An Overview of the Computer System
What is a Computer?
A computer is an electronic device used to process data.
A computer can convert data into information that is
useful to people.
A complete computer system includes four main
Components:
1) Software 2) Hardware 3) Data 4) User
Software:
Software – also called programs – consists of organized sets of instructions for controlling the computer. Some programs exist for the computer's use, to help it manage its own tasks and devices. Other programs exist for the user, and enable the computer to perform tasks for you, such as creating documents.
Hardware:
A computer's hardware consists of
electronic devices; the parts you
can see and touch.
The term "device" refers to any
piece of hardware used by the
computer,such as a keyboard,
monitor, modem, mouse, etc.
Data:
Data consists of raw facts, which the computer can manipulate and process into information that is useful to people. Computerized data is digital, meaning that it has been reduced to digits, or numbers. The computer stores and reads all data as numbers. Although computers use data in digital form, they convert data into forms that people can understand, such as text, numerals, sounds, and images.
User:
People are the computer's operators, or users.
Some types of computers can operate without much intervention from people, but
personal computers are designed specifically for use by people.
