A user is an individual human who uses a computer. Users are typically different from the computer’s creators. They are the people who interact with the computer on a daily basis and it is their actions that determine the functions of the computer.
Users can be identified as either a novice (beginner) or an expert (advanced) user. Novice users are those who have little or no knowledge of the computer system, software, and applications. Expert users have a vast knowledge of the computer system, software, and applications and are capable of making changes to the system for adapting it to their specific needs.
The user interacts with the computer software through user interfaces such as command-line interfaces, graphical user interfaces, etc. An example of a command-line interface is when a user types in commands into a computer console, while an example of a Graphical user interface (GUI) is when a user clicks on an icon or menu option.
Users also interact with the computer hardware through input/output I/O devices, such as the keyboard, mouse, scanner, etc. These I/O devices allow the user to issue instructions to the computer or to obtain data from the computer.
The user-computer interaction is an important part of the use of a computer system, as it allows the user to accomplish tasks and fulfill their goals. Users are essential to effective functioning of any computer system, thus it is important to ensure that users understand their system and that the user interface is easy to use.
