Question

Explain The Role Of System Software In A Computer.

Answer 1

System software is a type of computer program that is designed to run a computer's hardware and application program's. If we think of the computer system as a layered model, the system software is the interface between hardware and user applications. The Operating System (OS) is the best known example of system software. The OS manages all the other programs in a computer.

Other examples of system software include :

• The BIOS (basic input/output system) gets the computer system started after you turn it on and manages the data flow between the OS and attached devices such as hard disk, video adapter, keyboard, mouse and printer.
• The boot program loads the OS into the computer's main memory or Random Access Memory (RAM).
• An assembler takes basic computer instructions and converts them into a pattern of bits that the computer's processor can use to perform its basic operations.

• A device driver controls a particular type of device that is attached to your computer, such as keyboard or mouse. The driver program the more general input or output instructions of OS to messages that the device type can understand.

System software and application programs are the two main types of computer software.

Different types of system software include utility software, device drivers and firmware.