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Finally... An Easy To Understand
Introduction To Computers
By Roger A. Pendey
When you mention the word "technology," most people think about computers.
Virtually every facet of our lives has some computerized component. The
appliances in our homes have microprocessors built into them, as do our
televisions. Even our cars have a computer. However, the computer that
everyone thinks of first is typically the personal computer, or PC.
It is a general-purpose tool, built around a microprocessor. A PC has many
different parts such as memories, a hard disk, a modem, etc., that work
together. A PC is said to be "general purpose" because you can do many
different things with it like: you can use it to type documents, send
e-mail, browse the Web and play games.
Let us look at the main components of a typical desktop computer.
Central processing unit (CPU): The microprocessor "brain" of the computer
system is referred to as the central processing unit. The CPU oversees
everything that a computer does.
Memory: This fast storage area is for storing data and is connected directly
to the microprocessor. That's why it is fast. There are various types of
memory in a computer system:
Random-access memory (RAM): Used to temporarily store information that the
computer is currently working with.
Read-only memory (ROM): It refers to computer memory chips, containing
permanent or semi-permanent data that does not change.
Basic Input/Output: Required to establish the basic communication when the
system is turned on. It is directly connected to the motherboard.
Caching: The storing of frequently used data in extremely fast RAM that
connects directly to the CPU.
Virtual memory: Used to temporarily store data and swap it in and out of the
RAM.
Motherboard: This is the main board in the computer that has the processor,
the RAM, the BIOS ROM, the timing and control, the interrupt and direct
memory access hardware and the keyboard interface on it which are connected
to it through the secondary connection.
Soundcard: This device attaches to the motherboard with a socket called PCI,
which allows the computer to play CD's or music files, or MP3 CD's. All
soundcards have speakers and connectors. The quality of sound depends upon
the quality of the card.
Hard drive: This is the main storage device of a computer. It stores
information including the OS that allows you to access it all. Most common
OS for PCs is Microsoft Windows. And Apple computers use the Macintosh
operating system.
Other drives: Most computers are also complete with floppy disk and CD
drives. These vary from system to system, however all work in same way. They
read information stored on disks. These are necessary for maintaining and
updating the computer's software and operating system.
That's the components that create the average computer. Although there are
many different systems, and configurations, it is difficult to imagine our
lives without them.
About the author:
The author has been fascinated with computers for over 30 years. He has been
called a computer geek, and resembles that remark.
He is known for taking the complex subject of computers and breaking it down
into layman terms that are easy to understand.
Roger A. Pendey is passionate about computers and is the webmaster of
FIFO Computer
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