This short PC tutorial is intended for inexperienced computer users, so therefore uses a minimum of “Techno-Speak” - PC stands for “Personal Computer”.

There are many different computer systems available, which to the new user, seem very confusing. we’ve all heard the term “user friendly”, and most modern computer systems are.

Buy your system from a reputable dealer, with a full service backup if required. all that seems cheap is often a poor quality system, and your frustration with it will soon become apparent - be very careful! Buy what you need for your application - it is pointless buying an “all singing and dancing - “Rolls Royce” system”, if all you want to do is a bit of letter writing & Internet browsing!

If you are a game player, then a fast system, with a fast graphics card is very desirable. If your funds are low, buy a system with the latest motherboard type, and expand the system later. Remember, the faster the Central Processor Unit, then generally, the faster the computer is, but the hard disk drive needs to be fast as well.

Hardware:

PC computers are usually of modular construction, (built from several seperate units screwed together), so you need to be able to ask for the system to be built for your needs.

Software:

Software allows interaction with the hardware. it would not be a lot of use if the user could not communicate with the PC and actually make it do something! Early “DOS” operating system software (disk operating system) seems very primitive now when set against powerful current software like “Microsoft Windows” This operating system will usually come pre-installed on your computer, but always check with the vendor! Microsoft Windows uses a “graphical user interface” (GUI) & is the most popular computer operating system software in the world. there are other very good operating systems available for PC, but as a beginner, “Microsoft Windows” is the one you will be using.

There are many different versions of this operating system. In 2008, “Windows XP” or “Vista” are the usual choice for home PC users. once you have an operating system installed on your PC, then other application software ie: word processor programs, graphics programs & almost any other current software can run from within this operating system, also referred to as a “platform”.

PC Components in Detail:

The Case:

This is the box that holds all the seperate components of the system. Cases come complete with the main power supply. Cases come in all shapes and sizes, to suit specific applications. Towers are vertical, desktops are horizontal. If you intend to add more hardware to your system over a period, you should preferably buy a midi tower, because the physical size allows plenty of room for more expansion cards, plus there is more cooling air inside to circulate. A mini tower is ok for a basic system, but does not allow for excessive expansion. A desktop unit has as much room as a mini tower and saves space, as the monitor can sit on top of it. If you anticipate large scale add ons, get a maxi tower if you have the room!

I would recommend the midi tower case. As mentioned above, the case also comes complete with the power supply for the internal circuitry.

The Motherboard:

The motherboard is really the main bit! it fits inside the case, it is the heart of the computer itself. there are a variety to choose from, and they are designed to hold different kinds of central processor units ( CPU ) A modern motherboard will be a Pentium “ATX” type. “Intel” “Pentium” processors are leading the way to ever increasing speed of operation. Motherboard design changes very frequently, and it is difficult to keep up with the pace of technology in this area.

The CPU:

This is the true heart of the system, …. the Microprocessor. this unit handles all the data within the computer. the final speed of your system is mainly down to this very small amazing item, which just sits in a socket on the motherboard, complete with its own cooling fan, and processes all the information coming in and out of the PC.

The Graphics Card:

This allows information to be sent to the monitor so that it can be seen on screen. Often video support is built onto the motherboard, but I prefer the option of a separate card. Usually a fast video board of up to 32 megabytes is more than sufficient for general use, but there are many accelerated video cards available for specialist graphics applications, and they soon get much more expensive!

The Monitor:

This is the TV set part of the system. it is also known as a VDU (Visual Display Unit) Modern monitors are far better than they used to be, so that now, the “picture” quality is of a higher resolution and therefore much “sharper” than ever before. They come in various screen sizes.

Floppy Disk Drives:

These oddly titled items are used for the transfer of information between computers. Although these days they are being phased out as the information storage on a “Memory Stick” is far in excess of the old floppy disk system. The Floppy Disk Drive is accessible at the front of the computer. they are designed to hold a removable “Floppy Disk”, which is basically a disk of magnetic tape (like a cassette) in a square plastic case. the disk drive can read and write information to the disk, which can then be taken out and stored, or transferred to another computer.

The Hard Disk Drive:

This is a very necessary item to have in a computer. a “Hard Disk” drive (HDD) does not have a removable disk like a “Floppy” Disk drive, instead the hard disk is fitted internally, and revolves constantly whenever the computer is switched on. the “Hard” Disk acts as a large capacity storage & retrieval system. Information can be written and retrieved at will to the “Hard Drive”. It is simply a storeroom. Information can be copied between “Hard Disk Drive” , “Memory Stick” or even from “Floppy” disk drives. All of the information from a “Memory Stick” or “Floppy Disk Drive” can be copied to a Hard Disk Drive, but not vice-versa, because the “HDD” is of a much higher capacity than a “Memory Stick” or “Floppy” Drive.

A “Memory Stick” can usually hold 4 gigabytes of information, but a 1.44 megabyte “Floppy Disk” can hold just under one and a half megabytes of information,. The main “Hard Disk Drive” can hold many more gigabytes of information. Most modern hard disk drives have a very fast information transfer rate and come in a variety of sizes and types. The faster that the CPU & memory can get their information from the hard disk drive, then the faster the PC works.

The DVD/CDROM Drive:

The CDROM or DVDROM drive (compact disk or DVD read only memory) is a “read only” version of a hard disk drive. a CDROM has a storage capacity much higher than a floppy disk. As software develops & data capacity requirements get higher & higher, a CDROM is an essential part of your PC system. “CDRW” Writer/Rewriter drives are also available to allow data to be written to a CDROM disk. DVD drives (Digital Versatile Disks) are popular & are also available as DVD readers or DVD reader/writers. DVD allows for even greater data storage capacity than on a CDROM.

The Internal RAM Memory:

Referred to as “RAM” (random access memory”).

People often confuse hard disk capacity & memory!

For instance, a typical system specification including: “160 gigabyte hard disk drive (HDD) & 512 megabytes of RAM” mean that the PC system has a total storage capacity of 160 megabytes for storing files & programs + a memory capacity (to actually run the programs) of 512 megabytes. when you click the mouse over a program icon to run the program the hard disk drive delivers the required information from the hard disk to the computer’s memory chips. It is much faster for the CPU to then process information in “RAM”. If you don’t have enough “RAM” in your PC, “Microsoft Windows” will use the hard disk drive as “Virtual Memory” & the whole system runs slower, as it takes more time for the program to process it’s information.

The Mouse:

A “Mouse” is simply a device for pointing at items on the screen. it is a multi-function device, as you can point at an item, click the buttons and make the item do something useful. it is called a “Mouse” as it has a tail (the wire). Most people find them easy to use, but sometimes a little practise is necessary to make the pointer go where you want it to go ! A good way to practise is to use the Windows “Paint” program & try to write your name legibly in “freehand” mode! They are either of the “Rolling Ball” type of construction, or more frequently they are optical devices.

The Keyboard:

The keyboard is the “Alpha-Numeric Interface” very necessary for typing letters and numbers on the computer, also there are extra keys called “function” and “cursor” keys, to allow various things to happen when running programs.

The Sound Card:

These are usually built into the motherboards now. There are various specialist cards available for the sole purpose of making music via a sequencer, or digital recording software. These are not to be confused with the PC’s internal soundcard, as they have different specialised functions.

The Printer:

There really is a vast choice in Printers these days, between Laser, Inkjet or Dot Matrix types. For Mono (black) printing, standard laser printers are the best & cheapest to run. Inkjet printers are also good, as they can print in colour. Modern Laser printers can also print in colour, but are more expensive to initially purchase. Dot Matrix printers are mostly used in business to create “carbon copies” of invoices, as this type of printers works using pins hitting an ink ribbon & transferring the ink to the paper via pressure, by using this method, enough pressure is applied to allow carbon paper or special coatings to be used so that other sheets of paper underneath get copied also. An added advantage is that they can use “tractor feed” for continuous paper feed (noisy, not as good quality as Lasers or Inkjets, but cheap to run). You may consider a colour printer if graphics are you main application. Quality of printer largely depends on your budget!

All the above components, when fitted together, make what used to be called an IBM (International Business Machines) compatible …… Personal Computer.

A bit of useless information:

In the Stanley Kubrick film “2001″, the ship’s onboard computer that malfunctioned was called a “HAL 9000″

“H - A - L” is one letter below “I - B - M”

Arthur C. Clarke who wrote the book “2001 - a Space Odyssey”, when he was interviewed about it, insists that this was a pure coincidence!