Hardware and Software

Hardware and Software

1. Analogue Computers

   • Existed long before digital computers were invented

2. Digital Computers

   • Modern computers are electric and the majority of computers used nowadays are digital
   • can follow a set of prewritten or recorded instructions called a program
   • Also respond to commands entered by a user
   • All computers have the same basic structure but the components are arranged differ based on the computer's use

3. Personal Computers

   • Often connected on a network and the internet
   • Used for:
     • searching the World Wide Web
     • Sending and receiving Emails
     • Chat rooms
     • Instant messaging
     • Blogs
     • Social netwroking
   • Personal computers include:
     • Netbooks
     • Laptops
     • Notebook computers
     • Tablets
     • PDAs
   • Often used in businesses

4. Supercomputers and mainframes

   • fastest computers that exist
   • Large amounts of data collected to model and predict things such as the weather

5. Embedded computers

   • Found in everyday devices
   • Can carry out only one or two tasks
   • Devices that contain them:
     • Music players
     • Mobile phones
     • Microwave ovens
     • Washing machines
     • Digital watches
     • Calculators

6. Hardware

   • Hardware is the physical components of a computer
   • The instructions of a system
   • Can be touched, held and seen

7. Software

   • Used to program the computer system
   • Different types are used fir different types