Explain the difference between installed software and portable software.

Explain the difference between installed software and portable software.

• A. Installed software requires installation on the system; portable software can run from a folder without a formal installation.
• B. Installed software runs from the cloud; portable software runs on local disk only.
• C. Portable software must be installed system-wide.
• D. Installed software is always free; portable software is always paid.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is how the software is packaged and launched. Installed software is designed to be placed on the system through an installer, which sets up the program in the operating system’s normal program areas, often writes to the registry or system folders, and may require admin rights. Portable software is packaged to run directly from a folder without running a formal installation—you can copy the entire program folder to a USB drive or another computer and run it from there, with little or no changes to the host system. This distinction is exactly what the option captures: installed software needs an installation process, while portable software can run from a folder without a formal installation. Portable apps tend to avoid system-wide changes and can be moved easily, whereas installed apps are tied to the system where they were installed. Notes: cloud-based or local-only behavior isn’t what defines the difference, and portable software isn’t defined by needing a system-wide install or by price.

The key idea is how the software is packaged and launched. Installed software is designed to be placed on the system through an installer, which sets up the program in the operating system’s normal program areas, often writes to the registry or system folders, and may require admin rights. Portable software is packaged to run directly from a folder without running a formal installation—you can copy the entire program folder to a USB drive or another computer and run it from there, with little or no changes to the host system.

This distinction is exactly what the option captures: installed software needs an installation process, while portable software can run from a folder without a formal installation. Portable apps tend to avoid system-wide changes and can be moved easily, whereas installed apps are tied to the system where they were installed.

Notes: cloud-based or local-only behavior isn’t what defines the difference, and portable software isn’t defined by needing a system-wide install or by price.