Computer Hardware

Hardware is any physical device used in or with your machine, whereas software is a
collection of code installed onto your computer's hard drive. For example, the
computer monitor you are using to read this text and the mouse you are using to
navigate a web page is a computer hardware.
All software utilizes at least one hardware device to operate. For example, a video
game, which is software, uses the computer processor (CPU), memory (RAM), hard
drive, and video card to run. Word processing software uses the computer processor,
memory, and hard drive to create and save documents.
In a computer, hardware is what makes a computer work. A CPU processes
information and that information can be stored in RAM or on a hard drive. A sound
card can provide sound to speakers and a video card can provide an image to a
monitor. All of this is hardware.
On that same computer, software can be installed and allow a person to interact with
the hardware. An operating system, like Windows or Mac OS, is software. It provides a
graphical interface for people to use the computer and other software on the computer.
A person can create documents and pictures using software.

Computer Software
Software is a program that enables a computer to perform a specific task, as
opposed to the physical components of the system (hardware).
This includes application software such as a word processor, which enables a user
to perform a task, and system software such as an operating system, which enables
other software to run properly, by interfacing with hardware and with other
software.
Practical computer systems divide software into three major classes: system
software, programming software and application software.
Computer software has to be "loaded" into the computer's storage (such as a hard
drive, memory, or RAM).
Once the software is loaded, the computer is able to execute the software.
Computers operate by executing the computer program.
This involves passing instructions from the application software, through the
system software, to the hardware which ultimately receives the instruction as
machine code.
Each instruction causes the computer to carry out an operation -- moving data,
carrying out a computation, or altering the control flow of instructions.

Can a computer run without software?

In most situations, yes, a computer can run without
software being installed. However, if an operating
system or interpreter is not found on the computer,
it either generates an error or doesn't output any
information. Installing programs onto the
computer in addition to an operating system gives
the computer additional capabilities. For example,
a word processor is not required, but it allows you
to create documents and letters.

Can a computer run without hardware?

This depends on the hardware. Most computers
require at least a display, hard drive, keyboard,
memory, motherboard, processor, power supply,
and video card to function properly. If any of these
devices are missing or malfunctioning, an error is
encountered, or the computer will not start.
Adding hardware such as a disc drive (e.g. CDROM or DVD), modem, mouse, network card,
printer, sound card, or speakers are not required,
but give the computer additional functionality.

Advanced terminology systems - Evolving criteria for healthcare for healthcare

terminologies for implementation in computer-based systems suggest that conceptoriented approaches are needed to support the data needs of today's complex,
knowledge-driven healthcare and health management environment.
Vocabulary Problem - The failure to achieve a single, integrated terminology with
broad coverage of the healthcare domain
Concept - unit of knowledge created by a unique combination of characteristics - a
characteristic is an abstraction of a property of an object or of a set of objects
Object - anything perceivable or conceivable
Term - verbal designation of a general concept in a specific subject field - a general
concept corresponds to two or more objects which form a group by reason of
common properties
Atomic-based - concepts must be separable into constituent components
Compositionality - ability to combine simple concepts into composed concepts
Concept permanence - once a concept is defined it should not be deleted from a
terminology

Language independence - support for multiple linguistic expressions

Multiple hierarchy - accessibility of concepts through all reasonable hierarchical
paths with consistency of views
Nonambuiguity - explicit definition for each term
Nonredundancy - one preferred way of representing a concept or idea
Synonymy - support for synonyms and consistent mapping of synonyms within
and among terminologies
Terminology Model - is a concept-based representation of a collection of domainspecific terms that is optimized for the management of terminological definitions.
Schemata - incorporate domain-specific knowledge about the typical
constellations of entities, attributes, and events in the real world and, as such,
reflect plausible combinations of concepts
Type definitions - are obligatory conditions that state only the essential properties
of a concept
ontology language - Terminology models may be formulated and elucidated in this
Ontology language - represent classes (also referred to as concepts, categories, or
types) and their properties (also referred to as relations, slots, roles, or attributes)

Ontology language - are able to support, through explicit semantics, the formal
definition of concepts in terms of their relationships with other concepts.
They also facilitate reasoning about those concepts
First-generation - consist of a list of enumerated terms, possibly arranged as a
single hierarchy
First-generation - serve a single purpose or a group of closely related purposes
and allow minimal computer processing
Second-generation - include an abstract terminology model or terminology model
schema that describes the organization of the main categories used in a particular
terminology or set of terminologies
Third-generation - support sufficient formalisms to enable computer-based
processing;
THIRD-GENERATION - also referred to as formal concept representation
systems
ISO 18104:2003 - Motivated in part by a desire to harmonize the plethora of
nursing terminologies around the world and to integrate with other evolving
terminology and information and model standards

GALEN Program - Can be used in a range of ways, from directly supporting

clinical applications to supporting the authoring, maintenance and quality
assurance of other kinds of terminologies
GRAIL - an ontology language for representing concepts and their
interrelationships
GRAIL - the source material for the construction of terminology models
computer-based modeling environment - facilitates the collaborative formulation
of models; it allows authoring of clinical knowledge at different levels of
abstraction
terminology server - a software system that implements GRAIL
SNOMED RT - is a reference terminology optimized for clinical data retrieval
and analysis
SNOMED CT - possess both reference terminology properties and user interface
terms