Computer Info
Posts tagged Definition
What is the Definition of Computer Software?
Sep 14th
The term “software” is not a recently conceived of word. In his 1935 essay, ‘Computable Numbers with an Application to the Entscheidungs Problem,’ Alan Turing first proposed and provided the foundation for most modern software. In 1958, the first use of the term software was used by John W. Tukey in an article in American Mathematical Monthly.
Today, the the term ‘computer software’ means written programs, rules, or codes, along with related documentation regarding the operation of a computer system that is stored in read/write memory. The “soft” part of software refers to the many products and technologies developed using different methods such as programming languages and scripting languages. The term ‘software’ is broader and can include different types of devices such as the operation systems of modern consumer devices such as automobiles, televisions, toasters, etc.
Computer software is the job descriptions of what a computer can perform. It cannot be physically touched. For instance, most computers come with software already installed. Software is also available on CD where the user inserts the disk into the hard drive and follows the installation instructions. As well, downloadable software is available on internet sites such as Microsoft. Computer software is basically a series of instructions that tells a computer how to do a particular job. For example, Microsoft Word is an example of computer software. As well, web page technologies such as HTML, PHP, ASP.NET, and XML are examples of computer software.
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Computer software can be divided into two main categories: operating system software and application software.
Operating System (0/S): This system consists of the basic functions that computers perform. An example would be showing movement on a screen such as a mouse cursor was the user moves the mouse. Examples of operating systems include: windows vista, windows xp, Mac, Linux and Unix.
Easy to Understand Definition of a Computer Network
Jun 21st
By definition a network is a group or system that interconnects components together. A network of retail stores, for example, implies some sort of relationship between the stores. A railroad network suggests that the tracks interconnect at different points. And a computer network interconnects computers.
By far the most famous computer network in the world is the Internet. The Internet is, in fact, a collection of smaller networks that are interconnected together – a network of networks if you can imagine that.
But computer networks don’t necessarily have to be large or complex. By definition, the smallest possible computer network would include just two interconnected computers. The interconnection can be achieved using a cable or by wireless technology. Whatever the medium, as long as the computers can communicate together they are part of a network.
Surprisingly, the Information Technology industry doesn’t define networks by size, rather, by location. Computers that are interconnected in a small geographical location such as a home or an office are said to be in a LAN (Local Area Network). A LAN can have two computers or two thousand computers.
Conversely, computers that are connected across a wide geographical area such as between cities or countries are said to be in a WAN (Wide Area Network). Strictly speaking a WAN actually interconnects LANs. Five computers in a New York office are in a LAN, however, the New York office also connects to an Office in Chicago who hosts ten other computers. All together, that network is said to be a WAN spanning New York to Chicago. But individually each office is a LAN in its own right. One LAN in New York and one LAN in Chicago. This is why we say that strictly speaking a WAN interconnects LANs.
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