Instructions for the computer. A series of instructions that performs a particular task is called a "program." The two major categories of software are "system software" and "application software." System software is made up of control programs such as the operating system and database management system (DBMS). Application software is any program that processes data for the user (inventory, payroll, spreadsheet, word processor, etc.). See system software and application software.
A common misconception is that software is data. It is not. Software tells the hardware how to process the data.
Software is "run."
Data are "processed."
A common misconception is that software is data. It is not. Software tells the hardware how to process the data.
Software is "run."
Data are "processed."
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2009 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
- Green Dam's day not done
- Green Dam's day not doneThe path to hell is paved with good intentionsThats the problem with people speaking up, flames on blogs, groups rising up against software, techies attacking software both verbally, written or even with code, people logging bugs in software, groups saying bad things about software....etc....All that will...
- Discussion threads 2009-07-02
- Touch in Windows 7: Just for show?
- Support for multitouch input is one of the most tangible ways that Windows 7 differs from its predecessors. But will many people actually get their hands on the technology? There's a reason the first thing in Windows 7 that Microsoft chose to show publicly was its support...
- News items 2009-07-02
- UpdateStar Premium Edition 4.5 build 950 (Windows)
- Never miss an update for an important program again! UpdateStar delivers only safe and reliable downloads for your PC's software. UpdateStar is the program that lets you stay up-to-date and secure with all of your personal software. Whether it be Freeware, Shareware and commercial software products, UpdateStar manages all of...
- Software downloads 2009-07-02
- Maxtor BlackArmor PS 110 - hard drive - 500 GB - Hi-Speed USB
- Maxtor's new 500GB BlackArmor PS 110 external hard drive ($160) provides trustworthy storage and data backup solutions for the consumer that needs more space. The shape and design of the drive isn't a far departure from the FreeAgent Go, another thin external HDD from Maxtor's parent company Seagate. The PS...
- Product reviews 2009-07-01
- Web Help Desk Software 9.2.0.10 (Mac)
- The free help desk software edition of Web Help Desk for Mac OS X server installation offers an industry leading web-based help desk software feature set that allows you to track and fulfill all of your technical support trouble tickets and customer service requests with ease, all through an intuitive...
- Software downloads 2009-07-01
- Microsoft Software Inventory Analyzer 5.0 (Windows)
- The Microsoft Software Inventory Analyzer MSIA is a tool designed to help small and medium-sized businesses inventory their key Microsoft software. It's easy to use, lets you perform the inventory yourself, and works whether you have a single computer or are part of a networked environment. After running the tool,...
- Software downloads 2009-07-01
- Smart Calendar Software 1.9 (Windows)
- Smart Calendar software help you to prepare and generate event calendar. You can type your events into calendar quickly and easily. It works like a traditional calendar. Smart Calendar will provided with different day boxes to fill your events. You can adjust the background color, text color, and alignment for...
- Software downloads 2009-07-01
- RoboMail Mass Mail Software 2.5.5 (Windows)
- RoboMail is a comprehensive mass mail software, which has a built-in e-mail server to send out e-mail without using ISP's server. You can prepare personalized e-mail easily. You can send newsletter, product release, and promotion to customers easily and stands out from tons of junk mails. Enjoy email marketing with...
- Software downloads 2009-07-01
- Abrosoft FantaMorph Pro 4.1 (Windows)
- Abrosoft FantaMorph is powerful and easy-to-use morphing software for the creation of fantastic image morphing pictures and sophisticated animation effects. FantaMorph is a superior one-stop morphing software that will empower users with the tools to add unique and exciting visual effects to screen savers, web graphics, advertisements, music videos, movies,...
- Software downloads 2009-07-01
- Microsoft seeks a name for its new Office Web Apps suite
- Microsoft seeks a name for its new Office Web Apps suiteGiggle ME j/k nt Office Web Apps"Office Web Apps" sounds just about right to me.Since they never use the cool names anyway...Why not just call it Office for Web. :)Or the slightly more elegant "Remote Office". :)RE: Microsoft seeks a...
- Discussion threads 2009-06-30
- Exclusive: Proof that Green Dam ripped off Solid Oak in 2006
- Yesterday, I pointed out that China's Green Dam Youth Escort software purloins a 2006 version of Solid Oak's CyberSitter net-nanny software and that the developer - Jinhui- was involved in drafting specifications for "parental control software" also in 2006. It seems that this software has been around since '06. ...
- Blog posts 2009-06-30
- Sun VirtualBox 3.0
- Sun Microsystems released VirtualBox 3.0 today. One goal of this release is supporting workloads, such as database management systems, some collaborative applications and many web-based applications that rely on multiple processes running simultaneously. Another is offering support for high performance graphics for desktop applications. Here's...
- Blog posts 2009-06-30
- Donarius Church Management Software 3.35 (Windows)
- Church management software to track members, contributions, pledges, pre-authorized deposits EFT and gifts in kind. Keeps track of relationships between donors such as: families, sponsors and small groups. Donarius lets you view and print tax receipts, donor lists, church directories, mailing labels/envelopes and donations by date or donor. Your tax...
- Software downloads 2009-06-30
- 123 Flash Chat Server Software 7.3 (Mac)
- 123 Flash Chat Server Software can add a chat room to your website in minutes. It organizes chat events or online meetings for social network or portals, etc. Technology utilized: Java chat server and Flash chat client. It is secure, easy and affordable. It has text and video chat included,...
- Software downloads 2009-06-30
- Green Dam Watch: Software dates from '06, Sony is shipping, vendors will uninstall.
- Green Dam Watch: Software dates from '06, Sony is shipping, vendors will uninstall.vendors will uninstall?I still fail to see the logic of doing ANY business in China; it should be illegal for this and a LOT of other reasons, including the fact that it takes bribes to do so. ...
- Discussion threads 2009-06-29
- Confirmed: Developer of software stolen for Green Dam is under attack
- Confirmed: Developer of software stolen for Green Dam is under attackGreen dam removal.It seems that if Green Dam is a stolen program then the programs owner should be able to disable it. Why not Bomb all of the Chinese Green dam programs and solve the problem once and for...
- Discussion threads 2009-06-29
- Are iPod touch users second-class citizens? Apple says yes
- Almost half of all Apple iPhone users have already installed the free iPhone Software 3.0 update released last week -- 6 million customers, according to Apple on Monday. But iPod touch customers? Facing a $10 upgrade fee, the vast majority are saying, "No...
- Blog posts 2009-06-29
- Green Dam Watch: Software dates from '06, Sony is shipping, vendors will uninstall.
- Item: Green Dam Youth Escort - the Chinese net nanny software that must be installed on PCs sold in China starting Wednesday - is largely stolen from a 2006 version of Solid Oak's CyberSitter software. For proof, see this post. Item: Rebecca MacKinnon...
- Blog posts 2009-06-29
- Why Google's software approach won't work for smartphones or the enterprise
- Why Google's software approach won't work for smartphones or the enterpriseBeta Worked For Apple[i]Unfortunately, beta isn?t ?good enough? for smartphones.[/i]It worked well for Apple. Only with 3.0 is the iPhone coming out of beta.Fragmentation and controlFrom what I can tell from reviews and comments by people who have used either...
- Discussion threads 2009-06-29
- Why Google's software approach won't work for smartphones or the enterprise
- Google is making a big run at new markets with business software and mobile phones. However, it will not succeed in either market unless it changes the way it builds its products. Both of these markets will reject Google's "continuous beta" philosophy. by Jason Hiner
- Blog posts 2009-06-29
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