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more about firmware
firmware |
3 definitions found From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: firmware n : (computer science) coded instructions that are stored permanently in read-only memory From Jargon File (4.2.3, 23 NOV 2000) [jargon]: firmware /ferm'weir/ n. Embedded software contained in EPROM or flash memory. It isn't quite hardware, but at least doesn't have to be loaded from a disk like regular software. Hacker usage differs from straight techspeak in that hackers don't normally apply it to stuff that you can't possibly get at such as the program that runs a pocket calculator. Instead, it implies that the firmware could be changed, even if doing so would mean opening a box and plugging in a new chip. A computer's BIOS is the classic example, although nowadays there is firmware in disk controllers, modems, video cards and even CD-ROM drives. From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (13 Mar 01) [foldoc]: Firmware Software stored in read-only memory (ROM) or programmable ROM (PROM). Easier to change than hardware but harder than software stored on disk. Firmware is often responsible for the behaviour of a system when it is first switched on A typical example would be a monitor" program in a microcomputer which loads the full operating system from disk or from a network and then passes control to it
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