Software Overview

A computer system is a unique device in that it can serve many purposes. Its ability to do many things for many people is because software is used to determine exactly what a computer can do. Software can be broken down into a few general categories:

Systems software

is software whose purpose is to manage and control computer hardware. Its principle part is the operating system. Other components of systems software are utilities and programming tools.

Application software

is software that is designed to perform specific tasks for the user. A word processor, a Web browser, and a media player are examples of applications software.

Further Info

Wikipedia Systems Software