Step 1
The computer is an electronic device which stores information, processes it and presents the results.
There are different types of computers, but the main categories are:
mainframes, which are big computers used to process huge quantities of data;
personal computers (PCs), the most common ones in the office or at home;
portable computers, including laptops, notebooks and pocket computers or palmtops.
The two main parts of the computer system are called hardware and software: hardware is the mechanical equipment making up the computer; software is the set of instructions that make the computer work.
Step 2
Some hardware elements are:
- the processor, the part of the computer that performs operations on the information that is put into it;
- the RAM (Random Access Memory), a type of computer memory which can be changed as necessary;
- the
ROM (Read Only Memory), a type of computer memory which
holds
information that can be used but not
changed or
added to
- the hard disk, a magnetic device that is fixed inside a computer and stores a very large amount of information.
Other
important components of a computer system are:
-
the Monitor:
a device
that takes
signals
from a computer and
displays
them on a
screen;
- the Keyboard:
a set of
keys
that you press
in
order to operate the computer;
- the Mouse: a device you use with the
computer system; by moving it
across
a surface and pressing its
buttons
you can perform
operations
without
using the keyboard;
- the
Printer,
a machine that
can be connected to a computer that
prints
the
results
of
data
processing.
(c)Copyright 2003