I think by plugin you mean things like Adobe Flash plugin or winamp plugins. so if i try to answer your question with this assumption, plugins are software.
They are modules that can be added to or removed from a software (browser, music player etc.) which are implemented for a specific purpose (playing flash movies etc.) They are developed with certain restrictions and guidelines which are enforced by the application that hosts the plugin. They are not hardware since you cannot hold them in your hands, you can consider them as just small programs that are installed to an application.
A VDU is hardware.
yes, because you can buy it at any hardware store. Hope this helped!
A scanner is both hardware and software, the device itself is hardware (all devices are hardware) but the driver(a program) that runs it is software.
Most widely Autodesk 3DS MAX is used for animation and also Autodesk Maya is used for animation besides this Rhinoceros with its VRAY Plugin is used.
hardware
A microphone is hardware. Software is what programs and games are called.
both a hardware and software
Motherboards are hardware components, not software.
Have to be hardware. How could you write software if there were no hardware to write it on?
Software. Short and sweet. Hardware needs software to work.
hardware
Yes. Hardware can be touched and software cannot.