Classification of Software

Systems Software

Operating Systems

An operating system is software on a computer system that handles other software and hardware in the computer, like data storage, ordering of programs and inputs and outputs from peripherals. Operating systems provide useful features to computers, with many modern operating systems providing a GUI, mouse pointer, and folders for easy storage of files. An operating system is required to be able to use a computer.

Application Software

General Purpose

General purpose software is every-day software used for basic tasks on a computer, such as word processing software like Microsoft Word, which can be used to write a number of various documents, but is also found on allot of computers.

Bespoke Software

Software developed privately for use solely by an organization or company for a task by a developer. An example could be the software used at Tescos by the registers to identify products via bar code, show item stocks and process purchases, which would only be for Tesco, and other companies like Asda could use a similar system, but it wouldn't be the exact same as it would also be privately developed.

Special Purpose

Special purpose software is software designed and developed for one specific task, and nothing else. Examples of this are software like anti-virus and firewall software that is only used to block specific data from the internet. Allot of these programs are usually sold with a computer or operating system, because they are good at doing what they're designed for and software like a firewall is fundamental to being safe online on a computer.