1
Computer software
Overview **** 2Computer software:
summary/overview/abstract (Part 1)
The following presents an overview of various aspects and types of computer software:
• Computer (disk) operating system(s) • Graphical user interfaces
• The popular family of Microsoft Windows operating systems in particular
• Utility software packages • Local area network software ****
3
Computer software:
summary/overview/abstract (Part 2)
• Application software packages
(excluding software to build presentations with slides, software to create web sites, because these are discussed in more detail in other chapters)
• General evaluation criteria in the case of software packages
****
4
Computer software:
summary/overview/abstract (Part 3)
• Computer file formats in general • Computer file formats for text only
• Computer file formats for graphics/images
• Computer file formats for documents with text and images
• Compression, archiving and conversion of computer files ****
5
!! Task - Assignment !!
Read the chapter about
software
in
Introduction to automation for librarians. by William Saffady
Chicago : ALA, 1999. Read the chapter about
software in
Introduction to automation for librarians. by William Saffady
Chicago : ALA, 1999.
**--6
Computer software
Computer (disk) operating systems ****
7
Computer operating systems:
functions
****
• A computer operating system brings many basic functions to a computer: »Process management »Memory management »File input/output »Device input/output 8
Computer operating systems
are NOT user interfaces only
****
• Do not confuse a user interface with a computer operating system.
• An operating system often comes with a particular interface for the use of many functions, which causes this confusion.
9
?? Question ??
****
List and discuss widespread computer operating systems for small, personal microcomputers.
List and discuss widespread computer operating systems for small, personal microcomputers.
10
Computer operating systems
for microcomputers
****
• For microcomputers with Intel compatible CPU »DOS; DOS + Windows 3.x;
Windows 95; Windows 98; Windows 98 SE; Windows ME,…
»(OS/2)
»Windows NT 4 Workstation; Windows 2000 Professional; Windows XP;…
»Linux,…
11
?? Question ??
**--Name widespread, famous operating systems for server computers.
Name widespread, famous operating systems for server computers.
12
Computer operating systems for
server computers
****
»Unix (and variants such as Linux and Solaris) »Windows NT 4 server;
Windows 2000 server; Windows 2003 server;… »...
13
Computer operating systems:
properties
Operating system Multi-user? Multitasking? Long descriptive file names?Unix DOS DOS + OS/2 Windows NT
Linux Windows 3.x Windows 95 Windows 2000 Windows 98 + - - - + + - - + + + - - + + **--14
?? Question ??
***-Why can multitasking on computers be useful?
(even though people mostly work on 1 activity at the same time)
Why can multitasking on computers be useful?
(even though people mostly work on 1 activity at the same time)
15
Multitasking:
uses
• Switching among programs
the ability to load several programs and easily and quickly switch among them
• Running tasks in the background for instance:
»downloading data, »printing,
»monitoring disk space, »receiving electronic mail,...
***-16
?? Question ??
**--Unix and Linux
have many positive properties, but have not been used on most microcomputers.
Why? Unix and Linux
have many positive properties, but have not been used on most microcomputers.
17
Computer operating systems: Unix:
problems and drawbacks (Part 1)
**--The code requires more disk space than most operating systems developed for small personal computers up to 2000.
The system is suited for more multiple users on the same computer, and therefore it is more complex than most operating systems developed for small, single-user personal computers.
18
Computer operating systems: Unix:
problems and drawbacks (Part 2)
**--Does not support as many microcomputers hardware devices and commercial applications as Microsoft
Windows.
19
Computer operating systems: Unix:
character-based interface commands
*---Example •cat •cd •cp •ls -la •man •mkdir •more •mv •rm rmdir
Views the contents of text files Changes directory
Copies files Lists files
Accesses the reference manual online Makes a new directory
Displays a text file, 1 page at the time Moves or renames files
Removes a file Removes a directory
20
?? Question ??
**--Windows 2000, XP…
have many positive properties in comparison with older Windows operating system software, but they should not be used on most older, low-end PC’s.
Why?
Windows 2000, XP…
have many positive properties in comparison with older Windows operating system software, but they should not be used on most older, low-end PC’s.
21
Computer operating systems: DOS:
character-based interface commands
*---Example •cd •copy xcopy •dir •Mkdir, md •rename •rm del •rmdir Changes directory Copies files Lists files
Makes a new directory Renames files
Removes a file Removes a directory
22
User interface software for DOS:
some character-based packages
• DOSShell • PCTools / PCShell • Norton Commander • Desqview • ...
*---23
User interface software for DOS:
some graphics-based packages (GUIs)
• DOSShell
• Microsoft Windows 1, 2, 3.x
• Norton Desktop for Windows
• ...
*---24
?? Question ??
**--Which operating system are you mainly using?
Which operating system are you mainly using?
25
Computer operating systems:
evolution
• More user-friendly interfaces • Increasing power
• Bigger in size because of more sophistication • More Web enabled
• (Parallel evolution for application software) ****
26
Computer software
Graphical user interfaces = GUI
**--27
Graphical user interface = GUI:
description
☺The interface on the display is built up using individual picture elements (= pixels) in an array.
☺Suitable for the application of WIMP techniques:
☺Windows, ☺informative Icons,
☺a Mouse or another pointing device,
☺Pull-down menus / Pointing
**--28
?? Question ??
**--Which benefits offer GUIs ? (in contrast with character-based interfaces)
Which benefits offer GUIs ? (in contrast with character-based interfaces)
29
Graphical user interfaces:
benefits (Part
1)
☺The display can offer better WYSIWYG: What You See (on the display) Is
What You Get (on printed paper)
☺The user can change the size of windows on the information continuously.
☺The user can choose and use various types and sizes of characters in the user interface.
**--30
Graphical user interfaces:
benefits (Part
2)
☺The user can address every single pixel (using a pointing device such as a mouse) to generate an action by the computer.
☺The computer can create detailed icons.
☺...
**--31
?? Question ??
**--Which disadvantage have GUIs? Which disadvantage have GUIs? 32?? Question ??
**--How can WYSIWYG work well? Why did earlier systems not offer WYSIWYG as well?
How can WYSIWYG work well? Why did earlier systems not offer WYSIWYG as well?
33
Graphical user interfaces:
disadvantage
Requires a relatively fast computer system: »fast processor,
»fast video, »fast hard disk,
»(caching hard- and software,) »... **--34
?? Question ??
**--What is easier to do with a mouse than with a keyboard?What is easier to do with a mouse than with a keyboard?
35
Mouse is complementary
to the keyboard
• Drag to change size and/or shape of objects (windows, graphics, ...)
• Point and click to activate • Drag and drop:
»Make selection, drag selection, and paste or put elsewhere »Select a document by it’s name or icon, drag it to the
program’s name or icon, release the button to make the program work with the document
»Free-hand drawing
**--36
Computer software
Microsoft Windows: an operating environment
***-37
Microsoft Windows:
an operating environment
Application programs + Utility programs Layers for Windows 1.x, 2.x, 3.x:
*---38
Microsoft Windows:
benefits with all applications (Part 1)
☺Offers a graphical user interface.
☺Allows multi-tasking of programs.
☺The Windows package includes utility programs.
☺Due to the multi-tasking, utility programs provided by
Windows can be used by application programs, so that
each application program does not have to offer these utilities.
**--39
Microsoft Windows:
benefits with all applications (Part 2)
☺The Windows package includes basic application programs for »text editing, »word processing, »communications, »file management, »calculations,
»bitmap editing (“painting”, “photo editing”,…) »...
**--40
Microsoft Windows:
benefits with all applications (Part 3)
☺Allows “cut and paste” or “copy and paste” of data »in the same document managed by the same program! »between various documents managed by the same
program!!
»between various documents managed by various programs!!!
**--41
!! Task - Assignment !!
***-Apply copy and paste in the same document managed by the same program.
Apply copy and paste in the same document managed by the same program.
42
!! Task - Assignment !!
***-Apply copy and paste between various documents managed by the same program.
Apply copy and paste between various documents managed by the same program.
43
!! Task - Assignment !!
***-Apply copy and paste between different programs.
For instance:
copy a result from Microsoft Windows Calculator (such as a long number)
into a document of Microsoft Word. Apply copy and paste between
different programs. For instance:
copy a result from Microsoft Windows Calculator (such as a long number)
into a document of Microsoft Word.
44
Microsoft Windows (all versions):
benefits with Windows applications
☺Interface is more uniform, consistent, standardised.
☺Saves time during installation of programs + saves space on the hard disk, by providing “drivers” for output to video display(s), printer(s), sound board(s),... which can be used by all programs for Windows.
☺Allows software development which is more independent of display hardware.
☺DDE / Dynamic Data Exchange among documents
**--45
Microsoft Windows from version 3:
benefits with Windows applications
☺OLE = “Object Linking and Embedding” later evolved into ActiveX
☺Provides access to more than 640 K RAM, starting from version 3.0.
☺Provides TrueType technology for output to video display and printer, starting from version 3.1.
☺Allows drag and drop of files to the icons representing application programs.
**--46
Success of
Microsoft Windows
“Horizontal” = multi-purpose software inexpensive many millions of copies of this package have already been
distributed internationally.
**--47
Microsoft Windows
tutorials
• Computer-assisted learning about Windows is offered by the Windows package itself.
***-48
Evolution of Microsoft operating
systems for PC’s from 1981 to 1994
1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 DOS 1 DOS + Windows 1 DOS + Windows 3 DOS + Windows 3.1
**--49
Evolution of Microsoft operating
systems for PC’s from 1995 to…
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Windows 95
Windows NT 4 (also for servers = multi-user) Windows 98
Windows 98 SE
Windows ME Windows 2000 (also for servers = multi-user) Windows XP (also for servers = multi-user) Windows 2003 (for servers = multi-user)
Windows Vista beta version
***-50
?? Question ??
***-How can you rename a collection of files in a folder, in 1 action, with the operating system that you use?
In which case is this useful?
How can you rename a collection of files in a folder, in 1 action, with the operating system that you use?
51
Computer software
Utility software packages
***-52
Utility software packages:
definition
• Not a well defined term • One meaning is:
Software which helps to run the computer system, but which is not directly useful on the application level.
• Operating systems include utility programs;
others can be installed besides these or can replace these.
***-53
Utility software packages:
some categories: anti-virus
• Anti-virus shielding and scanning + anti-spyware
+ local network and Internet firewall (checking incoming and outgoing data)
***-54
?? Question ??
****
Which concrete anti-virus software protects your pc?
Which concrete anti-virus software protects your pc?
55
!! Task - Assignment !!
**--Read
Brain, Marshall
How computer viruses work. [online]
Available from:
http://computers.howstuffworks.com/virus.htm [cited 2005]
Read Brain, Marshall
How computer viruses work. [online] Available from: http://computers.howstuffworks.com/virus.htm [cited 2005] 56
?? Question ??
****Which concrete anti-virus software protects your pc?
Which concrete anti-virus software protects your pc?
57
?? Question ??
****
What is the meaning of:
“keeping your anti-virus-software up-to-date”?
What is the meaning of:
“keeping your anti-virus-software up-to-date”?
58
?? Question ??
****
How do YOU concretely
keep YOUR anti-virus software up-to-date on YOUR specific computer system?
How do YOU concretely
keep YOUR anti-virus software up-to-date on YOUR specific computer system?
59
!! Task - Assignment !!
**--You can read about attackers that threat your computer security:
Kanabar, Dina, and Kanabar, Vijay Security. The attackers.
Computers in Libraries, May 2003, p. 25. You can read about attackers that threat your computer security:
Kanabar, Dina, and Kanabar, Vijay Security. The attackers.
Computers in Libraries, May 2003, p. 25.
60
!! Task - Assignment !!
**--Read Pike, Sarah Antivirus. PC Magazine, August 3, 2004, p. 88. Read Pike, Sarah Antivirus. PC Magazine, August 3, 2004, p. 88.61
!! Task - Assignment !!
**--Read Coustan, Dave
How spyware works. [online]
Available from:
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/spyware.htm/printable [cited 2005]
Read Coustan, Dave
How spyware works. [online] Available from: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/spyware.htm/printable [cited 2005] 62
!! Task - Assignment !!
**--Read Clyman, John Antispyware. PC Magazine, August 3, 2004, p. 89. Read Clyman, John Antispyware. PC Magazine, August 3, 2004, p. 89.63
Utility software packages:
some categories: text-searching
• Searching for files on your computer, by searching for text within the files.
Examples of programs for a pc, available free of charge: »included in the operating system Windows since version 95 »offered by Microsoft since 2005
»offered by Copernic since 2004 »offered by Google since 2004 »offered by Yahoo! since 2005 »…
***-64
?? Question ??
****
How do you search for a particular file on your pc?
65
Utility software packages:
some categories: file management
• Making space by searching and deleting files that are not used or that are not useful
• Compression / decompression of files • Archiving / de-archiving of files • Checking disk integrity/quality • Backing up data
• Transferring files and settings to another computer
***-66
!! Task - Assignment !!
*---Read and apply the advice concerning PC maintenance offered by
Jackson, Peter
The ultimate PC tune-up.
PC World (UK), April 2007, pp. 52-55.
Read and apply the advice concerning PC maintenance offered by
Jackson, Peter The ultimate PC tune-up. PC World (UK), April 2007, pp. 52-55.
67
!! Task - Assignment !!
**--Search for useless files on your computer and delete these. Do this regularly.
To accomplish this, you can: •use a utility for “disk cleanup”
•search for old temporary files with the file name extension .tmp •for instance, in Windows XP, delete useless old files
from the folder named “Local Settings” which is a subfolder of your working folder in the folder “documents and settings”
Search for useless files on your computer and delete these. Do this regularly.
To accomplish this, you can:
•use a utility for “disk cleanup”
•search for old temporary files with the file name extension .tmp •for instance, in Windows XP, delete useless old files
from the folder named “Local Settings” which is a subfolder of your working folder in the folder “documents and settings”
68
!! Task - Assignment !!
**--Read:
Paterson, Craig
Data backup: test your safety net.
(Backing up data and making sure you can retrieve it is a necessary chore,
so here’s some advice
on which method to use and how to do it successfully.)
Personal Computer World (England), May 2004, pp. 91-94. Read:
Paterson, Craig
Data backup: test your safety net.
(Backing up data and making sure you can retrieve it is a necessary chore,
so here’s some advice
on which method to use and how to do it successfully.) Personal Computer World (England), May 2004, pp. 91-94.
69
?? Question ??
****
How do YOU concretely
maintain your data backing-up system?
How do YOU concretely
maintain your data backing-up system?
70
Utility software packages: some
categories: visualisation
• Visualizing the size-distribution of subfolders within a folder, for instance to get an idea of how many bits are devoted to which subject/interest on a hard disk or in a web site.
***-71
Utility software packages: some
categories: visualisation: screenshot
***-72
Utility software packages:
some categories: monitoring
• Monitoring »CPU-use, »disk-space left,
»disk reading and writing, »use of network,
»battery power in the case of portable computers... • (Encoding / decoding of files)
• (Defragmenting files on the hard disk)
**--73
Computer software
Network software packages
*---74
Network
software packages
See the chapter on
networks, data communication and Internet
*---75
Computer software
Application software packages ****
76
!! Task - Assignment !!
**--Read the article
From clay tablets to integrated suites.
Personal Computer World (UK), March 2001, pp. 208-209. Read the article
From clay tablets to integrated suites.
77
Categories of
application software packages
• Text editing...Word processing...Desktop publishing • Spreadsheet
• Presentation creation
• Graphics (bitmap/pixels and vector/object or mixed) • Multimedia authoring + distribution
• Data communications (basic layers + applications) • Portable document software
• Database management systems • ...
****
78
Software for text editing:
categories
• Simple text editors
• Simple word processing software • Powerful word processing software
• Page-layout software / Desktop publishing software ****
79
Software for word processing:
examples
• For DOS
»Microsoft Word (Microsoft) »WordPerfect
• For Windows
»Microsoft Word for Windows (Microsoft) »WordPerfect for Windows (Corel)
»Word (Lotus-IBM)
»Word processing module of StarOffice, OpenOffice **--Examples
80
Software for word processing:
screen shot
81
Design of documents on paper:
a brief checklist
(Part 1)
• Is the general appearance attractive (not messy)? • Does the text look well (not squashed up)?
• Do the pages have a basic shape? • Is there adequate white space? • Is the line length short enough? • Are letters in CAPITALS avoided? • Is underlining of letters avoided? • Are fonts chosen well?
• Is the character size OK?
***-82
Design of documents on paper:
a brief checklist
(Part 2)
• Is the typography consistent throughout the document? • Are colours used well?
• Are illustrations/graphics/pictures used well?
***-83
Design of documents on paper:
a brief checklist
(Part 3)
• Is it easy to see the main points?
• Are there a sufficient number of chapter and sub-chapter headings?
• Are the headings informative?
• Is the number of heading levels not too high?
• Are the differences in heading levels well supported by differences in formatting of chapter numbers and characters?
***-84
?? Question ??
What are the benefits of using paragraph styles
in word processing?
What are the benefits of using paragraph styles
in word processing?
***-85
Software for word processing:
the advantages of paragraph styles
• In comparison with more manual formatting, styles offer a way to format paragraphs that is easier, faster and more consistent.
• Using heading styles allows »outlining = outline view
»automatic sorting of paragraphs
»automatic creation of a table of contents
»saving a document as a file in HTML format, which is formatted automatically according to the heading levels in the original document
***-86
?? Question ??
What is the relation in word processing between paragraph styles and outline view?
What is the relation in word processing between paragraph styles and outline view?
***-87
!! Task - Assignment !!
Learn about styles
in the program that you use for word processing.
Learn about styles
in the program that you use for word processing.
***-88
!! Task - Assignment - Exercise !!
Create a document with chapters, using heading styles.
For instance, select some document that you have to write anyway, or that you have already written;
take the chapter titles (that is: the headings), and format these with heading 1, 2, 3…styles; assign different fonts and sizes and colours to the styles.
In case that you do not have a text available, then use the file that should be available from the WWW through
http://www.vub.ac.be/BIBLIO/nieuwenhuysen/courses/chapters/software-exercise-styles.doc
(note: BIBLIO and not biblio)
Create a document with chapters, using heading styles. For instance, select some document that you have to write anyway,
or that you have already written; take the chapter titles (that is: the headings), and format these with heading 1, 2, 3…styles; assign different fonts and sizes and colours to the styles.
In case that you do not have a text available, then use the file that should be available from the WWW through
http://www.vub.ac.be/BIBLIO/nieuwenhuysen/courses/chapters/software-exercise-styles.doc (note: BIBLIO and not biblio)
***-89
!! Task - Assignment - Exercise !!
Choose a document with heading styles, and apply outlining.
Choose a document with heading styles, and apply outlining.
***-90
!! Task - Assignment !!
Choose a document with chapters, using heading styles,
and create a table of contents on 1 page, using styles.
Choose a document with chapters, using heading styles,
and create a table of contents on 1 page, using styles.
***-91
Software for word processing as a
database system: tools
• Styles for paragraphs
(for instance Heading level 1, 2, 3,…) • Outline view
(hiding levels low in the hierarchy) • Tables with rows and columns • Sorting
+ combinations of these
***-92
Software for word processing as a
database system: input methods (1)
• Each (small) database can correspond
»with a whole document created with a program for word processing
OR
»with a chapter of a document created with a program for word processing;
then outlining can be used to view and select these chapters.
**--93
Software for word processing as a
database system: input methods (2)
• Methods to work with database records and fields in records:
»Using a table OR
»Using paragraphs formatted with styles!
**--94
Software for word processing as a
database system: using a table
• Methods to work with records and fields: »Each record in one row
»Each field of each record in a column.
(This allows sorting of the records based on the content of a selected field.)
**--95
!! Task - Assignment !!
Build a table and sort the rows (records / items),
based on the contents of the columns (fields).
Build a table and sort the rows (records / items),
based on the contents of the columns (fields).
**--96
Software for word processing as a
database system: using paragraphs
• Using paragraphs formatted with styles »Each record consists of several paragraphs.
»Each field corresponds to one of these paragraphs. (This allows sorting the records based on the first field, by using heading styles and outlining.)
• As an example of a document formatted with heading styles, see
http://www.vub.ac.be/BIBLIO/nieuwenhuysen/courses/bibliography/software.rtf
***-97
!! Task - Assignment !!
Use heading styles
to create a small structured list, such as a directory or bibliography.
Use outline view to look at this list. Add a record out of order in normal view;
go to outline view and sort all the records.
Use heading styles to create a small structured list, such as a directory or bibliography.
Use outline view to look at this list. Add a record out of order in normal view;
go to outline view and sort all the records.
**--98
Software for word processing as a
database system: retrieval features
• Searching / retrieval / queries can be made »By sequential string searching
(fast enough with a fast computer and a small database) (can be slow with a slow computer or a large database) »Retrieval of record after record; no selection of a record set »No Boolean retrieval; no positional operators
**--99
!! Task - Assignment !!
Test the speed of string searching with the hard- and software that you use to store information.
Test the speed of string searching with the hard- and software that you use to store information.
**--100
Software for word processing as a
database system: output features
• No sorting or relevance ranking of selected records in output.
Databases perform better in this area.
• When records consist of several paragraphs together »using styles for paragraphs allows efficient formatting of
fields in such records
»outlining allows to output only the first parts of records
**--101
!! Task - Assignment !!
Prepare a printout on 1 sheet of a table with visible borders, and 4 cells, 2 rows of 2 columns, that contain
1) an image of an animal, 2) the name of that animal,
3) your name,
4) a very brief description of the origin of the animal file (To avoid that everyone does the same work,
the name of the animal should start with the same character as your family name.)
Prepare a printout on 1 sheet of a table with visible borders, and 4 cells, 2 rows of 2 columns, that contain
1) an image of an animal, 2) the name of that animal,
3) your name,
4) a very brief description of the origin of the animal file
(To avoid that everyone does the same work, the name of the animal should start with the same character as your family name.)
**--102
Spreadsheet software packages:
examples
• For DOS (without Windows): »Lotus 1 2 3 »Quattro »... • For Windows: »Lotus 1 2 3 »Quattro »Excel »... **--Examples
103
Spreadsheet software packages:
screen shot
*---Example*
104
Program types
that handle graphics
• Word processing programs...Lay-out programs • Presentation programs
• Portable document software • ...
• Bitmap / pixel oriented editing programs • Vector graphics / object oriented programs • Hybrids of the above
• ...
**--105
?? Question ??
**--Give 5 reasons why graphical image bitmap files are NOT ideal
for the storage and distribution of formatted text documents?
Give 5 reasons why graphical image bitmap files are NOT ideal
for the storage and distribution of formatted text documents?
106
Portable document software:
What is it?
(Part 1)
Ideally, this type of programs
• allows the distribution of a formatted document, while maintaining the visual integrity of the document • is independent of computer platform,
(computer, operating system, application software, or fonts) that is used
»to create the document, and
»to view (read, search, ...) the document • compresses the document
107
Portable document software:
What is it?
(Part 2)
• allows printing the document
• allows searching for character strings in the document • allows zooming in,
without loss of details in the characters • allows copying text fragments
• allows integration with a WWW browser
• allows hyperlinks / WWW links in the document • ...
***-☺
108
Portable document software:
some programs
•
Adobe Acrobat !
»Viewer software is available free of charge
»Software to create PDF files is NOT free of charge. A free trial has been possible through the WWW at http://www.adobe.com/
•
(Catchword RealPage)
109
Portable document software:
applications
• On-line help documents coming with software. • Electronic publications on CD-ROM and on-line,
in particular when a version printed on paper also exists!
***-110
!! Task - Assignment !!
**--Display a scientific electronic journal article that is made available as a PDF document file;
apply searching for text; zoom in.
Display a scientific electronic journal article that is made available as a PDF document file;
apply searching for text; zoom in.
111
?? Question ??
**--Which disadvantages of PDF do you see (in comparison with other document file formats)?
Which disadvantages of PDF do you see (in comparison with other document file formats)?
112
!! Task - Assignment !!
**--Read Ozer, Jan Optimizing PDF files.(Here are nine tips for creating the best PDFs.)
PC Magazine, July 2005, p. 76. Read
Ozer, Jan
Optimizing PDF files.
(Here are nine tips for creating the best PDFs.) PC Magazine, July 2005, p. 76.
113
Software for database management:
overlapping categories
• Relational • Object-oriented • Text-oriented
For an overview see
http://www.searchtools.com/tools/tools.html • Graphics-oriented • ... **--114
Database systems:
definition
A database (management) system is a program or set of programs, providing a means by which a user can easily store and retrieve data in the form of “databases”.
***-115
Information retrieval software:
related terms
• Software for
information storage and retrieval (ISR software)
• Text(-oriented) database management systems (Text-DBMS)
• Text information management systems (TIMS)
• Document retrieval systems • Document management systems
***-116
Information retrieval software:
applications (Part 1)
Archived documents Documents Books / Documents Objects / Books / ... Patient’s historiesClients / Potential clients Courses / Teachers Publications / ... • Archives • Documentation centres • Libraries • Musea • Medical files • Marketing departments • Schools • Bibliographic databases
***-117
Information retrieval software:
applications (Part 2)
• Meeting calendars • Product information • Laboratories • Personal documentation • Patent office • Co-operating information networks • ... Meetings = conferences Product descriptions Recipes Documents Patents Documents / Persons / Institutes / Events / ... ***-118Text-information management
systems: characteristics and definition
The information in the database is text oriented. Therefore, several features are required:
»ability to store relatively long blocks of texts
»ability to retrieve items in which specific words or terms occur anywhere
***-119
Text-information management:
from free-form to structure
Free form text information without structure
Text database with information (each record) is further structured in fields, sub-fields,
with links/relations among records... (Ideally, each fields is repeatable
= can be multi-valued,
= can occur more than once in each record.)
***-120
Text-information management:
records with or without field structure
**--Difficult and expensive to import or export:
conversion profiles/scripts are needed when
standards for filed structure are not applied completely
Allows a complex index and thus powerful
searches that can be limited to the contents of a field Expensive to create and manage Records structured in fields
Easy and cheap to import or export
Allows only a simple index and simple retrieval Cheap to create and manage Unstructured records
121
Functions of
database management software
• Input / edit using keyboard or batch input • Indexing of the database(s)
• Browse or Search data from database • Output
(Sort / Display / Print to file / Print to paper) +
• Export / Import
***-122
The various formats of records
in a database
Input format(s) = Edit format(s) Internal format forlong term storage
Display formats for output to display, printer, file
Format for exchange/export purposes Format to facilitate retrieval = inverted file Display formats for output to display, printer, file
Display formats for output to display, printer, file
Display formats for output to display, printer, file
**--123
Indexes in books and databases:
a comparison
Invisible
Printed
Index_term_1 page x1, y1, z1,... Index_term_2 page x2, y2, z2,... ...
Index_term_1 record nr. x1 / field type nr. x1 / field occurrence x1 / position x1
record nr. y1 / field type nr. y1 / field occurrence y1 / position y1 ...
Index_term_2 record nr. x2 / field type nr. x2 / field occurrence x2 / position x2
record nr. y2 / field type nr. y2 / field occurrence y2 / position y2
... ... Book Database **--124
Hierarchy
in the use of a database
Database structure
Input / Editing Searching / Output
***-125
Security / privacy / protection
of databases
• Password for searching
specific database(s) and / or fields and / or record • Password for editing
specific database(s) and / or fields and / or records • Password for changing
»database structure
»input and modification work sheets »sort and print formats of data in records »sort and print formats of records in a selection
**--126
!! Task - Assignment !!
**--Read:
Database management systems.
In IMARK Information Management Resource Kit. Module on Management of Electronic Documents. On CD-ROM.
Available free of charge from FAO, Roma, Italy. 2003. For more information see http://www.fao.org/IMARK/ Lesson 1. What is a database?
Lesson 2. Using a database for document retrieval. Lesson 3. Using a database for document management.
Read:
Database management systems.
In IMARK Information Management Resource Kit. Module on Management of Electronic Documents. On CD-ROM.
Available free of charge from FAO, Roma, Italy. 2003. For more information see http://www.fao.org/IMARK/ Lesson 1. What is a database?
Lesson 2. Using a database for document retrieval. Lesson 3. Using a database for document management.
127
?? Question ??
**--Which programs do you know that can quickly offer an overview
of pictures stored on a pc?
Which programs do you know that can quickly offer an overview
of pictures stored on a pc?
128
• Recent versions of Microsoft Windows
• Google Picasa
• ACDSee
• PaintShop Pro
• ThumbsPlus
• Adobe Photo Album
• Adobe Photoshop
**--Examples
Commercial operating system
Freeware Shareware Shareware Shareware Commercial software Commercial software
Software for image database
management: some programs
129
Speech recognition software:
functions
• Recognition and transfer of spoken commands to other programs.
• Recognition of spoken text to create documents.
**--130
Speech recognition software
**--Ariadne / Campbell
131
Computer software
Open source software
**--132
Open source software:
advantages
• Software source code is open, readable and modifiable, which allows
»changes and additions of features to meet unique local needs
»translation into local languages
• Open source community support is available for troubleshooting.
• In many cases cheaper than commercial “closed”, proprietary software.
133
Open source software:
disadvantages
• Costs are associated with new or additional training, when switching to open source software.
• Resistance to change at individual and organizational level may hinder the introduction of open source software as alternatives for better known, commercial computer programs. **--134
!! Task - Assignment !!
**--Read:Surman. Mark and Diceman, Jason Multimedia Training Kit: Introduction to open source handout.
[online] Available from:
http://www.itrainonline.org/itrainonline/mmtk/opensource.shtml 2003 [cited 2005]
Read:
Surman. Mark and Diceman, Jason Multimedia Training Kit:
Introduction to open source handout.
[online] Available from:
http://www.itrainonline.org/itrainonline/mmtk/opensource.shtml
135
Computer software
General evaluation criteria in the case of software packages
**--136
?? Question ??
**--Which general factors should you consider in the evaluation / selection of
any software package?
Which general factors should you consider in the evaluation / selection of
137
General evaluation criteria in the case
of software packages (Part 1)
• Which operating system is required by the application software?
• How good and reliable is the software producer: history, reputation, future…?
How good and reliable is the software supplier / distributor / dealer?
• How many installations and users are there »in the country?
»in the region? »in the world?
**--138
General evaluation criteria in the case
of software packages (Part 2)
• To which extent is the software compatible with hardware that is already available
(such as computers, displays, printers…)?
• To which extent does the software require new hardware? • Does the software allow an efficient usage of a mouse? • Is the software package easy to use?
Ergonomic aspects are important, as training of personnel is expensive and time consuming.
**--139
General evaluation criteria in the case
of software packages (Part 3)
• Does the program use random access memory and other computer system resources efficiently?
• Are good and up to date manual(s) for the package available?
Is an online tutorial (computer-based training) available? Does the software provide online help? (in context?)
**--140
General evaluation criteria in the case
of software packages (Part 4)
• What is the initial price per user, per site…? • Are regular and substantial updates available?
Online or only offline? At what price?
• Is good training and support available in your area, from the producer directly, or from the distributor, or from others…?
At what price?
• Is communication with other users easily available for discussions and to solve problems?
Online? Through the Internet?
**--141
General evaluation criteria in the case
of software packages (Part 5)
• Can the user program extensions?
• When some computer system is already used, can
existing, available data be exported from that system and can they be imported to be managed by the new system?
**--142
General evaluation criteria in the case
of software packages (Part 6)
• How well can data be exchanged with other persons, institutes, computer systems, databases:
»import of data?
Example: downloading of database records from an available database/catalogue of books, compact disks, films, videos…
»export of data?
Example: contributing database records to a union catalogue of journals, books…
**--143
General evaluation criteria in the case
of software packages (Part 7)
• Is the software compatible with standards used in data input, import from other systems, export to other systems…
Examples:
»availability in the case of software for a database system of a thesaurus module with standard relations among
thesaurus terms
»book database record formatting according to Unimarc for export to another database
»import and export of HTML files used on a web…
**--144
General evaluation criteria in the case
of software packages (Part 8)
• Is the software suitable for use in an Internet context? Examples:
»create or export files in HTML format to make them available through the WWW or an intranet
»the creation of e-mail messages by the software to alert users of problems, things to do / actions to undertake…
**--145
General evaluation criteria in the case
of software packages (Part 9)
• Is using an ASP (Application Service Provider) / networking / co-operation / …
considered as an alternative for in-house implementation and development of computer software?
Examples:
»computer networks for libraries »electronic mail through the WWW »…
**--146
Computer software
Introduction to file formats
**--147
The relations between
programs and file formats
Programs to edit/create/develop/maintain a file in a particular format
File stored in a particular format
Programs to read/view files in a particular format + Programs to save=convert=export files from one format
to another
**--148
The program functions
editing, viewing, converting
A program can incorporate only 1, 2, or all 3 of the functions
• Editing / creating
• Reading / viewing / interpreting • Converting / saving / exporting
for particular file formats.
**--149
Examples of programs
for editing, viewing, converting
Examples:
• Microsoft Word can create/edit + view/read + convert the
file in the formats DOC, RTF, HTML. • Adobe Acrobat Reader can only view / read
(but not create/edit or convert/save) files in PDF format. **--Examples
150
Computer software
File formats for text only
***-151
File formats for text only:
examples
Type
• Files containing unformatted ASCII text
• Files with text coded by the Hypertext Markup Language
Normal file name extension .TXT .HTML or .HTM ***-152
?? Question ??
**--Why can HTML files be considered as text only, even when many web pages made with HTML
contain graphics/images/photos?
Why can HTML files be considered as text only, even when many web pages made with HTML
153
Computer software
File formats
for documents with text and images
***-154
?? Question ??
**--Which concrete file formats for storage of documents
with text and images do you know?
Which concrete file formats for storage of documents
with text and images do you know?
155
Documents with text and images:
available file formats (Part 1)
***-• Many! Too many? • Examples:
»formats of the various programs for word processing and page design, in their various versions (DOC,…)
»Rich Text Format (RTF) »PostScript (PS)
»Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF)
156
Documents with text and images:
available file formats (Part 2)
***-»bitmap-related format, primarily for graphics, but they can also show characters:
BMP, GIF, JPG/JPEG, PCX, PNG, TIFF...
»SGML, HTML, XML... considered here together with the graphics files that they link to
157
?? Question ??
**--Which properties of computer file formats for storage of documents
with text and images can be considered as important?
Which properties of computer file formats for storage of documents
with text and images can be considered as important?
158
Documents with text and images:
properties of file formats (Part 1)
• Is the format platform independent/agnostic? (for instance usable with software on Windows,
Macintosh, Unix…)
• Is the format not proprietary but open?
• Is the format ‘rich’, allowing to derive less rich formats from a file in this format?
(for instance
from Microsoft Word to RTF or HTML or PDF, from SGML to XML to HTML...)
**--159
Documents with text and images:
properties of file formats (Part 2)
• Are files in this format small in comparison to the corresponding files in other formats?
• If compression is applied with this file format, is this compression without loss of information? • Are viewers (programs) for users easily available? • Does the format allow text retrieval?
Is the content of a file in this format searchable on a microcomputer?
**--160
Documents with text and images:
properties of file formats (Part 3)
• Does the format allow text retrieval by common Internet indexes?
Is the contents searchable through the WWW or through an intranet?
• Can a file in this format be loaded in a program and be edited and saved?
(or can it only be derived from a master file in another format?)
• Can the text be reformatted to another size or font?
**--161
Documents with text and images:
properties of file formats (Part 4)
• Can a selection be made from the displayed contents of a file in this format, by copy or cut, to be pasted in another document?
• Does the format not suffer from the existence of various versions that may confuse the users and that require an appropriate, up-to-date program?
• Is the format suitable when hard-copy documents are converted to computer-based documents?
**--162
Documents with text and images:
properties of file formats (Part 5)
• Is a program to produce the format already available or at least not expensive, affordable?
• Most documents are structured
in sections with headings followed by body text and with fields such as title, author, revision date, summary/abstract…
Does the file format allow a computer to recognize and use this structure for better formatting, reformatting, retrieval…?
**--163
!! Task - Assignment !!
**--Discuss the properties (advantages and disadvantages)
of each important file format
DOC, RTF, PS, PDF, SGML/XML, HTML, GIF, JPG, TIFF for storage of documents with text and images?
Summarize all this in the form of a table!
Discuss the properties (advantages and disadvantages)
of each important file format
DOC, RTF, PS, PDF, SGML/XML, HTML, GIF, JPG, TIFF for storage of documents with text and images?
Summarize all this in the form of a table!
164
!! Task - Assignment !!
**--Read Fioretti, Marco Format wars.File formats: the past, the present and a possible future. [online] Free Software magazine, No. 1, February 2005, 5 pp.
Available free of charge online.
Read Fioretti, Marco
Format wars.
File formats: the past, the present and a possible future. [online]
Free Software magazine, No. 1, February 2005, 5 pp. Available free of charge online.
165
?? Question ??
**--What is the main conclusion of the overview of the properties of file formats for storage of text and images?
What is the main conclusion of the overview of the properties of file formats for storage of text and images?
166
File formats:
the problem of exchange
The differences in all the file formats cause the requirement of filter / conversion programs, when a file must be
viewed or edited by an application program that is not exactly the same as the one used to create the file.
**--167
?? Question ??
**--What is a common property of the file formats HTML, PDF, JPG?
What is a common property of the file formats HTML, PDF, JPG?
168
Computer software
File
compression, archiving and conversion
***-169
File compression, archiving and
conversion
• Compression
to make files smaller • Archiving
to keep related files together • Conversion
for transfer
via computer networks ***-:&&”FclPBT#$-D !3!!!%!&!!!!2’H#3) !%!f”9’!)!!+8QpcF 170
?? Question ??
***-Which benefits are offered by compression of files?
Which benefits are offered by compression of files?
171
Data compression:
benefits
☺Storage capacity required on magnetic or optical disks is smaller
☺In data communication: »transmission times are shorter
»transfer of less bits less network congestion ***-172
!! Task - Assignment !!
**--Read Harris, TomHow file compression works. [online]
Available from:
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/file-compression.htm [cited 2005]
Read Harris, Tom
How file compression works. [online] Available from:
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/file-compression.htm [cited 2005]
173
?? Question ??
**--Why can
raw digital still image information be compressed using a computer?
Why can
raw digital still image information be compressed using a computer?
174
?? Question ??
**--Why can
raw digital video information be compressed using a computer?
Why can
raw digital video information be compressed using a computer?
175
Data compression:
redundancy
Compression is (in many cases) based on the elimination of redundancy present in the source data:
• Spatial redundancy:
repeated occurrence of the same text or picture elements • Temporal redundancy:
occurrence of the same picture elements in subsequent pictures in animation / video
**--176
Data compression:
lossless versus lossy
• Compression without loss of data / quality: “lossless” compression
• Compression with loss of data / quality: “lossy” compression
**--177
?? Question ??
**--What is redundancy (in the domain of computers)?
What is redundancy (in the domain of computers)?
178
?? Question ??
**--Give examples of applications where one prefers compression -- without loss of data
-- tolerating some loss of data
Give examples of applications where one prefers compression -- without loss of data
179
?? Question ??
**--Name 5 properties
that MP3, MPEG and JPG have in common?
Name 5 properties
that MP3, MPEG and JPG have in common?
180
?? Question ??
**--Which concrete products, tools and methods for file compression
do you know?
Which concrete products, tools and methods for file compression
