Software

Software can be broadly defined as a set of instructions, data or programs which, in combination with the underlying hardware and inputs from an end user, allow or cause a computer to execute specific tasks. It encompasses a wide range of categories. For example, operating systems such as Microsoft Windows or Google’s ChromeOS control and manage a computer’s basic functions. A computer’s operating system is what recognises inputs from devices such as the keyboard and mouse; it sends outputs to the monitor and manages the sharing of memory between programs. At the other end of the scale are applications which sit on top of the computer’s operating system and provide a particular, visible function to the end user of the machine. Examples of applications range from word processors to media players to games. The growth of the software as a service (SaaS) model allows users to access and use specific software applications through the internet. The software is hosted and run on the supplier’s hardware at premises controlled by the supplier, rather than being installed locally on the customer’s own equipment.

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