A specific use of the computer, such as for payroll, inventory and billing. A series of instructions that performs a particular task is called a program. The two major categories of software are system software and application software. A common misconception is that software is data. It is not.
Software tells the hardware how to process the data.
In operation, a computer is both hardware and software. One is useless without the other. The hardware design specifies the commands it can follow, and the instructions tell it what to do. A communications network that serves users within a confined geographical area. It is made up of servers, workstations, a network operating system and a communications link.