Do you feel like a complete dummy when you walk into a computer shop? Would you like to buy peripherals or upgrade your PC, but haven't a clue where to start? Here's a quick and easy way to learn all about the components that make up a PC and how to select new components and peripherals that suit your needs and budget. What's Inside Your Computer
What is a motherboard?
What is a CPU?
RAM
Power supply
Floppy drives - do you really need one?
SCSI
WiFi
All those ports
Cables, cables and more cables The Five Most Popular PC
Upgrades Upgrades
Memory
Video card
Sound card
DVD player/burner
Motherboard How to Select a Monitor
What questions to ask - and what the answers mean
Why LCD monitors are better than CRTs How to Select a Hard Drive For Your PC
The different types of drives
What memory capacity means
How much memory you need for how you use your computer
How drive speed affects your use
External versus internal drives Choosing a DVD-ROM Drive
Interface - there are at least half a dozen possibilities
Speed - how to decipher all those letters and numbers
Coding, decoding, compression
Combo drives with CD and DVD read/write capabilities The Mouse
Where once there was no choice, today there are hundreds
Wired versus wireless
Color and design
Software
Optical, ball and roller, laser Selecting a Graphics Card
Do you really need more than your computer motherboard's built-in graphics capability?
Considering card memory, frame rate and speed
Why bigger is not always better
The three main things to look for in a graphics card Selecting a Sound Card
What is bit rate and why it's important
Just as you would with a new receiver for your audio/video suite, look at the card's connectors
Consider compatibility with the software you use Selecting a Printer
Resolution
Speed
Economy
Maximum paper size and format Selecting a Scanner
What is your need?
What is your budget?
Resolution
Size of documents to be scanned This ebook exe application. | 