Application software

Application software is computer software designed to help the user perform a particular task.
Such programs are also called software applications, applications or apps. Typical examples are
word processors, spreadsheets, media players and database applications.
Application software should be contrasted with system software (infrastructure) or middleware
(computer services/ processes integrators), which is involved in integrating a computer's various
capabilities, but typically does not directly apply them in the performance of tasks that benefit
the user. A simple, if imperfect analogy in the world of hardware would be the relationship of an
electric light bulb (an application) to an electric power generation plant (a system). The power
plant merely generates electricity, not itself of any real use until harnessed to an application like
the electric light that performs a service that benefits the user.

Examples

Media development software

• Image organizer
• Media content creating/editing
○ 3D computer graphics software
○ Animation software
○ Graphic art software
○ Image editing software
 Raster graphics editor
 Vector graphics editor
○ Video editing software
○ Sound editing software
 Digital audio editor
○ Music sequencer
 Scorewriter
○ Hypermedia editing software
 Web Development Software
Collaborative software
• E-mail
• Blog
• Wiki
Educational software
• Classroom Management
• Edutainment Software
• Learning/Training Management Software
• Reference software
• Sales Readiness Software
• Survey Management

Operating system
An operating system (OS) is an interface between hardware and user
which is responsible for the management and coordination of activities and
the sharing of the resources of a computer, that acts as a host for computing
applications run on the machine. As a host, one of the purposes of an
operating system is to handle the resource allocation and access protection
of the hardware. This relieves application programmers from having to
manage these details.

Examples of operating systems

• Windows XP
• Windows Vista
• Windows Server 2008
• Windows DVD Maker
• Windows 7
• Mac OS X
• Mac OS X Server
• Linux
• Plan 9
• Minix
• Java
• Windows Aero
• Windows NT
• Alpha