While still more than 50% of Americans do not own a personal computer, that number decreases drastically every day. More and more businesses use computers to handle their everyday paperwork as well as for specialized tasks which computers can perform much more efficiently than if done by hand. Employees are finding that computer knowledge can help them get promoted, and in many cases, get them a better paying position or job. Also, computers fall under the old adage "My best friend or neighbor has one, why don't we?" Similar to televisions back in the 1950's.
Computers are becoming more and more commonplace and more and more people are learning how to use them. Children are using them in school to help them learn their school work, as well as learning about the computers themselves. Many people are seeing them move into their workplaces, and some are still worried about learning to use them. Computers are simply a powerful tool that can assist people to do their work faster and easier. Like any other tool, once its capabilities are known, it is not to hard to make full use of them.
There are a few ways to get the computer knowledge you may require or desire, but they all usually require the private purchase of a personal computer. One can take classes at the local college or university, but this requires a bit of time and money. There are computer tutors and consultants one can hire, taking a little less time, but a lot more money. Of course one can always go it alone, reading all the books they can get their hands on, learning how to use their computer and all the programs that came with it.
This takes a lot less money and a lot more time. And occasionally there comes along something helpful. A free resource that gives everyone information, answers their questions, and helps as help is needed.
There is a lot of information that can be learned in the computer world, but it is not as complicated as it first appears to outsiders. A lot of the terms and phrases are not even used except in closed circles. The average person only needs to learn the basics to get started, then the rest easily comes along as they use what they already know and expand their knowledge further.
The person who buys a computer only to use the programs on it and learn how to run it is commonly called the "end user." The end user does not need to know what binary or hexadecimal are, or how to write and debug a computer program. These are part of the domain of the computer programmer. He is the person who designs and writes the programs that the end user will be using.
As an end user, one will only need to know what they actually have in the way of a computer. It is usually best to learn about what comprises the hardware, or physical components of a computer before buying one, but not many have that luxury or have taken the time to do that.
The type and speed of the Central Processing Unit, also called the CPU or just "processor," is very important. The CPU is what does all the work within the computer and it should be pretty fast, if not the fastest available.
The most common processors are Intel's Pentium and Motorola's PowerPC. The Intel chip is used in IBM PC clone based computers while the PowerPC chips are used in Apple Macintoshes. Both processor types come in varying speeds, measured in Megahertz, which is millions of cycles per second. Just know that the larger the number, the faster the processor.
One should also know what RAM or Random Access Memory is, commonly called just "memory." How much a computer has, what it should have, and why it makes a difference. Memory is where all the work is done when the computer starts processing tasks.
The more memory in the computer, the easier it is for the processor to do its job. There can never be enough, but 16 Megabytes, or millions of bytes, is considered minimum. A byte is a method of measuring space on a computer. Hard drives, which are what a computer uses for storage, are also important.
How much free space is on them for use, how large it is, and what kind of interface it uses are all things one should find out. A gigabyte, or thousand million bytes, is a good minimum.
The interfaces are called SCSI and IDE, and one type of drive will not work with the other type of interface. Since being online and connecting to other computers is almost as important as using the computer itself, the speed of the modem is something one should know. The most common speed currently is 28.8kbs, or 28.8 thousand bits per second. Anything slower might be too slow and the faster ones are still not widely in use yet.
After the hardware, the other side of the computer is the software. Software is the actual programs that are used to do things on the computer's hardware. The most important software is the "operating system." This is what actually tells the hardware what to do and how to do it. Knowing which operating system, or OS one has is very important.
Programs which work on one OS may not work well, or at all, on a different one. The two most common operating systems are Microsoft's Windows 95 and, at a very distant second, Apple's Macintosh System Software versions 7 through 8. Some people still run older ones like Microsoft's Windows 3.11 or Apple's Macintosh System 6, and there are others you may see or hear about like AmigaOS, IBM's OS/2, UNIX and its many flavors, and the occasional obscure or outdated format.
The actual programs one will use are the software applications programmed to perform certain tasks on the computer. The programs vary from word processors that are used to type and print letters, home accounting programs that keep money records and can print checks, image processors that design, create, and format images, the latest games where hours can be wasted away as the bad guys are wasted, to simple calculators and reminder programs.
Most computers come with a lot of programs already installed on the computer's hard drive and are ready to use. These programs will keep the average person quite busy in learning what they do and how they do it. Then there are thousands and thousands of other programs that can be bought and installed on the computer to use in addition to all the others.
Together these parts work together to create a fast, efficient tool that allows people to perform their job faster than ever before, saving employers time and money. It also offers entertainment value as well, for playing games and relaxing.
After learning the basics, the continued use of the computer will teach more than any class can teach. Never be afraid to ask questions. There will always be someone who knows more and they are generally more than happy to share their knowledge.
