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Program vs System - What's the difference?

program | system |

As nouns the difference between system and program

is that system is a collection of organized things; a whole composed of relationships among its members while program is a set of structured activities.

As a verb program is

to enter a program or other instructions into (a computer or other electronic device) to instruct it to do a particular task.

program

English

Alternative forms

* programme (see usage notes)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A set of structured activities.
  • :
  • A leaflet listing information about a play, game or other activity.
  • :
  • A performance of a show or other broadcast on radio or television.
  • :
  • (lb) A software application, or a collection of software applications, designed to perform a specific task.
  • :
  • A particular mindset or method of doing things.
  • *Ellis in the movie Die Hard
  • *:Come on, John, why don’t you get with the program and tell him where the detonators are?
  • Usage notes

    * Usage of program'' and ''programme : ** US: program is the only spelling normally used. ** UK: programme'' is used in all cases except for computer code, in which case ''program'' is generally used. Older sources may use ''programme for computer code. ** Canada: both program'' and ''programme'' are used, but ''programme is more common. ** Australia: program'' is endorsed by the Australian government, but ''programme is most common. ** New Zealand: programme'' is favoured by New Zealand dictionaries, and is endorsed by government usage; ''program is rarely seen outside the computing meaning.

    Synonyms

    * (leaflet): playbill (for a play ) * (software application): application

    Derived terms

    * programme block * program counter * program evaluation and review technique * program guide * program music * program slicer * program trading

    Verb

    (programm)
  • To enter a program or other instructions into (a computer or other electronic device) to instruct it to do a particular task.
  • * He programmed the DVR to record his favorite show.
  • To develop (software) by writing program code.
  • I programmed a small game as a demonstration.
  • To put together the schedule of an event.
  • * Mary will program Tuesday’s festivities.
  • To cause to automatically behave in a particular way.
  • * The lab rat was programmed to press the lever when the bell rang.
  • system

    English

    (wikipedia system)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A collection of organized things; a whole composed of relationships among its members.
  • * '>citation
  • # (label) A set of equations involving the same , which are to be solved simultaneously.
  • # (medicine) The body organs that contribute to a vegetative function.
  • # (label) A set of staffs that indicate instruments or sounds that are to be played simultaneously.
  • A method or way of organizing or planning.
  • *
  • As a political system democracy seems to me extraordinarily foolish, but I would not go out of my way to protest against it. My servant is, so far as I am concerned, welcome to as many votes as he can get. I would very gladly make mine over to him if I could.
  • * '>citation
  • # (derogatory) In the system : the mainstream culture, elites, or government of a state, or a combination of them, seen as oppressive to the individual.
  • #*
  • Synonyms

    * apparatus, arrangement, complex, composition, logistics, machinery, organization, set up, synthesis, structure

    Derived terms

    * binary system * biological system * closed system * complex adaptive system * complex system * computer system * conceptual system * Copernican system * cultural system * dynamical system * economic system * ecosystem * expert system * formal system * global positioning system * information system * isolated system * legal system * metric system * multi-agent system * nervous system * open system * operating system * out of one's system * physical system * political system * Ptolemaic system * sensory system * social system * sociotechnical system theory * solar system * subsystem * system dynamics * systems art * systems biology * systems categories * systems ecology * systems engineering * systems of measurement * systems science * systems theory

    See also

    * network

    Statistics

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