A ROM, PROM, EPROM or EEPROM is firmware when there's software on it. Without any software they are just hunks of hardware (although you'll never see an empty ROM unless you are the manufacturer).
Because the software on a PROM is read-only and the software on the hard drive is not .. Firm refers to inability to change it easily.
The software on an EEPROM isn't read-only and it's easily changed.
The definition is a bit misleading to newbies. The PROM's are hardware but PROM's by themselves do nothing and are not firmware.
What's what I wrote above, and you said it's wrong.
Close. It is the fact it is read-only that makes it firmware. firm = unable to change easily.
Flashing my Linksys firmware is as easy as writing to my hard drive. It's not the "easy" that counts.
Yes, that has been my point all along. Firmware=software stored in read-only memory.
The software on an EEPROM isn't read-only and it's easily changed.
EEPROM is not read-only memory therefore software stored on it is not firmware (based on all definitions).
Flashing my Linksys firmware is as easy as writing to my hard drive. It's not the "easy" that counts.
No it is not. The OS allows you to read/write to the harddisk, you must use a specific application to read-write firmware. NOTE: technically firmware that is read/write-able is not firmware (please review the definitions)
Like all technical terms, the meaning is not concret and can change over time. One thing we know for sure is firmware is not hardware like you first claim.