It (Harware And Software)
HARDWARE
The computer system is made up of 2 parts; the hardware and the software. Hardware is the name given to all the devices that make up the computer system. These are components of the computer that can be physically handled.
Hardware are divided into input devices, central processing unit, backing storage and output devices.
Input devices
Input devices are used to get data into the computer. Examples: keyboard, mouse, joystick, light pen, optical scanner and microphone.
The central processing unit
The Central Processing Unit (CPU) of a computer is the main processor which operates the computer - I.e. it carries out the instructions of the program being run.
The CPU has three main parts:
The A.L.U. (Arithmetic and Logic Unit) which performs all the calculations.
The Control Unit - which controls the flow of data round the computer by sending out control signals.
Memory - which is used to store data.
The backing storage
Storage hardware provides permanent storage of information and programs for retrieval by the computer. The two main types of storage devices are disk drives and memory.
Disk drives
Hard disk drives store information in magnetic particles set in in a disk. Usually a permanent part of the computer, hard disk drives can store large amounts of information and retrieve that information very quickly.
Floppy disk drives also store information in magnetic particles set in in removable disks that may be floppy or rigid. Floppy disks store less information than a hard disk drive and retrieve the information at a much slower rate.
Compact disc drives store information on pits burned into the surface of a disc of reflective material. CD-ROMs can store about as much information as a hard drive but have a slower rate of information retrieval. A digital video disc...
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