What is software?

Software is a written program used by the computer to instruct the hardware to perform certain tasks. In a broader sense, it can also refer to all information, both programs and data, in electronic form. Software is intangible, meaning "cannot be touched. The term was coined in order to contrast to the old term hardware which describes the physical aspects of computers and related devices.

It is often divided into two types: system software and application software.

System software helps run computer hardware and serves as a base for the application programs. It includes operating systems, programming languages, compilers, device drivers, servers, windowing systems and various utilities.

Application software allows a user to accomplish one or more specific tasks. Typical application categories include office suites, business software, educational software, database systems, art programs and computer games.

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