Software : Classification

A piece of software is usually classified as being either systems software or applications software.

Systems Software

Systems software controls the operation of a computer. Without systems software a computer would not function. The most important piece of systems software is the operating system. The operating system will perform vital tasks such as :

• Managing communications between computer and connected peripherals.
• Providing a user interface.
• Allocation of computer memory.
• Organising data on backing storage devices.

Other pieces of system software will perform less essential tasks such as backing up files. These programs are known as utilities. Example utility programs are :

• Disk Defragmenter : Reorganises files stored on a disk to speed up loading and storing files.
• Backup Software : Used to produce copies of information stored on a computer so that if data is lost it can be recovered.

Applications Software

Applications software is software that is written to solve a particular problem or carry out a particular job. Application software can be either generic or application specific.

(1) Generic (General Purpose) Software

A generic software package is a package that can be put to a wide variety of uses. For example a spreadsheet package can be used for any task involving calculations or graph plotting. The most common generic software packages are :

Word Processor	Used to produce simple documents such as letters and essays.
Desktop Publisher	Used to produce complicated documents such as leaflets, posters and newspapers.
Graphics Package	Used to produce pictures and diagrams.
Database	Used to store information so that it can be easily searched.
Spreadsheet	Used to perform calculations and draw graphs.

Some generic packages are described as being integrated packages. This means that they incorporate more than one program. For example an integrated package may include a word processor, spreadsheet and database. The individual programs in an integrated package are designed to work well with each other. Information can easily be transferred between each program. Additionally the user interface of each program will be similar so that if you have learnt how to use one program it will be relatively easy to learn how to use another.

(2) Application Specific Software

An application specific package is produced to perform one specific task. For example a program that was written to produce invoices and manage stock levels for a garage would be application specific software.

GCSE ICT Companion 04 - (C) P Meakin 2004