generally the same. Most users prefer to use one or the other, based on a subjective assessment of the quality of the program design and the convenience of the location of the controls on them.

The operating principle of browsers is based on recognizing hypertext markup language (called HTML) and converting it into user-friendly visual elements - text, pictures, tables, videos, animations, message forms, etc.

Browsers: features

Samples of such software are designed very simply. The main elements of the browser are a line with the site address and the main field (most often called the “web interface”), where information from the Internet is displayed. The main feature of such a program is that it acts as an intermediary between the PC user and other people located in the virtual space. That is, Using a browser (more precisely, a “web interface”) a person can essentially exchange data, sending something from himself (text, files) and receiving something from others. Was there an Internet before the invention of browsers? The fact is that the “web interface” is historically not the very first method of communication between users. It appeared after many years of international agreement on the standards by which “virtual” information should be exchanged.

Software: paid and free

One of the criteria for software classification is cost. There are three categories of solutions. Firstly, it is completely free. Secondly, there is a commercial one. If the user wants to use such software, he must pay for its installation. Thirdly, there is an intermediate type of software - shareware. What makes it special? In general, the use of such software is as follows: you do not need to pay for installation, but after using the program for some time (for example, a month), you will need to transfer money to the developer for further use.

What is "cloud technology"?

In recent years, the term “cloud technologies” has gained great popularity. What is this phenomenon? “Cloud technologies” are, in simple terms, application software that can be launched from a browser (accordingly, it is not installed on a PC). Let's look at an example. Microsoft Word, which we talked about above, is launched by double-clicking the icon on the desktop. But there is the same solution, but “cloud”: the use of software of this type is carried out through the web browser interface. As a rule, the files that the user works with using such software are also stored on the Internet.

A lot of programs now exist in the “cloud” format. There are even versions of operating systems of this type. So we can say that the “cloud” format is not only application software, but also system software. The popularity of such solutions today is associated with the fast speed of the Internet (this did not exist a few years ago), as well as saving the user’s time - there is no need to install anything on the PC. By the way, cloud-based software updates occur regardless of the user. It's also convenient.

Who develops the software?

There is an entire branch of the economy within which software development is carried out - programming. It employs people with a wide variety of knowledge profiles. But they are united by a common feature - knowledge of programming languages. Using one or more of them, a person writes software. A programming language is a set of commands recognized by the hardware components of a computer. By writing a “phrase” structured in a certain way, the person creating the software gives an “instruction” to the processor, or, say, the PC disk, to perform such and such an operation on the file. There are hundreds of languages ​​used to develop software. Popular ones include C, Java, Pascal, Ruby-on-Rails.

Is it difficult to learn how to create software?

Not at all. Absolutely anyone can become a software developer. Creating software is not a prohibited activity at all. Many successful entrepreneurs started out by developing software. Examples of such people are Bill Gates, Linux Torvalds, Evgeny Kaspersky. You can learn languages ​​for creating software based on a large amount of available literature, video tutorials, or by attending specialized courses. Software development is one of the fastest growing industries, and its rise in popularity is mainly due to its universal accessibility.

| Computer software. About system software and programming systems

Lesson 8
The concept of software and its types. Purpose of the operating system and its main functions

§9. Computer software
§10. 0 system software and programming systems

Computer software

Main topics of the paragraph:

What is software;
- types of software;

Questions studied:

- Composition of application software.


- Service programs.

What is software

The capabilities of a modern PC are so great that an increasing number of people are finding use for it in their work, study, and everyday life. The most important quality of a modern computer is its “user friendliness”. Communication between a person and a computer has become simple, visual, and understandable. The computer itself tells the user what to do in a given situation and helps get out of difficult situations. This is possible thanks to computer software.

Let's use the analogy between a computer and a person again. A newborn person knows nothing and cannot do anything. He acquires knowledge and skills in the process of development, learning, accumulating information in his memory. A computer that is assembled in a factory from microcircuits, wires, circuit boards and other things is like a newborn human. We can say that loading software into a computer's memory is similar to the process of teaching a child.

Software is created by programmers.

The entire set of programs stored on all devices of a computer's long-term memory constitutes its software (software).

Computer software is constantly updated, developed, and improved. The cost of installed programs on a modern PC often exceeds the cost of its technical devices. Development of modern software requires very high qualifications from programmers.

Types of software

There is a necessary part in computer software, without which you simply cannot do anything on it. It is called system software. The main element of system software is the operating system (for example, Windows, Linux). The buyer purchases a computer equipped with system software, which is no less important for the operation of the computer than the memory or processor. In addition to system software, computer software also includes application programs and programming systems.

Computer software is divided into:

System software;
- application software;
- programming systems.

System software and programming systems will be discussed later. Now let's get acquainted with the application software.

Composition of application software *

* In the software industry, things change very quickly, so it is impossible to give an accurate and unchanging classification.
Some modern programs are difficult to classify into any one of the types described below .

Programs with which the user can solve his information problems without resorting to programming are called application programs.

A set of general-purpose application programs is usually supplied with the operating system. In Windows, this is the “Standard” group of programs (simple text and graphic editors, calculator, etc.), an email program and an Internet browser. General purpose programs also include office, multimedia and entertainment programs. In Linux, such programs are divided into groups according to their purpose.

Office programs. As a rule, when a user purchases a computer, he installs an office software package on it. Such programs include:

Word processors - for working with text documents;
spreadsheet processors that allow you to organize spreadsheet calculations that are very common in practice;
programs for creating presentations - demonstration videos used for public speaking;
programs for managing simple databases.

Multimedia programs. These are general-purpose programs designed to work with image and sound. These include graphic editors that allow you to draw, process photographs, and make photomontages. Sound and image player programs allow you to display a picture on the screen, listen to a music recording, or watch a video. Sound processing on a computer is usually carried out by professionals using special software packages.

Entertainment programs. Many users begin their communication with a computer with computer games.

Professional programs. These are special-purpose application programs - tools for professional activities. For example, accounting programs are used for automated payroll and other calculations that are made in accounting departments; computer-aided design systems are used by designers to develop projects for various technical devices; programs that allow solving complex mathematical problems are used by scientists and engineers; medical expert systems help the doctor diagnose the patient and much more.

Educational programs. These are also special purpose programs. Educational programs include electronic textbooks and training simulators. Often a game form is used for learning purposes. This combination is especially popular for young children.

Briefly about the main thing

Computer software is divided into three parts: system software, application software and programming systems.

Using application programs the user can directly solve his information problems without resorting to programming.

Application software includes: office, multimedia, entertainment and educational, professional and other programs.

Questions and tasks

1. What is computer software?

2. What tasks does the application software perform?

3. Name the main types of general-purpose application programs.

4. What are special purpose applications?

About system software and programming systems

Main topics of the paragraph:

What is an operating system;
- interactive mode;
- service programs;
- programming systems.

Questions studied:

Software concept.
- Software types
- Composition of application software.
- System software and operating system functions.
- The concept of interactive mode of operation.
- Service programs.
- A programming system is a tool for a programmer’s work.

What is an operating system

It is not difficult to understand why application programs are needed. What is system software?

The main part of the system software is operating system(OS).

An operating system is a set of programs that manage RAM, processor, external devices and files, and also conduct dialogue with the user.

The operating system has a lot of work to do, and it is in working order almost all the time. For example, in order to execute an application program, you need to find it in external memory (on disk), place it in RAM (finding free space there), start executing the program, monitor the operation of all computer devices during execution, and display diagnostic messages in case of failures . The operating system takes care of all these concerns.

Here are the names of some common operating systems for personal computers: Windows, Linux, Mac OS.

Interactive mode

The operating system communicates with the user through a certain dialog environment (shell), reflected on the screen: “Desktop”, file manager, etc. Wanting to perform some action, the user sends the corresponding command to the OS, influencing elements of the dialog environment. For example, this could be a command to launch an application program, a command to perform an operation with files (delete a file, copy, etc.), a command to report the current time or date, or a command to restart the computer. After completing this stage of work, the operating system goes into a state of waiting for the next command from the user.

This mode of operation is called dialog mode. Thanks to the OS, the user never feels left to the mercy of fate. All operating systems on personal computers work with the user in dialog mode. Dialogue mode is often called interactive mode.

Service programs

In addition to the OS, system software also includes many service programs, service nature. For example, these are disk maintenance programs (copying, formatting, “cleaning”, etc.), compressing files on disks (archivers), fighting computer viruses, and much more.

Computer virus is called malicious software code that can damage data on a computer or disable it. The main carriers of viruses are: unlicensed software, files copied from random sources, as well as the global computer network Internet. The fight against computer viruses is carried out by specialists who create anti-virus programs.

Antivirus programs must be included in your computer software. However, it is not enough to install such a program on your computer just once. After this, you need to regularly update its database - add settings for new types of viruses. Such updates are most quickly carried out via the Internet by the servers of anti-virus software manufacturers.

Programming systems

In addition to system and application software, there is a third type of software. It is called programming systems (SP).

A programming system is a set of tools designed to work with programs in one of the programming languages.

Programmers work with programming systems. They develop computer programs. Every SP is focused on a specific programming language. There are many different languages, for example Pascal, BASIC, FORTRAN, C (“C”), Assembly, LISP, etc. In these languages, the programmer writes programs, and with the help of programming systems, enters them into the computer, debugs, tests, and executes them.

Programmers create all kinds of programs: system, application and new programming systems.

Briefly about the main thing

System software- a mandatory part of the software. Its core is the operating system (OS). The OS is directly connected to the hardware and controls its operation, organizes work with files, and conducts a dialogue with the user.

To service programs include disk maintenance programs, archivers, anti-virus programs, etc.

Programming systems- tools for programmers to work with.

Questions and tasks

1. What types of software are available on modern computers? Prepare your message.

2. What is an operating system (OS)? What main functions does it perform?

3. What is the interactive mode of communication between the OS and the user?

4. What are programming systems intended for? Who works with them?

Electronic lesson supplement

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There are two main types of software: system (also called general) and application (called special). Each type of software performs different functions. Systemic software is a set of programs that control computer components, such as the processor, communications and peripheral devices. Programmers who create system software, are called system programmers. Application software refers to programs written for users or by users themselves to tell the computer to do a specific job. Programs for processing orders or creating mailing lists are examples of application software. Programmers who write applications software are called application programmers.

Both types of software are interrelated and can be represented in the form of a diagram shown in Fig. 2.1. As you can see, each area interacts closely with the other. Systemic software provides and controls access to computer hardware. Applied software interacts with hardware components through the system. End users primarily work with application software. To ensure hardware compatibility, each type of software is developed for a specific hardware platform.

Rice. 2.1.

System software, which includes operating system, language translators and utility programs, controls access to hardware. Application software, such as programming languages ​​and various user applications, operates on the hardware through the system software layer. Users, in turn, interact with application software.

Software systems can be classified according to various criteria. Let's consider a classification in which the fundamental feature is the sphere (area) of use of software products:

• hardware of autonomous computers and computer networks;
• functional tasks of various subject areas;
• software development technology.

To support information technology in these areas, there are respectively three classes of software products presented in Fig. 2.2:

• system software;
• application software;
• instrumental software.

Systemic software(System Software) – a set of programs and software systems designed to ensure the operation of a computer and computer networks. Systemic software performs the following tasks:

• creation of an operating environment for the functioning of other programs;
• ensuring reliable and efficient operation of the computer itself and the computer network;
• carrying out diagnostics, localization of failures, errors and failures and prevention of computer equipment and computer networks;
• performing auxiliary technological processes (copying, archiving, restoring program files and databases, etc.).

This class of software products is closely related to the type of computer and is an integral part of it. Software products are mainly aimed at qualified users - professionals in the computer field: system programmer, network administrator, application programmer, operator. However, knowledge of the basic technology of working with this class of software products is also required by end users of a personal computer, who independently not only work with their programs, but also perform maintenance of the computer, programs and data.

Software products of this class are of a general nature of application, regardless of the specifics subject area. They are subject to high demands on reliability and manufacturability, convenience and efficiency of use.

Applied software is a set of interrelated programs designed to solve problems of a certain class of specific subject area. Application packages(GPP) general purpose serve as software tools for solving functional problems and are the largest class of software products. This class includes software products that process information from various subject areas.

Installation of application software packages on a computer is performed by system administrators, system programmers, and (in some cases) qualified users. Direct operation of software products is carried out, as a rule, by end users - consumers of information, in many cases whose activities are very far from the computer field. This class of software products can be very specific to individual subject areas.

Programming technology tools are a set of programs and software packages that provide technology for the development, debugging and implementation of created software products.

The programming technology toolkit includes specialized software products that are developer tools. Software products of this class support all technological stages of the process of design, programming (coding), debugging and testing of created programs. Users of programming technology are system and application programmers.

Systemic software(Fig. 2.3) can be divided into basic software, which usually comes with the computer, and a service software, which can be purchased additionally.

Basic software(base software) – a minimum set of software that ensures the operation of a computer. Service software includes programs and software packages that expand the capabilities of the basic software and organize a more convenient user work environment.

To basic software includes:

• operating system;
• operating shells (usually text and graphical);
• network operating system.

operating system designed to control the execution of user programs, planning and managing computer computing resources.

The most traditional comparison of OS is carried out according to the following characteristics of the information processing process:

• memory management (maximum addressable space, memory types, technical indicators of memory use);
• functionality of auxiliary programs (utilities) as part of the operating system;
• presence of disk compression;
• the ability to archive files;
• support for multitasking mode;
• network software support;
• availability of high-quality documentation;
• conditions and complexity of the installation process;
• mobility (portability), safety, reliability, etc.

Operating systems, given their central position in computer software, are discussed in detail in the next chapter of the textbook.

Operating shells are special programs designed to facilitate user communication with operating system commands. Operating shells have text and graphical end-user interface options, and in the future, voice interface options and handwriting recognition are possible. These programs significantly simplify the task of specifying control information for executing operating system commands and reduce the stress and complexity of the end user's work.

An extension of the basic computer software is a set of service, additionally installed programs (or programs supplied directly with operating systems), which can be classified according to functionality as follows:

• computer diagnostic programs;
• anti-virus programs that protect your computer, detect and restore infected files;
• disk maintenance programs that check the quality of the surface of a magnetic disk, control the safety of the file system at the logical and physical levels, compress disks, create insurance copies of disks, backup data on external media, etc.;
• data archiving programs that provide the process of compressing information in files in order to reduce the amount of memory for storing it;
• network maintenance programs.

These programs are often called utilities. Utilities are programs used to perform auxiliary operations of data processing or computer maintenance (diagnostics, testing hardware and software, optimizing the use of disk space, restoring damaged information on a magnetic disk, etc.).

In modern operating systems, such utilities can be presented, as, for example, in Windows, by groups of “standard” and “utility” programs. They include a number of useful programs: a calculator, a sound recorder, a notepad, etc. The “utilities” group contains a number of programs that expand the capabilities of the operating system: disk cleanup and defragmentation, system recovery, etc.