Category

System
Software

Application
Software

Open Source
Software

Machine
Language

Assembly
Level
Language
High Level
Language
Complied
Language
Interpreted
Language

Description
Consists of a group of programs that
control the operation of a computers
equipment.

Purpose
Operating Systems: Runs the computer,
managing resources: memory, processes, etc.
Utility Systems: Supports the computers
infrastructure.

Specific
Examples
Operating System:
Mac OS X

Software that can perform a specific set of

useful tasks for the user.

Utilizes the capacities of a computer directly

for a dedicated task. It can manipulate text,
numbers and graphics.

Utility System: AntiVirus Software: AVG

Antivirus Free
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Access
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft PowerPoint
iTunes
QuickTime

Software for which the source code is

available to the general public for use in
certain ways.

Typically created as a collaborative effort in

which programmers improve upon the code
and share the changes within the community.
The source code is available for modifications
or enhancements by anyone.

Firefox
Apache HTTP Server
OpenOffice.org
Thunderbird
MySQL

Native language directly understood by

computers central processing unit (CPU).
These are essentially binary numbers
representing the actions a CPU can
perform.
Low-level programming language that does
use word-based commands. Commands
usually correspond directly to machine
language instructions.
Most user-friendly and similar to English,
with words and symbols. Uses English and
mathematical symbols in its instructions.

Difficult for a human to work with. Used by

computer programmers to communicate with
a computer.

N/A

Most appropriate for writing system software.

Used by computer programmers to
communicate with a computer.

N/A

Programs written in high-level language can

potentially be translated into many machine
languages, and therefore can run on any
computer with the appropriate translator.

Java
Python
Fortran
C++

Processes coded statements. Compiled

software generally runs faster, but only
works on one type of machine (unless it is
re-compiled).
Computer program that simulates a
computer that understands a high-level
language. Does not translate statements to
CPU machine code. Generally more
portable, but not as fast.

Translates a program written in a high-level

language to the machine language of a
computer.

C++
C
C#

Translates either directly to actions to

perform, or for some languages, to code in an
intermediate language for the interpreter.
Harder for humans to read but allows for
more efficient execution.

Python
Java
Perl