Software is the critical thing

Press, 24 February 1987, Page 27

Software is the critical thing

The third in a series of introductory

articles by

GARETH POWELL.

Without good software, a computer is just an expensive ornament A good rest for a coffee cup. An impressive artefact for the modem office. But nothing more. It is software, and software alone, that gives the computer its magical added value. Basically, there are six divisions of software of three different types which can be written in any one of 30 different languages to operate under any of five different operating systems. Which sounds complex and offputting but is, in reality, very simple.

Let us start with the operating systems. By far the dominant force currently in the market is MS-DOS (also sometimes referred to as PC-DOS). This is an operating system (the instructions that make a computer compute) which was created by Microsoft specifically for IBM when it first decided to produce personal computers in 1981. It has since become

the standard for all busi-ness-oriented personal computers, and the number of programs available under this system probably exceeds 20,000. No one will argue with you if you say this is a lousy operating system, if you hint at its illegitimate birth, if you suggest it is holding back computing from the golden pastures ahead. For, in truth, it is something considerably less than felicitous — if you are polite — and the greatest blight since the Black Plague — If you are not. In truth it is not a thing of beauty and a joy forever.

The second operating system which requires

some consideration is CP/M. This was probably the most widely used operating system until MS-DOS came along, and although it is beginning to show its age, there is still an immense library of programs available. Third comes the operating system Apple has devised for the Macintosh. This is one of the most interesting computers on the market, and its operating system is complex and ornate — for the programmer. But, as a direct result of this complexity, it is simplicity itself for the user, and it is now the standard that most, if not all, other operating systems aspire

Fourth is Apple-DOS which drives the Apple II series of computers. No one has ever accurately counted how many programs exist under this system, but figures approaching 20,000 have been mentioned. This is now beginning to look a little old hat despite the fact that Apple has recently released the HGS in a brave attempt at keeping up.

Finally,' there are the rest.

These are narrow, com-puter-specific operating systems such as those for the Commodore Amiga and the Atari 1040ST and many other computers you will never have heard of.

The important point for you to remember is that, although a program written for one computer will probably work on another computer with the same operating system, no program written under one operating system will work under another operating system. (Someone will now write in and say I have described how I have successfully done this on an Atari with Macintosh programs. True. But that was an exception. We are talking here about the general case.)

Such programs need rewriting from scratch if they are going to fly. This is neither understood clearly by many first-time buyers nor over-em-phasised by sales people. If you want to run certain programs, make sure they are available for the computer you intend to buy. If in any doubt whatsoever, ask for a demonstration in the store. It does not matter what language the program is written in, as far as the user is concerned, except that, in a general sense, programs written in assembly language are much faster than any pro-' gram written in a highlevel language like, for example, Basic. Rough rule of thumb is that the harder it is to program the easier and faster it will be to run.

The three different sorts of software are: • Commercial. This is

the sort of program you buy in the shop complete with full documentation and a guarantee. The Srice can range from, say, 50 to $lOOO or, in daft cases, soar to stratospheric heights. • Public domain. Such programs are normally available from user clubs for the cost of a blank disk. Do not think that because a program is in the public domain it is in any way inferior. Many programmers refuse to face the hassle involved in selling a program. • Shareware. This is a sort of middle ground. The programs are freely available for copying but you are asked to send a small fee to the author if you intend to use it The author normally then sends you back fuller documentation. Again, the programs are frequently as good, and sometimes better, than commercial programs. The six basic different types of software are: • Word processors. • Spreadsheets. • Databases. • All-in-one programs. • Games. • Desk-top publishing. Let us look at them one by one. Word processors. It is difficult to put up a rational argument for anyone nowadays to buy a dedicated word processing machine. Almost any personal computer will do the job better for less cost.

There are several word processing programs available which are formidable in their power and sophistication.

The cream that rises is The Word from Microsoft. It is difficult to imagine any word processing requirement that is not more than adequately taken care of by this quite amazing program. And, considering its complexity, it is not difficult to learn, as it has hundreds of help screens' written into the program. Lose your way or get confused and help is only a finger stroke away. _

Others at or near the top of the heap are Word Perfect, Multi Mate and Samna 111. PC Write, which is a shareware program, is also highly thought of. You pays your money and you takes your choice.

It may be that these programs are more sophisticated than you really need. Journalists, for example, rarely need a program to do very much more than accept words and check the spelling. They are not interested in formatting documents for printing as correspondence. For them, almost any program is suitable providing it is easy to learn. It is interesting that on the Macintosh the program of choice for most journalists is Mock Write, a shareware program of almost arrogant simplicity.

Spreadsheets. It is not easy to explain a spreadsheet, not simple to get the concept across. Getting someone to use one can be a formidable task. But of all programs available for personal computers there is hone that brings as many benefits to the average business executive as the spreadsheet. Imagine, if you will, a very large sheet of graph paper. There are one hundred columns running along the top and one hundred rows running down the page.

In each column across the top appears a legend showing what month the column concerns — May 87, June 87 and so on. In the far left column running down the page are legends explaining what goes in each row. Let us imagine that most of the top half of the rows are concerned with, income and most of the bottom half of the rows are concerned with expenditure. A row in the top half might say “commissions earned” with a figure (real or projected) in every month, each represented by a column. Or a row, for example, can say “car expenses” and then, in every month, each represented by a column, a figure (actual or projected) can appear. If all of the expenses are added up and all of the income is added up and all of the expenses are then deducted from the income, you would have a profit (or a loss). This would appear at the bottom of every column (representing a month). And if that profit (or loss) is carried forward from month to month, and if consideration is given to the cash-flow position on the day you start, you will arrive at a cash-flow forecast which will tell you, as accurately as your projected figures will allow, the sort of income your company can expect over the next one hundred weeks on a week-by-week basis.

Anyone can arrive at these figures using a piece of graph paper, a lot of pencils and a calculator. Sure they can — although it is not, may all gods bear witness, easy.

Where the spreadsheet comes into its own is when you have to cany out the whole operation again and again. Because all the base figures are there for you to work from, all you need to do is to update in the light of experience. Where the spreadsheet proves it is worth much more than its weight in gold is when you have to change and adjust figures. ' Do that with a sheet of graph paper and you will run out Of pencils, erasers and patience very quickly. With a spreadsheet on a computer all of the recalculation is done immediately for you, before your very eyes.

Once a spreadsheet has been properly demonstrated in action, there is no business executive bom who will not buy it. For it saves hours — sometimes days — of time and solves many business problems in one hit.

Three things: • It is extremely tempting to go back and

modify your original figures to achieve a more pleasing result This way lies bankruptcy. • Any figures projected more than a year ahead are in fruitcake land.

• The figures the computer produces are only as good as the figures you enter. Never has the computer slogan of GIGO — garbage in, garbage out — had more meaning. Having said all that, there is no doubt that the spreadsheet is one of the greatest blessings the computer revolution has brought in its wake. Any business executive who does not use one is suffering an unnecessary handicap.

Databases. Think of

them as filing systems. Fast filing systems. Sophisticated filing systems. But filing systems, nevertheless.

When they are very complex and powerful they are frequently called true relational database management systems. (This basically is meant to sound impressive, but also means you can search for information under several headings at once. "Get me the names of all the computer enthusiasts who live in Sydney AND use IBM clones AND have a modern AND read “The Press” AND have pirated software.”)

Simpler database are, in truth, but simple filing systems and are often sold as such. They are one of the few examples of computer truth in advertising that readily springs to mind. Two major truths stand out:

• It is very rare for the casual user to need much more than 5 per cent of the power of a relational data base. If you have simple needs, use a simple computerised filing system. • Most of the tailormade programs offered to business and industry are relational databases in a very thin, customised disguise. Probably 40 per cent of the single-applica-tion business programs sold are based on the biggest-selling database program of them all, dßase 11. Before going to the expense of commissioning a new program, check if you can cobble one together from a standard database. It will be much cheaper and more exactly suit your needs.

All-in-one programmes. The best known of these is Lotus 1-2-3 which offers you a spreadsheet and a database and a rudimentary word processor and other odds and ends. This may very well be perfect for your needs. If not, you can look at the other “everything” programs to find’ one that offers exactly what you want. However, the program where the cream rises is beyond peradventure Q and A, which uses artificial intelligence — depending how you define artificial intelligence — and contains, perhaps, the easiest of the true relational databases to use. This program is an example of the way in which programs will travel in the future. It uses up a humungus amount of memory its wonders to achieve, but it is fast, simple, Intelligent and accurate. After a while, the database seems to have trouble with its pointers but for simple needs it is hard to beat. Cheap, too. The joy of the all-in-one programs is that commands, which you have to learn by rote like the grammar rules of Latin, apply to all the programs within the suite, which makes life much easier, for you only need to learn once and there are no Irregular Verbs. The other joy is that information — data — is easily transportable between the segments. The problems are that these programs are not cheap and getting one to fit your needs exactly may not be easy. Games. There is a tendency among the life-is-real, life-is-earnest brigade to scoff at games as time wasters. But what is this life if full of care we have no time to play The Ancient Art of War?

Games on computers are frequently educational, almost always fun and help the user to feel at ease with the computer. They are, indeed, A Good Thing. It is pointless to list the games available because there are hundreds, possibly thousands, and the list changes every day.

However, the cream rises to produce Mac Golf on the Macintosh, which has the most amazing graphics ever seen and is a major breakthrough. When you have seen that game run on a computer, you will realise how realistic and addictive computer games can become. The aforementioned Ancient Art of War is also quite stunning.