Essential Concepts in Computer Hardware and Software
Computer Hardware and Software Fundamentals
1. Computer Hardware
Computer hardware is the collection of physical elements that constitutes a computer system. Computer hardware refers to the physical parts or components of a computer such as the monitor, mouse, keyboard, etc., all of which are physical objects that can be touched. In contrast, software is instructions that can be stored and run by hardware. That is any set of machine-readable instructions that directs a computer’s processor to perform specific operations. A combination of hardware and software forms a usable computing system.
2. Operating System
An operating system (OS) is a collection of software that manages computer hardware resources and provides common services for computer programs. The operating system is an essential component of the system software in a computer system.
3. Central Processing Unit
A central processing unit (CPU) is the hardware within a computer that carries out the instructions of a computer program by performing the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system.
4. Random Access Memory
Alternatively referred to as main memory or system memory, Random Access Memory (RAM) is a computer storage location that allows information to be stored and accessed quickly from random locations on a memory module. As the computer loads, parts of the operating system and drivers are loaded into memory, which allows the CPU to process the instructions much faster and your computer to load faster. Unlike ROM and the hard drive, RAM is a volatile memory and requires power in order to keep the data accessible. If power is lost, all data contained in memory is lost.
5. Hard Disk Drive
A hard disk drive (HDD) is a data storage device used for storing and retrieving digital information using rapidly rotating disks (platters) coated with magnetic material. An HDD retains its data even when powered off. Data is read in a random-access manner, meaning individual blocks of data can be stored or retrieved in any order rather than sequentially.
6. Virtualization
Virtualization is the creation of a virtual (rather than actual) version of something, such as an operating system, a server, a storage device, or network resources. Operating system virtualization is the use of software to allow a piece of hardware to run multiple operating system images at the same time. (The technology got its start on mainframes decades ago, allowing administrators to avoid wasting expensive processing power.)
7. Operating Systems Examples
Examples include Microsoft Windows, Apple’s macOS, Linux (Debian, Red Hat, SuSE, Ubuntu, etc.), Android, etc.
8. Ubuntu
Ubuntu is a Debian-based Linux operating system, with Unity as its default desktop environment.
9. Oracle VM VirtualBox
Oracle VM VirtualBox is a virtualization software package for x86 and AMD64/Intel64-based computers from Oracle Corporation as part of its family of virtualization products.
10. Windows XP
Windows XP is a personal computer operating system produced by Microsoft as part of the Windows NT family of operating systems. The operating system was generally released for retail sale in October 2001, and extended support for Windows XP ended on April 8, 2014, meaning that the operating system is now end-of-life.