near-high fidelity sounds produced from a CD-ROM or DVD, digital systems and sound are
a match made in audio heaven. See Chapter 21 for more information on sound devices.Inside the System Case
The system case encloses most of the key electronic components of the personal com-
puter, including the motherboard, power supply, and expansion cards. The mother-
board, an example of which is shown in Figure 1-21, holds the microprocessor, memory,
ROM, and most of the other electronic components that allow the computer to function.
These vital components are covered in detail in Part II of this book.
Don’t think of the system case as just a plastic or metal box into which all of these
components are placed just so they won’t get damaged or lost. The system case plays a
veryvitalroleinboththeelectricalandventilationsystemsengineeredintothePC.Chap-
ter 15 details the functions and purpose of the system case.It All Works Together
The amount of accumulated engineering time over the years that has gone into perfecting
the way in which the personal computer’s components work together is immense. The
way the parts fit and function together to allow you to write a letter, play a game, or find
Wal-Mart’s online shopping page is no accident. If you are like most computer users, you
rarely wonder about or consider how the components interact to create the function of
the computer.Chapter 1: The Personal Computer^21
Figure 1-20. A flat-panel monitor. Photo courtesy of ViewSonic, Inc.