suppose a system memory requirement is more than the available memory size. Will call it a software problem although the crisis is with the hardware? Why?
It will be called a software problem because the software requires more memory than the machine can give, its not a hardware problem because the hardware is functioning fine, the problem is, installing a software that requires more than the system can output or provide......Example..why install Windows XP on a Pentium 1 Machine running at 100MHz when XP requires a Pentium 3 or 4 to operate...
Hardware problems arise when any Hardware Fails to function or respond to certain commands or is not at 100% performance....Like tunning on your machine and nothig is displayed on your screen.....
Software problems arise when the system utility programs show error messages. Like conflicts, unreadable programs, missing Files, Blue screen of Death etc....software programs mostly are caused by a virus or installing programs that don't match system requirements, hence they cause system errors during run time.
Well, I guess you could call it a software problem in the sense that it's the software that's demanding more memory than the hardware can provide. But in reality, it's more of a hardware problem because the hardware just isn't equipped to handle the software's memory needs. It's like asking a hamster to pull a double-decker bus, it's just not gonna happen! So yeah, you could say it's a software problem, but deep down we all know it's because the hardware needs to hit the gym and pump some iron!
My opinion:
If all the hardware, including the memory, is working fine, then this is not a hardware problem.
If the program(s) you're trying to run gobble up more memory than you have, then the problem is with the software -- or with the operator (person) who didn't read the system's specs before loading that software!
The "fix," however, is in the hardware -- add more memory!!!
Other teachers may have more opinions.
I am not certain of your scenario. Most operating systems will create virtual memory on media if memory requirements are greater than hardware. My Vista does it quite frequently. I need to buy more memory to speed things up.
The hardware vendor will say it's a software problem.
The software company will call it a hardware problem.
The department manager will have somewhere else to be.
The sysadmin/BOFH will sigh and mutter "PEBKAC" as he walks past.
The experienced project manager already picked up a couple of gigs on the way in to the office.
If you really want to worry about what it's called, most PoliSci courses will have a module on framing. :-)
I shall be brief. The problem today with operating systems taking too much memory comes from someone trying to sell a multimedia software for $400 and calls it an operating system, so that everyone is forced to buy it. An operating system used to come free (or included) with the machine, or users can obtain it for less than 2-3% of the cost of the machine. It occupied 5-10% of the memory of the machine, not 150%.
The IBM 1130 in the late sixties or early seventies had 32Kbyte memory (user and operating system) and was successfully used to solve complex mathematical and scientific problems.
I have no hesitation calling this a software problem.
When a system's memory requirement exceeds the available memory size, it is indeed a software problem rather than a hardware problem. This is because the memory requirements of a software application are determined by factors such as the size of the program, the amount of data being processed, and the number of processes or threads running simultaneously.
Here's an explanation of why it is considered a software problem:
1. Memory Management: The allocation and deallocation of memory resources are managed by the operating system and software applications. The hardware provides the physical memory, but it is the responsibility of the software to manage how that memory is utilized. When an application requires more memory than available, it is a result of the software not efficiently managing memory usage.
2. Virtual Memory: Modern operating systems utilize virtual memory, which allows applications to access more memory than physically available by using a combination of RAM and disk space. The operating system swaps data between RAM and disk to make the illusion of having more memory than the physical limit. It is the software's responsibility to handle this virtual memory and efficiently use resources.
3. Memory Leak or Inefficient Programming: In situations where memory requirements exceed available memory, it could be due to programming errors, such as memory leaks or inefficient memory usage. Memory leaks occur when the software fails to release memory after it is no longer needed, resulting in a gradual loss of available memory. Inefficient programming may involve allocating more memory than necessary or not optimizing memory usage, leading to excessive memory requirements.
4. Hardware Limitation vs. Software Optimization: Hardware limitations are characterized by a physical constraint on memory capacity. In this case, it is clear that the available hardware cannot fulfill the system's memory requirements. However, software optimization techniques can help in managing memory efficiently, such as improving algorithms, reducing unnecessary data, or using caching techniques. By optimizing the software, it may be possible to reduce memory requirements and make the system work within the available hardware constraints.
In summary, while the hardware imposes limitations on memory capacity, it is the responsibility of the software to manage memory usage effectively. Therefore, when a system's memory requirement exceeds the available memory size, it is generally considered a software problem.