Hardware: 

Computer Hardware is the physical parts of a computer, such as the central processing unit (CPU), random access memory (RAM), motherboard, computer data storage, graphics card, sound card, and computer case. It includes external devices such as a monitor, mouse, keyboard, and speakers. 

Software:

these are the instructions that tell a computer what to do. Software comprises the entire set of programs, procedures, and routines associated with the operation of a computer system. The term was coined to differentiate these instructions from hardware—i.e., the physical components of a computer system. 
There are two main types of software: system software and application software. System software controls a computer’s internal functioning, chiefly through an operating system, and controls such peripherals as monitors, printers, and storage devices. Application software, by contrast, directs the computer to execute commands given by the user and may be said to include any program that processes data for a user.
Application software thus includes word processors (e.g. Microsoft Word), spreadsheets (e.g. Microsoft Excel) database management, inventory and payroll programs, presentation applications (e.g. Microsoft PowerPoint) and many other “applications” such as Voice-over-IP (VoIP) applications like Whats ap and Skype.

Operating system:

An operating system (OS) is a program that oversees the processes on a desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile device.

Digital Devices:

Computer hardware encompasses digital devices that you can physically touch. This includes devices such as the following:

• Desktop computers (Sometimes referred to as a “Personal Computer- PC”).
• Laptop computers
• Mobile phones
• Tablet computers
• E-readers- handheld devices on which electronic versions of books, newspapers, magazines, etc. can be read.
• Storage devices, such as flash drives (sometimes referred to as a “Memory stick”)
• Input devices, such as keyboards, mice, and scanners
• Output devices such as printers and speakers.

File extensions:

In computing, a file extension is a suffix added to the name of a file to indicate the file's layout, in terms of how the data within the file is organized. A file's data must be organized in the correct format to ensure that it can be accessed by the software program associated with the specific file type. Whatever the extension, an operating system must be able to recognize it in order to associate it with the correct program.

Types of File extensions:

• Text and word processing files. doc, docx, odt, pages, rtf, txt, wpd, wps.
• Spreadsheet files. csv, numbers, ods, xls, xlsx.
• Web-related files. asp, aspx, css, htm, html, jsp, php, xml.
• Image files. bmp, gif, ico, jpeg, jpg, png, raw, tif, tiff.
• Audio and video files. aif, mov, mp3, mp4, mpg, wav, wma, wmv.
• Draw program files. afdesign, ai, cad, cdr, drw, dwg, eps, odg, svg, vsdx.
• Page layout files. afpub, indd, pdf, pdfxml, pmd, pub, qxp.
• Programming files. c, cpp, cs, java, js, json, py, sql, swift, vb.
• Compression and archive files. 7z, rar, tar, tar.gz, zip.
• System files. bak, cfg, conf, ini, msi, sys, tmp.

What to look for in a computer for the elderly? 

Deciding on the type of computer or tablet can get a little confusing and overwhelming. But it's an essential device for many people. The COVID-19 pandemic brought an increased reliance on digital devices. It allowed people to continue with education, work, shop for groceries online, carry out medical appointments via video calls and more importantly, keep in contact with friends and family. Seniors can opt to purchase a Desktop Computer for example or alternatively a laptop or tablet, each have their advantages as follows:

What would you use it for?

Many people use a computer, laptop or tablet for work purposes, keeping in touch with family or for browsing the Internet. Here are a few ways seniors may use their device.

There are plenty of features for seniors to choose from; whether they are already skilled in IT or want something simple, there is something to suit everyone’s needs. Senior’s need to consider software and apps that they would benefit from using as well as physical features such as the size of the device.

It’s about what seniors are comfortable with. A Personal computer (PC) may be better if they feel comfortable browsing and playing games at a desk. Or perhaps seniors may like to sit on their sofa with a cup of tea to video call their friend or a family member; then a tablet would be a better option. They tend to be lightweight, so they shouldn’t cause pain in their hands and arms.