The physical components of a computer system, which we can see touch and feel. Such as the computer itself, its modules and peripherals (the input/output devices and auxiliary storage units) are called hardware. It constitutes:
a. Processor Unit
The heart of any computer system is the processor unit, which consists of primary storage, arithmetic-logic and control elements. These would be taken up later in detail.
b. Input Devices
Input is the process of entering and translating incoming data into machine-readable form so that the computer can process them. Any hardware item that is attached to the main unit of a computer that houses the Central Processing Unit (CPU) is referred to as a Peripheral Device. An input device is a peripheral device through which data are entered and transformed into machine-readable form. Example: Punch Cards, Card Reader, keyboard Mouse etc..
c. Output Devices
Output is the process of translating data in machine-readable form into a form understandable to humans or readable by machines. The information that is the result of processing is also often referred to as output. An output device is a peripheral device that allows a computer to communicate information to humans or another machine by accepting data from the computer and transforming them into a usable form. Output that can be understood by humans can be categorized as:
(a) Hard Copy - Output such as paper that can be read immediately or stored and read later.
(b) Soft Copy - Screen displayed output.
Hardcopy and Softcopy Output
There are two basic categories of computer-produced output: (1) output for immediate use by people, and (2) output that is stored in computer-usable form for later use by the computer (and eventually, of course, by people). Output can, be in either hardcopy or softcopy form. Hardcopy refers to information that has been recorded on a tangible medium (generally meaning that you can touch it) such as paper or microfilm. Softcopy generally refers to the output displayed on a computer screen. Many people think of information recorded in computer-usable form as softcopy output because they cannot see the magnetic spots recorded on the tape or disk- however, since the recording medium is indeed tangible, this form of output could be classified as hardcopy.
In the past few years, interest in the presentation of information in the form of graphic images has grown substantially, partially because of improvements in the quality, of graphics hardware and advancements in the capabilities and flexibility of graphics software. Graphic output such as bar graphs and pie charts can be output in hardcopy and softcopy form. So can animation, which can be viewed on a computer screen (softcopy) or output in computer-usable form on a disk or diskette (hardcopy).
Paper is one of the most widely used hardcopy output media. Paper products come in a variety of forms including:
1.Lined computer paper (II x14 5/8 inches).
2.Plain computer paper (8 1/2 x 11 inches).
3.Special preprinted forms.
4. Labels.
Individually placing these paper products in an output device (such as a printer) takes a lot of time, so they available in continuous form.
The other most widely used output medium is the softcopy video display image. The two types of display screen used most often are a computer terminal connected to a large computer system and a monitor attached to a microcomputer system.
The advantages and disadvantages of each output medium must be considered carefully to ensure that output produced in the most usable form.
When computer display devices are not readily available and information has some value over time, it is produced as hardcopy.
When computer display devices are readily available and information must be quickly accessible, it is produced as softcopy.
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