CAD Software & Hardware

System Unit

(Chassis) Main part of a microcomputer. Includes the motherboard, microprocessor, memory chips, buses, ports, expansion slots, and cards.

Digitizer Tablet

(Graphics Tablet) Graphics drawing tablet for sketching new images/tracing old ones. For writing/drawing on surface with wire/less pen or puck.

Hard Disk Drive

(Hard Drive) Magnetic storage device inside the computer. Permanent storage for data. Windows: configures HDD to C: drive which contains OS and apps.

Central Processing Unit

(Processor) Brain. Where most of 'computing' takes place. Performs all instructions and calculations to manage the flow of info. (Ex.: Intel Core 2 Duo, AMD Athlon)

System Hardware

CPU, Keyboard, Monitor, Primary Storage Memory (RAM), and Secondary Storage Memory.

Types of Monitor

CRT, LCD, LED

Types of Optical Drive

Compact Disc, Digital Versatile Disc, Blu-ray Disc.

Video Card

Determines screen resolution and number of colors the monitor can display.

Peripherals

Disk drives, Mouse, Digitizers, Printers/Plotters, etc.

Mouse

Hand-held device for controlling cursor/crosshair on screen. For selecting item by pointing and clicking.

Types of Printer

Ink-jet, Laser, LCD, Line, Thermal, 3D.

Two Main Groups of Software

OS and Application.

Printer

Output device for printing info processed by comp.

Plotter

Output device for producing better quality drawings compared to printer. Slower than printer.

Hardware

Physical equipment of the computer system. Divided into system hardware and peripherals.

Keyboard

Principal device for communicating with your computer. Letter keys, punctuation keys, spacebar, functions, numeric keys, arrow keys, alt, ctrl, & enter keys.

OS Software

Provides various levels of interaction (interface) between comp. and user. (Also between comp. and app software)

Monitor

Screen that displays info. Color monitor won't display color unless there's a video card.

Software

Set of programs, applications, procedures, and related documentation associated with the computer system.

Optical Drive

Storage device that uses lasers to read data on optical media.

Puck

Tablet Cursor. Mistakenly called a mouse.