SOFTWARE – Complete Notes for Exams
🔹 Definition of Software
Software is a set of programs, instructions, or data used to operate computers and execute specific tasks.
🔹 Types of Software
1. System Software
Controls and manages hardware components and enables application software to run.
✅ Examples:
Operating System (Windows, Linux, macOS)
Device DriversUtility Programs
Firmware
Language Translators (Compilers, Interpreters)
2. Application Software
Designed to perform specific tasks for users.
✅ Examples:
MS Word (word processing)
Excel (spreadsheets)Tally (accounting)
VLC Media Player (media playback)
3. Programming Software
Used by developers to write, test, and debug programs.
✅ Examples:
C, C++, Java, Python compilers
IDEs like Eclipse, Visual Studio4. Utility Software
Helps in the maintenance of the computer.
✅ Examples:
Antivirus (Quick Heal, Norton)
File Management ToolsDisk Cleanup, Disk Defragmenter
5. Middleware
Acts as a bridge between OS and applications or between different apps.
✅ Examples:
Database middleware
Message brokers🔹 Important Points for Exam
Software is intangible (can’t be touched).
System software is essential for running the system.Application software is user-centric.
Operating System is an example of System software.
MS Word is an example of Application software.
Antivirus is Utility software.
Compilers are Programming software.
Freeware: Free but copyrighted (e.g., Adobe Reader).
Open-source: Source code is open (e.g., Linux).
Shareware: Distributed free on a trial basis.
🧠 MCQs with Answers
✅ 1. Which of the following is not an application software?
A) MS Excel
B) MS Word
C) Windows 10
D) Tally
✔️ Answer: C (Windows 10 is system software)
✅ 2. Antivirus is an example of:
A) Application Software
B) System Software
C) Utility Software
D) Programming Software
✔️ Answer: C
✅ 3. Linux is an example of:
A) Application Software
B) System Software
C) Programming Software
D) Utility Software
✔️ Answer: B
✅ 4. Which of the following is a type of system software?
A) Tally
B) VLC Player
C) Compiler
D) MS PowerPoint
✔️ Answer: C
✅ 5. The software that acts as a translator between user and hardware is:
A) Application Software
B) System Software
C) Middleware
D) Programming Software
✔️ Answer: B
📘 Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
📝 SSC CHSL 2020
Q: MS Word belongs to which category of software?
Ans: Application Software
📝 JKSSB 2021
Q: Which of the following is system software?
A) Windows
B) Photoshop
C) Tally
D) Excel
Ans: A) Windows
📝 IBPS Clerk 2022
Q: Which software is used for removing viruses?
Ans: Antivirus (Utility Software)
📝 SBI PO 2021
Q: What type of software is a compiler?
Ans: Programming Software
MCQs on Software
-
Which of the following is system software?
A) MS Word
B) Windows
C) Tally
D) Photoshop
✔️ Answer: B
-
Which software allows users to perform specific tasks like writing or calculating?
A) Application software
B) System software
C) Firmware
D) Utility software
✔️ Answer: A
-
Which of the following is not a type of system software?
A) Operating System
B) Compiler
C) Spreadsheet
D) Device Driver
✔️ Answer: C
-
Which software is used to protect a computer from viruses?
A) Utility Software
B) Operating System
C) Compiler
D) Application Software
✔️ Answer: A
-
Which of the following is a programming language compiler?
A) Chrome
B) MS Excel
C) Turbo C++
D) VLC
✔️ Answer: C
-
Which of these is not software?
A) Linux
B) MS Paint
C) RAM
D) Tally
✔️ Answer: C
-
Which of the following is an example of open-source software?
A) MS Office
B) Adobe Photoshop
C) Linux
D) Oracle
✔️ Answer: C
-
Which of these is not an operating system?
A) Linux
B) Windows
C) iOS
D) MS Word
✔️ Answer: D
-
What type of software is MS PowerPoint?
A) System software
B) Utility software
C) Application software
D) Programming software
✔️ Answer: C
-
Which of the following is a function of system software?
A) Managing hardware
B) Playing videos
C) Typing documents
D) Creating presentations
✔️ Answer: A
-
The software that translates high-level language to machine language is called:
A) Operating System
B) Compiler
C) Antivirus
D) File Manager
✔️ Answer: B
-
What type of software is Google Chrome?
A) System software
B) Application software
C) Utility software
D) Programming software
✔️ Answer: B
-
Which software is used to write and debug code?
A) MS Paint
B) IDE
C) VLC
D) Disk Cleanup
✔️ Answer: B
-
Which software helps to clean up unnecessary files from the system?
A) Antivirus
B) Disk Cleanup
C) Tally
D) Device Driver
✔️ Answer: B
-
Firmware is stored in:
A) RAM
B) Hard Disk
C) ROM
D) Cache
✔️ Answer: C
-
Which software controls basic operations of a computer?
A) Application
B) OS
C) Compiler
D) Antivirus
✔️ Answer: B
-
Software that is available free of cost for use and distribution is:
A) Shareware
B) Freeware
C) Commercial Software
D) Trialware
✔️ Answer: B
-
Which of the following is not a utility software?
A) Disk Defragmenter
B) Antivirus
C) File Compression
D) Excel
✔️ Answer: D
-
Which of these is not open-source?
A) Linux
B) Ubuntu
C) Windows 10
D) Python
✔️ Answer: C
-
Which software acts as a bridge between system software and application software?
A) Driver
B) Compiler
C) Middleware
D) Tally
✔️ Answer: C
-
Which software is installed first on a computer?
A) Utility Software
B) Operating System
C) Antivirus
D) Application Software
✔️ Answer: B
-
Which software allows hardware and user to interact?
A) Application Software
B) Programming Software
C) System Software
D) Games
✔️ Answer: C
-
Which is a characteristic of software?
A) Tangible
B) Physical
C) Intangible
D) Made of metal
✔️ Answer: C
-
Which is not an example of programming software?
A) Python
B) Java
C) MS Excel
D) IDE
✔️ Answer: C
-
Which type of software is used to handle email communication?
A) Web Browser
B) Email Client
C) OS
D) Firmware
✔️ Answer: B
26. Which of the following is not an application software?
A) MS Access
B) MS Excel
C) Windows 11
D) PowerPoint
✔️ Answer: C
27. Software designed to manage hardware and application software is called:
A) Application Software
B) Operating System
C) Utility Software
D) Browser
✔️ Answer: B
28. The software which provides a platform to other software is:
A) Application Software
B) System Software
C) Antivirus
D) IDE
✔️ Answer: B
29. Which of the following is not a feature of system software?
A) Hardware Management
B) File Management
C) Game Development
D) Memory Management
✔️ Answer: C
30. Which is an example of real-time operating system?
A) Windows XP
B) Linux
C) RTLinux
D) Ubuntu
✔️ Answer: C
31. Which software is used to draw and paint on a computer?
A) MS Word
B) Paint
C) Excel
D) Calculator
✔️ Answer: B
32. Which type of software is required to browse the internet?
A) Application Software
B) System Software
C) Web Browser
D) OS
✔️ Answer: C
33. Which software lets you create documents?
A) Windows
B) Paint
C) MS Word
D) Chrome
✔️ Answer: C
34. What is the full form of OS?
A) Operating Site
B) Operating System
C) Output System
D) Operating Source
✔️ Answer: B
35. What type of software is used to compress files?
A) Operating System
B) Utility Software
C) Programming Software
D) Application Software
✔️ Answer: B
36. Which of the following is not a utility software?
A) Antivirus
B) File Compressor
C) Disk Cleaner
D) MS PowerPoint
✔️ Answer: D
37. Which software is essential for a computer to boot up?
A) MS Office
B) Disk Cleanup
C) Operating System
D) Excel
✔️ Answer: C
38. Freeware means:
A) Trial software
B) Open-source software
C) Free but copyrighted software
D) Pirated software
✔️ Answer: C
39. What type of software is Oracle?
A) Programming
B) Database
C) OS
D) Browser
✔️ Answer: B
40. Which of the following is an IDE?
A) WordPad
B) Turbo C++
C) Chrome
D) File Explorer
✔️ Answer: B
41. Which software is used to create a database?
A) MS Excel
B) MS PowerPoint
C) MS Access
D) Notepad
✔️ Answer: C
42. Which software allows multimedia playback?
A) VLC
B) Word
C) Excel
D) Firefox
✔️ Answer: A
43. The first software installed on a computer is typically:
A) MS Office
B) Antivirus
C) Operating System
D) Photoshop
✔️ Answer: C
44. Windows XP is an example of:
A) Utility Software
B) Operating System
C) Application Software
D) Database Software
✔️ Answer: B
45. Compiler is used in:
A) Application Software
B) Operating System
C) Programming Software
D) Utility Software
✔️ Answer: C
46. Which of the following is a proprietary software?
A) Linux
B) Ubuntu
C) MS Windows
D) GIMP
✔️ Answer: C
47. Which of the following is a word processing software?
A) WordPad
B) MS Word
C) Notepad
D) All of the above
✔️ Answer: D
48. Which of these is not freeware?
A) Adobe Reader
B) Google Chrome
C) MS Office
D) VLC
✔️ Answer: C
49. What type of software is a debugger?
A) Utility
B) Application
C) Programming
D) Firmware
✔️ Answer: C
50. Which software converts high-level code into machine code line-by-line?
A) Compiler
B) Interpreter
C) Assembler
D) Debugger
✔️ Answer: B