Sometimes abbreviated as SW and S/W, software is a collection of instructions that enable the user to interact with a computer, its hardware, or perform tasks. Without software, most computers would be useless. For example, without your Internet browser software, you could not surf the Internet or read this page. Without an operating system, the browser could not run on your computer. The picture shows a Microsoft Excel box, an example of a spreadsheet software program.
Examples and types of software
Below is a list of the different kinds of software a computer may have installed with examples of related programs. Click any of the links below for additional information.
Although application software is thought of as a program, it can be anything that runs on a computer. The table below also includes a program column to clarify any software that is not a program.
Apple os 10 6 free download. Open MSN Explorer but do not sign in. Click any user name. Press the Ctrl, Shift and F7 keys at the same time. The Status and Support screen will open. Click System Information, located on the lower left hand side of the screen. Look for MSN Client. Software DE, HI, LA, ND and VT do not support part-year or nonresident forms. H&R Block prices are ultimately determined at the time of print or e-file. All prices are subject to change without notice. H&R Block online tax preparation and Tax Pro Review prices are ultimately determined at the time of print or e-file. All prices are subject to.
| Software | Examples | Program? |
|---|---|---|
| Antivirus | AVG, Housecall, McAfee, and Norton. | Yes |
| Audio / Music program | iTunes and WinAmp. | Yes |
| Communication | Discord, Skype, and Ventrilo | Yes |
| Database | Access, MySQL, and SQL. | Yes |
| Device drivers | Computer drivers. | No |
| Outlook and Thunderbird. | Yes | |
| Game | Madden NFL football, Quake, and World of Warcraft. | Yes |
| Internet browser | Firefox, Google Chrome, and Internet Explorer. | Yes |
| Movie player | VLC and Windows Media Player. | Yes |
| Operating system | Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows. | No |
| Photo / Graphics program | Adobe Photoshop and CorelDRAW. | Yes |
| Presentation | PowerPoint | Yes |
| Programming language | C++, HTML, Java, Perl, PHP, Python, and Visual Basic. | Yes |
| Simulation | Flight simulator and SimCity. | Yes |
| Spreadsheet | Excel | Yes |
| Utility | Compression, Disk Cleanup, encryption, registry cleaner, and screen saver. | No |
| Word processor | Microsoft Word | Yes |
See our program definition for additional examples of computer programs.
How do you get software?
Software can be purchased at a retail computer store or online and come in a box containing all the disks (floppy diskette, CD, DVD, or Blu-ray), manuals, warranty, and other documentation.
Software can also be downloaded to a computer over the Internet. Once downloaded, setup files are run to start the installation process on your computer.
Free software
There are also a lot of free software programs available that are separated into different categories.
- Shareware or trial software is software that gives you a few days to try the software before you have to buy the program. After the trial time expires, you'll be asked to enter a code or register the product before you can continue to use it.
- Freeware is completely free software that never requires payment, as long as it is not modified.
- Open source software is similar to freeware. Not only is the program free, but the source code is also available to everyone.
See our top 10 free PC programs everyone should have, for a list of software you may want to install on your computer first.
Installing and uninstalling software
How do you use computer software?
Once the software is installed on the computer hard drive, the program can be used at any time. On a Windows computer, a program icon is added to the Start menu or Start screen, depending on your version of Windows.
How to maintain software
After the software is installed on your computer, it may need to be updated to fix any found errors. Updating a program can be done using software patches. Once updates are installed, any problems that may have been experienced in the program will no longer occur.
How is software created and how does it work?
A computer programmer (or several computer programmers) write the instructions using a programming language, defining how the software should operate on structured data. The program may then be interpreted, or compiled into machine code.
When I save a document, is that file also considered software?
When you create or edit a file using software — a Microsoft Word document, for instance, or a Photoshop image — that file is considered a software 'resource' or 'asset.' However, the file itself is not considered 'software' even though it is an essential part of what your software is doing.
What was the first piece of computer software?
The first software program that was held in electronic memory was written by Tom Kilburn. The program calculated the highest factor of the integer 218 = 262,144, and was successfully executed on June 21, 1948, at the University of Manchester, England. The computer that held that program was called the SSEM (Small Scale Experimental Machine), otherwise known as the 'Manchester Baby.' This event is widely celebrated as the birth of software.
How expensive is software?
The price for certain applications can vary widely. For example, there are games on Steam that go for less than $5 and advanced programs, such as Cinema 4D Studio, can cost more than $3,500.
Related pages
Application, Computer abbreviations, Firmware, Hardware, Maxwell Newman, Software Copyright, Software engineering, Software terms, System software, Ware Video to photo software, free download.
Software categories are groups of software. Bo1 free google drive pc. They allow software to be understood in terms of those categories. Instead of the particularities of each package. Different classification schemes consider different aspects of software.
Computer Software[edit]
Computer software can be put into categories based on common function, type, or field of use. There are three broad classifications:
- Application software is the general designation of computer programs for performing tasks. Application software may be general-purpose (word processing, web browsers, etc.) or have a specific purpose (accounting, truck scheduling, etc.). Application software contrasts with system software.
- System software is a generic term referring to the computer programs used to start and run computer systems including diverse application software and networks.
- Computer programming tools, such as compilers and linker, are used to translate and combine computer program source code and libraries into executable RAMs (programs that will belong to one of the three said)
Copyright status[edit]
The GNU Project categorizes software by copyright status: free software, open source software, public domain software, copylefted software, noncopylefted free software, lax permissive licensed software, GPL-covered software, the GNU operating system, GNU programs, GNU software, FSF-copyrighted GNU software, nonfree software, proprietary software, freeware, shareware, private software and commercial software.[1] Deltarune the game.
Free software[edit]
Free software is software that comes with permission for anyone to use, copy and distribute, either verbatim or with modifications, either gratis or for a fee. In particular, this means that source code must be available. 'If it's not the source, it's not software.' If a program is free, then it can potentially be included in a free operating system such as GNU, or free versions of the Linux system.
Free software in the sense of copyright license (and the GNU project) is a matter of freedom, not price. But proprietary software companies typically use the term 'free software' to refer to price. Sometimes this means a binary copy can be obtained at no charge; sometimes this means a copy is bundled with a computer for sale at no additional charge.[1]
Open source software[edit]
Open-source software is software with its source code made available under a certain license to its licensees. It can be used and disseminated at any point, the source code is open and can be modified as required. The one condition with this type of software is that when changes are made users should make these changes known to others. One of the key characteristics of open source software is that it is the shared intellectual property of all developers and users. Apple support os x yosemite. The Linux operating system is one of the best-known examples of a collection of open-source software.[2]
Copylefted software[edit]
Copylefted software is free software whose distribution terms ensure that all copies of all versions carry more or less the same distribution terms. This means, for instance, that copyleft licenses generally disallows others to add additional requirements to the software (though a limited set of safe added requirements can be allowed) and require making source code available. This shields the program, and its modified versions, from some of the common ways of making a program proprietary. Some copyleft licenses block other means of turning software proprietary.
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Copyleft is a general concept. Copylefting an actual program requires a specific set of distribution terms. Different copyleft licenses are usually 'incompatible' due to varying terms, which makes it illegal to merge the code using one license with the code using the other license. If two pieces of software use the same license, they are generally mergeable.[1]
Non-copylefted free software[edit]
What Software Do I Have On My Computer
Noncopylefted free software comes from the author with permission to redistribute and modify and to add license restrictions.
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If a program is free but not copylefted, then some copies or modified versions may not be free. A software company can compile the program, with or without modifications, and distribute the executable file as a proprietary software product. The X Window System illustrates this approach. The X Consortium releases X11 with distribution terms that make it non-copylefted free software. If you wish, you can get a copy that has those distribution terms and is free. However, nonfree versions are available and workstations and PC graphics boards for which nonfree versions are the only ones that work. The developers of X11 made X11 nonfree for a while; they were able to do this because others had contributed their code under the same non-copyleft license.[1]
Shareware[edit]
Shareware is software that comes with permission to redistribute copies but says that anyone who continues to use a copy is required to pay. Shareware is not free software or even semi-free. For most shareware, source code is not available; thus, the program cannot be modified. Shareware does not come with permission to make a copy and install it without paying a license fee, including for nonprofit activity.[1]
Freeware[edit]
Like shareware, freeware is software available for download and distribution without any initial payment. Freeware never has an associated fee. Things like minor program updates and small games are commonly distributed as freeware. Though freeware is cost-free, it is copyrighted, so other people can't market the software as their own.[3]
Microsoft TechNet and AIS Software categories[edit]
This classification has seven major elements. They are: platform and management, education and reference, home and entertainment, content and communication, operations and professional, product manufacturing and service delivery, and line of business.
- Platform and management—Desktop and network infrastructure and management software that allows users to control the computer operating environment, hardware components and peripherals and infrastructure services and security.[4]
- Education and reference—Educational software that does not contain resources, such as training or help files for a specific application.[4]
- Home and entertainment—Applications designed primarily for use in or for the home, or for entertainment.[4]
- Content and communications—Common applications for productivity, content creation, and communications. These typically include office productivity suites, multimedia players, file viewers, Web browsers, and collaboration tools.[4]
- Operations and professional—Applications designed for business uses such as enterprise resource management, customer relations management, supply chain and manufacturing tasks, application development, information management and access, and tasks performed by both business and technical equipment.[4]
- Product manufacturing and service delivery—Help users create products or deliver services in specific industries. Categories in this section are used by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).
Market-based categories[edit]
Horizontal applications[edit]
Vertical applications[edit]
What Software Do I Have On My Computer
- Accommodation and Food Services
- Administrative and Support
- Agriculture, Forestry and Hunting
- Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
- Finance and Insurance
- Health Care and Social Assistance
- Internal and proprietary line-of-business applications[4]
- Management of Companies and Enterprises
- Manufacturing
- Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction
- Postal and Mailing
- Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Real Estate, Rental and Leasing
- Waste Management and Remediation Services
- Transportation and Warehousing
- Other Services (except Public Administration)[4]
References[edit]
- ^ abcde'Categories of Free and Nonfree Software - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation (FSF)'. Gnu.org. 2012-10-18. Retrieved 2012-11-12.
- ^'Heidelberg - Glossary - O'. Directimaging.com. Retrieved 2012-11-12.
- ^'Freeware Definition'. Techterms.com. Retrieved 2012-11-12.
- ^ abcdefg'This Topic Is No Longer Available'. Technet.microsoft.com. Archived from the original on 2008-09-21. Retrieved 2012-11-12.
What Windows Is My Computer
External links[edit]
| Wikiversity has learning resources about Computer Software |
