SOFTWARE
Software is a collection of instructions, data, or computer programmes that are used to run machines and carry out particular activities. It is the antithesis of hardware, which refers to a computer's external components. A device's running programmes, scripts, and applications are collectively referred to as "software" in this context. It can be compared to the variable component of a computer, whereas the invariable component is the hardware.
Application software and system software are the two main subcategories of software. Applications are pieces of software that carry out tasks or address certain needs. The hardware of a computer is run by system software, which also acts as a platform for other software to run on.
Other forms of software include middleware, which sits between system software and applications, programming software, which offers the programming tools software developers want, and driver software, which controls computer peripherals and devices.
In the past, software was developed for certain machines and sold alongside the hardware it operated on. Software was first offered for purchase on floppy discs in the 1980s, and then on CDs and DVDs. Nowadays, the majority of software is bought online and downloaded immediately. Websites for software vendors or application service providers often have software available.
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