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Elements of A Computer System

A computer system consists of six main elements: hardware, software, people, procedures, data, and connectivity. Hardware refers to the physical components like keyboards, monitors, and CPUs. Software includes operating systems, applications, and utilities that allow users to interact with the hardware. People include programmers, system analysts, and end-users. Procedures provide instructions for the hardware, software, and data flow. Data is the raw information input by users. Connectivity allows connection between computers through networks and the internet.

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Janica Saluba
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9K views

Elements of A Computer System

A computer system consists of six main elements: hardware, software, people, procedures, data, and connectivity. Hardware refers to the physical components like keyboards, monitors, and CPUs. Software includes operating systems, applications, and utilities that allow users to interact with the hardware. People include programmers, system analysts, and end-users. Procedures provide instructions for the hardware, software, and data flow. Data is the raw information input by users. Connectivity allows connection between computers through networks and the internet.

Uploaded by

Janica Saluba
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What is a Computer System?

A computer system is the sum total of all the components (hardware and
software) that makes up a fully functional computer.

Elements of a Computer System


There are six main elements that make up a computer system. They all
interact with each other and perform the task at hand. Let us take a look
at all of them.

1] Hardware

These are all the physical aspects of a computer system. They are
tangible, i.e. you can see and touch them. Hardware components are the
electronic r mechanical instruments, like keyboard, monitor, printer etc.
They help the users interface with the software, and also display the
result of the tasks being performed.

Hardware can actually be of four types, depending on which function


they perform. The four types of hardware are,

 Input Hardware: For users to input data into the computer system.
Examples: Keyboard, mouse, Scanner
 Output Hardware: To translate and display the result of the data
processing =. Example: Monitor Screen, Printer etc
 Processing and Memory Hardware: Where data and information are
processed and manipulated to perform the task at hand. It is also the
workspace of the computer, where it temporarily stores data.
Examples: Central Processing Unit (CPU), Read Only Memory
(RAM)
 Secondary Storage Hardware: Where the computer system stores data
permanently. Example: Hard disk, Pen drive etc…
2] Software

Software is nothing but a set of programmes (computer instructions),


which helps the user to do a set of specific tasks. It helps the user
interact with the computer system with the help of hardware. Software,
as you can imagine, is the intangible aspect of the computer system.

Basically, there are six main types of software, which are as follows,

 Operating System: These specialized programmes allow the


communication between software and hardware. The operating
systems run all the other computer programmes, and even regulate
the start-up process of the computer. Examples: Windows XP,
Macintosh etc…
 Application Software: These are designed to perform a specific task
or a bunch of tasks. They can be user-designed (specific to the user’s
needs) or readymade application software. Example: PowerPoint,
Tally etc.
 Utility Software: Like operating systems, it is system software. It
helps maintain and protect the computer system. For example, Anti-
virus software is utility software.
 Language Processors: Software that interprets computer language
and translates it into machine language. It also checks for errors in
language syntax and fixes the problems.
 System Software: These types of software control the hardware, the
reading of the data and other such internal functions.
 Connectivity Software: The special software that facilitates the
connection between the computer system and the server. This allows
the computer to share information and communicate with each other.
3] People

The people interacting with the computer system are also an element of
it. We call this element the Liveware. They are the ultimate “users” of
the computer systems. There are three types of people that interact with
the system, namely

 Programmers: Professionals who write the computer programs that


allow users to interact with the computer. They must have technical
knowledge of computers and computer languages.
 System Analyst: They mainly design data processing systems, and
solve problems that arise in data processing
 End-Users: Also known as operators, they are the people who interact
with the computer system.
4] Procedures

These are a set of instructions, written in code, to instruct a computer on


how to perform a task, run a software, do calculations etc. There are
three types of procedures in a computer They are,

 Hardware-Oriented Procedure: Instructs the hardware components of


the system, ensures they work smoothly
 Software Oriented Procedure: Provides instructions to launch and run
software programs
 Internal Procedures: Directs the flow of information and sequences
the data
5] Data

Data is essentially the raw facts and figures that we input in the
computer. The data gets processed via the computer system and
becomes information, which is processed and organized data.
Information can then be used for decision-making purposes.

The measurement of data is done in terms of “bytes”. One kilobyte


(KB) is approximately 1000 bytes, 1 megabyte (MB) is 1 million bytes
and finally, 1 gigabyte (GB) is approximately 1 billion bytes.

6] Connectivity

This is when the computers are linked to a network. It facilitates sharing


of information, files, and other facilities. Computers can connect to a
network via LAN cables, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, satellites etc. The internet is
the most obvious example of connectivity in a computer system.

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