Data & its Types

• Data:-

                 Data  is a collection of facts and figure. data can be any text, number image etc.

• Types of Data:-

 

Data have following types:-

• Numerical Data (or quantitative data)
• Alphabetic data
• Alphanumeric Data

• Numerical data (or quantitative data):-

Data measured or identified on a numerical scale. Numerical data can be analyzed using statistical methods, and results can be displayed using tables, histograms and graphs.
     For Example:-
               A researchers will ask a questions to a participant that include words how often, how many or percentage. The answers from the questions will be numerical. Having decimal values 45 -94  etc.

• Alphabetic data:-

                The type of data which consists of alphabets is called Alphabetic Data. It may contains alphabetic letters both upper and lower case.

• Alphanumeric data:-

                 Alphanumeric (sometimes shortened to alphanumeric Data) is a combination of alphabetic and numeric characters, and is used to describe the collection of Latin letters and Arabic digits or a text constructed from this collection. There are either 36 (single case) or 62 (case sensitive) alphanumeric characters. The alphanumeric character set consists of the number 0 to 9 and letters A to Z. In the Perl programming language, the underscore character ( _ ) is also considered to be a member of the alphanumeric set of characters.

• Data Processing:-

              Refers to a class of programs that organize and manipulate data, usually large amount of numeric data. Accounting programs are the prototypical examples of data processing applications. In contrast, word processors, which manipulate text rather than numbers, are not usually referred to as data processing applications.

• Electronic data processing:-

              Electronic data processing is any process that a computer program does to enter data and summaries, analyze and otherwise convert data into usable information. The process may be automated and run on a computer data processing systems typically manipulate raw data into information, and likewise information systems typically take raw data as input to produce information as output.

Types of Software

• Software :-

                             Software is means by which computer systems speak with computer users. Software forms the heart of computer systems.
         Software, by definition, is a collection of computer programs, procedures and documentations that performs different tasks on a computer system. In this lesson we will give you brief knowledge about Types of Software with the help of Examples.

Some major types of Software are

1). Programming Software:-

                     This is one of the most commonly known and popularly used forms of computer software. These software come in forms of tools that assist a programmer in writing computer programs. Computer programs are set of logical instructions that make a computer system perform certain tasks. The tools that help the programmers in instructing a computer system include text editors, compilers and interpreters.

2). System Software:-

        It help in running the computer hardware and the computer system. System software is a set of Operating System

                                           

 device drivers, servers. windowing system and utilities. System software helps an application programmer in abstracting away from hardware, memory and other internal complexities of a computer.

3). Application Software:-

                

                It enables the end users to accomplish certain specific tasks. Business software, databases and educational software are some forms of application software.

                                   

 Different word processors, which are dedicated for specialized tasks to be performed by the user, are other examples of application software.

        A part from these three types of Software, there are some other well known forms of computer software like inventory management software, ERP ,utility software, accounting software and others.

• Inventory Management System:-

This type of Software helps an organization in tracking and goods and materials on the basis of quality as we as quantity. Warehouse inventory management functions encompass the internal warehouse movements and storage. Inventory software helps a company in organizing inventory and optimizing the flow of goods in the organization, thus leading to an improved customer service. 

• Utility Software:-

      

Utility software also known as service routine, utility software helps in the management of computer hardware and application software. It performs a small range of tasks. Disk defragmenters, system utilities and virus scanners are some of the typical examples of utility software.

• Data Backup and Recovery Software:-

          An ideal data backup and recovery software provides functionality beyond simple copying of data files. This software often supports user needs of specifying what is to be backed up and when Backup and recovery software preserve the original organization of files and allow an easy retrieval of the backed up data.