Week 6: Understanding Application Software
Application software is the hands-on equipment that we use to actually accomplish tasks. Examples of application software include Web browser, word processing software, spreadsheet software, database software, and presentation graphics software; Microsoft Office is an example that offers these types of software in one package.
Webopedia describes application software as: “a program or group of programs designed for end users. Application software can be divided into two general classes: systems software and applications software. Systems software consists of low-level programs that interact with the computer at a very basic level. This includes operating systems, compilers, and utilities for managing computer resources. In contrast, applications software (also called end-user programs) includes database programs, word processors, and spreadsheets. Figuratively speaking, applications software sits on top of systems software because it is unable to run without the operating system and system utilities.”
As described in Information Systems: A Manager’s Guide to Harnessing , “Application software (sometimes referred to as software applications, applications, or even just apps) perform the work that users and firms are directly interested in accomplishing. Think of applications as the place where the users or organization’s real work gets done.” The cake layers of the users, applications, operating system, and hardware; explained during lecture, helps each layer communicate through the Application Programming Interface. This API allows the applications to talk to the operating system, in essence it is a go-between that enables software programs to interact with other software. 
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