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Importance of Computer Software

Software is a set of instructions that allows computers to perform tasks by translating human instructions into a language computers understand. Early software had to be manually programmed, but over time programming languages and operating systems were developed to make software easier to use and distribute. As computer hardware advanced with hard drives and optical discs, software became more complex and could be bundled and installed locally. Today cloud computing allows software to be run remotely over the internet. Future software may program itself or be controlled by thought instead of physical input devices.

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Marlou Mendoza
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9K views5 pages

Importance of Computer Software

Software is a set of instructions that allows computers to perform tasks by translating human instructions into a language computers understand. Early software had to be manually programmed, but over time programming languages and operating systems were developed to make software easier to use and distribute. As computer hardware advanced with hard drives and optical discs, software became more complex and could be bundled and installed locally. Today cloud computing allows software to be run remotely over the internet. Future software may program itself or be controlled by thought instead of physical input devices.

Uploaded by

Marlou Mendoza
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Importance Of Computer Software

Software is the soul of the computer. Without it, the computer will never be useful and
easy to use it is like a dead body.

A computer is a collection of electrical and mechanical devices that can accept human
or electro-mechanical input via input devices and can provide visual, auditory and
kinetic output via output devices.Human input is generally provided by moving and
clicking buttons on a mouse, from pressing keys on a keyboard, writing on an electronic
tablet, touching the screen or with spoken commands. Electro-mechanical input can
come from a variety of data storage devices or from another, attached computer. Visual
output is typically displayed on a monitor while audible output ...

In other words software is a set of programs, procedures, algorithms and its


documentation. Program software performs the function of the program it implements,
either by directly providing instructions to the computer hardware or by serving as input
to another piece of software. The term was coined to contrast to the old term hardware
(meaning physical devices). In contrast to hardware, software is intangible, meaning it
"cannot be touched".[1] Software is also sometimes used in a more narrow sense,
meaning application software only. Sometimes the term includes data that has not
traditionally been associated with computers, such as film, tapes, and records.[2]

Examples of computer software include:

* Application software includes end-user applications of computers such as word


processors or video games, and ERP software for groups of users.
* Middleware controls and co-ordinates distributed systems.
* Programming languages define the syntax and semantics of ...
The History and Significance of Software

Every time you use a computer, smartphone, video game console, or many other
electronic devices, you’re using something that runs on software. Some software is very
complicated, while other software is fairly straightforward and designed only to do a few
different things. Either way, the software is actually the most recent implementation of
something that has been around for quite some time.

Software developed to meet the needs of early computer programmers. Computers,


even today’s modern ones, can’t actually understand any type of human language.
Instead, they all function on binary, which is a series of ones and zeros. Some of the
earliest computers were programmed directly in binary, but this was a long, tedious
chore that few people could actually do. In order to make programming easier, different
programming languages were created. This led to the creation of software, something
that serves as a translator of sorts. Computer users, through the software interface, give
the computer instructions. These instructions are then translated by the software into a
language that the computer can understand.

Before software as we know it was created, there were a few different early attempts at
programming computers. Punch cards were the first. These cards were simple paper
cards that had rows of dots. If the dot was punched, it represented a zero. If it wasn’t, it
was a one.
Early Years of Software

The actual term ‘software’ wasn’t used until the late 1950s. During this time, a number
of different types of programming software were created. Many of the early pieces of
software weren’t available commercially, instead, computer users (mostly scientists and
large businesses) often had to write their software themselves. This did have some
advantages: the software was tailored for the specific needs of the user, and the user
understood exactly what the software was doing. However, the disadvantages were
much greater. Every business or lab had to have someone capable of programming the
computer, and the software often couldn’t be traded to others because it was created for
one specific computer system.

When computers became small enough to be sold to individuals, software became


much more prevalent. Home users couldn’t program their computers themselves – the
average person wouldn’t want to take the time to learn programming languages.
Instead, the operating system was created. This specialized software ran the computer
and launched other software as the user needed it. One of the earliest operating
systems was MS-DOS, the operating system many of the early IBM computers used.

IBM began selling software in the late 1960s and early 1970s. This was the first time
commercial software was available to the average customer, and the ability to add
different types of programs to any computer quickly became popular.

Software Changes Over the Years


Software has become more and more complex over the years. In the early days,
commands were typed in, and early software only accepted keyboard input. Because
floppy disks could only hold a very small amount of data and most personal computers
had no actual hard drive, software had to be very simple. That changed as computer
hardware evolved.

When hard drives became standard in personal computers, software could be installed
on the computer before it left the distributor. This allowed computer companies to start
bundling operating systems and software with computers in ways they hadn’t been able
to before. It also made it possible to load larger pieces of software on computers without
sending the customer a stack of disks. Now users could switch between a number of
different pieces of software without changing disks, something that made computer
work much more effective.

When CD-ROMs became standard, larger pieces of software could be distributed


quickly, easily, and fairly cheaply. CDs could hold much, much more information than
floppy disks, and programs that were once spread across a dozen floppies fit on one
CD. They quickly became the standard in software distribution, and by the mid 2000s,
floppy disk drives were no longer a standard feature on a computer. The creation of
DVDs, which hold even more than CDs, has made it possible to put bundles of
programs such as the Microsoft Office Suite all on one disc.

The Future of Software


Technology continues to evolve, and it’s difficult to say what the future of software
entails. With services like the cloud computing now being offered, users don’t even
need to download software to their computers they can run programs directly from the
cloud with minimal installation. Of course, this does require a stable high speed internet
connection, but as the internet becomes faster and more people have stronger, more
reliable internet connections, that won’t be a problem.

While artificial intelligence and self-aware robots seem like the stuff of science fiction,
it’s actually possible that the computers of the future will be able to program themselves.
Advanced programs may be able to develop code for new programs based on what the
user enters or needs. They may even be able to create newer, improved versions of
themselves or design entirely new operating systems. Perhaps we won’t even need to
use a keyboard and mouse to use future software perhaps we’ll simply be able to think
our commands to the computer!

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