Software comprises the entire set of programs, procedures, and routines associated with the operation of a computer system. The term was coined to differentiate these instructions from hardware—i.e., the physical components of a computer system.
BASIC is a high-level language which allows the programmer to access simpler, more consolidated data and actions, rather than presenting raw data directly from the source. Though it can be less efficient than low-level languages, BASIC programming emphasizes symbols, which is very useful for beginners.