Tuesday, September 13, 2011

With a USB / Flash on my computer?

The device known as a USB or memory card, flash drive or flash drive is a small device that is connected directly to a computer via USB. This is a memory device that has a small storage capacity large. Pen drives with multiple levels of storage capacity on the market. Most computers regardless of operating system aimed at providing facilities to access these USB drives when connected to the computer. However, some USB flash drives to install the drivers before you are ready to use with the computer.

Any type of file can be stored on a USB stick is in the same way that the files are stored on your hard disk, the only difference is the appearance and physical performance. Thumb dives can be easily disconnected from the computer when not in use. Each time your service will need external drives can be connected to the computer, because they're self-powered devices. Occurs from a portable USB device, it is easy to keep a few important files found on your computer and on another computer. It is small and light so it is easy to use and carry.

To use the flash drive is first plugged into a USB port on your computer. If the computer recognizes the flash drive the new drive icon appears in My Computer. You will be on the My Computer window as a removable disk. Then, as in normal Windows files and folders and copy those files in other locations on your computer.

You can also save files on your computer with the USB stick. Right-click a file or folder displays a list of options. There is an option called Send ... when you mouse over the option containing a list of devices that are connected to your PC, including flash memory appears. By selecting this option in the selected folder are copied to flash disk.
 
When you are finished working with your flash drive, you should not immediately disconnect the computer. It is always best to safely remove the flash drive before removing it. You can show directly on the flash drive in My Computer and select Eject, or click on the icon on the right side of the taskbar that the flash drive - when clicked on an option to "Remove to Device Security", click this option and remove the USB, after giving the message that the disc is removed is displayed.

What is the best way to clean a laptop?

Cleaning laptop keyboard

While power is still out of the laptop, with a clean, lint-free cloth with a fine new window. Avoid using bleach or other cleaning products commercials. Squirt the cleaner onto the cloth, not the real key. Wipe each key until nice and clean. Release the keys for about 20 minutes to dry before you are on the laptop.

Cleaning the screen

Which should be cleaned regularly every laptop LED. Airborne dirt, dust and all that is in the air can be pulled off the screen. Make sure the system is off. Use a damp, lint-free clean water, clean gently light particles from the surface. Do not use chemical type. If necessary, you can buy a cleaning kit LED monitor has a very delicate and cleaning cloth. It works on flat panel TVs and rear projection.

As you can see the hair and dirt into the holes on the bottom or side of the box and a laptop, you can be sure that there is more inside the cell. The only way to get around is to open the case. Try not to fly, starting from the outside world. This does not clog the inside of the box. All cases are to be transported easily separated. There are lots of little screws that hold the case together. It can be made of plastic or rubber caps for the screws on the display. Almost all laptops must be separated from the base.

Make sure the power cord and remove the battery before leaving. Remove the hard disk and put it in a safe place away from the road. Do not use a magnetic screwdriver or wireless devices. When the case is completely open, you'll see the dust bunnies "hiding in the vicinity of the radiator fan and the processor cooling portable hot. Remove the key pieces with tweezers. The air pressure works well in a box to the dust in and around the System Tray and keys. Do keep out of the bag upright when using compressed air. blow When the air tilts downward when it is used may become the air is a liquid. It ruins the components inside the laptop.

When assembling the laptop, you should use the right screws in place. Some screws are longer than others, and the cables must be connected, where they are original. Pay close attention to ribbon cable and connectors in particular. To use the keyboard and the mouse pad it. Make sure the corner or compression fittings are tight before the next step. You do not want to reopen the case of the laptop until it's time to clean again.
 After completion of the notebook is as good as new.

What is Blu-ray

The data is of crucial importance, whether a person or organization. It must be collected, sorted and then stored. Data storage is certainly a very difficult task, but with this radius, we can easily large amounts of information, data, multimedia, etc. There is a core, the secure storage of data for the years reserve, and is easily accessible when needed .

Blu-ray came as an answer to the prayers of all those who wanted a better alternative data storage. The optical storage format allows you to store, retrieve and re-write large amounts of content such as high definition video, or any type of digital content, providing more than five times as much space standard DVDs. A disc can hold 25 GB Blu in a single layer disc and 50 GB of memory on a dual-layer disc. This large storage capacity and the use of video and audio codecs has extended experience never before seen in high definition for end users.

But as is technologically different from other optical disc formats like DVD, DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD-RAM? DVD uses a red laser to read and write data, Blu-ray during the operation with a blue-violet laser instead (hence the name Blu-ray). The blue-violet laser (405 nm) has used a shorter wavelength than the red laser (650 nm) from the DVD, and with an increase from 0.60 to 0.85 numerical aperture, so that the laser up to a point less to concentrate. Therefore, the density of data on Blu-ray DVD is higher than that in which you have the storage capacity of 25 GB and 50 GB
So in short, like a ray is working. And if you data which will then be distributed easily stored. It is also easy to run multiple copies for wider distribution by developing a fast and effective DVD Blu-ray duplicators on the market. You can play Blu-ray, DVD and CD Duplicating a fast speed, saving valuable time.

There are several configurations available:

Stand Alone - This is of course DVD Duplicators Blu-ray, which goes with its own controller, hard drive and one or more authors. You can see the entire process from a single keyboard and small screen. This may seem intimidating, but really easy to use as a photocopier use, with intuitive menus.

These systems can easily duplicate multiple masters images, and track made a count of the number of copies of copies. They are built to provide maximum protection against heat and dust of the units offer excellent performance over a longer period. It saves time and get for your money.

PC connected - These duplicators work in conjunction with a personal computer, and provide a cost effective solution for users who require multiple applications on CD / DVD automated loading systems. PC will be used to control software manages the copying of CDs, DVDs or Blu-ray, hard drives and mirroring the hard drive for backups.

Types of scanners

Portable or mobile scanners are ideal for scanning invoices, certificates, receipts, photographs, drawings, among many other things. If you are looking for, then you should be aware of different types on the market. While the new models every year, most are now on the market it can be divided into the Sheetfed,Handheld and Pen.

Sheetfed Scanner

Sheetfed are the largest of the three main types of portable scanners. Unlike plans that require a lot of space on the desk, a sheet feeder is considerably smaller and thus easier to transport. In a flat-bed scanner, the analyze (e.g. a book page) is hidden in a sealed glass panel on the top of the machine with the lid. On the other hand, a single-sheet feeder usually comes with a tray that can hold a number of leaves at a time. These sheets are fed automatically from a vertically both the scanner. An obvious limitation of the charger from the traditional platform is that the former sheet must be disconnected, you cannot scan pages of a book without tearing the material. In addition, paper jams, vending machines for printers, is possible. Another drawback is the resolution of the scan is usually lower. The advantages, of course, portability and compact size as well as the ability to scan large volumes of documents quickly collect in the tray. Scanners scrolling in general, through the USB port on your computer alone, which is another factor that contributes to its portability, are powered.

Handheld Scanner

Handheld scanner to use, requires a steady hand. First, place the object to be scanned (not too small) upside down on a flat, stable surface. Next, place the scanner on the top of the element and move or destroy the old to maintain a constant and firm. These handheld devices are cheaper and more portable than bow-and usually on batteries or USB connection will run at a time. If you are ever in the doctor's waiting room, reading magazines and I am stuck on the pictures or objects to be scanned, and a hand-held computer can be very suitable for you. Scanned images are probably due to a memory card, which can then be transferred to your computer are stored.

Pen Scanner

The smallest portable or mobile scanner pen scanners seem bulky plastic pens, and are used like a pen. You can of pen scanner as a subset of handheld devices to think as they require manual movement of the pen on the paper, and also a very strong hand. These are usually limited to scanning documents, and equipped with an advanced optical character recognition or optical character recognition to automatically convert scanned text into editable Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat PDF (or other text file). It can also be great to translate words into other languages, assuming you have to do the software.

Photos and Documents Scanners

Both bow and hand-held devices can be divided into image or document scanner. While the document scanners are often used, which means it can also be used to scan photos, a photo scanner is designed for the integrated and therefore better suited to be very detailed for scanning images. Document scanners usually come with software OCR or optical.

Bottom Line

All scanners are portable, as the name suggests, comparing the light due to its relatively small size to a normal level. This makes them an ideal choice for those seeking a flexible solution to scan, no significant space in the house, in transit or in the office and do not mind sacrificing some quality in the process of resolution.

The best advice to protect your PC from viruses

Whether for business or leisure, computers are useful tools in those days. Computers are also used to store important information. And it is important to protect this valuable and sensitive information to hackers. But that's easier said than done. Many viruses that are circulating on the Internet and there are also other malicious programs. This means that if there is adequate protection, your computer may be suffering from a virus infection. Here is the importance of support from a provider of computer viruses. This article gives you some of the best tips to protect your PC from viruses.

Before diving into the debate, let's take a look at what are computer viruses. Now that is a computer-virus software that is able to make copies of themselves and then infect other files on the computer of the user. And if it spreads from one computer to another. Computer viruses are so dangerous that not only corrupt and delete important files on your computer, but also damage to the computer's hardware. Just as a computer user, you must take seriously the threat of viruses.

To reduce the risk of viruses that can follow a number of simple things. The first is that you install an antivirus program on your computer and then a performance upgrade. Instead, opt for a program that updates its virus database regularly. Do delete a full system scan and detect all malware through the program.

There are many sites that offer pirated download option. You may not know that many viruses are spread through such illegal sites. Therefore you should never download or pirated software. Also, be careful when downloading from the Internet. If you download, it is proposed to use an anti-virus and scan through them before opening. This allows the malware to stop from attacking your computer.

Only one anti-virus program may not be able to offer maximum protection against all harmful objects. With anti-virus programs must also install anti-spyware and anti-malware. and ensure that these programs are updated regularly.

To protect your computer from viruses, do not use file-sharing peer to peer (P2P) networks such as Limewire, Bearshare, Gnutella, Morpheus, torrents, etc. These programs are often used to download files from other computers in your program download network. The problem with these programs is that you cannot see the program until the complete download. Therefore, they can try to download a song and ends with the downloading of a virus.

Follow these tips and make to protect your computer.

Install a new graphics card for the desktop

Whenever a new system or improve an existing one, what most people consider the top of the list is very good graphics. The video and graphics located in the heart of computing and entertainment experience. Before you begin, you need to know what kind of slot in the PC for video. The first room off the power supply is usually the PCI Express (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) expansion slot. It is visible from the other slots (usually PCI). You need to remove part of the computer to access the expansion slots and to check whether the video is in slot 1. Then you need a new graphics card for the purchase. There are numerous connections in the market and many (such as PCI Express or PCI), which can be confusing. For most PCs, the video is a PCI Express version. Note that the PCI slots are not compatible with PCI Express-cons. If you are choosing a new graphics card, there are some things to consider about the best price:

• GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) or not? GPUs have computer chips in the graphics card itself.
• Size of memory - more than the best memory on the graphics card
• Speed ​​of Memory - DDR3 (double data rate) is twice as fast as DDR2
• External ports - HDMI transmits audio and video, while DVI / VGA is the standard for monitors
• The size of the expansion slot (some computers have slots for half-height design)

Once the graphics card only a matter of opening the office in the field expansion slots and card replacement in the first slot is accessed with its new acquisition. Installation is easy, even for beginners, because the manufacturer provides detailed instructions.
Do not be surprised if your system requires additional updates.

With the commissioning of the system of self-identification of the graphics card and try to find the driver. In Windows, this may or may not identify your new graphics card but do not worry. Once the system boots can go, you and the video driver, select [Start> Control Panel> System> Hardware> Device Manager] will bring up a list of all drivers. Select [Graphics] and click the list item. [Update driver] in this menu option and follow the Add New Hardware Wizard. After everything is complete, you can on the desktop and select a video resolution or provider's control panel (such as ATI or NVIDIA) to configure the screen.

History of Laptops

When it comes to computers and technology, there seems no limit to the possibilities. Computers were once large and expensive equipment, but now, thanks to the digital revolution, almost all households have computers, especially laptops small and light. This story of laptops is a fascinating story about the development of technology.

The concept of a laptop was born in late 1960 and early 1970s. During this period, Xerox researchers have experimented with a type of laptop, called the Dynabook. The intent of the Dynabook was some sort of Tablet PC that could run on battery life. However, the technology had not yet developed in this period, to develop the Dynabook.

In 1981, the Osborne-1 system has been developed for commercial purposes. This computer has a very small screen, but could not run on battery power. The Osborne-1 system gave companies the opportunity first, to take their data with them, which included bringing in aircraft. However, since they do not with the battery, which does not prevent him run a success.

The first true laptop was introduced in 1982. This could work in the life of the battery and includes a flat screen that folded into the keyboard. It also has a clamshell design. He was known as the GRID Compass. His design is still used today in many laptops. However, the high cost and incompatibility with IBM unattractive in the commercial market. It is used primarily by NASA and the U.S. military.

In 1983, two laptops were introduced - the Epson HX-20 and Compaq. He presented the most viable technological progress for the economy. The system was the first Compaq laptop with the operating system MS-DOS and IBM software. The Epson HX-20 was a reasonable price and can be run on rechargeable batteries.
At the end of 1983, Kyocera was solved Kyotronic 85th This notebook was originally published in Japan on the market, but suffered poor sales. However, the developers have U.S. marketing team has started in the U.S. and had sales of more success. The laptop has an internal modem and a number of programs that were developed by Microsoft. So we could run on ordinary AA batteries.

In 1986 and 1987, two IBM-compatible laptop pretty good success. Made by IBM and Toshiba, which had a limited ability to function, but it could lead to batteries, light, and had a pause function that the user gave the ability to take up work again without rebooting.

In 1987, many notebook manufacturers have shown in the market and the competition among manufacturers of mobile phones has increased dramatically. Buy a contract for the United States Air Force to 200,000 laptops were offered and equipment manufacturers participated intensively for it. Zenith Data Systems (ZDS) was awarded the contract and became the largest manufacturer of laptops in late 1980.
ZDS partnered with a Japanese manufacturer of equipment for the production of laptops to stimulate. In addition, these companies form alliances with Taiwan and began to become leaders in the notebook market. In 1989 Apple Inc. launched its first notebook, laptop Macintosh. The team had a long battery life, screen blank, but there was expensive and bulky. Apple PowerBook 1991 series has a technology in the NIC, the placement of the keyboard that we see today and touchpad built.

In 1995, Microsoft released Windows 95 operating system. The development of Windows-95 standard in most areas of the design of the laptop. It was also during this time as the Intel Pentium, CD-ROM drives have been standard features of most laptops functions. Technological developments since 1995 have continuously improved portable always the popular choice of the computer system is now used by millions of people around the world

History of hard disk

The hard drive is an important part of computing today, allowing information to be stored and retrieved at a future date. However, the unit now has its roots in the technology that was developed 50 years ago. The first unit was developed in 1956 and looked like they would look like an air conditioner today. Yesterday units had a very small storage capacity, but it took 100 times more space. Since the technology, the capacity of hard drives has developed so long as it took up less space and less.

The first days

The first idea, a memory unit and receiving of data is developed in 1953 by IBM engineers. They recognized the need for a device that a high capacity, can have fast access to data, and is cheap to build. The technologies are considered the first signs of wire, rod arrays and matrices, including the drum. However, the reader was finally resolved when the device of choice because its simple mechanical design and easy. The first drive was the IBM 305 RAMAC, which can store 4.4 megabytes at a price of $ 160 000 in today's money.

1950-1970

The IBM 350 Disk File was a huge success for IBM and the age of the hard drive is officially born. However, the first performance of this device ridiculous compared to what the less expensive devices can achieve today. The IBM 350 Disk File succeeded in information access in less than 1 second - compared to almost all hard drives, which can now access information in a few milliseconds. However, access times and went quickly in 1961, much of the 4000 series drives are able to time of only 50 ms access time. In 1973, IBM introduced the IBM 3340 hard disk. This was the first hard disk, the media smeared the low to ensure a smooth operation and less maintenance was used.

The era of personal computers

When the PC revolution began in the 1980s, was the primary means of storing and retrieving data into a computer via floppy disks. Therefore, the majority of PCs do not have a hard disk because they were too expensive to manufacture and not with the disk in terms of competition, mere storage. However, the 1980s began to the discs as the main method of storage to replace PCs. Occur in the mid-1990s almost all PCs with some kind of internal unity, and are now much cheaper than hard drives in terms of the amount of memory space.

Present

After the disk has become a fixture in the industry of personal computing in the 1990s, further, faster, smaller and larger capacities. Hard drives are currently very cheap and can produce large amounts of information, save the part of the order of 5 terabytes of data. The future of mobile is not clear, but most experts agree that it is removed and with the condition, the most technologically advanced sound equipment is to be replaced. A Solid State Drive has no moving parts and thus get a longer life and easier compared to a conventional hard disk.


Difference between DDR and flash drives

There are various forms of computer memory available in the market area of ​​equipment and every memory has its own specific role to play. Flash memory and DDR MEM two large computer memory that come with desktops and laptops. If you already buy member upgrade information technology, it is very important that you know the difference between flash memory and the members of the GDR.

Flash memory is a special type of memory that can be programmed and can be erased and reprogrammed electronically. A member of the non-volatile flash memory is the best computer and user-friendly nature of memory, the effective use of game consoles and memory cards makes. Flash memory in USB flash drives are used to easily fix the USB ports and users can easily store data on them. The area where it's extensive use of flash memory includes portable computers, PDAs, digital cameras, music players and telephones. FLASH MEM is non-volatile memories are not lost all data when they are not removed or stored in the RAM mem. FLASH MEM comes in two forms, namely NAND and NOR. NI can easily make fully accessible to all members with the location data and address bus. However, NAND has written more quickly and the deletion of the time, but not random access. NAND Flash is used for members of memory cards, but is not intended to be used as a replacement for ROM chips. However, there are limits to the flash memory and most important is that the flash can be erased and rewritten, only a finite number of times. But although flash memory can be erased and rewritten for a finite number of times, is regarded as the most popular memory, that the difference may be on your computer and add the laptop and run efficiently.

Then the members of the GDR. This type of membership is quite common in desktop computers. MEM DDR Double Data Rate SDRAM as well known is twice as fast as SDRAM developed. MEM DDR can be easily to2133MB data / s, and the best part is that less energy than standard SD RAM memory consumed. There are several variants in the market for DDR RAM. DDR1, DDR2 and DDR3 are the most common species, and make sure that you will be MEM DDR compatible with your computer system.

If Dell or HP or Sony or any other brand, the only thing, if you buy memory upgrade is compatible affairs. Dell Memory upgrade option is to make a right, if your computer's memory to be increased. For exactly the kind of memory that is with your Dell desktop or laptop, you should opt for the selection of the memory. The role of the Memory Selector is to find adequate support for DDR1, DDR2 or DDR3 memory with improvements in desktop or laptop.

Choosing the best Computer Mouse

Computer accessories are used to perform various tasks. Some of them are input devices like mouse and keyboard, but the printers and monitors are considered accessory outlet. Several brands are on the market choosing from, especially the accessories such as mouse and keyboard. Find the best computer mouse is one of the most difficult decisions for the customer because of the types and brands available.

The mouse is a better computer that is not only the fulfillment of the tasks correctly, but also a good way to avoid injury to the user from the position of the wrist. No doubt, the number of different models to choose from, but you must ensure that the design of the mouse is not harmful to the user to work long hours.

Despite the physical problems are there when you want to use a mouse, but there is also a fact that the user lots of variety, choose a mouse of your choice. The mechanical mouse is the traditional, while the laser or optical mouse is also a good option. Some people like to use the wireless mouse, but they are inexpensive. In fact, the trackball is still in use because of two reasons.

Each type of mouse has certain advantages and shortcomings of his style and designs. This is highly unlikely that a species of mouse is suitable for all users. We can estimate the motion of the laser mouse, while the other is easy trackball. Several species are suitable in terms of finding a mouse for both household and commercial use at work on the PC.

The best computer mouse is not only is fast but easily controlled with little effort, optical or laser mouse one who can do the job perfectly. Various models and colors in this respect, so we choose the size after the election.

The Mouse Mechanics still used by users because of its traditional functions. It is also called a trackball. For people who cannot handle the fast-moving laser mouse trackball is the best option for them. This mouse is also preferred by people, because the movement of the cursor is little movement of the hand relative to the laser or optical mouse.

There are several high quality mouse are on the market to choose from, the price of the article is also dependent on the material and the brand. A quality mark is that the functionality is not only good wise, but also continue to operate for a longer period. Whether you're a mechanical mouse or laser mouse for your PC, make sure that the brand for quality. A label can help you achieve the target with the mouse.

Friday, September 9, 2011

What is a Motherboard?

Motherboard is the most important component in any personal computer. It contains almost every important elements of the computer.Sometimes instead of the calling it “motherboard”, IBM refers to is as “system Board” or “ Planner Board” , some other manufacturer refer to this as the “Logic Board”.

The motherboard is the main circuit board inside the PC which holds the processor, memory and expansion slots and connects directly or indirectly to every part of the PC. It’s made up of a chipset(known as the “glue logic”), some code in ROM and the various interconnections or buses.


Evolution

The original PC had a minimum of integrated devices, just ports for a keyboard and a cassette deck (for storage). Everything else, including a display adapter and floppy or hard disk controllers, were add-in components, connected via expansion slots.

Over time, more devices have been integrated into the motherboard. It’s a slow trend though, as I/O ports and disk controllers were often mounted on expansion cards as recently as 1995. Other components - typically graphics, networking,SCSI and sound - usually remain separate. Many manufacturers have experimented with different levels of integration, building in some or even all of these components. However, there are drawbacks. It’s harder to upgrade the specification if integrated components can’t be removed, and highly integrated motherboards often require non-standard cases. Furthermore, replacing a single faulty component may mean buying an entire new motherboard.

Consequently, those parts of the system whose specification changes fastest -RAM, CPU and graphics - tend to remain in sockets or slots for easy replacement.Similarly, parts that not all users need, such as networking or SCSI, are usually left out of the base specification to keep costs down.The basic changes in motherboard form factors over the years are covered later in this section - the diagrams below provide a detailed look at the various components on two motherboards. The first a Baby AT design, sporting the ubiquitous Socket 7 processor connector, circa 1995. The second is an ATX design,with a Pentium II Slot 1 type processor connector, typical of motherboards on the market in late 1998.

Motherboard development consists largely of isolating performance-critical components
from slower ones. As higher speed devices become available, they are linked by faster buses - and the lower-speed buses are relegated to supporting roles. In the late 1990s there was also trend towards putting peripherals designed as integrated chips directly onto the motherboard. Initially this was confined to audio and video chips - obviating the need for separate sound or graphics adapter cards - but in time the peripherals integrated in this way became more diverse and included items such as SCSI, LAN and even RAID controllers.While there are cost benefits to this approach the biggest downside is the restriction of future upgrade options.

Choosing a Good Graphics Card

A top-of-the-line graphics card is easy to spot. It has lots of memory and a fast processor. Often, it's also more visually appealing than anything else that's intended to go inside a computer's case. Lots of high-performance video cards are illustrated or have decorative fans or heat sinks.

But a high-end card provides more power than most people really need. People who use their computers primarily for e-mail, word processing or Web surfing can find all the necessary graphics support on a motherboard with integrated graphics. A mid-range card is sufficient for most casual gamers. People who need the power of a high-end card include gaming enthusiasts and people who do lots of 3-D graphic work.
A good overall measurement of a card's performance is its frame rate, measured in frames per second (FPS). The frame rate describes how many complete images the card can display per second. The human eye can process about 25 frames every second, but fast-action games require a frame rate of at least 60 FPS to provide smooth animation and scrolling. Components of the frame rate are:
  • Triangles or vertices per second: 3-D images are made of triangles, or polygons. This measurement describes how quickly the GPU can calculate the whole polygon or the vertices that define it. In general, it describes how quickly the card builds a wire frame image.
  • Pixel fill rate: This measurement describes how many pixels the GPU can process in a second, which translates to how quickly it can rasterize the image.

Overclocking

Some people choose to improve their graphics card's performance by manually setting their clock speed to a higher rate, known as overclockings. People usually overclock their memory, since overclocking the GPU can lead to overheating. While overclocking can lead to better performance, it also voids the manufacturer's warranty.
The graphics card's hardware directly affects its speed. These are the hardware specifications that most affect the card's speed and the units in which they are measured:
  • GPU clock speed (MHz)
  • Size of the memory bus (bits)
  • Amount of available memory (MB)
  • Memory clock rate (MHz)
  • Memory bandwidth (GB/s)
  • RAMDAC speed (MHz) 

The computer's CPU and motherboard also play a part, since a very fast graphics card can't compensate for a motherboard's inability to deliver data quickly. Similarly, the card's connection to the motherboard and the speed at which it can get instructions from the CPU affect its performance.

The Evolution of Graphics Cards

Graphics cards have come a long way since IBM introduced the first one in 1981. Called a Monochrome Display Adapter (MDA), the card provided text-only displays of green or white text on a black screen. Now, the minimum standard for new video cards is Video Graphics Array (VGA), which allows 256 colors. With high-performance standards like Quantum Extended Graphics Array (QXGA), video cards can display millions of colors at resolutions of up to 2040 x 1536 pixels.

Creating an image out of binary data is a demanding process. To make a 3-D image, the graphics card first creates a wire frame out of straight lines. Then, it rasterizes the image (fills in the remaining pixels). It also adds lighting, texture and color. For fast-paced games, the computer has to go through this process about sixty times per second. Without a graphics card to perform the necessary calculations, the workload would be too much for the computer to handle. 

The graphics card accomplishes this task using four main components:
  • A motherboard connection for data and power
  • A processor to decide what to do with each pixel on the screen
  • Memory to hold information about each pixel and to temporarily store completed pictures
  • A monitor connection so you can see the final result

Graphic Card

information about graphic card  
The images you see on your monitor are made of tiny dots called pixels. At most common resolution settings, a screen displays over a million pixels, and the computer has to decide what to do with every one in order to create an image. To do this, it needs a translator -- something to take binary data from the CPU and turn it into a picture you can see. Unless a computer has graphics capability built into the motherboard, that translation takes place on the graphics card

A graphics card's job is complex, but its principles and components are easy to understand. In this article, we will look at the basic parts of a video card and what they do. We'll also examine the factors that work together to make a fast, efficient graphics card. 

Think of a computer as a company with its own art department. When people in the company want a piece of artwork, they send a request to the art department. The art department decides how to create the image and then puts it on paper. The end result is that someone's idea becomes an actual, viewable picture.

A graphics card works along the same principles. The CPU, working in conjunction with software applications, sends information about the image to the graphics card. The graphics card decides how to use the pixels on the screen to create the image. It then sends that information to the monitor through a cable.

Creating a Safe Workspace

In addition to keeping your computer healthy, it's important to think about your own health. Using a computer involves a lot of repetitive motions such as typing and using the mouse. Over time, these motions can begin to take their toll on your body, especially your wrists, neck, and back. Staring at a monitor for long periods of time can also cause eye strain. To minimize this, you should take a few moments to make sure your workspace is arranged in a comfortable and healthy way.
Computer ergonomics is the science of equipment design and how specific equipment usage and placement can reduce the user's discomfort and increase productivity. Some equipment is designed with special attention to ergonomics, for example ergonomic keyboards or ergonomic chairs.

Here are a few tips to help you avoid injury in your workspace:

  • Adjust your chair: Make sure your chair is adjusted to allow you to sit in a natural, comfortable position. Many office chairs are specially designed to support the lower back and promote good posture.
  • Keep the keyboard at a comfortable height: Try to place the keyboard in a position that allows you to keep your wrists straight and relaxed, to avoid wrist strain. Many desks have a keyboard tray that may keep the keyboard at a better height. You can also buy an ergonomic keyboard that is designed to minimize wrist strain.
  • Keep the mouse close to the keyboard: If possible, place the mouse right next to the keyboard. If the mouse is too far away, it may be uncomfortable or awkward to reach for the mouse.
  • Place the monitor at a comfortable distance: The ideal position for a monitor is 20 to 40 inches away from your eyes. It should also be at eye level or slightly lower.
  • Avoid clutter: The computer area can quickly become cluttered with papers, computer accessories, and other items. By keeping this area as uncluttered as possible, you can improve your productivity and also prevent strain or injury.
  • Take frequent breaks: It's important to take breaks while you're working at your computer. To avoid eye strain, you should look away from the monitor every once in a while. You can also stand up and walk around to avoid sitting in the same position for long periods of time. Programs such as Eyes Relax and Workrave can automatically remind you to take breaks.

Protecting Your Computer From Malware


Malware is any type of software that is designed to damage your computer or gain unauthorized access to your personal information. It includes viruses, worms, Trojan horses, spyware, and other types. Most malware is distributed over the internet, often bundled with other software.

The best way to guard against malware is to install antivirus software such as BitDefender, Norton, or Kaspersky. Antivirus software helps to prevent malware from being installed, and it can also remove malware from your computer. New malware is being created all the time, so it's important to update your antivirus software frequently. Most antivirus programs can do this automatically, but you'll need to make sure that this feature is enabled.

It's also important to stay smart when you're browsing the web or using email. If a website or email attachment looks suspicious, trust your instincts. Keep in mind that your antivirus program may not catch everything, so it's best to avoid downloading anything that might contain malware.

Backing Up Your Computer

Imagine what would happen if your computer suddenly stopped working. Would you lose any important documents, photos, or other files? It may be possible to repair your computer, but your files may be lost forever. Luckily, you can prevent this by creating backup copies of all of your files (or just the important ones) on an external hard drive or an online backup service.


External Hard Drives
  

You can purchase an external hard drive and copy the contents of your computer to it. The initial backup could take several hours, so you will need to select a period of time where you do not need access to your computer. Running the backup overnight usually works best. Follow-up backups should be conducted on a regular basis, but will not take as long because the drive will only need to copy your most recent files.
Western Digital, Iomega and Seagate produce popular external hard drives. Conduct some research on which product best suits your storage needs, or ask a computer sales representative for recommendations.
One drawback, compared to online backup services, is that your external hard drive can be lost, damaged or stolen just as your computer might be. Therefore, it is important to keep your drive in a secure location when not in use.