HARDWARE INPUT DEVICES GETTING DATA INTO THE COMPUTER

These are hardware devices or components that allow a user to enter data or instructions into the computer system. As you enter input into the computer system (input being any data or instructions entered into the memory of a computer), it’s converted to a form that can easily be understood by the computer system – processed and converted into a user friendly format on output. Without the ability to enter data or commands into the computer system, computers would only be display devices.

GETTING DATA INTO THE COMPUTER Computer input can be data, user responses, commands or programs entered into the computer memory – all of which can be supplied by human users or computer systems (for automated systems). Data is a collection of unorganised facts which may include words, numbers, images, sound and videos. Programs are a series of instructions that directs a computer how to perform the tasks necessary to process data into information. Programs respond to user input or commands. Commands are instructions given to the computer to perform a specific action. Commands can be issued by typing keywords, pressing special keys, selecting menu choices and using graphical user interfaces. The last input method being User Responses; instructions that users issue to the computer in response to a question issued by the computer.

Input devices can further be subdivided into manual and automated systems – with manual systems providing more flexibility for data input, while automated systems are quicker and generate fewer mistakes in due process of data input. This is because automated systems are connected to control programs that specify acceptable parameters. Control programs “control” what to do next based on the fed or entered data. Commonly used input devices include; the keyboard, the mouse, microphones, scanners, digital cameras to name a few.

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