FUNDAMENTALS OF SOFTWARE

CPE226
 SOFTWARE
Software is a programme that runs on a computer, it consists of all the
electronic instructions that tell the hardware how to perform a task.
These instructions come from a software developer in the form that
will be accepted by the operating system that they are based on. For
example, a program that is designed for the Windows operating
system will only work for that operating system.

Software can also be described as a collection of routines, rules and

symbolic languages that direct the functioning of the hardware
 Classes of Software
1. System software: Helps run computer hardware and computer system.
System software includes operating systems, device drivers, diagnostic
tools, compiler and more.
2. Programming software: Software that assists a programmer in writing
computer programs.
• Application software: Programs written for computer users, example
Word-processors, spreadsheets, & other application packages

The term "software" is sometimes used in a broader context to

describe any electronic media content which embodies expressions
of ideas such as film, tapes, records, etc. Software is the electronic
instruction that tells the computer to do a task.
 Types of Common Software
• Operating System

• Compilers

• Assemblers

• Interpreters
 Operating System (OS)
Is an interface between the hardware and the user
and provides an easy and efficient use of the
system resources
Examples PC/Server OS: Unix, Linux, Microsoft
OS
Examples of Embedded OS: Android, Palm OS
 FUNCTIONS OF OPERATING SYSTEM
• File Management
• Memory Management
• Security
• Device Management
• I/O Management
• User Interface
• Process Management
• Power Management
 Custom Application
Custom software is under the category of application software. The
word custom means that the software is specially made for the
individual and/or company needs.
Example: ATM, Space craft, Banking applications

Custom software, which can also be called bespoke software, is only

created for individual companies to be used for research and other
things
 Commercial Application
Commercial Software, also known as Proprietary Software or
Packaged Software, is software that can be bought and sold.
Commercial Software is copyrighted, so you must pay for it in
some respect. Examples of this are Microsoft Excel or Adobe
Photoshop.
 SHAREWARE
Shareware or application software Shareware is basically "try before
you buy" software. Unlike most software where you have to buy
the software before you can actually use it, the concept of
Shareware lets you try a program for a short period of time
before you buy it. This gives the consumer an opportunity to
test out the software and see if it suits his needs or not.
Examples of shareware software would be a trial version
of application software
 OPEN SOURCE
Free software that you can download and
change. Eg Linux ubuntu
 Evolution of Operating Systems
1. Single user Batch processing (1950s)
– Do only one job or task at a time – Computer ran single program while
processing data in groups or batches
2. Early Operating systems
– Manage transitions between jobs (minimizing transition time between
jobs)
– Increased throughput (Amount of work computers process)
 Evolution of OS.....
3. Multiprogramming
– Computer resources are shared by many jobs or tasks (users still waited
a long time for their output) - simultaneous operation of many jobs that
are competing to share the computer’s resources.
4. Timesharing (access computers via terminals & a special case of
Multiprogramming) - 1960s
– Computer runs a small portion of one user’s job then moves on to
service the next user, providing service to each user several times per
second. Thus, the user’s programs appear to be running simultaneously.
User request receive almost immediate response
In the earlier days, programs were written in 0’s and 1’s called machine
language, or Low Level Programming – First Generation

Disadvantage: Very cumbersome, and debugging becomes a problem

What was to be the remedy?
• Using mnemonics. This was called Assembly Language
Programming (ALP) – Second Generation
• But this needed a translator to convert Assembly Language (AL) to
Machine Language (ML). This translator was called Assembler.
 Disadvantages of AL & ML
They were not portable. I.e., once written, they were good only for that
machine. Machine Specific.
What was to be the remedy?

Develop a language that is machine independent, and has more powerful

features to suit specific needs.
High Level Languages (HLL) – Third Generation
A programming language which use statements consisting of English-like
keywords such as "FOR", "PRINT" or “IF“, ... etc.
 Feature/Advantages of HLL
High Level Languages (HLL): Have the following features:
• Machine Independence
• Very good debugging facility
• Good documentation
• 1 instruction in a HLL corresponds to several in AL or ML
• High Level Languages meet specific needs such as business, scientific
etc.
• HLL’s come with their own translators, known as Compilers or
Interpreters, and other software called Linkers, Loaders, Debuggers
and Libraries.
• Compilers convert the source code to object code, which is in
machine language.
 How are HLL programs Executed
• Compiler or Interpreter translates the source code to object code.
• The Loader, which is software, loads the object code into main memory.
• The Linker links external files used by the current file.
The editor, compiler, library, linker, loader, debugger can be integrated into
one environment called the IDE, or Integrated Development
Environment. Microsoft Visual Studio is an example of IDE
• The Library is a catalogue of predefined, compiled and tested functions.
These contain geometric, arithmetic and other commonly used
functions.
• Users can build their own library functions.
Programs are broadly divided into 2 categories:
• Systems programs, which direct the internal
operations of the computer. E.g. Linker, Loader,
Compiler
• Applications Program, which solve user-oriented
problems. E.g. payroll software, banking software
Layer View of the Computer
 FIRMWARE
Firmware can be explained as programming instructions that are stored in
a read-only memory (ROM) and can only be used by connecting them
with software

Examples are a video card and sound card.

• Firmware is a program for the hardware, It is an embedded coded
(program) for the hardware. So, that it can perform its function
specifically for which device is made. Every device has inbuilt
firmware. That gives the device ability to perform its work. There
are lots of devices that use a screen and buttons. The device
consists of firmware that instruct the device to perform certain
functions on given command
 Information Processing: Data & Information
• Data is a raw unprocessed facts

• Information is a processed data

 Types of Processing Modes
• Batch Processing

• Real-time

• Online

• Time-sharing
 Types of Interfaces
1. Software Interface
Examples: Command driven, graphical user interface (GUI) (menu
driven, pull-down and pop-up menus, icons).

2. Hardware interface
Example: touch screens, non-visual interface, sensors & Braille
keyboards
 Multitasking, Multiprocessing &
Multiprogramming
Multitasking A task is a program strand or section which has a clear
and distinct purpose and outcome.
Multi-tasking simply describes a situation where there are many tasks
which need to be performed, ideally simultaneously
o Task 1 Reads the temperature
o Task 2 Formats the temperature
o Task 3 Displays the temperature
In practice, each task takes a very brief amount of time, so it seems as
if all the tasks are executing in parallel and simultaneously.

• Multiprocessing – simply when data is been processed at same time

• Multiprogramming simultaneous operation of many jobs that are

competing to share the computer’s resources.
 PROBLEM-SOLVING AND PROGRAM DESIGN

Programmers do not sit down and start writing

code right away when trying to make a computer
program. Instead, they follow an organized plan
or methodology that breaks the process into a
series of tasks.
 The Program Development Life Cycle
(Basic Steps)
1. Problem Definition
2. Problem Analysis
3. Algorithm design and representation
(Pseudocode or flowchart)
4. Coding and debugging
 Example of a problem
1. Problem Definition
“Create a program that will determine the number of times a name
occurs in a list.”
2. Problem Analysis
• the simplest and yet the most efficient and effective approach to
solve the problem must be formulated.
• Usually, this step involves breaking up the problem into smaller
and simpler sub-problems.
 Problem Solving Example
Example Problem:
Determine the number of times a name occurs in a list
Input to the program:
List of names, name to look for

Output of the program:

The number of times the name occurs in a list
 Algorithm Design and Representation
Once our problem is clearly defined, we can now set to finding a
solution. In computer programming, it is normally required to
express our solution in a step-by-step manner.

An Algorithm is a clear and unambiguous specification of the steps

needed to solve a problem. It may be expressed in either Human
language (English), through a graphical representation like a
flowchart or through a pseudocode, which is a cross between
human language and a programming language.
 Expressing our solution through Human language

1. Get the list of names

2. Get the name to look for, let's call this the keyname
3. Compare the keyname to each of the names in the list
4. If the keyname is the same with a name in the list, add 1
to the count
5. If all the names have been compared, output the result
Expressing our Solution Through a Flowchart
 Impact of Information Technology on job skills and
careers
• Computer skills is used by office employees, teachers, engineers,
medical personnel, musicians, mass media personnel, law
enforcement personnel, movie industry

• Loss of unskilled jobs

• Retraining
 The Roles of Various Personnel in Computer-related
Professions
• The functions of individuals in computer-
related fields:
• Programmers, Systems analysts and designers, Systems
programmers, Database Administrators, Network Administrators,
IT managers, File Librarians, Computer Technicians, Computer
Engineers, Telecoms Engineers, Computer Scientist, Software
Engineers, Software Testers, Webmaster, Web-developer, Software
trainer, Multi-media artists., Ethical Hackers
 MICROSOFT EXCEL 2007
• A spreadsheet is a table consisting of cells (rows, column
locations) that hold data and simulates the traditional physical
spreadsheet; it captures, displays, manipulates and process data.
• It give you the calculations results in no time
• Calculation results can be presented as beautiful tables & graphs
• When excel cannot perform the tasks required, you can make
your own small program inside excel.
• The objective is to discover excel as a powerful tool at your
disposal
 Basic Features of Excel 2007
• Ribbon replaces the traditional menu bars & toolbars contains.
• The Ribbon contains Tabs, and each Tab contains buttons for various
functions
• The Ribbon is far more visual & task-oriented & adapts constantly to the
activity you are engaged in.
• Larger Workspace in MS excel: 1, 048, 576 rows & 16, 384 columns!
Compared to previous versions: 65,536 rows & 256 columns
• More Colours: 16 million different colours & create colour transitions inside
cells
• New File Format: earlier version, file name ends in . Xls. In excel 2007 . Xlsx
 First Look at Excel

Cell A1 Column listing Column Help button

Row

Page Navigation
View buttons
Document pages
 Formula & Calculation
• The primary objective of Excel is to count
• To make calculation you must write a formula. The formula
should be written into the cell showing the result
• A formula is a structured piece of text that tell Excel what it has to
calculate.
• Excel always start formula by typing an equal sign = It is a sign
that tells Excel in a cell is formula & not text or a number
• Example: 2+5, will be written in excel as =2+5
 Calculation Operators
• Formulae involving using addition +, subtraction -; multiplication
*; division /; powers ^; square roots , the use of brackets ( )
• BODMAS rule in excel calculations. Example 2+3*4=14 is not the
sane as (2+3)*4=20
• In case of multiple spreadsheets in same excel file, you can refer to
cell in another worksheet, the reference must contain both a sheet
reference and a cell refernce
• Example: if you type a formula in sheet2 that uses the value from
cell B2 in sheet1, the reference must be: SHEET1!B2
 FUNCTIONS
• Function enable us to add numbers in an instant. Written as
function name(arguments)
• Example =sum(B2,B3,B4) or =sum(B2:B1001) (region reference)
• Example =Average(B2:B4)
SERIES
• A Series is a range of
values that are linked.
Example is weekdays,
months of the year
• You can also define
own series. Go to
Excel’s option & click
on Edit custom lists
 Relative & Absolute Reference
• Relative References means that a cell references are changed
accordingly when you copy a cell with a formula to another
location. This applies only when you copy the cell, if you cut cell
& paste, the original cell references will be retained.
• Absolute reference is the use of dollar signs to lock row and
column respectively , so they now have become ABSOLUTE
REFERENCES. Example is the Multiplication table
 CHARTS – Scatter chart
• Example of graphic representation of Mathematical Expression
Second quadratic polynomial, which gives us a nice parabola
F(x)=3x2+2x-3 -
F(x)=y-axis
X-values (-7 and +7)

Formula: =3*B4^2+2*B4-3
Common Errors
Common Errors...ctd