Introduction - Java Software Solutions: Foundations of Program Design - page 11

FIGURE 1.8 The hardware specification of a particular computer

Computer Architecture
The architecture of a house defines its structure. Similarly, we use the term com-
puter architecture to describe how the hardware components of a computer are put
together. Figure 1.9 illustrates the basic architecture of a generic computer system.
Information travels between components across a group of wires called a bus.

FIGURE 1.9 Basic computer architecture