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Tutorial
Ever Wonder Why?
A Computer. What is it? According to Webster's Dictionary a
computer is a machine for performing calculations automatically. Now, you
may be wondering what these big clumps of metal and silicon have to do
with my life. Look around yourself. Computers operate everything today
from your average home electronic to your favorite play toy. Without computers
these things wouldn’t function. I admit computers don't operate everything,
but if you were to look into the future 20 years from now, it would be
hard to find a machine independent of computers. Since you are here listening
to me now, I am hoping you are ready to begin a journey to prepare yourself
for tomorrow. So let's get started, because tomorrow is getting closer
every day.
The Journey Begins…
It’s sort of scary isn’t it? Well, by the end of this tutorial,
you will be able to identify all of those parts.
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.
Now, you are an expert on the elementary functions of a computer. Let’s
continue your learning in the next topic of Interface.
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All material and images on these pages are copyright Joseph,Ed. This page was developed for the Thinkquest1999
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