What is Software: Definition and 997 Discussions

Software is a collection of instructions and data that tell a computer how to work. This is in contrast to physical hardware, from which the system is built and actually performs the work. In computer science and software engineering, computer software is all information processed by computer systems, including programs and data. Computer software includes computer programs, libraries and related non-executable data, such as online documentation or digital media. Computer hardware and software require each other and neither can be realistically used on its own.
At the lowest programming level, executable code consists of machine language instructions supported by an individual processor—typically a central processing unit (CPU) or a graphics processing unit (GPU). A machine language consists of groups of binary values signifying processor instructions that change the state of the computer from its preceding state. For example, an instruction may change the value stored in a particular storage location in the computer—an effect that is not directly observable to the user. An instruction may also invoke one of many input or output operations, for example displaying some text on a computer screen; causing state changes which should be visible to the user. The processor executes the instructions in the order they are provided, unless it is instructed to "jump" to a different instruction, or is interrupted by the operating system. As of 2015, most personal computers, smartphone devices and servers have processors with multiple execution units or multiple processors performing computation together, and computing has become a much more concurrent activity than in the past.
The majority of software is written in high-level programming languages. They are easier and more efficient for programmers because they are closer to natural languages than machine languages. High-level languages are translated into machine language using a compiler or an interpreter or a combination of the two. Software may also be written in a low-level assembly language, which has strong correspondence to the computer's machine language instructions and is translated into machine language using an assembler.

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  1. J

    Software for Drawing biological processes & systems

    Looking for software for drawing biological processes and pathways between cells or even tissues. I have engineering/programming/control systems experience so I am looking for something similar in biology. The ability to define different things, different colors or shapes would be good, I...
  2. J

    Any good software for drawing control systems/flow charts out there?

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  3. pairofstrings

    Job Skills Becoming Part of the AI Revolution: Skilling Up for the Future

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  4. G

    Software to simulate an atom and chemical reactions?

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  5. K

    What Software do you use to do your math manipulations?

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  6. sammy g

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  7. dkotschessaa

    Other Software testing is actually fun Where to go from here?

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  8. Robert House

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  9. Shubham Jaydeokar

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  10. M

    AutoCAD inventor as CFD software

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  11. BL4CKB0X97

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  12. DaveC426913

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  13. D

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  14. S

    I Software for Analysis of FITS table/spectra

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  15. M

    B Visualizing GR Geometry: Software for Einstein Field Equations

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  16. A

    Software for laser simulations

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  17. B

    MHB Bid Again - Keep Going Until You Say 'n'!

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  18. B

    AC current / circuit simulation software

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  19. T

    Exploring Alternate Models of Physics: A Software Engineer's Perspective

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  20. R

    Programatically measure air pressure within a piston

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  21. R

    ASME PV Calc open source software for vessel MAWP calculations

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  22. Mohamed_Wael

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  23. Junaid Shahid

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  24. Averagesupernova

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  25. Kaura

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  26. O

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  27. I

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  28. B

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  29. B

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  30. H

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  31. F

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  32. M

    MHB Software for fredholm determinant

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  33. H

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  34. A

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  35. A

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  36. S

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  37. Eagle9

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  38. Zaent

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  39. J

    Engineering How can a junior physics major prepare for software jobs

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  40. Firedog89

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  41. Avatrin

    Math Applications of discrete mathematics minus software

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  42. M

    Engineering Hardware vs. Software in biomedical engineering?

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  43. M

    Software for multiplication of matrices

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  44. R

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  45. C

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  46. Rectifier

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    Hey there! I am looking for a free PDF viewer that is capable of highlighting areas and text and that is available for Debian (Linux). Thanks in advance.
  47. W

    I Error while doing multi-linear regression with minitab.

    Hi, I am having trouble doing a multiple linear regression with Minitab . Here is a screenshot of the error message I keep getting: https://www.physicsforums.com/attachments/105043
  48. otaKu

    I A software for simulating palsmonics based LED designs

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  49. N

    Math possibly in need of all-open-source software for testin

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  50. A

    Other Writing lectures about physics (equation editing software)

    Hello I don't know is it right place to ask this question but does anyone know a writing program that allows to write Equations?
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