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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