Hardware Module
It is hard to believe that a pocket calculator has more power than the
Eniac computer pictured above and to your left. The Eniac computer took
up a whole room and required several engineers to keep running. The Apple
PowerPC pictured above and to the right is an example of one of the desktop
computers that is more power than the computers used to take men to the
moon.
Today's computers are more powerful because they can process information
faster. The increase in processing speed allows the computer to run increasingly
more complex Software
that controls more complex devices. The combination of faster processors
and complex Software
allows computers to solve problems and make predictions that were once
considered impossible. Despite the change in the computer's size &
speed since their introduction they still perform the same tasks. A listing
of the major computer
manufactures found on the net was compiled by Yahoo.
If you are interested buying a Personal Computer, checkout Intel's
On-line PC Buyer's Guide.
Every computer performs three tasks: The computer takes in information
(INPUT) , (PROCESS)es the information, and then sends the
information back to the user (OUTPUT) .
Hardware is any object/device that performs one or more of the above
functions. They are categorized by the function they perform for the computer.
Computer Works, a computer tutorial available for use, is located at the
Student Computing Lab in Payne Hall at ASU or for purchase from Software
Marketing Association. How Computers Work and How MACs Work are two books
available from Ziff Davis Press that describe how hardware works in greater
detail.
Jon Storslee