Information Technology Workbook
2 Hardware
The machinery of a computer is divided into several units.
The computer must have some form of input/output device where
information can enter and leave it.
A keyboard, CD/ROM drive, and internet connection are the most
common input devices. A display screen and printer
are common output devices. The computer must also have some
form of local storage called random
access memory (RAM) and usually a hard disk. And the
computer must have a "thinking
circuit" known as a central processing unit (CPU). All
computers share these components.
Different "classes" of computers exist. Desktop and laptop computers
are the most common. These convenient
devices often contain input, storage, and output devices all
in one enclosure. An even smaller computer such as a personal
digital assistant (PDA) contains rudimentary versions of these
basic components. Larger computer systems such as workstations,
minicomputers, mainframe computers, and supercomputers
also exist. These classes of computing machinery are physically
larger, faster, and have a greater storage and processing capacity
("throughput") than desktop computers. This chapter is designed
to help you understand the parts common to every computer and
additional characteristics of computers larger than a desktop.
2.1 Illustrated history of computers
2.2 Computer hardware and electronic information representation
2.3 How electronic information storage has evolved
2.4 The Central Processing Unit (CPU) and the stored-program concept
2.5 How computer memory (now RAM) has evolved
2.6 Modern computer printer technology
2.7 Identity theft
60 lecture slides (this is the second of two slide sets made available online; .ppt in a zipped file, 4.9 Mb)
Workbook chapter 2 (this is the second of two chapters provided online; .pdf file, 12.6 Mb)
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