Desktop computers are probably the type of computer you are most familiar with.

They come with a monitor (now usually a TFT screen), keyboard, mouse, CD-RW and a DVD-RW or at least a DVD-ROM. Laptop computers are also very common. They are usually have the same processors as desktops and similar sized main memory and hard disk drive although you will pay more for a laptop as a desktop with the same specification. Laptops have the advantage that they can carried about easily and run from a battery. Often they have built in wireless technology allowing them to connected to network without having to use cables. Laptops do not come with a mouse due to the fact that they are often used where there in not a table to use a mouse on. Instead they have a touchpad built into them. You would also expect a laptop to have a CD-RW and DVD-ROM as standard. Palmtop computers (sometimes called PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants)) have a small touch senstive screen and come with a stylus allowing the user to select things off screen. Data entry is usually done using handwriting recognition although some PDAs do have a small keyboard. They can be used to do tasks similar to ones done by desktop and laptops but more often they are used for note taking, calendars, address books and a means of sending and recieving email. A palmtop works together with a desktop or laptop so data can be transferred between computers. This is done using a cable or using Bluetooth wireless technology. Mainframe computers are very large powerful computer systems that are usually at the heart of a business. The mainframe computer will have a very powerful processor, large amounts of main memory and a huge backing storage capacity. They are accessed through one or more terminals. Terminals consist of a screen, keyboard, mouse but no processor as all the processing is done by the mainframe.
Input Devices
An input device is any hardware component that allows a user to enter data and instructions into a computer. Six commonly used input devices are the keyboard, mouse, microphone, scanner, digital camera, and PC camera. A computer keyboard contains keys that allow you to type letters of the alphabet, numbers, spaces, punctuation marks, and other symbols. A computer keyboard also contains other keys that allow you to enter data and instructions into the computer. Used mainly for typing text into your computer. It has keys for letters and numbers, but it also has special keys: The f unction keys , found on the top row, perform different functions depending on where they are used. The numeric keypad , located on the right side of most keyboards, allows you to enter numbers quickly. The navigation keys , such as the arrow keys, allow you to move your position within a document or webpage

A mouse is a small handheld device that contains at least one button. The mouse controls the movement of a symbol on the screen called a pointer. For example, as you move the mouse across a flat surface, the pointer on the screen also moves. With the mouse, you can make choices, initiate a process, and select objects.

A microphone allows a user to speak to the computer to enter data and instructions into the computer. A scanner reads printed text and pictures and then translates the results into a form the computer can use. For example, you can scan a picture, and then include the picture when creating a brochure. With a digital camera, you can take pictures and transfer the photo graphed image to the computer, instead of storing the images on traditional film. A PC camera is a digital video camera attached to a computer. A PC camera allows home users to create a movie and take digital still photographs on their computer. With a PC camera, you also can have a video telephone call where someone can see you while communicating with you.

Output Devices
An output device is any hardware component that can convey information to a user. Three commonly used output devices are a printer, a monitor, and speakers (see Figure 1-3 on the previous page).

A printer produces text and graphics on a physical medium such as paper or transparency film. A monitor, which looks like a television screen, displays text, graphics, and video information. Speakers allow you to hear music, voice, and other sounds generated by the computer.

System Unit
The system unit, sometimes called a chassis, is a box-like case made from metal or plastic that protects the internal electronic components of the computer from damage (see Figure 1-3). The circuitry in the system unit usually is part of or is connected to a circuit board called the motherboard. Two main components on the motherboard are the central processing unit and memory. The central processing unit (CPU), also called a processor, is the electronic device that interprets and carries out the basic instructions that operate the computer. During processing, the processor places instructions to be executed and data needed by those instructions into memory. Memory is a temporary holding place for data and instructions. Both the processor and memory consist of chips. A chip is an electronic device that contains many microscopic pathways that carry electrical current. Chips, which usually are no bigger than one-half inch square, are packaged so they can be attached to a motherboard or other circuit board. Some computer components, such as the processor, memory, and most storage devices, are internal and reside inside the system unit. Other components, such as the key board, mouse, microphone, monitor, printer, scanner, digital camera, and PC camera, usually are located outside the system unit. These devices are considered external. A peripheral is any external device that attaches to the system unit.

Storage Devices
Storage holds data, instructions, and information for future use. Storage differs from memory, in that it can hold these items permanently. Memory, by contrast, holds items only temporarily while the processor interprets and executes instructions. A storage medium (media is the plural) is the physical material on which a computer keeps data, instructions, and information. A storage device records and retrieves items to and from a storage medium. Storage devices often function as a source of input because they transfer items from storage into memory. Common storage devices are a floppy disk drive, a Zip drive, a hard disk drive, a CD-ROM drive, a CD-RW drive, a DVD-ROM drive, and a DVD+RW drive. A drive is a device that reads from and may write on a storage medium. This media includes floppy disks, Zip disks, hard disks, and compact discs.

A floppy disk consists of a thin, circular, flexible disk enclosed in rigid plastic. A floppy disk stores data, instructions, and information using magnetic patterns. You insert and remove a floppy disk into and from a floppy disk drive (Figure 1-5). A Zip disk is a higher capacity disk that can store the equivalent of up to 170 standard floppy disks. A hard disk provides much greater storage capacity than a floppy disk. A hard disk usually consists of several circular platters that store items electronically. These disks are enclosed in an airtight, sealed case, which often is housed inside the system unit .Some hard disks are removable, which enables you to insert and remove the hard disk from a hard disk drive, much like a floppy disk . Removable disks are enclosed in plastic or metal cartridges so you can remove them from the drive. The advantage of removable media such as a floppy disk and removable hard disk is you can take the media out of the computer and transport or secure it. National Certificate in Information & Communication Technology Introduction to Computer Systems
Developed by IDM Interactive Training Division for

Skills Development Project

24 A compact disc is a flat, round, portable medium that stores data using microscopic pits, which are created by a laser light. One type of compact disc is a CD-ROM, which you can access using a CD-ROM drive. A Picture CD is a special type of CDROM that stores digital versions of photographs for consumers. A variation of the standard CD-ROM is the rewriteable CD, or CD-RW. In addition to accessing data, you also can erase and store data on a CD-RW. To use a CD-RW, you need a CD-RW drive. Another type of compact disc is a DVD-ROM, which has tremendous storage capacities enough for a full-length movie. To use a DVDROM, you need a DVD drive (Figure 1-8). A variation of the standard DYD-ROM is the rewriteable DYD, or DVD+RW. Some devices, such as digital cameras, use miniature storage media (Figure 1-9). PC Cards and memory cards are popular types of miniature storage media. You then can transfer the items, such as the digital photographs, from the media to your computer using a device called a card reader.

Input devices are what is used to put data into the computer. Without them you could not tell the computer what to do. The input devices you need to know about are: Keyboard: The most commonly used input device. Some keyboards are specially designed to help people with disabilities.

Mouse: Used to control a pointer and to select items. A very userfriendly device.

Trackball: This is like an upsidedown mouse where the user rolls the wheel in the direction they want the pointer to go. This is useful when there is no flat surface to use a mouse on. They are often used with video games and information kiosks.

Trackpad: Used instead of a mouse on most laptop computers. It is a touch sensitive pad that the user moves their finger along in the direction they wish the pointer move.

Joystick: Often used for playing games and for simulators. They can move in 8 directions and often have buttons attached for extra functionality.

Graphics Tablet: Used for Computer Aided Design (CAD) and other graphics work. It is a flat, pressure senstive board that you press on with a special pen. It makes it easier to draw, just like using a pen or pencil. Touch Sensitive Screen: There are two types: 1. Often used on information kiosks and gaming machines where your finger touches the screen, breaking an invisible infra red grid. The computer can tell where your finger is by which beams are broken and sends this informaton to the computer.

2. Used on palmtop and tablet computers where a flat screen is pressure sensitive and sends a signal ack to the computer when it touched by a plastic stick called a stylus. This is often used with handwriting recognition software to allow the user to enter data. The software is "taught" the shapes of letter that the user uses and then as the user writes on the touch screen the shapes are interpretted into text. Scanners: Used to input what is on paper (hardcopy) into the computer. This includes pictures, photographs and text. Text can be recognised by Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software that examines a scanned image for letters and other characters that it recognises and then converts it into a document that you can edit.

Microphone: Used to input sound. It can be used along with voice recognition software to enter text. The software is "trained" to recognise the way a user speaks and then converts the sounds into text. When using a microphone the computer needs to fitted with a sound card. This contains a processor and RAM used specifically for converting analogue sound to digital and for improving the quality of audi output.

Digital Cameras: Digital cameras are used in just the same way as ordinary film cameras with the exception that the user can look at pictures that have been taken and delete the pictures they not like. Digital Video Camera are commonly used to record video clips.

Webcams: are very basic digital video cameras used to capture images to be sent down networks for video conferencing. Webcams do not allow you to save the images like digital video cameras do. Video conferencing is where people can "meet" across a network using microphones, webcams and monitors. This lets people meet who are different countries meet.