Although mechanical examples
of computers have existed through much
of recorded human history, the first
electronic computers were developed in
the mid-20th century (1940 - 1945).
These were the size of a large room,
consuming as much power as several
hundred modern personal computers
(PCs). Modern computers based on
integrated circuits are millions to
billions of times more capable than the
early machines, and occupy a fraction
of the space.
Computers Directory: Software (1421)
Computer software is a general term used to describe a collection of computer programs, procedures and documentation that perform some tasks on a computer system.[1] The term includes application software such as word processors which perform productive tasks for users, system software such as operating systems, which interface with hardware to provide the necessary services for application software, and middleware which controls and co-ordinates distributed systems.
"Software" is sometimes used in a broader context to mean anything which is not hardware but which is used with hardware, such as film, tapes and records
