2 - Hardware

Abstract

Basic computer configurations include four components, namely, input, processor, storage, and output. The heart and soul of a system is the processor. It accepts information, integrates and manipulates it, and can perform logical operations on it. However, the processor alone is useless. Like the human brain, it can reach its full potential only if it has a meaningful flow of information to it. It can impact on the world only to the degree to which it can communicate its findings to the outside world. This chapter discusses the components individually and in a manner that is intended to communicate to the user the most important information quickly and efficiently. However, the reader should understand that using computers effectively is, in part, dependent on how much the user knows about the existing hardware. Staying current on hardware will be a continuing need for the serious user. The fast-paced developments in technology suggest that the future may provide even more uses than one can at present conceptualize. If the behavioral sciences fields, such as communication disorders, are to keep pace with the technology, the members must stay abreast of developments and create hardware and software systems that will open the door for use of the potential of the machine.