classification of softwares viz. system and application software [closed]

Question

Please let me know whether the following softwares are classified as system softwares or application sofware:

A computer virus

An antivirus program (i think that if a virus is an application then antivirus should be an application and if virus is a system s/w then so should be an antivirus program.. Correct me if i'm wrong)

A programming language like c,c++

A compiler like cc,turbo c,etc.

A text editor (is it different from a word processor, because a chapter in my systems software text book is devoted to text editors so i assume that it is a system software but a word processor as i have heard is an application software)

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

You should specify which definition of 'system software' you are using (see my comment above).

Using the definition from reference.com (which unfortunately still leaves some wiggle room):

Any software required to support the production or execution of application programs but which is not specific to any particular application. System software typically includes an operating system to control the execution of other programs; user environment software such as a command-line interpreter, window system, desktop; development tools for building other programs such as assemblers, compilers, linkers, libraries, interpreters, cross-reference generators, version control, make; debugging, profiling and monitoring tools; utility programs, e.g. for sorting, printing, and editting. Different people would classify some or all of the above as part of the operating system while others might say the operating system was just the kernel. Some might say system software includes utility programs like sort.

• A computer virus

I would classify a virus as an application.

• An antivirus program

I would classify anti-virus software as an application. In the specific case where it was 'included' and your definition defined 'utilities' as 'system', then I make an exception in that case and classify it as 'system'.

• A programming language like c,c++

A programming language like c,c++ is neither. 'what kind of software is a programming language' is not a well formed question as a language is not classifible into either system or application. It's like "what kind of bicycle is a fish?"

• A compiler like cc,turbo c,etc.

If it came with the system, I would classify as system. If you added it afterwards (eg to do software development), then I would consider it application.

• A text editor

If it came with the system, I would classify as system. If you added it afterwards, then I would consider it application.

• is a text editor different from a word processor

A text editor is a type of word processor. Or conversely, a word processor is a fancy text editor. Both are applications unless they come as utilities and then some would classify as system.