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Software

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</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">For other uses, see <a href="Software_(disambiguation)" class="mw-disambig" title="Software (disambiguation)">Software (disambiguation)</a>.</div>

Software consists of <a href="Computer_program" title="Computer program">computer programs</a> that instruct the <a href="Execution_(computing)" title="Execution (computing)">execution</a> of a <a href="Computer" title="Computer">computer</a>.<a href="#cite_note-pis-p16-1">[1]</a> Software also includes design documents and specifications.

The history of software is closely tied to the development of digital computers in the mid-20th century. Early programs were written in the <a href="Machine_language" class="mw-redirect" title="Machine language">machine language</a> specific to the hardware. The introduction of <a href="High-level_programming_language" title="High-level programming language">high-level programming languages</a> in 1958 allowed for more human-readable instructions, making <a href="Software_development" title="Software development">software development</a> easier and more portable across different <a href="Computer_architecture" title="Computer architecture">computer architectures</a>. Software in a programming language is run through a <a href="Compiler" title="Compiler">compiler</a> or <a href="Interpreter_(computing)" title="Interpreter (computing)">interpreter</a> to <a href="Execution_(computing)" title="Execution (computing)">execute</a> on the architecture's hardware. Over time, software has become complex, owing to developments in <a href="Computer_network" title="Computer network">networking</a>, <a href="Operating_systems" class="mw-redirect" title="Operating systems">operating systems</a>, and <a href="Databases" class="mw-redirect" title="Databases">databases</a>.

Software can generally be categorized into two main types:

<ol><li><a href="Operating_system" title="Operating system">operating systems</a>, which manage hardware resources and provide services for applications</li>

<li><a href="Application_software" title="Application software">application software</a>, which performs specific tasks for users</li></ol>

The rise of <a href="Cloud_computing" title="Cloud computing">cloud computing</a> has introduced the new software delivery model <a href="Software_as_a_Service" class="mw-redirect" title="Software as a Service">Software as a Service</a> (SaaS). In SaaS, applications are hosted by a <a href="Application_service_provider" title="Application service provider">provider</a> and <a href="HTTP" title="HTTP">accessed</a> over the <a href="Internet" title="Internet">Internet</a>.

The process of developing software involves several stages. The stages include <a href="Software_design" title="Software design">software design</a>, <a href="Computer_programming" title="Computer programming">programming</a>, <a href="Software_testing" title="Software testing">testing</a>, <a href="Software_release_life_cycle" title="Software release life cycle">release</a>, and <a href="Software_maintenance" title="Software maintenance">maintenance</a>. <a href="Software_quality_assurance" title="Software quality assurance">Software quality assurance</a> and <a href="Information_security" title="Information security">security</a> are critical aspects of software development, as <a href="Computer_bug" class="mw-redirect" title="Computer bug">bugs</a> and <a href="Vulnerability_(computing)" class="mw-redirect" title="Vulnerability (computing)">security vulnerabilities</a> can lead to system failures and security breaches. Additionally, legal issues such as software licenses and intellectual property rights play a significant role in the distribution of software products.

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History">History</h2></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="History_of_software" title="History of software">History of software</a></div>

The first use of the word software to describe computer programs is credited to mathematician <a href="John_Tukey" title="John Tukey">John Wilder Tukey</a> in 1958.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETracy20212-3">[3]</a><a href="#cite_note-4">[4]</a>

The first programmable computers, which appeared at the end of the 1940s,<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGabbrielliMartini2023519-5">[5]</a> were programmed in <a href="Machine_language" class="mw-redirect" title="Machine language">machine language</a>. Machine language is difficult to debug and not <a href="Portability_(computing)" class="mw-redirect" title="Portability (computing)">portable</a> across different computers.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGabbrielliMartini2023520–521-6">[6]</a> Initially, hardware resources were more expensive than <a href="Human_resources" title="Human resources">human resources</a>.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGabbrielliMartini2023522-7">[7]</a> As programs became complex, <a href="Programmer_productivity" class="mw-redirect" title="Programmer productivity">programmer productivity</a> became the bottleneck. The introduction of <a href="High-level_programming_language" title="High-level programming language">high-level programming languages</a> in 1958 <a href="Abstraction_(computing)" class="mw-redirect" title="Abstraction (computing)">hid</a> the details of the hardware and expressed the underlying <a href="Algorithm" title="Algorithm">algorithms</a> into the code .<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGabbrielliMartini2023521-8">[8]</a><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETracy20211-9">[9]</a> Early languages include <a href="Fortran" title="Fortran">Fortran</a>, <a href="Lisp_(programming_language)" title="Lisp (programming language)">Lisp</a>, and <a href="COBOL" title="COBOL">COBOL</a>.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETracy20211-9">[9]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Types">Types</h2></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="Software_categories" title="Software categories">Software categories</a></div>

There are two main types of software:

<ul><li><a href="Operating_system" title="Operating system">Operating systems</a> are "the <a href="Abstraction_layer" title="Abstraction layer">layer of software</a> that manages a computer's resources for its users and their <a href="Application_software" title="Application software">applications</a>".<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAndersonDahlin20146-10">[10]</a> There are three main purposes that an operating system fulfills:<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAndersonDahlin20147-11">[11]</a>

<ul><li>Allocating resources between different applications, deciding when they will receive <a href="Central_processing_unit" title="Central processing unit">central processing unit</a> (CPU) time or space in <a href="Computer_memory" title="Computer memory">memory</a>.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAndersonDahlin20147-11">[11]</a></li>

<li>Providing an interface that abstracts the details of accessing <a href="Computer_hardware" title="Computer hardware">hardware</a> details (like physical memory) to make things easier for programmers.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAndersonDahlin20147-11">[11]</a><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETanenbaumBos20235-12">[12]</a></li>

<li>Offering common services, such as an interface for accessing network and disk devices. This enables an application to be run on different hardware without needing to be rewritten.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAndersonDahlin20147,_9,_13-13">[13]</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Application_software" title="Application software">Application software</a> runs on top of the operating system and uses the computer's resources to perform a task.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAndersonDahlin20146–7-14">[14]</a> There are many different types of application software because the range of tasks that can be performed with modern computers is so large.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEJones2014121-15">[15]</a> Applications account for most software<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETracy202166-16">[16]</a> and require the <a href="Operating_environment" title="Operating environment">environment</a> provided by an operating system, and often other applications, in order to function.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETracy202172-17">[17]</a></li></ul>

Software can also be categorized by how it is <a href="Software_deployment" title="Software deployment">deployed</a>. Traditional applications are purchased with a perpetual <a href="Software_license" title="Software license">license</a> for a specific version of the software, downloaded, and run on hardware belonging to the purchaser.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan2022386-18">[18]</a> The rise of <a href="The_Internet" class="mw-redirect" title="The Internet">the Internet</a> and <a href="Cloud_computing" title="Cloud computing">cloud computing</a> enabled a new model, <a href="Software_as_a_service" title="Software as a service">software as a service</a> (SaaS),<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTECampbell-KellyGarcia-Swartz2015156–157-19">[19]</a> in which the provider hosts the software (usually built on top of rented <a href="Infrastructure_as_a_service" title="Infrastructure as a service">infrastructure</a> or <a href="Platform_as_a_service" title="Platform as a service">platforms</a>)<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTERosatiLynn202023-20">[20]</a> and provides the use of the software to customers, often in exchange for a <a href="Subscription_fee" class="mw-redirect" title="Subscription fee">subscription fee</a>.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan2022386-18">[18]</a> By 2023, SaaS products—which are usually delivered via a <a href="Web_application" title="Web application">web application</a>—had become the primary method that companies deliver applications.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEWatt20234-21">[21]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Software_development_and_maintenance">Software development and maintenance</h2></div>

Software companies aim to deliver a high-quality product on time and under budget. A challenge is that <a href="Software_development_effort_estimation" title="Software development effort estimation">software development effort estimation</a> is often inaccurate.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan20227-22">[22]</a> <a href="Software_development" title="Software development">Software development</a> begins by conceiving the project, evaluating its feasibility, analyzing the business requirements, and making a <a href="Software_design" title="Software design">software design</a>.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan20225-23">[23]</a><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDooley20171-24">[24]</a> Most software projects speed up their development by <a href="Software_reuse" class="mw-redirect" title="Software reuse">reusing</a> or incorporating existing software, either in the form of <a href="Commercial_off-the-shelf" title="Commercial off-the-shelf">commercial off-the-shelf</a> (COTS) or <a href="Open-source_software" title="Open-source software">open-source software</a>.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan202218,_110–111-25">[25]</a><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETracy202143,_76-26">[26]</a> <a href="Software_quality_assurance" title="Software quality assurance">Software quality assurance</a> is typically a combination of manual <a href="Code_review" title="Code review">code review</a> by other engineers<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan2022117–118-27">[27]</a> and automated <a href="Software_testing" title="Software testing">software testing</a>. Due to time constraints, testing cannot cover all aspects of the software's intended functionality, so developers often focus on the most critical functionality.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan202254-28">[28]</a> <a href="Formal_method" class="mw-redirect" title="Formal method">Formal methods</a> are used in some safety-critical systems to prove the correctness of code,<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan2022267-29">[29]</a> while <a href="User_acceptance_testing" class="mw-redirect" title="User acceptance testing">user acceptance testing</a> helps to ensure that the product meets customer expectations.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan202220-30">[30]</a> There are a variety of <a href="Software_development_methodologies" class="mw-redirect" title="Software development methodologies">software development methodologies</a>, which vary from completing all steps in order to concurrent and iterative models.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan20229-31">[31]</a> Software development is driven by <a href="Software_requirements" title="Software requirements">requirements</a> taken from prospective users, as opposed to maintenance, which is driven by events such as a change request.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETripathyNaik201426-32">[32]</a>

Frequently, software is <a href="Software_release_life_cycle" title="Software release life cycle">released</a> in an incomplete state when the development team runs out of time or funding.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEReifer201222-33">[33]</a> Despite <a href="Software_testing" title="Software testing">testing</a> and <a href="Software_quality_assurance" title="Software quality assurance">quality assurance</a>, virtually all software contains <a href="Software_bug" title="Software bug">bugs</a> where the system does not work as intended. Post-release <a href="Software_maintenance" title="Software maintenance">software maintenance</a> is necessary to remediate these bugs when they are found and keep the software working as the environment changes over time.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETripathyNaik20144,_27-34">[34]</a> New features are often added after the release. Over time, the level of maintenance becomes increasingly restricted before being cut off entirely when the product is withdrawn from the market.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETripathyNaik201489-35">[35]</a> As software <a href="Software_aging" title="Software aging">ages</a>, it becomes known as <a href="Legacy_software" class="mw-redirect" title="Legacy software">legacy software</a> and can remain in use for decades, even if there is no one left who knows how to fix it.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETracy20213-36">[36]</a> Over the lifetime of the product, software maintenance is estimated to comprise 75 percent or more of the total development cost.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEVarga20186-37">[37]</a><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEUlziit_''et_al.''2015764-38">[38]</a>

Completing a software project involves various forms of expertise, not just in <a href="Software_programmer" class="mw-redirect" title="Software programmer">software programmers</a> but also testing, documentation writing, <a href="Software_project_management" title="Software project management">project management</a>, <a href="Graphic_design" title="Graphic design">graphic design</a>, <a href="User_experience" title="User experience">user experience</a>, user support, <a href="Marketing" title="Marketing">marketing</a>, and fundraising.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETuckerMorellide_Silva20117-39">[39]</a><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEStull201824–25-40">[40]</a><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDooley20171-24">[24]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Quality_and_security">Quality and security</h2></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main articles: <a href="Software_quality" title="Software quality">Software quality</a> and <a href="Computer_security" title="Computer security">Computer security</a></div>

<a href="Software_quality" title="Software quality">Software quality</a> is defined as meeting the stated requirements as well as customer expectations.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGalin20183-41">[41]</a> Quality is an overarching term that can refer to a code's correct and efficient behavior, its reusability and <a href="Porting" title="Porting">portability</a>, or the ease of modification.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGalin201826-42">[42]</a> It is usually more cost-effective to build quality into the product from the beginning rather than try to add it later in the development process.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan202268,_117-43">[43]</a> Higher quality code will reduce lifetime cost to both suppliers and customers as it is more reliable and <a href="Maintainability" title="Maintainability">easier to maintain</a>.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan20223,_268-44">[44]</a><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEVarga201812-45">[45]</a> Software failures in <a href="Safety-critical_system" title="Safety-critical system">safety-critical systems</a> can be very serious including death.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan20223,_268-44">[44]</a> By some estimates, the cost of poor quality software can be as high as 20 to 40 percent of sales.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan2022119-46">[46]</a> Despite developers' goal of delivering a product that works entirely as intended, virtually all software contains bugs.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAblonBogart20171-47">[47]</a>

The rise of the Internet also greatly increased the need for <a href="Computer_security" title="Computer security">computer security</a> as it enabled malicious actors to conduct <a href="Cyberattack" title="Cyberattack">cyberattacks</a> remotely.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTECampbell-KellyGarcia-Swartz2015164-48">[48]</a><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan2022266-49">[49]</a> If a bug creates a security risk, it is called a <a href="Vulnerability_(computing)" class="mw-redirect" title="Vulnerability (computing)">vulnerability</a>.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAblonBogart20172-50">[50]</a><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDaswaniElbayadi202125-51">[51]</a> <a href="Software_patch" class="mw-redirect" title="Software patch">Software patches</a> are often released to fix identified vulnerabilities, but those that remain unknown (<a href="Zero-day_(computing)" class="mw-redirect" title="Zero-day (computing)">zero days</a>) as well as those that have not been patched are still liable for exploitation.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDaswaniElbayadi202126–27-52">[52]</a> Vulnerabilities vary in their ability to be <a href="Exploit_(computer_security)" title="Exploit (computer security)">exploited</a> by malicious actors,<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAblonBogart20172-50">[50]</a> and the actual risk is dependent on the nature of the vulnerability as well as the value of the surrounding system.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHaberHibbert20185–6-53">[53]</a> Although some vulnerabilities can only be used for <a href="Denial_of_service" class="mw-redirect" title="Denial of service">denial of service</a> attacks that compromise a system's availability, others allow the attacker to <a href="Code_injection" title="Code injection">inject</a> and run their own code (called <a href="Malware" title="Malware">malware</a>), without the user being aware of it.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAblonBogart20172-50">[50]</a> To thwart cyberattacks, all software in the system must be designed to withstand and recover from external attack.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan2022266-49">[49]</a> Despite efforts to ensure security, a significant fraction of computers are infected with malware.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKitchinDodge201137-54">[54]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Encoding_and_execution">Encoding and execution</h2></div>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Programming_languages">Programming languages</h3></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="Programming_language" title="Programming language">Programming language</a></div>

Programming languages are the format in which software is written. Since the 1950s, thousands of different programming languages have been invented; some have been in use for decades, while others have fallen into disuse.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETracy2021117-55">[55]</a> Some definitions classify <a href="Machine_code" title="Machine code">machine code</a>—the exact instructions directly implemented by the hardware—and <a href="Assembly_language" title="Assembly language">assembly language</a>—a more human-readable alternative to machine code whose statements can be translated one-to-one into machine code—as programming languages.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETracy2021118–120-56">[56]</a> Programs written in the <a href="High-level_programming_languages" class="mw-redirect" title="High-level programming languages">high-level programming languages</a> used to create software share a few main characteristics: knowledge of machine code is not necessary to write them, they can be <a href="Ported" class="mw-redirect" title="Ported">ported</a> to other computer systems, and they are more concise and human-readable than machine code.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETracy2021118–119-57">[57]</a> They must be both human-readable and capable of being translated into unambiguous instructions for computer hardware.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKitchinDodge201126-58">[58]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Compilation,_interpretation,_and_execution">Compilation, interpretation, and execution</h3></div>

The invention of high-level programming languages was simultaneous with the <a href="Compiler" title="Compiler">compilers</a> needed to translate them automatically into machine code.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETracy2021121-59">[59]</a> Most programs do not contain all the resources needed to run them and rely on external <a href="Software_library" class="mw-redirect" title="Software library">libraries</a>. Part of the compiler's function is to link these files in such a way that the program can be executed by the hardware. Once compiled, the program can be saved as an <a href="Object_file" title="Object file">object file</a> and the <a href="Loader_(computing)" title="Loader (computing)">loader</a> (part of the operating system) can take this saved file and <a href="Execution_(computing)" title="Execution (computing)">execute</a> it as a <a href="Process" title="Process">process</a> on the computer hardware.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETracy2021122–123-60">[60]</a> Some programming languages use an <a href="Interpreter_(computing)" title="Interpreter (computing)">interpreter</a> instead of a compiler. An interpreter converts the program into machine code at <a href="Execution_(computing)" title="Execution (computing)">run time</a>, which makes them 10 to 100 times slower than compiled programming languages.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan2022375-61">[61]</a><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTESebesta201228-62">[62]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Legal_issues">Legal issues</h2></div>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Liability">Liability</h3></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="Software_product_liability" title="Software product liability">Software product liability</a></div>

Software is often released with the knowledge that it is incomplete or contains bugs. Purchasers knowingly buy it in this state, which has led to a legal regime where <a href="Product_liability" title="Product liability">liability</a> for software products is significantly curtailed compared to other products.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKitchinDodge201136–37-63">[63]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Licenses">Licenses</h3></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main articles: <a href="Software_license" title="Software license">Software license</a> and <a href="Software_copyright" title="Software copyright">Software copyright</a></div>

Since the mid-1970s, software and its source code have been protected by <a href="Copyright_law" class="mw-redirect" title="Copyright law">copyright law</a> that vests the owner with the exclusive right to copy the code. The underlying ideas or algorithms are not protected by copyright law, but are sometimes treated as a <a href="Trade_secret" title="Trade secret">trade secret</a> and concealed by such methods as <a href="Non-disclosure_agreement" title="Non-disclosure agreement">non-disclosure agreements</a>.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan2022394–396-64">[64]</a> A <a href="Software_copyright" title="Software copyright">software copyright</a> is often owned by the person or company that financed or made the software (depending on their contracts with employees or <a href="Independent_contracting_in_the_United_States" title="Independent contracting in the United States">contractors</a> who helped to write it).<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan2022403-65">[65]</a> Some software is in the <a href="Public_domain" title="Public domain">public domain</a> and has no restrictions on who can use it, copy or share it, or modify it; a notable example is software written by the <a href="Federal_government_of_the_United_States" title="Federal government of the United States">United States Government</a>. <a href="Free_and_open-source_software" title="Free and open-source software">Free and open-source software</a> also allow free use, sharing, and modification, perhaps with a few specified conditions.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan2022403-65">[65]</a> The use of some software is governed by an agreement (<a href="Software_license" title="Software license">software license</a>) written by the copyright holder and imposed on the user. <a href="Proprietary_software" title="Proprietary software">Proprietary software</a> is usually sold under a restrictive license that limits its use and sharing.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan2022394,_404-66">[66]</a> Some free software licenses require that modified versions must be released under the same license, which prevents the software from being sold

or distributed under proprietary restrictions.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTELanger201644–45-67">[67]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Patents">Patents</h3></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main articles: <a href="Software_patent" title="Software patent">Software patent</a> and <a href="Software_patent_debate" title="Software patent debate">Software patent debate</a></div>

<a href="Patent" title="Patent">Patents</a> give an inventor an exclusive, time-limited license for a novel product or process.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan2022395-68">[68]</a> Ideas about what software could accomplish are not protected by law and concrete implementations are instead covered by <a href="Copyright_law" class="mw-redirect" title="Copyright law">copyright law</a>. In some countries, a requirement for the claimed invention to have an effect on the physical world may also be part of the requirements for a software patent to be held valid.<a href="#cite_note-69">[69]</a> <a href="Software_patent" title="Software patent">Software patents</a> have been <a href="Software_patent_debate" title="Software patent debate">historically controversial</a>. Before the 1998 case <a href="State_Street_Bank_%26_Trust_Co._v._Signature_Financial_Group%2C_Inc." title="State Street Bank & Trust Co. v. Signature Financial Group, Inc.">State Street Bank & Trust Co. v. Signature Financial Group, Inc.</a>, software patents were generally not recognized in the United States. In that case, the <a href="Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States" title="Supreme Court of the United States">Supreme Court</a> decided that business processes could be patented.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEJones201419-70">[70]</a> Patent applications are complex and costly, and lawsuits involving patents can drive up the cost of products.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan2022398-71">[71]</a> Unlike copyrights, patents generally only apply in the jurisdiction where they were issued.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan2022399-72">[72]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Impact">Impact</h2></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Further information: <a href="Information_Age" title="Information Age">Information Age</a></div>

Engineer <a href="Capers_Jones" title="Capers Jones">Capers Jones</a> writes that "computers and software are making profound changes to every aspect of human life: education, work, warfare, entertainment, medicine, law, and everything else".<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEJones201432-74">[74]</a> It has become ubiquitous in <a href="Everyday_life" title="Everyday life">everyday life</a> in <a href="Developed_countries" class="mw-redirect" title="Developed countries">developed countries</a>.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKitchinDodge2011iv-75">[75]</a> In many cases, software augments the functionality of existing technologies such as household <a href="Home_appliance" title="Home appliance">appliances</a> and <a href="Elevator" title="Elevator">elevators</a>.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKitchinDodge20115-76">[76]</a> Software also spawned entirely new technologies such as <a href="The_Internet" class="mw-redirect" title="The Internet">the Internet</a>, <a href="Video_games" class="mw-redirect" title="Video games">video games</a>, <a href="Mobile_phones" class="mw-redirect" title="Mobile phones">mobile phones</a>, and <a href="GPS" class="mw-redirect" title="GPS">GPS</a>.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKitchinDodge20115-76">[76]</a><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEJones2014xxviii-77">[77]</a> New methods of communication, including <a href="Email" title="Email">email</a>, <a href="Internet_forum" title="Internet forum">forums</a>, <a href="Blog" title="Blog">blogs</a>, <a href="Microblogging" title="Microblogging">microblogging</a>, <a href="Wiki" title="Wiki">wikis</a>, and <a href="Social_media" title="Social media">social media</a>, were enabled by the Internet.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEManovich2013329-78">[78]</a> Massive amounts of knowledge exceeding any paper-based library are now available with a quick <a href="Web_search" class="mw-redirect" title="Web search">web search</a>.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEJones2014xxviii-77">[77]</a> Most creative professionals have switched to software-based tools such as <a href="Computer-aided_design" title="Computer-aided design">computer-aided design</a>, <a href="3D_modeling" title="3D modeling">3D modeling</a>, digital <a href="Image_editing" title="Image editing">image editing</a>, and <a href="Computer_animation" title="Computer animation">computer animation</a>.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEManovich2013333-73">[73]</a> Almost every complex device is controlled by software.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEJones2014xxviii-77">[77]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2></div>

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</style><cite id="CITEREFStair2003" class="citation book cs1">Stair, Ralph M. (2003). Principles of Information Systems, Sixth Edition. Thomson. p. 16. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>0-619-06489-7</bdi>. <q>Software consists of computer programs that govern the operation of the computer.</q></cite>

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<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan2022394,_404-66"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEO'Regan2022394,_404_66-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFO'Regan2022">O'Regan 2022</a>, pp. 394, 404.

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<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTELanger201644–45-67"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTELanger201644–45_67-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFLanger2016">Langer 2016</a>, pp. 44–45.

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<li id="cite_note-69"><a href="#cite_ref-69">^</a> Gerardo Con Díaz, "The Text in the Machine: American Copyright Law and the Many Natures of Software, 1974–1978", Technology and Culture 57 (October 2016), 753–79.

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<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan2022398-71"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEO'Regan2022398_71-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFO'Regan2022">O'Regan 2022</a>, p. 398.

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<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEO'Regan2022399-72"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEO'Regan2022399_72-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFO'Regan2022">O'Regan 2022</a>, p. 399.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEManovich2013333-73">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEManovich2013333_73-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEManovich2013333_73-1">b</a> <a href="#CITEREFManovich2013">Manovich 2013</a>, p. 333.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEJones201432-74"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJones201432_74-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFJones2014">Jones 2014</a>, p. 32.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEKitchinDodge2011iv-75"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKitchinDodge2011iv_75-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFKitchinDodge2011">Kitchin & Dodge 2011</a>, p. iv.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEKitchinDodge20115-76">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKitchinDodge20115_76-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKitchinDodge20115_76-1">b</a> <a href="#CITEREFKitchinDodge2011">Kitchin & Dodge 2011</a>, p. 5.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEJones2014xxviii-77">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJones2014xxviii_77-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJones2014xxviii_77-1">b</a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEJones2014xxviii_77-2">c</a> <a href="#CITEREFJones2014">Jones 2014</a>, p. xxviii.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEManovich2013329-78"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEManovich2013329_78-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFManovich2013">Manovich 2013</a>, p. 329.

</li>

</ol></div></div>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Sources">Sources</h3></div>

/* start https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

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</style><div class="refbegin refbegin-hanging-indents" style="">

<ul><li><cite id="CITEREFAblonBogart2017" class="citation book cs1">Ablon, Lillian; Bogart, Andy (2017). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR1700/RR1751/RAND_RR1751.pdf">Zero Days, Thousands of Nights: The Life and Times of Zero-Day Vulnerabilities and Their Exploits</a> (PDF). Rand Corporation. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-0-8330-9761-3</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFAndersonDahlin2014" class="citation book cs1"><a href="Thomas_E._Anderson" title="Thomas E. Anderson">Anderson, Thomas</a>; Dahlin, Michael (2014). Operating Systems: Principles and Practice (2 ed.). Recursive Books. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-0-9856735-2-9</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFCampbell-KellyGarcia-Swartz2015" class="citation book cs1">Campbell-Kelly, Martin; Garcia-Swartz, Daniel D. (2015). From Mainframes to Smartphones: A History of the International Computer Industry. Harvard University Press. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-0-674-28655-9</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFDaswaniElbayadi2021" class="citation book cs1"><a href="Neil_Daswani" title="Neil Daswani">Daswani, Neil</a>; Elbayadi, Moudy (2021). Big Breaches: Cybersecurity Lessons for Everyone. Apress. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-4842-6654-0</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFDooley2017" class="citation book cs1">Dooley, John F. (2017). Software Development, Design and Coding: With Patterns, Debugging, Unit Testing, and Refactoring. Apress. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-4842-3153-1</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFGabbrielliMartini2023" class="citation book cs1">Gabbrielli, Maurizio; Martini, Simone (2023). Programming Languages: Principles and Paradigms (2nd ed.). Springer. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-3-031-34144-1</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFGalin2018" class="citation book cs1">Galin, Daniel (2018). Software Quality: Concepts and Practice. John Wiley & Sons. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-119-13449-7</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFHaberHibbert2018" class="citation book cs1">Haber, Morey J.; Hibbert, Brad (2018). Asset Attack Vectors: Building Effective Vulnerability Management Strategies to Protect Organizations. Apress. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-4842-3627-7</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFJones2014" class="citation book cs1">Jones, Capers (2014). The Technical and Social History of Software Engineering. Pearson Education. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-0-321-90342-6</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFKitchinDodge2011" class="citation book cs1">Kitchin, Rob; Dodge, Martin (2011). Code/space: Software and Everyday Life. MIT Press. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-0-262-04248-2</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFLanger2016" class="citation book cs1">Langer, Arthur M. (2016). Guide to Software Development: Designing and Managing the Life Cycle. Springer. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-4471-6799-0</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFManovich2013" class="citation book cs1">Manovich, Lev (2013). Software Takes Command. Bloomsbury Academic. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-62356-745-3</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFO'Regan2022" class="citation book cs1">O'Regan, Gerard (2022). Concise Guide to Software Engineering: From Fundamentals to Application Methods. Springer Nature. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-3-031-07816-3</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFOsterweil2013" class="citation book cs1">Osterweil, Leon J. (2013). "What Is Software? The Role of Empirical Methods in Answering the Question". Perspectives on the Future of Software Engineering: Essays in Honor of Dieter Rombach. Springer. pp. 237–254. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-3-642-37395-4</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFRahman_et_al.2024" class="citation journal cs1">Rahman, Hanif Ur; da Silva, Alberto Rodrigues; Alzayed, Asaad; Raza, Mushtaq (2024). "A Systematic Literature Review on Software Maintenance Offshoring Decisions". Information and Software Technology. 172: 107475. <a href="Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.infsof.2024.107475">10.1016/j.infsof.2024.107475</a>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFReifer2012" class="citation book cs1">Reifer, Donald J. (2012). Software Maintenance Success Recipes. CRC Press. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-4398-5167-8</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFRosatiLynn2020" class="citation book cs1">Rosati, Pierangelo; Lynn, Theo (2020). "Measuring the Business Value of Infrastructure Migration to the Cloud". Measuring the Business Value of Cloud Computing. Springer International Publishing. pp. 19–37. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-3-030-43198-3</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFSebesta2012" class="citation book cs1">Sebesta, Robert W. (2012). Concepts of Programming Languages (10 ed.). Addison-Wesley. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-0-13-139531-2</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFStull2018" class="citation book cs1">Stull, Edward (2018). UX Fundamentals for Non-UX Professionals: User Experience Principles for Managers, Writers, Designers, and Developers. Apress. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-4842-3811-0</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFTanenbaumBos2023" class="citation book cs1"><a href="Andrew_S._Tanenbaum" title="Andrew S. Tanenbaum">Tanenbaum, Andrew S.</a>; Bos, Herbert (2023). Modern Operating Systems, Global Edition. Pearson Higher Ed. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-292-72789-9</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFTracy2021" class="citation book cs1">Tracy, Kim W. (2021). Software: A Technical History. Morgan & Claypool Publishers. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-4503-8724-8</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFTripathyNaik2014" class="citation book cs1">Tripathy, Priyadarshi; Naik, Kshirasagar (2014). Software Evolution and Maintenance: A Practitioner's Approach. John Wiley & Sons. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-0-470-60341-3</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFTuckerMorellide_Silva2011" class="citation book cs1">Tucker, Allen; Morelli, Ralph; de Silva, Chamindra (2011). Software Development: An Open Source Approach. CRC Press. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-4398-8460-7</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFUlziit_et_al.2015" class="citation journal cs1">Ulziit, Bayarbuyan; Warraich, Zeeshan Akhtar; Gencel, Cigdem; Petersen, Kai (2015). "A conceptual framework of challenges and solutions for managing global software maintenance". Journal of Software: Evolution and Process. 27 (10): 763–792. <a href="Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1002%2Fsmr.1720">10.1002/smr.1720</a>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFWatt2023" class="citation book cs1">Watt, Andy (2023). Building Modern SaaS Applications with C# And . NET: Build, Deploy, and Maintain Professional SaaS Applications. Packt. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-80461-087-9</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFVarga2018" class="citation book cs1">Varga, Ervin (2018). Unraveling Software Maintenance and Evolution: Thinking Outside the Box. Springer. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-3-319-71303-8</bdi>.</cite></li></ul>

</div>

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</style></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Software_digital_distribution_platforms693" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">

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</style><div id="Software_digital_distribution_platforms693" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"> digital distribution <a href="Content_delivery_network" title="Content delivery network">platforms</a></div></th></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2"><div>

<ul><li><a href="App_store" title="App store">App store</a></li>

<li><a href="Cloud_gaming" title="Cloud gaming">Cloud gaming</a></li>

<li><a href="Content_delivery_network" title="Content delivery network">Content delivery network</a></li>

<li><a href="Digital_library" title="Digital library">Digital library</a></li>

<li><a href="Digital_distribution_of_video_games" title="Digital distribution of video games">Digital distribution of video games</a></li>

<li><a href="Over-the-air_update" title="Over-the-air update">Over-the-air update</a></li>

<li><a href="Package_manager" title="Package manager">Package manager</a></li>

<li><a href="Software_distribution" title="Software distribution">Software distribution</a></li>

<li><a href="List_of_mobile_app_distribution_platforms" title="List of mobile app distribution platforms">List of mobile app distribution platforms</a>

<ul><li><a href="List_of_Android_app_stores" title="List of Android app stores">Android</a></li></ul></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Active</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="Personal_computer" title="Personal computer">Personal computers</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Amazon_Digital_Game_Store" class="mw-redirect" title="Amazon Digital Game Store">Amazon Digital Game Store</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle.net" title="Battle.net">Battle.net</a></li>

<li><a href="Big_Fish_Games" title="Big Fish Games">Big Fish Games</a></li>

<li><a href="Chrome_Web_Store" title="Chrome Web Store">Chrome Web Store</a></li>

<li><a href="Direct2Drive" title="Direct2Drive">Direct2Drive</a></li>

<li><a href="Discord_(software)" class="mw-redirect" title="Discord (software)">Discord</a></li>

<li><a href="DLsite" title="DLsite">DLsite</a></li>

<li><a href="KDE_Gear" title="KDE Gear">Discover</a></li>

<li><a href="DMM_Games" class="mw-redirect" title="DMM Games">DMM Games</a></li>

<li><a href="Epic_Games_Store" title="Epic Games Store">Epic Games Store</a></li>

<li><a href="Flathub" class="mw-redirect" title="Flathub">Flathub</a></li>

<li><a href="GameHouse" title="GameHouse">GameHouse</a></li>

<li><a href="GamersGate" title="GamersGate">GamersGate</a></li>

<li><a href="Gamesplanet" class="mw-redirect" title="Gamesplanet">Gamesplanet</a></li>

<li><a href="Humble_Store" class="mw-redirect" title="Humble Store">Humble Store</a></li>

<li><a href="IndieGala" title="IndieGala">IndieGala</a></li>

<li><a href="Inside_Mac_Games" title="Inside Mac Games">MacGameStore</a></li>

<li><a href="MacUpdate" title="MacUpdate">MacUpdate</a></li>

<li><a href="Mac_App_Store" title="Mac App Store">Mac App Store</a></li>

<li><a href="Meta_Horizon_Store" title="Meta Horizon Store">Meta Horizon Store</a></li>

<li><a href="Microsoft_Store" title="Microsoft Store">Microsoft Store</a></li>

<li><a href="MSN_Games" title="MSN Games">MSN Games</a></li>

<li><a href="Nutaku" title="Nutaku">Nutaku</a></li>

<li><a href="Pokki" title="Pokki">Pokki</a></li>

<li><a href="PureOS" title="PureOS">PureOS Software Center</a></li>

<li><a href="Robot_Cache" title="Robot Cache">Robot Cache</a></li>

<li><a href="Rockstar_Games_Social_Club" class="mw-redirect" title="Rockstar Games Social Club">Rockstar Games Social Club</a></li>

<li><a href="Snap_Store" class="mw-redirect" title="Snap Store">Snap Store</a></li>

<li><a href="Steam_(service)" title="Steam (service)">Steam</a></li>

<li><a href="Ubisoft_Connect" title="Ubisoft Connect">Ubisoft Connect</a></li>

<li><a href="Viveport" class="mw-redirect" title="Viveport">Viveport</a></li>

<li><a href="WeGame" title="WeGame">WeGame</a></li>

<li><a href="WildTangent" title="WildTangent">WildTangent</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="Video_game_console" title="Video game console">Consoles</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Microsoft_Store" title="Microsoft Store">Microsoft Store</a></li>

<li><a href="Nintendo_eShop" title="Nintendo eShop">Nintendo eShop</a></li>

<li><a href="PlayStation_Store" title="PlayStation Store">PlayStation Store</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="Mobile_device" title="Mobile device">Mobile devices</a> §</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Amazon_Appstore" title="Amazon Appstore">Amazon Appstore</a></li>

<li><a href="App_Store_(Apple)" title="App Store (Apple)">Apple App Store</a></li>

<li><a href="Appland" title="Appland">Appland</a></li>

<li><a href="Aptoide" title="Aptoide">Aptoide</a></li>

<li><a href="Cafe_Bazaar" title="Cafe Bazaar">Cafe Bazaar</a></li>

<li><a href="Cydia" title="Cydia">Cydia</a></li>

<li><a href="DLsite" title="DLsite">DLsite</a></li>

<li><a href="Epic_Games_Store" title="Epic Games Store">Epic Games Store</a></li>

<li><a href="F-Droid" title="F-Droid">F-Droid</a></li>

<li><a href="Galaxy_Store" title="Galaxy Store">Galaxy Store</a></li>

<li><a href="GetJar" title="GetJar">GetJar</a></li>

<li><a href="Google_Play" title="Google Play">Google Play</a></li>

<li><a href="Huawei_AppGallery" title="Huawei AppGallery">Huawei AppGallery</a></li>

<li><a href="Meta_Horizon_Store" title="Meta Horizon Store">Meta Horizon Store</a></li>

<li><a href="MiKandi" title="MiKandi">MiKandi</a></li>

<li><a href="Nutaku" title="Nutaku">Nutaku</a></li>

<li><a href="Ubuntu_Touch" title="Ubuntu Touch">OpenStore</a></li>

<li><a href="PureOS" title="PureOS">PureOS Software Center</a></li>

<li><a href="Tencent_Appstore" title="Tencent Appstore">Tencent Appstore</a></li>

<li><a href="SlideME" class="mw-redirect" title="SlideME">SlideME</a></li>

<li><a href="TapTap" title="TapTap">TapTap</a></li>

<li><a href="Viveport" class="mw-redirect" title="Viveport">Viveport</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="Arcade_video_game#Technology" title="Arcade video game">Arcade</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="NESiCAxLive" title="NESiCAxLive">NESiCAxLive</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Defunct</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Allmyapps" title="Allmyapps">Allmyapps</a></li>

<li><a href="BlackBerry_World" title="BlackBerry World">BlackBerry World</a></li>

<li><a href="Club_Nokia" title="Club Nokia">Club Nokia</a></li>

<li><a href="Desura" title="Desura">Desura</a></li>

<li><a href="Digital_River" title="Digital River">Digital River</a></li>

<li><a href="Download!" title="Download!">Download!</a></li>

<li><a href="GameAgent" title="GameAgent">GameAgent</a></li>

<li><a href="GameLine" title="GameLine">GameLine</a></li>

<li><a href="GameShadow" title="GameShadow">GameShadow</a></li>

<li><a href="GameTap" title="GameTap">GameTap</a></li>

<li><a href="Games_for_Windows_Marketplace" class="mw-redirect" title="Games for Windows Marketplace">Games for Windows Marketplace</a></li>

<li><a href="Handango" title="Handango">Handango</a></li>

<li><a href="Impulse_(software)" title="Impulse (software)">Impulse</a></li>

<li><a href="Intel_AppUp" title="Intel AppUp">Intel AppUp</a></li>

<li><a href="Kartridge" class="mw-redirect" title="Kartridge">Kartridge</a></li>

<li><a href="Kazaa" title="Kazaa">Kazaa</a></li>

<li><a href="Nokia_Store" class="mw-redirect" title="Nokia Store">Nokia Store</a></li>

<li><a href="Opera_Mobile_Store" title="Opera Mobile Store">Opera Mobile Store</a></li>

<li><a href="PlayCable" title="PlayCable">PlayCable</a></li>

<li><a href="Playism" title="Playism">Playism</a></li>

<li><a href="PlayNow_Arena" title="PlayNow Arena">PlayNow Arena</a></li>

<li><a href="RealArcade" title="RealArcade">RealArcade</a></li>

<li><a href="Sega_Channel" title="Sega Channel">Sega Channel</a></li>

<li><a href="Sega_Meganet" title="Sega Meganet">Sega Meganet</a></li>

<li><a href="Stardock_Central" title="Stardock Central">Stardock Central</a></li>

<li><a href="Triton_(content_delivery)" title="Triton (content delivery)">Triton</a></li>

<li><a href="Ubuntu_App_Store" class="mw-redirect" title="Ubuntu App Store">Ubuntu App Store</a></li>

<li><a href="Ubuntu_Software_Center" title="Ubuntu Software Center">Ubuntu Software Center</a></li>

<li><a href="Vodafone_live!" title="Vodafone live!">Vodafone live!</a></li>

<li><a href="Wii_Shop_Channel" title="Wii Shop Channel">Wii Shop Channel</a></li>

<li><a href="Windows_Marketplace" title="Windows Marketplace">Windows Marketplace</a></li>

<li><a href="Windows_Marketplace_for_Mobile" title="Windows Marketplace for Mobile">Windows Marketplace for Mobile</a></li>

<li><a href="Windows_Phone_Store" title="Windows Phone Store">Windows Phone Store</a></li>

<li><a href="Xbox_Games_Store" title="Xbox Games Store">Xbox Games Store</a></li>

<li><a href="Xbox_Live_Arcade" title="Xbox Live Arcade">Xbox Live Arcade</a></li>

<li><a href="Yahoo!_Games" class="mw-redirect" title="Yahoo! Games">Yahoo! Games</a></li>

<li><a href="Zune_Marketplace" class="mw-redirect" title="Zune Marketplace">Zune Marketplace</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow hlist" colspan="2"><div>

<ul><li>§ Also includes <a href="Smart_TV" title="Smart TV">Smart TVs</a> and standalone <a href="Virtual_reality_headset" title="Virtual reality headset">VR headsets</a> </li>

<li> Category</li>

<li> <a href="Portal%3ASoftware" class="mw-redirect" title="Portal:Software">Portal</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>

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</style></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox authority-control" aria-labelledby="Authority_control_databases_frameless&#124;text-top&#124;10px&#124;alt=Edit_this_at_Wikidata&#124;link=https&#58;//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7397#identifiers&#124;class=noprint&#124;Edit_this_at_Wikidata2085" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><div id="Authority_control_databases_frameless&#124;text-top&#124;10px&#124;alt=Edit_this_at_Wikidata&#124;link=https&#58;//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7397#identifiers&#124;class=noprint&#124;Edit_this_at_Wikidata2085" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Authority control databases </div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">National</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"><ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://d-nb.info/gnd/4055382-6">Germany</a></li><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://id.loc.gov/authorities/sh85029534">United States</a></li><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb133183707">France</a></li><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://data.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb133183707">BnF data</a></li><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://id.ndl.go.jp/auth/ndlna/00684642">Japan</a></li><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://aleph.nkp.cz/F/?func=find-c&local_base=aut&ccl_term=ica=ph125823&CON_LNG=ENG">Czech Republic</a></li><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://datos.bne.es/resource/XX530960">Spain</a></li><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.nli.org.il/en/authorities/987007545619305171">Israel</a></li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"><ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://lux.collections.yale.edu/view/concept/718725f9-7a1b-43cc-9bbe-a4fcde38c3b7">Yale LUX</a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><div><div class="zim-footer">

This article is issued from <a class="external text" title="Last edited on 2025-07-15" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/?title=Software&oldid=1300634868">Wikipedia</a>. The text is available under <a class="external text" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en">Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0</a> unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

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