WHAT IS A SOFTWARE?


Software is a set of instructions, data or programs used to operate computers and execute specific tasks. It is the opposite of hardware, which describes the physical aspects of a computer. Software is a generic term used to refer to applications, scripts and programs that run on a device.  




MAIN CATEGORIES OF SOFTWARES



The two main categories of software are application software and system software. An application is software that fulfills a specific need or performs tasks. System software is designed to run a computer's hardware and provides a platform for applications to run on top of.




There are two main categories of computer software that you need to know about. They are:

1. System software – Operating Systems, Utility, Driver programs.

2. Application software – the everyday programs that you use such as Microsoft Office. Generic Software - DTP, databases, spreadsheets, presentation, Graphic manipulation, multimedia, word processing, gaming, web authoring, email and web browsers etc.

Operating Systems • The operating system is part of the system software. All computers have an operating system, they cannot function without one. • The operating system is a program that allows applications software to communicate with the hardware. • Examples of operating systems are Windows 10, Unix, Linux and Mac. OS.

HISTORY OF SOFTWARES

Software is a set of programmed instructions stored in the memory of stored-program digital computers for execution by the processor. Software is a recent development in human history, and it is fundamental to the Information Age.

Ada Lovelace's programs for Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine in the 19th century is often considered the founder of the discipline, though the mathematician's efforts remained theoretical only, as the technology of Lovelace and Babbage's day proved insufficient to build his computer. Alan Turing is credited with being the first person to come up with a theory for software in 1935, which led to the two academic fields of computer science and software engineering.

The first generation of software for early stored-program digital computers in the late 1940s had its instructions written directly in binary code, generally written for mainframe computers. Later, the development of modern programming languages alongside the advancement of the home computer would greatly widen the scope and breadth of available software, beginning with assembly language, and continuing on through functional programming and object-oriented programming paradigms.




TYPES OF SOFTWARES


Application Software


This is the most common type of computer software, and can be defined as end-user programs that help you perform tasks or achieve a desired outcome. The end-user is the person who is actually using a product or program.  Some examples of application software include internet browsers, a CRM tool like Hubspot, a photo-editing software like Adobe or Lightroom, or a word processing application like Microsoft Word. 


System Software


System software helps the user, the computer or mobile device, and an application all work together seamlessly. This makes system software crucial to running any kind of application software as well as the whole computer system. 

Think about when your laptop or phone has an update. This is system software in action: there is a tweak made to the system software that helps your computer or phone continue to work well and keep applications running. Apple’s iOS is an example of system software, as is Microsoft Windows. System software is always running in the background of your device, but it is never something you will use directly. In fact, the only time most people remember it’s there is when it is time for an update.


Programming-Software


While application software is designed for end-users, and system software is designed for computers or mobile devices, programming software is for computer programmers and developers who are writing code. These are programs that are used to write, develop, test, and debug other software programs. It’s helpful to think of these programs as a translator of sorts: they take programming languages like Laravel, Python, C++, and more and translate them into something a computer or phone will understand. 


Driver Software


This software is often considered to be a type of system software. Driver software operates and controls devices that are plugged into a computer. These drivers make it possible for devices to perform their necessary functions. A very good (and practical) example of this is your printer. When you are first setting up your printer to work with your computer, you have to install software to connect the two so that they communicate and print anything you need.