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I/O Ports is short for "Input/Output Ports" and consists of most of your external jacks to connect devices to your computer. Common ports on your computer are PS/2 port, USB, Serial, Parallel(printer), game(joystick), sound, and firewire.
USB PORTS - Universal Serial Bus ports are very common on newer computers.They are fast and easy ways to connect virtually any type of device, such as a printer or scanner, even a digital camera, or webcam. USB ports were designed to end all the headaches that came with trying to connect things to your computer. Many low powered devices such as a mouse or keyboard can connect to the USB port and draw its power directly from the port itself. There is an upgraded version of USB port called USB 2 the port looks the same (and is compatible with older usb ports) but has a faster data transferr rate of 480 megabits per second.
PS/2 Ports - These ports are found on nearly every computer today. They are designed specifically for connecting a mouse and a keyboard to your computer. They are round and have a 6-pin connection. Some older computers have what are called AT ports which look like big ps/2 ports and have the same function.
Serial ports - These ports are odd shaped (parallelogram) ports with pins in them. Serial ports are still found on some new computers today, however, they are not as popular anymore. The most common port has 9 pins in it and can be used to connect a mouse or similar device to it.
Parallel (or Printer) ports - This is another type of serial port, it is much larger than the one above, yet has a similar style and shape. These ports are still used for connecting printers and scanners, and can even support an external drive. These are becoming a less popular way of connecting devices to a computer with the make of USB ports.
Game port - Hard to find anymore, this port is primarily to connect a game controller or joystick.
Speaker In/Out/Mic - These are your audio coneections, one for your external speakers (so you can hear your computer), another to input audio from a device, and the final one to connect a microphone.