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First, a quick message from Common Craft.

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This video comes in versions designed for use in training and education.

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Find them at CommonCraft.com.

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It's easy to think of computers as just machinery, buttons, screens, and parts that work together.

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But the magic of computers comes from something that makes them unique to you.

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This is computer software in plain English.

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The problem with computers is that most of us don't speak their language.

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We need a translator, something that can understand our needs and put the computer to work for

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us.

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The translator is called software, and it makes computers useful.

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Look at it this way.

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Like a typewriter, a computer without software is just a lifeless machine.

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By adding software, the computer becomes more alive, easy to use, and built for you.

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Most computers have two basic kinds, the operating system and software programs.

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If you've ever used a computer, you've used an operating system.

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From saving files to using a mouse or fixing problems, the operating system covers the

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basics.

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Operating systems come with all new computers and do a lot of the same things.

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We've seen them called Windows, Mac, and Linux.

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But the operating system is only part of what we need.

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To make them personalized and more useful, we can add software programs.

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For example, if you need to edit a photo, you can add a software program that is built

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for that purpose.

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If you need to design a house, you can add a software program that lets you see the house

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from all sides.

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By adding and removing software programs, you can make the computer fit with exactly

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what you want to do.

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And adding most software programs is easy.

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You can get them from a computer store or download them from the internet.

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No computer nerds required.

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Once a program is on your computer, opening it is as easy as clicking an icon.

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But what is a software program?

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What's really happening when you open one?

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Think about it this way.

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Computers are really good at following instructions.

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A software program is essentially a set of instructions that tells the computer exactly

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what to do.

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When you open a program, the computer goes to work, completing the instructions until

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the program is ready for you to use.

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The ability to add and remove software programs means that everyone's computer can be different

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and unique to them.

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So, to review, we've talked about operating systems that take care of the basics and software

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programs that make computers personalized.

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It's this combination that makes computers so useful.

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But it's not limited to computers on your desk.

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Consider your cell phone.

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Just like a computer without software, it's a lifeless machine that doesn't speak our

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language.

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Thankfully, cell phones have software that bring them to life.

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The same thing is true for many cameras, music players, and even our cars.

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Every day, we rely on software to bring machines to life and make them personalized and useful.

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The next time you use a computer or cell phone, think about software's role in translating

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your needs into instructions that put the machine to work for you.

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I'm Lee Lefevre of Common Craft, and this has been Computer Software in Plain English.

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Do you need this for work?

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Find presentation-quality, unbranded versions of all Common Craft videos at CommonCraft.com.