Computer Software & Packages
Computer software are the invisible parts of what make the computer work. Invisible, because although we see the result of software in action – the words on this page for example – it’s actually a stream of numbers that issue commands that are triggered by the user or by some other kind of input. Put simply, it’s software that gives you the ‘2’ when you enter ‘1 + 1 =’ in the computer; or the word ‘software’ when you hit the right keys in order. Without software, a computer is just a dumb machine. With the right software, a computer allows us to communicate, to draw, to write and even venture into space.
These days, it’s complicated deciding which piece of software – we also call them ‘programs’ – you need, so companies bundles software packages together to make it convenient. For example, the software manufacturer decides that word processing, budget planning and communicating are important, so you end up being able to buy Word, Xcel and Outlook, which allow you to do those things on your computer. However you may be into a specialist area, such as music production – and there are a number of competing softwares out there for that too. Anything you can think of – from creating cross-word puzzles to designing apps – there’s a piece of software to do it.
One important member of the software family is the operating system (OS) your computer uses. System software isn’t like a game or a word processor – it’s just beavering away in the background making sure that your printer is connected, that the screen displays properly, and such. It’s the caretaker of the computer. There used to be a number of OS in the 1980s, but now the ones that you will immediately know are Microsoft and Apple. Both of these were created by men who took existing technology and made it easier to use. The use of little windows and being able to point and click things with a mouse was an innovation in both these operating systems. You may be asked from time to time to update the OS on your smartphone, allowing the phone to do more complex tasks or function faster.
Most software resides on your hard drive, although these days it’s becoming popular to access web-based software when you need it – you operate the software but don’t have to have it taking up space on your hard drive. It also means that wherever you are and whatever computer you are using you can access your favourite software at any time. But until this becomes standard, hard drives will continue to need software installed to allow computers to work their magic.
