What is software?

What Does software Mean

Software is a word that comes from the English language, but thanks to its widespread use, it has been accepted by the Royal Spanish Academy . According to the RAE , software is a set of computer programs, instructions and rules that allow different tasks to be carried out on a computer.

Software is considered to be the logical and intangible equipment of a computer. In other words, the concept of software encompasses all computer applications , such as word processors, spreadsheets, image editors, audio players and video games, among many others.
A software allows the execution of different tasks on a computer.
The programing
The software is developed using different programming languages , which allow controlling the behavior of a machine. These languages ​​consist of a set of symbols and syntactic and semantic rules that define the meaning of their elements and expressions.

A programming language enables software programmers to specify precisely what data a computer should operate on.
Software types
Among the types of software, one of the most important is the system software or base software , which allows the user to have control over the hardware (physical components) and to support other computer programs. The so - called operating systems , which start working when the computer is turned on, are base software.
The software development industry has become an important player in the global economy, moving millions of dollars a year. The largest and most popular company in the world is Microsoft , founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen . This company managed to transcend with its operating system Windows and its Office suite of programs Office .
Programming languages ​​are necessary for software development.
In recent decades, software development has become increasingly relevant to the economy , encompassing a wide range of jobs and supplying software to many very different markets. Just take a look at the stores to realize that even refrigerators have software to control different aspects of their operation. This is not exactly a feature of the latest generation devices, since the software has been in the household appliances for many years now, but not always with such a clear and accessible interface for the user.

The presence of a screen to interact with a program is the norm today, but it was not always like that, precisely because it is not a requirement of the software but a tool that provides comfort to the person and opens the doors to greater control . Despite this, consumers with a lower degree of technical knowledge need this visual element to be aware that they are buying a product that has software.
Complexity of computer programs
Returning to software development , given that it covers so many very different fields, it is correct to say that it can also have very different degrees of complexity: programming a small application that stores a list of names, telephone numbers and email addresses does not require the same knowledge or skills that programming a video game requires. Nor are the innate skills or talents needed for both fields the same: while the former pursues the development of simple and small products, the latter relates to technological innovation at a very high level.
However, within the same company, teams that develop different types of software can coexist . For example, making a video game requires the use of programs for the creation of graphics, animations, maps, graphic interface elements, physics simulation and music composition, among others, so that the skills of many people are combined.