Hardware is the physical equipment used for a particular purpose, especially the metal parts of machines or the physical parts of a computer system.
Originally, “hardware” meant metal goods like tools, nails, and hinges sold in a hardware store. When computers arrived, people reused the word to mean the solid, touchable parts of a computer, in contrast to “software.”
The hardware/software contrast is clever: hardware is hard and solid; software is soft and changeable. This metaphor helped people understand computers long before most had ever touched one.
Technology fields, including hardware engineering, have historically been male-dominated, and language around 'hardware guys' or 'IT guys' has reinforced that association. This has contributed to the perception that physical computing and electronics are masculine domains.
Avoid gendered collective terms like 'hardware guys'; use role-based or neutral phrases such as 'hardware team' or 'hardware engineers'.
["hardware team","hardware engineers","hardware specialists"]
Acknowledge the contributions of women and gender minorities in hardware design, electronics, and computing infrastructure, which have often been under-recognized compared to software or theoretical work.
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