OOU-PRL 201
Computer Application to Legal Studies and
Research Methodology I
MODULE 4 :
HARDWARE VS. SOFTWARE
Facilitator:
Dr A.K.A. Kolawole
SOFTWARE
• Software is a set of instructions, data or programs used to
operate computers and execute specific tasks.
• It is the opposite of hardware, which describes the physical
aspects of a computer.
• Software is a generic term used to refer to
applications, scripts and programs that run on a device.
• It can be thought of as the variable part of a computer, while
hardware is the invariable part.
• Software is a collection of programs and procedures that
perform tasks on a computer.
Software
• Early software was written for specific computers and sold with
the hardware it ran on.
• In the 1980s, software began to be sold on floppy disks and,
later, CDs and DVDs.
• Today, most software is purchased and directly downloaded
over the internet.
• Software can be found on vendor and application service
provider websites.
• Software is a collection of programs and procedures that
perform tasks on a computer.
System Software
• Software is a program designed to run a computer's hardware
and applications and manage its resources, such as its memory,
processors, and devices.
• It also provides a platform for running application software.
• Software is typically bundled with a computer's operating
system.
• Software is thus an ordered sequence of instructions that change
the state of a computer’s hardware.
• There are three general types of software:
• (i) System software
• (ii) Programming software
• (iii) Application software
System software
• System software programs are designed to run a computer's
application programs and hardware.
• System software coordinates the activities and functions of the
hardware and software.
• It controls the operations of the computer hardware and provides
an environment or platform for all the other types of software to
work in.
• Systems software includes Windows, Linux, MacOS X, BSD, etc.
• Each type of system software has its own set of unique
characteristics.
• For example, Windows XP is designed for Microsoft products,
Features of the System software
• High Speed
• Versatility
• Hard to manipulate
• Close to the system
• ManageS the computer itself.
• Runs in the background, maintaining the computer's basic
functions
• Provides a platform for application software to be run.
Types of System Software
• The most common types of system software are:
• Operating systems (OS):
• Controls how hardware works,
• It manages the computer's memory, processes, etc
• Device drivers:
• Tiny programs that enable a computer to communicate with its hardware
devices, such as printers, scanners, and keyboards.,
• Middleware:
• Lies between an operating system and the applications running on it.
Functions as hidden translation layer.
• Enables communication and data management for distributed
applications.
System Software
• Utilities:
• Programs that help maintain and optimize a computer's
performance.
• Examples of utility programs include file managers, virus
scanners, and disk defragmenters.
• Programming language interpreters:.
• Programmess that convert code written in one programming
language into another programming language.
• A translator which converts code from an older language into a
newer one, making it easier to keep your code up-to-date.
Examples of system software
The BIOS (basic input/output system) :
A program fixed and embedded on a device’s microprocessor
It helps to initialize hardware operations
It helps to manage the data flow to and from the operating system
(OS) at the time of bootup.
Functions of system software
• System software manages:
• the booting program
• the computer's basic functions,
• the disk operating system,
• the file management,
• the utility software and operating systems.
Five Important Tasks performed by the OS
(Operating system )
• 1.File management and process scheduling.
• 2.Processor and memory management.
• 3. Error detection.
• 4. Security
• 5. Control and management.
Programming software
• Programming software is a tool for creating computer code that
allows computer software to operate.
• Programming software provides the programming tools
software developers need to develop programming language.
• Programming software enables software engineers to develop,
write, test and debug other software programs.
• Examples of programming software include assemblers,
compilers, debuggers and interpreters.
• Computer programmers use programming software to write
codes or programmes.
Programming Languages
• Programming languages are broadly categorized into three
types -
• 1. Machine level language,
• 2. Assembly level language,
• 3. High-level language.
Machine language
• A computer can only process binary: a stream of ones and zeros.
Binary is the computer’s language. Instructions for the
computer are also stored as ones and zeros that the computer
must decode and execute.
Assembly language (ASM)
• Assembly language is a human-readable instruction mode that
translates binary op-code into assembly instruction. A CPU
cannot process or execute assembly instructions, so an encoder
is required that can convert assembly language to machine
language.
• Assembler: An assembler translates an assembly language
program into machine language. .
High-level languages
• Assembly language is referred to as a low-level
language because it’s a lot like machine language. To overcome
these shortcomings, high-level languages were created.
• These are called programming languages, and they allow us to
create powerful, complex, human-readable programs without
large numbers of low-level instructions.
High-level languages
• Some of the most famous high-level languages are:
• Python
• C++
• Java
• Rust
Application software
• Application software
• The sole purpose of application software is to aid the user in
doing specified tasks.
• Web browsers like Firefox and Google Chrome, as well as
Microsoft Word and Excel, are examples of application
software that is used on a personal computer or laptop.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HARDWARE AND
SOFTWARE
• Physical devices that store and run Software WHILE Collection
of coded instructions that all us to interact with a computer
• Works as the delivery system WHILE Performs specific tasks
• Monitor, printer, scanners, label makers, routers and hard drive
WHILE Adobe, Google Chrome, Microsoft Excel, Spotify
DIFFERENCES CONTD
• Hardware begins functioning when software is loaded WHILE
Software must be installed on hardware
• Hardware will wear down over time WHILE Software will not
wear down, but it is vulnerable to bugs / becoming outdated
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HARDWARE AND
SOFTWARE
Hardware Software
Physical devices that store and run software Collection of coded instructions that we use to interact with a computer
Works as the delivery system Performs specific tasks
Monitor, printer, scanners , label makers, routers and hard drive Examples of Application Software are:Adobe, Google Chrome, Microsoft Excel,
Hardware begins functioning when software is loaded. Software must be installed on hardware
Hardware will wear down over time Software will not wear down, but it is vulnerable to bugs / becoming outdat
