What is Software?

Ans: Software is defined as collection of data, programs, procedures, associated documentation and rules. which does not have any mass, volume and color. Software does not wear out, get tired or degrade over a long period of time.

Characteristics of Software  and classified components?

Ans: Six Characteristics of Software. These components are described below:

• Functionality:
  It refers to the suitability, accuracy, interoperability, compliance, security of software which is measured as  degree of performance of the software against its intended purpose.

• Reliability:
  Refers to the recoverability, fault tolerance, maturity of software, which is basically a capability of the software that provide required functionality under the given situations.

• Efficiency:
  It is the ability of the software to use resources of system in the most effective and efficient manner. Software must make effective use of system storage  and execute command as per required timing.

• Usability:
  It is the extent to which the software can be utilized with ease and the amount of effort or time required to learn how to use the software.

• Maintainability:
  It is the ease with which the modifications can be made in a software to extend or enhance its functionality, improve its performance, or resolve bugs.

• Portability:
  It is the ease with which software developers can relaunch software from one platform to another, without (or with minimum) changes. In simple terms, software must be made in way that it should be platform independent.