What’s software?

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Software programs are routines for computer systems. Application programs add functionality for users. Different categories include design, games, education, audio, productivity, reference, finance, utilities, and security software. Design software creates illustrations, edits photos, and arranges documents. Games and education software overlap. Music and audio software create multimedia content. Productivity software includes word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation software. Reference software provides access to valuable resources. Utilities extend operating system functionality. Security software eliminates viruses and malware and prevents future attacks.

Software programs, computer programs or computer software are programs or routines for a computer system or part of the system itself. Application programs are often add-ons, made specifically for the operating system and designed to add various kinds of functionality for the user. Software of many different kinds are made for users with different goals. Frequently used categories for these programs include design and publishing software, games, educational software, audio and music software, productivity software, reference software, personal finance software, utilities, and security software.

Design and publishing software programs provide contexts in which users can create illustrations, edit photographs, and arrange documents for publication. The illustration software includes drawing and painting tools, shapes and clip art that can be combined and overlaid with lettering and enhanced with special effects. Peripherals such as a stylus and an input tablet can give the user finer control for illustration and photo editing. Photographs can be retouched, cropped, and modified in other ways. Simple and complex documents, including those that combine text and images, can be created with elements locked in place for certain results.

Games and educational software programs may overlap because some games are educational. There are also games that are strictly for entertainment, however, and educational programs that don’t take the form of games. Instruction ranges from preschool materials and typing programs to sophisticated adult language classes. Test preparation for college entrance exams and other assessments is also available. The games include many varieties of solitaire, as well as multiplayer games where there is a narrative thread.

Various forms of music and audio software allow the user to create, edit and play multimedia content, while productivity software is designed to get the job done. Productivity programs include word processing software, spreadsheets, slide presentation software, and dictation, note-taking, and footnote software. Referral programs put dictionaries, encyclopedias, magazine collections, and other valuable resources at your fingertips, while personal finance software helps users create and maintain a budget, as well as calculate taxes.
Utilities are often programs that extend the functionality of the operating system. For example, some software allows Macintosh® computers to load Windows® programs. Other software makes it easier to compress and decompress files, while programs for burning CD-ROMs and DVDs are also available. Automatic backup software is also available. Security software is designed both to eliminate existing viruses and malware from computers and to prevent future attacks.




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