1.1 Hardware and Software

Hardware
and software
By
Mujjuzi Yasin
mujjuziy@gmail.com 1
Learning intentions
• By the end of this subtopic, you will be

able to explain:
 the differences between hardware and

software
 how hardware and software work
 the characteristics and differences
between analogue and digital data.
Introduction: History of computer
Computers have a long history dating back to the 1800s The concept of the personal computer emerged in the
with the use of wooden punch cards in the fabric industry 1980s, and since then, their use has grown exponentially
and the invention of a steam-powered calculator. across various industries and individuals.
the 1930s and 1940s
1800s 1980s
However, it wasn't until the 1930s and 1940s that

computers began to take shape.
History of computer
• Today, computers and cell phones are used
for business, banking, shopping, education,
and entertainment, and have become an
integral part of society.
• There are five defined generations of
computers, although the precise boundaries
between generations are debated:
History of computer
First generation Third generation Fifth generation
1972 to
1956–1963 present
1940–1956 1964–1971 2010 to

present
Second generation Fourth generation
Hardware
• In analogy to a computer, the human body's
physical parts (like hands, legs, heart, or eyes)
are the hardware, while the brain is the
software.
• The brain controls the body's hardware through
instructions.
• The hardware and software of the human body.
• Hardware refers to the physical components
of a computer,
• And broadly falls into two categories: internal
(inside the computer itself) and external
(outside the computer but connected).
Hardware
Examples of computer hardware
Internal External
Motherboard
RAM Monitor Keyboard Mouse
Graphics card
Sound card
Scanner Printer Webcam
Network interface card
Cooling fan
Digital
Power supply Speaker Microphone
camera
Internal hard disk drive
Activity
• See how many pieces of
hardware you can correctly
label in the interactive below.
Internal
hardware
• Internal hardware
• refers to the physical
components of the computer
system that found inside the
computer.
• Central Processing Unit
(CPU)
• The Central Processing Unit
(CPU) is the ‘brain’ of the
computer. It is the device that
carries out calculations to
complete instructions.
Internal memory
(RAM and
ROM)
• RAM stands for random access
memory and is easily accessible to
the CPU for processing software that
is currently being used.
• ROM stands for read-only
memory and contains the essential
instructions that allow the computer
to run, which is why it cannot be
overwritten.
Motherboard
• The motherboard
• is the main circuit board
in a computer, and
houses the CPU and
internal memory, as
well as connecting to all
other internal
hardware.
Hard disk
drive
• A hard disk drive is a secondary
storage device used to store files
and software. Most computers
have an internal hard disk drive,
but can also be connected to
external hard disk drives for extra
storage.
Optical disc drive
• An optical disc drive is a

secondary storage device
that allows data to be read
from and written to
removable optical storage
such as CDs, DVDs and
Blu-ray discs.
Network
interface card
• A network interface
card (NIC) is an
internal hardware
component used to
connect the computer
to a network and to the
internet.
Graphics
card
• A graphics card allows a
computer to process and
display visual images.
Video games with
complex graphics
require a very powerful
graphics card.
Sound card
• A graphics card allows a computer
to input, process and output sounds.
Most computers will have a simple
sound card built into the
motherboard.
Power supply
• A computer’s power supply
takes electrical power and
distributes it around the
computer system’s internal
devices.
• Refers to the connected components which are
outside the computer system.
• These are often input or output devices.

Examples include:
External  Mouse (input)
hardware  Keyboard (input)
 Monitor (output)
 Printer (output)
 Projector (output)
 USB/pen drives (storage)

Activity
1. Try sorting the devices in the interactive below into internal
and external categories.
2. Fill in the blanks question
…………………………… is a physical device. It works

according to instructions given
by ……………………………………..
3. The components inside the computer cabinet are known

as …………………………….. hardware.
4. Which of the following is an example of external hardware?
A. Monitor
B. Motherboard
C. Sound card
D. Graphics card
Note

1.1 Hardware and Software

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Hardware

• By the end of this subtopic, you will be

 the differences between hardware and

the 1930s and 1940s

However, it wasn't until the 1930s and 1940s that

First generation Third generation Fifth generation

1940–1956 1964–1971 2010 to

Second generation Fourth generation

• An optical disc drive is a

• These are often input or output devices.

 USB/pen drives (storage)

2. Fill in the blanks question

…………………………… is a physical device. It works

3. The components inside the computer cabinet are known

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