Week 4- Clear

Application software are the programs on your computer that you use everyday. These types of software perform functions that are designed to assist users with personal tasks. It is especially important in the business environment to have a good understanding of the different types of application software. Business application software includes programs like word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and management programs. Graphics and multimedia are another category of application software. There is personal/home software which are programs to help people with finances, taxes, entertainment, editing, and things like that. Communications, which is web browsing, email, blogging, instant messaging and so on, are also a major category of application software. click here for more categories

Application software can be categorized as either horizontal applications or vertical applications. Horizontal applications refers to programs used in all different industries and by all different people for multiple different uses. An example of a horizontal type of application software is the web browser Internet Explorer. This software can be used by a scientist to do research, a professional baseball player to look up stats, or by a kid to play a computer game.  On the other hand, vertical application software are designed to meet the specific needs of a particular market. An example of this could be a Walmart point-of-sales system. This would be a systems designed specifically for managing the retail of  Walmart merchandise.