Lesson 4. Buying a computer. Dịch đoạn văn ngắn: Buying a home computer can be a bit like buying a car-it's a major purchase decision. There are many makes and models, and many people willing to give advice about what to buy and where to buy it
Buying a home computer can be a bit like buying a car-it's a major purchase decision. There are many makes and models, and many people willing to give advice about what to buy and where to buy it. To make the most of your shopping experience, and sense of the variety of choices facing you, you'll want to do your homework before heading out. And, whether buying new or used, know what you want the computer to do for you and how much you can afford to spend.
Computers can be categorized into two basic operating systems or types- those designed primarily for graphics work and those primarily intended for word processing. Although both are capable of either function. To help you decide between the two operating systems, determine whether you will use the computer more for graphics or mainly for producing text, the type of software you want to run and which type of computer it runs on ( although most software has versions for both operating systems). If you're buying the computer for your child's use, see what kind of computer is used in his or her classroom. If you want to send files back and forth with your sister, check out her system. Both systems are great- one is not better than the other-but it helps to know what you want to do with your computer before you commit to either type.
Buying your computer a reputable electronics dealer means you're more likely to get a better warrranty and better service. The computers they carry have succeeded because of the high-quality of their machines and their service.
How will you use the computer? Do you plan to write papers for a class using word processing software, keep track of your finances or business on a spreadsheet, send electronic mail (e-mail) to relatives across the country, surf the World Wide Web, or just play computer games ? Knowing how you'll use your computer will help you determine what type of minimum requirements the computer needs to have.
Keep in mind that the size of the software you plan to run will dictate how much memory your computer should have. Consider how you will use your computer, then ask about the software you'll need. A sales associate should be able to tell you how many megabytes of memory you'll need based on your planned computer use. Typically, you'll need a minimum of 64 megabytes of memory to adequately run most programs. Most computer systems come with preloaded software. Be sure to check the inventory of what's on the computer, so you'll know what you're getting.
With computers, it's a good rule of thumb to buy as much as you can afford Depending on your needs, be prepared to spend between $1,000 for an entry-level computer to $3,000 and up for a higher-end computer. You don't have to buy the biggest, fastest or most powerful computer on the market, but you should buy the best system you can- that includes monitor, microprocessor, memory, hard drive, keyboard, printer, etc. You might want to hold off buying any software until you've had a chance to take a look at the software which should come with your new computer.
After you've made all the decisions about what you want in a computer, you also can choose what type of model you'd like: laptop or desktop. Laptop models are portable, and if you travel a lot and need to bring your computer along, this is the obvious choice. Desktops have larger screens screen ( although you can see a larger screen with a laptop model) and are easily expandable. Laptops are generally regarded as companion computers to desktops, but they are sophisticated enough to be your primary computer. There are some laptops, called notebooks, that weigh less than five pounds.
If you don't know a mouse from a RAM, then you need to brush up on the language of computers. Here's a crash course.
Cache: Cache is another type of memory kindred to RAM. Cache is used by the computer to quickly move data between the RAM and the CPU.
CD-ROM Drive: Most new computers now come with a CD-ROM drive as standard equipment. A CD-ROM drive reads data from a disc. These CDs look like a music CD, but hold data instead of music. CD-ROMS also contain games, dictionaries, recipe files... the list is endless.
CPU: The CPU, or central processing unit, is the brains of the computer. Most new Windows based programs use a Pentium processor. New Macs use a different type of CPU called Power PC.
Computers can be categorized into two basic operating systems or types- those designed primarily for graphics work and those primarily intended for word processing. Although both are capable of either function. To help you decide between the two operating systems, determine whether you will use the computer more for graphics or mainly for producing text, the type of software you want to run and which type of computer it runs on ( although most software has versions for both operating systems). If you're buying the computer for your child's use, see what kind of computer is used in his or her classroom. If you want to send files back and forth with your sister, check out her system. Both systems are great- one is not better than the other-but it helps to know what you want to do with your computer before you commit to either type.
Buying your computer a reputable electronics dealer means you're more likely to get a better warrranty and better service. The computers they carry have succeeded because of the high-quality of their machines and their service.
How will you use the computer? Do you plan to write papers for a class using word processing software, keep track of your finances or business on a spreadsheet, send electronic mail (e-mail) to relatives across the country, surf the World Wide Web, or just play computer games ? Knowing how you'll use your computer will help you determine what type of minimum requirements the computer needs to have.
Keep in mind that the size of the software you plan to run will dictate how much memory your computer should have. Consider how you will use your computer, then ask about the software you'll need. A sales associate should be able to tell you how many megabytes of memory you'll need based on your planned computer use. Typically, you'll need a minimum of 64 megabytes of memory to adequately run most programs. Most computer systems come with preloaded software. Be sure to check the inventory of what's on the computer, so you'll know what you're getting.
With computers, it's a good rule of thumb to buy as much as you can afford Depending on your needs, be prepared to spend between $1,000 for an entry-level computer to $3,000 and up for a higher-end computer. You don't have to buy the biggest, fastest or most powerful computer on the market, but you should buy the best system you can- that includes monitor, microprocessor, memory, hard drive, keyboard, printer, etc. You might want to hold off buying any software until you've had a chance to take a look at the software which should come with your new computer.
After you've made all the decisions about what you want in a computer, you also can choose what type of model you'd like: laptop or desktop. Laptop models are portable, and if you travel a lot and need to bring your computer along, this is the obvious choice. Desktops have larger screens screen ( although you can see a larger screen with a laptop model) and are easily expandable. Laptops are generally regarded as companion computers to desktops, but they are sophisticated enough to be your primary computer. There are some laptops, called notebooks, that weigh less than five pounds.
If you don't know a mouse from a RAM, then you need to brush up on the language of computers. Here's a crash course.
Cache: Cache is another type of memory kindred to RAM. Cache is used by the computer to quickly move data between the RAM and the CPU.
CD-ROM Drive: Most new computers now come with a CD-ROM drive as standard equipment. A CD-ROM drive reads data from a disc. These CDs look like a music CD, but hold data instead of music. CD-ROMS also contain games, dictionaries, recipe files... the list is endless.
CPU: The CPU, or central processing unit, is the brains of the computer. Most new Windows based programs use a Pentium processor. New Macs use a different type of CPU called Power PC.