Chapter Outline

COMPUTER HARDWARE

I. Computer Components

1. The hardware of a computer system includes the electronic components, boards, wires, and peripherals.
2. The software instructs the computer hardware to perform various tasks.
3. Input devices give information to the computer system, so that it can perform its task.
4. Output devices show the results of what the computer has accomplished.
5. Storage devices provide for both storage and retrieval of information. The four most commonly available storage devices are the floppy drive, Hard Drive, Zip Drive, Jaz, CD-ROM drive, and DVD drive.

II. Hardware Selection Criteria

1. A computer’s compatibility with other computers is a key consideration, along with its ease of use, documentation, weight and size, durability, and choice of operating system, either Macintosh or Windows.
2. A very important consideration is the computer’s random access memory or RAM. Today, many applications need 16MB or more of memory. Every time software publishers upgrade programs, they increase memory requirements to run all the features.
3. Whether or not a computer is powerful enough for the user creates a question of expandability. Upgrading the processor chip, increasing memory, adding special equipment and extra peripherals, and expansion slots are all considerations.
4. The speed at which the microcomputer accesses the information is an important criterion is selecting hardware. Speed depends on clock speed and word size. Clock speed is the number of electronic pulses per second and is measured in megahertz (MHz). The more pulses the computer has per second, the faster it executes instructions.
5. The user should test the keyboard for how comfortable it is to use. Keyboards have many ergonomic designs. Extended keyboards have additional keys that can be programmed to perform different functions and numeric pads that speed up number entry.
6. The computer monitor is another important consideration.
7. Video RAM (VRAM), or graphic memory, is "a type of memory in a video display board that holds the image that appears on the video screen" (http://www.webopedia.com). Users should have at least 2MB of graphic memory, with 4MB preferred.
8. Sound quality is important for playing musical compositions or educational games. A minimum of 32 voices is desired for realistic sound quality.
9. Peripherals should be considered in terms of their quality, cost, cost to repair, and access time.
10. Hardware reliability and dealer support should be considered in terms of reputation and service.
11. Ease of operation and quality documentation for the computer must be considered.
12. Cost should be evaluated after comparison shopping in stores and looking at advertisements. Repair costs, free software, warranties, and on-site repair should be part of the criteria for selection.
13. A hardware checklist can be used to rate different aspects of the user’s hardware needs. See p. 53.