Application Software - what applications

Let's start with the bottom of the software hierarchy. The application softwares are those softwares that are not required by the computer to function properly. These softwares are installed and used by users because they perform a single task very efficiently and make the task simpler and faster for the user. There are various types of applications software, seeing how much use they can be put into. They are broadly classified as follows:

• Information workers: ERP software, email and blogging softwares, accounting, banking, word processing, presentation and publishing softwares come under this category.
• Content Access: Media players and web browsers are part of this category.
• Enterprise Infrastructure: Database management systems, document management systems, geographic information systems, assets management and workflow softwares are part of this category.
• Entertainment: All entertainment softwares come in here including mobile, computer and console games as well as screen savers and digital pets.
• Simulation software: All simulation softwares are part of this including vehicle simulation, game simulation, battlefield simulation, scientific simulation as well as device simulation softwares.
• Product Engineering: Computer-aided design and engineering softwares, integrated development environments (IDE's), language editors and game development softwares are part of this category.
• Media Development: Image editing, video editing, sound editing, sound sequencing, web development, animation and 3D graphics softwares are part of this category.
• Education software: Classroom management softwares and reference softwares like encyclopedias, are a part of educational software category.
• Miscellaneous: Other utility softwares like antivirus programs, backup and restore tools, etc are miscellaneous applications.

Softwares.. are they soft?

Let's start with the basics. Softwares are basically sets of instructions and related data that instruct the computer what to do and how to do it. Computer software, commonly termed as "programs" and also "applications" are just different sets of instructions.
 Softwares are developed by programmers using languages that we understand that are translated by other programs in to languages that the computer understands.

Softwares are divided into three categories:

• System software: These are the softwares which are specifically designed to interact with the hardware, operate the hardware as well as provide a basic framework for helping other softwares to run alongside them. Examples include operating systems, firmwares, device drivers, etc.
• Programming software: These are the softwares that the software programmers use to create, debug and maintain other programs and applications. Examples are compilers, debuggers, interpreters, linkers, and text editors, that can be combined together to accomplish a task.
• Application software: All other software types come under this category. They include programs that need computation, word processors, browsers, entertainment softwares, games, databases, educational softwares, etc.

Software development is neither an easy process nor a short process. It has its own development life cycles, that programmers follow while creating an efficient and well designed software.
Well, that's it for now. Starting with descriptions of actual softwares next week.

And PS: softwares might not be soft. They cannot be touched, so no one knows if they are soft or not.