Hardware and Software

A computer system has two major components, hardware and software. In practice, the term hardware
refers to all the physical items associated with a computer system. Software is a set of instructions, which
enables the hardware to perform a specific task.
A computer is a machine that can be programmed to accept data (input), and process it into useful
information (output). It also stores data for later reuse (storage). The processing is performed by the
hardware. The computer hardware responsible for computing are mainly classified as follows:

The hardware devices attached to the computer are called peripheral equipment. Peripheral equipment
includes all input, output and secondary storage devices.
Software refers to a program that makes the computer to do something meaningful. It is the planned,
step-by-step instructions required to turn data into information. Software can be classified into two
categories: System Software and Application Software.

The most important type of system software is the operating system. An operating system is an integrated
set of specialized programs that is used to manage the overall operations of a computer. It acts like an interface
between the user, computer hardware and software. Every computer must have an operating system to run
other programs. DOS (Disk Operating System), Unix, Linux and Windows are some of the common operating
systems.

http://www.textbooksonline.tn.nic.in/books/11/std11-compsci-em-1.pdf
 1. Context review
Match the terms which are in the following columns. The words that are in the first column you can find
in the text:
A B
1. Software is an integrated set of specialized
programs

2. The hardware devices must have an operating system to

run other programs

3. An operating system is a set of instructions

4. Linux and Windows instructions required to turn data into

information

5. A computer is a machine that can be

programmed to accept data

6. Step-by-step are some of the common

operating systems

7. Every computer attached to the computer are called

peripheral equipment