There are two types of software: operating software and application software. Operating software controls the computer's hardware. We install them directly on the computer. Linux, Unix, and Windows are examples of operating software. Application software provides productivity to users. We install them on an operating system. MS Office, Adobe PhotoShop, and VLC player are examples of application software.
Differences between operating software and application software
The following table lists the differences between operating software and application software.
| Operating software | Application software |
| We install an operating system directly on computer hardware. | We install application software on an operating system. We can't install application software directly on computer hardware. |
| Operating software is compulsory. We can't use a computer without an operating system. | Application software is optional. We install it only when we need the functionality it provides. |
| Operating software does not provide any productivity to the user. | Application software provides productivity to the user. |
| We can't use the computer if its operating software is corrupt. | If any application software gets corrupted, we can use other applications. We can reinstall the corrupted application without disturbing other applications. |
| Generally, we install only one operating software on a computer. | Normally, we install many applications software on an operating software. |
| The installation process of operating software is complex. We must perform many advanced tasks during the installation process, such as partitioning and formatting. | The installation process of application software is straightforward. We can install most application software by following the on-screen instructions provided by the installation process. |
| Linux, UNIX, Android, and Windows are examples of operating software. | VLC player, chess, MS Office, notepad, and paint are examples of application software. |
Usages of operating software and application software
We need both operating software and application software to use a computer. For example, if we only install an operating system, we can start and use the computer, but we can't perform any productivity-related task on it. Operating software doesn't include productivity-related tools. Application software provides productivity, but you can't install them directly on computer hardware. You can install them only on the operating software. Thus, to use a computer for productivity-related tasks, we must use both operating software and application software.