Are people the most important element in a computer system?

Answer 1

Yes. Computers are tools and tools require operators to fulfil their functionality. Without users, programmers and maintenance engineers, computers would be useless, inanimate objects with no purpose whatsoever. Although much of what a computer does can be automated, computers are not self-aware and cannot think for themselves, therefore some measure of user-interaction is required, no matter how occasionally. The term "peopleware" was coined for this purpose, because computers require hardware, software and peopleware in order to be functional.

Answer 2

People are the most important part of a computer and communications system because the system, no matter how "intelligent" and complex, ultimately serves a purpose: it predicts the weather or decides when to apply the brakes, it routes a phone call or maintains a constant air temperature, etc, etc.

Only nonsensical computer and communications systems compute and communicate for their own sake; all others affect people in some form, and are designed to do so.

Note that this effect may not be wanted, and might cause actual harm, and may be accomplished without ever exposing the computer and communications system to a human, as is the case with computer viruses, for example.

However, for the right reasons or the wrong ones, these systems are designed to work for (or against) people.