9:22 AM, Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Two examples with its purposes of the following types of the following categories of software.
1) General purpose application software
- Accounting software is application software that records and processes accounting transactions within functional modules such as accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and trial balance. It functions as an accounting information system. It may be developed in-house by the company or organization using it, may be purchased from a third party, or may be a combination of a third-party application software package with local modifications.
- computer algebra system (CAS) is a software program that facilitates symbolic mathematics. The core functionality of a CAS is manipulation of mathematical expressions in symbolic form.
2) Special purpose application software
User-written software tailors systems to meet the user's specific needs. User-written software include spreadsheet templates, word processor macros, scientific simulations, graphics and animation scripts. Even email filters are a kind of user software. Users create this software themselves and often overlook how important it is.
3) Programming languages, compilers and interpreters
An artificial language used to write instructions that can be translated into machine language and then executed by a computer.
A prominent purpose of programming languages is to provide instructions to a computer. As such, programming languages differ from most other forms of human expression in that they require a greater degree of precision and completeness. When using a natural language to communicate with other people, human authors and speakers can be ambiguous and make small errors, and still expect their intent to be understood. However, computers do exactly what they are told to do, and cannot understand the code the programmer "intended" to write. The combination of the language definition, the program, and the program's inputs must fully specify the external behavior that occurs when the program is executed.
example; assembly language, C++
Compiled languages
- BASIC (Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) was designed to provide access for non-science students to computers.
- Java (programming language) The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities. Java applications are typically compiled to bytecode which can run on any Java virtual machine (JVM) regardless of computer architecture.
Interpreted languages- Pascal, as a small and efficient language intended to encourage good programming practices using so called structured programming and data structuring. A derivative known as Object Pascal was designed for object oriented programming.
- (GML) Game Maker Language, as a small and efficient language intended to encourage good programming practices using so called structured programming and data structuring. A derivative known as Object Pascal was designed for object oriented programming.
4) Operating systems
Common contemporary desktop Operating Systems are Linux, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows and Solaris. Windows is most popular on desktops while Linux is most popular in server environments.
• performs basic tasks such as controlling and allocating memory, prioritizing system requests, controlling input and output devices, facilitating computer networking and managing files.
5) Utility programs
Examples include a
disk defragmenter which can detect
computer files whose contents have been stored on the
hard disk in disjointed fragments, and move the fragments together to increase efficiency; a
disk checker can scan the contents of a hard disk to find files or areas that are corrupted in some way, or were not correctly saved, and eliminate them for a more efficiently operating hard drive; a
disk cleaner can find files that unnecessary to computer operation, or take up considerable amounts of space. Disk cleaner helps the user to decide what to delete when their hard disk is full.
A
system profiler can provide detailed information about the software installed and hardware attached to the computer.
Backup software can make a copy of all information stored on a computer, and restore either the entire system (e.g. in an event of
disk failure) or selected files (e.g. in an event of accidental deletion).
Disk compression software can transparently
compress the contents of the hard disk, in order to fit more information to the drive.