Is hardware limited by the Operating System?

(This is an offtopic subject, please read to end to know how it transitions from a HARDWARE / SOFTWARE TOPIC into a PHILOSOPHICAL TOPIC)

Let's just imagine for a moment that a Computer had the most powerful CPU in the world, largest size of memory capacity and speed, and other top of the line Hardware. However, let's say that the Operating System was non existant. How well would that PC browse the internet, play games, etc ??

Taking the 'extreme' example given above, and using it as a basic structure for this conversation. My questions is, as the title says 'is hardware limited by operating system'? What's optimization really? What's the operating systems job in relation to the hardware?

Quoting from Microsoft's website:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/buy/windows-7-home-premium.aspx

"Windows 7 Home Premium offers the best entertainment experience on your PC, making the things you do every day easier. With fewer clicks, faster searching, easier browsing, and simpler ways to connect, there's less between you and what you want to do. Windows 7 is designed to improve the performance of your PC, so it's faster, more secure, and more reliable. PCs with Windows 7 simply work the way you want them to work"

They used words like "Faster", "Improve the performance". etc

- Philosophical part begins here

Symbolically comparing a Computer to human intelligence, for example: A human with autism who can calculate mathematical forumulaes faster than a calculator, the rain man like people "Kim Peek" whose memory puts the rest of us to shame but unfortunately cannot take care of himself http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJjAbs-3kc8

These all seem to be like RAW aspects of a compter: regarding speed, and memory. However, their productivity (Operating System) seems to not enable them to socialize in a independent way. In the same way, a super powerful computer without an Operating System cannot browse the internet, play games, etc.

So if the IQ test is based highly on mental comprehension 'speed' (not only solving the problem, but how fast you solve the problem) than could are basic understanding of intelligence be flawed due to its limiting on previously learned things (memory), and speed?

Reason I ask this, is because my cousin has an IQ of 160 (Genius level), however he seems to do nothing with his life. Simalarly, the man with the highest reported IQ who went to Harvard at age 9, spent the rest of his life in seclusion and wanted to be left alone, and was bullied.

I feel that if I were to compare human intelligence to an O.S. I would say that one of the most important traits of our human Operating system, is

1. Our belief system (Religion, philosophy etc) - Because our beliefs system directly influence our Desires and Inpiration levels. If you believe that God doesn't want human to develop Nanobots, than that can effect your desire/inspiration to even attempt to create it.

2. Desire and Inspiration levels (What good is all the intelligence in the world, with no drive to do anything or invent anything?) - Forest Gump is a perfect example, he was very simple, but HIGHLY persistant. I think inspiration keeps us going to do things, whether we have the IQ or not to achieve it.

3. Other unclear/unknown factors of intelligence. - The other aspects of 'creativity' that's too much for me to list

If anyone would like to add to this thread, I would like to hear your opinions on it.

Thanks

i believe there is a lot of potential in the human mind that is undercultivated by standard doctrines, religions, rhetoric, mindsets and attitudes. Even things as simple as education. There can be kids in Africa who has more potential than Einstein, but they have no opportunity to cultivate and realize that potential

i believe there is a lot of potential in the human mind that is undercultivated by standard doctrines, religions, rhetoric, mindsets and attitudes. Even things as simple as education. There can be kids in Africa who has more potential than Einstein, but they have no opportunity to cultivate and realize that potential

BossPerson

Implying no oppurtunity, states that they cannot ever get through thier bottleneck. If a pentium 4 processor tries to run an advance PC game, it's untrue that it CANNOT play it, however it may take it 10 minutes to display 1 frame, lol.

However, if you imply distracted oppurtunity than that means it will just take longer for them to rise above their challenges.

To relate that to a computer, I would call it a 'bottleneck'

The bottleneck for productive intelligence in humans is "distractions". Some distractions are, bad parenting, war, egotism (a personal opinion), mental disorders such as schitzophrenia or phobias, etc etc

To relate 'distractions' of humans to distractions of Operating Systems, I would say a Trojan Virus could be a symbolic comparison.

Having low self esteem = corrupted Operating System

War and Famine = Messed up registry or Dust inside the PC that needs to be cleaned out

Genetic based Schitzophrenia = A scratch on the Windows 7 installation disc.

So when you take our current Education System. If once again, we relate that to the computer symbolically. Than what could we say on how our system is designed? Personally? I think our system is designed on these two words "Rat Race". Before we know it, we are plugged into a school system that is eagerly to put us all on Ritalin if they had the chance to. Rushing us to learn things before we get left back, and at the end of it all, if we are still moving fast enough, pushing the SAT's out the window, while others are left behind before they even have a chance to get to know that little person called "self". It seems like our system sounds more like a factory line than an education system. Those who pass with flying colors, may just be people who just have FAST CPUs, and GOOD RAM and Harddrive speeds. But is that enough? Do those who pass have good Operating Systems, efficient enough, to solve the worlds problems? And are the people with Good OS, shut down the toilet with bruises before they have a chance to rise above? And after the onslaught of emotional feelings of failure, and all the corruption it does to a persons registry, and all the side effects of long term drugs like ritalin....where does that leave them? From a glorious Operating System, to a beat up, cluttered, and corrupted Operating System?