Home → computer → How does Computer Work?

How does Computer Work?

In this post we shall see some basic computer terminology which helps computer to work.

Input : Data / Information entered into the computer using various input devices.

Input Devices :

Keybord : To type the data
Mouse : To point and click the objects
Tracker Ball : Works similar to mouse, used by Graphic Designers
Scanners : Converts the Hardcopy into Softcopy (Simply scans paper documents and stores them in system)
Touchpad : The desktop which responds according to the Touch.
Light pens : Used to point the areas on the screen.
Joy Sticks : Used for Playing Videogames.

Input Devices

Output : Data / Information given by the computer. It displays on Monitor (Screen) / Prints via Printer / Generates sounds via Sound boxes and ofcourse stores the information in Disks.

Output Devices :

VDU : Video Display Unit. Also known as Monitor. Which displays output
Printers : There are many types of printers. These are used for converting the Soft-copy into Hard-copy (Printing the data on Paper)
Plotter : It is also similar to printer, but it can draw continuous point-to-point lines directly from vector graphics files or commands. So you can expect more clarity than printers.
Speakers : Gives the output in the Sound Signal form

OutPut Devices

Processing : The Processor/Central Processing Unit/CPU performs the operations with the help of ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit - which performs Mathematical and Logical Operations)

Storage : The Random Access Memory (RAM) or Memory temporarily stores your date while you are working with that.

Storage Devices :

Hard Disk : Internal Drive of High capacity which stores larger and important files including your Operating System.

The speed of the Hard disk is measured in milliseconds,
The capacity of the Hard Disk is measured in Giga Bytes (GB). You can get harddisks of 40-80GB now a days.
A Giga Byte is equalent to 1024 Mega Bytes (MB)

Floppy Disk : Its helps you to store smaller amount of data and take

It's speed is Very Very low.
Capacity normally 1.44 Mega Bytes (hardly you can store 6 or 7 wallpapers :P)

CD/CD ROM :

Slower than Hard Disks and Faster than Floppy Disks
Capacity 650+MB

DVD :

Slower than HardDisks but faster than CDs
Capacity upto 17Giga Bytes

Various Storage Devices