System software
Encyclopedia
System software is computer software
Computer software
Computer software, or just software, is a collection of computer programs and related data that provide the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it....

 designed to operate the computer hardware
Computer hardware
Personal computer hardware are component devices which are typically installed into or peripheral to a computer case to create a personal computer upon which system software is installed including a firmware interface such as a BIOS and an operating system which supports application software that...

 and to provide a platform for running application software
Application software
Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...

.

The most basic types of system software are:
  • The computer BIOS
    BIOS
    In IBM PC compatible computers, the basic input/output system , also known as the System BIOS or ROM BIOS , is a de facto standard defining a firmware interface....

     and device firmware
    Firmware
    In electronic systems and computing, firmware is a term often used to denote the fixed, usually rather small, programs and/or data structures that internally control various electronic devices...

    , provides basic functionality to operate and control the hardware connected to or built into the computer.
  • The operating system
    Operating system
    An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...

     (prominent examples being Microsoft Windows
    Microsoft Windows
    Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...

    , Mac OS X
    Mac OS X
    Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...

     and Linux
    Linux
    Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...

    ), which allows the parts of a computer to work together by performing tasks like transferring data
    Data (computing)
    In computer science, data is information in a form suitable for use with a computer. Data is often distinguished from programs. A program is a sequence of instructions that detail a task for the computer to perform...

     between memory and disks
    Disk storage
    Disk storage or disc storage is a general category of storage mechanisms, in which data are digitally recorded by various electronic, magnetic, optical, or mechanical methods on a surface layer deposited of one or more planar, round and rotating disks...

     or rendering output onto a display device
    Display device
    A display device is an output device for presentation of information in visual or tactile form...

    . It also provides a platform to run high-level system software and application software
    Application software
    Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...

    .
  • Utility software
    Utility software
    Utility software is system software designed to help analyze, configure, optimize or maintain a computer. A single piece of utility software is usually called a utility or tool....

    , which helps to analyze, configure, optimize and maintain the computer.


In some publications, the term system software is also used to designate software development
Software development
Software development is the development of a software product...

 tools (like a compiler
Compiler
A compiler is a computer program that transforms source code written in a programming language into another computer language...

, linker or debugger
Debugger
A debugger or debugging tool is a computer program that is used to test and debug other programs . The code to be examined might alternatively be running on an instruction set simulator , a technique that allows great power in its ability to halt when specific conditions are encountered but which...

).

In contrast to system software, software that allows users to do things like create text documents, play games, listen to music, or surf the web is called application software
Application software
Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...

.

Types of system software programs

System software helps use the operating system and computer system.
control the operation of computer...there are 4 types of system software- operating systems, compilers, interpreters and assemblers.
Examples of system softwares:
  • BIOS
  • Microsoft Windows
  • MAC OS X
  • Linux
  • Canonigo
  • Successfull implementation of the november STAR release by GG.
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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