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Computer Basics 1 - what is a system? by Scott Boyd

This is the first in what I hope to be a series of articles about computer use (I say hope, as I don't exactly know how much time I will have in the future to continue the series!).

A lot of jobs these days involve computers - in particular, standard PC use.

The chances are that if your job heavily involves the use of a computer, you already know what to do.  But if like many, you're new to computing, then these articles will be useful for you.

What is a computer?

A computer is a system, like many others.  A system has 3 components:

• Input

• Process

• Output

Take a cash machine for example.

• You input your card.  You input your PIN number.  You input your request.

• The machine processes the information.

• You receive your money, statement and card as an output.

It should be noted that a system does not necessarily need to contain a computer.  Delivering a letter is a system for example:

• You input the letter (to the mailbox).

• The system processes it.

• Your recipient receives the output.

For a PC (Personal Computer - any computer you use in an office or at home) the system contains many components at each stage.

Input

A PC can have many methods of input (known as an input devices), but there are a few that are standard and necessary to operate the computer (some to a lesser extent than others).

Examples of PC input devices are:

• Keyboard (each time you hit a key, it inputs data to your computer)

• Mouse (each time you move your mouse or click a button, it inputs data)

Here we are concentrating on data input devices - that is, only things that enter information to a computer.  Technically, the power supply inputs something to the overall system as well for example, as do your own actions.  But these are pretty irrelevant facts when your goal is to learn how to use a PC.

Process

Your computer contains many components which take the data that you input and process it.  It is not necessary to know how these work in order to effectively use a PC, but to understand more advanced PC use, then it's good to know these things.

I'll go into the specific parts of your PC in more detail later on, but for now it is sufficient to know that the process part of the system takes place within your PC and *something* happens there!

Output

Like input devices, a computer (or any system) can have many output devices also.  Examples of these are:

• Monitor (visual output)

• Printer (Hard copy output)

• Modem (data output - note - modem can also be an input device - it works both ways!)

Basically, anything that provides you with information is an output device.

Summary

A system can be anything that you put something into and get something different out of.  There can even be systems within systems (for example a programme on your computer).

In order to effectively use any system you do not need to know what it does to achieve the results you want.  The important thing to know is what to input in order to receive the desired output.

Regards

Scott Boyd - Webmaster and Founder - Jobseekers Advice

• Computer Basics 1 - what is a system?

• Computer Basics 2 - the belly of the beast!

• Computer Basics 3 - Software? Hardware?

• Computer Basics 4 - MS Office Applications

• Computer Basics 5 - Email theory

• Computer Basics 6 - Sending your CV by email

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