Application Software/General Purpose Software:
Computer pre-written software that allows computer to solve the particular
type of Software tasks is called application software.
Application software also called general purpose or off-the-shelf
package can provide approximate solutions to a range of different
problems. Many such packages can be tailored so that they can be
adopted to fit a specific solution. For example, word processors,
spread sheets, database management systems, presentation
designers, etc.
Advantages and Disadvantages:
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Application Software |
| Advantages |
Disadvantages |
- They are generally cheaper to buy than bespoke packages are to develop.
- They are available almost immediately.
- Any system bugs should have been discovered buy other user and eliminated.
- these are written by software specialists and of a high quality.
- Good packages are likely to come with good training programs and well documentation.
- New updated versions of the software are likely to be available on a regular basis.
- The package can be used by large number of organizations.
- There are likely to be a number of people with expertise in the relevant package that are already employed by the organization or who can be recruited, training is likely to be readily available.
- The computer user doesn't need to employ his own specialist staff to develop, write, and test the programs. It will save time and money.
- In-house tailored made development is only feasible for large organizations with their MIS department.
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- The computer user gets a standardized solution to a data processing task.
- The standard solution may not fit precisely the needs of the organization.
- The users may need to compromise what they want with what is available.
- The organization is dependent upon an outside supplier for the maintenance, updating updating and providing assistance in the event of problems of the software.
- Changing are not possible.
- Different packages used by the organization may have incompatible data structure.
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