What a computer really is.
You use computers every day: your phone, the ATM, the billing machine at the supermarket, even a modern washing machine. Today you'll understand what makes something a computer, and the simple cycle every computer follows.
Don't worry if you've always felt "not good with computers". This course starts from zero, in simple words. By the end, you'll feel at home with any laptop or office system.
The simple definition
A computer is a machine that takes input, processes it following instructions, gives output, and can store information for later.
The IPOS cycle
| Step | Meaning | ATM example | Phone example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Input | Information goes in | You insert card and type PIN and amount | You tap "Send" on a message |
| Process | The machine works on it | Checks PIN and balance | Packs the message to send |
| Output | Result comes out | Cash and a receipt | "Sent" tick appears |
| Storage | Information is saved | Transaction recorded | Chat saved on your phone |
Computers around you
Hardware and software
- Hardware: the physical parts you can touch: screen, keyboard, chips, battery.
- Software: the instructions (programs and apps) that tell the hardware what to do: Windows, Android, WhatsApp, Excel.
A body and a mind: hardware without software can't do anything useful; software needs hardware to run.
When you type an amount on a billing machine and it prints a bill, which part is the printed bill?
The bill is the result coming out: output.
Which of these is software?
Chrome is a program: instructions, not a physical part.
Your task (10 min)
Find 5 computers in your home or neighbourhood that you never thought of as computers (TV, washing machine, car, meter…). For one of them, write its input, process, output and storage.
Lesson 1 complete!
You understand the input–process–output–storage cycle and the types of computers around you. Next: hardware, CPU, RAM and storage.
Next: Hardware: CPU, RAM and storage explained →