Introduction To Software




1. Introduction To Software

Introduction To Software, Software commonly referred to as programs or apps, consists of all the instructions that tell the hardware the way to perform a task. These instructions come from a software developer within the form that will be accepted by the platform (operating system + CPU) that they’re supported. For example, a program that’s designed for the Windows OS will only work for that specific OS. The compatibility of the software will vary as the design of the software and the operating system differ. Software that’s designed for Windows XP may experience a compatibility issue when running under Windows 2000 or NT.

Software is capable of performing many tasks, as against hardware which may only perform mechanical tasks that they’re designed for. The software provides the means for accomplishing many various tasks with equivalent basic hardware. Practical computer systems divide software systems into two major classes.


2.- Two Major Types Of Software:-

2.1- System Software

Helps run the pc hardware and computing system itself. System software includes operating systems, device drivers, diagnostic tools, and more. The system software is nearly always pre-installed on your computer.

2.2- Application Software

Allows users to accomplish one or more tasks. It includes word processing, web browsing, and almost any other task for which you might install the software. (Some application software is pre-installed on most computer systems.)

Software is usually created (written) during a high-level programming language, one that’s (more or less) readable by people. These high-level instructions are converted into “machine language” instructions, represented in code before the hardware can “run the code”. When you install software, it’s generally already during this machine language, binary, form.

3- The Difference Between Software and Hardware

The terms software and hardware are used as both nouns and adjectives. For example, you can say: “The problem lies in the software,” meaning that there is a problem with the program or data, not with the computer itself. You can also say: “It is a software problem.”

The distinction between software and hardware is sometimes confusing because they are so integrally linked. Clearly, when you purchase a program, you are buying software. But to buy the software, you need to buy the disk (hardware) on which the software is recorded.