Installing and Running Programs

Installing and Running Programs
The instructions in a program are stored on torage media such as a hard disk or compact iisc. When purchasing software from a com-mter store, you typically receive a box that rtcludes a CD(s) or DVD(s) that contains the Program. If you purchase software from a Web site on the Internet, you download the program; that is, the program is transferred from the Web site to the hard disk in your computer.
Installing is the process of setting up soft-ware to work with the computer, printer, and other hardware components. When you buy a computer, it usually has some software pre-installed on its hard disk. This enables you to use the computer the first time you turn it on. To begin installing additional software from a CD or DVD, insert the program disc in a CD or DVD drive and follow the instructions to begin installation. When you download a purchased program, the Web site typically provides instructions for how to install the software on your hard disk.
Once software is installed, you can run it. When you instruct the computer to run an installed program, the computer loads it, which means the program is copied from storage to memory. Once in memory, the computer can carry out, or execute, the instructions in the program so that you can use the program.illustrates the steps that occur when a user installs and runs a program that assists students with homework.