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Hardware |
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Hardware - The
physical, tangible components that make up a computer system. |
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Monitor |
This is the device
that displays the information from the computer. Some people
refer to this as the display. Incorrect term: "computer".
A monitor may be a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) or a flat panel or LCD
(Liquid Crystal Display). |
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Keyboard |
This is the input
device where data is entered. |
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Mouse |
The mouse allows
the operator to "click" on objects or links and otherwise manipulate
the mouse pointer on the monitor. Other pointing devices
include trackballs, and touch pads |
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Speaker |
Produces the sound
generated by the computer |
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Computer |
Sometimes referred
to as the CPU (Central Processing Unit) although technically
speaking, the CPU is the actual computer chip (e.g. Pentium,
Celeron, Athelon, etc...), this is the heart and soul of the
computer system. The computer contains the CPU, memory, disk
drive, video interface, and other components that allow it to
function. |
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CPU |
This
is the brain of the computer. It is what makes the
computer work. There are many different CPU's or
"processors" available although the two primary
manufacturers are Intel and AMD. Processors have a
"clock speed" associated with them which affects how
fast the CPU can process instructions (software
programs). |
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Memory |
Memory
is a storage area where current programs and data
reside. The more memory a computer has, the better
the computer will perform. |
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Hard Drive |
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referred to as a Hard Disk. This is where programs
and data reside that are usually not currently in use.
When you run or "launch" a program, that program (or a
part of it) is copied from the hard drive into memory
where it is used by the CPU to perform the functions of
that program. |
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Video Card |
Device
that receives information from the CPU and sends it to
the monitor to be displayed. |
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Network
Card |
Device
that allows the computer to communicate with other
computers and devices on a network. The Internet
is a global network. |
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Modem |
A
device that allows the computer to communicate with
other computers by using a phone line.
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DVD's and
CDROM's are very similar. In fact, they pretty much
look the same, but the data capacity and format of the data are
different. They can both be used to store data. An
audio CD may be played in a CDROM (Compact Disk Read Only
Memory) drive (and usually in a DVD drive as well). Video
DVD's (Digital Video Disk) can be played on a DVD drive and the
video displayed on the monitor. Some DVD and CDROM drives
are capable of writing (creating) their respective media as well
meaning that the operator can create discs.
As of this writing
(Early 2007), floppy disk are all but obsolete having given way
to CD's, DVD's, and Flash Drives. |
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Many people mistakenly refer to these 3.5" floppy disks
as "Hard Disks" or "Hard Drives", due to the fact that the outer
shell is hard plastic. However, the media inside the shell
is flexible or "floppy". The predecessors to these disks
were larger and the outer shell was flexible plastic. |
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Flash Drives - also called thumb drives or jump drives, are
simply portable memory that allow data to be moved from one
computer to another. They have begun to replace floppy
drives and in some cases CDROM's for portable media. Most
flash drives connect to the computer via USB (Universal Serial
Bus) ports. |
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