Computer software

Computer software, or just software, is a general term used to describe a collection of computer programmes, procedures and documentation that perform some tasks on the computer system.

Computer software is so called to distinguish it from computer hardware, which encompasses the physical interconnections and devices required to store and execute (or run) the software. At the lowest level, software consists of a machine language specific to an individual processor. A machine language consists of groups of binary values signifying processor instructions which change the state of the computer from its preceding state. Software is an ordered sequence of instructions for changing the state of the computer hardware in a particular sequence. It is usually written in high-level programming languages that are easier and more efficient for humans to use (closer to natural language). High-level languages are compiled or interpreted into machine language object codes.

Types of software. Practically computer system divides software system into three major classes: system software(helps run the computer hardware and computer system), programming software (provides tools to assist a programmer in writing computers programmes, and software using different programming languages in a more convenient way), application software (allows end users to accomplish one or more specific tasks).

System software includes: device drivers, operating systems, servers, utilities, windows systems. The purpose of the system software is to unburden the application of the programs from the details of the particular computer complex being used, including such accessory devices as communication, printers, readers, displays, keyboards and also to partition the computer resources such as memory and processor time in safe and stable manner.

Programming software includes: compilers, debuggers, interpreters, linkers, text editors.

Application software includes: industrial automation, business software, computer games, telecommunications, databases, educational software, medical software.

Applications software has a wide variety of topics. Users often see things differently than programmers. People who use modern general purpose computers usually see three layers of software performing a variety of tasks: platform, application, and user software.

Computer software has to be "loaded" into the computer storage (as memory, or RAM).Once the software has been loaded, the computer is able to execute the software. This involves passing instructions from the application software, through the system software, to the hardware which ultimately receives the instruction as a machine code. Each instruction causes the computer to carry out an operation-moving data, carrying out a computation, or altering the control flow of instructions.

Sometimes data movement involves moving data between memory and registers, which enable high-speed data access in the CPU. Moving data, especially large amounts of it, can be costly. So, this is sometimes avoided by using "pointers" to data instead. Computations include simple operations such as incrementing the value of a variable data element. More complex computations and data elements together.

1. Answer the questions:

1. What are the "pointers"?

2. At the lowest level, the computer software consists of a machine language specific to an individual processor, doesn't it?

3. What are the types of software? Their functions

4. What is computer software?

5. Name three layers of software, performing a variety of tasks.

Дата добавления: 2015-08-03