COMPUTER HARDWARES AND SOFTWARES

I.COMPUTER HARDWARES

1. MOUSE-A device that controls the movement of the cursor or pointer on a display
screen.

2.MOTHERBOARD-It is a circuit that is the foundation of a computer and allows the

CPU,RAM and other computer hardware components to function with each other.

3.GRAPHICS CARD-The main function is to allow computers to produce graphics and

images quickly with better detail.

4. NETWORK CARD- The main function is to provide a physical link to a computer

network which allows the computers to communicate with the servers.

5.RAM- is also known as the Random Access Memory which is volatile and
everything/applications that you have opened on your computer are what are stored in
the RAM. It allows information to be stored and accessed quickly from random locations.

6.ROM- is also known as Read-Only Memory which is non-volatile which is used to store
small programs that cannot be altered or changed so basically it is permanently stored.

7.PORTS-(SERIAL AND PARALLEL PORTS) ports are to allow peripheral devices to

connect to the computer.

8. MASTER DRIVE- is what manages all the traffic on the IDE cable. A Master Drive’s
controller saves its own data and passes on data to the slave drive.

9. FLOPPY DISK- It is the most common storage media and it helps transferring the data
from one computer to another.

10. SCANNER- is an input device that can read text or illustration printed on paper and
translates the information into a form that the computer can use.

11. KEYBOARD-contains sets of keys that are used to input

characters(letters,numbers)and controls signals into computer.

12. TOUCHPAD- A touch pad is a device for pointing (controlling input positioning) on a
computer display screen.
13. MONITOR- is often used synonymously with “computer screen” or “display.”

14. PRINTERS –responsible for generating a hard copy of data,commonly used to print
text,images ,photos etc.

15.SOUND CARDS AND SPEAKER(S)-An expansion board that enables a computer to

manipulate and output sounds.

16.OPTICAL DISK DRIVE-reads and writes data into optical disks(CD,DVD,BLU-RAY

DISC)

17-POWER SUPPLY UNIT-It converts the main alternating current into low voltage direct
current that is supplied to other parts.

18.CPU-also known as central processing unit or microprocessor, responsible for

handling instructions and calculation it receives from other hardware components in the
computer.

19.MICROPHONE- It is the hardware device that allows computer users to input audio
into their computers

20.MODEM-enables computer to transmit and receive information over telephone lines.

21.WEB CAM-a camera which is connected to a computer to allow a person to view other
people, places and even events.

22.SPEAKER-hardware device connected to a computer’s sound card that outputs

sounds generated by the card.

23.PROJECTOR-used for project presentations.

II.COMPUTER SOFTWARES

1. SYSTEM SOFTWARE- consists of a group of programs that control the operations of

a computer equipment including functions like managing memory, managing peripherals,
loading, storing, and is an interface between the application programs and the computer.
MS DOS (Microsoft’s Disk Operating System), UNIX are examples of system software.

2. APPLICATION SOFTWARE-Software that can perform a specific task for the user,
such as word processing, accounting, budgeting or payroll, fall under the category of
application software. Word processors, spreadsheets, database management systems
are all examples of general purpose application software.

3. COMPUTER LANGUAGE-or programming language is a coded syntax used by

computer programmers to communicate with a computer.
4. OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE- refers to a program or software in which the source
code (the form of the program when a programmer writes a program in a particular
programming language) is available to the general public for use and/or modification
from its original design free of charge.

5. OPERATING SYSTEM- is a software component of a computer system that is

responsible for the management of various activities of the computer and the sharing of
computer resources

REFERENCES:

https://www.scribd.com/doc/4877530/Basic-Computer-Concepts

http://download.nos.org/coa631/ch1.pdf