Software

Software is a rather important part of a computer and it’s hardware. It is often divided into application software, programs that users take a direct interest in, and system software, which may include an entire operating system and other programs that support application software. One category of software that is often difficult to classify is called a utility. A utility is a much smaller program that is rather useful but limited in capability. Some of them come included with many operating systems, such as the defragmenter utility found in Microsoft Windows. Similar to applications, utilities tend to install separately and function as standalone programs that are independent from the rest of the computer. Software is usually packaged as a CD-ROM or diskette. In modern times, it is frequently downloaded via the web as freeware, shareware or commercial applications. The term middleware is often used to define programming that falls in between application and system software.