What is the difference between hardware and software, and between system and application software?
Distinguish hardware from software, and system software (operating system) from application software, with examples
A focused answer to the O-Level Computing point on hardware and software. The difference between physical hardware and programs, the role of the operating system as system software, and how it differs from application software.
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What this dot point is asking
SEAB wants you to distinguish hardware from software, and within software to distinguish system software (especially the operating system) from application software, with examples. The central idea is that hardware is the physical machine, software is the instructions that drive it, and software splits into the system software that runs the computer and the application software that does the user's tasks.
The answer
Hardware
Hardware is the physical parts of a computer, the components you can touch. It includes the parts inside the case (the processor, memory, storage) and the devices attached to it (keyboard, screen, printer).
Software
Software is the set of programs and instructions that tell the hardware what to do. It has no physical form: you cannot touch a program, only the disk it is stored on. Hardware without software does nothing useful; software needs hardware to run on.
System software
System software manages and runs the computer itself, providing the platform on which other programs work. The most important piece is the operating system (OS).
What the operating system does
The operating system is the master program that controls the computer. Its tasks include:
- Managing memory: deciding which programs use which parts of memory.
- Managing files and storage: organising data on disk.
- Handling input and output: working with the keyboard, screen, printer and other devices.
- Running programs: starting, scheduling and stopping software.
- Providing a user interface: the way the user interacts with the computer.
Examples of operating systems are Windows, macOS, Linux and Android.
Application software
Application software is a program that helps the user carry out a specific task. Examples include a word processor, a web browser, a spreadsheet, a game and a photo editor. Applications run on top of the operating system.
The difference in one line
System software serves the computer (keeping it running); application software serves the user's task (getting a job done).
Examples in context
Example 1. A smartphone. The phone's screen, camera and chips are hardware; Android or iOS is the system software managing them; and the apps you install, such as a messaging app or a game, are application software. Tapping an app icon asks the operating system to run that application on the hardware.
Example 2. A school computer lab. Each machine has hardware (monitor, keyboard, processor), runs an operating system that manages logins and files, and provides applications such as a word processor and a programming environment for lessons. The same hardware can run different applications depending on the task.
Try this
Q1. Classify a printer and a spreadsheet program as hardware or software. [2 marks]
- Cue. A printer is hardware (physical); a spreadsheet program is software (application software).
Q2. State two tasks performed by an operating system. [2 marks]
- Cue. Managing memory, managing files and storage, handling input and output, running programs, or providing a user interface (any two).
Q3. Explain the difference between system software and application software. [2 marks]
- Cue. System software runs and manages the computer (the operating system); application software helps the user do a specific task and runs on top of it.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SEAB exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Original4 marks(a) State the difference between hardware and software. (b) Classify each of the following as hardware or software: keyboard, web browser, hard disk, operating system.Show worked answer →
(a) Hardware is the physical parts of a computer that you can touch. Software is the set of programs and instructions that tell the hardware what to do; it has no physical form.
(b) Classification:
- Keyboard: hardware (a physical input device).
- Web browser: software (an application program).
- Hard disk: hardware (a physical storage device).
- Operating system: software (system software).
Markers reward hardware as physical and software as programs, and the correct classification of all four items.
Original5 marks(a) Explain the difference between system software and application software. (b) State two tasks an operating system performs. (c) Give one example each of system software and application software.Show worked answer →
(a) System software manages and runs the computer itself, providing the platform on which other programs work (for example the operating system). Application software is a program that helps the user carry out a specific task (for example writing a document or browsing the web). System software serves the computer; application software serves the user's task.
(b) Tasks of an operating system include: managing memory, managing files and storage, handling input and output devices, scheduling and running programs, and providing a user interface. Any two are acceptable.
(c) Example of system software: an operating system such as Windows, macOS or Linux. Example of application software: a word processor, web browser or spreadsheet.
Markers reward system software running the computer versus application software doing a user task, two valid OS tasks, and one correct example of each.
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