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ILS 501 Unit 4: Software Issues 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 1 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. 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 2 Types of software? Operating Systems (OS) - System software Applications - Application Software - Utilities 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 3 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. 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 4 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 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 5 The Operating System: What It Does Booting - the process of loading an operating system into a computer’s main memory 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 6 Components of OS User Interface Device Management 5/23/2017 File Management Memory Management ILS 501 / Dr. Liu Processor Management 7 Functionalities of an OS system 1. Foundation of applications Provides a land for applications to reside – BIOS A platform for writing application programs 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 8 Functionalities of an OS system 2. Master programs supervises RAM and auto loads the master boot record on the primary hard disk 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 9 Functionalities of an OS system 3. Other tasks Manages routine tasks like copying data, showing directories, moving files, etc. 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 10 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 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 11 What are common OSs? For PC - DOS & Windows For Mac – Apple MacOS For Network - Unix/Linux & VMS/VAX 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 12 What are PC operating systems? MS-DOS & PC-DOS Windows 5/23/2017 Windows Windows Windows Windows Windows Windows 3.0 95, 98 NT/2000/Millennium (ME) XP Vista 7 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 13 What are network operating systems? UNIX & Linux VMS (Virtual Memory System) & VAX (Virtual Address eXtension) Netware 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 14 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. 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 22 USER Application program User interface Platform Operating system Hardware 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 23 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. 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 24 Trends of OS systems: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. GUI (Graphic user interface) Multi-tasking and parallel processing Object oriented programming Networking facilities Security and safety 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 25 Types of application software Productivity software 5/23/2017 word processing spreadsheet database management communications browsers Business/specialty software Education reference software Home/personal software Entertainment software ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 26 Types of software utilities 5/23/2017 virus protection data compression - zip Backup - system, registry, e-mail, files data recovery Defragmentation - bring each file into one whole area ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 27 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 5/23/2017 ILS 501 /Fall 2007/ Dr. Liu 28 Utilities: Service Programs Antivirus 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 5/23/2017 ILS 501 /Fall 2007/ Dr. Liu 29 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 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 31 Freeware vs. Shareware? Freeware Software that is available free of charge distributed through the Internet or user groups. Shareware Copyrighted software that is distributed free of charge but requires users to pay a fee if technical help, documentation, or upgrades are required. 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 34 What Is Good Software? McCall’s quality model 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. 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 37 Basic components of MARC 1. Main entry and added entries - authors, organizations 2. Descriptions - bibliographic information: title, pub, format.. 3. Subject headings - meaningful vocabularies 4. Call number - classification numbers 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 38 Library of Congress Understanding MARC (machine-readable cataloging) Available at http://lcweb.loc.gov/marc/umb/ 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 39 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 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 40 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. 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 41 Why invest the time and money in MARC? 2.The MARC record contains a standard guide to bibliographic data that can be interpreted by computer. 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 42 Why invest the time and money in MARC? 3. Most hardware platforms and software systems libraries use today request MARC formats. 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 43 How to evaluate Software? Strategies for library decision makers 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 44 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). 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 45 Evaluation of software-strategy 2 Ask for referrals and then go over with referrals; invest time, ask questions 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 46 Evaluation of software-strategy 3 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. 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 47 Evaluation of software-strategy 4 Make sure that library software has Full MARC capacity, even if your small library is shopping for “affordable" software. 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 48 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. 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 49 Endemic to Modern Software-Problem 2 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. 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 50 Endemic to Modern Software-Problem 3 Cross platform incompatibility. Lack of standards (as in conflict between MS and Netscape). Websites can look different depending on browser. 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 51 Endemic to Modern Software-Problem 4 Cost: out of pocket for updates, revising settings and otherwise fooling with newly installed software. 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 52 Philosophical-Orientation 1 Traditional Model: Centralized, mainframe-oriented systems, all the software was on the central computer resource. 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 53 Philosophical-Orientation 2 Distributed models: Decentralized, distributed systems Client-server software 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 54 Philosophical-Orientation 3 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. 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 55 Philosophical-Orientation 4 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. 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 56 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. 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 57 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? 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 63 Questions? 5/23/2017 ILS 501 / Dr. Liu 64