Basic Structure of a Digital Computer

Basic Structure of a Digital Computer
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Introduction

The Digital (serial) Computer

The main components of a digital computer are :

• Input devices (keyboard, mouse, etc).
• Memory board.
• Central Processing Unit (processor).
• Output devices (video terminal, printer, etc.).

Besides these main components we find slow secondary storing divices, such as floppy disks and hard disks. These can contain data and programs that can be used as input. They also can receive output. Further there may be one ore more control units that check and regulates information-flow (information-traffic).

Figure 1. Von Neumann's computer architecture -- the layout of a typical serial machine. Except with respect to input and output devices, the information-flow is in a back-and-forth fashion.