Computer Basics

Basic Information about Computers. This section includes information about basic computer problems, calibrating your monitor, etc…

Expensive Versus Cheaper Computer Video Cards

Today’s desktop computers are all about what goes inside of them. Each component of your desktop computers has a different function, and each one can be upgraded. One component of desktop computers that may be of particular interest to you is the computer video card.

What Do Computer Video Cards Do For Desktop Computers?

Your video card controls your computer graphics. Those of us who are old enough can remember back to the days where a computer screen had two colors and was simply lines, space and text. No pictures, no icons, forget about video games unless you enjoyed text-based adventures (basically a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book on a computer screen). That was before the modern video card. These handy pieces of equipment turned desktop computers into fully interactive experiences, allowing games, Power Point presentations, and even computer art.

Why You Need Computer Video Cards

You probably noticed that your computer provides all those wonderful pictures, animated avatars and so forth without you having to add anything. That’s because most desktop computers come with a video card built in. However, for the most advanced and realistic graphics, you may need to upgrade your video card. Then the question becomes, should you spring for the most expensive card, the cheapest, or something in between?

The Differences Between Cheaper and More Expensive Computer Video Cards

A lot of it, believe it or not, comes down to the type of monitor you’re using. If you’re working with a laptop, you probably don’t need the most expensive video card, because frankly, your monitor doesn’t have the resolution for it. Think of your eyes. You could have 20/20 vision, but if your binoculars are of low quality, you still won’t be able to see all that far.

On the other hand, if you’ve got an extremely large monitor, or a very high resolution monitor, or multiple monitors, or some combination of these, you might benefit from a more expensive video card. Even in this case, you need to consider what you’re using the video card for. If you’re mostly playing Flash games, or doing the occasional school project with accompanying graphs, your basic upgraded video card will probably do you very nicely. On the other hand, if you’re a video game purist, or are doing complex technical presentations, you may want to spring for the more expensive card.

Final Note on Computer Video Cards for Desktop Computers

One final word of caution. Like many things in the computer world, video cards tend to evolve very quickly. The card you shelled out big bucks for a month ago may be considered ancient history today. If you see a video card you like, you might want to wait a bit for the price to come down and/or for it to be available at a discount. If you must have state-of-the-art, do your research and make sure the new video card coming out tomorrow isn’t going to put the one you’re planning to buy today to shame.

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The Benefits of Calibrating Your Monitor

Due to the rapid and ever growing development of digital technologies, the calibration of monitors is no longer the exclusive concern of professional editors and photographers. Nowadays, virtually everyone who owns a digital still or video camera has a vested interest in making sure his/her monitor is correctly calibrated. Many people do not realize that the color, shade, and hue of a digital image (moving or otherwise) can look completely different on a computer monitor than it does in a camera, or on a printed page.

How many times have you printed out an image only to find that it bears little resemblance to the photograph you took? Or perhaps a certain section of a photo, the portion you altered in Photoshop, has a different look than what you previously saw on the screen? These are very common, but no less annoying, problems for those who use their computers creatively—people for whom the correct shade, hue, and color of an image are all-important.

Apple offers a very easy approach to monitor calibration. To check it out, go to System Preferences>Display. From here you can adjust the brightness of the monitor to meet your needs. For those who are working with detailed images a bright screen may contribute to clearer viewing of the subject matter. For those who may be staring at the screen for long stretches a dimmer monitor might help to ease the strain on the eyes.

Both Apple and PC “System Preferences” allow computer users to change the resolution of their respective displays. Generally, for detailed and precision work, a higher resolution is recommended—the image being far clearer at a setting of, say, 1440 x 900, than it will be at, 640 x 480.

On Macs, color calibration can also be modified through Systems Preferences. After setting up your resolution click, “Color,” and select one of many options. Selecting a “Target Gamma,” will allow you to set the contrast levels for your monitor. Choose “1.8 Gamma” for a traditional monitor setting, or “2.2 Television Gamma” if you are planning to work with images for television.

Selecting a “Target White Point” will allow you to adjust the tint of the display. Here you have the option to go with a yellow, bluish or natural noonday base white for your monitor. There are other more advanced settings, which are commonly used for computer owners with higher grade, professional needs.

If you are like most people, you probably spend a good portion of your life sitting in front of a computer monitor. Don’t you owe it to yourself to make sure, what you’re looking at for all those hours is as perfect as it can possibly be?

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Computer Basics – Purchasing a New Computer

If you are planning to buy a computer for your own purpose, it will pay you in more than one ways to take some time out and know about the computer basics. Once you have a first hand idea about the computer basics by yourself, you will feel much better equipped in terms of selection and purchase of the computer.

The first thing you need to decide on is the type of computer – would you want a laptop or a desktop? Unless you have a job where you have to tour pretty regularly and also carry your computer with you during the tours, it is always advisable to opt for a desktop. The systems are relatively simpler with the desktops than the laptops, the latter being more sophisticated and more prone to malfunctioning. However, if you have extreme shortage of space at your home, in that case the laptop may be a wiser choice as it will never occupy a lot of space in your room. But, if you do not have any such constrain, it is always judicious to opt for the desktops.

Among the computer basics, the first thing that comes is the CPU – the Central Processing Unit. Often called the ‘brain of the computer’, the CPU is important for interpretation of whatever information the computer receives and to process all such data. It is this Central Processing Unit through which all other components of the computer are controlled and monitored.

Next in line in regards the computer basics comes the motherboard. System board, main board – these terms too are often used interchangeably with the more technical term – motherboard. If the CPU is the ‘brain’, then the motherboard is called the ‘heart of the computer.’ It is responsible for the primary circuit. All the important components of the computer – including the CPU, sounds and graphics cards, network cards, hard drives, etc. – are connected to it. There are several forms of motherboards. One of the very common types among them is the ATX.

RAM or the Random Access Memory forms yet another important thing in your idea about the computer basics. The RAM is the computer component that enables you to perform any task on the computer, be it running some program or processing some data, nothing can be done whatsoever without a proper RAM. The pace at which the past will be performed or processed by your computer depends to a great extent on the potential and performance of the RAM. Therefore, pay extra care to the selection of the RAM for your desktop PC while you buy them.

Another of the computer basics you need to get well acquainted with before purchasing the Desktop PC is the Hard Disk Drive (HDD). This Hard Disk Drive is responsible for all forms of data storage of the computer. Two types of HDD are most popular in this regard – the SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) IDE (Integrated Data Device).

Apart from them, there are a few other necessary elements that form parts of your knowledge of the computer basics like the optical drives, graphics cards, audio cards, etc. Get to something about them before finally deciding on your PC.

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