What is the hardware that you can see?
When you look at a computer you see many different pieces of equipment. What are their
names and what do they do?
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1. VDU (visual display unit): it works like a television because it allows you to see the
work that you do with the computer.
2. Motherboard: it is a type of a metal box. The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is inside
this box. It is the brain of the computer.
3. Keyboard: the keyboard looks a bit like a typewriter. The keys in the middle of the
keyboard work like a typewriter and it is called the typewriter area of keyboard. On the
right side of the keyboard there is a numeric pad. It has numbers on the keys like a
pocket calculator. On the left and top of the keyboard are the function keys. These
keys are used to give special instructions to the computer.
4. Printer: A printer is used to make paper copies of information that the computer has
stored.
5. Uninterruptable power supply (UPS):- it takes electricity from the wall socket and
sends it to the computer. It provides the steady source of electricity that the computer
needs. The purpose of the UPS is to protect your computer work in the event of a
power failure.
Basic components of a typical computer system
The basic components of a microcomputer system usually include four parts: the input unit,
the central processing unit (CPU), auxiliary storage (i.e., secondary storage) and the output
unit
1. The input unit:
although there are different ways to enter information to a computer,
the keyboard is the most important input device. One important point to remember
about using the keyboard is that when you enter information, the information appears
on the monitor but goes no farther. The information is understood by the computer
only after the Enter key has been pressed. You must therefore press the Enter key at
the end of every command line.
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