Chapter 3
COMPUTER HARDWARE
Objective
• Understand the history and evolution of computer
hardware.
• Identify the major types and uses of microcomputer,
midrange, and mainframe computer systems.
• Outline the major technologies and uses of computer
peripherals for input, output, and storage.
• Identify and give examples of the components and
functions of a computer system.
• Identify the computer systems and peripherals you
would acquire or recommend for a business of your
choice, and explain the reasons or your selections.
Content
• Introduction
• Types of Computer Systems
• Computer Peripherals
Introduction
Before
1642
1674
Mechanical adding
Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz
Using object to
represent numeric machine by Blaise Pascal improved Pascal’s machine it
can multiply and divide
Age of industrialization spread throughout Europe
-Mechanical loom by a Frenchman named
Joseph Jacquard. using punch card.
-Analytical Engine by Charles Babbage. It
can perform logical comparisons
1946
1950s
1880s
Herman Hollerith eventually adapted
Jacquard’s concept of the punched card to
record census data.
9857
ENIAC. It use vacuum to store UNIVAC I. calculate at the IBM developed the IBM 704,
rate of 10,000 additions which could perform 100,000
problem calculation.
calculations per second.
18,000 vacuum tube , about per second
5,000 computations/second
Introduction
1958
Jack Kilby created handheld
calculator and thermal printer
1977
Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak
invented PC in a garage
1975
age of microcomputers began(ALTAIR
8800). The computer was programmed by
flicking switches on the front.
1882
IBM PC was born
Types of Computer Systems
•
Microcomputer Systems:
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•
Midrange Systems:
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•
They are the most important category of computer systems for both businesspeople and consumers.
They have become powerful networked professional workstations for business professionals.
Microcomputers come in a variety of sizes and shapes for a variety of purposes.
It can be used as Computer Terminals, Network Computers, and Information Appliances.
They are primarily high-end network servers and other types of servers that can handle the large-scale
processing of many business applications.
Midrange systems have become popular as powerful network servers(help manage large Internet Web sites,
corporate intranets and extranets, and other networks).
Midrange systems first became popular for scientific research, instrumentation systems, engineering
analysis, and industrial process monitoring and control.
Mainframe Computer Systems:
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They are large, fast, and powerful computer systems(can process thousands of million instructions per
second).
Mainframes can also have large primary storage capacities.
Mainframe computers continue to handle the information processing needs of major corporations and
government agencies with high transaction processing volumes or complex computational problems(Ex
banks, airlines, oil companies,…).
mainframes are becoming a popular business computing platform for data mining and warehousing,
Microcomputer system
Examples of recommended features
for the three types of PC users
Midrange Computer System
Mainframe Computer System
The ASCI White
supercomputer system
Component of Computer System
•
•
•
•
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Input device
Processing(CPU)
Output
Storage(primary storage unit, secondary storage)
Control
Computer Peripherals
• 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(online
devices).
• The major types of peripherals and media are:
– Input Technologies:
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Pointing Devices: mouse, pointing stick, touch pad, Touch screens.
Pen-based computing
Speech Recognition Systems
Optical Scanning: scanner, optical character recognition(OCR)
Other Input Technologies: Magnetic stripe, Smart cards, Digital
cameras.
Input Technology
Computer Peripherals
– Output Technology:
• Video Output: CRT, LCD
• Printed Output: Inkjet printers, Laser printers
– Storage Technology:
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Semiconductor Memory: RAM, ROM, flash drive
Magnetic Disks: Floppy disks, Hard disk drives, RAID
Magnetic Tape
Optical Disks: CD-R, CD-RW, DVD
Output Technology
Storage Media