Difference between a software a program and an app

[rahul1]

What is the difference between a software, a program and an app?

Thank you.

 

[Hawkeye22]

I'm sure there are plenty of different answers depending on who you ask. To me, software = program. An app is a subset of software/program. An app is a specialized program designed to work with a specific device or set of devices - i.e. smartphone, tablets,...

 

[rahul1]

That was quite helpful.

can u quote an example both for program & spftware.

 

[Hawkeye22]

It depends... is this homework? This sounds an aweful lot like a homework question and although I'm glad to point you in the right direction, I'm hesitent to give you an answer.

 

[rahul1]

no its not a homework, its just a question born out of my curiosity.
m not a guy with all those digital knowings, like u ppl.

y u r hesitant to give an answer?

m just curious to learn the most specific answer. and i'l really be very thankfull to the provider

 

[Hawkeye22]

Yes, hesitent because it may have been homework. Anyhow the lines are getting blurrred as time passes since now a lot of programs are multi platform.

Ok, how about microsoft office = program(s). They run on macs and pc's, where as your banking "app" may only run on your android or ios device like a phone. On your pc, you wouldn't necessarily have a banking app, but visit your bank's web site via your web browser (browser = program).

 

[rahul1]

ok.. y the browser is not a software?

 

[Hawkeye22]

Looking back at my first post, I did say, "To me, software = program.".

From general to specific: software > programs > apps.

Sometimes programs will have extra files, like Microsoft word contains dictionary files. Word + dictionary = software, yet Word in itself is a program. Subtle differences.

 

[rahul1]

got it.
thank you

 

[ex_bubblehead]

It's just symantecs. Software, programs, apps, they're all the same thing, just long sequences of instructions that are executed by the CPU.

 

[Hawkeye22]

It's just symantecs. Software, programs, apps, they're all the same thing, just long sequences of instructions that are executed by the CPU.

In my example above, the dictionary file doesn't execute any instructions, yet it's classified as software. Data files in general don't execute but are part of some software.

I will agree that in general principle they are very similar to the point that sometimes the line is blurred.