Section outline

  • The instructions that turn a box of electronics into something useful — what the operating system does, which applications do what, and what the licence on the box actually permits.

    By the end of this module you will be able to:

    1. Classify software. Sort any program you meet into system software or application software and justify the choice.
    2. Explain the OS. Describe four jobs the operating system does that you never see happening.
    3. Match tool to task. Choose the right application for a given task and say why the alternatives fit worse.
    4. Read a licence. Tell the difference between proprietary, open-source, freeware and subscription software.

    These four objectives are what the end-of-module quiz measures. The full subject syllabus for this module is listed separately in Module 02 — full syllabus.