General purpose computers
A A computer designed to be able to carry out a wide range of instructions. is a computer that is designed to be able to carry out many different tasks. Desktop computers and laptops are examples of general purpose computers. Among other things, they can be used to:
- access the internet
- browse the world wide web (WWW)
- use word processing The programs, applications and data in a computer system. Any parts of a computer system that aren't physical.
- play games
- communicate via email and social media
- design and build web pages
- store and retrieve Units of information. In computing there can be different data types, including integers, characters and Boolean. Data is often acted on by instructions.
- play videos and music
Each of these tasks is called an A software program that allows a user to perform a specific task.. Any computer that can have many applications, such as those listed, is a general purpose computer.
Apart from desktop computers and laptops, the following devices are also general purpose computers:
- tablets - like desktop computers, they can run a variety of applications
- smartphones - today's smartphones can also run a variety of applications
- games consoles - as well as games, modern consoles also enable users to watch videos, play music and browse the internet
- media systems in cars - allow users to navigate, listen to music and connect to a smartphone
Hardware and software
General purpose computers consist of The physical parts of a computer system, eg a graphics card, hard disk drive or CD drive. and software. Hardware is the physical components of the computer, such as the Central processing unit - the brain of the computer that processes program instructions. , A device used to store large amounts of data. , A screen that displays output from a computer., keyboard and mouse. Software is the Sequences of instructions for a computer. that run on a computer.
The general purpose computer model
All general purpose computers follow the same basic model.
This diagram illustrates the flow of data within a desktop computer. Data is input, processed, then either output or sent to Non-volatile memory external to the CPU and used for long-term storage of programs and data.. It is held in main The part of a computer that stores data. while it is being processed.
The CPU receives A single action that can be performed by a computer processor. and data from an Data which is inserted into a system for processing and/or storage. or memory. The instructions and data are processed by the CPU and the results are either sent to an Data which is sent out of a system. or transferred to secondary storage.
Input is from an A device used to input data or information into a computer, eg a keyboard, mouse, scanner or microphone. such as a keyboard, mouse, camera or scanner. Output is to an A device used to output data or information from a computer, eg a monitor, printer or speakers., such as a monitor, printer or speaker.
The purpose of the CPU
The CPU is the most important hardware component in a computer. It has two main functions:
- to process data and instructions
- to control the rest of the computer system
All programs and data processing are run in the CPU and all hardware components are, to some extent, controlled by it.
More guides on this topic
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