Software Programming and Hardware Engineering

All about Software Programming
Ever thought of all the images that you paint in the paint software? How do the words get automatically underlined if typed incorrectly in MS Word? Who developed the softwares for you? A team of software engineers, of course.

Here are various jobs you could do as a software programmer, but it would depend first on the kind of industry you are working for.
If you work in the IT industry as a software programmer, there are basically two kinds of firms you may be working for. One kind of IT company is a Software Product Company, like Microsoft, Adobe or Computer Associates. These companies write and create the ‘software products’ that people like us use systems-software products like Windows and UNIX and application software products like Office, Photoshop, Corel Draw, and so on. They run several tests on the software product until they are sure it is free of errors, and then sell it in the open marketplace, just like any other consumer product.
So, what are the job opportunities here?
If you work in a software product company, you would either be doing programming, i.e. writing the code for different software products or overseeing the work of several groups of programmers who are writing different parts of the overall software product. You may be involved in fitting the different parts of the code together, or in testing each software product thoroughly to remove all the glitches before it goes into the market.

What is the other kind of Software Company?
Not all software products, like Microsoft Word, are meant for everyone. Some are highly specialized and are meant for specific users like banks, hospitals, telecom companies, doctors, filmmakers, graphic artists, and so on.
Another kind of IT company is a Software Services Company (or a software consultant), like Infosys, Wipro or Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). These companies do not create general software products but work with individual customers/clients to develop customized software products that would help solve the client’s specific problem. The clients could be car manufacturers, hospitals, shoe companies, banks, etc. and they may need a ‘software solution’ to problems ranging from their manufacturing process to sales and payments to employees. A software solution could help speed up each of these processes, thus saving the client time or money, or both, or simply make these processes more efficient, organized, transparent, easier to use, and so on. If the client sees sense in the solution delivered by the consultant and the fees that is charged for it, the ‘project’ is awarded to the consultant. The software services company will then put a team of IT professionals on this project to develop a suitable software.

So what are the job opportunities?
If you work in a software services company, you could either be a Programmer or a Project Leader who supervises the entire project. You could also be a Systems Analyst who is a head. You could be involved in documentation (writing down what each section of code does so that any new person on the job can understand what is happening), in testing or debugger (running the program again and again with different inputs to make sure that it doesn’t break down or give the wrong results under any situation).
Hardware Engineering
If you are not afraid of opening your computer, trying to figure out where the wire goes, of studying your computer circuits, of changing the RAM of your computer, then this is the profession for you.

All about Hardware Engineering
Ever thought who makes your P4 range of computer or what is the difference between P3 and P4 versions? What is a Pentium Processor and what is a Macintosh Computer? There is only one profession behind all this — hardware engineering.

So, what does a computer hardware engineer do? Computer hardware engineers design, develop, test and assist in the manufacture of computer components, products and systems, such as chips or device controllers.
They plan the systems concept and the hardware needs for a particular computer product by analyzing the market requirement and prepare a forecast which defines specification, the technology to be used and the method by which the product could be made economical and market-friendly. They fabricate and test theoretical models of computer products and build working prototypes of the computer equipment.

Job as a Hardware Engineer
Look at the number of options that you can choose as a career in Computer Hardware Engineering.

Design engineers
They research, develop and design electrical components, computerized equipment and systems for commercial, industrial and domestic purposes.

Systems engineers
They analyze information to determine, recommend and plan layout for types of computers and peripheral equipment or modifications to existing equipment and system.

Diagnostics engineers
They plan, develop and conduct tests on electronic components, products and systems. May develop or use computer software and hardware to conduct tests on electronic products and systems.

Test engineers
They conduct tests on electrical equipment and systems.

Hardware integration engineers
They design layouts for integrated circuits according to engineering specifications using Computer Assisted Design (CAD) equipment and software. May review and analyze engineering design schematics and supporting documents.

Product development engineers
They design and develop electronic components, equipment, systems and products, applying knowledge and principles of electronic theory, design and engineering.

Manufacturing systems engineers
They plan, direct and coordinate manufacturing processes in industrial plants. May develop, evaluate and improve manufacturing methods. They analyze and plan workforce utilization, space requirements and work flow and design layout of equipment and workspace for maximum efficiency.

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