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ManualsBrandsFor Dummies Manualsbooks978-0-470-53483-0

Buying a

Computer

f you’ve never owned a computer and now

face purchasing one for the first time, decid-

ing what to get can be a somewhat daunting

experience. There are lots of technical terms to

figure out and various pieces of hardware (the

physical pieces of your computer such as the

monitor and keyboard) and software (the

brains of the computer that help you create

documents and play games, for example) that

you need to understand.

In this chapter, I introduce you to the world of

activities your new computer makes available

to you, and I provide the information you

need to choose just the right computer for you.

Remember as you read through this chapter

that figuring out what you want to do with

your computer is an important step in deter-

mining which computer you should buy. You

have to consider how much money you want

to spend, how you’ll connect your computer to

the Internet, and how much power and perfor-

mance you’ll require from your computer.

Get ready to . . .

➟

Understand All You Can Do

with Computers ..................... 8

➟

Understand Hardware and

Software ............................ 11

➟

Explore Types of

Computers.......................... 13

➟

Choose a Version of

Windows ........................... 15

➟

Choose a Price Range ......... 16

➟

Select a Monitor ................. 18

➟

Choose an Optical Drive ..... 19

➟

Understand Processor Speed

and Memory ...................... 21

➟

Determine How You’ll

Connect to the Internet ......... 22

➟

Buy a Customized

Computer ........................... 23

➟

Chapter

COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL

Summary of content (18 pages)

PAGE 1
➟ Buying a Computer Get ready to . . . ➟ Understand All You Can Do TE MA D TE CO PY RI GH In this chapter, I introduce you to the world of activities your new computer makes available to you, and I provide the information you need to choose just the right computer for you. Remember as you read through this chapter that figuring out what you want to do with your computer is an important step in determining which computer you should buy.
PAGE 2
Part I: First Steps with Your Computer Understand All You Can Do with Computers In just a couple of decades, computers have moved from being expensive behemoths that lived in corporate basements to being personal productivity and entertainment tools. They have empowered people to connect around the world in unprecedented ways, and they’ve made common tasks much easier to handle. The following list walks you through some of the things your computer will enable you to do.
PAGE 3
Chapter 1: Buying a Computer ➟ Create greeting cards, letters, or home inventories. Whether you’re organizing your holiday card list or figuring out a monthly budget, computer programs can help. For example, Figure 1-1 shows a graph that the Excel program created from data in a spreadsheet. Figure 1-1 ➟ Pursue hobbies such as genealogy or sports. You can research your favorite teams online (see Figure 1-2) or connect with people who have the same interests.
PAGE 4
Part I: First Steps with Your Computer If you have a digital video camera and editing software, you can use editing tools to make a movie and share it with others. Steven Spielberg, look out! ➟ Shop online and compare products easily, day or night. You can shop for anything from a garden shed to travel deals or a new camera. Using handy online features, you can easily compare prices from several stores or read customer product reviews. Web sites such as www.nextag.
PAGE 5
Chapter 1: Buying a Computer Understand Hardware and Software Your computing experience is made up of hardware and software. The hardware is all the tangible computer equipment, such as the keyboard and mouse, and the software is what makes the hardware work or lets you get things done, such as writing documents with Microsoft Word or playing a Solitaire game. Think of the hardware as being like your television set and the shows that you watch as being like the software.
PAGE 6
Part I: First Steps with Your Computer Software (also known as programs or applications) is installed on your computer hard drive, which resides in the computer casing (either in your laptop or, for a desktop computer, in the computer tower). Here are a few basics about software: ➟ 12 ➟ You use software to get your work done, run entertainment programs, and browse the Internet.
PAGE 7
Chapter 1: Buying a Computer protects your computer from unwanted intrusion by malicious programs called spyware. See Part IV for details about using utilities. Explore Types of Computers Just as there are many styles of shoes or mobile phones, you can find several styles of computers. Some are small and portable, some use different operating systems to make everything run, and some excel at certain functions such as working with graphics or playing games.
PAGE 8
Part I: First Steps with Your Computer Figure 1-3 ➟ Desktop models typically have a large tower, such as the tower shown in Figure 1-4, that contains the computer’s central processing unit (called a CPU). The keyboard, mouse, and monitor are separate. Desktop computers take up more space than laptops and are not portable, but they’re usually less expensive.
PAGE 9
Chapter 1: Buying a Computer sophisticated sound and image capabilities are often referred to as gaming or multimedia models and they typically require a larger hard disk to handle these functions. Because the capabilities of these cards change all the time, I don’t give you the specifications for what’s high end; instead, ask the person you’re buying the computer from whether the system can handle sophisticated sound and graphics.
PAGE 10
Part I: First Steps with Your Computer However, Windows XP doesn’t come with as many security tools. If you decide to use Windows XP, find a friend or family member who’s knowledgeable about computers and can help you use XP features or other software programs that will help keep your computer secure. Note that if you’re using Vista or XP, some of the steps for common tasks are different than they are if you use Windows 7; however, you can still use this book to find out about many computer basics.
PAGE 11
Chapter 1: Buying a Computer data? (Computer speed and storage are covered later in this chapter.) Understand what you need before you buy. Each feature or upgrade adds dollars to your computer’s price. ➟ Shop wisely. If you walk from store to store or do your shopping online, you’ll find that the price for the same computer model can vary by hundreds of dollars at different stores. See if your memberships in organizations such as AAA, AARP, or Costco make you eligible for better deals.
PAGE 12
Part I: First Steps with Your Computer Check the auction site for guidance on staying safe when buying auctioned goods. Some Web sites, such as Epinions.com, allow you to compare several models of computers side by side, and others, such as Nextag.com, allow you to compare prices on a particular model from multiple stores. Select a Monitor Monitors are the window to your computer’s contents.
PAGE 13
Chapter 1: Buying a Computer An LCD monitor with a flat screen Figure 1-5 ➟ Resolution: A monitor’s resolution represents the number of pixels that form the images you see on the screen. The higher the resolution, the crisper the image. You should look for a monitor that can provide at least a 1,024 x 768 pixel resolution. ➟ Cost: The least expensive monitor might be the one that comes with a computer package, and many of these are perfectly adequate.
PAGE 14
Part I: First Steps with Your Computer which is a small drawer that pops out, allowing you to place a DVD in a tray, push the drawer back into the computer, and use the contents of the DVD. If you buy a software program, it will come on a CD or DVD, so you also need this drive to install software.
PAGE 15
Chapter 1: Buying a Computer Understand Processor Speed and Memory You computer contains a processor contained on a computer chip. The speed at which your computer runs programs or completes tasks is determined in great measure by your computer’s processor speed. Processor speed is measured in gigahertz (GHz). The higher this measurement, the faster the processor. I won’t quote the speed you should look for because these chips are constantly getting smaller and contain more and more power.
PAGE 16
Part I: First Steps with Your Computer ➟ Your computer will require some RAM to run the operating system. Windows 7 requires 1GB of main memory and 16GB of hard drive space. Determine How You’ll Connect to the Internet You have to decide how you’ll connect to the Internet. You can use a dial-up connection over a standard phone line or pay a fee to get a broadband connection such as DSL. (Check with AARP to find out if they offer discounted connections in your area.
PAGE 17
Chapter 1: Buying a Computer ➟ Broadband: Broadband connections can be DSL (digital subscriber line) or cable modem. In both cases, you pay a fee to a provider, which might be your phone company or cable company. DSL works over your phone line but doesn’t prohibit you from using the phone when you’re online. Cable runs over your cable TV line and is a bit faster than DSL, though connections can be less dependable.
PAGE 18
Part I: First Steps with Your Computer Here are some of the variables you’ll be asked about when you purchase a customized system, many of which are discussed in this chapter: ➟ Type and speed of processor ➟ Amount of RAM or hard drive capacity ➟ Installed software, such as a productivity suite like Microsoft Office or Microsoft Works, or a premium version of an operating system ➟ More sophisticated graphics or sound cards ➟ Peripherals such as a printer or an upgrade to a wireless mouse or keybo