Technical Information of Hardware, Software, Peripherals and Other Add-ons to Computer Systems from Web Sites - Coursework Example

Introduction The computer comprises of various parts named according to their functions. This paper seeks to collect information about hardware, software, peripherals and add- on components of the computers. Add-ons to computer systems enhance the computer’s function ability. An add-on is a product that complements another product. Commonly, the term add-ons have been used to refer to hardware components of the computer also called expansion boards. It is necessary to note that add-on products also exist for software applications. A excellent example is the generation program attached to the popular database giving it enhanced capabilities. Hardware Computer hardware refers to those parts of the computer that are tangible. The hardware makes up the physical aspect of the computer. It is necessary to note that the hardware alone does not make up a computer. Even so, computer hardware is critical to computer functions. The best way to understand is by diagrammatic representation. Consider a desktop PC; Software The computer’s software refers to intangible parts of a computer (computer programs).Computer software defines the complexity of a computer’s operation. Basically, the software constitutes programs core to the functioning of the computer. The software instructs the hardware on what to do. The computer’s software can be divided into three; 1. System software 2. Application Software 3. Programming software In this case, consider the system software which operates the hardware of a computer. The system software is the most common software people utilize every day. It includes; 1. Device drivers 2. Operating System 3. Servers 4. Utilities 5. Window systems In the list, the main software required for running a computer is the operating system. This is the originator of the computer commands. Note that this is only one version of an operating system. There are various operating systems from different companies, each with specifications. The illustration below shows the positions of the software in the running if a desktop. The functioning of computer components This part focuses on the working of components such as BIOS, Bus structures, Memory and Operating systems. Bios This is the basic input/output system of a computer. It links the hardware and the operating system by providing access to the system hardware. It also enables the creation of the operating system used to run applications. This allows the user to control the hardware settings for booting and provides setup program to change program parameters. The BIOS uses a POST routine (power-on self- test) to perform diagnostics and initializes systems components. The POST routine is split into three phases, with failures indicated by either beep codes and /or screen messages. The computer then precedes its final bootup stage by calling the operating system. The BIOS setup programs are entered by pressing a particular key combination. The Bios setting is in charge of the date/time setup, daylight savings, changing password and video display settings. Bus structures For the many internal devices of a computer to communicate with each other, buses are used for data sharing by data transfer, addressing using address lines, supplying power to various peripherals and to provide a system clock for timing of events. The buses are grouped into data buses, which are used for data transfer, control bus used to coordinate and indicate the direction of the transfer of data and an address bus to specify different locations. A system bus links the CPU with the main memory and the cache. This is the main bus of the computer. The other I/O buses are used for connecting various computer devices to the CPU. Peripherals Computer peripherals are devices connected to the CPU using a cable. These are essentially the input/output devices such as keyboard, printer, mouse, joy stick, scanner attached to the CPU using wired or wireless connection. They are add-on hardware that widen the scope of a computer’s abilities. They also come in the form of devices that add to a computer’s memory; for example, a hard drive and the CD-ROM drive. A keyboard is one of the main input devices for a computer. It is used to text in commands using the keys provided in a typewrites arrangement with distinct functions keys such as the escape and control keys. A mouse is used to control cursor movements and selecting icon, words and menu provided on the screen. A track ball commonly known as the touchpad is also used for the same use as the mouse on laptops and palmtops. Modems are also peripheral devices used as communication links between a computer and internet service provider. A joystick is used to control and play computer games. A scanner as a peripheral device is used for capturing images from pages or photographs provided to allow for computer editing to either resize, and/ or modify a picture. Computer memory This is where a computer stores current programs and the data in use. The computer memory is divided into two type; ROM (read only memory) and RAM (random access memory). The RAM is the primary storage for the computer which allows for reads, writes, store and retrieve actions which are transferred to the CPU for information and/ or instruction processing. The Ram is volatile memory. In case the power goes off, the stored data is lost. There are two types of RAM, dynamic Ram and static RAM. The ROM is where data is stored permanently using a burner. A user can read data on the chip but is not allowed to alter the stored data. The programmable ROM (PROM) allows users to write on the chip but does not allow for erasure. EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) allows for erasing of written data using a strong, ultra violet source. The main memory acts as a presenting post between the CPU and the hard disk having more data on the Ram makes the processor faster. The memory is connected to the processor via data and address buses. The cache memory is used to reduce the waits states between the processor and the main memory during accesses across the two. This is the fastest memory in a computer where a computer looks for data first. Computer memory pyramid. Operating systems This is software used run in a computer system that allows for executions of computer programs. It acts as an interface or bridge between the computer and the user through a user interface such as command prompt for expert users and graphical user interface for all categories of users. The OS manages all the programs in a computer. Application programs request for services from the operating system using the application program interface. The operating system creates an environment that allows for multitasking and resource sharing by multiple programs accessing the same resource. It also manages the I/O devices. The OS also supports parallel processing by dividing programs in a way that they aare processed different processors each at a time. Component Name Total Price in USD Image Motherboard 191 Monitors: Dell P170S Flat Panel LCD 100.00 Keyboards Dell 4.00 Dell Mouse 2.50 Audio Speakers 30.00 Webcams 15.00 Backup Device( External HDD) 50.00 Powersupply unit 100 RAM 250 Printer 205 Internal Hardrive 91 Central Processing Unit 150 References Hayes, John, 2002. Computer Architecture and Organization. New York: McGraw-Hill Science. Stallings, Williams, 2009. Computer Organization and Architecture: Designing for Performance. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Read More