A computer is an electronic machine, operating under the control of instructions stored in its own memory, that can accept date (input), manipulate the date according to specified rules(process), produce results (output), and store the results for future use. Data entered into a computer is called input. The processed results are called output. Thus, a computer processes input to create output. A computer can also hold data and information for future use in an area called storage. This cycle of input, process, output and storage is called the information processing cycle. A person who communicates with a computer or uses the information it generates, is called a user.
The electric, electronic and mechanical equipment that makes up a computer is called hardware. Hardware is any part of computer you can touch and feel like any peripheral equipment such as keyboard, mouse, monitor, printer, speakers etc. Software is the series of instructions that tells the hardware how to perform tasks. Without software, hardware is useless; hardware needs the instructions provided by software to start work. Operating System and Application are the two types of software.