Categories of Software Software System software helps run

Categories of Software

Software • System software helps run the computer hardware and computer system. • A big part of any business application system • Software must be modified to fit a company’s specific need

Software (continued) • Business application is often a combination of many different bits of software - purchased or acquired and integrated by a company’s staff • A smaller proportion of time and effort is spent on developing systems • Instead increasingly packed applications/outsourcing is used

Outsourcing • The practice of turning over responsibility of some or all of a company’s IS applications and operations to an outside firm • Cost-effective • Used to overcome operating problems • due to inexperience

Sources of Software • • • Information Technology Firms Packaged Software Providers Vendors of Enterprise Solutions Application Service Providers Open Source Software In-House Development

Information Technology Firms • Help companies develop custom ISs for internal use • IT firms develop, host, run application for customers • Employ people who are experts in development of IS & the business area • Examples IBM, EDS, Cap. Gemini, Accenture

Packaged Software Producers • Software companies develop pre-packaged or off-theshelf systems • Many market segments are served • Some off-the-shelf software systems cannot be modified to meet the specific individual needs of a firm (turnkey systems) • Changes are only made if a specific number of users request the change • Some off-the shelf software can be modified/extended • Can meet 70% if the firm’s needs • Examples: Microsoft’s Project

Enterprise Solutions • Also known as Enterprise Resource Planning systems • Complete software solutions for a company • ERP systems integrate individual business functions into a series of modules so that a single transaction occurs seamlessly rather than using separate systems • Focus is on business processes rather than business functional areas! • Using enterprise software solutions, a firm can integrate all parts of a business process in a unified information system

Enterprise Solutions (contd. ) • A single repository of data is used • But ES systems are complex! • Therefore expensive as consultants are often used for specialist advice • Examples SAP AG, Oracle

Application Service Providers • An organisation that remotely hosts and runs computer applications for other companies, typically on a pre-use or licence basis • Users have access through the Internet or VPNs • Users pay on a per-use or per-month basis – Microsoft offers its Windows & Office to ASPs – Oracle offers its ERP applications • Using an application this way can be limiting

Managed Service Providers • An organisation that remotely provides customized computer applications and network-based services to other companies • Companies pay per-use or monthly fee • Difference to ASPs is MSPs offer extras: – e. g. network-based services – customized applications – equipment for a fee

Benefits of using ASP/MSPs • Freeing internal IT staff • Gaining access to applications faster than via internal development • Achieving lower-cost access to corporatequality applications

Open Source Software • Software which is freely available • Not just the final product but the source code • Developed by a community of interested people instead of by employees of a company • Performs the same functions as commercial software • Examples: Linux (OS), my. SQL (database), Firefox Source. Forge. net

Open Source Software (contd. ) • Companies can make money by: – Providing maintenance and services – Providing one version for free and another more fully featured version for sale

In-House Development • Developed by company’s employees • Usually customised according to the needs of the organisation • Can also be a hybrid solution – some purchased software and some in-house components

Off-the-Shelf Software • Criteria for choosing Ot. S Software includes: – Cost (buy-in or develop in house? ) – Functionality (tasks performed by the software) mandatory, essential and desired features – Vendor support – Viability of vendor – Flexibility (how easy is to customise software) – Documentation – Response time (of the software) – Ease of installation

Re-Use of Software • The use of previously written software resources in new applications • Should increase programmer productivity • Decrease development time • Result in higher quality software • Decreasing maintenance costs