Computer Basics
List of Computer Basics
On this page, I will briefly describe all the
computer basics. I will try to cover all the different pieces of
computer hardware and shortly describe what they are and what they do.
Computers are complex machines but when they are split up into separate
components they are much easier to understand. This page seeks to
provide information on computer basics and if you wish to learn more
about compute hardware click on the links provided.
Desktop Computer Cases
Desktop computer cases are the home to all the
computer components. Everything including the motherboard, the hard
drive, the cd drive, the floppy drive and the power supply go inside a
computer case. Computer cases can be different colors and in recent
years some have become fancy. Extras, such as front USB have become
popular as well.
Motherboards
Computer Motherboards are essential to a
computer. All the computer components somehow connect to the
motherboard. The Power Supply powers up the motherboard and the CPU is
laid inside the motherboard. The memory is also put into the
motherboard. Hard Drives, Floppy Drives and CD/DVD players all connect
to the motherboard using either the IDE Ribbon cable or the later SATA
cables. Thus a motherboard is very important for it connectsall the
computer hardware components together.
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
When explaining the CPU (Central Processing
unit) to my inquisitive younger brothers I tell them that the CPU is
the 'brain' of a computer. It is arguably the most important piece of
hardware and when looking to buy or build your own computer make sure
you choose the correct CPU for your needs. CPU clock speed is measured
in hertz. In previous years it was megahertz (one million cycles per
second) and now they are mainly measured in
gigahertz (one billion cycles per second). CPUs are most commonly manufactured by Intel and AMD.
gigahertz (one billion cycles per second). CPUs are most commonly manufactured by Intel and AMD.
Computer Memory(CPU)
RAM (Random Access Memory) or Computer Memory is
another very important component to a computer. Computer Memory is a
volatile storage device meaning that when the computer is switched off
everything stored on this temporary storage device will be lost. The
more computer memory, the better the computer will run and the better
it will handle programs and software. RAM is now generally measured in
Mhz, and most commonly seen in the types of SDRAM, DDRRAM, DDR2RAM.
Hard Drive
A Hard Disk Drive is another very crucial
component to a computer. The hard drive is a permanent storage device.
It is possible for a computer to function without a Hard Disk Drive,
but it would have no operating system and would be of very little use.
All the information on your computer including the operating system
(eg. windows XP), programs and files will be stored on the Hard Drive.
Hard Drives are measured in Gigabytes (one billion bytes).
CD/DVD Drives
CD/DVD Drives are another storage device in a
computer. CD Drives are used to read CD's with information on them such
as an operating system, programs or data files. Recently CD-RW and
DVD-RW have been included in computers meaning that it is possible to
write data to blank disks. CD Drives are measured by their read and
write speeds.
Video Cards
A video card is another compulsory component in a
computer. The information goes into the video card and then is
transmitted to the monitor where the information is displayed. Some
motherboards have the graphics card built in, but the majority need a
seperate card that plugs into the motherboard.
Sound Card
A sound card is another extra that can be added
to your computer. A sound card translates signals into sounds that can
be played back through speakers. Many motherboards have a sound card
incorporated in the motherboard, but for those that don't it is
possible to get one.
Monitors
Computer monitors are another compulsory unit of
a computer system. It is possible for the computer to function
correctly without a monitor but there would be very little point as you
cannot see anything. The computer monitor connects to the graphics
card and it displays a picture on the screen. Computer monitors come in
two types: CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) which are block monitors and LCD
(Liquid Crystal Display) which are very thin.
Network Card
A Computer Network Card or a LAN (Local Area
Network) card is increasingly becoming more and more necessary in world
of broadband internet and home networking. LAN ports are often
incorporated on the motherboard and it is used for networking computers
together or for connecting through a router to the World Wide Web.
Other Components
There are many other computer hardware
components that can be placed onto the motherboard in the PCI-slots.
These include, firewire cards, USB cards, TV tuners, and many other
components that are specific to their personal needs.
Conclusion
The purpose of this page was to create an
overview of computer basics and separate computer components that are
used in the typical home computer. To find out more information about
the various computer components just click on the Navigation Bar on the
side or click on the various links on this page.
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