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Introduction

Hardware Hardware is any physical part of the computer which can be touched or seen. These are the main types of hardware: * Monitor * Mouse * Keyboard * Disk Drives * Printer * Speakers * Tower Monitor Disk Drive Speakers Printer Tower Mouse Keyboard Types of hardware There are four types of hardware. Input Input is that type of hardware which is used to enter data into the computer. Process Process is that hardware which manipulates the inputted into useful form. Storage Storage is where the data is stored. Output Output devices allow you to view information produced after data has been processed. These are the following hardwares I used; Input Keyboard, mouse and scanner Process Central Processing Unit Storage RAM, USB flash drive and hard disk Output Printer and monitor In the following table I will describe the hardware I have used in my system, the way they work and the advantages and disadvantages. Name of device Price The way it works Advantages Disadvantages Keyboard �20 When a letter, number or a symbol is pressed on the keyboard then a signal is immediately sent to the CPU. Then the CPU passes on the information to the monitor which outputs it. Keyboards come in many types. For example. QWERTY, concept, ergonomic etc. This means that you can choose the one that suits you. Using to much keyboard can lead to RSI. A keyboard can do the same job of a mouse, like scrolling through pages by just the touch of one button. People who are unfamiliar with keyboards will get a lot of mistakes and will type very slowly because the buttons are mixed up. The buttons in a keyboard are arranged in such a way that you feel comfortable to use and become used to the layout. The buttons in a keyboard are very close to each other and very light, this means that there could be a lot of errors. Mouse �13 There are two main types of a mouse. ...read more.

Middle

It lets you communicate with people around the world using email addresses. When downloading then it might have viruses. You can find out the latest news and stay up to date. Sometimes it loads very slow and then ends up crashing. You can play online games with players around the globe. A monthly fee has to be paid to the provider. Paint FREE (Comes with every computer) The main functions of paint are drawing simple pictures and shapes using the tools provided. You can also edit pictures created before or a picture which has been scanned. It gives a lot of options like choosing paint brush size and colour. To create an accurate image it will take a long time. It is straight forward and no instructions are needed. You are not able to put in advanced data. It is very good for little children as they can create colourful pictures. Elder users may find it Childish. Alternatives The following table shows the alternatives to the applications mentioned above, the way it works, advantages and disadvantages and the difference made. Name of Application Alternative Application The way it works Advantages Disadvantage Difference it would make if I used it Microsoft Word Note pad You can only type in text and no pictures. It is very good for small and quick notes. It all has to be in one font and size. The difference it will make is that it will not have colour and will only be in black writing. It is good for beginners to practice typing. You can not put in pictures or borders. It takes very little memory. It is not a good application for professionals. Microsoft Access Open Office Base It is the same but the steps of doing things are totally different. It is very fast and reliable. It is rare so if you need help then you are less likely to get help. ...read more.

Conclusion

CRT monitors They are very cheap. They take up too much space and they are less stylish. They are hard to be stolen because they are massive. CRT monitors can make a lot of noise. After looking at all the different types of input devices, my work has been affected greatly. I have also tried my best to use the best out of all the output devices in my task. Conclusion Most of the components and other things I used for my tasks were very suitable. For example, a CRT monitor can not be used in an office and a TFT would be the best. The following are a few extra things that the company will need to use. Name of Hardware The way it works The way it will be used by the company Dot-matrix printer Dot-matrix printers work by using a set of steel pins which strike an inked ribbon onto paper producing a sequence of dots. The company can use this type of printer when they are not in need of making colour copies as this type of printer only prints out in black. Web Cam With a web cam you can see other people around the world with the help of internet. The way the company can use it is that if the staff want to contact the customers or vice versa then it would be very easy to communicate. Speakers The computer has to have a sound card which gives out sound through external speakers. The way the company can used it is that if a staff makes mistake then the computer will immediately and automatically make a beeping sound which will then alert the person that he or she has made mistake. Choosing and Describing Applications =3 Describing using Hardware =3 Describing using Software = 3 Characteristics, Benefits, and drawback of each system = 6 Demonstrate use of Input Methods = 1 Comment on their speed, accuracy and validation = 4 Describe your system outputs = 1 Comparing Output devices Alternative outputs and drawbacks to your system= 4 ?? ?? ?? ?? Type A Flight AO1 1/28 ...read more.

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