Nếu bạn đã từng làm việc với danh sách, số, 3-x-5 thẻ, các nhà tài chính, cổ phiếu, trái phiếu, hoặc các tài khoản ngân hàng Thụy Sĩ, hoặc nếu bạn kinh doanh plutonium từ Liên Xô cũ, bạn cần một máy tính. Nếu bạn đang mua một máy tính để bổ sung cho các văn phòng của bạn, | Chapter 4 Introduction to Hardware and Software Jn This Chapter All about hardware The microprocessor The motherboard All about software The operating system How everything works together ome scientists strive to find out what is the stuff that the universe is made of. According to the old Disneyland attraction Adventures Through Inner Space I knew at age 9 that the universe was composed of molecules which are made up of atoms. At the center of the atom is the scary nucleus and we dare not shrink any further Yet some scientists push onward smaller and smaller. The scientists who work with computers are pretty sure that the entire computer universe can be divided into two parts hardware and software. And they dare not shrink further In fact when you know that the two biggest pieces of the computer universe are hardware and software you re pretty much done the ride is over. Collect all your belongings exit your car on the right and please buy some Disney merchandise. This chapter covers the basics of all computer systems hardware and software. You gotta know which is which because one is much more important than the other. It s when you don t know which is more important that you end up buying a computer that may not be right for you. 46 Part I Understanding the Whole Ordeal Hardware The Hard Stuff Computer hardware is easy to identify It s anything you can touch. The monitor computer box console keyboard printer modem and doodads inside the box it s all hardware. 1 If you can touch it it s hardware. If you drop it on your foot and you say ouch it s probably hardware. Here s one that baffles most people Floppy disks and CD-ROM discs are hardware. Even though they store software the disks themselves are hardware. The software like music on a cassette tape is not the hardware on which it s stored. The most important piece of hardware is the computer s microprocessor. The microprocessor the main piece of hardware All hardware in any computer is geared to work best with
