introduction to computer applications

Chapter TWO

COMPUTER SYSTEM

System: system is a group of components, consisting of subsystems or procedures

that work in a coordinated fashion to achieve a common objective
Information system
Information system is an organized combination of people, hardware, software,
communication networks and a data that collects transforms and disseminates
information in an organization. People rely on information systems to
communicate with each other using a variety of physical devices
(hardware)information processing instructions (software) andcommunication
channels (network)in general, an information system has five major components;
1. People
2. Procedures
3. Software
4. Hardware
5. Data
1. People: Trained information systems personnel are required to run most
information systems
2. Procedure:procedures are rules or guidelines for people to follow when
using software, hardware and data. These procedures are documented in
manuals written by computer specialists. Software and hardware
manufactures provide manuals with their products.
3. Software: Software consists of step by step instructions that tell the
computer how to do its work. The purpose of software is to convert data
(unprocessed fact in to information (processed facts).
4. Hardware: Is the physical part of the computer that process data to create
information based on instructions of software. It is controlled by the
software
5. Data: Data consists of raw, unprocessed facts, including text, numbers,
images, sounds etc.When it is processed using computers, it becomes
information.

Computer system:a computer system is the combination of hardware and

software. A typical computer system utilizes a computer that uses programmable
devices to store, retrieve, and process data.

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Examples of computer system

 personal computer or pc
 Automatic teller machine (ATM)
Even the simplest computer classifies as a computers system, because at least two
components (hardware and software) have to work together. But the real meaning
of “computer system” comes with interconnection.
Many computer systems can interconnect, that is join to become a bigger system
Automatic teller machines (ATM) are machines that allow bank account holders to
make financial transactions automatically without going to banks by making use of
a cord that contains details of the account
Computer- is an electronic device that accepts, stores and processes data to
provide useful information as an output.
Generally, a computer system is composed of two main components
1. Computer hardware and
2. Computer software
Computer hardware
Computer hardware is the physical part of the computer system that can be seen
and felt that carry out the activities of
 Capturing
 Processing
 Storing and
 Communicating data and information.
The hard ware part of a computer system is composed of a number of interacted
physical parts.
Example: keyboard, mouse, CPU…..
Types of computer hardware
There are several criteria by which computer hardware can be categorized. The
hardware part of a computer System is composed of a number of interacting
physical parts based on the need of the information flow.
Based on information processing we can divide computer hardware in to four;
1. Input device
2. Central processing unit (CPU)
3. Output device
4. Storage device

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Input device
Input devices are used to enter data or information to the computer. They convert
the data we give them in to the form that can be manipulated in the computer
(electronic format). Different types of input devices are used to enter data or
information in to the computer.
Following are some of the important input devices which are used in a computer:
 Keyboard
 Mouse
 Joy Stick
 Light pen
 Track Ball
 Scanner
 Microphone
 Magnetic Ink Card Reader (MICR)
 Optical Character Reader (OCR)
 Bar Code Reader
 Optical Mark Reader (OMR)
Keyboard is the most common and very popular input device which helps to input
data tothe computer. The layout of the keyboard is like that of traditional
typewriter, althoughthere are some additional keys provided for performing
additional functions.Keyboard is the most common and widely used type of input
device consisting of a set of type writer like keys that enable one to enter data in to
a computer. The keys on the keyboard are often classified as follows:

 Alphanumeric keys –letters and numbers

 Punctuation keys-comma, period, semicolon, etc
 Special keys- function keys, control keys, arrow

 keys, cops lock, etc

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Mouse: -is a hand-held operated device that controls the movement of the cursor
or pointer on a display screen.

It is a small object that can be rolled along a rough flat surface. Mouse can have as
many as three buttons its function depends on what program is running.

Mouse is the most popular pointing device. It is a very famous cursor-control

device havinga small palm size box with a round ball at its base, which senses the
movement of themouse and sends corresponding signals to the CPU when the
mouse buttons are pressed.
Generally, it has two buttons called the left and the right button and a wheel is
presentbetween the buttons. A mouse can be used to control the position of the
cursor on thescreen, but it cannot be used to enter text into the computer.
 Left-button: for left click-example, selecting text
 Right-button: for right click- example, see property of file
 Middle-button: for scrolling purpose- this button is sometimes missing
-Most mouse are connected to the system unit by a cable or cord. There are also
mouse that are not connected to system unit by a cable/ cord. They are called cord
less mouse (wireless mouse)

Adva
ntages
 Easy to use
 Not very expensive
 Moves the cursor faster than the arrow keys of the keyboard

Joystick

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Joystick is also a pointing device, which is used to move the cursor position on a
monitorscreen. It is a stick having a spherical ball at its both lower and upper ends.
The lowerspherical ball moves in a socket. The joystick can be moved in all four
directions.
Light Pen
 Light pen is a pointing device similar to a pen. It is used to select a
displayed menu itemor draw pictures on the monitor screen. It consists of
a photocell and an optical systemplaced in a small tube.
 Light pen is a light sensitive pen like device that is used in conjunction
with computer monitor.It is used by touching the screen with this device
to create or modify graphics, a light cell in the tip of the pen senses light
from the screen to determine the pen’s location on the screen.

Scanner
Scanner is an input device, which works more like a photocopy machine. It is used
whensome information is available on paper and it is to be transferred to the hard
disk of thecomputer for further manipulation.

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Scanner captures images from the source which are then converted into a digital
form thatcan be stored on the disk. These images can be edited before they are
printed.

Microphone
Microphone is an input device to input sound that is then stored in a digital form.
The microphone is used for various applications such as adding sound to a
multimediapresentation or for mixing music.

3. Optical recognition systems: -Optical recognition system uses light to read

characters, codes, and marks and convert them in to computer understandable
format. There are many types of optical recognition systems

A. OCR ( optical character recognition)

B. OMR (optical mark recognition)
C. Barcode reader

A. Optical character recognizers (OCR)

 OCR are scanners that read typewritten, computer printed, and in some cases
hand printed characters from ordinary documents. They scan the shape of
character and compare it with predefined font shapes found in memory.
Based on the comparison, they can convert the characters in to computer
code.
 OCR is an input device used to read a printed text.
 OCR scans the text optically, character by character, converts them into a
machine readable code, and stores the text on the system memory.

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They communicate with system unit using infrared light, similar technology used
in remote control or radio waves. Mouse has roller ball at the bottom. The roller
ball converts mouse movements in to electronic signals.

The use of OCR is to enter documents found on paper in to computer without the
need to type it using keyboard. This makes the job easy.

B. Optical Mark Recognizer (OMR)

OMR senses the presence or absence of a mark, such as pencil marks. It doesn’t
utilize letters of the alphabet. Instead with the use of electronic scanners marks and
symbols are converted in to appropriate electronic signals. It is used to process
questionnaires or exams using computer. The read mark is interpreted and matched
against previously entered answer key. Example, the ESLCE is corrected using this
device

C. Bar Code Readers

 Barcode reader is a peripheral that reads bar codes printed on products.
Barcode uses a pattern or symbols to represent data. It consists of vertical
lines and spaces of different width. There are different kinds of barcodes; the
most commonly used is called UPC (Universal Product Code).
 Bar Code Reader is a device used for reading bar coded data (data in the
form of light and dark lines). Bar coded data is generally used in labelling
goods, numbering the books, etc.
 It may be a handheld scanner or may be embedded in a stationary scanner.
 It is used to identify product manufacturer, product number, price, etc
 It is usually used in supermarket, groceries, etc to identify products and their
price.

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Speech recognition system

Speech recognition is the ability of computers to recognize human speech. We use

microphone to enter the speech in to computer. The computer then processes the
speech and performs the action ordered by speech. This is the latest technology and
is still under research

Touch screen

Touch screen allow to use fingers instead of mouse or related input device

 It lets you enter data or command (e.g. button click) by touching areas of the
screen.
 It enables you perform activities you perform with mouse using your finger
 It is not used to enter target amounts of data
Central processing unit (CPU)

 It is also called microprocessor or processors.

 A microprocessor is a semiconductor device consisting mostly software
controlled LSI (large scale integrated) chip which performs the functions of
automatic data processing.
 It functions the same purpose as the human brain of human being. It is
called the brain of the computer.
 CPU performs all types of data processing operations.
 It controls the operation of all parts of the computer.

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CPU itself has following three components.

1) Control Unit
2) ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit)
3) Register Memory
Control Unit
This unit controls the operations of all parts of the computer but does not carry out
any actual data processing operations.
Functions of this unit are:
 It is responsible for controlling the transfer of data and instructions among
other units of a computer.
 It manages and coordinates all the units of the computer.
 It obtains the instructions from the memory, interprets them, and directs the
operation of the computer.
 It communicates with Input/output devices for transfer of data or results
from storage.
 It does not process or store data.
ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit)
This unit consists of two subsections namely,
1. Arithmetic Section
2. Logic Section
Arithmetic Section
Function of arithmetic section is to perform arithmetic operations like addition,
subtraction, multiplication, and division. All complex operations are done by
making repetitive use of the above operations.

Logic Section
Function of logic section is to perform logic operations such as comparing,
selecting, matching, and merging of data.
CPU has three main parts:

Output device: -Output devices are used to get data out of a computer so that it
can be examined, analyzed or distributed to others. It coverts information from
machine understandable form to a human understandable form. There are two
types of output.
i. Soft copy: - Which is displayed on monitor, projector, or similar device.
ii. Hard copy- output printed on paper
Examples of output devices:

 Visual display unit (VDU) or monitor or screen

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 Printers (Impact and Non-impact printer)

Monitors

 Monitors, commonly called as Visual Display Unit (VDU), are the main
output device ofa computer. It forms images from tiny dots, called pixels
that are arranged in a rectangularform. The sharpness of the image depends
upon the number of pixels
 Monitor is the most frequently used type of output device.It consists of a
display surface called screen which displays output to the user.
 There are two kinds of viewing screen used for monitors.
1) Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT)
2) Flat-Panel Display

Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT) Monitor

The CRT display is made up of small picture elements called pixels. The smaller
the pixels,the better the image clarity or resolution. It takes more than one
illuminated pixel to forma whole character, such as the letter ‘e’ in the word help.
1. CRT (Cathode Ray Tube)
2. LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)
3. Plasma display
CRT is similar in size and technology to televisions. It uses electron guns that emit
electrons. These electrons are directed towards phosphorous coated screen. The
phosphorous coat glows (emits light) when hit by electron from electron guns, this
creating visible things. The monitors of most desktop computers are CRT
monitors. The main disadvantages of CRT monitors are their large size and high
power consumption.

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There are some disadvantages of CRT:

 Large in Size
 High power consumption
1. Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Monitors:Crystal display is most
commonly used in digital watches clocks, calculators, etc. In computer, they
are commonly used for portable computers.

Example: - lab top, Liquid crystal uses liquid crystal for display purpose, not
electron guns. The liquid crystal is deposited between sheets of polarizing
material.

Advantages over CRT:-

• Small size which makes it easy to transport

• Consumes less power which makes it suitable for lab top
Gas plasma
• Gas plasma substitutes neon gas for liquid crystal.
• The neon gas glows and produces pixels that form a picture.
• It is used for portable computers
• Its advantage us better display quality than LCD but more expensive than
LCD.

Printers
Printer is an output device, which is used to print information on paper. It is a
device that enables us to produce a hardcopy of data or information. They have
varying speeds, capabilities, and printing methods

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There are two types of printers:

a. Impact Printers
b. Non-Impact Printers
Impact printers
Impact printers transfer printable material on to paper by striking paper ribbon, and
character together. Most of such printers take continues form of paper. The most
commonly used impact printers are dot- matrix printers
 The combination of small dots printed closely forms a character.
 Line and character printers are also examples of impact printer
Impact Printers
Impact printers print the characters by striking them on the ribbon, which is then
pressedon the paper.
Characteristics of Impact Printers are the following:
 Very low consumable costs
 Very noisy
 Useful for bulk printing due to low cost
 There is physical contact with the paper to produce an
image
These printers are of two types -
 Character printers
 Line printers
Character Printers
 Character printers are the printers which print one character at a time.
Line Printers
 Line printers are the printers which print one line at a time.

Non-impact Printers

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Non-impact printers print the characters without using the ribbon. These printers
print acomplete page at a time, thus they are also called as Page Printers.
These printers are of two types -
1. Laser Printers
2. Inkjet Printers

Characteristics of Non-impact Printers

 Faster than impact printers
 They are not noisy
 High quality
 Supports many fonts and different character size

Laser Printers
These are non-impact page printers. They use laser lights to produce the dots
needed toform the characters to be printed on a page.
• They work similarly to photocopying machine.
• They convert data from computer in to a laser beam (kind of light).
Why they are called laser printer?
Because they use mirrors to direct light on to a drum which in turn produce
characters on paper. The drum is light sensitive material that becomes charged
when it is hit by light. The charged area of the drum attracts ink from toner and the
ink is transferred on to paper.
• A heating material heats the ink and attaches it on to the paper,
• It produces high quality print

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Advantages
 Very high speed
 Very high quality output
 Good graphics quality
 Supports many fonts and different character size
Disadvantages
 Expensive
 Cannot be used to produce multiple copies of a document in a single
printing
Inkjet Printers
 Inkjet printers are non-impact character printers based on a relatively
new technology.
 They print characters by spraying small drops of ink onto paper. Inkjet
printers producehigh quality output with presentable features.
 They make less noise because no hammering is done and these have
many styles ofprinting modes available. Colour printing is also
possible. Some models of Inkjet printerscan produce multiple copies
of printing also. Produce high quality print
 Quiet because the paper is not struck
 Heavy weight paper is recommended

Advantages
 High quality printing
 More reliable
Disadvantages

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 Expensive as the cost per page is high

 Slow as compared to laser printer
Storage Devices

Two types of storage devices are available in computer

1. Primary storage device-temporary storage device
2. Secondary storage device- stores data permanently

Main memory or primary memory

A memory is just like a human brain. It is used to store data and instructions.
Computermemory is the storage space in the computer, where data is to be
processed andinstructions required for processing are stored. The memory is
divided into large numberof small parts called cells. Each location or cell has a
unique address, which varies fromzero to memory size minus one. For example, if
the computer has 64k words, then thismemory unit has 64 * 1024=65536 memory
locations. The address of these locationsvaries from 0 to 65535.
Memory is primarily of three types -
1) Cache Memory
2) Primary Memory/Main Memory
3) Secondary Memory
Cache Memory
Cache memory is a very high speed semiconductor memory which can speed up
the CPU.
It acts as a buffer between the CPU and the main memory. It is used to hold those
partsof data and program which are most frequently used by the CPU. The parts of
data andprograms are transferred from the disk to cache memory by the operating
system, fromwhere the CPU can access them.
Advantages
The advantages of cache memory are as follows:
 Cache memory is faster than main memory.
 It consumes less access time as compared to main memory.
 It stores the program that can be executed within a short period of time.
 It stores data for temporary use.
Disadvantages
The disadvantages of cache memory are as follows:
 Cache memory has limited capacity.
 It is very expensive.

Primary Memory/Main Memory

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Main memory refers to integrated circuit that stored program, instructions, and data
It is the memory which is directly accessible by the control unit and ALU
Memory stores three things;
 operation system software instruction
 application software instruction
 data that is being processed

There are two types of primary memory:

 RAM (Random Access-Memory)
 ROM ( Read only Memory)
RAM
RAM (Random Access Memory) is the internal memory of the CPU for storing
data,program, and program result. It is a read/write memory which stores data until
themachine is working. As soon as the machine is switched off, data is erased.
Access time in RAM is independent of the address,that is, each storage location
inside the memoryis as easy to reach as other locations and takesthe same amount
of time. Data in the RAM can beaccessed randomly but it is very expensive.
RAM is volatile, i.e. data stored in it is lost whenwe switch off the computer or if
there is a powerfailure.
RAMis small, both in terms of its physical size and inthe amount of data it can
hold.
RAM is of two types -
1) Static RAM (SRAM)
2) Dynamic RAM (DRAM)
Static RAM (SRAM)
The word static indicates that the memory retains its contents as long as power is
beingsupplied. However, data is lost when the power gets down due to volatile
nature. SRAMchips use a matrix of 6-transistors and no capacitors. Transistors do
not require power toprevent leakage, so SRAM need not be refreshed on a regular
basis.
sThere is extra space in the matrix, hence SRAM uses more chips than DRAM for
the sameamount of storage space, making the manufacturing costs higher. SRAM
is thus used ascache memory and has very fast access.
Characteristic of Static RAM
 Long life
 No need to refresh
 Faster
 Used as cache memory
 Large size

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 Expensive
 High power consumption
1Dynamic RAM (DRAM)
DRAM, unlike SRAM, must be continually refreshed in order to maintain the
data. This isdone by placing the memory on a refresh circuit that rewrites the data
several hundredtimes per second. DRAM is used for most system memory as it is
cheap and small. All
DRAMs are made up of memory cells, which are composed of one capacitor and
onetransistor.
Characteristics of Dynamic RAM
 Short data lifetime
 Needs to be refreshed continuously
 Slower as compared to SRAM
 Used as RAM
 Smaller in size
 Less expensive
 Less power consumption
• RAM is temporary storage unit i.e. the data is lost when the computer is off
unlike secondary storage
- Because of this it is called volatile memory.
. Why RAM is volatile?
o Because it uses electric power to store data
o When you write anything on your computer, first it is stored on
RAM.
o When you save the file, it is transferred in to secondary storage
o RAM has different capacity, the most common ones being
 128 MB
 256MB
 512MB and 8GB currently
o RAM is directly accessible by CPU
o It is called RAM because each memory location can be
accessed randomly using memory address.
o Each unit in RAM has memory address by which it can be
easily accessed or referenced
o In RAM, each memory position can be sensed (read) or
changed (written) so it is also called read- write memory
o In other words RAM is volatile, changeable and power
dependent.
ROM

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ROM stands for Read Only Memory. The memory from which we can only read
but cannotwrite on it. This type of memory is non-volatile. The information is
stored permanently insuch memories during manufacture. A ROM stores such
instructions that are required tostart a computer. This operation is referred to as
bootstrap. ROM chips are not only usedin the computer but also in other
electronic items like washing machine and microwaveoven.
Let us now discuss the various types of ROMs and their characteristics.
MROM (Masked ROM)
The very first ROMs were hard-wired devices that contained a pre-programmed set
of dataor instructions. These kind of ROMs are known as masked ROMs, which
are inexpensive.
PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory)
PROM is read-only memory that can be modified only once by a user. The user
buys ablank PROM and enters the desired contents using a PROM program. Inside
the PROM chip,there are small fuses which are burnt open during programming. It
can be programmedonly once and is not erasable.
EPROM (Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory)
EPROM can be erased by exposing it to ultra-violet light for a duration of up to 40
minutes.
Usually, an EPROM eraser achieves this function. During programming, an
electrical chargeis trapped in an insulated gate region. The charge is retained for
more than 10 yearsbecause the charge has no leakage path. For erasing this charge,
ultra-violet light ispassed through a quartz crystal window (lid). This exposure to
ultra-violet light dissipatesthe charge. During normal use, the quartz lid is sealed
with a sticker.
11. Computer Fundamentals ─ Read Only Memory
EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory)
EEPROM is programmed and erased electrically. It can be erased and
reprogrammed aboutten thousand times. Both erasing and programming take about
4 to 10 ms (millisecond).
In EEPROM, any location can be selectively erased and programmed. EEPROMs
can beerased one byte at a time, rather than erasing the entire chip. Hence, the
process of reprogrammingis flexible but slow.
Advantages of ROM
The advantages of ROM are as follows:
 Non-volatile in nature
 Cannot be accidentally changed
 Cheaper than RAMs
 Easy to test

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 More reliable than RAMs

 Static and do not require refreshing
 Contents are always known and can be verified
ROM stores data or information permanently. They have programs built in to them
of the factory and that program could not be changed or erased by the user, but
read
• -It is non-volatile, read- only (not changeable) memory
• -Read-only means data can’t be altered or erased but read.
ROM contains special instruction called BIOS that the computer uses when it is
turned on.
Example
• Instruction that starts the computer
• Instruction that displays information on the screenand even the instruction to
the entire operating system etc

Primary Memory (Main Memory)

Primary memory holds only those data and instructions on which the computer is
currentlyworking. It has a limited capacity and data is lost when power is switched
off. It is generallymade up of semiconductor device. These memories are not as
fast as registers. The dataand instruction required to be processed resides in the
main memory. It is divided intotwo subcategories RAM and ROM.
Characteristics of Main Memory
 These are semiconductor memories. It is known as the main
memory.
 Usually volatile memory.
 Data is lost in case power is switched off.
 It is the working memory of the computer.
 Faster than secondary memories.
 A computer cannot run without the primary memory.
Secondary Memory
This type of memory is also known as external memory or non-volatile. It is slower
thanthe main memory. These are used for storing data/information permanently.
CPU directlydoes not access these memories, instead they are accessed via input-
output routines. Thecontents of secondary memories are first transferred to the
main memory, and then theCPU can access it. For example, disk, CD-ROM, DVD,
etc.
Characteristics of Secondary Memory
 These are magnetic and optical memories. It is known as the
backup memory.

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 It is a non-volatile memory.
 Data is permanently stored even if power is switched off.
 It is used for storage of data in a computer.
 Computer may run without the secondary memory.
 Slower than primary memories.
• Secondary storage (also called auxiliary storage) takes many forms
• It includes punched cards, punched paper tape, magnetic tape, magnetic disk
and optical disk.
• Based on information access, secondary storage devices are divided in to
two:
Sequential access: - information is accessed sequentially. To access information
on such media, we start from the beginning and read through to the endJumping to
some part is not possible
E.g.:- tape recorder cassette
Random access: - information can be accessed in any order
-You can access the first or the last part of information by jumping others.
E.g. Floppy disc.
Sequential access media
1. Punched cards-:Punched cards are one of the oldest and most familiar data
storage devices.
Magnetic Tape:
Magnetic tape systems offer very slow data access, but provide large capacities and
low cost. Thus, they are particularly convenient if we want to back up the entire
hard disk.
 There exist two technologies for secondary storage: magnetic and optical.
Floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape is examples of magnetic storage. CD-
ROM, DVD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW are examples of optical storage.
Hard disk drive:
Inside the case of the hard disk drive are a set of rigid rotating disks, called
platters, stacked on a spindle. As the platters rotate at high speed, Read/Write
heads move back and forth recording or reading magnetic information on both
sides of the platters.

The speed with which the heads can find data is called “average access time”.

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Hard disk drives are normally installed inside the computer case although
external hard disk drives, which connect to the computer by a cable, are also
available.
Operating system and application software normally reside in hard disk drives.
Documents created using application software may also be placed on hard disk
drives.

Floppy disk drive:

Floppy disk drives store information onto a removable media known as

diskettes or floppy disks. Floppy disk drives operate slower and have much less
capacity (1.44MB) than hard disk drives.

Optical Storage Devices –Optical drives use reflected light to read data.
o CD–ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory) discs can hold large
amounts of information (text, graphics and hi–fi stereo sound), which cannot
be altered. CD–ROM drives read programs and data stored on removable
CD–ROM disks.
o CD–R is a standard and technology allowing you to write to and read from a
Compact Disc, but not erase or change what you record.
o CD–RW is rewritable CD–ROM technology. CD–R/W drives can also be
used to write CD–R discs, and they can read CD–ROMs. But, CD–R/W
disks have a lower reflectivity than CD–ROMs, and CD–ROM drives must
be of the newer multi read variety in order to read them. CD–R/W was
initially known as CD–E (or CD–Erasable).
o Digital Video Disc (DVD), also called Digital Versatile Disc, is similar to
CD–ROMs but able to store far more music, video or data. DVDs are of the
same physical size as today's CDs but are able to store as much as 17GB,
compared to the 650MB on today's CD–ROMs.
Computer Software

The computer hardware is an electronic device which has the potential of

performing the task of solving a problem. However one has to give precise
instructions to the hardware in order to solve problem.
The finite set of instructions (steps) that the computer follow to perform a given
job is called a program.

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Any program to be executed first it should reside / loaded/ in the memory.

 Software: - is a collection of programs and routines that support the
operations of performing a task using a computer. Software also includes
documentations, rules and operational procedures.
 Software is a set of programs, designed to perform a well-defined function.
A program is a sequence of instructions written to solve a particular
problem.
Software makes the interface between the user and the electronic components of
the computer.Computer software is classified into two
1. System software
2. Application software
System software
The system software is a collection of programs designed to operate, control, and
extend the processing capabilities of the computer itself. System software is
generally prepared by the computer manufacturers. These software products
comprise of programs written in low-level languages, which interact with the
hardware at a very basic level. System software serves as the interface between the
hardware and the end users.
Some examples of system software are Operating System, Compilers, Interpreter,
Assemblers, etc.
Here is a list of some of the most prominent features of a system software:
 Close to the system
 Fast in speed
 Difficult to design
 Difficult to understand
 Less interactive
 Smaller in size
 Difficult to manipulate
 Generally written in low-level language

Constitutes those programs which facilitates the work of the computer hardware.
 It organizes and manages the machine’s resources, handles the input/output
devices.
 It controls the hardware by performing functions that users shouldn’t have to or
are unable to handle.
 System programs make complex hardware more user friendly.
 It acts as intermediate between the user and the hardware.

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 It enables the computer understand programming languages i.e. it serves as

means of communication between user and a computer.

Application Software
 Application Software allows a user to accomplish one or more specific
tasks.Typical applications software includes office suites, business software,
educational software, databases and computer games.
 Application software products are designed to satisfy a particular need of a
particular environment. All software applications prepared in the computer
lab can come under the category of Application software.
 Application software may consist of a single program, such as Microsoft's
notepad for writing and editing a simple text. It may also consist of a
collection of programs, often called a software package, which work
together to accomplish a task, such as a spreadsheet package.
Examples of Application software are the following:
 Payroll Software
 Student Record Software
 Inventory Management Software
 Income Tax Software
 Railways Reservation Software
 Microsoft Office Suite Software
 Microsoft Word
 Microsoft Excel
 Microsoft PowerPoint

Features of application software are as follows:

 Close to the user
 Easy to design
 More interactive
 Slow in speed
 Generally written in high-level language
 Easy to understand
 Easy to manipulate and use
 Bigger in size and requires large storage space

The following are examples of application software.

• Word processing: Word perfect, Open Office, AmiPro and MS-word
• Desktop Publishing: Ms-publisher, Quark Xpress, and Adobe In Design.
• Spreadsheet: Lotus 1-2-3, Ms-Excel, and Corel Quattro Pro
• Database Management: MS-Access, My SQL, and oracle

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• Presentation: Ms-Power Point, Freelance Graphics, and Adobe Persuasion.

Word Processors/ Word processing
- It is a computerized typewriter which permits the electronic creation,
editing, formatting, filing and printing of documents.
Example: WordStar, WordPerfect, Microsoft word
Spreadsheet
- It is an electronic worksheet display on the VDU.
- It is useful for accounting, financial analysis and other mathematical
calculation.
Example: Lotus 1-2-3, Microsoft Excel,
Database management system.
- It allows you to store information on a computer, retrieve it when
you need it and update it when necessary.
Example: Dbase IV, FoxPro, Microsoft Access, Oracle.
Relationship between Hardware and Software
 Hardware and software are mutually dependent on each other. Both of them
mustwork together to make a computer produce a useful output.
 Software cannot be utilized without supporting hardware.
 Hardware without a set of programs to operate upon cannot be utilized and
isuseless.
 To get a particular job done on the computer, relevant software should be
loadedinto the hardware.
 Hardware is a one-time expense.
 Software development is very expensive and is a continuing expense.
 Different software applications can be loaded on a hardware to run different
jobs.
 A software acts as an interface between the user and the hardware.
 If the hardware is the 'heart' of a computer system, then the software is its
'soul'.Both are complementary to each other.

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