A PDF Copy of Beginning Technology is available
Computer "No-No's"
Equipment for PCs
Disk Drives
Mouse
Monitor
Keyboard
Modem
Ports
Types of computers
Equipment for PCs
Microprocessor The silicon black chip buried deep inside
the computer’s case (often-called CPU, Central Processing Unit).
There are Cyrix, Intel’s Pentium, Pentium MMX, Pentium II, and AMD processors
available today. The speed of the processor is measured as megahertz
(MHz). A current processor would be a Pentium MMX 233 or the faster
Pentium II MMX 266.
Top
Disk Drives The
disk drive determines the path by which you send and receive information
to the computer. Information stored on a disk is measured in bytes.
Think of a byte as a letter of the alphabet.
1,000 bytes=1 kilobyte (K or KB)
1,000 KB=1 megabyte (MB)
1,000 MB=1 gigabyte (GB)
1,000 GB=1 Terabyte (TB)
1. The floppy disk drive is often called the a: drive.
The diskettes that are inserted into the a: drive are 3 ½ inch size
and can hold 1.44 megabyte of information. At one time these disk
had to be formatted, but now most are pre-formatted. Formatting prepares
the disk to be written upon. Diskettes can also be write-protected.
This prevents you from writing on the disk. To write-protect a disk,
slide the corner tab to uncover the opening.
2. The hard disk drive is often called the c: drive inside the computer. It is a thick Frisbee-like disk inside the computer, which can hold considerable more information than a diskette. The hard disk drive reads and stores information faster than the a: drive. Five years ago the average size of a hard drive was
3. The CD-ROM (Read Only Memory) drive is often called
the d: drive. CDs are inserted into this drive. A CD can contain
more information than 100 diskettes. Currently most computers are
not able to write to the CD-ROM drive. CD-ROM drives read information at
various speeds. Five years ago
a CD-ROM drive would have been a 2 speed, but today’s
CD-ROMs are as
fast as 24 speed.
4. Many computers today come equipped with a zip drive. A zip drive provides additional storage space. A zip disk is inserted into this drive. The zip disk can hold 100 megabytes of information. Zip drives can be attached to an existing computer.
5. DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) drive is a new technology
that stores more
information than a CD-ROM and can be written upon.
A DVD disk is
inserted into this drive. The drive may come built
into the computer or may
be attached. These
disk often are used to store movies or interactive video
games. The disk
resembles a CD but has 7 times the storage capacity.
Top
Mouse is an acronym for Manually
Oscillating Utensil Sonically Engaged. It is the electronic finger
of the computer. It is used to point at items in the window environment.
The mouse arrow indicates your position on screen. It can change
its shape depending upon your position on screen or the program you were
using. In a word processor the mouse will appear as a flashing cursor
or insertion point. Moving and clicking the mouse can move the cursor
onscreen. The mouse has 2 buttons. The left button is
used to send signals to programs. The right mouse button gives the
user various menus. By double clicking the left mouse button, programs
can be opened. A new mouse, the Intellimouse, allows the user to
scroll a screen in a program using a center wheel.
Top
The monitor is the computer’s
screen or display. Monitors come in sizes from 14 inch, 17 inch,
to as large as Gateway’s 36 inch monitor.
Top
The keyboard is another
means of sending information to the computer. It does have much of
the same keys as a typewriter keyboard and has these additional keys:
Function keys are found at the top of the keyboard.
These control programs and are labeled F1 to F12. F1 always provides
help in windows
environment.
Cursor control keys are arrows that allow you to move
the cursor in four
directions (up, down, right, left).
Numeric keys are found on the right side of the keyboard
and act much like a calculator pad, however, “key must be pressed on in
order for these
keys to function.
ESC or the escape key allows you to exit or escape some
programs.
/ Front slash key is used in web addresses on the Internet.
\ Back slash key signals a sub-directory.
Page up and page down keys allow you to move up or down
in a document.
Shift key and caps lock key change the case of the letter
when pressed.
ALT key moves the cursor to the menu bar, which is useful
in the event the mouse is not functioning.
Pause key pauses text onscreen in DOS.
ALT, Ctrl, Delete keys reboots or restarts the computer
when they are
pushed in that sequence. This is called a warm
boot. A cold boot simply means turning the computer off for a minute
and then turning it back on. These boots are necessary if a program
fails to function.
Backspace key erases errors when the mouse is placed
after the error.
Delete key erases errors when the mouse is placed before
the error.
Modem is a mechanical means
of translating computer information or retrieving information from the
Internet via a phone line. It needs communication software in order
to work and can be attached internally or externally. It is used
to contact on-line services such as America On Line or Microsoft Network.
These services vary in price. A fixed monthly rate of $19.95 for unlimited
hour service is available from AOL. Modems vary in speed of transmission
from 28.8 KB (28,800 bytes per second transfer) modem speed to 56 K (56,000
bytes per second transfer).
Top
Internet transmission can also take place over an ISDN line or the even faster T1 line. No modem is necessary for these types of transmission but you will need an ISDN adapter.
Ports enable you to connect
external output or input devices to your computer. The basic types
of ports are:
Parallel ports can be used to connect printers, zip drives,
video capture (such as Snappy), external hard drives, or digital cameras.
Serial ports could be used to connect all of the above
except printers. In addition, there are some serial port mice.
PS2 ports are used to connect some types of mice.
USB ports allow you to connect peripherals to your computer
without shutting it down first.
There are also places on your computer to attach a keyboard
and s-video cable.
Be aware of the ports you have available on your computer
when purchasing new hardware.
Top
