CHAPTER 3

COMPUTER HARDWARE
TYPES OF COMPUTER SYSTEMS
• Microcomputer Systems: Personal computers, network computers,
technical workstations, personal digital assistants, information
appliances, etc.
• Midrange Systems: Network servers, minicomputers, Web servers,
multiuser systems, etc.
• Mainframe Systems: Enterprise systems, transaction processors,
supercomputers
Network Computers
• (NCs) are a microcomputer category designed primarily for use with
the Internet and corporate intranets by clerical workers, operational
employees, and knowledge workers with specialized or limited
computing applications
TECHNICAL NOTE: THE COMPUTER
SYSTEM CONCEPT
• computer system is vital to the effective use and management of
computers. You should be able to visualize any computer this way,
from the smallest microcomputer device to the largest computer
networks whose components are interconnected by
telecommunications network links throughout a building complex or
geographic area.
Computer system functions
• Input. The input devices of a computer system include computer keyboards,
touch screens, pens, electronic mice, and optical scanners.
• Processing. The central processing unit (CPU) is the main processing
component of a computer system.
• Output. The output devices of a computer system include video display units,
printers, and audio response units.
• Storage. The storage function of a computer system takes place in the storage
circuits of the computer’s primary storage unit , or memory , supported by
secondary storage devices such as magnetic disk and optical disk drives.
• Control. The control unit of a CPU is the control component of a computer
system.
Computer Peripherals: Input, Output, and
Storage Technologies
• Peripherals is the generic name given to all input, output, and
secondary storage devices that are part of a computer system but are
not part of the CPU.
• all peripherals are online devices; that is, they are separate from,
but can be electronically connected to and controlled by, a CPU. (This
is the opposite of off-line devices that are separate from and not
under the control of the CPU.)
Peripherals Checklist
• Monitors
• Printers.
• Scanners.
• Hard Disk Drives
• CD and DVD Drives.
• Backup Systems.
Speech Recognition Systems
• Speech recognition is gaining popularity in the corporate world
among nontypists, people with disabilities, and business travelers,
and is most frequently used for dictation, screen navigation, and Web
browsing .
Optical Scanning
• Their function is to get documents into your computer with a
minimum of time and hassle, transforming just about anything on
paper—a letter, a logo, or a photograph—into the digital format that
your PC can read. Scanners can be a big help in getting loads of paper
off your desk and into your PC .
Other Input Technologies
• Magnetic stripe technology is a familiar form of data entry that helps
computers read credit cards. The coating of the magnetic stripe on
the back of such cards can hold about 200 bytes of information.
OUTPUT TECHNOLOGIES
• Video Output
• Printed Output

• STORAGE TRADE-OFFS
• Magnetic Tape
• Optical Disks
• Magnetic Disks
• Semiconductor Memory
RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION
• a system for tagging and identifying mobile objects such as store
merchandise, postal packages, and sometimes even living organisms
(like pets).