Wikipedia pages: Personal computer, Embedded system, Motherboard, Central processing unit (CPU), Digital electronics, Portal Computer science, Portal Computer networking
A simple electrical switch can be either on or off. A magnetic field can allow the state (on or off) to be maintained in an electronic circuit. That is about how it all began. Today, there are billions of switches turning on or off billions of times a second in a miniscule package the size of a finger nail. There are billions of these packages in computers around the globe, and they are all 'talking' to one another. That is artificial intelligence.
We know how challenging, and often times frustrating, working with computers can be. So the purpose of this section is not to explain how to over-clock a graphics processing unit (GPU), but to provide pointers to locations and software that can help with the more pedestrian tasks.
First things first: Be secure. Two vital components of a personal computer system are a firewall, and anti-virus software. If you are reading this page you should have both items active on your system as a minimum. We have a security page that can help.
Computers entered the world of electricity after they had been invented as manually operated machines. The invention of the personal computer came much later following the invention of the microchip, and after the Internet became established on mainframe computers. That's right. PC's came after the Internet.
PC Guide - Introduction is a mini-guide that is short and easy to read. Reading the introduction will give you ideas about what computers and the Internet can do for you. If you are interested in the details, here is the home page to Charles' site -Welcome to The PC Guide!, which contains an active discussion group -The PC Guide Discussion Forums, and a link to his latest work - The TCP-IP Guide!
If you are going about purchasing and installing hardware and software, such as peripheral devices and applications, you need to know the system requirements of these items. Hardware and software requirements define pre-installed system components or component specifications that are needed to operate the hardware and/or software that you want to use. You must meet or exceed those requirements in your system, or risk sub-standard operating performance and possible system damage. If you are not sure what the requirements are, then ask. Running an application on a computer that only meets the minimum requirements is asking for sub-standard performance. Generally, the median between minimum and maximum requirements will provide adequate resources for new components.
Resources are what the computer has - to do what it does. Programs use resources. Resources are managed by the operating system, and it is continuously making decisions about what programs have priority over others that are using those resources. A resource usage profile governs resource allocation. It is a configuration document, written by a person, that provides the rules that the computer uses to make those decisions. It includes items such as performance, display, and background tasks. The resource usage profile has a significant impact on how efficiently a system operates. Business documents (spread sheets, word processors, databases, and e-mail) require different resource priorities than do high performance games that do a lot of sound and graphics processing. Therefore, the profile will be different and as such be more efficient.
What is in my computer? How do I know what resources I have? Operating systems (OS) come with programs that can tell you what hardware and software is in or attached to a (PC) machine. The problem is that they might not tell you enough information, such as the manufacturers name or model number and version of a motherboard or memory stick. Third party products are available that can fill that gap. Free or trial versions are available that the casual user can use to get that information. These applications are generally called system information programs.
The caution that travels with a system information program is that casual users should not do anything to the computer other than to use the utility to view the information. Tests and benchmarks often accompany these applications. The tests are made for specific systems and components. They involve technical requirements, configurations, and procedures generally beyond the scope of casual users. Running them improperly can cause irreparable damage.
AusLogics System Information, Belarc Advisor, Everest editions, and SiSoftware Sandra are products that will provide system information. Check the requirements of the software before installing it.
Related: Performance and performance monitors
The Internet: In common usage, the Internet provides the lions share of the utility value of a personal computer. The Internet is an international network that connects people and information. So we are going to throw out a few technical tidbits for those who might be interested.
Hobbes' Internet Timeline - the definitive ARPAnet & Internet history provides a brief look at the beginnings of the international network. Computer Hope is another history source, along with Éric Lévénez' site, which includes a diagram of Computer Languages History.
An Atlas of Cyberspaces is a website that provides 3d views of Internet architecture. World Internet Usage Statistics and Population is all that.
Zen and the Art of the Internet, and Request for Comments (RFC) #1118 - Hitchhikers Guide to the Internet, are early documents (1989) that provide some historical background on the technological beginnings of the internet. The Guide is a good lead-in to the RFC's, if you are studying computer technology. Andrew Systems Group offers an HTML RFCs index.
Not all computers are connected to the Internet, and for good reason. The issue is a level of security which is difficult to achieve. Monitoring and maintaining both the engineering and social aspects of Internet security involves risk, time, and education.
Yahoo! Internet Beginner's Guides
Yahoo! World Wide Web Beginner's Guides
Yahoo! Computer Systems User Groups
The New User's Directory (Harvard U.)
Google - Computers FAQs, Help, and Tutorials
Auslogics - System Information
Belarc - System Management
Lavalys - Everest
SiSoftware Zone - Sandra