资料来源 : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

system software
     
         Any {software} required to support the
        production or execution of {application programs} but which is
        not specific to any particular application.
     
        System software typically includes an {operating system} to
        control the execution of other programs; user environment
        software such as a {command-line interpreter}, {window
        system}, {desktop}; development tools for building other
        programs such as {assemblers}, {compilers}, {linkers},
        {libraries}, {interpreters}, {cross-reference generators},
        {version control}, {make}; {debugging}, {profiling} and
        monitoring tools; utility programs, e.g. for sorting,
        printing, and editting.
     
        Different people would classify some or all of the above
        system software as part of the operating system while others
        might say the operating system was just the {kernel}.
     
        (1997-09-22)