Page 701 - Encyclopedia of Business and Finance

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Software

The operating system of a desktop computer is based Internet browsers include Netscape Navigator and
on single-user design. When the computer is added to a Microsoft’s Internet Explorer.
computer network, another layer of computer operating Software called search engines are also available for
system is required. This layer, referred to as the network searching the Internet for specific items. Google, for
operating system, instructs the computer about the pres- example, is a search engine that can search the Internet for
ence of a network interface card installed in the computer virtually any topic. EBay is another software interface that
and its address, and controls the flow of data and com- specializes in bidding sales by individuals.
mand traffic to and from the computer. This ability allows
the computer to share peripherals on the network system
ENTERTAINMENT
and to access outside systems such as the Internet.
Software for the entertainment market has been accelerat-
ing in demand since the 1990s, particularly for children
USER INTERFACE and young adults. Specific hardware is often required to
Operating systems are complicated and often not intuitive operate the software, such as a joystick, handheld device,
to the user. Therefore, a software program called a graph- or console. The handheld GameBoy and console PlaySta-
ical user interface (GUI) runs over the operating system to tion, for example, require frequent new software to sustain
make the operating system easier for the user to operate. the market. Much of that software comes on cartridges,
More importantly, GUIs allow a “family” or “suite” of using Plug-N-Play technology, so that users can maintain
products to share the same screen and operational design, libraries that do not require the installation process
making the learning of new software much easier. For required on desktop computers.
example, the screen-design menu system provides identi-
cal icons for common commands among software pack-
ages, such as save, print, spell-checking, help, and basic COMMUNICATIONS
document formatting. Microsoft’s Windows is an industry In addition to browsers and operating systems, users have
leader. The Microsoft Office Suite, for example, offers many other personal communication needs that require
desktop-loaded software. One such need involves faxing
word processing, spreadsheets, publishing, and database
information from one location to another. That capability
software that share a common interface and, therefore, a
has become so routine that taxpayers often submit their
common screen design and tool menus.
tax forms via electronic mail (e-mail) and users employ fax
machines for such mundane tasks as renewing member-
PROGRAMMING SOFTWARE ships, car registrations, and driver licenses.
Computer programmers program in a variety of computer Another communications need is transfer between
languages. These languages are actually software that use personal devices. For example, personal digital assistants
more intuitive codes than the digital machine languages and cellular telephones communicate with desktop com-
(0s and 1s) but that actually translate to machine language
puters through data transfer. A technology that has
for use by the computer’s central processing unit. C++ and
become popular are transfers from the photographic fea-
Visual Basic are computer languages that do not require
ture of a cellular phone to a desktop for color printing.
the programmer to know machine language.
While most handheld devices are manufactured with
Specific computer programming language is neces- embedded software, the desktop computer requires soft-
sary to create nonlinear products that can be accessed ware in order to know how to handle and process images.
through the World Wide Web path of addresses used on A frequently used software is for e-mail. E-mail has
the Internet. That universal language is the hypertext evolved into a comprehensive tool for communication
markup language (HTML). Many software packages,
between individuals and groups. Microsoft’s Outlook is a
most notably Microsoft’s Frontpage and Macromedia’s
common e-mail facility included in the Microsoft Office
Dreamweaver, are available to make programming in
Suite. Capacities include creation of e-mail address files,
HTML easier and most efficient.
communication with Listservs (online discussion forums),
and use of document attachments. The maintenance of e-
BROWSERS mail logs of messages is an important part of document
Access to software produced for access to the Internet retention. Courts now recognize e-mail messages and
requires a browser for searching the Internet from the attachments as legal evidence.
computer desktop. Software produced in HTML is Communication software does pose hazards. Com-
hosted on computers called servers. The address access puter viruses can be attached to e-mail messages, address
path to the respective server and software is called the books, and attachments. The hazzards of spam, unso-
URL (uniform resource locator). Commercially successful licited e-mail, and software that allows people to access

678 ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BUSINESS AND FINANCE, SECOND EDITION