appLiCaTion SofTwAre

Examples of software applications

• An application program is the type of program that you use once the operating system has been loaded. Examples include word-processing programs (for producing letters, memos etc), spreadsheets (for doing accounts and working with numbers), databases (for organizing large amounts of information), games programs and graphics programs (for producing pictures, advertisements, manuals etc).

• It is important that you recognize examples of application programs covering the following areas:
  
  - Word processing
  - Spreadsheets
  - Databases
  - Presentations
  - E-mailing
  - Web browsing
  - Photo editing
  - Computer games

• A word processing program (such as Microsoft Word) allows you to produce letters, memos, etc., easily. You can easily mail merge a list of names and addresses to produce mass mailers, individually addressed to customers or subscribers.

• A spreadsheet program (such as Microsoft Excel) allows you to work out a company’s income, expenditure and then calculate the balance. It enables you to make 'what if' type projections of how the company will fair in the future and to forecast how changes in prices will affect profits.

• A database program (such as Microsoft Access) allows you to compile information and then to search this information to extract just the information you require. For instance, if you have a database of all the equipment housed within an office you can very simply produce a report listing only the equipment above a certain value.

• A presentation program (such as Microsoft PowerPoint) allows you to produce professional looking presentations that can be printed out directly onto slides for use with an overhead projector. Alternatively, you can display your presentations directly on a computer screen or via a computerized projector.

• There are many emailing programs available.  As the name suggests you use these to send and receive emails.  Microsoft Outlook is supplied within Microsoft Office.  Another well know example is the Thunderbird email program.

• Applications used to view and interact with the World Wide Web (WWW).
  
  MS Internet Explorer:           http://www.microsoft.com
  Google Chrome:  http://www.google.com/chrome
  Firefox:  http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox

• These programs allow you to edit digital photos.  You can adjust items such as the picture brightness, contrast and color balance.  You can remove defects such the red eye effect often caused when using a flash.  You can apply interesting special effects and filters to visually enhance your photographs.  Examples include Photoshop from Adobe and Paint Shop Pro from Corel.

• Computer games started off as simple bat and ball games and today have evolved into an enormous worldwide business.  There are many different types of games ranging from the educational, to the ‘shoot them up’ variety.  The level of graphical detail on the screen gets better each year. 
  
  There are many different formats available for games.  Some games can be played on a standard computer, while others require a dedicated console such as a Sony Playstation.
  
  Famous example include Doom (a shoot them up game) and Simms (a game where you build your own little world within the computer).