The Laymen’s Guide to Understanding a Computer

A computer can be a complicated set of components that work together and perform tasks, but eventually the time will come where you either want to upgrade the computer or just buy a brand new computer. A lot of people just do not understand how the components work together in order to decide how much of a component to get. In order to explain this without getting too technical I will have to use an analogy most people can relate to because they have experienced something like it. This analogy explains the most critical components of a computer by comparing a computer to an office space with a worker, filing cabinets, outside sources like co-workers, and a desk.

First realize that you the office worker will be compared to the processor of the computer. You are the one who retrieves files from the filing cabinets, puts them on your desk, works on them to completion (or what was required of you), saves the files, and files them back into the filing cabinets. The faster you are the faster and more reliable you are the faster you can get the work done.

The next objects to compare are the filing cabinets to the hard drive. Just like the hard drive filing cabinets hold files. And, the bigger the filing cabinet the more files you can hold, just like a hard drive. Without the filing cabinets you would have no where to store your documents locally, and after you are done with them and need to recall them another day you will have to go through a long process to have the files sent to you. The long process would mean you have to go through outside sources like a co-worker for the file you need.

.Co-workers would be compared to your disk drive like the CD/DVD ROM, floppy drive, or even an USB flash drive. Disk drives just like the real life co-worker these disk drives can be the slowest ways to get information and files. I can tell you are smiling, nodding your head, and thinking of this one person who you can never depend on!

Now you will have to follow along closely to get this one. The desk is just like the computers memory. When you have a lot to work to do (which seems to happen a lot) you might want to use the process of going to the filing cabinets or a co-worker every time you need a new file, and working on the file one at a time, then giving them back to the filing cabinet or co-worker. Consider this, it is very much quicker and easier to collect all of the files you have to work on, set the files on your desk, and then work on them all at one sitting, then give them back to their respective sources. The later is exactly what the computer does pertaining to file management and memory. The way that memory is like your desk is that you can only hold a certain amount of files on your desk depending on your desk size. The same pertains to memory. Not having enough memory to hold your temporary files slows the computer down just like not having enough desk space to hold the files to be worked on. Also it is pointless to have more desk space than you will ever use. Adding memory only goes so far to speed up your computer before it makes no difference.

Now there is more to an office that are obvious comparisons like the printer and copier, they are the same as their respective computer parts, the case of the computer is like the decorations of your office, etc

I hope this article has given you insight on how a computer works and gives you more tools for your next computer upgrade or purchase.