9/12/2015ILS 501 / Dr. Liu1 ILS 501 Unit 4: Software Issues.

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ILS 501 Unit 4:

Software Issues

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Software?A program or application that has a set of instructions to complete some tasks.

A program that starts up the computer and functions as the principal coordinator of all hardware components and related applications programs.

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Types of software?

Operating Systems (OS)- System software

Applications - Application Software

- Utilities

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What is an operating system?

a set of system software routines that sits between the application program and the hardware.

An OS is the program that manages all the other programs in a computer, after it is initially loaded into the computer by a bootstrap program.

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What does an OS system do?

Starts up the computer (booting) Manages resources: processor, memory,

etc. Controls devices: mouse, screen, disks,

etc. Protects programs from each other Program/file managers

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The Operating System: What It DoesBooting - the process of loading an operating system into a computer’s main memory

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Components of OS

DeviceManagement

FileManagement

MemoryManagement

ProcessorManagement

UserInterface

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Functionalities of an OS system

1. Foundation of applications Provides a land for applications to reside – BIOS

A platform for writing application programs

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2. Master programs supervises RAM and auto loads the master boot record on the primary hard disk

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3. Other tasks Manages routine tasks like copying data, showing directories, moving files, etc.

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File Management and Formatting

The operating system’s file system arranges files in hierarchical fashion

Formatting or initializing a disk is the process of preparing that disk for use

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What are common OSs?

For PC - DOS & Windows For Mac – Apple MacOS For Network - Unix/Linux &

VMS/VAX

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What are PC operating systems? MS-DOS & PC-DOS Windows

Windows 3.0 Windows 95, 98 Windows NT/2000/Millennium (ME) Windows XP Windows Vista Windows 7

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What are network operating systems?

UNIX & Linux

VMS (Virtual Memory System) & VAX (Virtual Address eXtension)

Netware

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The concept of User Interface A mechanism for the user and

application programs to communicate with the OS & request support

OS provides an interface between computer’s programs or users and its hardware.

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USER

Application program

User interface

Operating system

Hardware

Platform

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Types of User Interfaces

Command-driven interface: type in Menu-driven interface: presents a list of

available options Graphical user interface (GUI)

Developed by Xerox & adapted by Apple Employ icons to represent tasks, functions,

and programs. Became the standard microcomputer

system software interface.

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Trends of OS systems: 1. GUI (Graphic user interface) 2. Multi-tasking and parallel processing 3. Object oriented programming 4. Networking facilities 5. Security and safety

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Types of application software

Productivity software word processing spreadsheet database management communications browsers

Business/specialty software Education reference software Home/personal software Entertainment software

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Types of software utilities

virus protection data compression - zip Backup - system, registry, e-mail,

files data recovery Defragmentation - bring each file

into one whole area

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Utilities: Service Programs

Backup utility - program which makes a duplicate copy of the information on your hard disk

Data-recovery utility - program which restores data that has been physically damaged or corrupted

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Utilities: Service ProgramsAntivirus software - program that scans hard disks, floppy disks, and memory to detect viruses

Data compression utility - program which removes redundant elements, gaps, and unnecessary data from a computer’s storage space so that less space (fewer bits) is required to store or transmit data

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Examples of PC File Extensions Source program file: filename.com Source executable file: filename.exe MS Word data file: filename.doc MS Excel data file: filename.xls MS Access data file: filename.mdb ASCII file: filename.txt Still image file: filename.jpg Audio file: filename.wav

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Freeware vs. Shareware?

FreewareSoftware that is available free of charge distributed through the Internet or user groups.

SharewareCopyrighted software that is distributed free of charge but requires users to pay a fee if technical help, documentation, or upgrades are required.

What Is Good Software? McCall’s quality model

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What is a MARC record?

MARC - Machine Readable Cataloging record

The MARC formats are standards for the representation and communication of bibliographic and related information in machine-readable form.

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Basic components of MARC

1. Main entry and added entries- authors, organizations

2. Descriptions- bibliographic information: title, pub,

format..3. Subject headings

- meaningful vocabularies4. Call number

- classification numbers

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Library of CongressUnderstanding MARC (machine-readable cataloging)

Available at http://lcweb.loc.gov/marc/umb/

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Example of MARC Record Monographs: MARC Record Sound Recordings: MARC Record Motion Pictures and Video

recordings: MARC Record Computer Files: MARC Record Microforms: MARC Record

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Why invest the time and money in

MARC?

1. The MARC format is a standard file structure allow proper cataloging of books and other library items.

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MARC?

2.The MARC record contains a standard guide to bibliographic data that can be interpreted by computer.

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MARC?

3. Most hardware platforms and software systems libraries use today request MARC formats.

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How to evaluate Software?

Strategies for library decision makers

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Evaluation of software-strategy 1

Read and study; be critical of reviews! Check out the exhibits at conferences (can be extremely valuable, even worth the price of a trip to ALA).

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Ask for referrals and then go over with referrals; invest time, ask questions

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Hire a consultant.

The cost of a consultant is quite high; but so are the potential losses if a tragic mistake is made in ignorance.

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Make sure that library software has Full MARC capacity, even if your small library is shopping for “affordable" software.

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Endemic to Modern Software-Problem 1

Bloatware.

Critics suggest that much of the software on the market is just too big; too loaded down with seldom used bells and whistles; too inefficiently and inelegantly constructed.

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Flakey, bugs, crashes, instability. This is especially a problem in modern multitasking environments where one software product or utility conflicts with another resulting in freezes and crashes.

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Cross platform incompatibility.Lack of standards (as in conflict between MS and Netscape).Websites can look different depending on browser.

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Cost: out of pocket for updates, revising settings and otherwise fooling with newly installed software.

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Philosophical-Orientation 1

Traditional Model: Centralized, mainframe-oriented

systems, all the software was on the central computer resource.

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Distributed models: Decentralized, distributed systems Client-server software

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The lure of the inTRAnet: It’s robust, cheap, works on many platforms, inexpensive, familiar and comfortable to users, and it doesn’t cost much. New revenue models and open sources like the internet , library systems and OPACs which are renamed WEBPACs.

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Client-server architecture:Advantage-client-server systems save money on hardware. Disadvantage-they often require much more training and support. More complex systems mean that more things can go wrong.

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Factors to consider when choosing software for a library.

Ease of use. COST! Ability to upgrade the product over

the long term. Integration with other systems. Previous success stories from

different libraries.

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Discussion Question 1: Why the need to constantly upgrade software? Why not stay with the tried and true?

Discussion Question 2: Why are library automation software vendors only recently moving to client-server systems?

Discussion Question 3: How might the peer-to-peer software model made famous by Napster and Gnutella be used by a library or library consortia?

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Questions?

9/12/2015ILS 501 / Dr. Liu1 ILS 501 Unit 4: Software Issues.

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