What is the term used to describe a set of instructions that tells the computer how do you perform a specific function group of answer choices?

Software, in its most general sense, is a set of instructions or programs instructing a computer to do specific tasks.

Índice Show

The Four Categories of Software
Programming software
System software
Application software
Malicious software (malware)
Interdependence
Firewalls
References

Software is a generic term used to describe computer programs that run on PCs, mobile phones, tablets, or other smart devices.

Software is often used to describe all the functional aspects of a computer that do not refer to its physical components (hardware). Scripts, applications, programs and a set of instructions are all terms often used to describe software.

Everything that “runs” on a computer, from an operating system, to a diagnostic tool, video game, or app can be defined as software.

The theory of software was first proposed by Alan Turing in 1935 in his essay: Computable numbers with an application to the Entscheidungs problem. However, the word software was coined by mathematician and statistician John Tukey, in a 1958 issue of American Mathematical Monthly in which he discussed electronic calculators' programs.

The Four Categories of Software

Programming software

Programming software is a set of tools to aid developers in writing programs. The various tools available are compilers, linkers, debuggers, interpreters and text editors.

System software

System software serves as a base for application software. System software includes device drivers, operating systems (OSs), compilers, disk formatters, text editors and utilities helping the computer to operate more efficiently.

It is also responsible for managing hardware components and providing basic non-task-specific functions. The system software is usually written in the C programming language.

Application software

Application software is intended to perform certain tasks. Examples of application software include office suites, gaming applications, database systems and educational software.

Application software can be a single program or a collection of small programs. This type of software is what consumers most typically think of as "software."

Malicious software (malware)

Malicious software is intentionally developed to damage computers and/or disrupt other software. Harm is often caused unbeknownst to users who inadvertently installed malware since this type of software usually acts in secret.

Examples of malware are:

Spyware
Computer viruses
Trojan horses
Worms
Adware

In a nutshell, without software, a computer won’t perform any function and will simply be a useless, inert machine. Different types of software also exist in direct mutual relations.

For example, an application software such as a word processing software cannot work unless an operating system runs it, and the OS cannot be developed unless a programming software was used in the first place.

Software needs to be installed before it can function, usually by copying it on a computer or smartphone drive from a physical support (CD, DVD, floppy disk, etc.) or by downloading it over the Internet.

When the user operating the computer doesn’t want the software anymore, it can be permanently removed by uninstalling it (although some malware may require other software, like an antivirus, to be removed).

Software can be purchased online or in shops, or come for free. Trial versions or shareware allow the users to test the software for free for a limited number of uses or a certain time, after which they can choose to buy it.

Freeware and open source software, instead, can be used without paying anything — the latter even providing the source code used to make the program so that anyone can modify or improve it.

Software is a general term used to describe a collection of computer programs, procedures, and documentation that perform some task on a computer system. Practical computer systems divide software systems into three major classes: system software, programming software, and application software, although the distinction is arbitrary and often blurred. Software is an ordered sequence of instructions for changing the state of the computer hardware in a particular sequence. Software is typically programmed with a user-friendly interface that allows humans to interact more more efficiently with a computer system.

Hardware is best described as a device, such as a hard drive, that is physically connected to the computer or something that can be physically touched. A CD-ROM, computer display monitor, printer, and video card are all examples of computer hardware. Without any hardware, a computer would not function, and software would have nothing to run on. Hardware and software interact with one another: software tells hardware which tasks it needs to perform.

There are several differences between computer hardware and software.

Hardware versus Software comparison chart

	Hardware	Software
Definition	Devices that are required to store and execute (or run) the software.	Collection of instructions that enables a user to interact with the computer. Software is a program that enables a computer to perform a specific task, as opposed to the physical components of the system (hardware).
Types	Input, storage, processing, control, and output devices.	System software, Programming software, and Application software.
Function	Hardware serve as the delivery system for software solutions. The hardware of a computer is infrequently changed, in comparison with software and data, which are “soft” in the sense that they are readily created, modified, or erased on the comput	To perform the specific task you need to complete. Software is generally not needed to for the hardware to perform its basic level tasks such as turning on and reponding to input.
Examples	CD-ROM, monitor, printer, video card, scanners , label makers, routers and modems.	QuickBooks, Adobe Acrobat, Google Chrome, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Apple Maps
Inter dependency	Hardware starts functioning once software is loaded.	To deliver its set of instructions, Software is installed on hardware.
Failure	Hardware failure is random. Hardware does have increasing failure at the last stage.	Software failure is systematic. Software does not have an increasing failure rate.
Durability	Hardware wears out over time.	Software does not wear out over time. However, bugs are discovered in software as time passes.
Nature	Hardware is physical in nature.	Software is logical in nature.

Hardware is a physical device, something that one is able to touch and see. For example, the computer monitor used to view this text, or the mouse used to navigate a website are considered computer hardware. Software is a program, such as an operating system or a web browser, that is able to instruct a computer's hardware to perform a specific task. Unlike hardware, software has no physical form.

Though hardware and software are most often associated with computers, software also runs on other hardware, such as cell phones, Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) units, medical equipment, and air traffic control system. Without any type of software the computer would be useless. For example, one wouldn’t be able to interact with the computer without a software Operating System.

Function

Software performs a specific task by giving an ordered set of programmatic instructions to hardware. Hardware serves as the delivery system for software solutions.

Interdependence

Hardware cannot function until software is loaded and software is installed in hardware to set the programs in action.

Firewalls

Firewalls are available for both hardware and software. The most popular firewall choice is a software firewall; these are installed on the computer (like any software) and can be customized to suit individual users' security needs. Hardware firewalls are typically found in broadband routers.

Changes

While it is common to switch to new software or use multiple kinds of software at a time, hardware is less frequently changed. Software can easily be created, changed, or deleted, but switching out hardware takes greater skill and is usually a more expensive endeavor.