Other than electricity, the other very important aspect in the working of a computer is a program. They are what instruct the computer on what to do. The instructions are run by the processor. This process of sending and executing instructions is called computer programming or also referred to as software programming. Computer programming can be divided into two broad categories; system and application software. The professionals can expound further on the detailed work of these two.
Hardware: The Physical Foundation of Computing
Hardware and Computer Operation
software cannot work without hardware. Hardware is basically the physical parts of the computer used to run the computer. They include parts such as the processor, mouse, monitor, circuit board, etc. The making of hardware is important in the development of computer programming. The main reason for this is that computer programs run on the hardware.
Booting and System Configuration
When the computer starts up, the operating system found in the ROM runs, and the computer is said to be booting. The booting process sets up the initial configuration of all the systems of the computer.
System Initialization
After booting, the operating system loads all the necessary settings and configurations. Each piece of hardware has its own settings that dictate how it operates. Current systems allow the user to exercise more control over both hardware and software by using hardware and software development kits. New hardware development kits have been developed that can check the validity of software and system designs.
Multitasking and Process Scheduling
Several programs can run at the same time on one computer, a process referred to as multitasking, running on both the hardware and software concurrently. Modern computers dictate which process will be given priority over the others. This is known as process scheduling. This is achieved by switching between processes. Although the computer deals with one process at a time, it takes such a short time that, to the user, it seems as if the programs are being processed simultaneously.
Open Source Hardware
Open source hardware is a recent innovation which seeks to allow free usage of open source software alongside the hardware. This allows free distribution of information in terms of design, size, and other attributes. Developers are shifting attention to the development of hardware, since software development seems to have reached its peak. Hardware development tools have flooded the market, and it is expected that new technology will be developed very soon.