Your personal computer is a tool for information processing, storage and retrieval. It electronically performs tasks that were previously performed manually, and performs them quickly and more reliably. For example, before you can add a column of 100 numbers, a computer can add a column of 100,000 numbers or more, without error. Many of today’s personal computers can store more files and documents than four large office filing cabinets and still retrieve any individual file almost instantly.
The Two Sides Of The Computing System
The elements of a computing system are divided into two categories:hardware and software. Hardware refers to the physical component while software refers to the set of instructions that the hardware carries out in precise and logical manner, much like a recipe.
All personal computers are made up of the following seven essential components
Hardware
- a microprocessor
- short term storage
- long term storage
- input devices
- output devices
- operating system
- applications program