Computers 1.
Computers
Computers have become part of our everyday lives – we visit shops and offices which have been designed with the help of computers, we pay bills prepared by computers, we read magazines which have processed on a computer. Even phone calls use a sophisticated computer system.
Computers are electronic machines which can accept data in a certain form, process the data and give results of the processing in a specific format as information.
The electronic and mechanical parts that make up a computer are called hardware while the information in the form of data and programs is known as software.
A standart computer system consists of three main sections:
– the central processing unit (CPU)
– the main memory
– the peripherals
Any computer has to perform a lot of basic tasks – work with disks, respond to mouse movements, display something on the screen or communicate with the printer. These fundamental tasks are performed by the operating system. It is probably the most important part. The user can operate a computer and use its programs only after the operation system has been recorded into it.