What is the primary purpose of system software?

The primary purpose of system software is to control hardware and provide a platform for application software. System software acts as an intermediary between the hardware of a computer and the application programs that run on it. This type of software includes operating systems, device drivers, and firmware—each of which is essential for managing the computer's hardware resources and enabling the applications to function effectively.

By managing system resources such as memory, processor time, and input/output devices, system software ensures that the applications have the necessary environment to operate. It provides services such as file management, process management, and system performance monitoring. This foundational role is critical, as without system software, application programs would not have the means to interact with the hardware effectively.

The other options do not accurately define the primary function of system software. Providing entertainment is typically the role of application software, executing user applications directly is a result of system software functioning but not its primary purpose, and maintaining database integrity primarily falls under the responsibilities of database management systems, which are typically categorized as application software.