Software Selection

Chapter 8

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Choosing Appropriate Software

Software selection is generally simple.

However, a choice normally exists

To make the correct choice, you need to

know,

Strengths and limitations of each piece of software.

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Common Software
Software
Text Editor Word Processor Desktop Publisher Database Package Spreadsheet Package Charting Package Presentation Authoring Package Web Browser E-mail Editor Graphics Package Programming language
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Brand Name
Microsoft Word Notepad Microsoft publisher Microsoft Access Microsoft Excel Microsoft Excel Microsfot Powerpoint Internet expolrer Hotmail Photoshop C++
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Alternative Software
Notepad Microsoft Corel draw Clarion Google docs Java scripts Photoshow software Google chrome Microsoft outlook Paint Run

Text Editor
A text editor allows you to type & edit

plain text. It has few or no features that allow you to format a document. You can write some HTML code. Examples of text editors include Notepad & Wordpad within Microsoft Windows.

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Database Package
The database gives organized structure

to the data items and gives you tools to that you can use to search or interrogate the data. This is often managed by a database management system. Databases can be flat file or relational , which is more complex.

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Spreadsheet package
A spreadsheet is a grid of information

used to display financial or statistical statistical information. Data is arranged in rows and columns. Spreadsheets are very good at calculation and modeling situations. This involves changing data and examining the effect of those changes.
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Web Browser
A web browser allows you to display

web pages from an internet or the intranet. One example of an Internet Browser is Microsoft Internet Explorer.

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Programming Language
A programming package is used to write

________ that will perform a task within the computer. A computer program follows a ________ of _________ to perform a pre-defined function.

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Tasks
For each of the following, describe

which is the most appropriate application package(s) for each task and justify your reason.
1 .) Produce a full colour booklet for a

local company using web offset printing machines.

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Tasks Contd
Task 2 Present figures to the company director,

showing the changes in sales of a number of products and the profit margins over 5 years.
Task 3 A local shop sells TVs. It needs to store the

info and search different makes and models and prices. Using these records stored about TVs sold and its customers, it wants to send out letters to the customer automatically.

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Tasks contd
Task 4 A local shop sells fridges

and freezers. The owner needs to store the info about each fridge in stock and those they have recently sold. She also needs to store records of the customers who have bought the fridges.

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Tasks Contd
A new company designs commercial

artwork. It needs to be able to create and edit the artwork on the computer and send copies of it electronically to clients.

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