The world is now talking about hardware and software, bits and bytes, Word and WordPerfect, RAM and CD ROMS, Floppy and Fixed Drives, etc. A basic knowledge of how the computer works can help you understand what is happening, to know when you are having a problem, and to describe the symptoms. Hardware is the name for the mechanical and electronic components of a computer.
Software is sets of instructions that tell the hardware what to do.
There are many types of computers, from mainframes that fill a room to microprocessors that control some of the functions in automobiles. The computer is also called the System Unit. Even within these names for the system, you have to deal with processor speeds, like 25 megahertz for a 386 computer, up to and beyond 233 megahertz for a Pentium II processor. As with most things in life, it comes down to what are you going to use the computer for, and how much are you willing to pay to get the fastest machine for the job. Normal monitors are 640 x 480 pixels.