Task 1.2 Explain the hardware, software and peripheral components of a computer system and the functional relation between these components.
Hardware
Hardware refers to tangible objects like disks, disk drives, display screens, keyboards, printers, boards, power supply and system unit (graphic cards, sound cards, memory, motherboard and chips). The motherboard store many components (microprocessor, RAM, controller…) and connect every other equipment. The microprocessor is the brain of the computer also known as CPU (Central Processing Unit) and will process the calculations and instructions of the computer.
The CPU deals with each instruction as follow; first the instruction will be found in the memory, the instruction will then be
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The pages and the ink are the hardware, while the words, sentences, paragraphs, and the overall meaning are the software. A computer without software is like a book full of blank pages -- you need software to make the computer useful just as you need words to make a book meaningful. (Anon., 2012).
Computer software is available in different forms and types and can be classified into three categories.
1. System software:
It is the most important component for running a system or computer. Also known as operating system it helps start a computer and works as a main platform in order to run any application. One of the most popular operating system is Microsoft 's OS (Anon., 2014).
2. Application software :
It is a set of one or more programs designed to carry out operations for a specific application. Application software such as word processor or web browser depends on system software to execute different tasks using computer. For example, User will be unable to surf on internet without Internet browser software. The Internet browser will be unable to read the page without an operating system software as the browser would not be able to run on the computer. (Anon.,
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For example, most printers can 't do much on their own, and they only become functional when connected to a computer system. Peripheral devices depend on the computer system. (Zandbergen, n.d.)
Peripheral devices fall into three general categories:
1. Input devices, such as Joysticks and digital cameras (COMPUTER HOPE, 2013)
2. Output devices, such as a speaker and a 3D printer (COMPUTER HOPE, 2013)
3. Storage devices, such as a hard drive or USB flash drive and refer to any hardware capable of holding information (COMPUTER HOPE, 2013)
Some devices fall into more than one category. Consider a CD-ROM drive; you can use it to read data or music (input), and you can use it to write data to a CD (output).
Peripheral devices are not essential for the function of the computer. For example, a printer can be disconnected and the computer will keep on working just fine. However, remove the monitor of a desktop computer and it becomes pretty much useless.
Performance
Imagine a gravely sick person in a hospital bed. Tubes and wires connect him to whirring machines like medical jumper cables; he lays almost lifeless except for the barely perceptible vitality pumped into them by the system of machines we call life support. Take a moment to think about the roles that computers play in this scenario. Now imagine the scene and the patient's condition without computers. That's easy. There is nothing: no slow breathing, no whirring of machines, no dripping IV, no beeping heart monitor. Not only would the person probably be dead, but everything from the reclining bed to the nurse call button to the life support system relies on computers.
The process of allocating a certain amount of memory towards a program is called partition. When the memory is full, the operating system starts to store copies into files in the hard
The Central Processing Unit is the brains of the operation. The CPU uses the data stored in RAM to perform the needed calculations and data manipulation to perform what is needed for the user. You can tell the CPU what to do with peripheral devices like a keyboard and mouse, and the CPU then presents the data to you in the form of sound, or images on a monitor. Touchscreens perform both the input and output role by allowing you to see what is displayed while using the screen as a mouse and keyboard. There are several methods for tracking your inputs, but they all do the same thing, tell the computer where on the screen you are pointing.
A computer program is executable software that runs on a PC or computer system (Christensson). An executable file is a type in a computer file that runs a program when it opens (Christensson). Software is the instructions tell the computer what to do (“Software”). Software is the entire set of programs, procedures, and routines associated with the operation of a computer system, including the operating syst...
Without the computer hardware I won’t be able to use the computer software for example I use monitor to be able to see and access my data, (edit it).
These devices are attached to the motherboard through different connections. The output devices like monitors and printers can be used by a file server to show different files or print hard copies of files. These devices take the data from the computer and put it into a format that users can read and understand. I would like to take a moment here and go over the different kinds of monitors that a person can use as an output device. The first is the regular CRT monitors are heavy and use a lot of electric power to display objects, but are preferred by graphical artist for the color rendition. Then there are the flat panel monitors, which can use liquid Crystal Display (LCD) or a plasma display. These displays use electronically at each pixel to control the color. The input devices like a keyboards and a mouse. These inputs take the movements from the users and turn it into data that the computer can understand. (Beach,
Software - the programs or language that controls the functioning of the hardware. Table of contents - a section on a CD that lists the locations of files to help a computer locate data.
Input devices are common peripherals such as a mouse, keyboard etc. An output device would be objects such as a TV projector/monitor or a printer. However, with computers they only can handle data/information that is in a digitalised format, which means it much be converted, however with outputted devices they read data in an analogue form so it needs to be converted back to this format before it can be read, some of this information was taken from, (BBC Guides,
The motherboard is the main circuit board of your computer and is also known as the mainboard or logic board. If you ever open your computer, the biggest piece of silicon you see is the motherboard. Attached to the motherboard, you'll find the CPU, ROM, memory RAM expansion slots, PCI slots, and USB ports. It also includes controllers for devices like the hard drive, DVD drive, keyboard, and mouse. Basically, the motherboard is what makes everything in your computer work together.
Computers are very complex and have many different uses. This makes for a very complex system of parts that work together to do what the user wants from the computer. The purpose of this paper is to explain a few main components of the computer. The components covered are going to be system units, Motherboards, Central Processing Units, and Memory. Many people are not familiar with these terms and their meaning. These components are commonly mistaken for one and other.
A storage device is the system where your computer stores and retrieves your data. Storage devices can be a hard disk drive, DVD, CD drives, Blu-Ray drives or flash drives. A computer can retrieve the data by being “commanded” to retrieve it from the storage area and retrieve it to your RAM. The RAM of the computer is your temporary memory where your data is inputted, and then processed and stored onto a storage device for permanent placement.
A computer is a device which is used for several applications; business, gaming, or school. It’s important for people to know how computers work because in this day and age, operating a computer is an everyday task. This complex electrical device utilizes several parts inside of it to keep itself cool, conduct the proper tasks, and maintain stability. These devices can be found several places whether it be on the job, in one’s room, or on a school campus. Computers are essential for everyday use in order to complete what is required. What each component is and its function will be described.
A CPU has various discrete units to help it in these tasks for example there is an arithmetic and logic unit(ALU) that takes care of all the math and logical data comparisons that need to performed. A control register makes sure everything happens in the right sequence. The motherboard is the main circuit board inside the PC. All other components are either slotted into or soldered to this board.
The input and output sections allow the computer to receive and send data, respectively. Different hardware architectures are required because of the specialized needs of systems and users. One user may need a system to display graphics extremely fast, while another system may have to be optimized for searching a database or conserving battery power in a laptop computer. In addition to the hardware design, the architects must consider what software programs will operate the system.
We all use output devices in our normal day to day life, most of us use them a lot more than we may realize now that we are in school. An output device is any processing equipment used to communicate the results of data carried out by a computer or other processing devices which turns information into an easier form for us to read. (Wikipedia).