Computer Software

Types

Three layers of software

Operation

a collection of computer programs, procedures and documentation that perform some tasks on a computer system

includes application software such as word processors which perform productive tasks for users, system software such as operating systems

System software is any computer software which manages and controls computer hardware so that application software can perform a task.

Operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X or Linux

Specific kinds of system software include loading programs, Operating systems, device drivers, programming tools, compilers, assemblers, linkers, and utility software.

System software performs tasks like transferring data from memory to disk, or rendering text onto a display device.

A programming tool or software development tool is a program or application that software developers use to create, debug, maintain, or otherwise support other programs and applications.

The term usually refers to relatively simple programs that can be combined together to accomplish a task, much as one might use multiple hand tools to fix a physical object.

Application software allows end users to accomplish one or more specific (non-computer related) tasks.

Typical applications include industrial automation, business software, educational software, medical software, databases, and computer games.

Platform includes the firmware, device drivers, an operating system, and typically a graphical user interface which, in total, allow a user to interact with the computer and its peripherals (associated equipment).

Application software or Applications are what most people think of when they think of software.

examples include office suites and video games.

they run as independent applications. Applications are almost always independent programs from the operating system, though they are often tailored for specific platforms.

User-written software -End-user development tailors systems to meet users' specific needs

include spreadsheet templates, word processor macros, scientific simulations, and scripts for graphics, animations and email filters

Computer software has to be "loaded" into the computer's storage (such as a hard drive, memory, or RAM)

this involves passing instructions from the application software, through the system software, to the hardware which ultimately receives the instruction as machine code

Each instruction causes the computer to carry out an operation -- moving data, carrying out a computation, or altering the control flow of instructions.

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