What is a Computer System? In this topic we will be familiarising ourselves with the different components that make up a computer as we know today.
Glossary
Computer | A processor of information. |
Motherboard | An internal circuit board that connects the digital components that make up our computer. |
CPU | Central Processing Unit, the component that processes data and gives a result in the form of voltages. |
RAM | Random Access Memory, a type of memory that the CPU uses to store data it is working with as you are using the computer. |
I/O | Input / Output, people need to input commands to control devices, but after processing we expect some result or feedback through output. |
Storage Device | A component within or attached to the computer that is made up of persistent memory, therefore we use it to store our data even when the computer is not being used. |
The invention of the computer is one of the most important inventions that has shaped modern civilisation. We have become so dependant on computers, it is almost impossible to imagine our lives without them. Before we start, I am curious...
What do you think a computer is 🧠?
Fill in this mind-map and try to visualise or describe in detail what the word computer means to you.
Most probably you are not wrong...
When we think of a computer the first image that comes to mind is probably one of a desktop computer, a system that is composed of a number of devices (as illustrated below).
All the devices that we can physically touch are normally referred to as the hardware.
If you are thinking "well, a computer is not just that though..." and your favourite game is coming to mind then you are absolutely right!
One cannot really define what a computer system is without talking about the software - an aspect that we cannot physically touch but is so important to make use of the hardware and perform every day tasks. Most software these days needs to connect to the internet so that the computer can communicate with other computers to download updates or get data. At the centre of this, there is us, or the users as we techies like to call them.
Yes, there is a lot to go through, because the design of the computer as we know today evolved so much since its inception. Let us just take things one step at a time.
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