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Assignment 1 : Reflective Essay

Student ID 7E4B3776
Name BONG WOAN HUEY
Group 1C3
Essay Topic INPUT DEVICE
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................... 3
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INPUT DEVICE........................................................................................................ 4

KEYBOARD............................................................................................................. 4

MOUSE................................................................................................................... 5

TRACKBALL............................................................................................................ 5

TOUCHPAD............................................................................................................. 6

TOUCH SCREEN..................................................................................................... 6

CONCLUSION AND PERSONAL VIEW.......................................................................7

REFERENCES......................................................................................................... 8

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INTRODUCTION

Input is a data or instruction entered into the memory of a computer (Shelly &
Vermaat 2011, Chap 5, 234). Input can take a lot of form, from a commands that you
enter from the keyboard, it change the data into information. Then the instruction
entered into the computer or device. For example, a program. A program is a series
of instruction that tells a computer to do what and how to do it. Usually the
programmer will stores the program in a file that allow a user can to execute it. When
user run a program, the program that in storage medium will change into memory
which is computers memory. Programs respond to command that a user issues and
a user response is an instruction a user issue.

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INPUT DEVICE

An input device is any peripheral used to provide data and control signal to computer
(ftms , 2013). It allows user to enter data, programs , commands , user responses
and instructions into a computer by a piece of hardware (Shelly & Vermaat 2006,
Chap 5, 236). Without any input devices, a computer are not allow user to interact
with it.

KEYBOARD

A keyboard is the most common input device. A keyboard contains keys that allow a
user to enter data and instruction into the computer. By using a keyboard, we can
type document, play games, or perform a variety of other task. All computer
keyboards have 101 to 105 keys which includes the alphabets, number and other
character (Shelly & Vermaat 2006, Chap 5, 238). There also have many key types
include in keyboard such as function key, control key, arrow key, and keypad. In
addition, keyboard also available with many type. The example of the type of
keyboard is standard keyboard, laptop keyboard, gaming and multimedia keyboard,
thumb-sized keyboard, virtual keyboard, and foldable keyboard. Beside the different
type of keyboard, there also have different types of keyboard layout. It have 4 types
of layouts. First is QWERTY layout. It is a common layout. Next there have QWERTZ
layout, AZERTY layout and DVORAK layout (Maninder, 2010). Furthermore, inventor
have design a keyboard which name as ergonomics keyboard. It is design to
minimize the chance of injuries on wrist and hand. This keyboard is design for the
employees so that they can have comfort, efficiency, and safety in the workplace
(Shelly & Vermaat 2006, Chap 5, 238).

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MOUSE

A computer have an accessorise named as mouse. The function of mouse is used to

point a particular place on the screen or give selection such as button, a menu, an
icon, a link, or text. Most of the mouse design with two buttons on the top. We
usually use a mouse to point, click, right-click, doubled-click, drag, right-drag, rotate
wheel, and press wheel. There have two types of mouse which is mechanical mouse
and optical mouse. Mechanical mouse is a mouse that have rubber or metal ball on
its underside while optical mouse is a mouse has no moving mechanical parts inside.
Instead it use a laser to detect the mouse movement (Shelly & Vermaat 2006, Chap
5, 239). Apart from that, there have many way to connect a mouse to computer.
There can connect with serial port, mouse port, or USB port on the system.
Nowadays there have a mouse named as wireless mouse or cordless mouse. This
kind of mouse is a battery-powered device. Its transmit a data through radio waves
or infrared light waves.

TRACKBALL

A trackball is similar to mechanical mouse because it has a ball on the bottom.

Trackball is a stationery pointing device with a ball on its top or side. Trackballs are
often configured with portable computers and workstations (Larry & Nancy Fifth
edition, Chap 5,134). User can rotate the ball in your thumb, finger, or the palm of
your hand (Shelly & Vermaat 2006, Chap 5, 241). Frequency cleaning for trackball
are high, because trackball pick up oils from finger and dust from the environment.
The one most attract people to use it is user can used trackball who have limited
desk space and a trackball is better than mouse because the device is stationery.

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TOUCHPAD

Touchpad usually design on notebook computer. Its is a small pressure and motion
sensitive of small, flat, rectangular pointing device. To using a touchpad, you just
need to slide your finger across the surface of the pad (Shelly & Vermaat 2006,
Chap 5, 241). In addition, some touchpad come along with button, it work like a
mouse, you can tap the pads surface to imitate mouse operation such as clicking.
Touchpad is easy and fast on one finger control but it is expensive.

TOUCH SCREEN

Nowadays many phone are design with touch screen. A touch screen is a touch-
sensitive display device. It allow the user to operate by touching area of the screen
with a finger or hand. Kiosks is the one of the example of touch screen. This kiosks
usually used at airport to give travellers to print tickets that had ordered online or
check in and check out hotels. ATM machine also use the technology of touch
screen. Touch screen only require a screen, so it no extra peripherals. Touch screen
allow you touch word, picture, number, letter, or location identified on the screen. It
cannot enter a large data because they require a lot of arm movement (Shelly &
Vermaat 2006, Chap 5, 243).

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CONCLUSION AND PERSONAL VIEW

Through attending the lecture and tutorial lesson about computer hardware, I know
that computer hardware are categorised to two which is input device and output
device. I also learn that not only computer have input device instead in our
surrounding also have many input device. In addition, we also need to thankful for
those people who invention input device , they make our life more complete with
input device. Although each of the input device have its pros and cons, but without
input device, we cannot give the proper command and instructions to the computer.

(1004 words)

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REFERENCES

Gary B. Shelly , Thomas J. Cashman and Misty E. Vermaat. 2006. Discovering

Computers: A Gateway To Information , Web Enhanced Complete.

Bostan: Course Technology.

Larry Long and Nancy Long. Fifth Edition. Introduction To Computers and
Information system.

Upper Saddle River : Prentice Hall International.

James A. OBrien and George M. Marakas. Tenth Edition. Management Information

Systems. E-Book.

New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin

Gary B Shelly and Misty E. Vermaat. 2011. Discovering Computers 2011: Living in a
Digital World. Boston: E-book

FTMSGlobal College. 12 JUN 2013. Chapter 3 - Input Devices.

http://www.ftms.edu.my/images/Document/CSCA0101%20-%20Computing
%20Basics/csca0101_ch03.pdf

Maninder Kaur. 29 AUG 2010. Input device.

http://www.eazynotes.com/notes/information-technology/slides/input-devices-
handouts.pdf

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