synonymous with software.

See Software.

(1) An aggregation of software components that, when integrated with hardware, operates as a unit. (2) A directed, funded effort to acquire, develop, or maintain a product(s).

Software that operates a PC and does various things, such as writing text (word-processing program), keeping accounts (accounts program) and drawing pictures (graphics program).

Any software that processes data for you, including spreadsheet, word processor, database, and game packages. Programs require an operating system to run.