Software Definition and 996 Threads

Software is a collection of instructions and data that tell a computer how to work. This is in contrast to physical hardware, from which the system is built and actually performs the work. In computer science and software engineering, computer software is all information processed by computer systems, including programs and data. Computer software includes computer programs, libraries and related non-executable data, such as online documentation or digital media. Computer hardware and software require each other and neither can be realistically used on its own.
At the lowest programming level, executable code consists of machine language instructions supported by an individual processor—typically a central processing unit (CPU) or a graphics processing unit (GPU). A machine language consists of groups of binary values signifying processor instructions that change the state of the computer from its preceding state. For example, an instruction may change the value stored in a particular storage location in the computer—an effect that is not directly observable to the user. An instruction may also invoke one of many input or output operations, for example displaying some text on a computer screen; causing state changes which should be visible to the user. The processor executes the instructions in the order they are provided, unless it is instructed to "jump" to a different instruction, or is interrupted by the operating system. As of 2015, most personal computers, smartphone devices and servers have processors with multiple execution units or multiple processors performing computation together, and computing has become a much more concurrent activity than in the past.
The majority of software is written in high-level programming languages. They are easier and more efficient for programmers because they are closer to natural languages than machine languages. High-level languages are translated into machine language using a compiler or an interpreter or a combination of the two. Software may also be written in a low-level assembly language, which has strong correspondence to the computer's machine language instructions and is translated into machine language using an assembler.

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  1. G

    Need a Math Refresher? Check Out Khan Academy!

    I'm an engineer student, and I think I need a refresher on everything from algebra to calculus. Would definitely appreciate it if some of you can provide recommendations for some math self study software.
  2. S

    Can CAD be replaced by 3D software?

    I have seen a lot of 3D software users of Modo, 3ds Max, Maya, etc that can produce a very nice looking product designs. These ranges of items made by them include car, building, machine, airplane, household electrical product, etc. They all look as good as the outcome produced by the CAD...
  3. S

    Building Software for Damped Pendulum in Electric Field

    Firstly, I spoke to a Physics teacher and some strangers on the internet as well as Googled and this is the situation I am in now. I want to build a software simulation for school of a damped-oscillation non-zero charged metallic-sphere pendulum within the uniform electric field of a...
  4. Evo

    Cool gadgets - hardware & software

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_technews/20110413/ts_yblog_technews/upgrade-your-life-gadgets-under-25%0A Watch both segments, the software is second.
  5. PainterGuy

    Software to protect USB flash from viruses

    hello everyone, :smile: when i use my usb flash drive in some internet cafe or school lab it become infected. especially lab's computers are full of viruses. is there some software which i can have on my flash so that it protects flash from viruses. do you understand what i try to say? i want...
  6. A

    Best basic/intuitive mathematics software?

    I've used Mathematica, and I find it really counter-intuitive. It's really complex for the user who isn't accustomed to math software, and doing simple mathematic functions, like addition/division/multiplication, etc. is insanely complex with Mathematica. Now, I know that a calculator is...
  7. S

    Maple When Will I Need Math Software in My Studies?

    Hi all. Ok, so I'm a mathematics major, but I'm only so far as my first linear algebra course right now. I have not had any need to use Maple or Mathematica or Mathlab or a calculator for that matter. So, I'm curious WHEN I might have to start using these programs (what level math)...
  8. A

    Could any one help me how to find IC in pspice software

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  9. J

    Math symbols on GRE POWERPREP software

    Homework Statement So far, I've encountered two symbols on the GRE practice tests which are unknown to me. The first is a number in a square, like a telephone key The second is a number with upside-down "L's" next to it What do these mean?
  10. P

    Efficient E-book Software for Organized Reading on Your Computer

    Hi, I have a couple e-books, some in .pdf some in .djvu format. I'm trying to find a good program that ideally can use both formats and that is specifically designed for people who want to read on their computers. I just want to be able to add bookmarks and possibly make annotations, but with...
  11. B

    Latest and Greatest PCB Design Software

    I am going to be redesigning some PCBs for some legacy products and want to use the most up to date software I can to keep these designs easy to update in the future. The current design is in Theda and the CAD files are no longer available. I appreciate any input.
  12. F

    Should Schools Switch to Free, Open Source Software?

    It really frustrates me when I see my high school spending thousands of dollars every year on Antivirus software, Microsoft Office licenses, Microsoft Windows' keys, and other products such as Adobe Photoshop. As a heavy Windows and Linux user, I can safely say my experiences with both Operating...
  13. M

    Find a User-Friendly Software to Solve Equations

    To learn the process and check my work. Somthing like webmath. I'm looking for a software or website that allows you to enter known varialbes and it solves for unknown and shows you step by step how it did it. Anyone know of something like this? User friendly would be nice.
  14. cobalt124

    Calculators Free anti-virus software advice please

    Having read previous threads going back to 2003, so far I am plummeting for Avast, but would like to ask members' opinion on this before I ask for Googles advice. Knowing I won't get a perfect fit, I need opinions on the best fit for the following criteria (in order): 1) Free 2) Gets...
  15. A

    Where Can I Find Free Process and Reaction Simulation Software?

    Hi, Do anyone know where to get free process simulation software, please, if you know let me know, thanks.
  16. D

    Finite element analysis software

    i am a 3rd year civil engineering student, currently taking a course in which i need to use finite element software for assignments. the course is 100% theory, and i need to learn how to use the software on my own, i am looking for FREE software with FE capabilities, and preferably one that...
  17. S

    What Are the Best Propeller Design Programs for Airplanes?

    Hey I was wondering if anyone knew of a propeller design program, preferably written in Matlab, but I'd take anything. I am familiar with XFoil, XFLR5, and XPlane, but I don't know of any good propeller design programs. I have read into MPVL, but I'm pretty sure that is just designed for...
  18. D

    How do I apply the pre-tension option to a solid body in Abaqus FEA software?

    In all the Abaqus manuals I have read, it only tells me what the pre-tension option DOES, or a little bit about how it works, but what I want to know is literally which buttons to press to get to that option and how to apply it. I can't find the option anywhere in the software. Details of...
  19. D

    How do I apply the pre-tension option to a solid body in Abaqus FEA software?

    In all the Abaqus manuals I have read, it only tells me what the pre-tension option DOES, or a little bit about how it works, but what I want to know is literally which buttons to press to get to that option and how to apply it. I can't find the option anywhere in the software. Details of...
  20. J

    Finding Software to Analyze Airflow over a Wing

    Hi guys, I need to test the airflow over a wing, I can't find any suitable software to do this job. I heard ANSYS is a good bet, but when I try I'm just lost... (not much exp with it). So anyone got any suggestions to analyse airflow of the wing.
  21. C

    Engineering Software engineering and independence

    I tend to think very independently, often coming up with unconventional, sometimes unorthodox, ways of solving problems. I do not like to listen to authority such as having to code up software a certain way or following strict guidelines/formats. Do you think the software...
  22. K

    Programs What is the difference between a computer science and software engineer major?

    So my friends try to explain it to me and everytime they do, i come to the conclusion that they're the same. I just don't understand. If somebody studies computer science, what do they learn? If somebody studies software engineer, what do they learn?
  23. S

    Need help finding aircraft sizing software?

    Hey guys, I'm looking for some software capable of allowing the user to input a specific mission profile and ultimately calculating empty weight and fuel weights providing input such as your L/D, cruise altitude, AR, Swet, Sref, ect. I'd even be interested in more advanced programs with the...
  24. C

    What is the best symbolic solver software?

    I'm an ME grad student and I'm in an upper-level dynamics class. It has become apparent that I'm going to want to use a symbolic solver. I'm familiar with MATLAB, but I hear that this is not MATLAB's forte. I also have MathCad, Maple, and Mathematica available to me. Which is the best for...
  25. J

    Is this possible to start a computer without that BIOS software

    Hi A computer has some program written into its BIOS ROM which turns the hardware skeleton of a computer into a helpful machine. Is this possible to start a computer without that BIOS software using some circuitry. BIOS software is a firmware and I remember correctly I have read somewhere...
  26. T

    What is the Best CFD Software for Modeling Heat Flow from a Jet Engine Exhaust?

    Hi guys this is my first post. I hope it's in the right place. I am trying to model heat flow over a plate positioned very close to exhaust from a jet engine. Can anyone recommend software that can do this? I'd like to be able to visualize the airflow itself, its temperature and the...
  27. J

    Is middleware a separate software

    An excellent example of middleware would be a suite of software that helps serve an online gaming environment. More and more frequently, online games feature high-definition, high-resolution, graphic-intense presentations. Traditional server solutions are no longer enough to facilitate such...
  28. C

    Looking for QM solving/graphing software?

    I was wondering whether anyone knows of any downloadable or web-based applications that are geared toward theoretical and quantum mechanical physics equations. My IDEAL program would have: -The ability to solve and graph equations from quantum mechanics and theoretical physics (such as Loop...
  29. N

    Software for crank-nicholson method

    Hi, I try to numerically solve the following partial differential equation for N(r,z) with a Dirichlet boundary condition. -\frac{\partial^2N}{\partial r^2}-\frac{\partial^2N}{\partial z^2} + f(r,z) \frac{\partial N}{\partial r} + g(r,z) \frac{\partial N}{\partial z} = h(r,z)...
  30. J

    Maple Software to recognize math stuff

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  31. R

    A free .pdf reader software that lets you comment, mark words etc.

    Hey everyone, I'm looking for a .pdf viewer that let's you comment on the file you're viewing, mark words or lines (such as if you were to have a proper marker and a sheet of paper) and all kinds of stuff like that which are useful, but not really supported with the (free) Adobe Acrobat Reader...
  32. J

    Programs MAE major considering Software Engineering

    Hello, I am a Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering major in my senior year and I enjoy it but I'm starting to think that I might be happier doing Software Engineering. as a note: I'm not really that interested in a career as computer programmer because they seem to make half the income as SE...
  33. R

    What Software Can Design a High-Accuracy Collimator Lens?

    Hi I want to make a high accuracy collimator lens, such that it collimates ( with divergence angle < 1 micron) a beam of light coming from the focal plane but from off axis points as well ( -delta to + delta, where delta is in microns). Sugest some suitable softwares (along with the link)...
  34. I

    Bachelors in Computer Engineering, Masters in Software Engineering?

    Im college freshman and majoring in Computer Engineering. After I get my Bachelors degree, I want to go to grad school and get my Masters in Software Engineering. Even though I got my Bachelors in Computer Engineering, can I still get my Masters in Software Engineering? I am going to take some...
  35. M

    Prefered software packages and calculators

    Dear friends... I am doing a little survey on how you/we solve our math problems, like... non-linear system of equations, system of ODE's, parameter estimation, differential calculus, linear algebra etc. So, if you don't mind, could you please list one or 2 software packages or calculator...
  36. S

    Engineering How Can I Transition from Blue Collar Work to Software Engineering?

    I found this forum while looking up the basics of calculus, which now I know is a very important part of becoming a software engineer. So this is my first post. I am trying to find help(any) to my path of becoming a software engineer. I decided I wanted to get into the Software...
  37. F

    A PC software similiar to TI-89 ?

    Hi all, I am particularly looking for a program able to compute a phasor expression, and also able to compute complex trigonometry. in TI-89, one can easily input phasors like : (1<3) + (1<5) = or: Sinh(3+4i) = And the calculator gives the answer. is there a software for PC...
  38. M

    Software Engineering - cyclomatic complexity

    Homework Statement http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/651/cyclomaticcomplexity.png Homework Equations Main problem on part (i), am i correct on constructing the flow graph? The If statement after process x makes me quite confused. The Attempt at a Solution...
  39. F

    Which Software is Best for Designing Flow Charts in Ubuntu?

    I've been programming a lot for my thesis in Matlab. I've to include a technical description for my job without being too specific about the code used. So my intention is to use nice flowcharts to describe what my scripts are doing. What kind of software do you suggest me for drawing...
  40. J

    VB Code for Simulating Pendulum Swing Frequency & Baseline Changes

    I'm looking for VB code that simulates a pendulum swinging. I need to be able to alter the frequency of the swing within a range as time progresses and alter the baseline within a range as time progresses. Anyone got something?
  41. J

    Free 3D Graphing Tool: Specify Domain of Function

    Can anyone recommend a free 3-D graphing tool that allows me to specify the domain of the function? The domain is the key thing... Thanks
  42. S

    Silvaco Software code or script

    Hi all, I am doing a project that needs me to design a PMOS transistor with a channel length of 65 nanometers using Silvaco TCAD tools. As you may know, there are examples provided in the software that I am using to customize in order to get the required channel length. So, I have to modify...
  43. P

    MAPLE Software Eigenvalue Problem Question

    Hi, this is probably really basic for anyone really good with MAPLE but I just solved an Eigenvalue problem in MAPLE and it displays the answer for lambda as a list since my problem contained a 6x6 matrix. My problem is that I want to be able to perform an operation of each individual output...
  44. A

    Motion tracking webcam software?

    Heya Not motion detection - I need something that can track a specific object; ideally locate where on the screen it's situated, and even more ideally, be able to tilt and pan without losing track of the object. This is for a ballistics project, I'm planning on using two webcams in tandem...
  45. S

    Is there an interactive physics training software?

    One can find hundreds of free and paid video lectures, articles and (e)books as physics learning materials and probably a few animations, but is there a complete training software to present you the laws of physics, their relations etc with interactive animations and interactive problems guiding...
  46. M

    Continuous/real-time updating graphing software?

    Hi all, I'm currently working on a project at my job where we will be continuously monitoring the power/energy consumed by the lights and other light electrical loads in a conference room. The data will be wirelessly transmitted to a computer which will accept the file as an Excel spreadsheet...
  47. DaveC426913

    Help Video editing software for Windows 7

    I need to do some editing of videos I've got in .VOB format from a minicam. I need to do the usual fading, video marking in and out, and inclusion of still slides. One of the more sophisticated things it looks like I need to do is to crop dynamically over time (i.e. crop the video down to...
  48. R

    Software to estimate n, k Values of a thin film

    Hi! I have samples of multiple thin films. Thin film of which refractive index needs to be estimated is sandwiched between substrate and capping layer of known refractive indices and extinction co-efficients. I have transmission and reflection spectra of the samples and with the help of these...
  49. T

    Bow limb design & analysis software (archery).

    Hi. I am searching for software, where the following is possible: - Input a bow design - perhaps in 3D, perhaps more simple. Can be the whole bow or mainly the "spring" part of the bow: The limb(s). - Must be able to handle recurve style limbs. - If it can handle different laminations in...
  50. W

    Vector Software: Find the Best for 3D Drawings

    Hi all, I'm looking for some nice software to make mechanical vector drawings (3D). InkScape is a good one, but is quite limited concerning 3D drawings. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!
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