Editing Computing (section)

== Computer ==
{{Main|Computer|Outline of computers|Glossary of computer terms}}

A computer is a machine that manipulates [[Data (computing)|data]] according to a set of instructions called a [[computer program]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Definition of computer |url=https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/computer |access-date=5 February 2024 |website=PCMAG |language=en}}</ref> The program has an executable form that the computer can use directly to execute the instructions. The same program in its human-readable [[source code]] form, enables a programmer to study and develop a sequence of steps known as an [[algorithm]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Denny |first=Jory |date=16 October 2020 |title=What is an algorithm? How computers know what to do with data |url=http://theconversation.com/what-is-an-algorithm-how-computers-know-what-to-do-with-data-146665 |access-date=5 February 2024 |website=The Conversation |language=en-US}}</ref> Because the instructions can be carried out in different types of computers, a single set of source instructions converts to [[Machine code|machine instructions]] according to the [[Central processing unit|CPU]] type.<ref>{{Citation |last1=Butterfield |first1=Andrew|title=computer |date=21 January 2016 |work=A Dictionary of Computer Science |editor-last=Butterfield |editor-first=Andrew |url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780199688975.001.0001/acref-9780199688975-e-936 |access-date=5 February 2024 |publisher=Oxford University Press |language=en |doi=10.1093/acref/9780199688975.001.0001 |isbn=978-0-19-968897-5 |last2=Ngondi |first2=Gerard Ekembe NgondiGerard Ekembe |last3=Kerr |first3=Anne|editor2-last=Ngondi |editor2-first=Gerard Ekembe |editor3-last=Kerr |editor3-first=Anne|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

The execution [[process (computing)|process]] carries out the instructions in a computer program. Instructions express the computations performed by the computer. They trigger sequences of simple actions on the executing machine. Those actions produce effects according to the [[Formal semantics of programming languages|semantics]] of the instructions.

=== Computer hardware ===
{{Main|Computer hardware}}
Computer hardware includes the physical parts of a computer, including the [[central processing unit]], [[Computer memory|memory]], and [[input/output]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Common CPU components – The CPU – Eduqas – GCSE Computer Science Revision – Eduqas – BBC Bitesize |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zhppfcw/revision/2 |access-date=5 February 2024 |website=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> [[Computational logic]] and [[computer architecture]] are key topics in the field of computer hardware.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Paulson |first=Laurence |date=28 February 2018 |title=Computational logic: its origins and applications |journal=  Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences|volume=474 |issue=2210 |doi=10.1098/rspa.2017.0872 |pmid=29507522 |pmc=5832843 |arxiv=1712.04375 |bibcode=2018RSPSA.47470872P }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Paulson |first=Lawrence C. |date=February 2018 |title=Computational logic: its origins and applications |journal=  Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences|language=en |volume=474 |issue=2210 |pages=20170872 |doi=10.1098/rspa.2017.0872 |pmc=5832843 |pmid=29507522|arxiv=1712.04375 |bibcode=2018RSPSA.47470872P }}</ref>

=== Computer software ===
{{Main|Computer software}}
Computer software, or just ''software'', is a collection of computer programs and related data, which provides instructions to a computer. Software refers to one or more computer programs and data held in the storage of the computer. It is a set of ''programs, procedures, algorithms,'' as well as its ''documentation'' concerned with the operation of a data processing system.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}} Program software performs the [[Function (engineering)|function]] of the [[Computer program|program]] it implements, either by directly providing [[instruction (computer science)|instructions]] to the computer hardware or by serving as input to another piece of software. The [[Terminology|term]] was coined to contrast with the old term ''[[Computer hardware|hardware]]'' (meaning physical devices). In contrast to hardware, software is intangible.<ref>{{cite web| title = Wordreference.com: WordNet 2.0| publisher = Princeton University, Princeton, NJ| url = http://www.wordreference.com/definition/software
| access-date = 19 August 2007 }}</ref>

Software is also sometimes used in a more narrow sense, meaning application software only.

====System software====
{{Main|System software}}

System software, or systems software, is computer software designed to operate and control computer hardware, and to provide a platform for running application software. System software includes [[operating system]]s, [[utility software]], [[device driver]]s, [[window system]]s, and [[firmware]]. Frequently used development tools such as [[compiler]]s, [[linker (computing)|linker]]s, and [[Debugging|debuggers]] are classified as system software.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rouse |first=Margaret |date=March 2019 |title=system software |url=https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/system-software |website=WhatIs.com |publisher=TechTarget}}</ref> [[System software]] and [[middleware]] manage and integrate a computer's capabilities, but typically do not directly apply them in the performance of tasks that benefit the user, unlike application software.

==== Application software ====
{{Main|Application software}}

Application software, also known as an ''application'' or an ''app'', is computer software designed to help the user perform specific tasks. Examples include [[enterprise software]], [[accounting software]], [[office suite]]s, [[graphics software]], and [[media player (application software)|media player]]s. Many application programs deal principally with [[Document file format|documents]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Basic Computer Terms |url=https://web.pdx.edu/~stipakb/download/PA550/BasicComputerTerms.htm |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=web.pdx.edu}}</ref> Apps may be [[Product bundling|bundled]] with the computer and its system software, or may be published separately. Some users are satisfied with the bundled apps and need never install additional applications. The system software manages the hardware and serves the application, which in turn serves the user.

Application software applies the power of a particular [[computing platform]] or system software to a particular purpose. Some apps, such as [[Microsoft Office]], are developed in multiple versions for several different platforms; others have narrower requirements and are generally referred to by the platform they run on. For example, a ''[[Geographic information system|geography]] application for [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]'' or an ''[[Android (operating system)|Android]] application for [[Educational software|education]]'' or ''[[Linux gaming]]''. Applications that run only on one platform and increase the desirability of that platform due to the popularity of the application, known as [[killer application]]s.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=The Fibreculture Journal : 25 {{!}} FCJ-181 There's a History for That: Apps and Mundane Software as Commodity |journal=The Fibreculture Journal |issue=FCJ-181 |url=https://twentyfive.fibreculturejournal.org/fcj-181-theres-a-history-for-that-apps-and-mundane-software-as-commodity/ |access-date=5 February 2024 |language=en-US |last1=Morris (Aff1) |first1=Jeremy Wade |last2=Elkins (Aff1) |first2=Evan }}</ref>

=== Computer network ===
{{Main|Computer network}}

A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers [[Computer network|interconnected]] by communication channels that allow the sharing of resources and information.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.atis.org/glossary/definition.aspx?id=6555 |title=Computer network definition |access-date=12 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121061919/http://www.atis.org/glossary/definition.aspx?id=6555 |archive-date=21 January 2012 }}</ref> When at least one process in one device is able to send or receive data to or from at least one process residing in a remote device, the two devices are said to be in a network. Networks may be classified according to a wide variety of characteristics such as the medium used to transport the data, [[communications protocol]] used, scale, [[Network topology|topology]], and organizational scope.

[[Communications protocol]]s define the rules and data formats for exchanging information in a computer network, and provide the basis for [[computer network programming|network programming]]. One well-known communications protocol is [[Ethernet]], a hardware and [[link layer]] standard that is ubiquitous in [[local area network]]s. Another common protocol is the [[Internet Protocol Suite]], which defines a set of protocols for internetworking, i.e. for [[data communication]] between multiple networks, host-to-host data transfer, and application-specific data transmission formats.<ref>{{Cite web |title=TCP/IP: What is TCP/IP and How Does it Work? |url=https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/definition/TCP-IP |access-date=2024-03-14 |website=Networking |language=en}}</ref>

Computer networking is sometimes considered a sub-discipline of [[electrical engineering]], telecommunications, [[computer science]], information technology, or [[computer engineering]], since it relies upon the theoretical and practical application of these disciplines.<ref>Dhavaleswarapu, Ratna. (2019). [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338211242_The_Pallid_Image_of_Globalization_in_Kiran_Desai's_The_Inheritance_of_Loss The Pallid Image of Globalization in Kiran Desai's The Inheritance of Loss]. Retrieved 19 April 2024.</ref>

==== Internet ====
{{main|Internet}}
The Internet is a global system of interconnected [[computer network]]s that use the standard [[Internet Protocol Suite]] (TCP/IP) to serve billions of users. This includes millions of private, public, academic, business, and government networks, ranging in scope from local to global. These networks are linked by a broad array of electronic, wireless, and optical networking technologies. The Internet carries an extensive range of information resources and services, such as the inter-linked [[hypertext]] documents of the [[World Wide Web]] and the [[information infrastructure|infrastructure]] to support email.<ref name="Britannica Internet">{{cite web |title=Internet {{!}} Description, History, Uses & Facts |url=https://www.britannica.com/technology/Internet |website=Encyclopedia Britannica |date=3 June 2024 |access-date=7 June 2024}}</ref>

=== Computer programming ===
{{Main|Computer programming|Software engineering}}

Computer programming is the process of writing, testing, debugging, and maintaining the source code and documentation of computer programs. This source code is written in a [[programming language]], which is an [[artificial language]] that is often more restrictive than [[natural language]]s, but easily translated by the computer. Programming is used to invoke some desired behavior (customization) from the machine.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McGee |first=Vanesha |date=November 8, 2023 |title=What is Coding and What Is It Used For? |url=https://www.computerscience.org/resources/what-is-coding-used-for/ |access-date=June 23, 2024 |website=ComputerScience.org}}</ref>

Writing high-quality source code requires knowledge of both the computer science domain and the domain in which the application will be used. The highest-quality software is thus often developed by a team of domain experts, each a specialist in some area of development.<ref>{{Cite book |date=1995 |editor-last=Nagl |editor-first=Manfred |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/3-540-60618-1 |series=Lecture Notes in Computer Science |doi=10.1007/3-540-60618-1 |issn=0302-9743 |title=Graph-Theoretic Concepts in Computer Science |volume=1017 |isbn=978-3-540-60618-5 }}</ref> However, the term ''programmer'' may apply to a range of program quality, from [[Hacker (hobbyist)|hacker]] to [[Hacker (programmer subculture)|open source contributor]] to professional. It is also possible for a single programmer to do most or all of the computer programming needed to generate the [[proof of concept]] to launch a new [[killer application]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Parsons |first=June |date=2022 |title=New Perspectives Computer Concepts Comprehensive {{!}} 21st Edition |journal=Cengage |volume=21st edition |isbn=9780357674819}}</ref>

==== Computer programmer ====
{{Main|Programmer|Software engineer|Software developer}}

A programmer, computer programmer, or coder is a person who writes computer software. The term ''computer programmer'' can refer to a specialist in one area of [[computer programming]] or to a generalist who writes code for many kinds of software. One who practices or professes a formal approach to programming may also be known as a programmer analyst.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Become a Programmer Analyst at PERI Software Solutions – The Middlebury Sites Network |url=https://sites.middlebury.edu/middblogs/2018/01/24/become-a-programmer-analyst-at-peri-software-solutions/ |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=sites.middlebury.edu}}</ref> A programmer's primary computer language ([[C (programming language)|C]], [[C++]], [[Java (programming language)|Java]], [[Lisp (programming language)|Lisp]], [[Python (programming language)|Python]], etc.) is often prefixed to the above titles, and those who work in a web environment often prefix their titles with ''Web''. The term ''programmer'' can be used to refer to a [[software developer]], software engineer, [[computer scientist]], or [[software analyst]]. However, members of these [[profession]]s typically possess other software engineering skills, beyond programming.<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 January 2019 |title=5 Skills Developers Need Beyond Writing Code |url=https://news.codecademy.com/5-skills-developers-need-beyond-writing-code/}}</ref>

=== Computer industry ===
{{Main|Computer Industry|Software industry}}

The computer industry is made up of businesses involved in developing computer software, designing computer hardware and [[computer networking]] infrastructures, manufacturing computer components, and providing information technology services, including [[System administrator|system administration]] and maintenance.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bresnahan |first=Timothy F. |last2=Greenstein |first2=Shane |date=March 1999 |title=Technological Competition and the Structure of the Computer Industry |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-6451.00088 |journal=The Journal of Industrial Economics |language=en |volume=47 |issue=1 |pages=1–40 |doi=10.1111/1467-6451.00088 |issn=0022-1821|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

The software industry includes businesses engaged in [[software development|development]], [[software maintenance|maintenance]], and [[software publisher|publication]] of software. The industry also includes software [[Service (economics)|service]]s, such as [[training]], [[software documentation|documentation]], and consulting.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}}