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A computer system is a combination of four major components: hardware, software, data, and people. (In an organizational context, other elements such as policies and procedures are also included.)
- The physical equipment associated with a computer system is called hardware.
- A set of instructions that tells the hardware what to do is called software.
- The collection of facts processed into information by the computer is called data -- more on this later.
- The most important component of a computer system, however, is people who use the powerful tool to solve real-world problems.
- The computer can be a tool for virtually anyone in all kinds of contexts -- business, art, housekeeping, education, and the list is seemingly endless.
Software or a computer program represents a problem-solving algorithm, a set of ordered or step-by-step instructions that the computer must perform to produce the desired results.
- A computer programmer is a person who writes programs that we, theend-users can purchase or acquire and use for our specific purposes.
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