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| A computer to complete a job requires more than just the actual equipment or hardware we see and touch. It requires software – programs for directing the operation of a computer or electronic data. Software is the final computer system component. These computer programs instruct the hardware how to conduct processing. The computer is merely a general – purpose machine which requires specific software to perform a given task. Computers input, calculate, compare and output data as information. Software determines the order in which these operations are performed.
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| Programs usually fall into 2 categories. system software and application software. System software controls standard internal computer activities. An operating system, for example, is a collection of system programs that aids in the operation of a computer regardless of the application software being used. When a computer is first turned on, one of the system programs is booted or loaded into the computer’s memory. This software contains information about memory capacity, the model of the processor, the disk drives to be used and so on. Once the system software is loaded, the application software can start to work.
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| System software or programs are designed for the specific pieces of hardware. These programs are called drivers and coordinate peripheral hardware and computer activities. User needs to install a specific driver to activate his or her peripheral device. For example, if you intend to buy a printer or a scanner you need to worry in advance about the driver program which go along with your device. By installing the driver, you “teach” your main board “to understand” the newly attached part.
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| Application software satisfies your specific need. The developers of application software are trying to do their best to attract more users to their software. As the productivity of the hardware has increased greatly in recent years, the programmers nowadays tend to include all kinds of devices in one programs to make software interface look more attractive to the user. This class of programs is the most numerous and perspective from the marketing point of view.
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| Data communication within and between computer systems is handled by system software. Communication software transfers data from one computer system to another. These programs usually provide users with data security and error checking along with physically transferring data between the two computer’s memories. During the past five years the developing electronic network communication has stimulated more and more companies to produce various communication software, such as Web-Browsers for Internet.
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