Learning Objectives
- Define software and relate it to hardware.
- Distinguish system software from application software.
- Preview how software is acquired and written.
Next: system vs application software, acquisition, programming languages, operating system.
What software is
Software is a set of instructions (plus associated data) that tells hardware what to do. Hardware is the body; software is the behavior. The same PC can be a word processor, a spreadsheet, or a web browser depending on which programs run.
Two main types
System software manages the machine: operating system, device drivers, utilities. Users rarely “open” it as a document; it runs in the background so applications can use disk, memory, and network.
Application software performs user tasks: Word, Excel, a banking app, a browser. Organizations spend most of their license budget here because this is where business processes live.
Firmware (BIOS/UEFI) sits in between: software stored on a chip that starts the hardware before the OS loads.
Why types matter in exams and jobs
A question that says “give two examples of system software” is not asking for Photoshop. Build-versus-buy, licenses, and OS choice all depend on knowing which layer you are talking about.
Nepal / business example
A campus computer lab needs an OS and antivirus (system) plus Office or LibreOffice (application). Buying only applications without a licensed OS is not a complete stack.
Key Takeaways
- Software instructs hardware.
- System software manages resources; applications serve users.
- Firmware starts the machine before the OS.
Discussion Questions
- Is a web browser system or application software? Why?
- Can application software run without an OS on a typical PC?
- Name one utility and explain why it is not an “app” in the business sense.
