please guys, I would like to be enlightened on the difference between a software and a programme. They seem so confusing to me. Thank you.

Imo, they are basically the same.

The software is basically the foundation of the program.

A software is a collection of computer programs

Greene66:
Imo, they are basically the same.

The software is basically the foundation of the program.

It's the other way round:

More than one combination of characters becomes a CODE.


More than one combination of codes become an INSTRUCTION.


More than one combination of instructions becomes a PROGRAM.


More than one combination of programs becomes a SOFTWARE.

Greene66:
Imo, they are basically the same.

The software is basically the foundation of the program.

How hard is it to sit back, close your mouth and learn whenever a subject you don't understand comes up.

The confusion comes from the fact that in Nigeria, we like saying things like "a software" and "softwares". This is completely wrong. "Software" is a generic term, like "music" or "art".

You don't say "Wizkid released a new music" or "Aye and Fall are different musics by Davido". That is broken English. All those things together can be collectively referred to as music but music is not a word with singular and plural, instead you use specific words like "track" or "song" or "album". So if someone says "new music" they might be talking about one song, a group of songs, a mixtape, an album, whatever. But they don't say "a new music" or "some new musics".

The same goes for "software" and "program". Microsoft Word is a program (a desktop application), WhatsApp is a program (mobile application), Windows is an program (an operating system). Each of these is a program, and they can be collectively software, but software is not singular or plural. Instead of saying "a software" or "softwares", you use specific words like "program" or "app". But if you are not being specific, then you can just say "software".


Of course, this is Nigeria, we speak our English how we want. We say "more better" and reply "Where are you going?" with "I am coming". So if you want to keep saying "softwares" instead of "programs", go ahead. Nobody will come to your house and beat you.

Software is the BODY - Programs are the cells, blood, veins....heart and all the other components of the body system

Program and Software are considered to be a similar terms But it is not correct .

Software is broad term that includes Program , data structure documentation that is generated during life cycle of software development and installation files which are used to perform a computing task .
Basically if we see , Software is a term that includes the following :
1.Program
2.Installation Manual
3.Documentation

Program: It is the set of instructions executed on computer .

That is Software is a Broad term and Program is a narrow term in compared to software .