18. The Graphical User Interface. Its main functions and tools.

Nowadays most computers have a Graphical User Interface (GUI). It is a type of user interface which allows people to interact with electronic devices such as computers; hand-held devices such as MP3 Players, Portable Media Players or Gaming devices; household appliances and office equipment.

A GUI makes use a WIMP environment: Windows, Icons, Menus and Pointer. This type of interface is user-friendly, where system functions are accessed by selecting self-explanatory icons and items from menus.. A GUI offers graphical icons (graphic images (or intuitive symbols) representing programs, documents, an object or task.), and visual indicators (as opposed to text- based interfaces), typed command labels or text navigation to fully represent the information and actions available to a user. A graphical user interface saves a lot of time: you don't need to memorize commands in order to execute an application; you only have to point and click so that its content appears on the screen.

Double-clicking an icon opens a window that lets you work with different tools and menus. A window is a viewing area of the computer screen where you can see the contents of a folder, a file, or a program. Some systems allow several windows on the screen at the same time and windows can overlap each other.

The window on the top is the one which is "active", the one in use. By using different windows you can work on several documents or applications simultaneously. The actions are usually performed through direct manipulation of the graphical elements by the means of a drop-down menu, pop-up menu or pull-down menu (a list of options that appear below a menu bar when you click on an item). The tool for these manipulations is the pointer. The pointer is the arrow, controlled by the mouse, which allows you to move around the screen and choose options from menus. You operate the menu by pressing and

releasing one or more buttons on the mouse. Toolbar buttons are found at the top of a window, they take you to the Home folder and others. The dock is a set of icons at the bottom of the screen that give you instant access to the things you use most. When information has to be given to the user or input by the user, a window known as a dialog box is often used. It can contain a variety of elements to gather information from the user including: text boxes, drop- down list boxes, checkboxes and command buttons. A find dialog box is used to gather information from the user about the files they wish to find. All these activities take place on a desktop (the background screen that displays icons, representing programs, files and folders- directories or containers for documents and applications).

19. What is computer software and computer hardware? Main software characteristics. System software. Firmware. Middleware. Programming software. Application software. Software testing. Testware.

In computer science and software engineering, computer software is all computer programs

Computer software is so called to distinguish it from computer hardware, which encompasses the physical interconnections and devices required to store and execute (or run) the software.

Main software characteristics include:

• Software is developed and engineered.

• Software doesn't "wear-out".

Computer software or just software is a general term used to describe a collection of computer programs, procedures and documentation that perform some tasks on a computer system.

The term (computer software) includes:

System software such as operating systems, which interface with hardware to provide the necessary services for application software. It includes a combination of the following:

• device drivers operating systems servers utilities windowing systems

The purpose of systems software is to unburden the applications programmer from the often complex details of the particular computer being used, including such accessories as communications devices, printers, device readers, displays and keyboards, and also to partition the computer's resources such as memory and processor time in a safe and stable manner. Examples are - Windows XP, Linux and Mac.

Most software continues to be custom built.

Programming software usually provides tools to assist a programmer in writing computer programs, and software using different programming languages in a more convenient way.

The tools include:

• compilers debuggers interpreters linkers text editors

Application software allows users to accomplish one or more specific (not directly computer development related) tasks. Typical applications include:

• industrial automation business software computer games quantum chemistry and solid state physics software telecommunications (i.e., the internet and everything that flows on it) databases educational software medical software military software molecular modeling software image editing spreadsheet Word processing Decision making software

Firmware which is software programmed resident to electrically programmable memory devices on board mainboards or other types of integrated hardware carriers.

Middleware which controls and coordinates distributed systems.

Software testing is a domain independent of development and programming. It consists of various methods to test and declare a software product fit before it can be launched for use by either an individual or a group. Many tests on functionality, performance and appearance are conducted by modern testers with various tools such as QTP, Load runner, Black box testing to edit a checklist of requirements against the developed code.

Testware which is an umbrella term or container term for all utilities and application software that serve in combination for testing a software package but not necessarily may optionally contribute to operational purposes. As such, testware is not a standing configuration but merely a working environment for application software or subsets thereof. Software includes websites, programs, video games, etc. that are coded by programming languages like C, C++, etc.