What Is a Computer, Hardware, Software, And Firmware Flashcards
What is a computer?
For something to be define as a computer, it has to do/have 4 basic functions:
1. Input
2. Process
3. Storage
4. Output
What components do computers rely on to perform functions?
The Hardware, Software, and Firmware
What is Hardware?
It’s the parts of the computer that can be picked up, moved around, and opened and closed.
What is the physical thing you interact with inside a computer?
The Hardware
What is Software?
Software provides instructions to the Hardware and tells it exactly what it wants it to do.
What is used to fully utilize the hardware for its specific task?
The Software
What is Firmware?
A specialized type of software on a chip.
What is the combination of Hardware and Software, which is stored on a single chip called?
The Firmware
What would be types of “Input” to a computer’s hardware?
The physical use of keyboards, mice, microphones, and webcams.
What would be types of “process/processing” to a computer’s hardware?
The CPU
Central Processing Unit, and
The GPU
Graphic Processing Unit
What are the types of “storage” to a computer’s hardware?
A computer’s hardware storage can be designed to be temporarily or permanent.
What would be types of “output” to a computer’s hardware?
Monitors, Displays, Speakers, and Printers.
What devices are the brain to a computer. This device controls everything the computer is going to do.
The CPU and/or The GPU
What is the CPU?
The Central Processing Unit.
What is the GPU?
The Graphic Processing Unit.
What saves data for future use or retrieval?
The Storage.
What are types of Temporary Storage for a computer?
The Cache and the
RAM or Memory.
What are types of Permanent Storage for a computer?
Hard Disk Drives, USB Drives, CDs, DVDs, Blue-Ray, Etc.
What are some types of Software you may come across?
OS Software, Applications Software, Drivers.
What is the purpose of OS Software?
It provides a method of retrieving, saving, changing, printing, and transmitting information.
How is Application Software used?
It is used to create, store, modify, and view information and data that you’re gonna create.
What are Drivers?
A specific type of Software used to translate commands from the operating system to a specific piece of hardware.
A chip that contains Software is what?
A Firmware.
What are typical OS Software?
Windows, OSX, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome OS, Etc.
What are types of Application Software?
Microsoft Word, Adobe Premier, FireFox.
The Firmware or The Chip is going to be attached to what?
The Motherboard, Optical Drive, Video Card, M storage host adapter, Network Card, Modem, or Printer.
