Hardware and software system

Current trends in hardware and software include the increasing use of reduced instruction-set computing, movement to the UNIX operating system which is the development of large software libraries, microprocessor-based smart terminals that allow remote validation of data, speech synthesis and recognition, application generators, now in fourth-generation languages, computer- aided software engineering, object-oriented technologies, and artificial intelligence.

The computer industry and its products continue to undergo dynamic change. Software development continues to lag behind hardware, and its high cost is offsetting the savings provided by hardware.

A) How does hardware platforms involved in

- Mobile platform: A mobile platform is the operating system that controls a mobile device or information appliance similar in principle to an operating system such as Windows, Mac OS, or Linux that controls a desktop computer or laptop. However, they are currently somewhat simpler, and deal more with the wireless versions of broadband and local connectivity, mobile multimedia formats, and different input methods.

Examples of devices running a mobile operating system are smartphones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablet computers and information appliances or what are sometimes referred to as smart devices, which may also include embedded systems, or other mobile devices and wireless devices.

- Grid computing: It involves connecting geographically remote computers into a single network capable of working in parallel on business problems that require short-term access to large computational capacity. Meaning rather than purchase huge mainframes or super computers, firms can chain together thousands of smaller desktop clients into a single computing grid. Example thinks about how much time you don’t use your personal computer, in reality not a lot. Most computers in the world are being idle and at night they are sleeping.

What if you could combine all the idle time of hundreds or thousands of computers into a continuous, connected computing capacity to capture, process, manage, store, and retrieve data? You wouldn’t have to purchase enormous, super computers to realize this capability and capacity. You just have to turn on grid computing. Three reasons why grid computing is appealing to companies include: Cost savings Computer become more speed Computer become very quick Advantages of grid computing; Can solve larger, more complex problems in a shorter time Easier to collaborate with other organizations Make better use of existing hardware A good example of a company is Amazon website services use grid computing. - Cloud computing:Cloud computing is an umbrella term used to refer to Internet based development and services. The cloud is an image for the Internet. A number of characteristics define cloud data, applications services and infrastructure: Remotely hosted: Services or data are hosted on someone else’s infrastructure. Everywhere: Services or data are available from anywhere. Types of Cloud Computing 1. Major corporations including Amazon, Google, IBM, Sun, Cisco, Dell, HP, Intel, Novell, and Oracle have invested in cloud computing and offer individuals and businesses a range of cloud- based solutions.

2. Social Networking The most famous use of cloud computing is social networking Websites, including Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Twitter, Example using a Facebook page, a business can connect with its customers, and at the same time, those customers will be promoting your business. 3. Emails Some of the biggest cloud computing services are Web-based e-mail. Examples, Hotmail or Windows Live Mail Using a cloud computing e-mail solution allows the mechanics of hosting an e- mail server and maintaining it to be taken out of your hands. It also means that your e-mail is accessible from anywhere. 4. Banking and Financial Services, Government, health care Consumers store personal information to cloud computing service providers. They are using free or low cost online backup services. Advantage of Cloud computing It provide necessary infrastructure from centralized sources. It’s cheaper and helps companies reduce the total cost of ownership of IT technology. They can also take advantage of newer technologies than what they are able to buy and maintain on their own. B) Software Platform Trend There are five themes for software platform trends and how it is involving in digital mobile, grid computing and cloud computing internet. Linux and open source software Java and Ajax Web services and services oriented architecture Software mash up and web2 application Software outsourcing - Trend of software 1. At the beginning the computers were very hard to maintain 2. Now it very easy to maintain computers. Most developers they are using software like Linux and open software because is free and can be modified by users - developed and maintained by a worldwide network of programmers The main changes occurring in software are:-

a) More flexibility - software are becoming more easier to use. - not really acquire tutorials or have to be thought before one can use a software on the market these days.  For example early versions of Microsoft Office were that uneasy to use but with current versions of this Application software (that is in 2007-2010), the organization is more simple therefore becoming more flexible because you can easily manipulate around with it.

b) Software can be used for security purpose, you may break any security system example code and you can even rob the bank in computer term is known as hacking. It can be used for hacking.

c) Software Enables Multitasking: refers to the ability of a system specifically CPU/COMPUTER SYSTEM to run more than one task simultaneously. Typical example is, The Microsoft XP PACK versions were able to support multitasking. Windows 7 which can carry more than 4 tasks at a time. It could copy, delete, install at the same time which shows how software evolving these days are multitasking supported.