What is Software?

What is Software?

Software, simply are the computer programs. The instructions given to the computer in the form of a program is called Software. Software is the set of programs, which are used for different purposes. All the programs used in  computer to perform specific task is called Software.

Types of Software:

1. System Software

            a)Operating System Software

              ex:- Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Mac os, Unix/Linux... 

            b)Utility Software

              ex:-Windows Explorer(File/Folder Management),Compression Tool, Anti-Virus Utilities,Disk Clean, Backup, Winrar 

            c)Language Processors

              ex:-Compiler, Interpreter and Assembler....

      2. Application Software

        a)Package Software

             ex:-Microsoft Office 2016, Macromedia(Dreamweaver, Flash, Freehand), Adobe(Photoshop, After effect,Spark)                   

        b)Tailored or Custom Software

             ex:-School Management system, Inventory Management System, Payroll system, financial system etc.  

Operating System:

Operating system is a platform between hardware and user which is responsible for the management and coordination of activities and the sharing of the resources of a computer. It hosts the several applications that run on a computer and handles the operations of computer hardware. 

Function of operating System:

• Processor Management
• Memory Management
• File Management
• Device Management

Types of operating System:

• Real-time operating system:It is a multitasking operating system that aims at executing real-time applications. Example of Use: e.g. control of nuclear power plants, oil refining, chemical processing and traffic control systems.

• Single User System: Provides a platform for only one user at a time. They are popularly associated with Desk Top operating system which run on standalone systems where no user accounts are required. Example: DOS 

• Multi User System:Provides regulated access for a number of users by maintaining a database of known users.Refers to computer systems that support two or more simultaneous users. Another term for multi-user is time sharing. Ex: All mainframes are multi-user systems. Example: Unix 

• Multi-tasking and Single tasking Operating systems:When a single program is allowed to run at a time, the system is grouped under the single-tasking system category, while in case the operating system allows for execution of multiple tasks at a time, it is classified as a multi- tasking operating system. 

• Distributed Operating System:An operating system that manages a group of independent computers and makes them appear to be a single computer is known as a distributed operating system. Distributed computations are carried out on more than one machine. When computers in a group work in cooperation, they make a distributed system. 

Commonly used of operating system:

• UNIX:Pronounced (yoo-niks), a popular multi-user, multitasking operating system developed at Bell Labs in the early 1970s. UNIX was one of the first operating systems to be written in a high-level programming language, namely C. This meant that it could be installed on virtually any computer for which a C compiler existed. 

• LINUX:Pronounced (lee-nucks or lih-nucks). A freely-distributable open source operating system that runs on a number of hardware platforms. The Linux kernel was developed mainly by Linus Torvalds and it is based on Unix. Because it's free, and because it runs on many platforms, including PCs and Macintoshes, Linux has become an extremely popular alternative to proprietary operating systems. 

• WINDOWS:Microsoft Windows is a series of graphical interface operating systems developed, marketed, and sold by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces (GUIs).[2] Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal computer market with over 90% market share, overtaking Mac OS, which had been introduced in 1984.The most recent client version of Windows is Windows 7; the most recent server version is Windows Server 2008 R2; the most recent mobile version is Windows Phone 7.5. 

• SOLARIS:Solaris is a Unix operating system originally developed by Sun Microsystems. It superseded their earlier SunOS in 1993. Oracle Solaris, as it is now known, has been owned by Oracle Corporation since Oracle's acquisition of Sun in January 2010. 

• BOSS: (Bharat Operating System Solutions) GNU/Linux distribution developed by C-DAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing) derived from Debian for enhancing the use of Free/ Open Source Software throughout India. This release aims more at the security part and comes with an easy to use application to harden your Desktop. 

• ANDROID:Android is a Linux-based mobile phone operating system developed by Google. Android is unique because Google is actively developing the platform but giving it away for free to hardware manufacturers and phone carriers who want to use Android on their devices. 

• SYMBIAN:Symbian is a mobile operating system (OS) targeted at mobile phones that offers a high-level of integration with communication and personal information management (PIM) functionality. Symbian OS combines middleware with wireless communications through an integrated mailbox and the integration of Java and PIM functionality (agenda and contacts). The Symbian OS is open for third-party development by independent software vendors, enterprise IT departments, network operators and Symbian OS licensees.

Language Processors:Since a computer hardware is capable of understanding only machine level instructions, So it is necessary to convert the HLL into Machine Level Language.

 There are three Language processors:

1. Compiler:It is translator which coverts the HLL language into machine language in one go. A Source program in High Level Language get converted into Object Program in Machine Level Language.
2. Interpreter:It is a translator which converts the HLL language into machine language line by line. It takes one statement of HLL and converts it into machine code which is immediately executed. It eliminate the need of separate compilation/run. However, It is slow in processing as compare to compiler.
3. Assembler:It translate the assembly language into machine code. 
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