St : Sir, We use to say there are two major divisions hardware and software in computer studies, could you please explain me about this in detail?

Te : Sure Kanna, I’ll explain you.

As you said hardware and software are two major sections in computer studies and they are closely inter-connected and inter-related with each other.

I feel I shall explain it with an analogy for your better understanding

Let us take an example of a car.

Driving the car is an activity

Assembling, designing and servicing a car is another activity

We call a person one who drives as DRIVER

We call a person one who services a car as CAR MECHANIC

Similarly, Designing, Assembling and Servicing a computer is hardware engineering and a person one who does this activity is HARDWARE ENGINEER

And making a computer to do some useful work by way of writing computer programs is called as software engineering and a person one who does this activity is SOFTWARE ENGINEER

So if you want to compare this with the car analogy Assembling and servicing the car is identical to Hardware Engineering and Driving the car is identical to software engineering

St : Sir, could you say, Among these two sections which is more valuable and worth to study?

Te : Actually Kanna, each and every branch of study has its own value and merit.

We cannot comment that this is valuable and this is not valuable and we cannot compare the two branches of study directly.

As I said earlier both the branches are closely inter-connected, inter-related and inter-dependent upon each other and one is useless without the other.

But here I would like to point out a statistical information, regarding the monetary benefits. Some higher positions in software industry pay much more than the hardware industry.

But this information should not be mis-understood for degrading the value of hardware engineering. It has its own value and merit and there is an excellent growth in hardware industry also.

St : Sir, If one wishes to learn computer, which division he/she should opt for hardware or software?

Te : A computer learner must learn both hardware and software.

But specialization can be done in any one of the branch according to the preference of the student.

St : Sir, Is it not compulsory that one should learn both hardware and software to be good computer professional.

Te : Of course Kanna, one should learn both hardware and software.

Again I will illustrate this point with the same car example, so that you shall understand what is the significance of both the branches of study.

To be continued...