Different Kinds of HARDWARE

Computer hardware comprises all the components of a personal computer, including the central processing unit (CPU), case, motherboard, hard drive, random access memory (RAM), computer data storage, optical drives, power supply and heat sink. A computer can have one, two or more processors. They are located inside the computer case. The term “hardware” means non-volatile electronic media such as memory, hard drive and CD-ROMs that are used in a personal computer. Computer hardware is frequently updated to support new technologies in the computer market. Some of the most common types of computer hardware are listed below.

Motherboard: The motherboard is the central component in the machine and is often called the brain of the computer. It controls all other hardware components through a series of commands. There are various types of motherboards such as ATX, CMS, AGP and Ultra Low Noise Generation (ULN) and several others.

Hard Drive: It is a storage area for data that is located inside a CPU. The storage is done in registers that control the movement of the data within the CPU. CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs are examples of hard drives. IDE and serial ATA controllers are examples of parallel ATA controllers. A computer system can include a keyboard, monitor, microprocessor, numeric keypad, pointing device, video display, audio device, printer and more.

Computer Controllers: It is an important part of the hardware because it enables the communication between the software and the hardware devices. The communication can be done through software or hardware terms. There are different types of computer controllers. They include peripheral devices, primary controllers, system management units (SMS), network controllers, physical layer controllers, digital signal controllers and digital logic controllers. All these are essential for the proper functioning of the computers.

Operating System: It is a program that operates directly on the CPU without the presence of any software. There are many different operating systems available for a CPU. The most common ones are Unix, Windows and Mac OS. A Unix operating system includes many different applications like web browser, mail client, web server, etc. Windows operating system includes the word processing application, office suite, spreadsheet application, Access database, Solitaire game, Internet Explorer, Flash player, and many other common applications.

Computer Application Software: This kind of software makes use of the CPU to run applications that are written for the CPU. There are various kinds of computer application software available for different purposes. Some examples of such application software are application software for database development, office software, desktop publishing programs, Internet server, video player, graphic design applications and many more. There are many different applications software available for the computers including desktop publishing application software, spreadsheets application software, office productivity application software, and many more.