CHAPTER 3 : BASIC APPLICATION SOFTWARE

APPLICATION SOFTWARE

There are two basic types of software. System software focuses on handling technical details. Application software focuses on completing specific tasks or applications. Two categories are BASIC APPLICATIONS and SPECIALIZED APPLICATIONS.

Common Features of Application Software.

You control and interact with a program using a user interface. A graphical user interface (GUI) uses icons selected by a mouse-controller pointer. A window contains a document, program, or message. Most software programs, including Microsoft Office 2003, also have : -

·        Menus – present commands listed on the menu bar.

·        Dialog box – provides additional information or request user input.

·        Toolbars – contain buttons for quick access to commonly used commands.

Microsoft Office 2010 uses and interface introduced with Microsoft Office 2007 which includes:-

1. Ribbons replace menus and tool
2. Tabs divided ribbons into major activity areas organized into groups. Contextual Tabs automatically appear when needed
3. Galleries display graphic representations of alternatives.

Some applications support speech recognition by allowing voice input.

WORD PROCESSORS

microsoft office interface 2003

  microsoft office interface 2007

Word processors allow you to create, edit, save, and print text -based documents, including flyers, reports, newsletters and Web pages.

Features  :


Word wrap is a basic feature that automatically moves the insertion point to the next line. Editing features include :-

• Thesaurus, which provides synonyms, antonyms and related words. 
• Find and replace, which locates (finds), removes and inserts (replaces) another word(s).
• Spelling and grammar checkers, which automatically locate misspelled words and grammatical problems.

Formatting features include:- 

• Font – design of characters. Font size is the height of characters.
• Character effects – include bold, italic and color.
• Styles – feature that quickly applies predefined formats.
• Bulleted and numbered lists – used to present sequences of topics or steps. 

SPREADSHEETS

Spreadsheets programs are used to organized, analyze and graph numeric data.

Features

Principal spreadsheets features include the following:-

• Workbook files consists of one or more related worksheets.
•  Worksheets, also known as spreadsheets or sheets , are rectangular grids of rows and columns. Rows are identified by numbers, column by letters.
•  Cells are formed by the intersection of a row and column; used to hold text and numeric entries.
• Text entries (labels) provide structure and numeric entries can be numbers or formulas.
• Formulas are instructions for calculations. Functions are prewritten formulas.
• Range is a series of cells.
•  Analytical graphs (charts) represent data visually.
• Recalculation occurs whenever a value changes in one cell that affects another cell(s)
• What-if analysis is the process of observing the effect of changing one or more values.

DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS 

A database is a collection a related data. A database management system (DBMS) , also known as a database manager, structures a database and provides tools for manipulating data.

Features

1. Principal database management system features include the following:-
2. Relational database organizes data into related tables.
3. Tables have rows (records) and columns (fields).
4. Sort is a tool to rearrange records.
5. Filter is a tool to display only those records meeting specified conditions.
6. Query is a question or request for specific data contained in a database.
7. Forms are used to enter and edit records.
8.  Reports are printed output in a variety of forms.

PRESENTATION GRAPHICS

Presentation graphics combine a variety of visual objects to create attractive , visually interesting presentations. They are excellent tools to communicate a message and to

persuade people.

Features  

1. Principal presentation graphic features include the following:-
2.  Slides – individual pages or screens of a presentation.
3. Design templates – professionally selected combination  of color schemes , slide layout and special effects.
4. Content templates – provide suggested content for each slide.
5. Animation  - adds action to text and graphics. Transitions animate moving from one slide to the next.

INTEGRATED PACKAGES

An integrated package, also known  as personal or home software, is a single program that provides the functionality of several application packages. Some important characteristics include:-

·        

      Functions that typically include word processing , spreadsheets , database manager and more. Each function is not as extensive or powerful as a single- function application program.

·         
      Less expensive than purchasing several individual application programs and simple to use.

·         Popular with home users who are willing to sacrifice some advanced features for cost and simplicity.

SOFTWARE SUITES

A software suite is a collection of individual application packages sold together.

·        Productivity suites (  office software suites or office suites ) contain professional –grade application programs.

·        Alternative office suites include downloadable  office suites ( stored on your computer) or online office suites (stored online).

·        Specialized suites focus on specific applications such as graphics.

·        Utility suites include a variety of programs designed to make computing easier and safer.

CHAPTER 3 : BASIC APPLICATION SOFTWARE

Application software

Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform singular or multiple related specific tasks. It helps to solve problems in the real world. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software, and media players.

Application software is contrasted with system software and middleware, which manage and integrate a computer's capabilities, but typically do not directly apply them in the performance of tasks that benefit the user. 

A simple, if imperfect, analogy in the world of hardware would be the relationship of an electric light bulb (an application) to an electric power generation plant (a system). The power plant merely generates electricity, not itself of any real use until harnessed to an application like the electric light that performs a service that benefits the user.

System software does not aim at a certain application fields. In contrast, different application software offers different functions based on users and the area it served. software’s developed for some certain purpose, which either can be a certain program or a collection of some programmers, such as a graphic browser or the data base management system. 

Application software allows end users to accomplish one or more specific (not directly computer development related) tasks. Typical applications include:

§                     industrial automation

§                     business software

§                     video games

§                     quantum chemistry and solid state physics software

§                     telecommunications (i.e., the Internet and everything      that flows on it)

§                     databases

§                     educational software

§                     Mathematical software

§                     medical software

§                     molecular modeling software

§                     image editing

§                     spreadsheet

§                     simulation software

§                     Word processing

§              Decision making software

  

E-COMMERCE ( Issue In Malaysia)

E-Commerce In Malaysia.....

Electronic Commerce or e-commerce has received much attention from governments, businesses and regional bodies. This importance has been attributed to several converging factors. 

These factors include: first, the development of the use of the Internet as a means by which information is disseminated and through which communication and connectivity is enabled; and second, the affordability of personal computers, increase in their computing capability, and the wide use of open standards (Kiranjit, 2005)

There is a high level of interest in e-commerce in the Malaysian government and in its resident information industries. Beginning in 1997, the government established an Inter-Agency Task Force on Electronic Commerce to develop a national strategic action plan and recommend policy initiatives on security, encryption technologies, and transaction tracking mechanisms for facilitating e-commerce. 

One of the key topics for discussion was the relative advantages and disadvantages to Malaysia on e-commerce vis-à-vis international trade. 

So far, the conclusion appears to be that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages but that the country should proceed with caution (Kiranjit, 2004).

Benefit Of E-Commerce In Malaysia...

The main opportunities of e-commerce to businesses and corresponding benefits to consumers in Malaysia includes : 

• Worldwide access and greater choice
• Enhanced competitiveness and quality of service
• Mass customization and personalized products and services
• Elimination of intermediaries and product availability
• Greater efficiency and lower costs
• New business opportunities and new products and services

The Future Of E-Commerce In Malaysia....

The future of e-commerce seems to be very bright for Malaysia. However, it can only remain so if there is consumer trust and confidence in it. Therefore, there is a need for online traders to be accountable and responsible to the consumer. 

Governments and businesses need to work together on an international platform to ensure specific standards are set, which will assist the electronic traders to meet their responsibilities more systematically. 

Both the business and government have a role to play in international consumer protection in the online marketplace, which can be global and borderless. The government needs to provide a baseline for international consumer protection to ensure effectiveness of industry self-regulation and thus strengthen consumer confidence. 

Industry’s expertise and knowledge of commerce, and its ability to take that information and translate it into procedures for operating in the digital world at the same pace as the underlying technology evolves will allow it to implement the necessary codes of conduct.

ERA PERKEMBANGAN WEB

Perkembangan arus teknologi bergerak sangat pantas dan amat sukar untuk kita ikuti secara keseluruhan. Saban hari ada sahaja idea dan koleksi2 baru yang muncul dalam dunia teknologi. Kali ini kami nak kongsikan sedikit maklumat mengenai evolusi Web 1.0,Web 2.0 dan Web 3.0.

Sebenarnya Era perkembangan Web bermula dengan Web 1.0 iaitu pada tahun 1990 hingga 2001. Web 1.0 adalah generasi pertama web yang berfungsi sebagai pemberi maklumat dan informasi yang bersifat satu arah. Segala content atau isinya berada ditangan administrator, jadi pengunjung hanya dapat melihat isi dari laman tersebut tanpa dapat memberi komen atau pandangan.

Seterusnya diganti oleh era Web 2.0 yang bermula dari tahun 2001 hingga 2009. Web 2.0 ini merupakan perkembangan terkini teknologi selepas web 1.0. Pada web 2.0 content tidak hanya dipegang oleh administrator sepenuhnya, malahan pengunjung boleh mengendalikan pada content web tersebut juga pengunjung2 yang lainnya dapat memberi komen, berkomunikasi antara satu sama lain,memberi pendapat dan banyak lagi. 

Antara contoh yang jelas mengenai web2.0 adalah: youtube, facebook dan korang sendiri sudah sedia maklum. 

Seterusnya perkembangan Web diteruskan lagi dengan kemunculan Web 3.0 pada tahun 2010. Antara ciri2 khas Web 3.0 adalah:-

1.                 Tranformation: Dari tempat penyimpanan yang terpisah menjadi satu

2.                 Ubiquitous Connectivity : Memungkinkan informasi diakses menjadi media

3.                 Network Computing: Perisian adalah sebagai model2 bisnes, service laman web yang berkemampuan dua sistem atau lebih untuk bekerja sama secara harmoni, pengedaran computer, pengskalaan komputer, pelebarluasan komputer.

4.                 Open Technologies: Sebahagian besar keseluruhannya berfungsi dalam platform open source/percuma

5.                 Open Identity and Open ID: seluruh informasi adalah bebas

6.                 The interligent Web: Sebagai Semantic Web technologies termasuk RDF,OWL,SWL,SPARQL, GRDDL, Aplikasi berplatform semantic, dan statement-based data stores.

7.                 Distributed Database: Database disalurkan dalam WWD (world Wide Database)

8.                 Aplikasi bersifat pintar dan bijak

Syarat dan konsep yang paling penting dan perlu ada dalam Web 3.0 ialah bercirikan semantic web.Semantic Web adalah laman web yang dilengkapi struktur komputer yang boleh berfikir. 

Jadi jika keseluruhan diatas dapat dilaksanakan dan dihasilkan barulah akan wujuds semantic web. SIOC ( http://sioc-project.org ) adalah pejuang yang menghasilkan semantic web.

Untuk memudahkan lagi fahaman  tentang perbezaan web 1.0, web 2.0 dan web 3.0, korang tontonlah video kat bawah nie...

Video ini plak memaparkan evolusi web 1.0, 2.0 dan 3.0. Video ini memang menarik dan korang dapat melihat evolusi web nie dengan lebih mendalam...layan....

Carian sumber:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_Web
http://semanticweb.org/wiki/Main_Page

CHAPTER 2 : THE INTERNET, THE WEB AND ELECTRONIC COMMERCE

ACCESS

Once connected to the Internet, our computer seemingly becomes an extension of a giant computer that branches all over the world.

Providers

Internet service providers are connected to the Internet. The most widely used ISPs are national and wireless. Connection technologies include DSL, cable and wireless modems.

Browsers

Browsers access the web allowing us to surf or explore. Some related terms are:

ü      URLs – locations or addressess to web resources, which is 2 parts are protocol and domain name; top-level domain identifies type of organizations.

                                                                            

                                               Google Chrome

Mozilla Firefox

Internet Explorer

Safari

Opera

ü      HTML – commands to display Web pages; hyperlinks are connections.

ü     Javascript – a scripting language that adds basic interactivity and form checking to Web pages. AJAX allows rapid response time.

ü      Applets – special programs linked to Web pages, typically written in Java.

ü      Mobile Browsers – run on portable devices; display on very small screens and provide special navigational tools.

                                   

COMMUNICATION

E-mail or electronic mail is the transmission of electronic messages. The basic elements is header (including addressess, subject, and attachments), message and signature. Spam is unwanted and unsolicited e-mail that may include a computer virus. Spam blockers are programs that identify and eliminate spam.

Instant Messaging (IM) supports live communication with friends. Universal instant messengers support communication with other devices.

Social Networking connect individuals to one another. There are 3 types of social networking:

ü      Reuniting sites connect people who have lost touch with one another.

ü      Friend-of-a-friend sites bring together 2 people who share a common friend.

ü      Common interest sites connect individuals who shares common interests or hobbies.

A Web log or blog is an online journal with chronological postings. A microblog publishes short sentences. For example: Twitter is the most popular microbloging sites. Aa wiki is a Web site that allows people to edit

or contribute to it by directly editing the pages

SEARCH TOOLS

Search services maintain huge databases relating to Web site content. Spiders are programs that update these databases.

Search engines locate information on the Web. 2 approaches are

ü    keyword search

ü    directory search

Metasearch Engines submit to several search engines simultaneously. Duplicate sites are eliminated, hits are ordered, and composite hits are preesented.

Specialized search engines focus on subject specific Web sites.

Content Evaluation consider the following criteria to evaluate the accuracy of information on the Web:

ü      authority

ü      accuracy

ü      objectivity

ü      currency

ELECTRONIC COMMERCE

Electronic Commerce or e-commerce is the buying and selling of goods over the internet. 3 basic types of e-commerce are business-to-consumer (B2C), business-to-business (B2B), and consumer-to-consumer (C2C).

B2C applications are online banking, online stock trading, and online shopping.

Web auctions are a growing C2C application. 2 basic types are auction house sites and person-to-person auction sites.

Security is the greatest challenge for online banking, online stock trading, and online shopping. 3 basic payment options are check, credit card, and digital cash. Buyers purchase digital cash from a third party and use it to purchase goods. Sellers accept digital cash and convert to traditional currency through the third party.

WEB UTILITIES

Web-based applications free users from owning and storing applications. The programs  are accessed from a Web site. Web-based services typically provide free access. Application service providers (asp) typically are not free and provide access to more specialized programs.

Plug-ins are automatically loaded and operate as part of a browser. Many Web sites require specific plug-ins to fully experience their content. Some plug-ins are included in many of today’s browsers while others must be installed.

Filters are used by parents and organizations to block certain sites and to monitor use of the internet and the Web.

File transfer utilities copy files to (downloading) and from (uploading) your computer. 3 types of file transfer utilities are:

ü      file transfer protocol (FTP) and secure file transfer protocol (SFTP) allow you to efficiently copy files across the internet.

ü      Web-based file transfer services make use of a Web browser to upload and download files.

ü      bitTorrent distributes file transfers across many different computers.

An internet security suite is a collection of utility programs designed to protect your privacy and security on the internet.

for more information, you can click here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_commerce

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email