Software

What is software? Review: recall the difference between hardware and

software (rigid vs. fluid) Software, in essence, is a set of instructions that tell

your computer’s hardware how to behave

OS (The Operating System) Operating system: specialized software that

coordinates all the activities among the hardware

Contains instructions for running application software

Also known as “platform” or “software platform”

Programs that can be run on different operating systems are called “cross platform” applications

The OS is basically the internal traffic cop for your computer

The User Interface The user interface is the portion of the system

software that allows you to interact with data on your computer

There are two types: GUI (Graphical User Interface) Command Line

GUI is more user friendly (mouse, icons, windows, etc.)

But the command line is faster

Application Software Application software: a set of programs that are

designed to perform specific tasks for the user They serve to help users be more productive, not

have to start from scratch every time Example categories of applications: (iPhone folders)

Productivity Graphic design Home / personal / educational Communications

So, let’s try writing a program … Exercise: Your little sister is home alone while

you’re out at a baseball game. She’s so hungry but can’t cook anything. She calls you and asks for instructions on how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Being as precise as you can possibly be, write down exactly what you would tell your sister over the phone.

Basic Idea Computers are not that smart, but they are

obedient When writing software/programs, you must be very

detailed and precise as your computer will often crash if you do not specify what exactly it is supposed to do