To many people, that is all there is to a computer. To a programmer, however, that same computer is a gateway to a world where opportunities abound. The computer has the potential to become a tool to accomplish tasks. This potential is realized when a programming language is used to instruct the computer how the task is to be accomplished. Communicating with the Computer Computer languages provide a way for humans to communicate with a computer.
Computer languages allow interaction with the computer.
For instance, say you wanted to move a computer file from one location to another on your hard drive. Later in this chapter you will learn a bit about syntax, which defines how programming instructions are put together. In reality, computers are dumber than a box of rocks. By themselves, they are nothing but a collection of wires running between electronic circuits. Fortunately, those circuits can be instructed to do certain things.