A Computer is an electronic device that is used to process, store, view date. A computer can be programmed with instructions and it can carry out logical operations. Also, a computer has the ability to follow a set of instructions or operations that is called a program. A computer consists of hardware and software. Computer hardware and software require each other and neither can be realistically used on its own.
What is hardware?
Hardware is the physical components of the computer and it can be defined as pieces of equipment that are used to provide data or send signals and these are:
Input devices
- Keyboard
- Mouse
- Microphone
- Webcam
- Image scanner
- Touchpad
- Touchscreen
- Video card
- Sound card
Output devices
- Monitor
- Printer
- Speakers
Removable data storage
- Floppy disk
- Memory card
- Optical disc (CD- DVD)
- USB flash drive
Computer case
- Motherboard
- Power supply
- Central processing unit (CPU)
- HDD / SSD / SSHD
- Random-access memory (RAM)
What is software?
The software is the non-physical component of the computer. It is the programs or the instructions that make a computer works.
Computer software includes computer programs, libraries and related non-executable data, such as online documentation or digital media. It is often divided into system software and application software.
System software
This is the operating system that manages the computer hardware and makes it work properly with its software. It is a special type of program that loads automatically when you start your computer. And these are some of the types of operating systems:
- Microsoft Windows: widely used because of its popularity and ease of use. It has numerous versions such as ( Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10).
- Macintosh operating systems: this is developed by Apple Inc. This is also widely used because of its stability and ease of use. Some of its versions are (Classic Mac OS, macOS).
- Linux: it is a family of free and open-source software operating systems. It also has numerous versions such as ( Red Hat Linux, Oracle Linux, Berry Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop, OpenMandriva, Ubuntu).
- DOS: it is a family of disk operating systems. It mainly uses codes an some of its versions are (FreeDOS, MS-DOS, IBM PC DOS)
Application Software
This the software that is designed to follow certain instructions or tasks for the benefit of the user. These are some of the applications that can be found on a computer.
- Office suite ( Accounting software, Word processing, Presentation program)
- Internet Access (Browser, Email client, Web server)
- Design and manufacturing (Supply chain management, Computer-aided manufacturing)
- Graphics ( Animation editor, 3D computer graphics, Image processing, Video editing)
- Audio (Computer music, Mixing, Audio playback, Digital audio editor)
- Games (Strategy, Arcade, Puzzle, Simulation, First-person shooter, Interactive fiction)
Some of its versions are (Classic Mac OS, macOS).
Application Software
This the software that is designed to follow certain instructions or tasks for the benefit of the user. These are some of the applications that can be found on a computer.
- Office suite ( Accounting software, Word processing, Presentation program)
- Internet Access (Browser, Email client, Web server)
- Design and manufacturing (Supply chain management, Computer-aided manufacturing)
- Graphics ( Animation editor, 3D computer graphics, Image processing, Video editing)
- Audio (Computer music, Mixing, Audio playback, Digital audio editor)
- Games (Strategy, Arcade, Puzzle, Simulation, First-person shooter, Interactive fiction)