Understanding PCs
Summary - This is part 1 of a course I teach at a local soup kitchen.
Summary: This is part 1 of a course I teach. Learn more here.
Two kinds of computers
There are two kinds of computers in the world: PC (Personal Computer) and Mac (Apple Macintosh). This course will focus on the use of a desktop PC.
The difference between the two are: All Mac components are exclusively made by the Apple corporation. You cannot build your own Mac computer, but anyone can build their own desktop PC.
If you have problems with your PC, you can take it to any computer repair center. If you have a problem with a Mac, it must be serviced by an Apple center. There are many companies that make and sell PCs like: HP, Dell and Gateway.
The Operating System
All computers come with an Operating System (OS). The OS allows the user to operate the computer system by providing an interface to manage and perform different tasks. The most popular OS is Microsoft Windows. Linux Ubuntu is slowing rising to popularity as a free alternative.
2.1 Upgrading your Operating System
Every OS comes with a feature that automatically searches for minor updates. When connected to the Internet, your OS will search for these minor updates and ask you if you want to download and install them. These updates help keep your computer secure and fixes many bugs. It’s important that you allow these updates, or your computer will be at risk.
Aside from minor updates, there are major updates. These come in the form of a new OS. It’s important that your OS is current for two reasons:
- At some point, there will be no more support for your old OS.
- Newer programs won’t work with older operating systems.
Upgrading means: every few years you will have to buy the latest OS. But it isn’t wise to upgrade immediately upon release until the kinks and bugs have been fixed. New technology often has bugs that get fixed as users and the company discover them. Until the new OS is perfected, wait a while.
Another reason to wait is: your current programs may not be compatible with it yet – so if you were to upgrade, your old programs wouldn’t work until your program’s manufacturer releases a fix. Always check online to see if your current programs are compatible with the new OS.
Currently, as of February 16th, 2010, the Microsoft Windows has a new OS called Windows 7. Before this version, there was Windows Vista and Windows XP. If you’re still using Windows 98 or 95, you should really upgrade. As of April and July 13, 2010, Microsoft has stopped supporting Vista and XP operating systems.
Windows 95-98
Windows XP
Windows Vista
Windows 7
Parts
Hardware is the physical parts of a computer. Let’s take a look at the various computer parts and their purpose:
Monitor -
for visual display
Mouse –
for interactivity
Pen Display -
draw directly on the screen-
Keyboard –
used to input data 
Speakers -
hear sound and music
External Modem –
For Internet connection
Printer –
used to print documents
Scanner –
digitizes images and text
Flash drive -
external data holder
3.1 The Computer Tower
The tower is the main part of the desktop PC. Inside the tower (also called: case) includes:
- Motherboard – distributes commands
- Hard Drive – stores data and the OS
- Floppy Drive – accepts data on floppy disks
- DVD Drive – accepts data on CD/DVD’s disks
- Modem Card – connects you to the Internet
- Sound & Video Cards – Allows sound & display
- Processor – Determines how fast to perform tasks
- RAM – manages the amount of tasks you can perform at once.
- USB slots – connects various devices to your computer like: cameras, phones, headset, Internet, mouse, keyboard, flash drives and more
3.2 Software
Software is the computer programs you use to perform certain tasks. Software comes either on CD/DVD disks or can be downloaded from the Internet.
The following is a list of common tasks a computer can perform and the name of the software in parentheses:
- Word Processing (Microsoft Word)
- Photo management, music and video player (Windows Media Player)
- Photo touch-up & graphic design (Adobe Photoshop)
- Internet Browser (Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome)
- Virus and spam protection (Trend Micro)
- Calculator, files search and organization
When you add new programs to your computer, this is called: installation. When you remove a program, this is called: uninstalling. New computers often come with software pre-installed.
The Internet
The Internet is a collection of continuously running computers that display a collection of linked data files called websites. The Internet is also referred to as “The Web” because it is a larger connection of linked computers – like a spider’s web.
Computers that are configured to show websites are called servers because they serve data for public display. A server usually has several websites stored on it. When a person purchases space on a computer server, this is called hosting. The company is charging the buyer to host their website on their server. Hosting is purchased and renewed monthly or yearly.
Anyone can turn their computer into a server, but they’d have to leave it on forever. If the computer is shut down, the website will not display to the public. This is why people choose to buy hosting services.
The browser is the software used to view websites. A browser comes pre-installed with most computers. All browsers are not the same; and some are faster and have better features. The following are the latest and most popular browsers:
If you see this paragraph, this means you need to update your browser. You are using Internet Explorer version 6 – which is outdated. You’re missing out on many new security and visual features. Choose a browser below and upgrade today.
The Internet Service Provider (ISP) is the company a user pays monthly to get access to the Internet. Popular ISP’s include:
- AOL (America Online)
- Netzero (FREE)
- Verizon
- Sprint
- AT&T
- Comcast
4.1 Domain Names
A domain name is the website’s address. For instance, google.com is a domain name .com is the domain’s extension. To access Google’s website, you would type http://google.com into your browser’s address bar. http:// is the command that tells the computer to search the Internet for Google and not your local PC files. http stands for: HyperText Transfer Protocol.
You no longer have to type http:// or www (word wide web) before the domain name, newer browsers automatically add it. However, you must always include an extension (.com), or the website will not appear. Domain names should be entered in lowercase letters.
The person who has a website must purchase a domain name from a domain register. Domain names are renewable annually, or every two to five years.
4.2 Downloading and Bandwidth
Every time you visit a website, you are accessing someone’s server. The time that transpires while waiting for the website to appear on your screen is called “downloading”. Your browser is automatically copying and loading down the data files (website) from the server to your local PC. If you were to send files from your PC to that website, it would be called “uploading“. Download and upload speeds vary due to the amount of data someone is downloading and their Internet connection type.
Bandwidth refers to the amount of data that is transferred monthly by website visitors. The more visitors, the more data transfer, the more strain on the server. Hosting services provide monthly bandwidth limits. If too many people visit a site that doesn’t have enough bandwidth – the website will crash. The site won’t be available until the bandwidth is increased to handle the amount of visitors. Website owners can increase their bandwidth limit at additional cost.
4.3 Internet Connection Types and Speeds
Internet Service can only work if a modem is connected to the computer. Some ISP’s provide a special modem. ISP’s use a variety of ways to connect to the Internet:
| Connection Type | Speed | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Dial-up Uses a phone line, but interferes with phone calls. High-speed Dial-up is not DSL. |
Slow
|
Cheap or free
|
| DSL Uses phone line, but doesn’t interfere with phone calls. Speed depends on distance from tower. |
Moderate
|
Reasonable
|
| Wireless Uses radio waves – wireless. Speed depends on distance from tower. |
Moderate
|
Reasonable
|
| Broadband Cable Uses a cable line. Speed depends on the amount of users in the area. |
Fast
|
Expensive
|
| Satellite Uses a dish from space but may have syncing problems when playing online games. |
Fast
|
Expensive
|
| Wi-Fi Uses radio waves – wireless. Available in coffee shops, airports and other public places. Used with a laptop. Speed depends on carrier. |
Varies
|
Free
|