In this section of
chapter 2, a background on computer systems components and how they operate is
discussed. A personal computer system has two meanings. It can be any computer
that uses pc’s for core processing operations or it can be personal computer, software,
or peripheral devices that have the ability to be connected together for a
single user. A peripheral device can designate input, output, and storage
equipment that might be added to a computer to enhance its functionality.
A basic personal computer system might be composed of a
CD/DVD drive, system unit or tower which is the computer itself, hard drive,
graphics card, sound card, modem, or network card, speakers, display devices
such as monitors, mice and printers, fax machines or scanners. These are all basic things that personal
computers systems might have.
There are a variety of personal computers on the market.
There are portable computers, which are small lightweight personal computers
with screen, keyboard, storage and processing components put into a single
unit. There are netbook computers, also referred to as laptops, which is the
same thing as a portable computer only a laptop opens up like a clamshell.
Tablet computers are portable computing devices that feature a touch screen
that can be utilized like a writing or drawing pad.
As far as different personal computers go, it’s really
about what you want. Home computer systems have tools and computer
configurations for mostly personal tasks. Gaming computers can also be used for
simple tasks at home, but these pc’s have some of the fastest processors, and
have lots of memory, with state of the art sound cards and graphics cards.
Computers aimed for the small business people tend to be middle of the line
models striped down to essentials, nothing fancy.
Once you get the pc you want, the next question you
should ask yourself is what software to use. Today there are three main
platforms for operating systems. And these are the PC platform or Windows,
Macintosh platform or Apple, and the Linux platform. Nearly all computers have
preinstalled software on them fresh out of the box. You can always upgrade your
computer later on if you wish, such as add more memory, RAM, better graphics
card, sound card, etc. Some people mod their computers to make them better or
more powerful than they were originally. As far as where to buy a computer, the
options are endless, there are many places online to find computers, as well as
the retail stores themselves, such as Apple.
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