Basic and Specialized Software Application

GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE

Also known as GUI, it is a type of user interface in a graphical form for users to interact with programs. It allows the user to select from menus & icons using a mouse or keystroke commands. GUI is used by most modern operating systems.

WORD PROCESSOR

It is an application that enables users to compose, edit, format & print documents. Besides that, documents can also be modified or opened on any other computer using the same word processor application. An example of a notable word processor application is Microsoft Word.

SPREADSHEET

It is a document of data that is stored in a table of values arranged in horizontal rows & vertical columns. Rows are labelled using numbers while columns are labelled using alphabets. Individual row/columns are called cells. Examples of cells are C5, E20 & etc. Information stored in a spreadsheet is more structured. The row/column structure allows data to be analyzed using calculation & formulas.

DBMS

DBMS is short for Database Management System. It is a database program that creates & maintains the use of a database. It manages incoming data, organizes it & provides ways for data to be modified or extracted by users or other programs.

UTILITY SUITES

It is an all-in-one package for maintenance & clean up for the computer. The package includes antivirus as well. Besides that, the package helps to protect the computer from threats online.  Furthermore, there will be notifications of updates to ensure the computer is always maintained & up-to-date.

WEB AUTHORING

It is a category of software that enables users to create a website in a desktop publishing format. The software will generate the required HTML coding for the layout of the web page based on the user's design. The user can toggle back & forth between the graphical design & HTML code to make changes to the web page. An example of a notable web authoring program is Adobe Dreamweaver.

AUDIO EDITING SOFTWARE

It is a software that allows users to edit & manipulate digital audio. Besides that, users can create, restore, record & convert the files as well. This software plays a huge role for those who are involved in the digital audio field.

BITMAP IMAGE

It is a type of graphic made up of pixels in a grid. Each pixel of the image is called a "bit" & contains colour information for the image. Bitmap graphic formats have a fixed resolution. Meaning, resizing the image would result in distortion & jagged edges on the image. It is simply known as .BMP & other common formats are GIF, JPG or JPEG, TIFF, PNG, PICT & PCX.

DESKTOP PUBLISHING PROGRAM

It allows users to produce high-quality printed documents. The program allows users to different typefaces, specify various margins and justifications, and embed illustrations and graphs directly into the text. Certain desktop publishing softwares also enables users to create illustrations. An important feature of the program is it enables users to see on the display screen how the document will appear when printed. This particular feature is known as WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get).

HTML EDITOR

It is a software program that inserts HTML code as HTML file is being created. It helps users who are encoding HTML by cataloging & catching errors. It often displays tags & contents in colours so they appear strikingly for easy reference. 

MULTIMEDIA

The name itself is an integration of multiple forms of media. Graphics, text, audio, video & etc. are examples of multimedia. Combined audio & visual components are considered multimedia.

VECTOR IMAGE

It is an image made up of paths, points, curves & angles unlike BMPs, JPEGs & GIFs images. A path can create a simple drawing or a diagram. Vector images are ideal for logos. A common software program used for this is Adobe Illustrator.

The Internet, The Web and Electronic Commerce

URL

URL, short form for Uniform Resource Locater is the global address of documents & other resources online. It is also known as an internet adress. A URL contains access protocol (http), the domain name (www.blogger.com) & the path to a file or resource residing on that server (.com, .net, .zip, .xml).

HTML

HTML is the short for HyperText Markup Language, the language used to create text & multimedia documents on the World Wide Web. HTML uses a variety of tags & attributes to create a document or a web page. A correct structure for an HTML document starts with <HTML><HEAD>(enter here what document is about)<BODY> and ends with </BODY></HTML>.

Javascript

Javascript is a scripting language used by web authors to design interactive sites. It is used in Web developments to automatically change a formatted date on a Web page, cause a link-to page to appear in a popup window & cause text or graphic image to change or animate during a mouse rollover. JavaScript code can be imbedded in HTML pages and interpreted by the Web browser.

Applets

A small application that performs one specific task under the control of a larger application, typically a Web browser. It is designed to be executed from within another application & cannot be executed directly from the operating system. Applets are small in files size, highly secure & ideal for small Internet applications accessible from a browser. 

Blogs

It is an online journal usually maintained by an individual used to document their events in life or state their opinions intended for general public consumption. Blogs are usually updated on a regular basis. A typical blog may include text, images, videos, links & other forms of media. This blog itself is an example of a blog.

Wikis

Wiki is derived from a Hawaiian phrase, "wiki wiki" which means super-fast. An example of Wiki is Wikipedia. It allows users to add, update & edit content on the site by using their own Web browsers. Wikis are powered by Wiki software & are often used to create collaborative works.

FTP

FTP is short for File Transfer Protocol, which allow files to be exchanged between computers on the Internet. To transfer files using FTP, a program called a "client" is needed. It creates a connection to a remote computer running FTP "server" software. After a connection is established, the client may choose to send a receive a copy of the file. To connect to an FTP server, a client requires the username & password set by the administrator of the server. FTP is mostly used on the Internet to upload & download files.

Plug-in

It is an add-on for a program to add extra features or functionality to it. Plug-ins are a convenient way to expand the capabilities of a program. Examples of plug-ins are shown on the picture above.

Filters

It is a program that is designed to accept a certain type of data as an input, transforms it & outputs the transformed data. An example is shown on the picture above. The names are sorted in an alphabetical order because it has filtered the unsorted order & has outputted the sorted names in an alphabetical order.

Internet Security Suite

It contains a suite of utilities to maintain the security of the computer. Utilities such as spam blocker, antivirus, personal firewall & pop-up blocker are included. These are to protect the computer against virus or threats online that can corrupt your computer.

Careers in IT

Webmaster

A webmaster is a person who creates & maintains one or several websites. They ensure web servers, hardware & software operate accurately. Other than that, they also test websites too. Besides that, they use computer software to do their jobs.

Computer Support Specialist

A computer support specialist is a person who assists when someone needs help troubleshooting their computer or needs installation of a new hardware. Besides that, they also advise people who are designing new software & hardware. They are known as problem solvers. Furthermore, good communication skills are needed to communicate with users.

Technical Writer

A technical writer's job is to create, design & maintain technical documentation. Examples of documentation includes online help, user guides, design specifications, system manuals & other documents. They must acquire good computer skills as well as excellent verbal communication skills.

Software Engineer

A software engineer designs, develops, tests & evaluates a computer program. They are involved in anything from computer games to business applications. Their responsibilities include designing, decoding & debugging applications in various software languages, modeling & simulating software, testing software & quality assurance. They are also continually updated with technical knowledge & skills.

Network Administrator

A network administrator is responsible for maintaining the computer's hardware & software systems that make up a computer network. Their activities include deployment, configuration, maintenance & monitoring of active network equipment. Their role in companies differs but usually includes tasks such as network address assignment, routing protocols & maintaing certain network servers.

Database Administrator

A database administrator, also known as DBA performs & directs all activities related to maintaining a successful database environment. Their responsibilities include maintaining the performance, integrity & security of a database. Examples of a database administrator's activities are transferring data, replicating data, controlling privileges as well as permissions to database users & database back up and recovery. They also need personal skills such as strong organizational skills, strong analytical thinking & the ability to concentrate to detail. 

System Analyst

A system analyst selects & configures computer systems for an organization or business. They start their work by asking people what they need their computers to do. After that, they plan a computer system that can do those tasks well. The analyst must select both hardware & software as well. Basically, their job is to choose the most efficient computer solutions for an organization or business & making sure they meet all the company's needs.

Programmer

A programmer's job is to write computer software. Their job involves designing, developing & administer the transactional and analytical data structures. They must develop new applications as well as maintain existing ones. Other than that, they must also create codes that meets system standards.