Computer

It’s sort of scary isn’t it?

A computer is a general-purpose machine that undergoes processes according to a specific set of instructions. The instructions the computer uses are either stored permanently (chips) or temporarily (RAM). The computer and all of equipment attached to it are called hardware. The instructions the computer receives are called software. A set of instructions grouped together to perform a certain task is called a software program.

All of the objects you can see when you open up the computer or look at its’ exterior are called hardware. Then, all of the items you can't touch or hit when you get mad are called software. Hence the names.

A computer's routine function is to input data from the user, compute the desired process, and then output a response. If your wondering why the computer doesn’t always give you a response, even after constant banging and cursing, it is because it is processing a previous input. And the times that your computer crashes and does weird things can be a combination of problems in input, processing, and/or output. This is contrary to our beliefs that the computer is always wrong (it actually might have been our fault). Now the simple English translated into computer guru terms.

The computer receives input from the user through the keyboard or another input device. This input is transferred into memory (RAM), and then processed by calculating, comparing, or copying it. The computer outputs an appropriate response, depending upon the results of the processing. The output is usually done on the screen, onto a disk, or over a communications channel.

All material and images on these pages are copyright Joseph,Ed. This page was developed for the Thinkquest1999 competition.