How to Build a PC - Essay Sample

Introduction

A computer is made up of a combination of the hardware and software components. The software activates the physical components of the computer as both parts need to perform uniformly for the smooth running of the computer (Patterson and Hennessy, 2013). This section of the essay discusses the essential software and hardware for a functioning computer.

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Hardware

Hardware refers to the computing devices and equipment attached to them (Patterson and Hennessy, 2013). Advances in technology have caused a quick evolution of computer hardware which has allowed for the development of affordable devices with increased performance. This part of the essay discusses the essential hardware components of a functioning computer.

Motherboard

The motherboard is the backbone of nearly all technological devices. This is the hardware responsible for holding essential parts of the computer such as the processor, memory, hard drive and peripheral ports (Patterson and Hennessy, 2013). Most motherboards nowadays are expandable, making it possible for one to replace the components such as the hard drive as long as there is compatibility.

Processor

This part of the hardware is the brain of the computer. It is also known as the Central Processing Unit and acts as instructed by the programs stored in the computer's memory. The speed of a computer's processor is measured in Megahertz, which indicates the pace at which a processor can read electrical purses (Furuichi et al. 2003). A rate of around 3 GHz is suitable for a middle or high range computer.

Hard Drive

The hard drive stores the programs and files of a computer. Hard Disk Drives (HDD) have become old fashioned and less popular because of advances in technology. This type of drive comprises of magnetic disks which store data. These disks spin under a magnetic arm responsible for reading and writing data (O'Brien and Marakas, 2005). Modern hard drives are called Solid State Drives (SSD) and use electric circuits instead of magnetic disks (Patterson and Hennessy, 2013). This type of drive is faster than the Hard Disk Drive, and its popularity is on the rise.

Graphics Card

A graphics card is also called a video card and comes as either an integrated or expansion card. An integrated video card is usually connected directly to the motherboard and is mostly found as part of the processor. An expansion card, on the other hand, comes as a separate part and is connected to another part of the motherboard called the expansion port. The video card's function is to create the images and graphics that can be displayed on a monitor (Patterson and Hennessy, 2013). This part is, therefore, plays a vital role in visualising the data.

Software

Software, otherwise called programs, consists of instructions that cause hardware to perform a task. These instructions are from a system developer and come in a form that will be accepted by the platform (O'Brien and Marakas, 2005). A program developed for Window, for example, will only work for that specific operating system. The software has the capability of performing a variety of tasks with one hardware. System software runs the computer hardware and includes operating systems, diagnostic tools and device drivers. Application, on the other hand, allows users to perform tasks such as web browsing and word processing (O'Brien and Marakas, 2005). This section of the essay discusses the necessary software for a functioning computer.

Office Suite

It is essential to have a tool in your computer that enables one to deal with documents, presentations and spreadsheets. There are many computer programs to allow this function such as Libre Office and Office 365. Microsoft Office is, however, the king of office productivity. This office software is made up of programs such as Word, Publisher, Powerpoint, Excel and Access (Halvorson and Young, 2001). These programs have different functions ranging from performing computations to creating presentations.

Browser

At one point or the other, we may need our computer to surf the internet. Advances in technology have increased the accessibility and availability of the internet, making it quite strange to find a computer that cannot access the internet. Windows comes with its browser, Internet Browser, but is used by a tiny percentage of computer users. There are other faster browsers which are very popular among many people who love to surf the internet. These programs include Opera Browser, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome (O'Brien and Marakas, 2005).

References

Furuichi, S., Aihara, T., & Shimotono, S. (2003). U.S. Patent No. 6,513,124. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Halvorson, M., & Young, M. J. (2001). Microsoft Office XP inside out. Microsoft Press.

O'Brien, J. A., & Marakas, G. M. (2005). Introduction to information systems (Vol. 13). New York City, USA: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Patterson, D. A., & Hennessy, J. L. (2013). Computer Organization and Design MIPS Edition: The Hardware/Software Interface. Newnes. (Patterson and Hennessy, 2013)