Systems software are programs that manage the resources of the computer system and simplify applications programming.
Key PointsSystems software includes software such as the operating system, database management systems, networking software, translators, and software utilities.
Systems software can be categorized under the following:
- Operating system: Harnesses communication between hardware, system programs, and other applications.
- Device driver: Enables device communication with the OS and other programs.
- Firmware: Enables device control and identification.
- Firmware is the operational software embedded within a flash, ROM, or EPROM memory chip for the OS to identify it.
- It directly manages and controls all activities of any single hardware.
- Translator: Translates high-level languages to low-level machine codes.
- A compiler is a computer program that translates computer code written in one programming language into another language.
- The name "compiler" is primarily used for programs that translate source code from a high-level programming language to a lower-level language to create an executable
- software utility: Ensures optimum functionality of devices and applications.
Additional Information
- Word processor is a computer program used to write and revise documents, compose the layout of the text, and preview on a computer monitor how the printed copy will appear. For example, google docs, Microsoft word.
Hence word processor is not system software.