Computer System

Lesson 1

An Overview of the Computer System

This lesson includes the following sections:

• The Parts of a Computer System

• Looking Inside the Machine

• Software: Bringing the Machine to Life

The Parts of a Computer System

• What is a Computer?

• Hardware

• Software

• Data

• Users

The Parts of a 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 distinct parts:

• Hardware

• Software

• Data

• User

The Parts of a Computer System - 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.

The Parts of a Computer System - 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.

The Parts of a Computer System - 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.

The Parts of a Computer System – Users