Hi Barbara,
Yes, a CD-ROM is hardware. Welcome to the wacky world of computers! If you are new at this, it would indeed be in your best interest to take a basic Introduction to Computers class. Now your local public libraries usually have volunteers that can teach you for free. If you are a senior citizen, the Senior Citizen Center, Councils of Aging, etc, offer free classes. The Community Colleges also have classes at low cost. Check to se if there any local computer organizations & computer clubs that have classes.
Now, putting it simply, computer Hardware are items you touch, computer Software are items you can't, but are both installed inside a computer.
Software are programs that run the computer, allow you to perform work on it like word processing and spreadsheets, you can access the Internet via a program called a browser, run virus & spyware scans and and perform system maintanence on it.
Hardware consists of both external devices like your keyboard, mouse, monitor, printer and scanner; and internal devices such as your hard drive, optical drive (CD-ROM/DVD-ROM), graphics card, RAM (memory), and floppy drive.
**CD-ROM drive means it can only read a CD-ROM disc..
**CD-RW drive means it can Read and Write to a CD-RW & CD-ROM discs.
To find out what type of device that you have. Double-click on the My Computer icon on your Desktop to open. Look at the different drives there - may look like this:
A:\ is your Floppy Drive if you have one.
B:\ is your internal Backup Drive if you have one.
C:\ is your Main Hard Drive - everyone has this!
D:\ is your Vendor Partitioned Hard Drive if you have one. Or it can be your first Optical Drive which would indicate either Compact Disc or Digital Video Disc.
E:\ is your first Optical Drive which would indicate either Compact Disc or Digital Video Disc.
Most likely, the CD-ROM readers will be on the drive lettered either D:\ or E:\.