Basic parts of a PC

All of the parts of the personal computer are going to be discussed in detail in the later chapters but for now, it would be good if you get an idea of all the basic parts that personal computers share in common. First, all computers process some form of data or information. This means that all computers have a processor. Second, computers have output devices like monitors and speakers which tell the user what is happening at any given time. Third, computers have input devices like keyboards and mouses that are used to give commands to the computer. Fourth, computers have storage. Storage can come in the form of disk drives or chips. Fifth, computers have a motherboard that connects all these aforementioned devices together. Sixth, in computers that are connected or wired, there is a communication device installed like a modem or WiFi.

The Von Neumann Architecture

Computers that follow the Processor-Memory-Input-Output model are considered to be Von Neumann. John Von Neumann is the scientist who came up with this architecture and his model is still widely used today. Are there other computer architecture models out there? Yes, there are other models like parallel architecture and sequential architecture but studying them at this point will simply confuse you. Right now, it is best to stick to the most basic, most popular, and most effective computer hardware architecture today. One of the reasons why the PC and the Macintosh are considered to be the same thing is because they both follow the Von Neumann architecture. Think about your mobile phone now. Does it follow the Von Neumann architecture or not?

In the Von Neumann Architecture, the Logic Unit and the Control Unit are parts of the Processor (You will learn more about this in the next chapter). The Memory is your storage. The Input and Output are your devices.