In the current age of technology, software and hardware used in all areas of life facilitate living, save time, and ensure efficiency. Experts, noting that software refers to the set of commands necessary for any program on a computer to run, and hardware refers to the physical components that make up a computer, stated that software and hardware cannot operate independently of each other, emphasizing that software makes hardware functional. Experts said, “To get the highest efficiency from these products, it is necessary to find the most suitable software for the available hardware.”
Research Assistant Gamze Nilsu Çolak and Research Assistant Merve Mutlu Kul from Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Computer Engineering (English) Department, made evaluations regarding the importance of software and hardware in the current age of technology.
Research Assistant Gamze Nilsu Çolak stated that technology and its tools have always been important not only in the current era but also from the moment they emerged, and added, “It is one of the major factors playing a role in the development of humanity. As its importance continues to increase, the era we live in has become entirely the age of technology. Therefore, in today's world, software and hardware are not a choice but a necessity, and there is almost no area where they are not used.”
Software Makes Hardware Functional
Research Assistant Gamze Nilsu Çolak, noting that software is the set of commands required for any program on a computer to run, and hardware is the physical parts that make up a computer, stated, “Although we pronounce them separately, they cannot actually work independently of each other. Software is what makes hardware functional. To get the highest efficiency from these products, it is necessary to find the most suitable software for the available hardware. Software and hardware are used to facilitate every area of life, from the smallest task to the largest.”
Software Provides Time and Efficiency
Research Assistant Gamze Nilsu Çolak noted that these systems are of great importance in terms of saving time, and stated that the importance of software and hardware was better understood especially during the pandemic period, adding:
“The software we use provides us with time and maximum efficiency, that is, optimal results. Transferring money via a mobile phone application instead of going to the bank, traveling by plane instead of by bus, conducting an important meeting online instantly instead of waiting for everyone to arrive at a location – all of these are the work of software.
Process Accelerated During the Pandemic
Putting all this aside and looking at the past two years, just considering what software and hardware provided to people during the global pandemic is enough to understand their importance. The requirements of the era had already initiated a digital transformation, but with the pandemic, this process gained significant momentum. Since everyone had to stay in their homes and our computers/phones were the gateways from our homes to the world, we inevitably made progress in digital transformation. Managing the process through distance education at all levels of education, from primary to higher education, all institutions without exception managing their work through online meetings, and meeting our needs from online markets are some examples of this transformation.”
Software and Hardware are of Strategic Importance
Research Assistant Merve Mutlu Kul, on the other hand, stated that software and hardware hold strategic importance in the current era, noting their use in many sectors such as education, health, entertainment, and automotive.
Research Assistant Merve Mutlu Kul stated that the potential of technologies used inevitably in daily life, from distance education to autonomous vehicles, virtual assistants to smart devices, continues to grow day by day, and added, “It is predicted that the most significant developments that will shape our social lives in the near future will occur with artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence, which we can define as machines imitating human intelligence, is present almost everywhere in our daily lives and is progressing to become a larger part of our lives.”
Wearable Technologies Will Gain Importance
Research Assistant Merve Mutlu Kul noted that hardware, the physical components of devices, will continue to maintain its importance in the future, and stated, “Moore's Law says that the number of transistors that can be placed on a microprocessor regularly doubles every two years, thus processors will become increasingly smaller and cheaper. The sizes of electronic devices are gradually shrinking, moving their interactions with the environment to different dimensions. Currently, we use smart glasses and smartwatches. These are the first steps of wearable technologies. Wearable devices are expected to become a trend in the coming years. With the widespread use of the digital metaverse, wearable technologies appear to play an important role in this process.”