A level revision

Application software

There are 3 types of applications software which you should know about: General purpose, special purpose and bespoke.

General purpose application software

This type of application software includes application packages designed to carry out multiple common tasks such as word processing, image editing or spreadsheet manipulation.

Software suites are a collection of products which are packaged and sold together. This is often cheaper than buying the products separately. Typically the products will all share a common interface, tools and shortcuts.

Special purpose application software

Where general purpose application software can be made to carry out different tasks, special purpose application software is designed to carry out a specific task. For example, a payroll application.

Bespoke application software

Bespoke application software is a software package which has been written specifically for a single client to their specifications and requirements. This may be a custom built stock control system.

Selecting the appropriate software

A business, or even an individual, , will usually have to decide whether to purchase an 'off the shelf' software package or have a package written for them (bespoke software). The criteria for selecting the appropriate software for their needs may include:

• Cost - off the shelf software will usually be cheaper than bespoke software
• Time - as the name suggests off the shelf software can be bought off the shelf and installed on the computers the same day. Bespoke software requires more time to create and setup.
• Availability - there may not be any off the shelf software that exists for the required task in which case bespoke software is the only option.
• Functionality - bespoke software will be designed to do exactly what the client wants
• Documentation - off the shelf software will be well documented with online communities and dedicated support channels. Bespoke software may not have such resources.