Transcript Unit04_Software

ILS 501
Unit 4:
Software Issues
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Software?
A program or application that has a set of
instructions to complete some tasks.
A program that starts up the computer and
functions as the principal coordinator of all
hardware components and related
applications programs.
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Types of software?
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Operating Systems (OS)
- System software
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Applications
- Application Software
- Utilities
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What is an operating system?
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a set of system software routines that sits
between the application program and the
hardware.
An OS is the program that manages all
the other programs in a computer, after it
is initially loaded into the computer by a
bootstrap program.
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What does an OS system do?
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Starts up the computer (booting)
Manages resources: processor, memory, etc.
Controls devices: mouse, screen, disks, etc.
Protects programs from each other
Program/file managers
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The Operating System: What It Does
Booting - the process of loading an operating
system into a computer’s main memory
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Components of OS
User
Interface
Device
Management
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File
Management
Memory
Management
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Processor
Management
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Functionalities of an OS system
1. Foundation of applications
Provides a land for applications to
reside – BIOS
A platform for writing application
programs
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Functionalities of an OS system
2. Master programs
supervises RAM and auto loads the
master boot record on the primary
hard disk
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Functionalities of an OS system
3. Other tasks
Manages routine tasks like copying
data, showing directories, moving
files, etc.
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File Management and Formatting
The operating
system’s file system
arranges files in
hierarchical fashion
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Formatting or
initializing a disk is
the process of
preparing that disk
for use
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What are common OSs?
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For PC - DOS & Windows
For Mac – Apple MacOS
For Network - Unix/Linux & VMS/VAX
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What are PC operating systems?
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MS-DOS & PC-DOS
Windows
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Windows
Windows
Windows
Windows
Windows
Windows
3.0
95, 98
NT/2000/Millennium (ME)
XP
Vista
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What are network operating systems?
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UNIX & Linux
VMS (Virtual Memory System) &
VAX (Virtual Address eXtension)
Netware
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The concept of User Interface
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A mechanism for the user and
application programs to communicate
with the OS & request support
OS provides an interface between
computer’s programs or users and its
hardware.
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USER
Application
program
User
interface
Platform
Operating system
Hardware
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Types of User Interfaces
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Command-driven interface: type in
Menu-driven interface: presents a list of
available options
Graphical user interface (GUI)
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Developed by Xerox & adapted by Apple
Employ icons to represent tasks, functions, and
programs.
Became the standard microcomputer system
software interface.
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Trends of OS systems:
1.
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4.
5.
GUI (Graphic user interface)
Multi-tasking and parallel processing
Object oriented programming
Networking facilities
Security and safety
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Types of application software
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Productivity software
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word processing
spreadsheet
database management
communications
browsers
Business/specialty software
Education reference software
Home/personal software
Entertainment software
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Types of software utilities
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virus protection
data compression - zip
Backup - system, registry, e-mail, files
data recovery
Defragmentation - bring each file into
one whole area
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Utilities: Service Programs
Backup utility - program which makes a
duplicate copy of the information on your
hard disk
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Data-recovery utility - program which
restores data that has been physically
damaged or corrupted
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Utilities: Service Programs
Antivirus software - program that scans
hard disks, floppy disks, and memory to
detect viruses
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Data compression utility - program which
removes redundant elements, gaps, and
unnecessary data from a computer’s
storage space so that less space (fewer
bits) is required to store or transmit data
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Examples of PC File Extensions
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Source program file: filename.com
Source executable file: filename.exe
MS Word data file: filename.doc
MS Excel data file: filename.xls
MS Access data file: filename.mdb
ASCII file: filename.txt
Still image file: filename.jpg
Audio file: filename.wav
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Freeware vs. Shareware?
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Freeware
Software that is available free of charge
distributed through the Internet or user
groups.
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Shareware
Copyrighted software that is distributed
free of charge but requires users to pay
a fee if technical help, documentation, or
upgrades are required.
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What Is Good Software?
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McCall’s quality model
What is a MARC record?
MARC - Machine Readable Cataloging record
The MARC formats are standards for the
representation and communication of
bibliographic and related information in
machine-readable form.
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Basic components of MARC
1. Main entry and added entries
- authors, organizations
2. Descriptions
- bibliographic information: title, pub, format..
3. Subject headings
- meaningful vocabularies
4. Call number
- classification numbers
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Library of Congress
Understanding MARC (machine-readable cataloging)
Available at
http://lcweb.loc.gov/marc/umb/
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Example of MARC Record
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Monographs: MARC Record
Sound Recordings: MARC Record
Motion Pictures and Video
recordings: MARC Record
Computer Files: MARC Record
Microforms: MARC Record
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Why invest the time and money in MARC?
1. The MARC format is a standard file
structure allow proper cataloging of books
and other library items.
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Why invest the time and money in MARC?
2.The MARC record contains a standard guide
to bibliographic data that can be interpreted
by computer.
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Why invest the time and money in MARC?
3. Most hardware platforms and software
systems libraries use today request MARC
formats.
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How to evaluate Software?
Strategies for library decision makers
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Evaluation of software-strategy 1
Read and study; be critical of reviews!
Check out the exhibits at conferences (can
be extremely valuable, even worth the
price of a trip to ALA).
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Evaluation of software-strategy 2
Ask for referrals and then go over with
referrals; invest time, ask questions
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Evaluation of software-strategy 3
Hire a consultant.
The cost of a consultant is quite high; but
so are the potential losses if a tragic
mistake is made in ignorance.
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Evaluation of software-strategy 4
Make sure that library software has Full
MARC capacity, even if your small
library is shopping for “affordable"
software.
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Endemic to Modern Software-Problem 1
Bloatware.
Critics suggest that much of the software on
the market is just too big; too loaded down
with seldom used bells and whistles; too
inefficiently and inelegantly constructed.
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Endemic to Modern Software-Problem 2
Flakey, bugs, crashes, instability. This is
especially a problem in modern multitasking
environments where one software product
or utility conflicts with another resulting in
freezes and crashes.
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Endemic to Modern Software-Problem 3
Cross platform incompatibility.
Lack of standards (as in conflict between
MS and Netscape).
Websites can look different depending on
browser.
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Endemic to Modern Software-Problem 4
Cost: out of pocket for updates,
revising settings and otherwise
fooling with newly installed
software.
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Philosophical-Orientation 1
Traditional Model:
Centralized, mainframe-oriented
systems, all the software was on the
central computer resource.
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Philosophical-Orientation 2
Distributed models:
Decentralized, distributed systems
Client-server software
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Philosophical-Orientation 3
The lure of the inTRAnet:
It’s robust, cheap, works on many
platforms, inexpensive, familiar and
comfortable to users, and it doesn’t cost
much.
New revenue models and open sources
like the internet , library systems and
OPACs which are renamed WEBPACs.
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Philosophical-Orientation 4
Client-server architecture:
Advantage-client-server systems save
money on hardware. Disadvantage-they
often require much more training and
support. More complex systems mean
that more things can go wrong.
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Factors to consider when choosing
software for a library.
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Ease of use.
COST!
Ability to upgrade the product over the
long term.
Integration with other systems.
Previous success stories from different
libraries.
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Discussion Question 1: Why the
need to constantly upgrade software?
Why not stay with the tried and true?
Discussion Question 2: Why are
library automation software vendors
only recently moving to client-server
systems?
Discussion Question 3: How might
the peer-to-peer software model made
famous by Napster and Gnutella be
used by a library or library consortia?
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Questions?
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