Hardware represents the physical and tangible components of a computer i.e. the components that can be seen and touched.
Examples of Hardware are following:
- Input devices -- keyboard, mouse etc.
- Output devices -- printer, monitor etc.
- Secondary storage devices -- Hard disk, CD, DVD etc.
- Internal components -- CPU, motherboard, RAM etc.
Relationship between Hardware and Software
- Hardware and software are mutually dependent on each other. Both of them must work together to make a computer produce a useful output.
- Software cannot be utilized without supporting hardware.
- Hardware without set of programs to operate upon cannot be utilized and is useless.
- To get a particular job done on the computer, relevant software should be loaded into the hardware
- Hardware is a one-time expense.
- Software development is very expensive and is a continuing expense.
- Different software applications can be loaded on a hardware to run different jobs.
- A software acts as an interface between the user and the hardware.
- If hardware is the 'heart' of a computer system, then software is its 'soul'. Both are complimentary to each other.