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Subject:RE: STYLE: Is Firmware always Firmware? From:KMcLauchlan -at- chrysalis-its -dot- com To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 20 Nov 2001 14:31:36 -0500
Jonathan,
We always make the distinction between:
- Firmware version such'n'such (that's currently
living on your system, Mr./Ms. Customer)
versus
- Firmware Update version thus-and-so (that's
currently in the form of a file, waiting to
be installed (to replace Firmware such'n'such)).
Once it's installed, it becomes the new Firmware version...
We *might* on occasion refer to the "Firmware Update software"
when telling people to download the latest file for their
system. But the code that's living on their system is
always just "the Firmware" or "Firmware version x.y.z".
So, your problem doesn't exist.
Whew! Aren't you glad you had an imaginary problem?
(Or... is that an UnReal problem? It's been decades since
I studied any math...)
> The tech writer before me was in the process of circulating a
> document for comments and I'm getting a lot of comments where
> she made this awkward statement about "must contain firmware
> operating software release 1.01.00".
>
> She referring to firmware that must be loaded into the
> product. Usually this is done by the manufacturer, but it can
> be done by the installer or customer. So my question is this,
> is firmware always firmware, or is firmware considered
> software when it's on a floppy disk and shipped to the customer.
>
> The more I think about it, the more bizarre it gets. I think
> I'm going to just use the term "firmware" and keep it as
> simple as possible, but knowing the guys that review the
> document, someone's going to raise a fuss over this and try
> to make it more complicated than it is.
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