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SECTION 1
Peripheral
Computer hardware
Hardware is the term used to describe the parts of your computer system that can be
touched. This includes all of the devices, both internal and external, that connect to
your computer so that it can perform all sorts of operations. Hardware can range from
anywhere between your computer's central processing unit to the scanner or printer
that you might have to buy separately.
In this section, we will take a look at some of the hardware devices that are commonly
found in a computer system.
Note: Ask your teacher to show you the motherboard and other components of a
computer system.
Other peripherals
In addition, hardware devices can include external components of a computer system.
The following are either standard or very common.
Pointing devices
• Mouse - a pointing device that detects two dimensional motion relative to its
supporting surface.
• Trackball - a pointing device consisting of an exposed protruding ball housed in
a socket that detects rotation about two axes.
Gaming devices
• Joystick - a general control device that consists of a handheld stick that pivots
around one end, to detect angles in two or three dimensions.
• Gamepad - a general game controller held in the hand that relies on the
thumbs to provide input.
Imagine you have just bought a new computer system; you turn the computer on-but it
doesn't know what to do. Well, that's because the devices that make up a computer
system are no good without software.
System software helps run the computer hardware and computer system. It
includes operating systems, device drivers (see below), diagnostic tools, utilities and
more. System software is a generic term referring to any computer software which
manages and controls the hardware so that application software can perform a task. It
is an essential part of the computer system.
Application software or Applications are what most people think of when they
think of software. Typical examples include office suites and video games. Application
software is often purchased separately from computer hardware. Sometimes
applications are bundled with the computer, but that does not change the fact that
they run as independent applications. Applications are almost always independent
programs from the operating system, though they are often tailored for specific
platforms.
Hardware and software work together in digital devices and systems to provide
computerized functionality. Hardware includes the physical components, such as the
motherboard, chips, memory, and hard drives, while software includes the programs
that run on the hardware.
• There are no parts to touch for software, like there is for a computer's
hardware. After all, if you think about it, how can you touch instructions?
• The job of software is to tell the hardware what to do. So we can say that
hardware is useless without software.
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We will now identify operating systems, including Graphical User Interfaces and Command Line Interfaces.
Operating System
GUIs are also known as WIMPs because they make use of Windows, Icons, Menus and Pointers.