|  | 1.1 | The Basics of Computer Hardware
| 1.1.2 | Information flow in an idealized computer

Information and electric power are constantly flowing in a PC. It helps to understand networking by thinking of the computer as a miniature network, with all the various devices within the system unit attached to, and communicating with, each other. As shown in the figure, the following are some of the important information flows (almost all of which occur through the bus):

- boot instructions - stored in ROM, until they are sent out
- software applications - stored in RAM after they have been loaded
- RAM and ROM - constantly talk to the CPU through the bus
- application information - stored in RAM while applications are being used
- saved information - flows from RAM to some form of storage device
- exported information - flows from RAM and the CPU, through the bus and expansion slots, to the printer, video card, sound card, or network card