Chapter TG.2, Problem 1PSA

Program Plan Intro

Software:

• Software is a group of instructions and related documentation that informs a computer “what to do or how to perform a task”.
• Software is divided into two following categories.
  • System software
  • Application software

System software:

• It is used to control and manage the basic computer operations and it is referred as “system software”.
• It includes the following program types:
  • Operating Systems:
    • It is used to control the internal operations of the computer’s hardware, managing computer devices and allowing users to perform data manipulations from storage devices, etc.
  • Utility Programs:
    • It is used to perform a special task that improves the computer’s operation. Programs like data backup, virus scanners and file compression are the examples.
  • Software Development Tools:
    • Tools that help the programmer to create, test and modify software are referred as Software development tools.

Application Software:

• Application software or applications are referred as productivity programs; because, they allow users to complete their task. Examples: Document creation, databases, etc.
• This software is designed to do a specific task. It might be simple or complex that depends on the application used.