| Posted in System software | Posted on 04:23
System software
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
System software is computer software designed to operate the computer hardware and to provide and maintain a platform for running application software.
The most important types of system software are:
- The computer BIOS and device firmware, which provide basic functionality to operate and control the hardware connected to or built into the computer.
- The operating system (prominent examples being Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and Linux), which allows the parts of a computer to work together by performing tasks like transferring data between memory and disks or rendering output onto a display device. It also provides a platform to run high-level system software and application software.
- Utility software, which helps to analyze, configure, optimize and maintain the computer.
In some publications, the term system software is also used to designate software development tools (like a compiler, linker or debugger).[3]
System software is usually not what a user would buy a computer for - instead, it can be seen as the basics of a computer which come built-in or pre-installed. In contrast to system software, software that allows users to do things like create text documents, play games, listen to music, or surf the web is called application software.[4]
Specific kinds of system software include:
- [[Loader (computing)|Loaders]
- Linkers
- Utility software
- Desktop environment / Graphical user interface
- Shells
- BIOS
- Hypervisors
- Boot loaders
If system software is stored on non-volatile memory such as integrated circuits, it is usually termed firmware
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