It contains both programs, such as a word processor, and information, such as a letter you may be writing. You have to save your work on a permanent storage device such as a disk drive. The computer's clock keeps everything in synchronization, sort of like an orchestra conductor, and generally the faster the clock, the faster the computer can process information. I am giving you these details not because I expect you to become a computer expert, but you should know generally what to look and ask for when you finally go into a computer store. Without a program, the best computer would be dark and mute.
Computer programs can do many interesting and useful things.
They can keep your personal or business records, help you write letters, reports, even books, fill out your tax forms, help you lay out your furniture or your yard. There are programs that can plan a trip for you, and print a map of the route. The word processing category now includes something called desktop publishing, which means using a computer and printer to create flyers, banners, cards, even book manuscripts, with photographs and graphics. Spreadsheets, originally an electronic ledger sheet, have matured also, and include the ability to make graphs of their results. A new storage technology, based on the audio compact disk, makes it possible to put an entire encyclopedia on a disk, complete with pictures and even sounds.