How to Use a Computer Software Program - Report Example

How to Use a Computer Software Program Computer use has been on the increase in the current economic environment as they increase efficiency in business transaction processing and analysis. Tasks that in the previous times proved hectic and difficult to carry out have been simplified by use of computers. Also tasks that used to take long to be completed have also been carried out in the least time possible through use of computers. The use of computer technologies has been highly integrated in the manufacturing industries, textile industries, provision of medical services, robotics industry and the aerospace industry. Such applications have been made possible due to the development of computer utility software programs that help in commanding the hardware to respond to particular user requests, and computer application software programs that enhance efficiency when the users are undertaking certain tasks. To gain the best out of computer use one has to know and understand well how to gain access to a computer program and efficiently use it in performing various tasks (Arora & Bansal, 2005). Using a computer program has proved to be, for many, a hard task, and to others it is a very simple task. Others have wondered how to acquire, install and use a computer program with ease and better efficiency without having to face a lot of difficulties. In realizing all these, the user has to explicitly beware of what his/her aims and objectives are during acquisition and use of the computer software program. The user should also know the category of the computer program that may be used to satisfy his/her needs as there are various categories. A computer program can be categorized as system software, application software or programming software program. The user will get different and distinct services from the software categories as noted by Hagiya (1994). Acquisition of a Computer Program For one to use a computer program, he/she has to acquire the computer software program from a dealer. A computer software program dealer is a person who legitimately sells computer programs either to end users or to retailers of the computer accessories. In shopping for a computer software program, the user should aim at purchasing a program that will sufficiently satisfy his needs and at a cheap price. The user should carry out an extensive research in regard to the various available dealers in the market and the business ethics they practice. It has been common practice for most of the resellers of computer software programs to sell programs that are not genuine to unsuspecting customers. The users later find themselves in the corridors of justice for violation of patent rights and copyrights. When acquiring a computer program, the user should verify that the computer program is genuine and has met all the legal procedures. This will help protect the user from been indicted of violating the creator or owner rights during his/her use. Use of any computer software products without acquiring the rights to use is illegal and the creator or developer of the software program may seek judicial action against the user. As user of a computer program, it is therefore necessary to avoid all these for the good the business and the user as a person. If the user is not very proficient in this, he can look for an expert in the area to provide the necessary assistance. Installation of a Computer Software Program After acquiring the software, the computer software program is installed on the machine for use. Some of the computer software programs are easy to install whereas others require an expert’s assistance in their installation. Yet again, others are easy to install but are difficult to configure to suit the needs of the user. A problem in the installation or initial configuration may hinder the user from achieving the best from the computer program. Thus, the software may end up not being economically beneficial to the user. A computer program is supposed to enhance efficiency in the performance of user tasks and must not create more problems to the user. When acquiring the computer software program, the user should ensure that he/she gets the user’s manual. This will come in handy during installation and subsequent maintenance and configurations. The user should go through the installation procedure provided in the installation manual carefully to ensure he/she understands the procedure well. If the user is not able to understand any of the procedures he/she should seek assistance from a professional as some of the computer programs leave traces even after un-installation which may hinder a reinstallation of the computer software program. Some of the computer programs give self explanatory prompts, instructions or directions during their installation. The programs installation process guides the users and prompts the user of the action to take. Some provide terms like basic installation, full installation and custom installation. Each of these categories require different levels of expertise with the installation procedure require highest level of expertise been the custom installation. The custom installation requires the user to have interacted with the software before and thus knows the functionalities for his specific needs. The basic installation only installs the basic functionalities of the computer software program whereas the full installation installs all the functionalities of the computer software program onto the computer machine. It is the best installation procedure for a novice user. Apart from the open source computer software programs, the installation of the computer software program is easy and self explanatory. However before installation, the user should ensure that the required drivers and computer peripherals prerequisite to the use of the computer software program have being installed prior to the installation of the computer software program. This will give the user an easy time for installation and use of the software. Such prerequisites include graphics cards, network interface cards and sound devices among others. The user should also be keen on the required configurations to make during installation. Although an installation process may seem outright and straight in use, there may be fundamental configurations to be made failure to which the program may malfunction during use causing data loss. This is why it is very essential for any person to go through the installation manual to unveil such issues. The computer software program if on Windows platform, will appear in the list of programs on the start menu. Use of the Computer Software Program After the software has been fully installed and configured, the user is now ready to use the software program. Sometimes the user may not be proficient in the use of the computer program, may have little expertise in regard to the use of the program or may not have any information or knowledge regarding the use of the computer program. Thus the user may have no option but to look for an expert in the use of the computer program or search for online tutorials. Any computer software program has an online assistance or an inbuilt user manual. As a user, one should follow the user manual keenly to be able to learn how the user tasks are performed. The user may also contact the online assistance from the developers and enquire how one can perform the specific user tasks. It has also been the habit of most developers to document most of the frequently asked questions with the corresponding answers. These will help the user in performing a hard task that was difficult to perform initially. Before enquiring from online sources it is always necessary to look at the frequently asked questions section to see if there has been a previous problem in performing the task and if there is the remedies given. Un-installation of the Computer Software Program Sometimes a new version of the computer program may be released or the user may find that the program is not necessary anymore. This prompts the user to remove the software from the computer machine. The un-installation of the computer programs just like installation may involve the basic, full or customized un-installation. In the basic un-installation, some of the components of software are left in the memory of the computer, in the customized un-installation the user selects the components to be removed and those to remain whereas in the full un-installation all the components of the software program are removed from the machine’s memory including folders and sub folders. Some of the software programs are not completely removed during un-installation thus requiring the user to clean the registry (Oja & Parsons 2008). Conclusion When the users know all the processes involved in the use of a computer program, they will gain the best from the use of the computer. Any problems experienced during its use should be corrected through consultation of an expert or the developer/creator of the software program. References Arora A. & Bansal S. (2005), Unix and C Programming, New Delhi, Firewall Media. Hagiya M. (1994), Theoretical aspects of computer software, Springer, Springer publishers. Oja D. & Parsons J. J., (2008), New Perspectives on Computer Concepts (11th edition, illustrated), Stamford, Cengage Learning. Read More