No. The bios is software. PERIOD. The bios is a series of commands executed by the computer that control the functioning of the hardware - which is the definition of software.
Firmware refers to the method in which the SOFTWARE is stored. Software on a hard disk or a floppy disk or any writable media can be charged. Firmware refers to software stored in read-only memory (which can not be changed). Any software (not just the bios) can be turned into firmware by burning the software into read-only memory.
Part of the bios can exist in non-read-only memory. When clones first came out - part of the bios (the build-in Basic called ROM-BASIC) was emulated by a standard software file not stored in read-only memory.
firm·ware ( P ) Pronunciation Key (f�rm
w�r
)
n.
Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |