IT Fundamentals/Applications

This lesson introduces software applications, licensing, and installation.

Applications

Objectives and Skills

Objectives and skills for the applications portion of IT Fundamentals certification include:

• Explain the purpose and proper use of software.
  • Productivity software
    • Word processing software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Presentation software
    • Web browser
    • Visual diagramming software
  • Collaboration software
    • Email client
    • Conferencing software
    • Instant messaging software
    • Online workspace
    • Document sharing
  • Business software
    • Database software
    • Project management software
    • Business-specific applications
    • Accounting software
• Compare and contrast general application concepts and uses.
  • Single-platform software
  • Cross-platform software
    • Compatibility concerns
  • Licensing
    • Single use
    • Group use/site license
    • Concurrent license
    • Open source vs. proprietary
    • Subscription vs. one-time purchase
    • Product keys and serial numbers
  • Software installation best practices
    • Reading instructions
    • Reading agreements
    • Advanced options
• Explain methods of application architecture and delivery models.
  • Application delivery methods
    • Locally installed
      • Network not required
      • Application exists locally
      • Files saved locally
    • Local network hosted
      • Network required
      • Internet access not required
    • Cloud hosted
      • Internet access required
      • Service required
      • Files saved in the cloud
  • Application architecture models
    • One tier
    • Two tier
    • Three tier
    • n-tier

Readings

1. Wikipedia: Productivity software
2. Wikipedia: Collaboration software
3. Wikipedia: Software license
4. Wikipedia: Installation (computer programs)
5. Wikipedia: Multitier architecture

Multimedia

1. YouTube: Purpose & Proper Use of Software
2. YouTube: General Application Concepts & Uses
3. YouTube: LibreOffice vs. Microsoft Office
4. YouTube: Methods of Application Architecture & Delivery Models
5. YouTube: Chapter 9 - IT Fundamentals+ (FC0-U61) Using and Managing Application Software

Activities

1. Use your operating system's built-in text editor to create and edit text files:
   • Windows: Review Microsoft: Open Notepad. Use Notepad to create a text file and save it under Documents.
   • macOS: Review Apple: Mac Basics: TextEdit. Use TextEdit to create a text file and save it under Documents.
   • Linux: Review Wikipedia: gedit or Wikipedia: GNU nano. Use gedit or nano to create a text file and save it under Documents.
2. Use productivity software.
   • Review Wikipedia: LibreOffice.
   • Download and install LibreOffice.
   • Review LibreOffice.org: Documentation.
   • Use the open source software suite to create a short document, spreadsheet, and presentation. Save the files under Documents.
3. Use screen sharing software to collaborate with other users:
   • Windows: Search the Internet for information on Chrome Remote Desktop, Microsoft Remote Desktop, TeamViewer, or similar applications. Use one of these applications to share your desktop with another user.
   • macOS: Search the Internet for information on Chrome Remote Desktop, Microsoft Remote Desktop, TeamViewer, or similar applications. Use one of these applications to share your desktop with another user.
   • Linux: Search the Internet for information on Chrome Remote Desktop, Microsoft Remote Desktop, TeamViewer, or similar applications. Use one of these applications to share your desktop with another user.
4. Use video conferencing software to collaborate with other users:
   • Windows: Search the Internet for information on Skype, Google Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, Zoom, or similar applications. Use one of these applications to set up and join a video conference to collaborate with other users.
   • macOS: Search the Internet for information on Facetime, Skype, Google Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, Zoom, or similar applications. Use one of these applications to set up and join a video conference to collaborate with other users.
   • Linux: Search the Internet for information on Skype, Google Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, Zoom, or similar applications. Use one of these applications to set up and join a video conference to collaborate with other users.
5. Use cloud-hosted applications and storage.
   • Use Amazon AppStream to run OpenOffice apps in the cloud using your browser. Create a short document, spreadsheet, and presentation. Save the files to a cloud storage provider account (Google Drive, OneDrive, iCloud, etc.).
6. Compare licensing and distribution approaches for different productivity software suites. Include Microsoft Office and either LibreOffice or OpenOffice. Consider platforms, cost, open source vs. proprietary, subscription vs. purchase, and the use of product keys.

Lesson Summary

Productivity Software

Word processing

Spreadsheet

Presentation

Web

Drawing

Productivity software is used for producing information such as documents, presentations, worksheets, data, charts, graphs, digital paintings, electronic music and digital video).

• Word processing software provides for input, editing, formatting and output of text, often with some additional features.
• Spreadsheet software is used for organization, analysis and storage of data entered in cells of a table. Each cell may contain either numeric or text data, or the results of formulas that automatically calculate and display a value based on the contents of other cells.
• Presentation software is used to display information in the form of a slide show. It has three major functions: an editor that allows text to be inserted and formatted, a method for inserting and manipulating graphic images, and a slide-show system to display the content.
• Web browser is used for accessing information on the World Wide Web. When a user requests a particular website, the web browser retrieves the necessary content from a web server and then displays the resulting web page on the user's device.
• Visual diagramming software is used to create vector graphics with points connected by lines and curves to form polygons and other shapes.

Collaboration Software

Message

Collaboration software is application software designed to help people working on a common task to attain their goals.

• Email client is used to access and manage a user's email.
• Conferencing software is used to facilitate webinars ("web seminars"), webcasts, and peer-level web meetings.
• Instant messaging software is used to facilitate a type of online chat that offers real-time text transmission over the Internet.
• Online workspaces provide an environment that supports application delivery, data, management, security, and a consistent user experience across a variety of devices.
• Document sharing systems help multiple people work together at the same time on a single document or file to achieve a single final version.

Business Software

Business apps

Database

Business software is any software or set of computer programs used by business users to perform various business functions.

• Database software provides various functions that allow entry, storage and retrieval of large quantities of information and provides ways to manage how that information is organized.
• Project management software is used to help plan, organize, and manage resource tools and develop resource estimates for sequences of events or tasks.
• Business-specific applications include any software or set of computer programs developed for and customized to a specific business or industry's needs.
• Accounting software records and processes accounting transactions within functional modules such as accounts payable, accounts receivable, journal, general ledger, payroll, and trial balance.

Platform

Platform

A computing platform is the environment in which a piece of software is executed. It may be the hardware or the operating system (OS), even a web browser and associated application programming interfaces, or other underlying software.

• Single-platform software is implemented on a specific operating system and CPU architecture, such as Microsoft Windows and x64 architecture.
• Cross-platform software is implemented on multiple computing platforms. For example, a cross-platform application may run on Microsoft Windows, Linux, and macOS.
• Cross-platform software development challenges include testing, lowest-common-denominator feature options, different user interface conventions, and performance issues.

License

License

A software license is a legal instrument (usually by way of contract law, with or without printed material) governing the use or redistribution of software.

• Single use allows use by a single user and/or a single computer.
• Group use/site license allows use by a department or organization at a given geographic location.
• Concurrent licenses allow use by a given number of users at the same time.
• An open-source license allows the source code, blueprint or design to be used, modified and/or shared under defined terms and conditions.
• Proprietary software, also known as closed-source software, is non-free computer software for which the software's publisher or another person retains intellectual property rights.
• Perpetual licenses are permanent. Perpetual licenses may require annual maintenance subscriptions for updates.
• Subscription-only licenses must be renewed at the end of each subscription period, typically annually.
• A product key is a specific software-based key for a computer program. It certifies that the copy of the program is original. Activation is sometimes done offline by entering the key or online activation may be required to prevent multiple people using the same key.

Installation

Installation (or setup) of a computer program (including device drivers and plugins), is the act of making the program ready for execution. Installation options include:

• Attended installation is performed by a user manually running the installation program and selecting desired options.
• Silent installation is performed without any user interface updates.
• Unattended installation is performed without user interaction.
• Headless installation is performed without a computer monitor connected.
• Scheduled installation is performed at a specific time or in response to a given condition.
• Clean installation is performed on a system without old versions of the program being present. For operating systems, a clean installation is performed on an erased partition.
• Network installation is performed from a shared network resource.

Hosting

Software as a service

• Installation typically involves code (program) being copied/generated from the installation files to new files on the local computer for easier access by the operating system, creating necessary directories, registering environment variables, providing separate program for un-installation etc.
• Because code is generally copied/generated in multiple locations, uninstallation usually involves more than just erasing the program folder. For example, registry files and other system code may need to be modified or deleted for a complete uninstallation.
• Network hosting involves installing the application on a shared network resource. Client computers require network access to run the program from the shared resource.
• Software as a service (SaaS) is a software licensing and delivery model in which software is licensed on a subscription basis and is centrally hosted on Internet-based servers.

Architecture

Client-server architecture

Software architecture refers to the fundamental structures of a software system.

• Single-tier software has all parts of the program designed to run on the local computer.
• Two-tier software, also known as a client-server architecture, has a front-end presentation layer providing the user interface and a back end layer providing the application, business logic, and data access.
• Three-tier software separates the presentation layer, business logic, and data access.
• n-tier software adds additional layers for different servers to provide separate parts of the overall business logic, such as separate sales and inventory management servers.

Key Terms

CAD (Computer-Aided Design)

The use of computer systems to assist in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design, particularly for manufacturing.

CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing)

The use of computer software to control machine tools and related machinery in the manufacturing of workpieces.

EULA (End-User License Agreement)

A legal contract entered into between a software developer or vendor and the user of the software, often where the software has been purchased by the user from an intermediary such as a retailer.

GPS (Global Positioning System)

a satellite-based radio-navigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force.

MP3 (Moving Picture Experts Group Layer 3 Audio)

An audio file format that uses a form of lossy data compression, accepted as the de facto standard of digital audio compression for the transfer and playback of music on most digital audio players.

MP4 (Moving Picture Experts Group Layer 4)

A digital multimedia file format most commonly used to store video and audio, but can also be used to store other data such as subtitles and still images.

NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement)

A legal contract between at least two parties that outlines confidential material, knowledge, or information that the parties wish to share with one another for certain purposes, but wish to restrict access to.

SaaS (Software as a Service)

A software licensing and delivery model in which software is licensed on a subscription basis and is centrally hosted.

Assessments

• Flashcards: Quizlet: IT Fundamentals - Applications
• Quiz: Quizlet: IT Fundamentals - Applications

See Also

• IC3/Key Applications

References

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