What Is a Computer?
A friendly look at the machine that follows instructions
- say what a computer is in simple words,
- tell the difference between hardware and software,
- explain that a computer only does exactly what it is told.
1. What is a computer?
A computer is a machine that follows instructions. Give it a clear set of steps and it will follow them, very fast, again and again, without ever getting tired. But a computer cannot think, feel, or decide on its own. It waits for instructions, and then it does exactly what they say.
Computers are all around you — not just the big box on a desk. Many everyday machines are really computers inside:
| This is a computer… | …and it follows instructions to… |
|---|---|
| Laptop | help you write, draw, and watch videos |
| Smartphone | make calls, send messages, and play games |
| Game console | run the games you play |
| Smartwatch | count your steps and show the time |
| Microwave | heat your food for the exact time you set |
2. Hardware: the parts you can touch
Hardware is every part of a computer you can see and touch. If you can pick it up or point at it, it is hardware.
| Hardware part | What it does |
|---|---|
| Screen | shows pictures and words |
| Keyboard | lets you type letters and numbers |
| Mouse | points and clicks on the screen |
| Speaker | makes sound you can hear |
Inside the case there are tiny hardware parts too, like the chip that does the thinking-work and the memory that stores things. You cannot easily see them, but they are still hardware.