| Hardware | All the things you can touch on your computer including the stuff on the inside |
|---|---|
| CPU (Central Processing Unit) | The brain of the computer, where all decisions are made and calculations are performed. Usually also contains some memory called cache. |
| Main Memory | Volatile erased when program terminates or computer is turned off.
Also called Random Access Memory (RAM). Organized as follows: bit: smallest piece of memory. Has values 0 (off, false) or 1 (on, true) = binary system byte: 8 consecutive bits. Bytes have addresses. |
| Secondary Storage | Non-volatile: data retained when program is not running or computer is turned off : hard drive (internal) , floppy , zip disk, CD-ROM , DVD , flash drive |
| Input/output Devices | Input : Keyboard, Joystick , Scanner
Output : Monitor , Printer , Speaker There is some overlab with secondary storage devices |
| Software | Actually all the programs (including the operating system) which make a computer perform desired tasks |
| Operating system | Programs that manage the computer hardware and the programs that run on them : Windows, UNIX, Linux | Application software: programs that provide services to the user. Ex: word processing, games, programs to solve specific problems
| Application Software | Programs that provide services to the user : word processing, internet communication , graphics applications, games, programs to solve specific problems including your own programs yet to be "written" |
| Computer Program | A set of instructions to a computer to perform a task. Originally written by a human being in form of a "file" on a secondary storage device using some kind of programming "language" (Fortran, C , C++, C# , Java and many more). All of them borrow words from the english language and mathematics |