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Parts of a Computer Desktop


The parts of a computer desktop can be broken down in two groups. It is important to point out that the word computer defines a single device; however, a computer isn’t made up of a single part but of a group of many working together as one.

The first group consists of the basic parts that you first notice when you see a computer. The monitor, keyboard, mouse, and computer tower.

The second group would be the parts you don’t see, the ones inside the tower that make the computer work together. We’ll study these second group in the next section. First, let’s study all the parts or a computer in group one.

Visible parts of a computer - group one:

The Monitor

One of the main parts of a computer in group one is the monitor. This is your display screen and It works by connecting it to the video port in the back of the computer casing. There are two main types of computer monitors, cathode ray tube (CRT) and liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors.

The keyboard

The keyboard is the piece of hardware that looks like the old typewriter keyboard. It allows you to type words on the screen or navigate through operating system to accomplish different tasks. There are many different types of keyboards in terms of shapes, sizes, and features, but the keys themselves are organized the same standard way as the typewriter was.

There are three types of keyboards, PS/2 keyboard, USB keyboard, and wireless keyboard. Each of these refers to the type of connection they use to communicate with the computer, so each type simply means how they connect to the computer for the keyboard to work.

The mouse

The mouse is an electronic device ergonomically shaped to fit well in the palm of your hand. It is known as a pointing device because it allows you to point to objects on the screen and execute a task thanks to its graphic interface.

When you look at all the parts of a computer, the mouse will probably strike you as the oddest looking device and yet it plays such an important role when you use it because it saves you time browsing through the operating system. It works in conjunction with the keyboard allowing you to navigate much faster and more efficiently.

With the click of a button you can send and request information to the computer, you can turn on and off any program in your computer, and you can also shut down your computer with it. The standard mouse has three buttons (a left button, a right button, and a wheel in the center which is also a button). The buttons on the mouse are meant for specific tasks.

  1. The left button is an executable button. It executes the command to open or close any program.

  2. The right button opens submenus of programs.

  3. The wheel button purpose is to scroll up or down on windows, and webpages that are larger than what the screen can display. You can use the button to open links and they will open in new tabs when you’re surfing the internet.

Some mice have more than the standard three buttons to accomplish other things. These will typically require a software installation for those extra buttons to work properly.

Just like the keyboards and their three different types of connection (PS/2, USB and wireless), the mice come in those types of connections as well. There are four different types of mice – the mechanical mouse, the optical mouse, the trackball mouse, and the touchpad mouse.

The computer tower

The computer case is the external box or outer shell container that houses all of the internal parts of a computer. They come in many different styles, and they are also made of different materials such as metal, acrylic, or plastic. The front face of the case has a power button that is connected to the mainboard inside to allow you to power the computer "On" or "Off".

Now that you understand the parts of a computer, the next topic is our second group - inside the computer.

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Return from parts of a computer to computer basics

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