What software? Examples of it practical use we meet every day, sitting down at the computer. Even just moving the mouse across the screen is the result of the software. What are the types of software? How is software development done?
Software: theory
The operation of a computer is carried out through the combined use of hardware and software. The first refers to a set of chips, boards and other electronic components and devices included in the PC. Under the second - computer programs that are designed to process information and perform useful action using a PC. The first is often called "hardware" in slang, the second - "software".
The software appears on the computer through installation - placing the appropriate files on the disk. In some cases it is necessary to update the software. This is, in essence, re-installation more perfect and modern version ON. That it is necessary to possess so-called "distribution kit". It is a specialized installer program.
There are two main types of software - system and application. The first variety ensures the operation of the PC in terms of its main functions: starting, loading, and performing low-level computing operations. The main varieties of system software are considered to be as well as the means of controlling the hardware components of the computer and their settings.
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 plain language: the work is usually not visible. They perform their functions without "coordination" with the user, in stealth mode. In turn, only with the direct participation of the user does the application software work. We will look at examples of both of these today.
There are, of course, "non-computer" types of software. They can control other kinds of devices - for example, tablets, smartphones, TVs. There are climate control systems, industrial facilities, etc.
What is an operating system?
OS is the basic type of system software from the point of view of exploiting the capabilities of a PC. Why is it classified in this category of software? The point is that in environments formed by operating systems, all other computer software (both system and application) work. The OS is the basis for the operation of the PC. 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 PC OS in the world is Windows (the most popular, there are a lot of its versions - 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. Similarly - for a video card, mouse, modem and even a processor. Typical network software is a router or modem driver. This type Software is usually supplied by hardware manufacturers (and in many cases included with operating systems).
This is the essence of system software. Next in line are application software, examples of the most popular solutions and the main features that are offered to users.
Applied software: antiviruses, utilities
Common types of application software are antiviruses and utilities. The former are designed to protect the PC from malware, which can disable other software or even computer hardware components. Some of the most popular antiviruses in Russia are NOD32, DrWeb, Kaspersky. The utilities are designed to provide stable work PC, to monitor how correctly the processor, disks, memory and other hardware components of the computer work.
Popular Microsoft Word
Which of the specific samples of application software are most in demand today? First of all, it concerns programs for word processing. This kind of operation on a computer is historically the very first. One of the world's most popular programs for word processing and related operations (drawing tables, graphs, etc.) is Word. It was developed by one of the largest corporations in the world - 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 demanded in practice) task performed by MS Word in one modification or another is text formatting, saving it to a file and ensuring (if necessary) its correct output to the printer.
Microsoft Word Features
"Word program" is able to perform great amount operations. Namely:
Formatting letters and paragraphs (font selection right size and basic attributes - underlining, bolding, italics, line spacing, etc.)
Decor appearance pages (setting color and pattern on the background, adding graphics, pictures, etc.)
Adding accompanying text elements (tables, graphs, icons, etc.)
Learning how to use Word is very easy. Many of the program controls are intuitive. It is also worth noting that Microsoft company, which released Word, 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 area of expertise is spreadsheet calculations. Such solutions greatly simplify the work with numbers.
Although this program considered professional base methods even novice users can work with it (which is why it has gained worldwide fame).
Microsoft Excel: features
Most simple operations in Excel, it is the display of 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 complicated procedure is the construction of graphs, the introduction of formulas. Operations that require professional training - programming so-called "macros" (a kind of internal programs), engineering calculations.
We list the most common types of tasks in practice that the "Excel program" can solve:
Mathematical calculations using numerical values in tabular cells (summation, subtraction, division, multiplication, building progressions, etc.);
Application of formulas for account automation;
Drawing up reports, forms, questionnaires and other documents that look most comfortable in the form of tables;
Construction of graphs, visualization of statistics using charts.
Just like with Word, using Excel is very easy to learn on your own. The program 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 Applications: Adobe Photoshop
Often users have a need to use one interesting program- Photoshop. For Windows 7, 8 or XP, it exists in a large number of versions. This program is officially called Adobe Photoshop. It is intended for drawing (such solutions are called "graphic 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). With the help of "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 are also "vector" ones. Images based on it, in turn, can be built only according to the templates laid down in the program.
Adobe Photoshop Features
At Photoshop help You can not only create pictures, but also make changes to ready ones. Hence the term "photoshop". You can, for example, modify objects in a photo, add something to them, retouch - with a lot of experience with Photoshop, everything can turn out very believable.
Adobe Photoshop works with most formats graphic files due to the presence of a large set of converters for different formats. The latter convert graphic information from the file format to own format Adobe editor Photoshop when reading from a 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:
Create new drawings using virtual brushes, pencils, rulers, shapes using different colors;
Changing the size of pictures or their individual elements;
Combining the content of two different images;
Change the color of the picture or its parts;
Application visual effects due to the templates and algorithms built into the program;
Image transformation (reflection, rotation, etc.).
Just like with Word and Excel, Photoshop's controls are easy to learn intuitively. So even inexperienced user can draw something. Many of the versions of the program are equipped with a help system in Russian, which tells 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, they do everything that is typical for "virtual space". The world's most popular solutions of this type - 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 exploit one or the other, based on subjective assessment the quality of the design of programs and the convenience of the location of controls on them.
The principle of operation of browsers is based on recognizing the 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 arranged 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. main feature such a program - it is an intermediary between the PC user and other people in the virtual space. That is, with the help of a browser (more precisely, a "web interface"), a person, in fact, can exchange data by sending something from himself (text, files) and receiving something from others. Was there an internet before browsers were invented? Undoubtedly. The fact is that the "web interface" is historically not the very first way of communication between users. It appeared after many years of international harmonization of standards according to which the exchange of "virtual" information should be carried out.
Software: paid and free
One of the criteria for classifying software is cost. There are three categories of solutions. First, it's completely free software. Secondly, there is commercial. If the user wants to use such software, then he must pay for its installation. Thirdly, there is an intermediate type of software - shareware. What is its feature? AT general case the use of such software is as follows: you do not need to pay for the installation, but, after using the program for some time (for example, a month), you will need to transfer funds to the developer for further use.
What is "cloud technology"?
AT last years The term "cloud technology" has become very popular. What is this phenomenon? " Cloud technologies"- this, in simple terms, is application software that can be launched from a browser (accordingly, it is not installed on a PC). Consider an example. Microsoft Word, which we talked about above, starts double click by icon on the desktop. But there is the same solution but "cloudy": the use of this type of software is carried out through the browser's web 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 were even versions of operating systems of this type. So we can say that the "cloud" format is not only applied, but also system software. The popularity of such solutions today is associated with fast speed Internet (a few years ago this was not the case), as well as saving the user's time - you do not need to install anything on your PC. By the way, software update cloud type happens regardless of the user. This is also convenient.
Who develops the software?
There is a whole branch of the economy, within the framework of which software development is carried out - programming. It employs people with a wide variety of knowledge profiles. But they are united common feature- knowledge of programming languages. Using one or more of them, a person writes software. A programming language is a set of commands that are recognized by the hardware components of a computer. Having written a "phrase" built in a certain way, a person creating software gives an "instruction" to the processor, or, say, a PC disk, to perform such and such an operation on the file. There are hundreds of languages in which software development is carried out. Among the popular ones are C ("C"), Java, Pascal, Ruby-on-Rails.
Is it difficult to learn how to create software?
Not at all. Anyone can become a software developer. Creating software is not a prohibited activity at all. Many successful entrepreneurs got their start by developing software. Examples of such people are Bill Gates, Linux Torvalds, Eugene Kaspersky. You can learn languages for creating software based on a large amount of available literature, video tutorials, or by visiting specialized courses. Software development is one of the fastest growing industries, and its growth in popularity is mainly due to universal accessibility.
No matter how "smart" electronic computers or personal computers are, they will remain a useless "piece of iron" if they are not loaded with software. It is it that makes them work by performing certain actions: make calculations, display text, pictures and videos, make sounds and play music, and control other devices. All the actions that the computer performs, it performs according to certain program developed for him by a person, and the totality of such programs for managing electronic computing facilities is called software.
Software concept
In fact, the program consists of steps, sequentially performing which, the PC performs certain actions, for example, it receives characters entered from the keyboard from the user and displays them on the screen, makes the printer print text on a paper sheet, etc. Each of such steps are encoded on a special machine language and is called a "team", and the totality of such commands is program code.
For the first time, the idea that any predetermined state of a system can be achieved sequential execution elementary commands, transferring it from one stable state to another, was proposed by an English mathematician named Alan Turing. In my essay "Computable numbers with an application to the Entscheidungsproblem (Decision problem)" he created a theoretical model, which was an abstract machine (automaton) capable of performing elementary actions and transferring it from one fixed state to another fixed state. As a result, the simplest, rudimentary operations could be performed automatically. Such an automaton, subsequently, received the name in the literature - "Turing machine". The main idea was to mathematically prove that any given state of this automaton can be reached by executing a finite set certain commands, from the entire fixed set (program). Thanks to this theory, subsequently, such a (if I may say so) science as programming was born.
Thus, programmers - people who develop software, in fact, control a personal computer with the help of program codes they have written, forcing it to read characters entered from the keyboard, play music, play videos, etc.
Software types
Today there are a huge number of different programs designed to perform perfectly different functions: arithmetic or engineering calculations, drawing, programming, playing music or movies, etc. But at the same time, each of them does not run on its own on a personal computer, it runs, as they say, under the control of one or another operating system.
A reasonable question arises: “Why is it impossible to run each of the programs independently bypassing this very operating system, if the program is a set of codes with which you can control the computer?”
In fact, of course it is possible, and this is also practiced, for example, in CNC machines (numerical program management), in production machines, etc., but there are several points due to which these same operating systems were developed for personal computers and even large computers.
The fact is that when it comes to a standard machine, it performs a set of simple consecutive operations e.g. extend the manipulator, pick up the workpiece, turn around, place the workpiece on Right place. Then the operation is repeated. All the time the machine performs the same actions according to the same, one program.
In the case of a PC, the user wants not only, for example, to draw in a downloaded program, he wants to listen to music at the same time, to be, as it is customary to say today, “in touch” with relatives and friends, i.e. in one and the same at the same time, work not with one, but with several programs at the same time.
In addition, there is another purely practical point. When developing a program for a PC that could work independently without an operating system, it would be necessary to describe all the functions of working with computer hardware in one program: reading and writing to disk, input / output from the keyboard, working with a monitor, etc. As a result - huge time investment big size Software, dependence on the hardware platform, the presence of a large number of errors and a number of other negative points.
The operating system takes care of most of these "routine" operations, while providing "multitasking". That is, the user can launch and execute on his personal computer not one, but several programs at once.
Thus, all software can be divided into three types:
- System software;
- Application software;
- Tool software.
System software
This is a set of programs that provides PC hardware management: processor, RAM, I / O devices, graphics systems, network devices, etc. In particular, such software includes:
- Operating Systems;
- Drivers- small-sized programs that ensure correct operation with one or another piece of equipment (graphics, network, sound cards, controllers, etc.);
- Additional programs, extending the capabilities of the operating system.
The main difference between system software and its other types is that it is not aimed at performing any practical or specific tasks. It only ensures the correct operation of other programs, being a kind of "layer" between the computer hardware on the one hand and the user's program code on the other, ensuring their correct interaction.
Application software
This class of software is the most extensive. It is to him that most of the programs that we use in our Everyday life. Browsers, audio and video file players, graphic and text editors, antivirus packages, accounting and other programs that perform various calculations and calculations - all this, like many programs designed to perform specific actions, functions and user tasks, is called application software.
Tool software
This kind of software is very specific software. On the one hand, it could also be attributed to the applied form, but on the other hand, due to the specifics of its application and use, it is highlighted in separate view(although it would be more accurate to call it a subspecies of applied).
The main function for tool software programs is to provide the ability to design, create, debug and maintain program code, i.e., in fact, these are various programming environments: compilers from languages high level, debuggers, editors, etc.
The fact is that any computer, any computing, digital device our words “does not understand” with you. Such devices work with their own "machine language" - binary code . But programming directly into "machine code" presents certain difficulties for writing programs. Therefore, specialized software has been developed that translates the easier-to-understand words of software “high-level languages” into “machine code”. Such programs are called compilers and interpreters.
The difference is that the compiler allows you to get a file ready for execution, and the interpreter, a file that can be run on a computer, only with the help of itself. By the way, the written text of the program containing commands in a high-level language is called « source» (on the computer slang- "source").
In fairness, it should be noted that program files contain machine code not in "binary", but, as a rule, in "hexadecimal" system of calculation. And a special system program built into the operating system - the “command processor”, will “translate” the “hexadecimal” code into “binary”. This was done in order to reduce the size program files, since the "hexadecimal" notation is much more compact.
Software Distribution
The distribution of any software is accompanied by special document, which clearly defines all the rights and obligations of the parties transferring and using this software.
According to the method of use and distribution, all software is conditionally divided into:
- Free software. As a rule, they can be freely copied and distributed absolutely free of charge. At the same time, the distributor may charge a fee, but not for the software itself, but, for example, for recording services on a media, data transmission channel, etc.;
- Free Software. As in the case of “free” money, no one charges money for such programs, but the main difference from the first one is the ability to make changes to the program code and distribute new versions of the received software along with your changes. Thus, "free" software is distributed along with the source code;
- open source. Software under the terms of the license is mandatory distributed with open source;
- Closed software. It is the private property of its authors and is distributed strictly under certain conditions. This can be both a monetary reward and other types of rewards that do not contradict the law, which the developer may require for its use. For example, it may be a shareware distribution, in which you will need to register on the site in order to be able to use the program. As a rule, it is distributed without source codes.
Conclusion
The software is one of necessary conditions the functioning of any computing (or, as they say now, digital) system. And it doesn't matter what it is - whether it is built into the equipment, whether it is loaded from external media, in any case, only when correct work the computer system will perform the actions that are required of it.
Knowledge and ability to work with software required condition for any user, otherwise even easy problem, which is solved in five minutes, will lead to a stupor and lead not only to a loss of time, but also money.
Software (English) ssoftware) is a set of programs that ensure the functioning of computers and the solution of problems of subject areas with their help. Software (SW) is an integral part computer system, is a logical continuation of technical means and determines the scope of the computer.
The software of modern computers includes a wide variety of programs, which can be divided into three groups (Fig. 3.1):
1. System software (system programs);
2. Application software (application programs);
3. Tooling (tool systems).
System software (SW) are programs that control the operation of a computer and perform various auxiliary functions, for example, managing computer resources, creating copies of information, checking the performance of computer devices, issuing help information about a computer, etc. They are intended for all categories of users, are used for efficient work computer and user, as well as the efficient execution application programs.
Operating systems occupy a central place among system programs. operating systems). Operating system (OS) is a set of programs designed to manage the loading, launch and execution of other user programs, as well as to plan and manage computer computing resources, i.e. control of the PC operation from the moment it is turned on until the moment the power is turned off. It is loaded automatically when the computer is turned on, conducts a dialogue with the user, manages the computer, its resources (RAM, disk space etc.), launches other programs for execution and provides a convenient way for the user and programs to communicate - interface - with computer devices. In other words, the operating system ensures the functioning and interconnection of all components of the computer, and also provides the user with access to its hardware capabilities.
The OS determines the performance of the system, the degree of data protection, the choice of programs with which you can work on a computer, and hardware requirements. Examples of OS are MS DOS, OS/2, Unix, Windows 9x, Windows XP.
Service systems expand the capabilities of the OS for system maintenance, provide user convenience. This category includes maintenance systems, software shells and OS environments, as well as utility programs.
Maintenance systems is a set of PC software and hardware tools that perform monitoring, testing and diagnostics and are used to check the functioning of computer devices and detect malfunctions during computer operation. They are a tool for specialists in the operation and repair of computer hardware.
To organize a more convenient and visual user interface with a computer, software shells operating systems - programs that allow the user to perform actions to manage computer resources other than those provided by the OS (more understandable and efficient). The most popular shells include the Norton Commander packages ( Symantec), FAR (File and Archive manager) ( E. Roshal).
Utilities (utilities, lat. utilitas- benefit) - these are auxiliary programs that provide the user with a number of additional services for the implementation of frequently performed work or increasing the convenience and comfort of work. These include:
Packers (archivers) that allow you to more densely record information on disks, as well as combine copies of several files into one, so-called archive file (archive);
anti-virus programs designed to prevent infection with computer viruses and eliminate the consequences of infection;
disk space optimization and quality control programs;
programs for information recovery, formatting, data protection;
programs for recording CDs;
Drivers - programs that expand the capabilities of the operating system to manage input / output devices, RAM, etc. When you connect new devices to your computer, you need to install the appropriate drivers;
communication programs that organize the exchange of information between computers, etc.
Some utilities are included with the operating system, and some are marketed as stand-alone software products, such as the multifunctional Norton Utilities utility package ( Symantec).
Application software (PPO) is designed to solve user problems. Its composition includes user applications and application packages (PPP) for various purposes .
application program user is any program that contributes to the solution of a problem within a given problem area. Application programs can be used either standalone or as part of software systems or packages.
Application packages (PPP) are specially organized software systems designed for general use in a specific problem area and supplemented by appropriate technical documentation. There are the following types of PPP:
RFP general purpose - universal software products designed to automate a wide class of user tasks. These include:
Text editors(for example, MS Word, Word Perfect, Lexicon);
Table processors(for example, MS Excel, Lotus 1-2-3, Quattro Pro);
Dynamic Presentation Systems(for example, MS Power Point, FreelanceGraphics, Harvard Graphics);
Database management systems(for example, MS Access, Oracle, MS SQL Server, Informix);
Graphic editor(for example, Corel Draw, Adobe Photoshop);
Publishing systems(for example, Page Maker, Venture Publisher);
Design automation systems(for example, BPWin, ERWin);
Electronic dictionaries and translation systems(e.g. Prompt, Socrates, Lingvo , Context);
Text recognition systems(e.g. Fine Reader, Cunei Form).
General purpose systems are often integrated into multi-component packages for office automation - office packages – Microsoft Office, StarOffice, etc.
method-oriented RFP, which are based on the implementation of mathematical methods for solving problems. These include, for example, mathematical data processing systems (Mathematica, MathCad, Maple), statistical data processing systems (Statistica, Stat .);
problem-oriented RFP designed to solve a specific problem in a specific subject area. For example, information and legal systems YurExpert, YurInform; accounting and control packages 1C: Accounting, Galaxy, Angelica; in the field of marketing - Kasatka, Marketing Expert; banking system STBank;
integrated PPP are a set of several software products combined into a single tool. The most developed of them include a text editor, a personal manager (organizer), a spreadsheet, a database management system, e-mail support tools, a program for creating presentation graphics. The results obtained by individual subroutines can be combined into a final document containing tabular, graphical and textual material. These include, for example, MS Works. Integrated packages, as a rule, contain some kind of kernel, which provides the possibility of close interaction between components.
Typically, application software packages have customization tools that allow them to be adapted to the specifics of the subject area during operation.
To tool software include: programming systems – for the development of new programs, for example, Pascal, BASIC. They usually include: editor texts, which provides the creation and editing of programs in the original programming language (source programs), translator, as well as routine libraries; instrumental environments for developing applications, for example, C ++, Delphi, Visual Basic, Java, which include visual programming tools; simulation systems , for example, the MatLab simulation system, BpWin business process modeling systems and ErWin databases, and others.
Translator (English) translator- translator) is a translator program that converts a program from a high-level language into a program consisting of machine instructions. Translators are implemented in the form compilers or interpreters, which differ significantly in terms of how they work.
Compiler(English) compiler- compiler, collector) reads the entire program entirely, translates it and creates a complete version of the program in machine language, which is then executed. After compilation, an executable program is obtained, the execution of which does not require any source program, nor the compiler.
Interpreter(English) interpreter– interpreter, interpreter) translates and executes the program line by line. The program processed by the interpreter must be re-translated into machine language each time it is run.
Compiled programs run faster, but interpreted programs are easier to fix and change.
Any computer is automatic device that works according to the programs embedded in it. A computer program is a sequence of instructions written in binary form in a machine language understandable by the computer's processor. A computer program is a form of writing algorithms for solving problems. A set of ready-to-execute programs stored in operational and external memory computer, it's called software .
Software types
There are three main types of software: system, application and instrumental.
System software ensures the coordinated interaction of computer devices and creates conditions for the execution of other programs. The most important piece of system software is the operating system, which is the software required to run a computer. The operating system does following features:
- security user interface, that is software tools dialogue between man and computer;
- managing the execution of other programs on the computer, including organizing their access to devices (processor, memory, input-output devices);
- managing the storage of information on a computer in the form of a hierarchical system of folders containing files.
We can say that the operating system is the environment in which other programs run.
System software also includes drivers - programs that control the operation of I / O devices and some other devices, allowing you to configure their operation parameters. Drivers are usually shipped with devices. A set of the most common drivers is supplied with the operating system.
The system software also includes antiviruses and other programs related to computer maintenance. System programs often called utilities (from Latin utilis - useful).
Application software (applications) are programs that are directly designed to meet the needs of the user. Typical representatives of application software:
- text and graphic editors;
- work programs with spreadsheets;
- database management systems;
- web page viewers;
- learning systems, electronic encyclopedias, games;
- specialized software systems, intended for
- automation of a certain kind professional activity, for example, banking systems, transportation management systems, systems geometric modeling in mechanical engineering.
Tool software includes development automation tools computer programs, i.e. programmer's tools. Tool software is a kind of application software (it is application software for the developer).
When developing software, it is necessary to present algorithms in the form computer understandable. For this, software packages called programming systems are used. They form the basis of tool software.
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Application software package(abbr. PPP, eng. application package) or software package- a set of interrelated modules designed to solve problems certain class some subject area.
Characteristics of application software packages (APP) for general purposes
Application programs are designed to provide the application computer science in various fields of human activity. In addition to creating new software products application developers spend a lot of effort on improving and modernizing popular systems, creating their new versions. New versions, as a rule, support old ones, maintaining continuity, and include a basic minimum (standard) of features.
Application packages are the most dynamically developing part of the software: the range of tasks solved with the help of PPP is constantly expanding. In many ways, the introduction of computers in almost all areas of activity has become possible due to the emergence of new and improvement of existing PPP.
Advances in the field of microelectronics, leading to the emergence of more powerful computers in terms of their functionality, are also the reason for the creation of new PPPs. In turn, the need to improve the characteristics of using the package when solving specific tasks the user is stimulated by the improvement of the architecture and element base computers and peripherals.
The structure and principles of building a PPP depend on the class of computer and the operating system within which this package will operate. The largest number a variety of software programs designed for IBM PC-compatible computers running MS DOS and Windows operating systems.
Each group of packages has its own problems of organization, development and creation difficulties. Each package is implemented in a specific programming language in accordance with the requirements for the package and the capabilities of the language.
One of the possible options for classifying the software that makes up the application software is shown in Figure 7.15. Like almost any classification shown in the figure, it is not the only one possible.
Text editors(processors) - special programs, designed to work with documents (texts), allowing you to compose, format, edit texts when a user creates a document. They usually include additional functions for working with blocks of text and objects.
Desktop publishing systems (desktop publishing) - programs designed for professional publishing and allowing for electronic layout a wide range basic types of documents, such as a newsletter, a brief color brochure and a voluminous catalog or sales request, a guide. The tools provided in packages of this type allow you to:
- compose (layout) the text;
- use all kinds of fonts and print images;
- carry out text editing at the level of the best word processors;
- process graphic images;
- ensure the output of printing quality documents;
- work in networks and on different platforms.
best packages in this area for computers are: Corel Venture, PageMaker, QuarkXPress, FrameMaker, Microsoft Publisher, Illustrator for Windows and etc.
Graphics systems - packages designed for processing graphic information.
Computer graphics is currently one of the fastest growing areas of software. It includes the input, processing and output of graphic information - drawings, drawings, paintings, etc. - means of computer technology. different types graphics systems allow you to quickly build images, enter illustrations using a scanner or video camera, and create animated videos.
Graphic editor allow you to use various tools of the artist, standard libraries images, sets standard fonts, editing images, copying and moving fragments across screen pages, etc.
Graphics packages are divided into processing packages raster graphics both images and packages vector graphics.
Raster graphics graphics packages are designed to work with photographs and include a set of tools for encoding photographic images and digital form. Recognized leader among packages this class- Adobe Photoshop. The Aldus Photo Styler, Picture Publisher, Photo Works Plus packages are also known.
Packages to work with vector graphics intended for professional work related to artistic and technical illustration with subsequent color printing (at the workplace of designers, for example), occupy an intermediate position between packages for systems computer-aided design(CAD) and desktop publishing systems.
Packages of this class currently have a fairly wide range of functionality for complex precision processing. graphic images and includes:
- tools for creating graphic images;
- alignment tools (base line and page, grid, intersection, closest point, etc.);
- means of manipulating objects;
- text processing tools in terms of design and modification of paragraphs, work with various fonts;
- means of import (export) graphic objects(files) various formats;
- means of printing with the appropriate adjustment of the screen image for printing;
- color adjustment tools.
A kind of standard in this class is the CorelDraw package. You can also mark packages such as Adobe Illustrator, Aldus Free Hand, Professional Draw.
