LTE213:

Living in the IT Era

JOCELYN F. TEJADA
Instructor, College of Computer Studies

Declaration:
This learning module is an exclusive property of Dr. Yanga’s Colleges, Inc., as an essential part of the
REIMAGINED Learning Program for the Academic Year 2020-2021, and shall only be used by and for
DYCIans. No part of this learning module shall be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, and/or sold, without
the consent of DYCI.
 <<Week No. 6>>
<< SOFTWARE>>

In this lesson you will learn how to obtain, install, manage and configure software. You
will also install and manage Windows apps and use messaging applications.

Upon completion of this lesson, you should be able to:

 describe the benefits of software
 install, uninstall, repair and update apps and applications
 set software preferences
 work with Windows apps
 use messaging applications

Why Use Software?

Software programs enable us to produce documents and charts; solve complex equations;
calculate rocket trajectory; make online purchases; edit digital movies; decode the human
genome; and so on. Additionally, light-weight apps can keep us on schedule, remind us
of appointments, or help us find our way to a location when construction crews block our
familiar path. Software and apps keep us productive and empowered.

Locally-Installed vs. Cloud-Based Software

Locally-installed software is installed on a device and runs directly on that device. These
programs are designed to work with specific operating systems and with hardware that
meets certain minimum requirements.

Cloud-based software on the other hand runs on a dedicated server (not on your
computer) and is designed to be accessed over the Internet.

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 Obtaining Software

Today, you have many options for obtaining and installing software. You can:

• purchase a packaged version at a retail store and install using removable media
• purchase a license online (usually with a credit card), and then download and install the
program
• lease software on a subscription basis
• download and install apps from an app store

Platform Considerations

Locally-installed programs are generally released in platform-specific versions. In

computing, a platform is the environment within which a specific piece of software
is designed to run. The operating system, installed drivers and hardware create the
platform.

System Requirements
System requirements identify the type of hardware (and operating system version)
required to successfully run a program. All software, whether operating system
software or application program software, is designed to work with hardware that
can be expected to function at a specific speed and capacity. The software vendor
lists these expectations so you can determine whether your computer is compatible
and meets (and hopefully exceeds) all the requirements before purchasing the
program.

Managing Software
Once you decide which application program you want to use, you will need to
purchase the program and then install it on the hard disk of your computer before you can
use it. Once a program has been installed, it can be removed (uninstalled), modified,
repaired, or reinstalled as required.

Installing a New Program

You can install programs from a number of different locations such as a network
drive, an optical drive, a USB drive, or the Internet. How you purchase the software will
determine the installation process.

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 EULA and Registration
Once the installation process begins, you will be asked to agree to an End
User License Agreement (EULA); depending on the vendor, this may appear in a
separate screen or it may be a link you should click in order to read the contents of
the agreement.

When the installation is complete, you will usually be asked to register or activate your
copy of the program. Performing this last step ensures that you will be notified of any
updates to the program. It also usually provides the option to call technical support should
you require technical assistance.

Uninstalling Programs
You can uninstall a program when you no longer need it. Usually, the best way to
uninstall a program is to use the Uninstall a program command on the Programs and
Features page in the Control Panel.

Once you select the program you want to uninstall, click the Uninstall/Change button in
Control Panel, then follow the prompts in the uninstall routine as they appear onscreen.

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 Repairing Software
Sometimes an installed application program stops working correctly. Sometimes
restarting the program will fix the problem. If that does not work, you can try repairing
it.
The Microsoft Office suite includes a repair utility that you can access through the
Programs and Features page in the Control Panel. Click the suite in the list box and then
click Change to access the repair tool.

You can specify:

• Quick Repair – this runs faster but only detects and then replaces corrupted files.
• Online Repair – it does an uninstall and complete reinstall but takes longer.
Click an option, then click Repair.

When the repair operation has completed, click Close to exit the utility. Be aware that you
may need to restart the system after running a repair routine.

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Reinstalling a Program
Sometimes, a program may not work correctly (or at all) after installation, or it may
work for a while and then stop working. If a repair is not available for the application, you
can try uninstalling and then reinstalling the program.
Most vendors allow you download and install or reinstall a program on the same
system numerous times without any fees. Generally, once you have paid for a software
program, you can reinstall it as often as needed.
Sometimes, Windows detects that a program is running improperly, or detects that
a program has been installed improperly. In such cases, Windows will display the Program
Compatibility Assistant, which may give you the option to reinstall or to verify that the
program has been installed correctly.
You can also check online user groups, knowledge bases, blog sites and forums to
see if other users have experienced similar problems and you may find solutions there.

Updating Software
When you register your copy (license) of a software program, you become entitled to
receive notification about updates or upgrades as they become available.
• You may receive a CD or other media that you can use to install the upgrade in
much the same way as you installed the program initially.
• You may receive an email with a link to the web site where you can download the
update to your system. Click the link to access and download installation files for
the update.

You can also check manually for updates by:

• clicking a command, button, or link in the program. (Usually this option links you
to the vendor’s web site; once you are connected to the site, a check for updates
begins and a list of update options is displayed. You can then choose what you want
to install.)
• accessing the Help menu within the program and clicking a command that displays
information about the application, including the version number. Vendors often
include a check for updates link with this information. If updates are available, you
can then follow the instructions to update the program.

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 Configuring Software
Most application software allows you to adjust the working environment to suit your
working style and preferences. For example, the programs in the Microsoft Office
suite are highly customizable, allowing you to change the appearance and
arrangement of toolbars and menus, and allowing you to configure settings for
default program behaviors.

Customizing Toolbars
Within the applications of the Microsoft Office suite, a Quick Access toolbar and
series of ribbon tabs display across the top of the application window. The following
figure shows the top of the Microsoft OneNote application window.

As you click each ribbon tab, a series of commands becomes visible on screen,
allowing you to perform tasks such as copying, pasting, formatting, and so on. The
Quick Access toolbar contains shortcuts to commonly used commands.

At the right end of the Quick Access toolbar is the (Customize Quick Access
Toolbar) button. Click it to open a menu of commands that you can add to the Quick
Access toolbar with a single click.

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Commands that appear in the menu can be toggled on or off the Quick Access toolbar.
Commands that are currently on the toolbar display a check mark within the menu.

Specifying Program Defaults

In computing, a default setting is a preselected option used by a computer program
when no alternative is specified by the user. Default settings within application
programs control (among other things) items such as file save locations, print
settings, the color of the application window, or the typeface of the font.

Working with Windows Apps

In addition to using application software on your system, you can also use apps that
you obtain from an app store. Per our definition at the beginning of this lesson, apps are
small and light-weight programs. They are generally optimized for use on a touch-screen
interface.
Operating System App Stores
An app store is a digital platform for distributing software. Just like full-featured
application programs, apps are written for specific operating systems such as iOS,
Mac OS X, Windows, or Android. For this reason, different platforms utilize
different apps stores.
An app for accessing the appropriate app store is usually built in to the operating
system. For example, the Windows Store app is built into Windows 10, while the
Mac App Store app is built into OS X v10.6.6 or later.

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 Windows Store
Windows 10 comes with built-in apps including OneNote, Mail, Groove Music,
Movies & TV, Photos, Camera, Games, People, Maps, Calendar, Money, and
Alarms, but you can get more at the Windows Store. Click the (Store) icon in the
taskbar to open the Store app and browse the store.
If you want to download and install apps, you will need to sign in with a Microsoft
account.
What is a Microsoft Account?
A Microsoft account is an ID composed of an email address and password.
You use a Microsoft account to log in to Microsoft web sites and services,
such as Hotmail, Xbox Live, Outlook.com and OneDrive. A Microsoft
account also gives you access to apps and games from the Windows Store,
and lets you see your settings and personal files across multiple Windows 10
devices.
If you use an email address to sign in to Outlook.com, Hotmail, Windows 10
Mobile (or Windows Phone 8), or Xbox LIVE, then you already have a
Microsoft account. If not, then you can create a free Microsoft account.

Signing in to Store
Once you have created a Microsoft account, you can use your ID to sign into
the Store app. Click Store in the taskbar to open the store app, then click
Sign In at the upper-right corner of the store window to open the Sign In
menu.

In the menu, click Sign In to open the Choose an account screen.

Click Cortana if you want to use your
personal Microsoft account. (If you have
a Microsoft account associated with
your school or business and you want to
use that account instead, click the Work
or school account option.)

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Enter your Microsoft ID, then click Sign in. Windows will prompt you to use this account
to sign in to your device. Signing in to your computer or device using a Microsoft account
enables you to sync settings across your devices. However, in this course, you will not
use your Microsoft account for signing on to your computer.

To sign only into the Store app using your Microsoft account, click Sign in to just this
app instead.
Your account icon displays as when you are signed in.

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 Finding an App in the Store
The Windows Store is your gateway to apps, games, music and TV and movies. Top picks
or featured items are presented on the first page; and you can click or tap options that
allow you to browse by category. The following figure shows some of the categories for
apps:

When you click a Category here the results show in the window, and a panel along the
left side allows you to refine which apps are displayed in the window.

In addition to browsing the categories, you can type the name of a specific app in the
Search bar and search for it. The Store will display the best matches.

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 Downloading and Installing an App

When you find an app that you are interested in, click or tap it to open its detail
page. The detail page lists (among other things) ratings and reviews, the price of the
app (if any) and similar apps.

Click the price (or “Free”) to begin downloading the app. Windows will
download the app and acquire a license for it automatically. When the download is
complete, the app will display an Install button. Click it to install the app.
When the installation is complete, the app will display an Open button.
You can click Open to launch the app from within the Store. Note that some
apps require you to accept certain terms and conditions, and some will ask for
permission to access particular features (such as a built-in camera, or your location
information) before they open for the first time. Once you have accepted the terms
and granted appropriate permissions, the app will run.
You can launch an installed app at any time from the Start menu: click Start,
click All apps, then click or tap the app to launch it.

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 Deleting an App
Apps can be easily removed from your PC. Click Start, All apps, then right-
click the app in the Start menu and click Uninstall. Confirm that you want to uninstall
and Windows removes the app.

Recovering a Deleted App

If you accidentally delete an app, or if you delete it on purpose and then
change your mind, you can recover the app without having to pay for it again
and without having to download it again.
Sign into the Windows Store, if necessary, and search for the app you deleted.
When you click its detail page, the app will display the message: You own
this product and you can install it on this device. The Install button will also
display in the app, allowing you to install it once again.

Signing out of the Store

If you are using a shared computer, you should sign out of the Windows store. To
do so, click the Sign in icon, then click your account at the top of the menu to open
the Account window. In the Account window, click your account name to make the
Sign out link visible. Click Sign out.

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Messaging Applications
Although personal computing might have begun as a means toward increased
productivity, social behavior (connecting with others) has always been part of the
evolving process. Message boards, forums, email, and chat rooms have existed since the
early days of the modern Internet. We have always wanted, it seems, to be able to use our
computers to communicate with each other.
On the cellular side of things, it seems we have always wanted the ability to use our
phones for more than simple communication. We want them to entertain us, and allow us
to work, and allow us to share files and photos, and video, and more.
And today we have choices. We can work on a hand held or on a desktop. And we
can communicate from either place as well. Messaging apps keep us in communication,
no matter where we are.

Text Messaging
Text messages (or “texts”) are short strings of text sent over a cellular
provider's network using a protocol called Short Message Service (SMS). Text
messages are created and sent from cellular phones (or other similar mobile
devices). As the name of the protocol implies, the number of characters allowed per
message is limited (about 100 to 200 characters per message, depending on the
service provider). The original SMS protocol allowed for a maximum of 160
characters. You can send a text message to one person or to many people.
In addition to Short Message Service, many cellular providers offer
Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), which provides a standard way to send
messages that include multimedia content to and from mobile phones or other
suitably equipped mobile devices.

Non-SMS Messaging Apps

There are many messaging apps today that bypass your cellular carrier’s
SMS and MMS service, and use Wi-Fi or mobile data instead. Exchanges
between users who have the same app installed are free. These include:
• WhatsApp – a cross-platform messaging system that supports Android,
iOS, Windows 10 Mobile and BlackBerry devices. You can send individual
and group text, photo, and voice/video messages using mobile data or Wi-Fi.
Messages to any other WhatsApp user are free.
• Viber – supports Android, iOS, Windows 10 Mobile and BlackBerry, and
includes desktop clients for Windows and OS X, allowing you to send,
receive, and manage messages on your computer as well as on your mobile
device. All exchanges with other Viber users are free.
• Facebook Messenger – allows you to connect with anX

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 • Facebook Messenger – allows you to connect with any other Facebook
user (there are over one billion active Facebook users) for free, bypassing
traditional SMS and MMS channels. The app supports iOS, Android, and
BlackBerry and also includes a Windows desktop client that allows you to
use your computer for messaging instead of your phone.

Chat
Many social networking sites (such as Facebook or Google+) include built-in “chat”
or “messenger” features, and accordingly, most instant messaging clients allow you to
connect to and exchange messages with the people you know on social networks.
Additionally, many instant messaging and chat clients are associated with online
services, such as a web based email account (such as a Gmail or Outlook.com account).
This association allows you to log into your email account and launch the web-based chat
feature from within your mailbox.
You can type text, copy and paste hyperlinks into messages, and send picture files
with your chat messages. Gmail chat even lets you draw and send freehand images with
your chat messages. You can also send chat messages to a contact who is not currently
online. Your recipient will see the message the next time he or she signs in. In this way, a
chat service is similar to email; you can send messages to people who are not currently
online.

Using Gmail Chat

Gmail includes built-in chat features that you can use, and chat sessions take
place on the Google Hangouts platform. The chat “roster” appears on the left side
of the page below your name. In order to engage in “real time” chat, you and the
person with whom you want to chat must be logged into Gmail. A green circle in
the chat roster indicates that a contact is logged in. (If your intended recipient is not
logged in, you can send a message to your offline contact, and that message will be
seen the next time he or she signs in).
The roster stores previous chat sessions, and you can click one to open it and
pick up a conversation where you left off.

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Instant Messaging
Sometimes referred to as IM, this type of electronic communication allows two or more
participants to "converse" with one another in real time by typing messages in the window
of an instant messaging program.

Instant messaging programs such as Skype, ICQ, or Yahoo! Messenger enable people to
chat with each other, regardless of where they are located. For example, two participants
may be working on different floors of the same office building, and they can type
messages back and forth to one another as a means of real-time communication.

Using Skype
Skype comes in both business and consumer versions. Skype for Business lets you add
up to 250 people to an online meeting and is integrated into Microsoft Office apps,
allowing you to schedule online meetings from Outlook. It costs $2 per month per user.
Skype for consumers is free.

Adding Contacts
To send instant messages in Skype, you need to add people to your Contact list.
In the menu bar in the Skype window, click Contacts, point to Add Contact, then click
Search Skype Directory to open the Search field. Enter the Skype name (or email address
or mobile number) of the person you want to add then click the Search Skype button. The
results display below the Search field.

In the Search results, click the contact you want to add. The contact information displays
in the central pane in the Skype window along with information about whether this person
is in your Contacts list.

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 Click Add to Contacts to open an invitation. You must invite your intended contact before
you can add him or her to your Contacts list.

Notice that you can replace the boilerplate text with a message of your own. Click Send to
send the invitation. A received invitation (shown in the figure) will appear in your
recipient’s Recent tab.

When you receive an invitation, click it to open it in the Skype window. Click Accept to
share your contact details. Once you accept, you are added to the requestor’s Contacts list,
and that person is added to yours. You can now exchange messages.

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In this exercise, you will create a Microsoft account. If you already have a Microsoft
account, skip this exercise.

1. Open the Internet Explorer browser and navigate to https://account.microsoft.com.

2. Click Sign in, then below the Sign in button, to the right of No account?, click Create
one!
3. Enter your Hotmail or outlook.com email address and password, or click the Get a new
email address link to create a new account/email address. Fill out the rest of the form (ask
your teacher for help if you need to), then tap or click Create account. Your Microsoft
account is created and you are signed in. (If prompted, do not let the browser save your
password.)
4. Be sure to record your Microsoft ID.
5. Click your user icon in the upper-right corner of the window, then click Sign out.
6. Close your browser.

In this exercise, you will sign into the Store app with your Microsoft account.

1. In the taskbar, click Store to open the Store app.

2. In the upper-right corner of the window, click Sign In, then in the menu, click Sign In.
3. In the Choose an account screen, click Cortana.
4. Enter your Microsoft ID and click Sign in.
5. Click Sign in to just this app instead. You are now signed into the Store app.
6. Minimize the Store window.

In this exercise, you will explore the Windows Store and download and install a
windows app.

1. Restore the Store window.

2. At the top of the window, click Apps to see the top apps.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the page, then in the Categories, click News & weather to view
news and weather apps.
4. In the Refine panel, click Best-rated.

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 Name: _____________________________________________ Rating: ________________
Year and Section:_____________ Professor / Instructor: __________________________
Due of Submission: _____________________________

<< Week No. 5 >>

<< SOFTWARE >>

Review Questions

1. Which of the following is true of locally-installed software?

a. It is installed and runs directly on your device.
b. It is streamed to your device whenever you use it.
c. It is hosted in the cloud.
d. It is automatically updated.

2. Which of the following defines what you can do with the software you have
purchased?
a. An End User License Agreement (EULA).
b. The Software Assurance Agreement Services (SAAS) regulation.
c. The Windows Registry.
d. The Fair Use Act.

3. What is the best way to remove a software program from your system?
a. Use the Uninstall a program command in the Control Panel.
b. Delete any files related to the software using File Explorer.
c. Remove the app from the Start menu and tiles.
d. Use a third-party program to uninstall the program.

4. Why should you register your software when you install it?
a. To ensure you receive notification of available updates.
b. To ensure that you receive marketing materials from the software vendor.
c. All users are required by law to register any and all installed software.
d. To ensure that you can get a free version of the next major upgrade.

5. If you need to repair a Microsoft Office program, which option completely uninstalls
and then reinstalls the software?
a. Quick Repair
b. Online Repair
c. Neither option uninstalls and then reinstalls.
d. Both options uninstall and then reinstall; one is just faster than the other.

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6. Which of the following is an example of configuring an application program?
a. Setting a default save location and customizing toolbar buttons.
b. Making an adjustment in the Control Panel that tells the operating system to
run the program in compatibility mode so that the application works smoothly.
c. Making an edit to the Windows Registry so the application starts immediately
after the Desktop displays.
d. Using your Microsoft ID to log in to your computer instead of using a local
log in account.

7. What do you need to do before you can download or install apps from the Windows
Store?
a. Sign in with a Microsoft Account.
b. Update your operating system.
c. Open an Outlook.com email account.
d. Create an account on the Windows Store.

8. What was the original size limit for messages sent via SMS?
a. 160 characters c. 160 KB
b. 16 KB d. 16 MB

9. Which of the following is true regarding Gmail chat?

a. Chat sessions take place on Google Hangouts.
b. You cannot use the chat feature from within Gmail.
c. You must download and install the G-Chat desktop client before you can use
Gmail chat.
d. Messages that you send in Gmail chat are limited to 160 characters.

10. Which of the following items can you send in a Skype instant message?
a. You can send all of these items via Skype.
b. Document files and images.
c. Video messages.
d. Contact cards and Mojis.

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 CCI Learning Solutions Inc. (2016), IC3 Internet and Computing Core
Certification Guide Global Standard 5

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