Software is a series of instructions and information that tell a particular computer how to operate. This is opposed to physical hardware, in which the machine first works and actually builds the system from scratch. Physical hardware is extremely complex, involving delicate wires and bolts that must be tightly secured to ensure no one can remove them. Software is more straightforward, but still needs to be well-written so that it’s not prone to mistakes and mishaps. When people buy a new computer, they generally get the software right away. However, if they don’t like the way it works or doesn’t work the way they expected, then they’re stuck with it.
There are many different types of software, and most types have multiple examples for programmers to use. These examples give programmers a guide to follow in order to create the program. When people are writing code, they are generally creating something that runs on their computer. This means there are three main categories of software. These include: Applications, Programming, and Dataware.
Applications are the most common type of software. Examples of applications include spreadsheets, word processors, web browsers, and other similar types of programs. Programmers write these programs to either use the machine’s built-in language, or to run directly within an operating system. Most examples of popular applications have multiple levels of “help” and “log” for users to consult. Many of the leading free software and open source operating systems today have examples of popular applications.
Programming is used to set up a computer system. It is used to read, write, handle, and control data as it comes through the system. A programmer needs to keep in mind the three main types of software that he or she is using, which are: interpreters, intermediates, and drivers. These main types of program can be divided into two major categories. These types are: GUI (Graphic User Interface) programs, which are typically windows based, command line driven, and visual basic, which are typically run inside of a server.
Lastly, dataware is type of computer software that manages all types of communication within a network. The most popular database types include packet sniffers, routing protocols, gateway programs, firewall programs, and security modules. All the three major types of computer software are not mutually exclusive; some can be combined, while others are best left alone.
Some examples of example software include utilities such as test compressors, def rippers, and disk extractors. Other examples include computer operating system components such as boot loaders, kernels, kernel modules, and mainframe kernels. Most operating system examples have been designed to directly interface with the hardware. Some examples of driver software include device driver software, sound driver software, multimedia driver software, network driver software, USB driver software, and networking software. All these examples provide ways for software programmers to create, design, and manage software programs.
