Computer Essentials (Hardware is any electronic or mechanical part you can see or touch)

A computer is an electronic machine which can accept data in a certain form, process the data, and give the result of the processing in a specified format as information. 

A typical computer consists of two parts: hardware and software. 

Hardware is any electronic or mechanical part you can see or touch. Software is a set of instructions, called a program, which tells the computer what to do. There are three basic hardware sections: the central processing unit (CPU), main memory and peripherals. 

The CPU is the most influential component. It executes program instructions and coordinates the activities of all the other units. In a way, it is the brain of the computer. 

The main memory holds the instructions and data which are being processed by the CPU. It has two main sections: RAM (random access memory) and ROM (read only memory). Peripherals are the physical units attached to the computer. They include storage devices and input/output devices. 

Storage devices include hard drives, DVD drives or flash drives. They provide a permanent storage of both data and programs. Disk drives are used to read and write data on disks. Input devices enable data to go into the computer’s memory. The most common input devices are the mouse and the keyboard. Output devices enable us to extract the finished product from the system. For example, the computer shows the output on the monitor or prints the results onto the paper by means of printer. 

On the rear panel of the computer there are several ports into which we can plug a wide range of peripherals – a modem, a digital camera, a scanner, etc. they allow communication between the computer and the devices. Modern desktop PCs have USB ports and memory cards readers on the front panel.

Computers have greatly influenced human life. With the advent of the computer, human life is much easier. Now at this time, a person can learn and find any information through a computer without leaving home. No one person can live a day without using a computer. Today, people work on the Internet, communicate with their friends, relax in their free time and learn. In spite of the huge number of advantages of the existence of a computer, there are also disadvantages. The computer takes a lot of precious time. People often spend their time in a blank sitting in front of a screen monitor. But despite this, most people still consider computer technology a blessing.