Section Five: Software Applications

The last level of software is referred to as Applications. These are programs written to perform
specific functions - personal, professional, educational or recreational on the PC.
The applications you purchase determine the personality that a computer assumes when the
application is run. It can become a word processor, a game machine, a tutor, an accountant of a
graphic illustrator, etc.
Not all software is created equal. An inexpensive or free program can sometimes do as much as
a package costing several hundred dollars. Each package works a little differently - some are easier
to use than others.
The most popular software applications presently on the market include:
Word Processors These programs allow you to create, edit, save and print letters,
memos and other files containing text. Most word processors allow
you to change fonts, sizes and attributes (bold, underline) for text.
These applications have taken the place of the standard typewriter and
have made it possible to create professional office documents.
Spreadsheets These programs offer a number crunching tool. Accounting
departments, in general, have turned in their mechanical calculators in
place of spreadsheet programs.
Company budgets, financial projections and graphical representations
of current and past sales can be created with the use of a spreadsheet
application.
Databases These programs allow you to organize data in such a way that reports
may be generated to show patterns that may have otherwise gone
unnoticed.
Databases have taken the place of paper folders and filing cabinets and
made it possible to quickly access reports based on specific conditions.
Graphics When presenting data to an audience, visual aides are always useful. It
is easier to understand a picture than it is an obscure number.
With the use of a graphics package you are able to create your own
images and visual aides.
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Communications Since the majority of work is now performed on a computer it is
essential that two or more computers in different regions, or even
countries, are able to converse just as two humans talk on the phone.
Communication packages allow data to be transferred between two
computers in the same amount of time as it would take for a phone call
to be placed.
It could be by email, computer fax software, instant messaging, etc.
Desktop Publishing Desktop publishing programs help you to create newsletters, reports,
manuals, flyers and other documents in which appearance is as
important as the content.
The text itself is usually entered in another program and then brought
into the desktop publishing package to be formatted.
The software allows you to control the layout of your document by
formatting the pages, drawing ruler lines, creating columns of text, sizing
and placing graphics and inserting headlines. These packages allow you
to produce professional looking documents.
With the powerful word processing packages available today many of
the desktop publishing features can be accomplished using the tools
within the word processor itself.