firmware

I think firmware came to be a term for software that was programmed into non-volatile memory. It's software, yet it's part of the hardware too. Not soft, not hard = firm. :-)

Hello, Gary! You wrote on 01 Jul 2004 07:35:21 GMT:

??>> Could you please clarify the definition of 'firmware' term? ??>>

GK> I think firmware came to be a term for software that was programmed GK> into non-volatile memory. It's software, yet it's part of the hardware Can you please make an example for me except bootloader? GK> too. Not soft, not hard = firm. :-) What languages are usually used for developing? How is firmware debugged, are there any simulators/emulators ?

With best regards, Roman Mashak. E-mail: snipped-for-privacy@tusur.ru

"Roman Mashak" wrote in news:cc0ht7$qaf$ snipped-for-privacy@mpeks.tomsk.su:

Asm, C, C++, Forth, Verilog, VHDL, etc. Some feel that firmware is only that which is use for FPGAs others include software stored in FLASH (or ROM of some sort). There are many many simulators and emulators for all sorts of CPUs and FPGAs.

As pointed out by Gary, It is just software burn in non-volatile memory. So whatever you use to develop/debug software can be used.

vax, 3900

Some hardware devices include 'firmware' (in ROM) which is discovered by the boot code during POST (Power On and Self Test) and that ROM/firmware is then made available to device drivers and sometimes IS the device driver. - RM