COMPUTER HARDWARE

INTRODUCTION
The world of business has changed dramatically since the introduction of the first modern
multipurpose computer over 50 years ago. The ENIAC Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer!"
designed by #rs. $auchly and Ec%ert" two American engineers" was set up at the &niversity of
'ennsylvania in ()*+.
TYPES OF COMPUTERS
Computers can be grouped into categories in numerous ways. Table ( below classifies the main
types of computers according to their physical si,e" processing speed" and number of users.
Table (- Types of Computers
Type 'hysical .i,e 'rocessing .peed/ Number of &sers
$icrocomputer or
'ersonal Computer
'C!
0its in hand" on
lap" or on des%top
&p to *00 $I'. 1ne stand2alone or
many may access it
through a networ%
$inicomputer .mall cabinet3 may
fill a small room
with
accompanying
peripherals
&p to (000 $I'. &p to several
hundred
$ainframe Computer re4uires
a partial room3
may occupy
several rooms with
accompanying
peripherals
&p to several
thousand $I'.
5undreds to
thousands
.upercomputer Entire room of
e4uipment
&p to (0"000 $I'. 5undreds to
thousands
WHAT IS A COMPUTER?
6hen we thin% of a computer" we generally picture computer hardware- the monitor" the
%eyboard" and the electronic circuitry contained within the rectangular case. There is more to a computer
than this" however. The missing element is software7the instructions that tell the computer how to operate
the hardware. All computers must have these two components to function
HARDWARE
The term hardware refers to the tangible parts of a computer system" that is" the physical
e4uipment of the computer. A %eyboard" dis% drive" and monitor are e8amples of computer hardware.
.oftware is discussed later.
INPUT SYSTEM
An input system comprises one or more devices that the user employs to enter data or instructions
into the memory of the computer so that the C'& can subse4uently process them. #ata" as discussed above"
are unorgani,ed facts that can become useful output by being transformed into information.
Keyboard. The keyboard is one of the most common input devices. In addition to %eys that
represent letters" numbers" and special characters" %eyboards often contain function %eys" to which the user
can assign personali,ed commands" and special2purpose %eys" such as the enter %ey.
Mouse. Connected to many modern microcomputers is a hand2si,ed input device called a mouse,
or pointing device. A mechanical mouse contains a ball that rolls along a flat surface" moving a cursor
pointer! on the computer screen.
Touchpad. This input device is a small rectangular surface that operates by means of pressure and
motion" and allows the user to perform all of the functions of a mouse by touch.
Pointing Stick. 9i%e the touchpad" this pressure2sensitive input device fills the role of the mouse
in some laptops. It is shaped li%e a pencil eraser and fits between %eys in the %eyboard. $oving the pointing
stic% moves the cursor. This device is mostly found on laptop computers.
Trackball. The trac%ball is basically an upside2down mouse. Instead of rolling the ball on a
surface as with the mouse" the user rotates the trac%ball with the hand directly to position the cursor on the
screen.
Touch Screen. This input device is often used in public places" such as shopping centers" hotels"
and airports" where users may not have much e8perience wor%ing with computers. The user simply touches
the screen for the desired menu item.
Light Pen. This light2sensitive device is used for entering data by writing on a computer screen.
Engineers" designers" and architects use light pens to draw and modify shapes on the screen.
Graphics Tablet. A graphics tablet is a flat rectangular board used to input drawings or other
graphical data. The user draws on the graphics tablet with an electronic pen or a mouse2li%e device called a
puc%!.
Speech Recognition Devices. These devices recogni,e the words spo%en by users. .ample voice
patterns are analy,ed" digiti,ed" and stored in a database. 9ater" during operations" actual voice inputs are
compared with the stored voice pattern.
Audio nput Devices. In addition to speech recognition devices" sound may be entered into
computers with audio input devices. These devices allow music" speech" and other sound effects to be used
as input. .ound may be entered through a microphone" electronic piano %eyboard" tape player" and C#
player.

Auto!atic Teller Machines "ATMs#. AT$s have revolutioni,ed ban%ing by e8tending
:ban%ers; hours< to =* hours a day. AT$ users can borrow cash" transfer funds" and ma%e deposits at their
convenience. $ost AT$ devices employ some sort of card input that contains information about the user.
Point$o%$Sale "P&S# Devices. '1. terminals are found in many %inds of retail businesses3 for
e8ample" grocery stores. $ost '1. terminals use some type of optical scanning device" usually involving
laser beams" for reading the product code on an item.
Recognition "M'R# Devices. $IC> devices read characters printed in magneti,ed in% on
documents. The ban%ing industry" in particular" has made e8tensive use of $IC> for reading and
processing chec%s and deposit slips.
&ptical Scanning Devices. 1ptical scanning is the process of digiti,ing te8tual or graphic images.
The scanner is a light2sensing device that converts an image into an analog signal that in turn is converted
into a digital signal for computer storage and processing.
&ptical 'haracter Recognition "&'R# Devices. 1C> devices convert typed and" in some cases"
handwritten data into electronic input. This allows paper source documents to be converted to electronic
form without re%eying.
&ptical Mark Recognition. This input device is able to read the hand2drawn mar%s and dar%ened
in fields placed on surveys" tests" and 4uestionnaires.
STORAGE SYSTEM
Inputs are sent to either memory or storage" waiting subse4uent processing by the computer.
(loppy diskettes employ magnetic storage technology. The dis%s are ?.52inches in diameter and
are easily portable. A single floppy can hold (.** $@.
)ard disks are also magnetic2based storage media. @oth the hard drive and the hard dis%s are
usually installed inside the computer. 'ortable e8ternal hard drives are connected to the computer by a
cable. Current 'C hard dis%s typically have a capacity from = to 50 A@. 5ard drives have a faster data
access time than floppy dis%s.
Magnetic tape cartridges use magnetically treated plastic ribbon to store information. Tape
cartridges can hold large amounts of information" up to B0 A@. 1ne disadvantage of tape storage is that
information must be accessed se4uentially.
Re!ovable hard disks are magnetic2based hard dis%s that can be removed from the hard dis%
drive and easily transported. The dis% drive that reads from and writes onto the removable hard dis% is
either installed in the computer or attached to the computer by a port.
Super%loppy diskettes are magnetic2based high2capacity floppy dis%ettes. The dis%s are about the
same si,e as the standard ?.52inch dis%" but re4uire special dis% drives for reading from and writing to the
dis%s.
Rando!$access !e!ory "RAM# temporarily holds data" the operating system instructions that
control the computer;s operation!" and application software instructions that manipulate data!. >A$ to run
several applications simultaneously" a process called multitasking. >am can be randomly accessed at any
time3 hence the name random-access memory.
'ache !e!ory is very fast >A$. It is used to store fre4uently used instructions. Computers that
have cache memory process data faster than computers without it because data travels faster from cache to
the C'& than from >A$ to the C'&. .ome cache is built directly in the processor chip" while other cache
is in a chip e8ternal to the processor chip.
Read$only !e!ory "R&M# contains instructions that the computer uses to operate various
aspects of the hardware. &nli%e >A$" the information stored in the >1$ chip is not lost when the
computer is turned off.
'o!ple!entary !etal$o*ide se!iconductor "'M&S#, li%e >1$" is also nonvolatile memory.
&nli%e >1$" the user can change C$1.. 0or e8ample" C$1. contains date and time information that the
user can update.
CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU). The C'& consists of two componentsCan
arithmetic/logic unit (ALU) and a control unit. The A9& performs arithmetic calculations addition"
subtraction" multiplication" and division!"
EXPANSION SLOTS. 'eripheral devices" such as %eyboards" dis% drives" and monitors" are
connected to the computer through e8pansion circuit boards also called e8pansion cards" adapter cards"
add2ins" add2ons" and interface cards! plugged into the e8pansion slots provided on the motherboard.