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Hardware Refers to objects that you can actually touch, like disks, disk drives, display screens, keyboards, printers, boards, and chips. Source: Webopedia Or simply put the boxes and wires. As part of your technology planning process, someone on your tech team will be rolling up their sleeves and doing an inventory of your organization's hardware (and software.) While you may not need to know how to take your computer apart or put it back together, you should at minimum become familiar with the terms and functions of each of the major parts of a computer system,. If you're not sure whether it is a modem or microwave, here's a fun way to learn ! Printers, computers, modems, and monitors have been become essential tools for nonprofit organizations. However, they don't last forever! Hardware must be treated as consumable expenses like office supplies. They will need to be replaced every 2-3 years. Inefficient hardware not only wastes your organization's productivity, but it also affects morale. Many organizations replace hardware on a staggered basis, so that roughly one-third of workstations are being replaced every year. This strategy will keep costs incremental and avoids weakening infrastructure. Your planning tasks related to hardware will be: * Inventory existing hardware to determine what is obsolute and a replacement schedule * Determine what hardware is needed to do your organization's work * Researching hardware options and prices with vendors and on the Web. Resources TechSoup: An Introduction to Hardware TechSoup: A Simple Guide To Buying Computers TechSoup: Hardware Assessment Questions ZDNet's Desktop Buyer's Guide Reflections Is a computer upgrade in your future? What will you need to research?
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