Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
10 Introduction to Microsoft Offi fice
of the computer. Generally speaking, there are four main hardware
components to a computer:
• input device
• memory
• processor
• output device
This is the minimum hardware for a computer. If a device does not
have all four components, it is not a computer.
All computers are also basically the same in terms of functions, which
are parallel to the basic hardware. A computer is defi by these four fined
basic capabilities or functions:
• accept data input
• store data
• process data
• produce output
This is the minimum functional defi of a computer. If a device finition
does not have all four functions, it is not a computer. A computer with its
attached devices is called a computer system.
Attached devices that are not critical to computer operation are called
peripheral devices, or peripherals.
Input
The input function translates data from the human world into
computer data. Input can be described as data that are entered, scanned,
or otherwise sent to a computer system. The data can originate from a
person, the environment, or another computer.
Examples of input are:
• adding words and numbers into documents;
• setting the temperature in a thermostat
containing an embedded computer;
• activating a sensor in a computerized
house alarm system;
• scanning a photograph;
• recording video with a camcorder;
• loading an MP3 file; and fi
• sending an e-mail or tweet.
An input device provides the computer with
data on which it can act, as shown in Figure 1-7.
The input device is the basis of interaction with a
computer. Data can be entered from a keyboard,
key pad, touch pad, mouse, scanner, camera,
microphone, or game controller.
Storage
Storage is where data are kept by the
computer so the information can be viewed,
Shetsoff Women Girls/Shutterstock.com
Figure 1-7. This musician is using several input
devices, including a mouse, computer keyboard, and
MIDI music keyboard.