hardwired program

[PG1995]

Hi

hardwire (tr. v.)
2. To implement (a capability) through logic circuitry that is permanently connected within a computer and therefore not subject to change by programming.
[American Heritage Dictionary]

Actually I was reading **broken link removed** when the question came to my mind. For example, some calculators like this one aren't upgradeable or programmable. Can I say that the calculator uses hardwired program? I don't know why but I think in the topic the term "hardwired program" is used differently so in my view the calculator doesn't use "hardwired program". One reason which come to my mind is this that the calculator does use a software but it is burned into ROM which is not upgradeable by the user. But it still uses a software. On the other hand, I regard the operation of an operational amplifier as a typical example of the term "hardwired program" as discussed in the topic. An operational can do different things such as multiplication, addition, logarithmic operation, etc. without using any of the software. It only uses its hardware configuration to do all these operation. Do I make any sense? Please let me know. Thank you.

Regards
PG

 

[MrAl]

Hi,

You start to get into other terminology too.

For example, there is also "hard coding" where the hardware is not complete until it has the program but the program is never subject to change. The code would be stored in ROM.

Then you have "firmware", that is code that is hard coded into EEPROM where normally it is not changed except for updates from the manufacturer.

So there are various levels of changeability that may have not been around 30 years ago. "Hardware" may refer to completely non changeable architecture or somewhat changeable depending on how it was designed.

 

[PG1995]

But MrAl don't you think the book is referring to the architecture where all the stuff is done by arranging the components in a particular way? Please look at the example of the calculator (which I happen to own) and operational amplifier. Please let me know if I have it correct. Thank you.

Regards
PG

 

[MrAl]

Hi again,


Well that is why i tried to introduce a little more terminology so that we could start to explain all the various options.
If you are stuck with the strict view of hardware vs software then anything software no matter how it is stored would have to be viewed as just that, software, and any circuitry that had to be rearranged by rewiring would have to be viewed as hardware, and that would include programming jumpers for PC board variations during production.

But in today's world there is more to it than that. For example, you may be hired to write the software OR the firmware OR design the hardware, but the design of the hardware could actually include some design of the firmware.