1.6 Exercises

Explain the relevant differences between hardware and software components. Give examples.
List and explain the hardware parameters that affect the performance of a computer system.
Why is the unit of capacity for memory and for the storage devices the same? Explain with an example.
Which is the main input device in a personal computer (PC)? What other devices are normally used as input devices?
Which is the main output device in a personal computer? What other devices are normally used as output devices?
Can a disk device be used as an input device? Explain. Can it be used as an output device? Explain.
What is a programming language? Why do we need one? Why are there so many programming languages?
Explain the purpose of compilation. How many compilers are necessary for a given application? What is the difference between program compilation and program execution? Explain.
What is the real purpose of developing a program? Can we just use a spreadsheet program such as MS Excel to solve numerical problems? Explain.