HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE by Laiene Madina Vidal

14.1 WHAT IS A COMPUTER?

madinalaiene — 2025-10-03 09:37:29 UTC

-Computers are not smart, they are devices that make our work easier quickly.
-Follow the instructions that the user asks for.
-The applications found on computers have a type of work and the person who wants to use the applications only has to follow the instructions of the application.

14.2 HARDWARE

madinalaiene — 2025-10-03 09:58:46 UTC

The hardware is the part of the computer that can be touched, the basic components are the CPU, memory, graphics card and peripherals.

SOFWARE

madinalaiene — 2025-10-08 09:36:21 UTC

The software is the part of the computer that we cannot touch, it is what the computer follows, that is to say the orders that the computer follows, a set of instructions is a program. When we use a program, the computer will have to adapt to the program, that is to say, the function of the program.

CPU

madinalaiene — 2025-10-08 09:44:58 UTC

The CPU is the brain of the computer, also known as the processor. It examines information and makes decisions based on logic.

MEMORY

madinalaiene — 2025-10-09 06:07:18 UTC

Memory stores information. There are several types of memory in a computer:
FIXED MEMORY:
normally remains inside the computer.
1-HARD DRIVE:
is a set of hard drives with a magnetic surface.

RAM

madinalaiene — 2025-10-09 09:11:19 UTC

It is a green plastic card with chips inside the mobile, the RAM stores the applications and files that we are using.

PORTABLE MEMORIES

madinalaiene — 2025-10-09 09:13:26 UTC

They're easy to connect and disconnect from your computer. They're also easy to transport.

GRAPHICS CARDS

madinalaiene — 2025-10-09 11:53:40 UTC

It is very similar to RAM. It is also a green plastic card with chips that helps the processor process graphics faster. A more powerful card would be needed to play video games, watch movies, or for graphic design.

PERIPHRALS

madinalaiene — 2025-10-09 11:55:56 UTC

They are elements of communication between the computer and the outside world, including ourselves.

ENTRY PERIPHERALS

madinalaiene — 2025-10-09 11:59:13 UTC

They provide information to the computer: keyboard, mouse, microphone, thermostat...

EXIT PERIPHERALS

madinalaiene — 2025-10-09 12:04:14 UTC

It is used to provide us with information.
A peripheral can be either an input or output device; an example is a router used to connect to the Internet.
The router receives information from the Internet and sends information to the Internet.

SOFTWARE

madinalaiene — 2025-10-10 06:27:36 UTC

It is the part of the computer that we cannot touch. It is the logic that the computer follows; the programmer writes instructions. A set of instructions is a "program." When we use a program, the computer follows the program's instructions.

THE OPERATING SYSTEM

madinalaiene — 2025-10-10 09:51:00 UTC

There is one operating system per computer; no more, no less. The operating system defines the internal logic for the computer's operation.
To program the operating system, we must know what the hardware components are and how they are connected.
For example, when we tell the computer to shut down, the operating system decides to close all applications, then transfer all data from RAM to the hard drive, and finally shuts down. In the 1980s, only one user could interact with a computer, and computers only had text, not images. Computers had a processor, an application, a floppy disk, a keyboard, and a screen.
The operating system was programmed only to manage those hardware components.
In those days, the operating system was stored on a floppy disk, which was loaded after turning on the computer.
The user first loaded the operating system (stored on an external disk) and then the application (stored on another external disk). The user could then start using the application.

TODAY'S OS

madinalaiene — 2025-10-13 12:26:48 UTC

It is stored on the hard drive (applications are also stored on the hard drive). It can manage more than one application at a time. It has a graphical display, so we can interact with the computer using the mouse. It can connect to the internet. Today, the most common operating systems are those sold by Microsoft: Windows Vista, Windows 7... Microsoft's Windows has a long history that began with the operating system called "DOS" (Disk Operating System).
Apple Macintosh is another company that offers an operating system for computers. The "Mac" is preferred by graphic designers and artists.
Linux is a free operating system. "Free" means that users don't have to pay to use it and that programmers can modify the operating system to their liking.
There are also several operating systems for mobile phones.