Modern electronic devices of various kinds have become a hallmark of our era. Almost everyone in society, regardless of age, relies on these devices, whether they are computers, mobile phones, or others. One common link between all these devices is that they consist of both hardware and software. What is the difference between hardware and software? How does each affect the design of devices and the operation of their software? This is what we will discuss in this article.
What is Hardware? What is Software? And What is the Difference Between Them?
Hardware comprises all the physical components that make up a computer, such as the keyboard, monitor, storage media, network card, etc. It is also known as computer hardware, meaning it consists of physical components that do not involve programming processes.
On the other hand, software is the non-visible part of the computer, including all the different programming processes used to operate the computer. These processes are written in the form of codes, each performing a specific programming operation and conducting various functions. Examples of software include different operating systems like Windows, Mac, and various application programs like Microsoft Office.
What are the Components of Hardware?
After understanding the definition of hardware, we need to know the components of computer hardware to address different issues if they arise by identifying where the problem occurs. Initially, it is essential to know that the components of hardware in various computer devices differ depending on their types. However, we will mention the general components of computer hardware as follows:
- Motherboard
- Chipsets, which connect the processor with the graphics card and the device's random memory
- Power supply unit
- Input and output devices
- Keyboard
- CPU socket
- Central Processing Unit (CPU)
- Hard disk drive storage memory
- Random Access Memory (RAM)
- Monitor
- Mouse
- Digital cameras found in some types of computers
- Touchpads
- Speakers
These components generally represent the hardware or computer hardware, which may vary in presence from one device to another.
What are the Components of Software?
Continuing the discussion on the difference between hardware and software, we note that software consists of a set of programming codes written by specialists using a programming language to perform a specific function. There are several types of software, including commercial software, which is the most widespread and commonly used and is sold for use by different users. There is also trial software, which is usually free for a certain period as a product trial, free software which remains free throughout its use, and mobile-specific software. Examples of different software systems include:
- Android system for mobile phones
- iOS system for Apple's mobile phones
- Windows system for computers
- Mac system for MacBook devices
How Do Hardware and Software Affect Device Design and the Operation of Device Software?
To understand how hardware and software affect device design, we must first understand the relationship between software and hardware. The relationship between software and hardware is that software is simply the programs and applications that provide the correct way for all parts of the hardware system to function. Without software, hardware becomes worthless and cannot operate. Therefore, all hardware systems need their specific software to work efficiently.
After understanding the difference between hardware and software, we can conclude that each can affect the design of devices and the operation of their software. As mentioned earlier, the physical components of computers, mobile phones, and different devices vary according to the functions they can perform and the design of the computer, among other factors. For example, some computers may have a printing system while others do not. Thus, having an additional feature in any device confirms the presence of hardware or physical components for this function, as well as an operating system or software that supports the operation of this function and the parts responsible for it. This illustrates how hardware and software affect the design of devices and the operation of computer software, which also applies to all other smart devices and all devices, as all physical components in devices need a correct system to help them operate.