What is the program? Functions of programs. Types of programs for Windows

About what a program is, in our time, probably, everything is known. After all, PCs and laptops are available in almost every home. Nevertheless, we give an exact definition. A program is a set of instructions intended for computer execution. Synonyms for this word are "application", "soft". The totality of all programs installed on the electronic device is called software.

Operating system structure

So, what is the program, we found out. Manages the work of all applications operating system, which has a user-friendly structure. Any computer is first and foremost a device intended for storing and processing various kinds of files necessary for the user. For the convenience of information retrieval, special directories are created, also called directories or folders. So:

1. A file is an area in the computer memory in which any information is stored. It can be texts, music, video and, of course, programs. Each file has its own name, which consists of two parts. This makes it easier for users to find information. The first is the actual name, the second is the extension, indicating the type of file. To specify the purpose of a file, one to three characters can be used.
2. A folder is a special place on the disk, in which files are collected, information about their size, the time of the last update, etc. The directory can contain other directories with files. Thus, it turns out a kind of "tree" that makes working with information more convenient.

Types of applications used on computers

On modern electronic devices can be installed a variety of applications. Basically, the following types of programs are used:

1. General software. To this category are primarily the OS itself. They are entire sets of programs that provide comprehensive computer management. Also, to common software can be attributed programming systems - tools for editing / debugging and various service functions. In addition, this category includes applications designed to optimize the computer - the so-called maintenance program.
2. Application software. To this category are primarily DBMS - applications designed to work with databases. The second type of software, attributed to this type, is the artificial intelligence system.
3. The functions of a program of this kind are, first of all, computer simulation of human thinking. It is these applications that provide the possibility of "communication" between the computer and the person in the natural language for the latter language.
4. Means of use. Programs of this type are most familiar to ordinary computer users. This category includes text and graphic editors, e-mail, various types of corporate information systems, and so on.

How are the programs created?

It will be useful for all owners of electronic devices to know not only what a program is, but also how it is created. The very process of developing applications is called programming, and the people who create them are programmers. In connection with the popularity of electronic devices, in which a variety of software can be used, this profession is in our time unusually in demand. When creating programs, different programming languages are used. In most of them, the source texts consist of special instructions describing a particular algorithm.

The most popular operating system

Most modern computers use Windows. It was created by specialists of Microsoft Corporation and is focused primarily on the use of a graphical interface that is most understandable to an ordinary user. According to the Netmarketshare resource for 2013, this OS is installed on 90% of modern computers.

At different times, two families of this convenient system were used. The first was Windows 9x, currently using Windows NT. Today the most popular is the penultimate version of this family - Windows 7. In the event that a user purchases a computer or laptop with an already installed OS, he will have to work with her in the future.

The most popular programs for Windows 7

Programs developed for Windows, there is simply a huge amount. And to say which of them are most popular among users is extremely difficult. One of the most modern and frequently used applications at the moment is, of course, Skype. Created this program was not too long ago - in 2003 and almost immediately won the hearts of users. Today it is available on almost every computer.

Another application, most commonly used at the moment, is ISQ. In our country, it is most often used for communication via the Internet. This is probably due to the fact that working with Skype requires a sufficiently high connection speed. The majority of Russian users use mobile communication, which is quite slow in this respect.

Skype and ISQ are the most popular programs for the 7th version of Windows, intended for communication. In addition to them, the most frequently used Flash Player is an application intended for scrolling movies and listening to music. Without this program, it is also impossible to view various kinds of banners that the Internet is currently flooded with.

Pirated software

The popularity of software in the modern world could not but cause waves of creation of counterfeits and illegal copies. Since "pirates" have developed many ways of decentralized distribution of such a product, the search and punishment of participants in this illegal business is extremely difficult. After all, in fact, the responsibility for downloading and using pirated copies rests with a huge army of ordinary users.

So, what is the program and, most importantly, what is it for, you now understand. Applications that make the work on the computer convenient and enjoyable, developed a huge number. Of course, uninterrupted operation can only provide a licensed product of this type.