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System software
 
 
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System software is closely related to, but distinct from Operating System
Operating system

An operating system is an interface between hardware and applications; it is responsible for the management and coordination of activities and the sharing of the limited resources of the computer....
 software. It is any computer software
Computer software

Computer software, or just software is a general term used to describe a collection of computer programs, Algorithm and Software documentation that perform some tasks on a computer system....
 that provides the infrastructure
Infrastructure

Infrastructure can be defined as the basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise , or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function....
 over which programs can operate, i.e. it manages and controls computer hardware
Computer hardware

A personal computer is made up of computer hardware, multiple physical components onto which can be loaded into a multitude of software that perform the functions of the computer....
 so that application software
Application software

Application software is any tool that functions and is operated by means of a computer, with the purpose of supporting or improving the software user 's work....
 can perform. Operating systems, such as GNU
GNU

GNU is a computer operating system composed entirely of free software. Its name is a recursive acronym for GNU's Not Unix; it was chosen because its design is Unix-like, but differs from Unix by being free software and containing no Unix code....
, Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows is a series of software operating systems and graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Microsoft first introduced an operating environment named Windows in November 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces ....
, Mac OS X
Mac OS X

Mac OS X is a line of computer operating systems developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc., and since 2002 has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems....
 or Linux
Linux

Linux is a generic term referring to Unix-like computer operating systems based on the Linux kernel. Their development is one of the most prominent examples of free and open source software collaboration; typically all the underlying source code can be used, freely modified, and redistributed by anyone under the terms of the GNU GPL license...
, are prominent examples of system software.

System software is software that basically makes the computer work. Besides operating systems, other examples are anti-virus software, communication software and printer drivers.






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System software is closely related to, but distinct from Operating System
Operating system

An operating system is an interface between hardware and applications; it is responsible for the management and coordination of activities and the sharing of the limited resources of the computer....
 software. It is any computer software
Computer software

Computer software, or just software is a general term used to describe a collection of computer programs, Algorithm and Software documentation that perform some tasks on a computer system....
 that provides the infrastructure
Infrastructure

Infrastructure can be defined as the basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise , or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function....
 over which programs can operate, i.e. it manages and controls computer hardware
Computer hardware

A personal computer is made up of computer hardware, multiple physical components onto which can be loaded into a multitude of software that perform the functions of the computer....
 so that application software
Application software

Application software is any tool that functions and is operated by means of a computer, with the purpose of supporting or improving the software user 's work....
 can perform. Operating systems, such as GNU
GNU

GNU is a computer operating system composed entirely of free software. Its name is a recursive acronym for GNU's Not Unix; it was chosen because its design is Unix-like, but differs from Unix by being free software and containing no Unix code....
, Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows is a series of software operating systems and graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Microsoft first introduced an operating environment named Windows in November 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces ....
, Mac OS X
Mac OS X

Mac OS X is a line of computer operating systems developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc., and since 2002 has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems....
 or Linux
Linux

Linux is a generic term referring to Unix-like computer operating systems based on the Linux kernel. Their development is one of the most prominent examples of free and open source software collaboration; typically all the underlying source code can be used, freely modified, and redistributed by anyone under the terms of the GNU GPL license...
, are prominent examples of system software.

System software is software that basically makes the computer work. Besides operating systems, other examples are anti-virus software, communication software and printer drivers. Without the system software the computer doesn't work. In contrast to system software, software that allows you to do things like create text documents, play games, listen to music, or surf the web is called application software
Application software

Application software is any tool that functions and is operated by means of a computer, with the purpose of supporting or improving the software user 's work....
.

In general application software are programs that enable the end-user to perform specific, productive tasks, such as word processing
Word processing

Word processing is the creation of documents using a word processor. It can also refer to advanced shorthand techniques, sometimes used in specialized contexts with a specially modified typewriter....
 or image manipulation. System software performs tasks like transferring data
Data (computing)

In computer science, data is anything in a form suitable for use with a computer. Data is often distinguished from computer programs. A program is a set of instruction that detail a task for the computer to perform....
 from memory to disk
Disk storage

Disk storage is a general category of a computer storage mechanisms, in which data is recorded on planar, round and rotating surfaces . A disk drive is a peripheral device used to record and retrieve information....
, or rendering text onto a display device
Display device

A display device is an output device for presentation of information for visual, tactile or Hearing_ reception, acquired, stored, or transmitted in various forms....
.

Types of system software

System Software can be classified as operating system, device drivers and utility software. An operating system creates an interface between user and the system hardware, while other system software will refine or allow greater interaction with the machine's hardware.

System software helps run the computer hardware and computer system. It includes operating systems, device drivers, diagnostic tools, servers, windowing systems, utilities, language translator, data communication programs, data management programs and more. The purpose of systems software is to insulate the applications programmer as much as possible from the details of the particular computer complex being used, especially memory and other hardware features, and such accessory devices as communications, printers, readers, displays, keyboards, etc.

Specific kinds of system software include:
  • Loading programs
    Loader (computing)

    In computing, a loader is the part of an operating system that is responsible for loading programs from executables into memory, preparing them for execution and then executing them....
  • Operating system
    Operating system

    An operating system is an interface between hardware and applications; it is responsible for the management and coordination of activities and the sharing of the limited resources of the computer....
    s (and their components, many of which are classified as system software)
  • Device driver
    Device driver

    In computing, a device driver or software driver is a computer program allowing higher-level computer programs to interact with a hardware device....
    s
  • Linker
    Linker

    In computer science, a linker or link editor is a computer program that takes one ormore object file generated by a compiler and combines them into a single executable program....
    s
  • Utility software
    Utility software

    Utility software is computer software designed to help manage and tune the computer hardware, operating system or application software by performing a single task or a small range of tasks....
  • Desktop environment
    Desktop environment

    In graphical computing, a desktop environment commonly refers to a style of graphical user interface that is based on the desktop metaphor which can be seen on most modern personal computers today....
     / Graphical user interface
    Graphical user interface

    A graphical user interface is a type of user interface which allows people to human-computer interaction such as computers; hand-held devices such as MP3 Players, Portable Media Players or Gaming devices; household appliances and office equipment....
  • Shell
    Shell (computing)

    In computing, a shell is a piece of software that provides an Interface for users. Typically, the term refers to an operating system shell which provides access to the services of a kernel ....
  • BIOS
    BIOS

    In computing, the Basic Input/Output System , also known as the System BIOS, is a de facto standard defining a firmware interface for IBM PC Compatible computers....
  • Hypervisors
  • Bootloaders


If system software is stored on non-volatile memory
Non-volatile memory

Non-volatile memory, nonvolatile memory, NVM or non-volatile storage, is computer memory that can retain the stored information even when not powered....
 such as integrated circuit
Integrated circuit

In electronics, an integrated circuit is a miniaturized electronic circuit that has been manufactured in the surface of a thin Wafer of semiconductor material....
s, it is usually termed firmware
Firmware

Firmware is a term sometimes used to denote the fixed, usually rather small, programs that internally control various electronic devices. Typical examples range from end user products such as remote controls or calculators, via computer parts and devices like harddisks, keyboard s, TFT screens or memory cards, all the way to scientific instr...
.

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