Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
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Figure.1 13 A motherboard. The CPU is under the tall tower, which is a cooling fan. The
slots to the left of the CPU will hold the small circuit boards containing memory.
Output Devices
Information comes out of a computer through an output device such as a
monitor . When you move the mouse or type a character on a keyboard,
you see the results instantly on the monitor. The monitor helps you com-
municate with the operating system; without the monitor, you wouldn't
know if the OS had received and understood your instructions or if the
application had accepted the data you input. Besides monitors, other
output devices include printers (for producing hard-copy output) and
speakers (for providing audio feedback).
monitor A display screen on which a computer's
output appears.
Storage Devices
Storage devices enable software and data to be preserved and reused.
Storage can be either removable or non-removable. (Non-removable stor-
age is actually removable too if you have the right tools and knowledge,
but in this case the distinction refers to being easily removable or not.)
The most common type of storage is an internal hard drive , which is a
sealed metal box inside the system unit. Hard drives are usually internal,
making them non-removable. Some hard drives are removable, though;
external hard drives easily connect to and disconnect from a port on the
outside of the system unit. Other removable storage devices include USB
flash drives and optical discs (CDs and DVDs). Chapter 3 covers storage
devices in more detail, and explains the technologies behind them.
hard drive A sealed metal box that stores com-
puter data using either mechanical or solid-state
technology.
Quick Review
Name at least two devices from each of these categories: input, processing, output, and storage.
What is the purpose of the motherboard?
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