Hi, > > No. Information encoded electronically, in 0's and 1, > usually. > Punchcards and paper tape were used to store computer programs (see any old mainframe). Computer programs are commonly understood to be software. So, software can be encoded in a non-electronic form. Some computers are mechanical rather then electronic devices and they run programs. IMO software isn't about the encoding, but about the nature of the information. BTW : CDs and DVDs store information using pits on a disk. That's not an electronic encoding either, it's just read by means of electronics. > Things related to computers are either software, hardware, or > wetware. > > > In that case, you'd certainly agree that the information > > stored on a punch card is software. > > Umm, no. Nor is stuff on a printed page that can be scanned > using OCR. The card is physical, I can feel it, make holes in it, and > it is hardware. > The card is hardware, the information stored on it can be software. > When read by a card reader (or when a page is scanned in), it > gets an electronic representation in the machine, and then is software. > The information on the card is copied exactly into the machine, so the information is software, even when it's on the card. Cheers, Peter (p2).
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