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To: Last Visible Dog
Yes, that has been my point all along. Firmware=software stored in read-only memory.

At which point you call it firmware, not software. That's my point.

EEPROM is not read-only memory therefore software stored on it is not firmware (based on all definitions).

Funny, the firmware on my computer's BIOS, video card BIOS, phone and Linksys is all writeable, and it's called firmware.

The OS allows you to read/write to the harddisk

The OS has specialized software (explorer.exe, cmd.com) running in it that allows you to write to the drives. The flash program is another piece of specialized software running in your OS that allows you to write to firmware.

please review the definitions)

Which included PROMS, EPROMS and EEPROMS. You're losing it.

677 posted on 03/15/2005 10:30:47 AM PST by antiRepublicrat
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To: antiRepublicrat
At which point you call it firmware, not software. That's my point.

Firmware is merely another term for software - software stored in read-only memory. Like ALL the definitions say, firmware is software.

Either abandon your disproved position or answer the simple question: when is firmware not software.

Or: if all the definitions say firmware is software, why do you claim firmware<>software?

Funny, the firmware on my computer's BIOS, video card BIOS, phone and Linksys is all writeable, and it's called firmware.

Like I said, I did not write any of the definitions for the word "firmware" - you need to take that up with those that wrote the definitions.

The OS has specialized software (explorer.exe, cmd.com) running in it that allows you to write to the drives

Yeap, that is what I said.

The flash program is another piece of specialized software running in your OS that allows you to write to firmware.

What do you mean by "specialized" software? Is there such a thing as "non-specialized software" or software that does not really do anything? All software is "specialized" to do a specific task or tasks - firmware in not unique is this attribute. What is the difference between "specialized software" and "non-specialized software". What is an example of "non-specialized software" ?

Which included PROMS, EPROMS and EEPROMS. You're losing it.

Only one definition says firmware includes EEPROMS (and does not mention read-only) - all the others say firmware is read-only (HINT: EEPROM are not read-only). Read the definitions first to avoid the embarrassment of posting poorly reasoned statements.

I see now you what to change the subject to whether or not firmware has to be read-only - I have no interest in that tangent. My point was to prove firmware=software.

689 posted on 03/15/2005 11:49:50 AM PST by Last Visible Dog
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