Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Financial, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
Computer forensics software made in Germany. Hex editor, disk editor, and RAM editor. Computer forensics, data recovery, and IT security tool. Wondering how to make your computer run faster? Let Auslogics' PC experts show you the Best Software to increase PC speed safely and quickly! Computer Software, such as games and programs for work, has long been a necessary tool for work and leisure, allowing you to use the capabilities of the PC.
Related to computer software: Computer games
Noun | 1. | computer software - (computer science) written programs or procedures or rules and associated documentation pertaining to the operation of a computer system and that are stored in read/write memory; 'the market for software is expected to expand' software, software package, software program, software system, package computer science, computing - the branch of engineering science that studies (with the aid of computers) computable processes and structures computer code, code - (computer science) the symbolic arrangement of data or instructions in a computer program or the set of such instructions alpha software - a first release of a software product that is usually tested only by the developers authoring language - software that can be used to develop interactive computer programs without the technically demanding task of computer programming beta software - software that has not yet been released but has received an alpha test and still has more bugs than a regular release; 'beta software is usually available only to particular users who will test it' compatible software - software that can run on different computers without modification compatible software - application software programs that share common conventions so they can be utilized together computer-aided design, CAD - software used in art and architecture and engineering and manufacturing to assist in precision drawing freeware - software that is provided without charge groupware - software that can be used by a group of people who are working on the same information but may be distributed in space operating system, OS - (computer science) software that controls the execution of computer programs and may provide various services computer program, computer programme, programme, program - (computer science) a sequence of instructions that a computer can interpret and execute; 'the program required several hundred lines of code' subprogram, subroutine, procedure, routine, function - a set sequence of steps, part of larger computer program shareware - software that is available free of charge; may be distributed for evaluation with a fee requested for additional features or a manual etc. shrink-wrapped software - software on CD-ROMs that are boxed and shrink-wrapped and sold in stores (implying a widely supported standard platform) spyware - computer software that obtains information from a user's computer without the user's knowledge or consent supervisory software - specialized programs that reside permanently in the computer's main memory and control the processing of user's programs software documentation, documentation - program listings or technical manuals describing the operation and use of programs database management system, DBMS - a software system that facilitates the creation and maintenance and use of an electronic database upgrade - software that provides better performance than an earlier version did |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Computer Software Applications
Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content.
Link to this page:
Sometimes abbreviated as SW and S/W, software is a collection of instructions that enable the user to interact with a computer, its hardware, or perform tasks. Without software, most computers would be useless. For example, without your Internet browser software, you could not surf the Internet or read this page. Without an operating system, the browser could not run on your computer. The picture shows a Microsoft Excel box, an example of a spreadsheet software program.
Examples and types of software
Below is a list of the different kinds of software a computer may have installed with examples of related programs. Click any of the links below for additional information.
Although application software is thought of as a program, it can be anything that runs on a computer. The table below also includes a program column to clarify any software that is not a program.
Software | Examples | Program? |
---|---|---|
Antivirus | AVG, Housecall, McAfee, and Norton. | Yes |
Audio / Music program | iTunes and WinAmp. | Yes |
Communication | Discord, Skype, and Ventrilo | Yes |
Database | Access, MySQL, and SQL. | Yes |
Device drivers | Computer drivers. | No |
Outlook and Thunderbird. | Yes | |
Game | Madden NFL football, Quake, and World of Warcraft. | Yes |
Internet browser | Firefox, Google Chrome, and Internet Explorer. | Yes |
Movie player | VLC and Windows Media Player. | Yes |
Operating system | Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows. | No |
Photo / Graphics program | Adobe Photoshop and CorelDRAW. | Yes |
Presentation | PowerPoint | Yes |
Programming language | C++, HTML, Java, Perl, PHP, Python, and Visual Basic. | Yes |
Simulation | Flight simulator and SimCity. | Yes |
Spreadsheet | Excel | Yes |
Utility | Compression, Disk Cleanup, encryption, registry cleaner, and screen saver. | No |
Word processor | Microsoft Word | Yes |
See our program definition for additional examples of computer programs.
How do you get software?
Software can be purchased at a retail computer store or online and come in a box containing all the disks (floppy diskette, CD, DVD, or Blu-ray), manuals, warranty, and other documentation.
Software can also be downloaded to a computer over the Internet. Once downloaded, setup files are run to start the installation process on your computer.
Free software
Computer Software Examples
There are also a lot of free software programs available that are separated into different categories.
Pc Software Sales
- Shareware or trial software is software that gives you a few days to try the software before you have to buy the program. After the trial time expires, you'll be asked to enter a code or register the product before you can continue to use it.
- Freeware is completely free software that never requires payment, as long as it is not modified.
- Open source software is similar to freeware. Not only is the program free, but the source code is also available to everyone.
See our top 10 free PC programs everyone should have, for a list of software you may want to install on your computer first.
Installing and uninstalling software
How do you use computer software?
Once the software is installed on the computer hard drive, the program can be used at any time. On a Windows computer, a program icon is added to the Start menu or Start screen, depending on your version of Windows.
How to maintain software
After the software is installed on your computer, it may need to be updated to fix any found errors. Updating a program can be done using software patches. Once updates are installed, any problems that may have been experienced in the program will no longer occur.
How is software created and how does it work?
A computer programmer (or several computer programmers) write the instructions using a programming language, defining how the software should operate on structured data. The program may then be interpreted, or compiled into machine code.
When I save a document, is that file also considered software?
When you create or edit a file using software — a Microsoft Word document, for instance, or a Photoshop image — that file is considered a software 'resource' or 'asset.' However, the file itself is not considered 'software' even though it is an essential part of what your software is doing.
What was the first piece of computer software?
Computer Software Stores
The first software program that was held in electronic memory was written by Tom Kilburn. The program calculated the highest factor of the integer 218 = 262,144, and was successfully executed on June 21, 1948, at the University of Manchester, England. The computer that held that program was called the SSEM (Small Scale Experimental Machine), otherwise known as the 'Manchester Baby.' This event is widely celebrated as the birth of software.
How expensive is software?
The price for certain applications can vary widely. For example, there are games on Steam that go for less than $5 and advanced programs, such as Cinema 4D Studio, can cost more than $3,500.
Related pages
Application, Computer abbreviations, Firmware, Hardware, Maxwell Newman, Software Copyright, Software engineering, Software terms, System software, Ware