A computer is simply an electronic data handling machine. The final stage of data handling is output. This can be achieved in several different ways, the two most common are on screen and printing. These two devices produce softcopy and hardcopy respectively. Softcopy is the ICT term that describes a document or image that is only available on a screen. Hardcopy is the word used to describe a file that has been printed out. A 3D printer is an output device that can be used to print objects rather than just printing something on paper. The objects are built up from specailly designed plastics... Show more

A computer is simply an electronic data handling machine. The final stage of data handling is output. This can be achieved in several different ways, the two most common are on screen and printing. These two devices produce softcopy and hardcopy respectively. Softcopy is the ICT term that describes a document or image that is only available on a screen. Hardcopy is the word used to describe a file that has been printed out.

A 3D printer is an output device that can be used to print objects rather than just printing something on paper. The objects are built up from specailly designed plastics or molten metal. It is possible to 3D print articles that would be difficult and much more expensive to manufacture using conventional means.

There are many more output devices, each has a purpose.

If the output required is from a sound file, a loudspeaker is the correct output device. If the output is a video, a screen is appropriate unless it has to be shown to an audience. You would need to use a projector. In factories, computers control a large variety of output devices from simple things like lights and alarms to robots and laser cutting machines.

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