Computer Hardware

The computer hardware and peripherals can determine the accuracy and efficiency of the data entered in a computer system. In the following few pages you will learn the most accurate input devices for printed questionnaires, telephone surveys, bank checks, retail tags and long documents. We will then discuss the best way to achieve quality and convenience from output devices for hand held computers, color photographs, resumes, memorandums, statistical reports, and company annual reports. Storing your data is important for possible output at a later time we will define the optimal storage devices when to use a hard disk, a floppy disk, RAM, a CD ROM, or a tape. Finally we will explain the role of clock speed, data on hard disks, data on CD ROMs, and data on floppy disks in determining the speed at which your computer runs.

The choice of input device is important to achieve accuracy from any information entered into the system.

English: 2.88 MB floppy disk drive

English: 1.2 MB floppy disk drive

Imation USB 3.5" floppy disk drive

Printed questionnaires, bank checks and retail tags would be entered using scanners. The scanner that is used is also important, a printed questionnaire and bank checks would use and optical character recognition or OCR scanner to scan and record the information into the computer system. (Tyson, 2001) A retail tag on the other hand would need use a radio frequency identification or RFID. These readers can also be fixed to allow customers to access instant price readouts for the product. (System ID Warehouse, 2003) Telephone surveys and long documents can utilize voice recognition software to have the computer do the typing for you. Voice recognition software has improved over the years and now provides a viable solution to typing the input into the computer yourself, it even allows formatting capabilities for your document. (Baig, 2007)Our next topic discusses the best way to achieve...