The first thing you need to understand is that a computer is a tool. Something like a toaster. It does not think, it merely processes information. Everything you can touch is hardware, what you can't touch ­ the codes, the operating system, the applications, is software.

The computer is the non-descript tower or box which contains the electronics, the rest of the stuff is peripherals; a monitor (the TV thingy) the keyboard (typewriter thingy), the mouse (the big toe something) the printer, (the thing that looks like the other half of the typewriter), etc.

A computer is an expensive paper weight without an operating system. This is what tells the computer what to do with the other programmes. Depending what kind of operating system you have some programmes will work, some won't, because they are incompatible with the operating system.

The operating system is a code which tells the computer how to operate. Many computers come 'fully loaded' with the operating system and programmes and applications which work with it.

Some applications you have to install; such as if you have a digital camera and want to view your pictures you will have to install the programme which tells the operating system how to relate to the images.

The Internet is an interconnected battery of computers all over the world. The information on these computers is available to anyone who logs on. What you view are called 'pages'. These are done in a code called html, (hyper-text multi-link). You can see the code if you push 'source' on your browser.

A browser is a programme that allows you to access the Internet.

Netscape, Internet Explorer are the best known as they work with Windows, which is a well marketed operating system.

When you switch on your computer it does it's internal self-tests, reads the code of the operating system and performs as it is programmed to do.

It does not think, it processes instructions contained in the code. You interact with it by typing an instruction or pointing to it with your mouse and clicking on it. The clicking is the same as typing an instruction.

End of Lesson.

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