Computer’s

Components

Computer Technology
Basic Terminology
 Software
Computer
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device thatprogram
acceptsthat
input,
tells
processes
the computer
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stores
to perform
data, and
produces tasks.
particular output, all according to a series of stored instructions.

 Network
Hardware
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Includes the electronic
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other devices
devices
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as peripheral devices.

 Peripheral devices
 Used to expand the computer’s input, output and storage
capabilities.
Computer Components
 Computer Components

Hardware
 Essential Computer Hardware

 Input
 Output
 Processor
 Memory
 Storage
Input Devices
 Units that gather information and transform
that information it into a series of electronic
signals for the computer.
Following are some of the important input
devices.

 Keyboard  Graphic Tablet

 Mouse
 Microphone
 Joy Stick
 Magnetic Ink Card
Reader(MICR)
 Light pen
 Optical Character
Reader(OCR)
 Track Ball

 Optical Mark

 Scanner/Bar Code Reader Reader(OMR)

Keyboard

 An arrangement of letters, numbers, and special

function keys that act as the primary input device to
the computer.
Keyboard
 shift key ,Backspace , Delete, space
bar
The main keys are the letter keys. When you type just using these, you
get lower-case print. However, if you hold down a ‘shift key’ (there are two
to choose from) at the same time as you type, you’ll get UPPER-CASE letters.
Try typing your name, including capitals (UPPER-CASE) and spaces.

The ‘space bar’ (which you press briefly to make a space) is the wide key at
the bottom of the keyboard.

If you make a mistake in your typing, there’s always a remedy.

To delete a letter, place your cursor (mouse pointer) just after the letter and
click. Then press Backspace briefly. (Always press briefly – otherwise, you’ll
get repeated deletions, spaces, letters or whatever.) Or place your cursor
just before the letter, click and press Delete.
 Ctrl, Alt and Esc
  You’ll be told to use the
‘Control’ (Ctrl) and ‘Alternate’
(Alt) keys for some operations.
When you do so, keep holding
down one or the other key or
both keys while you press any
other keys.
 For example, if you
press Ctrl, Alt and Delete all
at the same time, a menu will
open.
 To make it disappear, press
the ‘Escape’ (Esc) key in the
top left-hand corner of the
keyboard.
NumPad
 To use this to type
numbers, you have
to press the Num
Lock key. There
may be an indicator
light at the top of
the keyboard or on
the ‘Num Lock’ key
itself to show that
it’s on.
Caps Lock , Page scroll buttons

 If you want everything to appear in upper

case, press the Caps Lock key 
 There are a number of ways that you can
move round a web page. Try using the keys
below to see where they take you:
Mouse
 An input device that allows the user to manipulate
objects on the screen by moving the device along the
surface of a desk.
Mouse keys
 At the front (which points away from you), there are
two buttons – left and right. You press or, more
correctly, ‘click’ these to make things happen.
 Most mice also have a wheel in between the buttons
that you roll to move up and down the screen –
technically called ‘scrolling’.

scroller
How to hold Mouse keys
 Use your index finger to click the left button and your
middle finger to click the right button:

 If you’re left-handed, you can use the opposite

fingers. However, you can also usually change the
preferences on your computer to swap which buttons
do what.
Mouse keys functionality
 Try a double-click. This is done quite often on the left button.
You have to click twice, as quickly as possible.
 The first click tells the computer that you are in a particular
‘window’, and the second click tells it that you’re selecting a
button or link or whatever to do something in that window. If you
click too slowly, the computer just thinks you’re telling it where
you are again and again, so do click quickly.

 Now try a right-click. Just click the right button, paying no

attention where the cursor is on the screen. A menu will appear,
giving you options. Whenever you right-click, it opens a menu. If
you move your cursor off the menu and left-click, the menu will
close.
Sound Card

 A circuit board that gives the computer the ability to

accept audio input, play sound files, and produce
audio output through speakers or headphones.
Modem

 A device that sends and receives data to and from

computers over telephone lines.
Output Devices
 Devices that display, print, or transmit the
results of processing from the computer’s
memory.
Monitor

 Display device that forms an image by converting electrical signals from the
computer into points of colored light on the screen.
 Resolution
 The density of the grid used to display or print text and graphics; the greater

the horizontal and vertical density, the higher the resolution.

 Pixels
 The smallest unit in a graphic image; computer display devices use a matrix

of pixels to display text and graphics.

Storage Devices
 Used to keep data when the power to the computer is turned off.
 Different forms
 Hard disk
 Floppy or zip disks
 CD-Writer
 USB
Printer
 Output device that produces text or graphical images
on paper.
Speakers

 Output devices that receive signals from the

computer’s sound card to play music, narration, or
sound effects.
System unit
 Case that holds the processor ,power supply, storage
devices, and the circuit boards (including the
motherboard).
CPU (Central Processing Unit)

 Where the processing in a computer takes place,

often called the brain of the computer.
 Assignment
 Printers With details
(Hint: Dot matrix, ink jet, laser, plotter, Thermal-wax.)
 Monitors Types With details
(Hint: CRT, Flat-panel display , Monochrome, Gray scale, Color).
 Storage devices.
There are two types of storage devices used with computers: a primary storage device, such as RAM, and a 
secondary storage device, such as a hard drive. Secondary storage can be removable, internal, or external.
 Magnetic storage devices
 Floppy diskette
 Hard drive
 Magnetic strip
 SuperDisk
 Tape cassette
 Zip diskette
 Optical storage devices
 Blu-ray disc
 CD-ROM disc
 CD-R and CD-RW disc.
 DVD-R, DVD-RWdisc.