| The Bronx Journal-Technology Page September, 1999 |
Tip of the month: When using MS Word 97, try
using the keyboard
Feature
by Louis Cruz, Systems Administrator, Lehman College
How to purchase your next computer series: A definition of terms for the
most common components in computers today
In the last article of the “How to purchase your next
computer” series I will provide you with information about the most common
components found in computers today. Buying your computer is a difficult task if
you do not know what a salesman or ad campaign is referring too when a
particular computer is described. To guarantee you get what you want and need,
familiarize yourself with the following terms.
AGP—The Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) is a new
interface for the PC platform that dramatically improves the processing of 3D
graphics and full-motion video. AGP was designed to work alongside your new
Intel® Pentium® III processor to free up your computer's processing resources,
and blasts rich 3D and video to your PC's display. This means that you can
experience high-quality 3D graphics and video without delay.
CD-ROM—Most of today's hottest applications are available
only on Compact Disk Read Only Memory (CD-ROM) devices. CD-ROMs can store
650MB of data, over 400 times the amount found on a floppy disk. CD-ROM
drives are standard on nearly all new PCs. Make sure yours is capable of
at least 32x—the faster the better. The number before the "x"
indicates the number of times faster that data is transferred than a
regular audio CD player.
DVD—Digital Versatile Disk (DVD) holds nearly 10 times
the data of a standard CD-ROM, and delivers digital quality movies and
other types of home entertainment that you can watch on your PC. DVD disks
hold between 4.7GB and 15.9GB of data and, while it requires its own
drive, the DVD drive can run your existing CD-ROMs.
Hard Drive—Get a hard drive with more
capacity than you'll ever think you need, as its main role is to serve as
the long-term warehouse of your files on your PC. The latest application
suites, as well as video- and audio-intensive applications require several
megabytes of storage. Choose between 8GB (8,192MB) and 16GB (16,386+MB),
depending on the types and volume of application software you'll be using.
Also, take access speed (look for a maximum of 10-12 milliseconds),
Revolutions Per Minute (RPM) and hard drive cache size into consideration.
Hard drive cache uses small, fast memory circuits to store information
that is frequently accessed from your hard drive, improving its
performance.
IDE vs. SCSI Hard Drive—When shopping for a hard
drive, you've got two choices: Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) or Small
Computer System Interface (SCSI). SCSI hard drives require extra hardware
and are best suited for heavy-duty input/output operations such as file
servers. Appropriate for most other uses, IDE or Enhanced IDE (EIDE)
drives do not require extra hardware and are almost as fast as SCSIs.
Modem—You can access the Internet via a modem, which
allows computers to communicate with each other across phone lines. Many
Intel® Pentium® III processor-based PCs come with 56Kbps modems for fast
downloads. These modems are compatible with the V.90 standard.
Monitor—Your monitor is the window into your computing
world, so make sure it provides enough room for viewing several things
simultaneously. Intel® Pentium® III processor-based PCs typically use a
screen resolution of 1024x768. This resolution number refers to the number
of pixels, height and width, used to create what you see on your screen.
The higher the number, the better your resolution will be.
Other Removable Storage Devices—High-speed
portable storage devices, commonly referred to as "SuperFloppy"
drives, can hold large files such as graphics, video clips and complex
spreadsheets that don't fit on a standard 1MB floppy disk. For example,
Iomega Zip and Jaz disks hold between 100MB-2GB of data and are a good
source for backing up data.
Printer—What kind of printer do you need? Ink jet or laser?
Black-and-white or color? Ink jet printers now offer resolutions as high
as 1200 dots per square inch (dpi), and nearly all can print color. Laser
printers offer a wide range of resolutions, from 300dpi-1200dpi. While
most laser models print in black-and-white, color laser printers are
becoming more common. Other things to consider are speed, compatibility,
and memory (printers with larger memories speed the printing process).
Processor/Central Processing Unit (CPU)/ Microprocessor—The
microprocessor is the brain of your computer. It reads instructions from
your software applications and tells your computer what to do. The new
Intel® Pentium® III processor is available at speeds of 450MHz, 500MHz,
and 550MHz. Fast microprocessors enhance your ability to quickly run
creativity, entertainment, communication and productivity applications.
RAM—Random Access Memory (RAM) is your computer's main
source of memory. Directions from your software are stored in RAM while
your processor does its job of reading and executing the software's
instructions. Performance PCs come with at least 64MB of RAM, allowing you
to run complex programs or multiple programs simultaneously. Most Intel®
Pentium® III processor-based PCs come with Synchronized Dynamic Random
Access Memory (SDRAM), allowing for an extremely fast transfer of data
between the microprocessor and the memory.
Scanner—A scanner digitizes images, photographs and
drawings, and then sends the information to your computer as a file.
Several kinds of scanners are available: handheld scanners that you roll
over an image; and flatbed scanners, which resemble small copy machines.
Scanners come with their own software that lets you manipulate images and
create effects.
Sound Card—A sound card is the bridge
between digital and analog audio signals. Sound cards provide the dual
function of converting digitized audio information into electrical signals
(and vice-versa) that drive ordinary speakers to produce sound. They vary
in their quality based on the number of bits they use to digitize sound.
Look for a 32-bit sound card to produce the highest quality of digitized
audio.
Universal Serial Bus—Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a
standard for connecting processor components such as scanners, printers,
cameras and joysticks to the PC. A USB port enables many different devices
to use a single connector type, resulting in a 12Mbps data transfer rate
that is much faster than that of standard serial and keyboard/mouse ports.
Adding USB devices does not require special hardware—and your computer
can stay on during the process.
Video Card—Make the most of your new PC by
including a graphics card capable of handling 3D and digital video
playback. Higher monitor resolutions require a card with adequate Video
Random Access Memory (VRAM). To accommodate superior 3D performance,
consider a 3D card with at least 8MB of VRAM that supports the Accelerated
Graphics Port (AGP) which comes with your new Intel® Pentium® III
processor-based PC.
These definitions have been provided by Intel® corporation.
Louis Cruz, Systems Administrator, Lehman College and Director of
EduTech Computer Training Services
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