SOME TASK-ORIENTED SOFTWARE

There are many types of software available in the market today. Each of these
softwares has its own purpose and benefits in our everyday lives. Among the
various types of softwares, task-oriented software is the most widely used because
of its capability in reducing our work. Productivity softwares or task-oriented
softwares can make our work faster, whether at home or in business, and our lives
easier. These softwares help us in doing our day-to-day tasks and activities thereby
lessening the manual work needed to finish those tasks. The major categories of
these task-oriented softwares are word processing/publishing, electronic
spreadsheets, database management, graphics and communication. Office Suites
are just a mix of different attributes found in the said categories.

1. Word Processing/Desktop Publishing

1.a) Microsoft Word; example of Word Processing Software

 It is the most widely used productivitysoftware because of its efficiency as a
tool for written communication. Before computers came to view, writing reports is
such a hassle because of the inefficiency of their equipments. Today, this type of
work can be done in just a matter of minutes using word processing software. It lets
you create, edit, format, store, and print text and graphics in one document.
Business people use it in making their memos, reports, correspondence and
minutes of the meeting while users in home environment can type letters, journals,
movie logs, and anything else that someone can think of to type.

1.b) Microsoft Publisher; example of Desktop Publishing

Desktop publishing packages are usually better than word-processing

packages at meeting high-level packaging needs, especially when it comes to page
layout and color reproduction. The easy manipulation of colorcombination and
placement of text gives it an edge that word processing softwares cannot provide.
That’s the reason why magazines and newspapers rely on desktop publishing to
produce professional-looking newsletters, reports and brochure.
2. Electronic Spreadsheets

Microsoft Excel; example of electronic spreadsheets

It is made up of columns and rows of number and is similar to a manual

spreadsheet except that the computer does the work of generating results using the
formula provided by the user. It also automatically recalculates the results when a
number is changed or when the formula used is altered. Its ability to generate
output quickly before actually committing resources helps business people make
better and faster decisions. Nowadays, many companies are improving in great
degrees due to the fact that decision-making is done swiftly backed with right
knowledge of what is happening within and outside the premises of the business. Its
ability to enter combinations of numbers in a meaningful way, such as different
combinations of down payments and interest rates for the purchase of a home,
gives users a financial view that they could not readily produce on their own. People
also use electronic spreadsheets when gathering large amounts of data because it
can organize and locate those information easily.
3. Database Management

Student Information System (SIS); example of database management

The softwares used for database management - the management of a

collection of interrelated facts – handles data in several ways. It can store data,
update it, manipulate it, retrieve it, report it in a variety of views, and print it in
many forms. It is useful for anyone who must keep track of a large number of
related facts. Let us look at the example above. It is a screenshot of our university’s
newly-founded student system. Thousands of student data including their grades,
registration information, profile, schedule and even messages are stored in this
system. The management does not need to worry about the changes in the
student’s profile because the actual updating of data can be done by the student
himself/herself. This simple act can save a lot of time, energy and resources of the
university creating surplus resources that can be used in other development
projects.