An Introduction To The Computer & A Basic Overview Of The Evolution To Many Computer Types
The modern computer is a group of hardware components that work together to get jobs done faster.
It consists mainly of the central processing unit (CPU), the keyboard, the monitor, and mouse. Other hardware, usually called peripherals, can improve your experience
with the computer. To do what it's meant to do, the computer's parts have to work
together. You don't really need to know how these parts work (at least, not right now), but you should know how they fit together in order to use them to their fullest potential.
This article assumes that you have a computer that's ready to be used, and that it is all set up. It doesn't really matter if you are using a laptop or notebook, a desktop, or a server. Whether you work in an office, from home, while taking a class, or at the library, computers all work basically the same way. They work by giving and getting instructions (programs). When you turn the computer on, you give an instruction for the computer to be awakened by electricity. Then, the computer gives instructions to all its parts. The main program is called BIOS (basic input output system). It checks all the parts to see if they are functional, and if a part does not respond, it may go on or interrupt the boot sequence. If everything checks out, the boot sequence continues.
Depending on your computer's type, when it powers on, it may display the desktop, or you may have to log in. If you are using any variety of Windows, the desktop will display once the computer has booted; some Windows 98 installations may require you to click "OK" on a login screen.