It is the other side of the hardware. The software is any intangible item in a computer; it is the set of programs and procedures bringing it to life. Software goes from the procedures the user does not know about, constituting the main parts on the PC operation to the editing and imaging programs, and even the operating systems themselves are part of the software. The operating system is the software seeking to properly relate all the other components of the set called software with the hardware components and, in turn, improve and optimize the interface of both of them with the user.

When you buy a computer, ninety per cent of the cases it comes with an operating system allowing you to use it from the first time you turn it on. There are two leading operating systems when talking about PC: Windows and Linux. For Macintosh, it is Mac Os. If you choose a PC, it will surely come with Windows installed and they will charge you quite a bit of money for the software license. In contrast, Linux is free software not having any cost at all, as most of the programs compatible with it do. However, if you buy a computer by parts, you will need to get an operating system; you will need to install it yourself or the person assembling the computer will need to do it for you. The operating system, talking about Windows because it is the most well-known, carries an important number of applications you will have available from the beginning. But you should not forget these applications are very basic and they just fulfil basic operating needs. Every time you need to seriously work with certain function on the computer, you will need to buy the appropriate program.

This is one of the expenses on computer improvement. That is to say, buying a computer with operating system installed is not enough; you will need to keep installing various programs for various uses. The most popular programs are games (many of them have an image quality requiring a video board), image and picture editing programs such as Photoshop, antivirus and antispam, instant messaging, video players, programs to download information into CDs or DVDs and sound players. Many of these programs can be downloaded from the internet for free or with a minimum charge, others are bought at software stores.

Many times installing a newer version of the same program is required for the program to be compatible with other applications. This generates an expense to keep the proper operation of all programs installed. However, investing in programs is not an unnecessary expense: they improve the computer performance to the most and make it a truly valuable object. Programs must be considered a mandatory expense when you think about buying a computer because the purchase is not convenient without them. Anyway, do not despair: buying all the programs at once is not necessary; you may buy them as you need them with no inconvenience at all.