COMPUTER SYSTEM SOFTWARE

Computer system software is a set of programs that manage the

resources of a computer system. This includes the operating system, which
helps to control the hardware and software components, and the utilities,
which are tools that help the user to perform specific tasks.
The operating system is the most important component of computer
system software. It is responsible for managing the hardware and software
components of the system, including memory, storage, input/output devices,
and other system resources.
Examples of popular operating systems are
1. Microsoft Windows,
2. Apple OS X,
3. Linux,
4. UNIX.
Utilities are tools that help the user to perform specific tasks on the
computer. Examples of utilities include anti-virus software, disk
defragmenters, backup software, and file compression utilities.
These utilities can be pre-installed on the computer by the
manufacturer, or they can be purchased from third-party vendors.
Computer system software is essential for the proper functioning of a
computer system. Without it, the hardware and software components of the
system would not be able to communicate and interact with each other,
resulting in a system that does not work properly. For this reason, it is
important to ensure that you have the most up-to-date version of computer
system software installed on your DEVICE.
Computer system software, also known as system software, is a type
of computer software designed to facilitate the operation of computer
hardware and to provide a platform for running application software.
It is composed of low-level programs and system utilities that provide
the basic services to users and applications.
System software is typically pre-installed on computers before they
are shipped to the end user. Examples of computer system software include
operating systems, device drivers, programming language translators, and
utilities.
 1. Operating Systems: An operating system (OS) is a set of computer
programs that manage the hardware and software resources of a computer.
Examples of operating systems include Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux,
and Android.
2. Device Drivers: A device driver is a computer program that allows a
computer to communicate with a particular type of hardware device.
Examples of device drivers include printer drivers, monitor drivers, and
sound card drivers.
3. Programming Language Translators: Programming language translators
are programs that convert a program written in one programming language
into another programming language. Examples of programming language
translators include interpreters and compilers.
4. Utilities: Utilities are programs that allow users to perform maintenance
tasks on their computers, such as cleaning up disk space, running diagnostic
tests, and backing up data. Examples of utilities include disk defragmenters
and antivirus programs.
Application software is a type of computer program designed to help
users perform specific tasks. It is different from system software, which is
used to run the computer system itself.
Application software is typically installed on a user's computer,
tablet, or smartphone to enable them to use it for specific functions such as
word processing, creating spreadsheets, or managing databases.
Common examples of application software include
1. Microsoft Office
2. Adobe Photoshop
3. Apple's iWork suite.
Application software can be used to perform a variety of tasks, such
as managing finances, playing games, editing images, creating documents,
and communicating with others.
Many applications are designed to be used in specific industries, such
as accounting, engineering, architecture, and business. Applications are
often divided into two main categories: they are;
 1. general purposes
2. Specialized tasks.
General-purpose applications typically include word processors,
spreadsheets, and presentation programs. These programs are used
to create documents, calculations, or presentations. Specialized
applications are designed to perform specific tasks, such as
accounting, graphic design, or engineering. These applications
often require specialized training and knowledge to use.
Application software can also be used for entertainment purposes,
such as playing music, watching videos, or playing video games.

Programming language

Programming languages are a type of code that is written in a particular

order.
The most common programming languages are Java, Python, and C++. There
are many different programming languages available on the internet, so it is
important to choose the right one for the task at hand.
Java is a popular programming language because it is easy to learn and has a
wide range of capabilities.
Python is another popular programming language because it is easy to learn
and has a wide range of capabilities.
C++ is a popular programming language because it is easy to learn and has a
wide range of capabilities.
When choosing a programming language, it is important to consider the
purpose of the code. For example, code written for a web application might
be written in Java. Code written for a management application might be
written in Python.
Types of programming language
There are two type of language in a computer
1. Low level language
2. High level language
LOW LEVEL LANGUAGE
Unlike human beings, the computer understands codes of digital binary
numbers. These binary numbers are made up of zeros (0) and ones (1),
for example, 11000111, 10000111, 101001101. These digits are called
low level language and it is the language the computer understands
since the CPU operates by responding to electrical signals. These are
two types of low level language. They are;
a) Machine and
b) Assembly language

Machine language
Machine language is the only language understood by computers.
It is almost impossible for humans to use because it consist of
only 1 and 0(i.e. binary numbers)
Machine language is very fast to execute because it’s the
only language understood by the CPU.
Assembly language
Assembly language contains the same instructions as the
machine language, but the instructions (and variables) have
names instead of numbers. Assembly language programs are
translated into machine language by a program called an
assembler.
High level language (HLL)
 High level languages are human understandable languages. They
allow programmers to write programs that are not dependent on
the design of the CPU. High level languages are human languages
that are used to solve problems.
The main advantage of HLL. Over LLL. Is that they are easier
to read, easier to write and easier to use. However, programs
written in high level language must be translated into a language
the computer understands, i.e. machine language by a translator.
Examples of high level language are;
 Fortran
 COBOL
 BASIC
 Pascal
 C
 C++
 JAVA
TRANSLATOR
Any instruction presented to the computer must ultimately be
expressed in machine language instructions, since only machine
language instructions can be executed by the computer.
Programs written in Translated program i.e.
high level language low level language

Translator programs are of two kinds; interpreter and compiler

1. An interpreter is a computer program that translates commands
written in high-level computer language to machine languages
that the computer can understand and execute. The interpreter
 translate and execute high level instruction one at a time, which
means that it retranslate instructions within loops.
2. The complier is a special program that translate programs written
in high level language (source code) into machine language
(object code) that a computer’s processor understands and uses.
A compiler is designed to operate on a particular machine, and, is
said to be machine dependent.
A complier translate the whole program completely and
then execute the machine language version.

Stages involved in writing computer

programs
There are various stages involved in writing a good computer program.
These include;
1. Problem identification/definition: this stage tries to identify the
problem in hand. Each problem has a specific method of solving.
All that is needed for this program is carefully analyzed. These
include
 Language to be used
 Type of report required
 Type of data expected
 The stages of processing
 Type of hard ware
 And the need of the user in the report.
All these are carefully put together to ensure the best
solution.
2. Problem analysis: at this stage, a step-by-step procedure of
solving the problem is written out. It is usually in English and a few
mathematical notations. For example, let us find the average of 4
numbers.
 Step 1 – get the numbers A, B, C, D
Step 2 – add the numbers together , giving sum ( A+ B+ C+ D)
Step 3 – divide the sum by four(4) to give average
Step 4 – PRINT the answer
Step 5 – STOP
3. Symbolic representation: this is the step-by-step represention of
all that is expected in pictorial form called flowchart. Flowcharting
involves the documentation, in symbolic form (diagram) of the
processing steps (algorithms) involves in the program.
Examples of flowchart symbols

Terminal symbol

Input/output symbol

Decision box

Processing box

Arrow

4. Coding ( or writing the instructions): the flowchart program is

coded using any of the programming languages convenient for the
programmer. This is normally referred to as coding the program.
5. Preparing data for input: data are required for a program to be
processed for desired results.
6. Testing or running the program: