PC Hardware A Beginner’s Guide

(^18) PC Hardware: A Beginner’s Guide
Regardless of the size of the package, personal computers all have the same six
groups of hardware components:

Input devices
 Output (display) devices
 Processor/motherboard
 Storage devices
 Adapters/peripherals
 Power supply

Input Devices

Computers process data into information; simulate an action or animation; and, among

other actions, replicate hand motions to draw an image. What each of these actions or

processes has in common is that each requires some form of interaction with an operator.

At least so far, the operator is generally human and the human needs to provide instruc-

tions,data,orotherstimuli(calledinputs)tothecomputersoitcandoitsthing.Tofacilitate

this interaction, the computer must provide devices that the operator can use to give it its

inputs. Reasonably enough, these devices are calledinput devices.

Over the years, the most common input device has been the keyboard. However, in the

past few years, it has been a dead heat between the keyboard and mouse (see Figure 1-17)

because virtually every computer sold has both devices. Newer hybrid devices now even

Figure 1-16. A personal digital assistant (PDA). Photo courtesy of Handspring, Inc.