Hardware, Firmware, and Software Demystified

Hardware is any physical device used by the computer, whether internal to the computer (such as the CPU on the computer’s motherboard) or attached externally to the computer. A discrete hardware component that performs a given function is generally referred to as a hardware device or just device for short. You can use numerous types of hardware devices with a computer. Printers, scanners, mice, keyboards, monitors, disk drives, digital cameras, iPods, MP3 players, modems, and routers are all examples of hardware devices.

Before we describe firmware, it helps to get a better understanding of software. Software is program code that is written to perform a given function. For example, all of the program code that makes up WordPad is software. Likewise, all of the program code that constitutes Windows 8 is software.

Device drivers are also software. A device driver is a program that serves as an intermediary between a piece of hardware and an application or the operating system. For example, a display driver enables Windows 8 to communicate with and control your computer’s display. Likewise, a printer driver enables Windows 8 to communicate with and control a printer.

Firmware is also software, in the context that it is program code. The difference is in how the program code is stored. Firmware is program code stored in a hardware device, typically in read-only memory. For example, the program code that makes your Apple iPad or your digital camera work is firmware.

Generally, as a typical Windows 8 user, you deal with firmware only when updating firmware on your removable devices, such as MP3 players. You will be adding device drivers and working with Windows updates much more so than you will with firmware.