2.2 Reading section a. Read the text carefully and find out the meaning of words in bold! INTRODUCTION TO SOFTWARE I.I Definition of software Software, by definition, is the collection of computer programs, procedures and documentation that performs different tasks on a computer system. It actually tells the computer what to do and how to do it. Software may enter the computer through one of following three ways. (i) I may be build into the computer circuit in the form of firmware. (ii) It may be loaded into the computer from a secondary storage device such as CD-ROM or hard disk drives (iii) It is also be typed into the computer with the aid of the keyboard and programming tools I. 2 Relation between hardware and software Software refers to the computer programs that are loaded into a computer system, and hardware refers to all the visible devices, which are assembled together to build a computer system. The blending of software and hardware gives life to a computer system. Even though hardware is Hardware the physical part of a computer, it is nothing unless it has software to control it. and software then share a special relationship. If hardware is the 'heart' of a computer system, software is its 'soul'. Both are complimentary to each other. Hardware is of no use without software and software cannot be used without hardware. 1.3 Qualities of a good software Some of the most essential attributes of good software include (a) Usability: This is the ease and convenience with which software can be used by human being. This is affected by technologies such as the Human-Computer Interface (b) Efficiency: This is the degree with which software fulfills its purposes without waste of resources (c) Portability: It is the ease with which software can be used in other computer systems different from the currents one. (d) Reusability: This is the ease with which software can be reused to design other ESP Series: English for information Systera Students Page ∣2