Why Aren't Computers Like Refrigerators? by Dr. Gary S. Goodman
I was having a heated discussion with a technologist yesterday. She insisted that I just didn’t appreciate the delicacy of today’s computers. “That’s exactly my complaint!” I retorted. “They’re incredibly wimpy.” For instance, I was in a rush the other day, so instead of scrolling to the shut... Or, why isn't our data regularly streamed to a secure online memory cache that is awarded to us at the time we buy or lease a PC? ... Does your refrigerator get “buggy” after a while, and require a software upgrade merely to maintain or restore its functionality?

RAM - What is It & Why You Need Plenty by Steve Perlow
This is the first article in the Understanding Your Computer series from aworldofhelp.com. Our goal is to help people understand how their computer works, not simply tell them what they need to buy or use. When you know how your computer works, buying the right system or upgrade is easy. ... RAM - What is it & why you need plenty Many people picture a computer as consisting in part of a Processor - CPU Memory - RAM Hard Drive The way these three components interact is important to understanding how a computer works, and ultimately to understanding why you need enough RAM for your...

Buying a Computer? Ask These 3 Questions! by Adam Fletcher
1. Why do you need a computer? Whether you are a new user or advanced one, whether this is your first computer or second (or even third), be clear as to why you want a computer before you even think of buying one. How will you use your computer? Are you only interested in browsing the Internet... Random Access Memory is the amount of memory available for use by programmes on a computer. ... Make sure you can upgrade your computer's memory as and when required. ... Finally, the length of time that you plan to own the computer before replacing it will also help determine which computer to buy.

Buying a Personal Computer (PC) by Bonnie Archer
For many people the computer industry is a seeming unsolvable jungle filled with mysterious words. Here is a guide to help you understand the personal computer and to give you the information needed to make a shopping decision you can live with so you can enjoy your PC for years to come. ... If you work all day on your computer or use it for photo editing you will want to invest in a better monitor. ... To sum it up; for the best value for your dollar spend your money on the personal computer components that will best suit your needs.

Computer Memory - Why It's Important by Michael Russell
Many of you have probably asked yourselves this many times. For those of you who are looking to buy or have already purchased a computer may still be asking yourselves what this piece of hardware does for your computer. Buying computer memory is not as simple as going to the store and asking a... Walk into any computer store and either look at the cute little sticker they put on the case or just ask the sales representative and they will almost always let you know exactly how much memory, or RAM, the computer has.

How to Speed Up That Sluggish PC by Dustin Ramsey
Background programs running: This is the biggest reason and can be fixed quickly and for free... it's possible that your computer may have so many background programs running simultaneously that there is not enough resources to run normally. The end result of this is that your computer begins... You could be lacking system memory - The only time this may be a problem is if you have an older system and upgraded your operating system without adding some more memory. ... How to disable unneeded background programs: All icons in your computer's system tray are background programs using memory.

Tips For Choosing A Home Office Computer by Niall Roche
There is one universal essential for every home office today. It doesn't matter what type of home business you have, you will need a home office computer system of some type. You may already have some type of computer system at home and you may be tempted to use this for your home business... You will also need to make the decision between a laptop and a desktop computer. ... You should definitely buy a computer that can be upgraded. ... These machines are now quite light and will have the memory and speed of a desktop system.

Expansion Cards Part 1: (of a 3 part series) by Jason Kohrs
PCI The expansion slots available on motherboards allow for a variety of upgrades in a computer system, but matching the appropriate card to an available slot needs to be addressed before making any purchasing decisions. The most common types of expansion cards for modern computer systems can... Many of the items listed in the previous paragraph can be found integrated on modern motherboards, but these onboard devices offer no upgrade ability. ... Final Words The PCI slot has been around for a while, and seems to have a place in at least the near future of computer architecture.

Barebones Systems: Alternatives to Buying Discount Computers by Nicky Pilkington
Buying discount computers is something easy to do nowadays that computer prices have dropped. Despite the low prices, you may still find it difficult to settle on a single computer. Computers are built with so many varying features that finding exactly the right one for you may be difficult. ... Most of these systems include a motherboard, CPU (computer processing unit), and power supply encased in a computer case. ... Athlon 64, the most current processor that AMD offers Once you select the barebones system with the essentials you need, you basically upgrade the barebones system to...

Graphic Cards: How To Choose The Best by Garry Allen
Do you remember the old computing days when there were no sounds except for maybe a beep occasionally and printers making more noise than a cat on a scratching post or how about monitors that offered nothing more than a green or orange glow? Well, I do! ... A high- end graphics card cannot make up for an otherwise outmoded computer system, and a low end computer processor or motherboard will counteract the speed of even the fastest graphics card. ... But, if you do plan to work with graphic arts or plan to play a lot of games on your computer you will definitely need to get a graphics card...