Everything you do on your computer is the direct result of hardware and software working together. The hardware provides the raw power and functionality that enables the computer to work, and the ...

The computer's master control program. When a computer is turned on, a small "boot program" loads the operating system. Although additional system modules may be loaded as needed, the main part, known ...

Software is computer code that tells a computer how to perform a specific task. There are many kinds of software, including operating systems, applications, and malware. Software can be distributed ...

To some, an operating system is a burden or waste of resources, like those working on embedded systems and other low-power applications. To others it’s necessary, abstracting away hardware so that ...