Software system
Encyclopedia
A software system is a system
based on software forming part of a computer system (a combination of hardware
and software). The term "software system" is often used as a synonym of computer program
or software; is related to the application of systems theory
approaches in software engineering
context and are used to study large and complex software, because it focuses on the major components of software and their interactions; and also related to the field of software architecture
.
Software systems are an active area of research for groups interested in software engineering
in particular and systems engineering
in general.
, programming software and system software
, although the distinction can sometimes be difficult. Examples of software systems include computer reservations system
, air traffic control
software, military command and control systems, telecommunication networks, web browser
s, content management system
s, database management system
s, expert system
s, spreadsheet
s, theorem provers, window systems, word processor
s, etc.
System
System is a set of interacting or interdependent components forming an integrated whole....
based on software forming part of a computer system (a combination of hardware
Computer hardware
Personal computer hardware are component devices which are typically installed into or peripheral to a computer case to create a personal computer upon which system software is installed including a firmware interface such as a BIOS and an operating system which supports application software that...
and software). The term "software system" is often used as a synonym of computer program
Computer program
A computer program is a sequence of instructions written to perform a specified task with a computer. A computer requires programs to function, typically executing the program's instructions in a central processor. The program has an executable form that the computer can use directly to execute...
or software; is related to the application of systems theory
Systems theory
Systems theory is the transdisciplinary study of systems in general, with the goal of elucidating principles that can be applied to all types of systems at all nesting levels in all fields of research...
approaches in software engineering
Software engineering
Software Engineering is the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software, and the study of these approaches; that is, the application of engineering to software...
context and are used to study large and complex software, because it focuses on the major components of software and their interactions; and also related to the field of software architecture
Software architecture
The software architecture of a system is the set of structures needed to reason about the system, which comprise software elements, relations among them, and properties of both...
.
Software systems are an active area of research for groups interested in software engineering
Software engineering
Software Engineering is the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software, and the study of these approaches; that is, the application of engineering to software...
in particular and systems engineering
Systems engineering
Systems engineering is an interdisciplinary field of engineering that focuses on how complex engineering projects should be designed and managed over the life cycle of the project. Issues such as logistics, the coordination of different teams, and automatic control of machinery become more...
in general.
Categories
Major categories of software systems include application softwareApplication software
Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...
, programming software and system software
System software
System software is computer software designed to operate the computer hardware and to provide a platform for running application software.The most basic types of system software are:...
, although the distinction can sometimes be difficult. Examples of software systems include computer reservations system
Computer reservations system
A computer reservations system is a computerized system used to store and retrieve information and conduct transactions related to air travel. Originally designed and operated by airlines, CRSes were later extended for the use of travel agencies...
, air traffic control
Air traffic control
Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
software, military command and control systems, telecommunication networks, web browser
Web browser
A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
s, content management system
Content management system
A content management system is a system providing a collection of procedures used to manage work flow in a collaborative environment. These procedures can be manual or computer-based...
s, database management system
Database management system
A database management system is a software package with computer programs that control the creation, maintenance, and use of a database. It allows organizations to conveniently develop databases for various applications by database administrators and other specialists. A database is an integrated...
s, expert system
Expert system
In artificial intelligence, an expert system is a computer system that emulates the decision-making ability of a human expert. Expert systems are designed to solve complex problems by reasoning about knowledge, like an expert, and not by following the procedure of a developer as is the case in...
s, spreadsheet
Spreadsheet
A spreadsheet is a computer application that simulates a paper accounting worksheet. It displays multiple cells usually in a two-dimensional matrix or grid consisting of rows and columns. Each cell contains alphanumeric text, numeric values or formulas...
s, theorem provers, window systems, word processor
Word processor
A word processor is a computer application used for the production of any sort of printable material....
s, etc.
See also
- systems theorySystems theorySystems theory is the transdisciplinary study of systems in general, with the goal of elucidating principles that can be applied to all types of systems at all nesting levels in all fields of research...
- software
- computer programComputer programA computer program is a sequence of instructions written to perform a specified task with a computer. A computer requires programs to function, typically executing the program's instructions in a central processor. The program has an executable form that the computer can use directly to execute...
- software architectureSoftware architectureThe software architecture of a system is the set of structures needed to reason about the system, which comprise software elements, relations among them, and properties of both...
- Experimental software engineeringExperimental Software EngineeringExperimental software engineering is a sub-domain of software engineering focusing on experiments on software systems . It is interested in devising experiments on software, in collecting data from these experiments, and in devising laws and theories from this data...
- System softwareSystem softwareSystem software is computer software designed to operate the computer hardware and to provide a platform for running application software.The most basic types of system software are:...
- Association for Computing MachineryAssociation for Computing MachineryThe Association for Computing Machinery is a learned society for computing. It was founded in 1947 as the world's first scientific and educational computing society. Its membership is more than 92,000 as of 2009...
- Software System Award
- Common layers in an information system logical architectureCommon layers in an information system logical architectureThe following four layers are the most common layers in a logical multilayered architecture for an information system with an object-oriented design:* User Interface Layer...
- Failure assessmentFailure assessmentFailure assessment, as used in the context of software systems design, is the science of determining the circumstances under which a particular algorithm fails and then correcting the cause. It is directly related to the notion of algorithm accuracy, robustness, and reliability....
External links
- Journal of Systems and Software published by ElsevierElsevierElsevier is a publishing company which publishes medical and scientific literature. It is a part of the Reed Elsevier group. Based in Amsterdam, the company has operations in the United Kingdom, USA and elsewhere....