Software / Hardware Skills
In the present era of digital advancements, computers and technology have hugely become an integral part of both our personal and professional lives. Possessing software and hardware skills has become a fundamental requirement for individuals who aim to excel in the modern job market.
Software is a collection of applications or data used to carry out specific tasks and operate computers. Its opposite, computer hardware, describes the physical components of a computer (Rosencrance, 2021).
Over the years, society has increasingly become accustomed to the daily use of software such as: Photoshop, Skype, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube; and search engines including Google, Bing, and Yahoo!, as well as Windows Operating System and Mac Operating System, for both personal and business use. Over the course of my previous module (E-commerce) I was also exposed to software applications such as draw.io, MS-Word, Wix and Microsoft excel.
Before commencing my studies at DMUIC I took up a few courses in general computing, and programming in Python and JavaScript. This helped demystify the field of computer science, and enabled me identify my strengths and weaknesses, alongside identifying possible prospective career paths, after my studies at De Montfort University.
I believe it is almost impossible to practice computing without hardware, which are the physical characteristics of a computer. In gathering knowledge over the years, I have made use of hardware such as laptops, mobile devices, and peripherals, including mouse, keyboard, scanner, printer, etc. In this module, however, one of the required hardware skills for the course is the ability to use laptops and desktop computers, among other skills. Similarly, some software skills required for this module are knowledge of search engines, and connection to other university e-services.
Possessing software and hardware skills on the long run will promote efficiency in managing data, conducting research, accessing educational resources, and prepare the student for the outside world.
Reference(s)
Macrovector (2019) Free vector: Datacenter equipment isometric set, Freepik. Available at: https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/datacenter-equipment-isometric-set_5970811.htm#query=software%20hardware&position=12&from_view=search&track=ais (Accessed: May 2, 2023).
Rosencrance, L. (2021) What is software? definition, types and examples, App Architecture. TechTarget. Available at: https://www.techtarget.com/searchapparchitecture/definition/software (Accessed: May 2, 2023).
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