Transcript Application Software

Application Software
AQA ICT AS Level © Nelson Thornes 2008
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Application software
Why choose a particular package?
Application software carries out the tasks the user wants to perform.
When choosing the application you need to consider:
• What are the functions of the available software?
• What are the end user requirements?
• What is the experience and skill level of the end user?
• Is the existing data transferable to the new software?
• Is it compatible with other software currently used?
• Will the benefits of the new software be worth the financial
cost involved?
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Desktop publishing and word processing
Desktop publishing
Word processing
Offers a wide range of templates Offers templates and wizards for
for both home and office use.
standard documents used by
businesses.
Objects contained in frames
allows more freedom when
choosing layouts.
Layout tools focus on text,
including index and table of
contents.
Offers a limited selection of
graphics and drawing tools.
Special features to track
changes on a document owned
by multiple users.
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Vector and bitmap images
Vector images
Bitmap images
The shape of an object is plotted The image is made up of pixels,
mathematically.
a series of small dots or
squares.
When you resize a vector image
the quality remains the same.
When you resize a bitmap image
the pixels get bigger reducing
quality and often having jagged
edges.
Some packages allow 2D
drawing to be converted to 3D
wire frames.
The fills on bitmap images allow
a more realistic texture to be
created.
Often used for clip art, diagrams
and computer aided design.
Often used for freehand art and
photographs.
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Spreadsheet and database management software
Database management software
• A flatfile database is made up of a
single table.
• A relational database links two or
more tables.
• Databases are mainly used for text
but they support many other data
types.
• This software offers features such as
validation, sorts, queries, forms and
reports.
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Spreadsheet and database management software
Spreadsheet software
• Spreadsheets can be used to make
informed decisions through modelling.
• Spreadsheets are mainly used to
analyse and record numbers but do
support other data types.
• Spreadsheets can perform advanced
calculations using a variety of
mathematical functions.
• Most packages offer limited database
functions.
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Moving images
Animation software
•
Allows the user to draw only
the start and end position of
object and the computer
draws the frames in
between.
•
The playback speed can be
adjusted to make the
objects run faster or slower.
•
The number of frames can
be adjusted to make the file
size smaller. However more
frames make the animation
smoother.
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Video editing software
•
Sections of videos can be
removed or the user can cut
a paste sections just like text
in a word processor.
•
Sound files and music can
be added to run alongside
the video files.
•
Video files have large file
sizes, they can be
compressed but this makes
the video lose some quality.
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Sound and music editing
Sound editing
software can….
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change the pitch and the
volume of sound
change the pattern of sound
waves
cut and paste sections of
waves
combine several tracks of
sound to be played together.
AQA ICT AS Level © Nelson Thornes 2008
Music composition
software can….
• be used to drag notes
directly onto a stave
• transcribe music played on a
keyboard connected to the
computer
• play a composition in the
sound of many different
instruments
• transpose music into
different keys.
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Multimedia
• Multimedia software does not concentrate on one
type of data, it combines them all.
• Examples of multimedia software include
presentation and web authoring software.
• Multimedia software offers a unique opportunity to
present material in a way that is accessible to a wide
range of users with different needs.
• Presentations can be made interactive, where the
user controls how they move through them.
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