Software

The term ‘software’ refers to programs, scripts, and applications that run on a device. It is a collection of instructions, commands, or programs used by computers to operate and perform specific tasks. This means that software is an instruction set that tells the computer what to do after receiving and interpreting user commands. 

Types of software

• Application software

• System software

Application software is the set of instructions that perform some specific tasks according to the requirements of the end-users rather than the basic functions. System software is the set of instructions that are directly related to the working of computer hardware, performing basic functions to provide the platform for the application software to run on. Let us study how software is used in receiving and interpreting user commands.

History of software

The 1940s – The world’s first software was invented by Tom Kilburn in England

The 1970s – Apple’s first personal computer with consumer software was launched

The 1980s – IBM Personal computers were developed

The 2000s – Apple’s very first iPhone was launched

Present – Software is continuously being developed, including AI and IoT.

In the beginning, software was written for particular computers and sold with the hardware the software ran on. Floppy disks, and later CDs and DVDs, became the primary delivery methods for software in the 1980s. Nowadays, almost all software is purchased and directly downloaded from the internet. Applications can be purchased from the vendor’s website or an application service provider’s website.

System Software

System software is the set of instructions directly related to the working of computer hardware that performs basic functions to provide the platform for the application software to run on. In other words, system software controls the internal workings of a computer and its hardware components, including monitors, scanners, keyboards, etc. Between hardware and user interface, the software acts as a conduit. The software facilitates this communication as the hardware understands machine language (e.g., 1 or 0), and the applications speak human language. 

Features

• System software is very fast as it aims to provide a platform that can run higher level software effectively

• The complexity of system software is related to the lack of direct user interaction and the complexity of the programming language

• Software is designed to be understood by the CPU and other hardware; hence, it is written in a low-level language

• Software is directly connected to the hardware, allowing the applications to run

• This software is relatively small compared to the size of all other applications

• Since the software is written in a lower-level language, it is a complex task

Types

Operating system: Operating system is key system software component. It loads first into the computer’s memory when the system is turned on. It provides an interface for the user to interact with the computer and manage all the resources, such as memory, monitor, printer, CPU, hard drive, etc. Examples are Linux, Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac OS, etc.

Language processor: Our systems software converts machine languages into human-readable languages and vice versa by receiving and interpreting user commands. A language processor performs the conversion. Computers can understand programs written in high-level programming languages when converted into machine-readable instructions.

Device driver: Drivers are programs and software that control devices and enable them to function. For devices like printers, mice, modems, and other devices to communicate with the computer permanently, drivers are required. You need to install a device driver that you connect to the computer system before the operating system can control or manage the device.

Application Software

Application software is the set of instructions that performs some specific tasks receiving and interpreting user commands other than the basic functions. Examples are MS news, MS edge, MS word, spreadsheets, slides etc.

Features

• Application software offers numerous specialised functions like painting, word processing, email, PowerPoint etc. This makes it invaluable

• Software applications are typically written in a high-level language

• This software is simple and entering and editing application programs are easy to use and understand

• This type of software is usually large, so it takes up a lot of space

• It is easier to use and design application software since it is more interactive for users

Types

General purpose software: Software of this type is designed to perform the general tasks of the users. This serves a wide range of functions to suit the user’s needs. Examples are – Microsoft Office, MS-Excel, Paint, PowerPoint etc.

Utility software: Supporting applications are used to maintain the computer infrastructure. System analysis, configuration, maintenance, and optimisation are also part of its functions. Examples are antivirus, disk fragmentation tools, disk repair, cleaners, disk space analysing tools, etc.

Customised software: Software of this type is intended to perform specific tasks or functions in an organisation by receiving and interpreting user commands. Examples are train ticket reservation systems, hotel booking, bus booking, Air ticket reservations, etc.

Some other types of software

Program Software

Programmers use this software to write programs.

Malware

An intentional malware program damages computers and disrupts other programs. Inadvertently installing malware can cause damage that is unknown to the user since this kind of software operates in the background.

Conclusion

In this article, we learned that software is used in receiving and interpreting user commands. We learned that the software is an instruction set that tells the computer what to do. We learned that the operating system is a key system software component. Software is of two types: system and application software. Computer software is a general term for computer programs that run on PCs, smartphones, tablets, and other smart devices.