Managing Software Assets

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Managing Software Assets

• Chapter Six

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Software

• Software Detailed instructions that control the
  operation of a computer system.
• Program Series of statements/instructions to the
  computer.
• Types of Software
• System software Manages the computers resources
  provides interface between hardware, software,
  and end user
• Application software Accomplishes a specific
  task, such as word processing

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System Software 1

• Operating System
• Allocates assigns system resources
• Schedules the use of computer resources jobs
• Monitors computer system activities
• Multiprogramming permits multiple programs to
  share one computers resources (multitasking on
  single-user computer)
• Multithreading executes different parts (threads)
  of a program simultaneously

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System Software 2

• Virtual storage uses hard drive as part of
  primary memory
• Pages are called up from the hard drive into
  memory while parts of what was in memory are
  placed back on the hard drive or erased from
  memory (paging)
• Time sharing allows users to share computing
  resources simultaneously in slices of time
• Multiprocessing links two or more CPUs to work in
  parallel on a program

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System Software 3

• Programming Language Translation Software
• Compiler translates source code into object code
  executes the program at one time result is a
  program in object code
• Interpreter translates source code into object
  code executes it one line at a time, allowing
  programmer to correct errors (bugs) as they are
  run result is source code (no permanent object
  code)
• Utility programs perform a variety of standard
  functions, such as copying and formatting

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System Software 4

• Graphical User Interfaces GUI
• Windows
• Icons
• Mouse-clicks click drag
• Menu or command driven interfaces

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PC Operating Systems

• Windows
• XP Pro/2000/NT
• XP Home/Me/98/95
• CE
• OS/2 by IBM
• Open source (Unix/Linux) stable, efficient, but
  hard-to-use because command driven
• Mac OS
• DOS (ancient) Still under hood of most Windows
  OS

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Application Software 1

• Programming Languages
• Generations
• 1st Machine (0s 1s) binary
• 2nd Assembly language specific to h/w/ OS
  use of commands (load, sum) variable names
  (TOTAL)
• 3rd High-level languages similar to English but
  syntax is hard for novices
• FORTRAN
• COBOL
• BASIC
• Pascal
• C C
• C other object-oriented languages transition
  to 4GLs

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Application Software 2

• 4th 4GLs Nonprocedural closer to natural
  language
• Query (SQL)
• Report generator
• Graphics
• Application generator
• Very high-level programming language

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Application Software 3

• Packaged software Prewritten, precoded,
  pretested, commercially available
• PC Software Tools (office automation systems)
• Word processing (MS Word)
• Desktop publishing (MS Publisher)
• Spreadsheet (MS Excel)
• Database management (MS Access)
• Presentation graphics (MS PowerPoint)
• Integrated packages Suites (MS Works vs. MS
  Office)
• Email (MS Outlook)
• Web browser (MS Internet Explorer)
• Groupware (IBMs LotusNotes)

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Application Software 4

• Enterprise S/W (Enterprise Resource Planning or
  ERP)
• Interdependent modules of applications for the
  functions of an enterprise (SAP or Peoplesoft)
• Integrated data flows between modules
• Implement one or more modules
• Middleware interfaces between two different
  systems
• Enterprise application integration software
  supports flow of information among different
  business units

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S/W Development Tools

• Object-oriented Programming
• Combines data specific procedures that operate
  on those data into one object
• Visual programming uses a mouse to select move
  objects to develop the program dialogue boxes
  to develop most of the objects, procedures, and
  rules that govern the objects (e.g., Visual
  BASIC)
• OOP Concepts
• Classes superclass, class, subclass (inheritance)

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Modern Programming Languages 1

• Java
• Platform-independent OOP language by Sun
• Java applets downloaded from server to execute on
  client
• Can handle multimedia interactivity (Web pages)
• MS developed ActiveX to compete with Java
• OS independent
• HTML ( its successors, DHTML, etc.)
• Markup language (page description) use of tags
• Incorporates hypertext links hypertext/hypermedi
  a documents
• Can use a variety of packages to develop/edit HTML

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Modern Programming Languages 2

• XML (eXtensible Markup Language)
• Further development of HTML
• Specifies how data will be used through XML tags,
  e.g., price, cost, etc.
• Computers can automatically manipulate
  interpret the data without human intervention
• Need standards
• XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language)
• Further development of HTML
• Permits automatic manipulation interpretation
  of financial reports

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Make or Buy Decisions ASPs

• Application Service Providers
• Provide apps via Internet or private network
• Alternative to internal development
• Cheaper (usually a per seat use)
• Reduce IS staff
• Guaranteed level of service

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S/W Maintenance

• Can take more than 50 of IS staff development
  time
• Y2K Problem Is it really over?

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Selecting S/W

• Appropriateness
• User-friendliness
• Efficiency
• Cost
• Compatibility
• Hardware
• OS
• Other s/w
• Support
• Vendor reputation

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Case Study Sunburst Hotels

• Why did Sunburst need an ERP?
• Why did Sunburst decide to use an ASP?

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Next Class

• Chapter Seven Managing Data Resources
• Case Study Ford Firestone