Programs can be built into the hardware itself, or they may exist independently in a form known as software . Hardware describes the physical components of computers and related devices. Click here for full details. The two main types of software are system software and application software. Application software is programs that do work users are directly interested in.
System software includes operating systems and any program that supports application software.
Software is typically distributed on floppy disks, CD-ROMs, and the Internet . It is typically stored on an external long-term memory device, such as a hard drive or magnetic diskette. The operating system allows all of the hardware and software systems to work together. It manages the computer's operations, controlling devices and overseeing other programs, called applications. An operating system consists of programs and routines that coordinate operations and processes, translate the data from various input and output devices, regulate data storage in memory, allocate tasks to various processors, and provide functions that help programmers to write software.