Desktop PC:
A computer that is flat and usually sits on a desk. The
original design for a home computer.
Tower PC:
A computer that is upright--it looks like someone took a
desktop PC and turned it on its side. Incatalogs, the word desktop is sometimes
used as a name for both the flat design style pictured above and the tower
design.
Monitor:
The monitor is a specialized, high-resolution screen,
similar to a high-quality television. The screen is made up of red, green and
blue dots. Many times per second, your video card sends signals out to your
monitor. The information your video card sends controls
which dots are lit up and how bright they are, which
determines the picture you see.
Keyboard:
The keyboard is the main input device for most computers. There are many sets
of keys on a typical "windows" keyboard. On the left side of the
keyboard are regular alphanumeric and punctuation keys similar to those on a
typewriter. These are used to
input textual information to the PC. A numeric keypad on the
right is similar to that of an adding machine or calculator. Keys that are used
for cursor control and navigation are located in the middle. Keys that are used
for special functions are located along the top of thekeyboard and along the
bottom section of the alphanumeric keys.
Mouse:
An input device that allows the user to "point and
click" or "drag and drop". Common functions are pointing (moving
the cursor or arrow on the screen by sliding the mouse on the mouse pad),
clicking (using the left and right buttons) and scrolling (hold down the
left button while moving the mouse).
Mother
Board:
The main circuit board inside the computer--the big green
panel that sits on the bottom of
a Desktop PC or along the side of a tower. All the main
parts of the PC plug into the motherboard to share data.
Processor
(CPU):
The chip that performs the majority of calculations and
instructions needed to make your
computer run. The processor is attached to the motherboard.
It is often called the computer's "brain."
Memory
(RAM):
(Random Access
Memory) Fast computer chips that temporarily store information while
a PC is in use. These chips are the computer's short-term
memory used to run applications. Most new PCs have at least 128 megabytes of
memory.
Hard Drive:
The main storage area
inside your computer (usually called a C: drive). The hard disk or
hard drive stores your computer's operating system, the
programs that are installed on your computer, and most of your files. Hard
drive capacity is measured in gigabytes. Most new computers have at least 20
gigabytes of memory.
Floppy
Disk:
A 3.5" square holding a flexible magnetic disc that
holds information or data. You need a floppy drive (usually called an A: drive)
to read the floppy. A floppy disk can hold only 1.44 megabytes, but it
isportable and allows you to make extra copies of your files.
CD-ROM:
(Compact Disk Read-Only Memory) A removable disk which can
store large amounts of
information. Because it is Read-Only, new information cannot
be saved to it. Requires a CD-ROM drive (usually called a D: drive) to read the
information. A CD-ROM can hold 650 - 800 megabytes of information, much more
than a floppy disk can hold. Some new
computers have a CD-RW (Compact Disk ReWritable) drive which
allows the user to save information onto a D CD. This is done with lasers in a
process called "burning". Once the information is saved onto the CD,
it can be read on any CD-ROM drive.
Sound Card: A device that can reproduce almost anysound,
including music, speech, and sound effects. A computer must contain a Sound
Card in order to produce sounds. You can attach speakers and/or a microphone to
the sound card.
Modem:
A device that translates data from your PC into a form that
can be sent to other computers over regular phone lines. The modem also
receives signals from other computers and converts it into something your
computer can understand. A modem is the device most
home computers use to connect to the Internet.
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