What is the difference between hardware and software when referring to computers?

Answer 1

Hardware: The stupid box which works hard to keep the programs running.
Software: The programs which works hard to shut down the hardware.

Answer 2

Electrical engineering is concerned with the theory and uses of electricity and electronics, and may include computer hardware, but could also be rotating machines (motors) or transmission lines (utility wires). Computer hardware specializes in the physical stuff needed to make a computer: Chips, Arithmatic Logic Units, Memory, Hard Drives, machines which think. Computer software is the non-physical languages which help people use computers to do things. User-Friendly programming languages let someone 'code' a web page or make a fun game to play or make a computer do a spread-sheet.

Answer 3

The difference when referring to computers is basically this. Hardware refers to anything physical. i.e. your Modem, CD Rom, CPU, etc. Hardware relies on software, whereas software does not rely on Hardware.

For instance: Software is included with most Hardware that you would install like a DVD Writer. Once you physically install the Drive it will not work until the software is loaded onto the PC to tell the Operating System how to use the DVD Writer.

Answer 4

hardware is the term used for all the things u can touch, turn on, switch off, adjust or break on a computer. some of these components are found inside the computer case. As a rule, if u can touch it. even if u need a screwdriver to reach it. it is hardwar. the monitor, printer, speaker, keyboard , case, hard drive disk, cd player, floppy disk drive and ram (random access memory) are all examples of hardware. even the cd-rom and floppy disk are considered to be hardware
Software
Software means programme. without software the computer would be useless. software cannot be touched, it can only be use. We cannot touch a word processor or any programe but we can use them through the hardware

inshort
take a example of humon body and mind (specailly thoghts) u can touch body....body is just like computer hardwar and mind (thoughts) r like software....with mind we can give command via our thought to our body....and body works.

Answer 5

Hardware is the actual, physical parts in the computer and software are the programs.

Answer 6

To make it SIMPLE just close your eyes and think keeping in mind the thing that needs to be checked whether it is a Hardware or Software:

If we can touch (by your hand) the thing physically (like you can touch wires, screen, hard disk, mouse, keyboard, etc) then it means that it is a Hardware.

But if we cant touch except that we can feel its presence and can just see (like Operating systems, Applications like Microsoft Office, Games, etc.) then it is called the Software.

This convention I used was taught when I was at first stepped in the field of computers.

Answer 7

Your body is the hardware and all that is driving your brain is software if you had to be assumed as a computer

Answer 8

Physical component of a microprocessor based electronic system is called hardware, where as Set of programs is called software.
Without software hardware can't run and without hardware software can't run they are related to each other.LIKE HUSBAND AND WIFE.

Answer 9

Hello shivangini,

I was always taught that if you throw hardware at a wall, it makes a dent, where if you throw software at a wall it doesn't. :-) Hardware is the mechanism that reacts to the programming of the software. Does this make any sense?

--Rick

Answer 10

Think of hardware as the brain (physical) and software as the mind.