Computer Components

A general purpose computer has four main components: the arithmetic logic unit (ALU), the control unit, the memory, and the input and output devices (collectively termed I/O). These parts are interconnected by buses, often made of groups of wires. Inside each of these parts are thousands to trillions of small electrical circuits which can be turned off or on by means of an electronic switch. Each circuit represents a bit (binary digit) of information so that when the circuit is on it represents a “1”, and when off it represents a “0” (in positive logic representation). The circuits are arranged in logic gates so that one or more of the circuits may control the state of one or more of the other circuits. The control unit, ALU, and registers are collectively known as a central processing unit (CPU). Early CPUs were composed of many separate components but since the mid-1970s CPUs have typically been constructed on a single integrated circuit called amicroprocessor.

• Control unit

• Arithmetic logic unit (ALU) 

• Memory   

• Input/output devices (I/O)

• Multi-tasking

• Multiprocessing      

• Networking and the Internet

• Computer architecture paradigms

Output device

An output device is any peripheral that receives data from a computer, usually for display, projection, or physical reproduction. For example, the image shows an inkjet printer, an output device that can make a hard copy of any information shown on your monitor. Another example of an output device is a computer monitor, which displays an image that is received from the computer. Monitors and printers are two of the most common output devices used with a computer.

Below is a listing of all the different output devices used with a computer.

Types of output devices

• 3D Printer
• Braille embosser
• Braille reader
• Flat panel
• GPS
• Headphones
• Computer Output Microfilm (COM)
• Monitor
• Plotter
• Printer (Dot matrix printer, Inkjet printer, and Laser printer)
• Projector
• Sound card
• Speakers
• Speech-generating device (SGD)
• TV
• Video card

Hardware

Computer hardware

Computer hardware (usually simply called hardware when a computing context is implicit) is the collection of physical elements that constitutes a computer system. Computer hardware is the physical parts or components of a computer, such as the monitor, mouse,keyboard, computer data storage, hard disk drive (HDD), system unit (graphic cards, sound cards, memory, motherboard and chips), and so on, all of which are physical objects that can be touched (that is, they are tangible).^[1] In contrast, software is instructions that can be stored and run by hardware.

Software is any set of machine-readable instructions that directs a computer's processor to perform specific operations. A combination of hardware and software forms a usable computing system.