Tower computer

A computer usually has a device to store software applications and files. Two examples of
storage devices are the floppy drive and the hard drive. A slot in the front of the computer easily
identifies the floppy drive. The floppy drive allows data storage to floppy disks (sometimes called
diskettes or disks) that can be used in other computers. Floppy disks store less information than
hard drives. The hard drive, sometimes called hard disk, is a rectangular box normally inside the
computer’s case that is sealed to keep out dust and dirt. In a desktop computer, the hard drive is
normally mounted below or beside the floppy drive. A CD drive holds disks (CDs) that have data,
music, or software applications on them. A popular alternative to a CD drive is a DVD drive (digital
versatile disk drive), which supports CDs as well as music and video DVDs.
The motherboard is the main circuit board located inside a PC and contains the most electronics.
It is normally located on the bottom of a desktop or laptop computer and mounted on
the side of a tower computer. Other names for the motherboard include mainboard, planar, or
systemboard. The motherboard is the largest electronic circuit board in the computer. The keyboard
frequently connects directly to the back of the motherboard, although some computers
have a keyboard connection in the front of the case. Figure 1.4 shows a different view of a tower
computer with a hard drive, floppy drive, power supply, motherboard, and DVD drive. Notice that
the floppy drive has a slot in the front of the computer, whereas the hard drive does not.