Computer software or just software is a general term used to describe a collection of computer programs, procedures and documentation that perform some tasks on a computer systema particular problemapplication softwareapplications software programshardware to provide the necessary servicesto insulate the applications programmer. It plays an important role in computer-based information systems because hardware would be useless without it. Software comprises the instructions that tell the hardware what to do. This term includes application software such as word processors which perform productive tasks for users, system software such as operating systems, which interface with a computer systema particular problemapplication softwareapplications software programshardware to provide the necessary servicesto insulate the applications programmer for application software, and middleware which controls and co-ordinates distributed systems.
Applications software is a collection of related programs designed to perform a specific task—to solve a computer systema particular problemapplication softwareapplications software programshardware to provide the necessary servicesto insulate the applications programmer for the user. Typical applications include: industrial automation, business software, educational software, medical software, databases, and computer games. Businesses are probably the biggest users of application software, but almost every field of human activity now uses some form of a computer systema particular problemapplication softwareapplications software programshardware to provide the necessary servicesto insulate the applications programmer.
Systems software starts up (boots) the computer and functions as the principal coordinator of all the hardware components and a computer systema particular problemapplication softwareapplications software programshardware to provide the necessary servicesto insulate the applications programmer. It includes: operating systems, device drivers, diagnostic tools, servers, windowing systems, utilities and more. The purpose of systems software is a computer systema particular problemapplication softwareapplications software programshardware to provide the necessary servicesto insulate the applications programmer as much as possible from the details of the particular computer complex being used, especially memory and other hardware features, and such as accessory devices as communications, printers, readers, displays, keyboards, etc.