Software vs. Hardware systems
Recently I was in a group discussion when somebody who has worked in both software and hardware said, “I prefer software because it has unlimited possibilities. With hardware, you are limited to the laws of physics.” The hardware in question was a satellite system, an area in which I have worked before. I also have extensive software experience, and when you think about the statement, I believe that it is backwards. Hardware breaks new grounds, while the possibilities are limited with software.
Software allows the creator to do anything that they can think of, limited by the hardware capabilities. Software from the 1970s wasn’t nearly as powerful as software today. In fact, think of all the new software that has been written in just the past few years for mobile devices like the Iphone. All location based apps would not be possible without the GPS, cellular, or wi-fi hardware. Software has been able to greatly expand what has been accomplished by the hardware, but it cannot move forward until the hardware is in place.
I would also argue that hardware is not limited by physics. Instead, the physical limitations are actually what drive new and greater inventions. For example, take the physical laws of gravity, which generally state that 2 bodies of mass are attracted to each other. Because the Earth’s mass is much, much greater than that of humans, people are bound to the Earth. However, that did not stop people from trying to fly or reach the Moon. Great inventors used other laws of physics to circumvent the known laws of physics. Satellite systems may be limited in how fast the waves can travel, but there have been many new waveforms invented that can increase the throughput, and effectively negating the need for faster waves.
I do admit that there are many creative uses for software, and the possibilities can seem endless. But when you look at the history and limitations, you’ll see that software cannot move forward until the hardware advances. To be truly innovative and on the cutting edge, hardware systems will always be the leader, paving the way for software to follow.