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Some of the main devices for inputting data into a computer such as mice, keyboards, trackballs, scanners, touch pads, light pens, joysticks etc.

The Mouse The mouse came into common use on a PC with the introduction of the Operating system. Before this, the operating system (DOS) would normally be controlled via the keyboard. the early mouse had a rollerball. A commonly used model in 2009 is the optical mouse which allows additional functionally and fine control over the use of your applications. It normally has 2 buttons and a centre wheel which is used for scrolling.

The Keyboard The keyboard is still the commonest way of entering information into a computer. There are a number of different types. The quality of the keyboard is often overlooked when buying a PC; it should be robust and easy to use.

Tracker Balls A tracker ball is an alternative to the traditional mouse and favored by graphic designers. Tracker balls often give much finer control over the movement of the items on the screen. They may take a while to get used to if you are used to the traditional mouse, but offer a lot in terms of added flexibility.

Scanners A scanner allows you to scan printed material and convert it into a file format that

may be used within the PC. You can scan pictures and then manipulate these inside the PC using a graphics application of your choice. In addition, you can scan printed text and convert this not just to a picture of the text but also to actual text that can be manipulated and edited as text within your word-processor. There are a number of specialist programs, generically called OCR (Optical Character Recognition) programs that are specifically designed for converting printed text into editable text within your applications.

Touch Pads A touch pad is a device that lays on the desktop and responds to pressure.

Used in conjunction with a special pen they can be used by graphic artists wishing to create original, digital artwork.

Light Pens A light pen is used to allow users to

point to areas on a screen and is often used to select menu choices. It is early technology which has been superceded by the touch screen monitor.

Joysticks Many games require a joystick for the proper playing of the game.

There are many different types, the more sophisticated respond to movement in 3 axis directions, as well as having a number of configurable buttons. Like most things in life you get what you pay for with joysticks and it is worth investing in a good, strongly constructed model, especially bearing in mind that children will hammer these devices while playing games!

It takes an awful lot of CPU processing power to convert the spoken word into text that appears on the screen! Things are changing rapidly however and recent systems allow you to talk to a PC and see text appear on the screen. Most of these systems require an initial training period, where you train the software to respond to your particular voice. While still not perfect this is a key technology of the future!

Web Cams Ever since it was invented, the Web has become increasingly interactive.

Webcams are mounted on the PC monitor or built into the PC monitor to allow two-way communication involving not just text communication but sound and video communication as well.

Digital Cameras A digital camera can be used in the same way a traditional camera can, but instead of storing images on rolls of film which require developing, the images are stored digitally in memory housed within the camera.

These pictures can easily be transferred to your computer and then manipulated within any graphics programs that you have installed on your computer.

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