we call the hardware on which we run the program a computer.

[Pink_Flower]

From one point of view, all that a program ever does is to compute; that is, it takes some inputs and produces some output. After all, we call the hardware on which we run the program a computer.


I don't get the bold part! The structure is kind of confusing.

1)Is it the same as "we call the hardware which we run the program on a computer."? if so, then it still doesn't make sense to me .

2) Is it a noun clause or an adjective clause?



source: programming the principles and practices using C++, Bjarne

 

[jutfrank]

Programs are run on hardware.
We call this hardware a 'computer'.

It could be that you're not correctly parsing the pattern: call something something

We call the hardware on which we run the program a computer

You can see that the first 'something' includes a relative clause, which makes the pattern quite hard to read. You could reorganise the structure of the red part without affecting the overall structure of the sentence, which would render the version in your sentence 1):

We call the hardware which we run the program on a computer

 

[Pink_Flower]

Programs are run on hardware.
We call this hardware a 'computer'.

It could be that you're not correctly parsing the pattern: call something something

We call the hardware on which we run the program a computer

You can see that the first 'something' includes a relative clause, which makes the pattern quite hard to read. You could reorganise the structure of the red part without affecting the overall structure of the sentence, which would render the version in your sentence 1):

We call the hardware which we run the program on a computer

Omg! Thank you so so much. I have read that sentence like 20 times and I still was confused. I wish I has posted here sooner. I thought maybe it would be a silly question to ask as the sentence looks simple!

I really really appreciate that.

 

[jutfrank]

You're welcome. I agree that it is quite a tricky sentence to read. You should never be embarrassed to ask about things you don't understand.

 

[Tdol]

hardware = machine
software = code

 

[GoesStation]

hardware = machine
software = code

Wetware = users. (This is a somewhat facetious term, but you may encounter it in this context.)

 

[SoothingDave]

There's also "firmware" which is software which is (more or less) permanently installed on hardware.