Overview of Hardware and Software
While discussing computers, the terms hardware and software are frequently used. Computer hardware refers to all the devices in the computer that can be physically felt. The CPU, the monitor, and the printer (i.e., the input, storage, processing, control, and output devices) comprise the hardware of a computer system.
Computer software consists of the programs that instruct the computer hardware. When a computer is switched on, an automatic program, called a bootstrap loader is loaded onto the memory of the computer. This program guides the rest of the start-up process, which involves moving the essential programs from the computer's hard disk into memory. The term software refers to the set of computer programs, procedures, and related documents that describe how the computer is to be operated. In simple words, software is a collection of programs that aim to enhance the capabilities of the computer. We can say that the hardware is the skeleton of the computer and the software gives it life.
Interaction between Hardware and Software
The computer hardware and software complement each other. The computer hardware cannot do anything without the software and the software cannot be used without the support of the hardware. Both have to work together to produce useful output.
Let us take the example of a CD, a CD player, and songs. The CD and the CD player are the hardware while the songs constitute the software. To listen to the songs, they should be first recorded on a CD and then played on a CD player. In the same way, to carry out a job on a computer, the required software should be loaded onto the hardware before processing can be done. Apparently, both the hardware and the software are vital. The same hardware can be used to load different software for performing different tasks. Computer software can be broadly classified as System Software and Application Software.
System Software refers to the programs that assist in the proper functioning of the computer. An Operating System is a type of system software. Most of the operating system functions are automatic and provide instructions to the computer on how to get the various components to work together smoothly. The operating system software needs to be loaded onto the memory of the computer before the system is used. Microsoft Windows, Mac OS (for Macintosh), and Linux are the most widely used personal computer operating systems.
Application software consists of programs that are used for performing tasks ranging from word processing to browsing the World Wide Web. Personal productivity software is an important type of application software which helps people to carry out their office tasks with ease. This software consists of word processing programs for written work; Internet client programs like electronic mail (email) for messaging; and web browsers for finding information on the Internet. MS Office and Star Office are the popular applications software.
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