Title: Computer Hardware
Course: CPS 120: Introduction to Computer Science ~ Master (Aug/2015) OLD > Section: Learning Units

Main components

- Input devices send data to the CPU.
- Output devices receive data from the CPU.
- Memory holds data.
  - Read-only memory (ROM) contains primary operating system software.
  - Random-access memory (RAM) holds data temporarily for the CPU.
- Storage holds data permanently, whether the CPU is running or not.
- Central processing unit (CPU) controls all other components.

Von Neumann architecture

- Was created by John Von Neumann and is used by all computers.
- Treats software (instructions) and data the same such that they can be placed in memory together.
- Carries out a fetch-decode-execute cycle (at tremendous speed).
- The Von Neumann bottleneck: it’s always taken longer for the CPU to get an instruction than to carry out the instruction.