Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About
Application Software

Some examples of application software are:

• Word Processing  - Before the advent and general distribution of office computing systems, documents were produced with an electronic, and sometimes programmable, typewriter.  Before that, the manual typewriter was used.  At each stage of development the ability to produce and reproduce documents was significantly enhanced.

Word processing software, however, made a far greater impact upon the world of documentation.  Secretaries in all fields are now able to create documents with continuing ease and to modify those documents without having to reproduce the document from scratch.

The most popular word processing programs are Microsoft Word and Microsoft Works available through www.microsoft.com and Word Perfect available through Corel.  The Link above to Microsoft Word is our step-by-step instructions to assist you in getting started.

A portable manual typewriter
Photo compliments of
Bristol Business Machines

• Spreadsheets  - Applications that process sums, differences, products and quotients by columns and/or rows are called spreadsheets.  They do not take the place of accounting packages (another type of application software), but they are useful in comparing numbers and running totals.  By utilizing formulas in cells, the need to recalculate when modifying data becomes unnecessary since most applications automatically update the result of manipulation.  Most spreadsheet applications allow for the ability to create graphs which allow the user an easy-read analysis of data.  In some office packages, such as Microsoft Office, spreadsheets can be imported into other applications such as word processing applications.  We have some instructions on Microsoft's Excel software to help you get started.
• Data Bases  - These applications hold data in pre-defined fields and can output data in a specified format according to the reporting definitions.  Mailing lists are often established and maintained in data base applications, because the user can define fields according to First Name, Last Name, Street Address, City, State, and Zip Code, along with other fields that contain useful data.  Most data base applications can be merged with word processing applications to create personalized letters and/or envelopes (labels).  We are not real familiar with any data base application, but we have provided a few step-by-step instructions for Microsoft Access.
• Web Page Creators/HTML Editors  - Web pages are created with a programming language called Hyper Text Mark-up Language, or HTML for short.  It is a very tedious and long process to create pages with raw HTML in a text editor like Microsoft Notepad, especially when creating tables and frames.  HTML Editors, such as Microsoft's Front Page, allow the user to type the information that is to be shown on the page, all the while creating the HTML coding in a different layer.  We have provided some instructions on how to start web page design with Microsoft Front Page.
• Slide Show Programs  - The only slide show program we know of is Microsoft Power Point.  Slide shows are taking the place of the overhead projectors with transparencies.  Again there are some step-by-step instructions for Microsoft Power Point.

Microsoft Access
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Front Page
Microsoft Power Point
Microsoft Word

System Software

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