Do software engineers think about hardware?

After spending some time on the phone to Symbian this morning I thought it was kind of interesting to note that a lot of the discussion I had with this operating system company was focused on hardware rather than software. In the same vein, I notice another batch of news emanating from Intel HQ about a prototype memory technology called Phase Change Memory (PCM) – and that most of the implications for news like this directly impacts the way applications may soon be developed.

Yes, of course software engineers think about hardware. They all do, especially embedded software engineers. But what I’m saying is - standing here in the firing line for technology news from every corner of the industry - it’s not all language, APIs and modelling y’know? Talk to a smartphone manufacturer for example and they’ll typically focus on how physical restrictions like screen size, memory and battery life affect application development. The aforementioned chip manufacturer would probably rather you thought of them as a “technology” company these days anyway right?

Anyway, where was I? Ah yes, memory devices. This one is codenamed "Alverstone" and it uses PCM, a new non-volatile memory technology providing faster read and write speeds at lower power than conventional flash. It also allows for bit alterability normally seen in RAM.

With Moore’s Law fast becoming a distant memory, Intel says that RAM and flash technologies will run into scaling limitations over the next decade, but PCM costs will decline at a faster rate. The advent of multi-level-cell PCM will, according to Intel, further accelerate the cost per bit crossover of PCM technology relative to today's technologies.

Clearly, without hardware there would be no software - and vice versa for that matter… but perhaps we don’t consider the interrelationship between the two enough?