1. WHAT IS HARDWARE?

Hardware is a comprehensive term for all of the physical parts of a computer, as distinguished from the data it contains or operates on, and the software that provides instructions for the hardware to accomplish tasks. The boundary between hardware and software is slightly blurry - firmware is software that is "built-in" to the hardware, but such firmware is usually the province of computer programmers and computer engineers in any case and not an issue that computer users need to concern themselves with. A typical computer (Personal Computer, PC) contains in a desktop or tower case the following parts: Motherboard which holds the CPU, main memory and other parts, and has slots for expansion cards power supply - a case that holds a transformer, voltage control and fan storage controllers, of IDE, SCSI or other type, that control hard disk , floppy disk, CD-ROM and other drives; the controllers sit directly on the motherboard (on-board) or on expansion cards graphics controller that produces the output for the monitor the hard disk, floppy disk and other drives for mass storage Interface controllers (parallel, serial, USB, Fire wire) to connect the computer to external peripheral devices such as printers or scanners.

2. TYPES OF COMPUTER? The types of computers range from the Hybrid to the Analog types. The computers you come across in the daily course of your day range from laptops, palmtops and towers, to desktop computers, to name a few. But the very word computers reminds one of the desktop computers used in offices or homes. Different categories of computes have been devised in keeping with our varied needs. The Types Of Computers: Analog and Hybrid (classification based on operational principle)

Analog Computers: The analog computer is almost an extinct type of computer these days. It is different from a digital computer in respect that it can perform numerous mathematical operations simultaneously. It is also unique in terms of operation as it utilizes continuous variables for the purpose of mathematical computation. It utilizes mechanical, hydraulic, or electrical energy or operation. Hybrid computers: These types of computers are, as the name suggests, a combination of both Analog and Digital computers. The Digital computers which work on the principle of binary digit system of 0 and 1 can give very precise results. But the problem is that they are too slow and incapable of large

scale mathematical operation. In the hybrid types of computers the Digital counterparts convert the analog signals to perform Robotics and Process control. Apart from this, computers are also categorized on the basis of physical structures and the purpose of their use. Based on Capacity, speed and reliability they can be divided into three categories of computers: The Mainframe Computer These are computers used by large organizations like meteorological surveys and statistical institutes for performing bulk mathematical computations. They are core computers which are used for desktop functions of over one hundred people simultaneously. The Microcomputer These are the most frequently used computers better known by the name of Personal computers. This is the type of computer meant for public use. Other than Desktop Computer the choice ranges as follows:

Personal Digital Computer Tablet PC Towers Work Stations Laptops Hand Held Computer The Mini computer Mini computers like the mainframe computers are used by business organization. The difference being that it can support the simultaneous working of up to 100 users and is usually maintained in business organizations for the maintenance of accounts and finances.

3. EXAMPLE OF INPUT AND OUTPUT DEVICE:

INPUT DEVICE: KEYBOARD

COMPUTER MOUSE

TOUCHSCREEN

SCANNER

CAMERA

MICROPHONE

OPTICAL MARK READER

BARCODE READER

OUTPUT DEVICE: PRINTER

MONITOR

SPEAKER

PROJECTOR

INPUT DEVICE: 1. KEYBOARD - An input device consisting of various keys that allows the user to input data, control cursor and pointer locations, and to control the dialog with the workstation. An input device based on the standard QWERTY typewriter configuration. Computer keyboards typically have more keys and features than typewriters, but work in much the same way. Normal PC keyboards can be taken apart and used to interface different switches, the above mentioned boat alarm sensors. 2. COMPUTER MOUSE - a hand-operated electronic device that controls the coordinates of a cursor on your computer screen as you move it around on a pad; on the bottom of the device is a ball that rolls on the surface of the pad; "a mouse takes much more room than a trackball" 3. TOUCH SCREEN - A touch screen is a computer display screen that is also an input device. The screens are sensitive to pressure; a user interacts with the computer by touching pictures or words on the screen. 4. SCANNER - A scanner is a device that captures images from photographic prints, posters, magazine pages, and similar sources for computer editing and display. Scanners come in and flatbed types and for scanning black-and-white only, or color. Very high resolution scanners are used for scanning for high-resolution printing, but lower resolution scanners are adequate for capturing images for computer display. Scanners usually come with software, such as Adobe's Photoshop product, that lets you resize and otherwise modify a captured image. 5. CAMERA - equipment for taking photographs (usually consisting of a lightproof box with a lens at one end and light-sensitive film at the other) 6. MICROPHONE - mike a device used in sound-reproduction systems for converting sound into electrical energy, usually by means of a ribbon or diaphragm set into motion by the sound waves. The vibrations are converted into the equivalent audio-frequency electric currents 7. OPTICAL MARK READER - (OMR) a special scanning device that can read carefully placed pencil marks on specially designed documents. OMR is frequently used in forms, questionnaires, and answer-sheets. 8. BARCODE READER - Electronic device that scans a barcode by shining a laser beam on it. Barcode readers (unlike magnetic-stripe readers) are 'non-contact' automatic data capture devices, operate only at short distances (a few inches), and (unlike in radio frequency identification) do not provide 'out of line of sight' reading. Also called barcode scanner or just scanner.

OUTPUT DEVICE: 1. PRINTER -External device that communicates with another digital device to print what a user sees on a screen. Printers use small pixels to transfer an image from the system to another surface. Ink jet and laser printers are the most commonly used varieties of this device, and are most commonly hooked up to a personal computer. Some printers only print in black and white, but most include a color option as well. 2. MONITOR - computer monitors were built using cathode ray tubes (CRTs), which made them rather heavy and caused them to take up a lot of desk space. Most modern monitors are built using LCD technology and are commonly referred to as flat screen displays. These thin monitors take up much less space than the older CRT displays. This means people with LCD monitors have more desk space to clutter up with stacks of papers, pens, and other objects. 3. SPEAKER - Speakers are one of the most common output devices used with computer systems. Some speakers are designed to work specifically with computers, while others can be hooked up to any type of sound system. Regardless of their design, the purpose of speakers is to produce audio output that can be heard by the listener 4. PROJECTOR - an optical instrument that projects an enlarged image onto a screen

References: http://www.openprojects.org/hardware-definition.htm http://www.mapsofworld.com/referrals/computers/types-of-computers/ http://wiki.answers.com/ http://www.thefreedictionary.com

ERICKA T. AREVALO BSHRM 1-B

JANUARY 30, 2012

ASSIGNMENT

Rubrics for assignment. A. Content. B. Structure. C. Presentation grammar of style. D. References.

MR.RYAN MORALES INSTRUCTOR