Types of software

i. Off-the-shelf software
- ‘Off-the-shelf’ is the sort of software that is written especially to meet the
requirements of a client.
- Examples include word processors, spreadsheets, databases, desktop publishing
packages, graphics packages etc.
- This type of software tries to be a ‘jack-of-all-trades’ which provides many features
that the majority of users will want e.g. formatting text, creating charts, organising
tables. But there will be a vast number of features that you may never use e.g.
statistical functions, mail merge.
- This makes the storage size of these applications fairly large.

Examples of use:

Word processing application - writing reports, memos, letters to customers

Spreadsheet application - keeping simple company accounts, calculating employee

commission payments, simple stock control system, modeling

Database application - keeping customer records, sales records, appointments system

Desktop publishing application - creating leaflets, posters, business cards

Presentation software - creating presentations to show to customers or staff

Graphics application - manipulating images that can be used at home, school or a business

Web design application - creating personal or business web sites

Reasons to use off-the-shelf software:

 It is relatively cheap, especially when compared to custom written

software

 It is easily available from most computer shops

 It will have been thoroughly tested so there won’t be any serious problems
or bugs

 There will be lots of user support i.e. books, user guides, online help and
discussion forums on the Internet
 ii. Custom written software
- Although most organisations use off-the-shelf software, some organisations will find
that it just does not do exactly what they want or it doesn’t work with their current
systems.
- In this case, they might decide to have the software system they need designed and
developed specifically for them. This is called ‘custom written’ or ‘bespoke’
software.

The main advantages are:

 The company will get the exact software/system that they need
 The software will work exactly how they want it to work
 The software will only have the features that they specifically need in their business.

The main disadvantages of this approach are:

 It takes a long time to develop such a system, between a few months to years
 It costs a great deal of money to develop such a system.
 The company may need to employ a team of people such as business analysts,
programmers, testers etc
 Unlike off-the-shelf software, there is unlikely to be any internet forums or web sites
to help users. For example popular spreadsheet applications have dozens of online
help sites run by users and professionals. It is down to the company to provide
employee training which is an added cost.

iii. Open Source Software

- It is a kind of software that is available for everyone in the world to use, and it has the
peculiarity that its code is open to developers.
- Engineers, customers, even developers love this kind of software because they can
save effort, work, and time using something that it was already developed, they can
personalize this main code and adapt it to their necessities.
- Open Source Software, how we saw, it is a software you can modify it and adapt it to
your necessities.

With Open Source Software you can:

 Get access to the source code.

 Permission to change the software.
 Free distribution of original and modified code.
 Having derived work that can be distributed under the same terms of original software.
 The same license of the original software. You can take a new license, but it is not necessary.
 Sometimes, If you use it, it is not necessary that your program has to be open source too.
The principle here is to promote the collaboration inside a community to generate mutual
benefits.
Not all software open source is necessarily free. And free software can be also open source at
the same time.

iv. Freeware
- A software that is available free of cost for use and distribution but cannot be
modified as its source code is not available is called freeware. Examples of freeware
are Google Chrome, Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader, Skype, etc.
- While free software, commonly, cannot be transformed. You can use it for free but
only with qualities with it was created. It is not flexible at all.
With free software you can:

i. Use the software.

ii. Run it.
iii. Understand who it works.
iv. Share and distribute it.
v. Create another software only if you respect these aspects.
vi. Shareware

A software that is initially free and can be distributed to others as well, but needs to be paid
for after a stipulated period of time is called shareware. Its source code is also not available
and hence cannot be modified.

vii. Proprietary Software

- Software that can be used only by obtaining license from its developer after paying
for it is called proprietary software. An individual or a company can own such
proprietary software. Its source code is often closely guarded secret and it can have
major restrictions like −
i. No further distribution
ii. Number of users that can use it
iii. Type of computer it can be installed on, example multitasking or single user,
etc.
- For example, Microsoft Windows is a proprietary operating software that comes in
many editions for different types of clients like single-user, multi-user, professional,
etc.
- The code is closed, it is copyrighted, its use is limited at some point, especially when
it is referred to distribution or modification.
- Proprietary software also is called commercial software or closed-source software
inattention to one of its most important characteristics.
- This software also is really good and unique and sometimes, they can be modified
within creators limits.

Characteristic of proprietary software

i. It has to be bough
ii. Has a license which is the property of a developer, company or the owner.
iii. Without access to its source code
iv. Free distribution or copy is prohibited. Actually, it is a crime
v. Its use depends on the end-users agreement
vi. They can take you to jail if you violate any rule or agreement you accepted before.

Open source vs proprietary software: advantages and disadvantages

Open source Advantages

i. You can adapt it to your necessities even from source code.

ii. All replica or distribution it is possible although you haven’t paid it.
 iii. Free support because the same community that uses the software, frequently tend to
answer questions, giving advice, making forums and provide detail documentation.
iv. Fewer errors and faster solutions. This is related to the previous point. Projects with
open source literally could have millions of people looking it, using it, and getting
better.
v. For that reason, some experts think that open source software is safer.
vi. It is universal.

open source Disadvantages

i. Limited warranty. This happens because lots of people can change it. Also usually
they haven’t liability or infringement indemnity protection.
ii. Open source software can have compatibility issues, and solving it could cost a lot of
money.

Proprietary Software Advantages

i. Stability. This maybe is the most important advantage. Creator gives you a software
which it was probed and it is capable to do perfectly all things an actions you saw
before buying it.
ii. Reliability and warranty of 100% from creators.
iii. Proprietary software is unique. You won’t find it in any place different from the
provider.
iv. Most compatibility in some cases.

Proprietary Software Disadvantages

i. Higher cost.
ii. You cannot modify the source code.
iii. You cannot share it or distribute it.
iv. You will be totally dependent on creators to upgrade and maintain the software in the
source.
v. Some specialist thinks that Proprietary software is less safe because security will
depend on software producers.

Examples of open source and proprietary software

Open Source:

1. Linux Kernel

It is an open-source monolithic Unix-like computer operating system kernel. The Linux

family of operating systems is based on this kernel and deployed on both traditional computer
systems such as personal computers and servers, usually in the form of Linux distributions,
[9] and on various embedded devices such as routers, wireless access points, PBXes, set-top
boxes, FTA receivers, smart TVs, PVRs, and NAS appliances. Source
2. Wordpress
 It is a content management system that was born 17 years ago to support writers lovers.
Before, it was though like a blog platform, but it was growing, and now it is a CMS focus on
websites creation. Nowadays it is one of the most important platform dedicated to this,
especially for the creation of commercial websites.
3. React

It is a Javascript library that was though to create user interfaces. It is maintained by

Facebook and a developers community. From 2013 it is online and around 1000 developers it
has used.
4. Free Office
This is a software office package that includes a text editor, spreadsheets, and every program
you need to use at your office. It is related to Microsoft Office, but open source.

Proprietary

1. Avast:

It is an antivirus software and security suite that was launched in 1990. From there, they have
been on the top of the security software market.
2. Microsoft Window

Microsoft Windows is a group of several graphical operating system families, all of which
are developed, marketed, and sold by Microsoft. They are a family of software distributions
for PC, smartphone, servers and embedded systems, developed and sold by Microsoft and
available for multiple architectures, such as x86, x86-64 and ARM
3. Mac OS

MacOS is a series of graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Apple Inc.
since 2001. It is the primary operating system for Apple's Mac family of computers. Within
the market of desktop, laptop, and home computers, and by web usage, it is the second most
widely used desktop OS, after Microsoft Windows.
4. Adobe Suite
User interfaces
- The user interface (UI) is the point of human-computer interaction and
communication in a device.
- This can include display screens, keyboards, a mouse and the appearance of a
desktop.
- It is also the way through which a user interacts with an application or a website.
- Can be referred as the boundary between system (the user and the computer system)
- UI mainly performs two functions
i. Accepting the user’s input
ii. Displaying the output
Command line interfaces (CLI)

- Prompt the user to provide input by typing a command string with the computer
keyboard and respond by outputting text to the computer monitor.
- Used by programmers and system administrators, in engineering and scientific
environments, and by technically advanced personal computer users.

Features of CLI
i. You can only type text to give commands to the computer as in MS dos.
ii. There are no images and graphics on the screen.
iii. There was no need of a mouse as CLI. Did not support the use of pointing devices.
iv. In CLI only one task can run at a time.
v. It is also known as a single user interface.
vi. Example: DOS and Unix
Advantages of using a command-line interface are:
i. It is faster than the other types of user interfaces.
ii. Fast data transfer in CLI.
iii. Memory (RAM) is used lesser than GUI.
iv. It is cheaper to use as a lesser resolution screen can be used.
v. Lesser CPU processing time is needed.
vi. It does not need Windows to run.

Disadvantages of using a command line interface are:

i. Without the known commands, you cannot work on the CLI

ii. A lot of commands have to be learned to use this interface.
iii. One needs to be very specific and careful when typing the commands. Even a single
spelling mistake may lead to instruction failure.
iv. There are no images and graphics on the screen.

Graphical User Interface

- A GUI (Graphic User Interface) is a graphical representation in which the users can
interact with software or devices through graphical icons.
- A graphical user interface is the most common type of user interface available today.
- It is a very user friendly because it makes use of pictures, graphics, and icons - hence
why it is called 'graphical'.
i. In GUI more than one task can run simultaneously
ii. It is a very user-friendly interface
iii. Most modern computer use GUI
iv. This is an interface that makes use of graphics, images, and icons etc.
v. This interface made it possible for a mouse.
vi. GUI is much easier for CUI.
vii. Example: Windows, Linux, MAC OS

- It is also known as a WIMP interface because it makes use of −

Windows − A rectangular area on the screen where the commonly used applications run.

Icons − A picture or symbol which is used to represent a software application or hardware

device.

Menus − A list of options from which the user can choose what they require.

Pointers − A symbol such as an arrow which moves around the screen as user moves the
mouse. It helps user to select objects.

Advantages of Graphical user interface are:

i. This type of user interface is easy to use.

ii. It is easy to explore and find your way around the system using a GUI interface
 iii. You do not have to learn complicated commands.
iv. It is based on a graphical representation
v. Users do not need to know any programming languages.
vi. It is also known as a multi-user operating system.

Disadvantages of graphical user interface are:

i. GUI takes up a much larger amount of hard disk space than other
interfaces.
ii. They use more processing power than other types of interface.
iii. They need significantly more memory (RAM) to run than other interface
types.
iv. They let you exchange data between different software applications.

Dialogue interface

- allows you to interact with a device with spoken words.

- Many new cars have dialogue interfaces which allows the driver to use the radio or
CD player.
- Commands from user are given using the voice and the computer system respond by
carrying out an action or with further information using synthesised voices
- Popular with mobile devices (mobile phones and in –car entertainment system.)
- Dialogue interfaces can sometimes be found in mobile devices (e.g. Siri in an iPhone),
in-car entertainment, home entertainment systems (e.g. Amazon Alexa or Echo) and
home automation systems (e.g. lighting, curtains).

Advantages

- It allows users to interact with computers using speech. This is ideal for people with
impaired mobility and people with sight loss.
- Spoken Dialogue Systems do not require users to use unfamiliar gadgets. A phone is
all users need to interact with the system.
- They are faster since word can be spoken quickly than typing
- No need for physical interfaces hence are suitable for system such as home
automation where the commands can be given from anywhere to control equipment
such as light, entrainment system and curtains.(no remote is needed to control a T,
anyone in the room can give the command to increase the volume)

Disadvantages

- At present, Spoken Dialogue Systems are still mainly geared to younger and
technologically-knowledgeable users. They are currently less suitable for older and
inexperienced users.
- Problems with speech recognition may lead to frequent misunderstandings due to
differences to accent, voices, stummer and background noises
- The is need to know what commands are understood by the computer system as
otherwise the system will not know how to respond.
- Systems may lack intelligent to understand request in any format the user may choose.
Gesture based interfaces

- A gesture based user interface is an innovation that uses gestures as an input.

- Consequently as per your command system communicate with help of mathematical
algorithm.
- These new computers include well touch screen software which identifies gesture
based human computer interaction.
- Multi-touch technology is used for touch screen software to identify multiple touches
like swiping, pinching, scrolling, and tapping.

Uses of a Gesture based user interface in training simulation-

- useful for video game and entertainment purpose

- furthermore useful for training simulation also. Training simulation is a virtual

teaching through, which one can feel real, as well as acquired through experience
without spending on materials. Training simulation technology is a popular training
choice for corporate companies and in a medical profession. With the help of Training
simulation, students will get a benefit of gesture based human computer interaction
and manage the system through their gestures

Advantages of the Gesture based user interface-

 Electronic industry- It is an industry where everyone is coming with the highest focus
on a user interface. Like Samsung galaxy, s4 immediately scrolls down when your
eyes reach the bottom of the page.
 Medical industry benefit- One of the most benefits of gesture based human computer
interaction is surgeon can review patient’s case file.
 Great for marketing strategy- Gesture based human computer interaction and virtual
reality mixture is a great strategy from marketing view point. Customer will feel real
and accurate experience which stands out your product from others.

Disadvantages of gesture based interface