Parts of Computer

PARTS OF THE COMPUTER

All computer systems need two types of parts that work together to make them run. These parts are:

1. Hardware - The hardware is the part of the computer you can touch and see. Eg: Keyboard, Mouse, Hard disk etc. 2. Software - The software is a part of the computer you cannot touch but is very important. The software is all the programming that makes the computer run; controlling everything that the computer does.
Common computer hardware
The following is a list of the most common hardware found on office and home computers.

The Monitor is the display screen, similar to a television screen.
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The Keyboard is what you type on, similar to a typewriter.
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The Mouse is the small hand held device that attaches to the computer. It may have two or three buttons. The mouse is used to move the cursor (pointer) on the computer screen.
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The Computer, tower, or case is the heart of the system. This is a box that contains all the parts that make the computer work. It can be identified by the fact that it does not seem to do anything. It also has slots to put computer disks in.
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The Printer is a device that puts what you have created on to paper.
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The Scanner is a device that captures pictures so that they can be seen and used on the computer, similar to a color photocopier.

Software

As described earlier, the software is a part of the computer you cannot touch but is very important. The software is all the programming or instructions that make the computer run; controlling everything that the computer does. There are two kinds of software that help the computer run:
1. Operating Systems
2. Applications

An Operating System is the base program on