Ch 06: Software | Exam Fusion Prep

Source Note

The PDF index identifies Chapter 6 as Software. The first source page itself carries the heading “Windows”, although its content begins with software definition and classification; this mind map follows the chapter index/content rather than silently treating that heading as the chapter name.

What is Software?

Software is the intangible / non-physical part of a computer.
It is a set of programs that performs related tasks.
Software is the intangible part of a computer and is a collection of programs that perform related tasks.

PDF visual — Application software, System software and Hardware relationship

Application Software — for users

User-oriented software used to perform real work/tasks.
Horizontal software: widely used from individuals to large organizations.
Examples in PDF: MS Office, Adobe Photoshop, Tally.
Vertical software: designed for a specific industry or specialized business function; it need not be exclusive to one organization.
Examples in PDF: Finacle, MIBS.

System Software — for system

Supports execution and development of other programs.
Presented as compulsory software without which the computer system cannot work.
Examples: Operating System, Compiler, Interpreter.

PDF visual — Finacle example shown under vertical software

Application Suite

A collection of personal-productivity software such as a word processor, spreadsheet and database. Example: MS Office.

PDF visual — MS Office application suite

Word Processing

MS Word — assistance in formulating, formatting and printing documents such as letters, memos and papers.

Spreadsheet

MS Excel — built-in functions for statistical, financial, logical, database, graphics, data and time calculations.

Graphics

Used to represent things more easily through visualization. PDF example: Adobe Photoshop.

PDF visual — Word processing example

PDF visual — Spreadsheet / MS Excel example

PDF visual — Graphics / Adobe Photoshop example

Application Software — User Tasks

Software used to do users’ tasks is called application software.
It includes programs that do real work for the user.
Examples in source: Adobe Photoshop, Media Player, Web Browser, Adobe Reader.

PDF visual — Application software examples

Open-source Software

Source code is available under a licence allowing use, modification and redistribution. Open source does not necessarily mean zero price.

Examples: Linux and the Android Open Source Project (AOSP); Google’s bundled apps are not all open source.oid Open Source Project (AOSP); Google’s bundled apps are not all open source.

Freeware

Free to use; unlike commercial software it does not require payment or a licensing fee.

Example in PDF: Web browser

Shareware

Software that can be used on a trial basis before paying.

Example in PDF: Antivirus

PDF visual — Web-browser example under freeware

PDF visual — Antivirus example under shareware

EULA — End User Licence Agreement

An End User Licence Agreement (EULA) is described as a legal contract between a software application author/publisher and the user of that application.

PDF visual — EULA / licence agreement example

System Software

Supports execution and development of other programs.
Examples: Operating System, Compiler, Interpreter.

Utility Software

Programs that help maintain, protect or manage the system; size is not a defining property.
Utility examples: disk cleanup/defragmentation, compression and antivirus. A device driver is system software that lets the OS communicate with hardware.

Operating System

An operating system is software that acts as an interface between user and computer hardware.

PDF visual — User → Application → Operating System → Hardware relationship

UserUser

ApplicationApplication

Operating SystemInterface

HardwareHardware

Version note

Version names below are historical examples, not “latest version” claims. Releases and features change; identify the platform and version in an exam question.

Windows

Widely used OS associated with Microsoft Corporation; source mentions 1975 — Bill Gates and Paul Allen.
Modern Windows uses Microsoft Edge; Internet Explorer is a legacy discontinued browser.
First version stated: Windows 1.0 (1985).
Windows 11 was released on 5 October 2021.
Microsoft Edge stated as used in Windows 10 in 2015.

PDF visual — Microsoft visual used in the PDF

Macintosh / Mac OS

Apple was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne. Macintosh is an Apple computer family.
Original Macintosh system software shipped in 1984; Mac OS X 10.0 shipped in 2001.
Historical release example: macOS Sonoma (version 14), released in 2023.
Inbuilt browser: Safari.
Version names listed: Cheetah, Puma, Jaguar, Panther, Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Lion, Mountain Lion, Mavericks.

Linux

Linus Torvalds began the Linux kernel in 1991. Linux is Unix-like; a distribution combines the kernel with system tools and applications.
Multiuser & multitasking.
Open-source and free of cost.
Examples listed: Red Hat, Fedora, Ubuntu, Linux Mint.

PDF visual — Linux visual

Unix

UNICS expanded in source as Uniplexed Information and Computing System.
Written in C programming language.
A multi-user, multitasking OS supporting shell programming.

PDF visual — Unix visual

Android

Associated with Google Corporation.
Smartphone-based OS.
First commercial Android release: Android 1.0 (2008); “Alpha” is not its official dessert name.
Historical release example: Android 14 (2023).
Examples of correct Android names: Cupcake (1.5), Donut (1.6), Marshmallow (6.0).

PDF visual — Android visual

Operating System Types

Single-user OS: deals with the request of one person using the computer at that time.
Examples: MS-DOS, Windows, Android.
Multi-user OS: allows many people to access mainframe resources; divides resources among users.
Examples: Unix, Linux.

Single-tasking OS: supports one task at a time; task execution is sequential.
Example: MS-DOS.
Multitasking OS: manages more than one program at once.
Examples: Windows XP, Windows Vista.

PDF visual — MS-DOS single-user / single-tasking example

PDF visual — Multi-user resource sharing example

Network Operating System

Described as a type of multi-user operating system designed for a server.

Examples in source: Windows NT, Windows Server, Windows Server 2003.

PDF visual — Windows Server example

⚡ Quick Recall

Software = intangibleApplication = user tasksSystem = system supportUtility = maintenance/supportOS = user ↔ hardware interfaceOpen-source = licensed source access, modification and redistributionFreeware = free useShareware = trial before paymentEULA = legal licence contractSingle tasking = one taskMultitasking = multiple programsNetwork OS = server-oriented

⚠ Exam Traps from the source

Horizontal = broad use across industries; vertical = tailored to a specific industry or business function.
Freeware vs Shareware: freeware is free to use; shareware is trial-based before payment.
System vs Application: system software supports the computer/system; application software performs user tasks.
Single-user vs Single-tasking: number of users and number of simultaneous tasks are different classifications.