Basics of Software

Software is a set of programs, which is designed to perform a well-defined function.

A program is a sequence of instructions written to solve a particular problem.
OR,

Software is a set of instructions, data or programs used to operate computers and

execute specific tasks. 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. OR;

Software, instructions that tell a computer what to do. Software comprises

the entire set of programs, procedures, and routines associated with the operation
of a computer system. The term was coined to differentiate these instructions from
hardware—i.e., the physical components of a computer system.

Needs of software:-
An operating system is the most important software that runs on a computer. It
manages the computer’s memory and processes, as well as all of its software and
hardware. It also allows you to communicate with the computer without knowing
how to speak the computer’s language.

Benefits of software:-
Business benefits of new software

➢ Cut costs by automating routine tasks.

➢ Improve the efficiency of staff.
➢ Increase or measure office productivity.
➢ Streamline business operations and accounts.
➢ Replace paper processes.
➢ Communicate more effectively with customers, suppliers or partners.
Types of software:-
There are two types of software:-

➢ System Software.
➢ Application Software.
System Software
The system software is a collection of programs designed to operate, control, and
extend the processing capabilities of the computer itself. System software is
generally prepared by the computer manufacturers. These software products
comprise of programs written in low-level languages, which interact with the
hardware at a very basic level. System software serves as the interface between the
hardware and the end users.
Some examples of system software are Operating System, Compilers, Interpreter,
Assemblers, etc.

Here is a list of some of the most prominent features of system software:-

➢ Close to the system.

➢ Fast in speed.
➢ Difficult to design.
➢ Difficult to understand.
➢ Less interactive.
➢ Smaller in size.
➢ Difficult to manipulate.
➢ Generally written in low-level language.
Application Software

Application software products are designed to satisfy a particular need of a

particular environment. All software applications prepared in the computer lab can
come under the category of Application software.
Application software may consist of a single program, such as Microsoft's notepad
for writing and editing a simple text. It may also consist of a collection of programs,
often called a software package, which work together to accomplish a task, such as
a spreadsheet package.
Examples of Application software are the following:-

➢ Payroll Software
➢ Student Record Software
➢ Inventory Management Software
➢ Income Tax Software
➢ Railways Reservation Software
➢ Microsoft Office Suite Software
➢ Microsoft Word
➢ Microsoft Excel
➢ Microsoft PowerPoint

Features of application software are as follows:-

➢ Close to the user

➢ Easy to design
➢ More interactive
➢ Slow in speed
➢ Generally written in high-level language
➢ Easy to understand
➢ Easy to manipulate and use
➢ Bigger in size and requires large storage space
Computer Hardware:-
Hardware represents the physical and tangible components of a computer, i.e. the
components that can be seen and touched.
Examples of Hardware are the following:-
• Input devices − keyboard, mouse, etc.
• Output devices − printer, monitor, etc.
• Secondary storage devices − Hard disk, CD, DVD, etc.
• Internal components − CPU, motherboard, RAM, etc.

Relationship between Hardware and Software:-

➢ Hardware and software are mutually dependent on each other. Both of them
must work together to make a computer produce a useful output.
➢ Software cannot be utilized without supporting hardware.
➢ Hardware without a set of programs to operate upon cannot be utilized and is
useless.
➢ To get a particular job done on the computer, relevant software should be
loaded into the hardware.
➢ Hardware is a one-time expense.
 ➢ Software development is very expensive and is a continuing expense.
➢ Different software applications can be loaded on hardware to run different
jobs.
➢ Software acts as an interface between the user and the hardware.
➢ If the hardware is the 'heart' of a computer system, then the software is its
'soul'. Both are complementary to each other.
Open Source Software:-

Open source software is software with source code that anyone can inspect,
modify, and enhance.

"Source code" is the part of software that most computer users don't ever see; it's
the code computer programmers can manipulate to change how a piece of
software—a "program" or "application"—works. Programmers who have access to
a computer program's source code can improve that program by adding features to
it or fixing parts that don't always work correctly.

Software whose source code is freely distributed with a license to study, change
and further distributed to anyone for any purpose is called open source software.
Open source software is generally a team effort where dedicated programmers
improve upon the source code and share the changes within the community. Open
source software provides these advantages to the users due to its thriving
communities:-

➢ Security
➢ Affordability
➢ Transparent
➢ Interoperable on multiple platforms
➢ Flexible due to customizations
➢ Localization is possible

Freeware

A software that is available free of cost for use and distribution but cannot be
modified as its source code is not available is called freeware. Examples of
freeware are Google Chrome, Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader, Skype, etc.
Shareware

Software that is initially free and can be distributed to others as well, but needs to
be paid for after a stipulated period of time is called shareware. Its source code is
also not available and hence cannot be modified.

Proprietary Software

Software that can be used only by obtaining license from its developer after paying
for it is called proprietary software. An individual or a company can own such
proprietary software. Its source code is often closely guarded secret and it can have
major restrictions like −

➢ No further distribution
➢ Number of users that can use it
➢ Type of computer it can be installed on, example multitasking or single user,
etc.
For example, Microsoft Windows is proprietary operating software that comes in
many editions for different types of clients like single-user, multi-user, professional,
etc.

Integrated Development Environment:-

An integrated development environment (IDE) is a software application that

provides comprehensive facilities to computer programmers for software
development. An IDE normally consists of at least a source code editor, build
automation tools and a debugger. Some IDEs, such as Net Beans and Eclipse,
contain the necessary compiler, interpreter, or both; others, such as Sharp Develop

What is development environment?

The development environment helps the developers to develop the application or

product using a set of processes and programming tools.
A development environment provides developers an interface and convenient view
of the development process which includes writing code, testing the same and
packaging the build so that it can be deployed.
Examples for Development Environment

• Microsoft Visual Studio

• Eclipse
• Net beans
• Adobe Flex Builder
• Glade

Types for Development Environment

• Language-centered environments: These are built for one language thereby

providing a tool set suited to that specific language only.
• Structure-oriented environments: This kind of environment allows the user
to manipulate structures directly.
• Toolkit environments: This kind of environment provides a collection of
tools that includes language-independent support for programming-in-the-
large tasks which includes a configuration management and version control.