Software Systems for Engineers

As a Engineering student , you may need to know the process

of software development for creating your own simple programs as

well as for using application software for analysing , designing and

modeling of work in any other fields.

In general, computer System includes both collections of hardware and software systems.

Software System Engineers Skills

• Programming skills.
• Knowledge of cloud computing.
• Experience with virtualization viz.
• Network experience viz.
• Communication skills.
• Problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in data architecture.
• Customer service.

A software systems consists of several separate computer programs and associated configuration files, documentation.

System Software

System software is a type of computer program that is designed to run a computer’s hardware and application programs. System software is used to manage the computer itself. It runs in the background, maintaining the computer’s basic functions so users can run higher-level application software to perform certain tasks.

Computer manufacturers usually develop the system software as an integral part of the computer. The primary responsibility of this software is to create an interface between the computer hardware they manufacture and the end user.

System software is of three main types :-

• Operating system.
• Language processor.
• Utility software.

Operating system:-The operating system is to manage a computer’s software and hardware resources. It is the computer’s main control program. The OS controls and maintains a record of all other programs on the computer, including both application and system software. The OS creates an environment that all other computer programs run within and provides service to those other applications.

The operating system’s tasks

1. File management and process scheduling
2. Processor and memory management
3. Error detection
4. Security
5. Control and management

 These language processers are pieces of system software that translate the high-level languages  Java , Python and C++ — that many computer programs are written in into low-level machine code instructions, which is essentially a series of 1s and 0s that the computer’s CPU can read.

Application software:- Application software is distinct from system software, which refers to the software that actually keeps the systems running such as the operating system, computational science software, game engines, industrial automation, and software as a service applications. Some application packages focus on a single task, such as word processing; others, called integrated software include several applications.

Example of Application software are Microsoft word or excel , spreadsheets , VLC media player, firebox and google chrome , photo editor and mobile apps. Microsoft Word is a popular word-processing application that is included in the software suite of applications called Microsoft Office. Adobe Photoshop, computer application software used to edit and manipulate digital images.