Hardware, Software and Firmware

The units that are visible in any computer are the physical components of a data processing system, or hardware. Thus, the input, storage, processing and control devices are hardware. Not visible is the software — the set of computer programs, proce­dures, and associated documentation that make possible the effective operation of the computer system. Software programs are of two types: systems software and applications software.

Systems software are the programs designed to control the operation of a computer system. They do not solve specific problems. They are written to assist people in the use of the computer system by performing tasks, such as controlling all of the operations required, to move data into and out of a com­puter and all of the steps in executing an application program. The person who prepares systems software is referred to as a systems programmer. Systems programmers are highly trained specialists and important members of the architectural team.

Applications software are the programs written to solve specific problems (applications), such as payroll, inventory control, and investment analysis. The word program usually refers to an application program, and the word programmer is usually a person who prepares applications software. Often programs, particularly systems software, are stored in an area of memory not used for applications software. These protected programs are stored in an area of memory called read only memory (ROM), which can be read from but not written on.

Firmware is a term that is commonly used to describe certain programs that are stored in ROM. Firmware often refers to a sequence of instructions (software) that is substituted for hardware. For example, in an instance where cost is more important than performance, the computer system architect might decide not to use special electronic circuits (hardware) to multiply two numbers, but instead write instructions (software) to cause the machine to accomplish the same function by repeated use of circuits already designed to perform addition.

 

Study the meaning of the following words and word combinations:

· hardware

· software

· system software

· application software

· firmware

· visible units

· procedure

· to associate

· associated documentation

· to execute applications programs

· payroll

· inventory control

· investment analyses

· to protect

· read-only memory (ROM)

· to refer to

· to substitute

· to cause

· to accomplish

· performance

1.4. Answer the following questions:

1. What is hardware?

2. Give the definition of software.

3. What are the types of software?

4. What is the system software?

5. What kind of tasks does system software perform?

6. Who prepares systems software?

7. What is the application software?

8. What problems does application software solve?

9. What is firmware?

10. How can a computer system architect use firmware?

II. WRITING

2.1. Write the English equivalents of the given Russian words and word combinations:

 

A) Видимые устройства; система обработки данных; аппаратное обеспечение; набор компьютерных программ; соответствующая документация; эффективная работа; системное программное обеспечение; прикладное программное обеспечение; системный программист; платежная ведомость; переучет; анализ инвестиций; прикладная программа; работающий только в режиме чтения; постоянное запоминающее устройство; последовательность команд; в случае; производительность; электронная цепь; умножать числа; заставить машину выполнять ту же функцию; выполнять сложение.

 

B) Функциональный блок; цифровой компьютер; устройство ввода; устройство управления; арифметико-логическое устройство; центральный процессор; структура компьютерной системы; первичное запоминающее устройство; вторичное ЗУ; рассмотрение; поэтому последовательность; оперативное ЗУ; внутренняя память; промежуточные результаты; подобие функции человеческого мозга; размешать содержимое по требованию; система счисления; двоичная система счисления; возможные величины; объем информации; двоичный код; смежные ячейки памяти; последовательность символов; быстродействующее устройство; полупроводник; доступный.

2.2. Write the Russian equivalents of the given English words and word combinations:

Storage: available storage; buffer storage; computer storage; data storage; magnetic disk storage; magnetic tape storage; input storage; intermediate storage; internal storage; laser storage; main storage; primary storage; secondary storage; sequential-access storage; variable storage; virtual storage.

Value: absolute value; acceptable value; additional value; binary value; byte value; character value; constant value; correct value; data value; digit value; discrete values; invalid value; negative value; numerical value; output value; valid value.

Digit: binary digit; binary-coded digit; check digit; information digit; input digit; no significant digit; significant digit; digit-by-digit.

Sequence: out of sequence; alphabetic sequence; arithmetic sequence; binary sequence; character sequence; code sequence; instruction sequence; data sequence; digital sequence; historical sequence; increasing sequence; program sequence; string sequence.

2.3. Translate the following sentences:

1. Это явление сейчас изучают.

2. Причины поломки еще не установлены.

3. Анализ показал, что операционная система является ненадежной инезащищенной.

4. Я считаю, что гипотеза о возможном возвращении к микроядрам воперационных системах вполне оправданна.

5. Эти формулы были выведены еще в прошлом веке.

6. Каковы критерии надежности операционнои системы?

7. Эти данные были получены до того, как их запросили.

8. Меморандум подписали неделю назад.

9. Это средство не может быть применимо в данной ситуации.

III. GRAMMAR IN USE

3.1. Make the plural form of the given sentences:

 

1. The professor asks to explain this thesis.

2. An alumnus of our University is well known in the world.

3. Is a crisis in computing possible?

4. I have not a stimulus to do this research.

5. The index of this matrix is unknown.

6. You can find an appendix at the end of the book.

7. Is there any medium to enhance this development?

8. Any student can derive this formula.

9. They offered a hypothesis that can’t be disproved.

3.2. Complete the gaps using passive forms of the verbs:

Use the following verbs: to discuss, to wrap, to intend, to replace, to use (*2), to make, to develop, to move, to adopt, to know.

 

The problem of operating systems unreliability and insecurity _______ in the text. Current operating systems ______ unreliable and insecure due to two characteristics: they are huge and they have very poor fault isolation. Fortunately, the situation is not hopeless. More reliable operating systems ______ by researchers.

There are four different approaches to the problem solving. In the Nooks approach, each driver ______ in a software jacket to carefully control its interactions with the rest of the operating system, but it leaves all the drivers in the kernel. In the para-virtual machine approach the drivers ______ to one or more machines distinct from the main one.

Both of these approaches _______ to improve the reliability of existing operating systems. In two other approaches legacy operating systems ______ with more reliable and secure ones.

The multi-server approach runs each driver and operating system component in a separate user process. Finally, in the most radical approach, a type-safe language, a single address space, and formal contracts ______ to carefully limit what each module can do. Thus, microkernel’s _____ in three of the four research projects, but it _____ not _____ which of these approaches ____ widely ______.

3.3. Read the following sentence: We lived in New Brunswick all our lives.

 

A. Rewrite the sentence and underline the complete verb (the main verb and any auxiliary verbs).

B. Write the tense of the verb.

C. Rewrite the sentence, change the verb to the present perfect tense.

D. Underline the complete verb in your new sentence.

3.4. In the following sentences, indicate the adjectives and the noun each modifies:

1.I heard a great new song on the radio.

2. Monica’s sneakers are always dirty and dusty.

3. Munford’s old barn, large and unpainted, looked abandoned.

4.Our children don’t like the icy, cold water.

5. Their sporty new car, red and expensive, is too flashy.

3.5. Translate the following words and make up sentences:

Nouns: memory, element, information, command, examination, character, quantity, number, place, computer architect, likeness.

Verbs: to apply, to form, to move, to hold, to demand, to connect, to supply, to place, to name, to start, to examine.

Adjectives: continuous, significant, consecutive, usual, enough, main, initial, general.

3.6. Translate the sentences, pay attention to the form of the verbs and tenses:

 

1. The problems to be studied are of great importance.

2. The problem studied helped us understand many things.

3. To study the problem we must make some experiments.

4. To study the problem means to give answers to many questions.

5. Having studied the problem we could answer many questions.

6. The problem studied is unlikely to be of great interest.

7. Scientists studying the problem made a lot of experiments to get answers to the required questions.

3.7. Choose the correct modifier. Indicate whether the modifier is an adjective or an adverb:

 

A. Ted damaged his car (bad, badly).

B. The entire team did not feel (well, good) after the meal.

C. The managers had a (private, privately) meeting.

D. Ken gets behind at school because he works (slow, slowly).

E. He answered those questions (real, really) (well, good).

3.8. Write five sentences using FIVE DIFFERENT auxiliary verbs.

3.9. Read the following sentence: I feel the raindrops on my face.

 

A. Rewrite the sentence and underline the complete verb (the main verb and any auxiliary verbs).

B. Write the tense of the verb.

C. Rewrite the sentence, changing the verb to the past perfect tense.

D. Underline the complete verb in your new sentence.

IV. SPEAKING

4.1. Retell the given texts: