Computer software

Computer software:

Computer software ,is the layer of program which executes upon the hardware or software is a conceptual entity which is a set of computer programs, procedures, and associated documentation concerned with the operation of a data processing system. Software, is a collection of computer programs and related data that provide the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it.. We can also say software refers to one or more computer programs and data held in the storage of the computer for some purposes. In other words software is a set of programs, procedures, algorithms and its documentation. Program software performs the function of the program it implements, either by directly providing instructions to the computer hardware or by serving as input to another piece of software. The term was coined to contrast to the old term hardware (meaning physical devices). In contrast to hardware, software is intangible, meaning it "cannot be touched".Software is also sometimes used in a more narrow sense, meaning application software only. Sometimes the term includes data that has not traditionally been associated with computers, such as film, tapes, and records.

Types of software

• System software
• Programming software
• Application software
• System software

System software provides the basic functions for computer usage and helps run the computer hardware and system.

        System software is responsible for managing a variety of independent hardware components, so that they can work together harmoniously. Its purpose is to unburden the application software programmer from the often complex details of the particular computer being used, including such accessories as communications devices, printers, device readers, displays and keyboards, and also to partition the computer's resources such as memory and processor time in a safe and stable manner.

Programming software

Programming software usually provides tools to assist a programmer in writing computer programs, and software using different programming languages in a more convenient way. The tools include: Compilers , Debuggers , Interpreters , Linkers ,Text editors.

An Integrated development environment (IDE) is a single application that attempts to manage all these functions.

Application software

Application software is developed to aid in any task that benefits from computation. It is a broad category, and encompasses software of many kinds, including the internet browser being used to display this page. This category includes:

• Educational software
• Image editing
• Industrial automation
• Mathematical software
• Medical software
• Business software
• Computer-aided design
• Databases
• Decision making software etc.