Software is a collection of instructions that tells your computer how to process your data and commands.
An everyday example would be a recipe for spaghetti sauce. You are the computer and the recipe is the software. The spaghetti sauce is the output.

Basic Types of Software
   1. Programs the computer needs to run, such as the operating system.
   2. Programs you want to use, such as email or a word processor. These are called "applications."

Operating System
Your computer's operating system tells the computer how to store information on disks, how to get the information back, and how to put information on the screen so you can tell what's in your computer. Now-a-days most of our operating systems are GUI (graphical user interface.) That means that when we turn on our computers, there are colors and pictures. You "boss" your operating system around by typing on the keyboard or clicking the mouse.

• Windows
• Macintosh OS
• Unix/Linux

Drivers and Utilities
Some other types of system software are drivers and utilities.

A driver is a program that tells your computer how to use the things that are plugged into your computer and the things inside your computer. A driver tells the computer how to user your CD player. Another driver tells the computer what the mouse clicks mean.

Word Processing
Word processing software takes the characters you type and decorates them for you.

• Microsoft Word
• Word Perfect

Desktop Publishing

• Microsoft Publisher
• Adobe PageMaker
• Quark Express
  

Spreadsheets

• Microsoft Excel
• Lotus 1-2-3
• QuatroPro

Database

• Microsoft Access
• FileMaker Pro
• Oracle

Graphics/Digital Imaging

• Adobe PhotoShop
• Adobe Illustrator
• Macromedia Fireworks
• Corel Draw
• AutoCad
• Flash - page with flash

Web development

• Microsoft FrontPage
• Macromedia Dreamweaver
• Adobe GoLive

Accounting

• Quickbooks
• Quicken

CMR - Contact Resource Management

• ACT
• GoldMine

Specialized