Ports - External connecting sockets on the outside of the computer.
This is a pathway
into and out of the computer. A port lets users plug in outside peripherals, such as
monitors, scanners and printers.
Table 1. The Ports and their function
Type of Port Function Illustration
Serial Port Intended for serial type
mouse and older camera
Parallel Port Also called as printer port.
This is only for old model
printer. It has 25 pins. It is a
female port.
VGA (Video Graphic Used to connect monitors.
Array) Port It has 15 pins and it is a
female port.
USB (Universal Serial High speed serial interface
Bus) Port that is used with almost all
devices. It is used to
connect latest model
printers, pen drives, cell
phones etc. it has 4 pins.
PS/2 Port Simple, 6-pin, low-speed
serial connections
commonly dedicated to a
keyboard and mouse.
Power Port Intended for power cord.
Type of Port Function Illustration
S-Video Port S-Video connections are
available on certain source
components and video
display devices, and offer a
higher level of video
performance over
composite video signals.
Audio Port Intended for plugging in the
speaker or headset.
LAN (Local Area A physical interface often
Networking) Port used for terminating twisted
pair type cables used to
connect computers onto a
local-area networks (LAN),
especially Ethernet RJ-45
connectors
E. Cables and Wires- A cable is most often two or more wires running side by side
and bonded, twisted or braided together to form a single assembly, but can also refer
to a heavy strong rope.
Table 2. The Cables and Connectors
Illustration Function
These jacks are intended for
the PS/2 port specifically for
PS/2 type of keyboard and
mouse.
This type of jack is intended
for the audio and microphone
port.
Illustration Function
S-video jack is obviously for
S-Video port
This monitor jack is intended
for the VGA (Video Graphic
Array) port
This USB (Universal Serial
Bus) plug is intended for USB
port. Modern or new model of
peripherals like printer,
camera, scanners and even
other portable computer
attachments used USB type
of plugs.
This printer cable jack is
intended for the parallel port.
RJ45 ("RJ" in RJ45 stands for
"registered jack," since it is a
standardized networking
interface and the "45" simply
refers to the number of the
interface standard) is a type
of connector commonly used
for Ethernet networking.
Illustration Function
Power cord is the most
important cord because it
connects the computer to the
main source of electricity to
make it functional.
1.2 Software is the set of instructions (also called a program) that guides the
hardware to operate effectively. Software can be split into two main types:
1. System Software – Any software required
to support the production or execution of
application programs, but which is not
specific to any particular application.
Common operating systems include
Windows, the Macintosh OS, OS/2 and
UNIX.
LINUX
MAC
WINDOWS
2. Application Software – Designed to help
the user to perform singular or multiple
related tasks. Examples of application
software are as follows:
a. Word processing software - Creates, edits, saves, and prints documents.
Example: MS Word, WordPerfect, Ami Pro, MacWrite.
b. Spreadsheet software - An electronic spreadsheet consisting of rows and
columns is used to present and analyze data. Example: MS Excel, Lotus 123,
Quattro Pro.
c. Database management software - Used to structure a database, a large
collection of computer programs. Data is organized as fields and records for easy
retrieval. Example: MS Access, dBase, Fox Pro, Oracle.
d. Graphic software - Graphics programs display results of data manipulation for
easier analysis and presentation. Example: Macromedia Flash, Harvard Graphics,
3D Studio Max, Adobe Photoshop
1.3 People ware - Refers to people involved in the data
processing operations such as the system administrator,
office workers, students and others.
Process
Task 1: Performance Test
Direction: Given the different cables, identify their functions as well as the part of
computer system each one supports.
1.
2.
3. 4.
5.
6.
7. 8.
