A personal computer (PC) is a computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator. A desktop computer is a Personal computer (PC in a form intended for regular use at a single location as opposed to a mobile Laptop or portable computer A computer is a Machine that manipulates data according to a list of instructions.

Today a PC may be a desktop computer, a laptop computer or a tablet computer. A desktop computer is a Personal computer (PC in a form intended for regular use at a single location as opposed to a mobile Laptop or portable computer A laptop computer, also known as a notebook computer, is a small Personal computer designed for mobile use. A Tablet PC is a Notebook or slate-shaped Mobile computer, equipped with a Touchscreen or Graphics tablet/screen hybrid technology which allows The most common operating systems are Microsoft Windows, Mac OS and Linux, while the most common microprocessors are the x86 and PowerPC CPUs. An operating system (commonly abbreviated OS and O/S) is the software component of a Computer system that is responsible for the management and coordination Microsoft Windows is a series of Software Operating systems and Graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Mac OS is the trademarked name for a series of Graphical user interface -based Operating systems developed by Apple Inc Linux (commonly pronounced ˈlɪnəks See also X86 assembly language The generic term x86 refers to the most commercially successful Instruction set architecture in the history of Personal PowerPC is a RISC Instruction set architecture created by the 1991 Apple – IBM – Motorola alliance known as AIM Software applications for personal computers include word processing, spreadsheets, games, and a myriad of personal productivity and special-purpose software. Word processing is the creation of documents using a Word processor. A spreadsheet is a Computer application that simulates a paper worksheet A personal computer Game (also known as a computer game or simply PC game) is a Video game played on a Personal computer, rather Modern personal computers often have high-speed or dial-up connections to the Internet, allowing access to the World Wide Web and a wide range of other resources. The World Wide Web (commonly shortened to the Web) is a system of interlinked Hypertext documents accessed via the Internet.

A PC may be a home computer, or may be found in an office, often connected to a local area network. A home computer was a class of Personal computer entering the market in 1977 and becoming common during the 1980s The distinguishing characteristics are that the computer is primarily used, interactively, by one person at a time. This is in contrast to the batch processing or time-sharing models which allowed large expensive systems to be used by many people, usually at the same time, or large data processing systems which required a full-time staff to operate efficiently.

While early PC owners usually had to write their own programs to do anything useful with the machines, today's users have access to a wide range of commercial and free software which is easily installed.

Contents 1 History 2 Types 2.1 Desktop computer 2.2 Laptop 2.3 Tablet PC 2.4 Ultra-Mobile PC 2.5 Home theater PC 2.6 Pocket PC 3 Hardware 3.1 Computer case 3.2 Motherboard 3.3 Central processing unit 3.4 Main memory 3.5 Hard disk 3.6 Video card 3.7 Visual display unit 3.8 Other components 4 Software 4.1 Operating system 4.1.1 Microsoft Windows 4.1.2 Mac OS X 4.1.3 Linux 4.2 Applications 5 Lifetime 6 See also 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External links

History

Main article: History of personal computers

The capabilities of the PC have changed greatly since the introduction of electronic computers. See also Personal computer This article covers the history of the Personal computer. Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 By the early 1970s, people in academic or research institutions had the opportunity for single-person use of a computer system in interactive mode for extended durations, although these systems would still have been too expensive to be owned by a single person. This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970. The introduction of the microprocessor, a single chip with all the circuitry that formerly occupied large cabinets, led to the proliferation of personal computers after about 1975. A microprocessor incorporates most or all of the functions of a Central processing unit (CPU on a single Integrated Microchipsjpg|right|thumb|200px|Microchips ( EPROM memory with a transparent window showing the integrated circuit inside Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Early personal computers - generally called microcomputers - were sold often in kit form and in limited volumes, and were of interest mostly to hobbyists and technicians. microcomputer is a Computer with a Microprocessor as its Central processing unit. By the late 1970s, mass-market pre-assembled computers allowed a wider range of people to use computers, focusing more on software applications and less on development of the processor hardware.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, home computers were developed for household use, offering personal productivity, programming and games. The 1980s was the decade spanning from January 1 1980 to December 31 1989. A home computer was a class of Personal computer entering the market in 1977 and becoming common during the 1980s Somewhat larger and more expensive systems (although still low-cost compared with minicomputers and mainframes) were aimed for office and small business use. A minicomputer (colloquially mini) is a class of multi-user Computers that lies in the middle range of the computing spectrum in between the largest Multi-user Mainframes (often colloquially referred to as Big Iron) are Computers used mainly by large organizations for critical applications typically bulk data Workstations are characterized by high-performance processors and graphics displays, with large local disk storage, networking capability, and running under a multitasking operating system. A workstation, such as a Unix workstation, RISC workstation or Engineering workstation, is a high-end Microcomputer Workstations are still used for tasks such as computer-aided design, drafting and modelling, computation-intensive scientific and engineering calculations, image processing, architectural modelling, and computer graphics for animation and motion picture visual effects. The term architecture (from Greek αρχιτεκτονικήarchitektoniki) can be used to mean a process a profession or documentation Computer graphics are Graphics created by Computers and more generally the Representation and Manipulation of Pictorial Data ^[1]

Eventually the market segments lost any technical distinction; business computers acquired color graphics capability and sound, and home computers and game systems users used the same computers and operating systems as office workers. The influence of the IBM-PC on the PC market drove other different architectures into extinction in just a few years Mass-market computers had graphics capabilities and memory comparable to dedicated workstations of a few years before. Even local area networking, originally a way to allow business computers to share expensive mass storage and peripherals, became a standard feature of the personal computers used at home.

Types

Desktop computer

Main article: Desktop computer

A desktop computer is an independent personal computer (PC), as opposed to smaller forms of PCs, such as a mobile laptop. A desktop computer is a Personal computer (PC in a form intended for regular use at a single location as opposed to a mobile Laptop or portable computer Dell Inc targets its OptiPlex line of Desktop computers for sale into the corporate Government and Education markets A desktop computer is a Personal computer (PC in a form intended for regular use at a single location as opposed to a mobile Laptop or portable computer A laptop computer, also known as a notebook computer, is a small Personal computer designed for mobile use. Prior to the wide spread of PCs a computer that could fit on a desk was considered remarkably small. Today the phrase usually indicates a particular style of computer case. A computer case (also known as the computer chassis, cabinet, tower, box, enclosure, housing or simply case Desktop computers come in a variety of styles ranging from large vertical tower cases to small form factor models that can be tucked behind an LCD monitor. A computer case (also known as the computer chassis, cabinet, tower, box, enclosure, housing or simply case Small form factor ( SFF) computers are housed in smaller cases than typical Desktop computers While the term has no exact definition it generally includes A thin film transistor liquid crystal display ( TFT-LCD) is a variant of Liquid crystal display (LCD which uses Thin film transistor (TFT technology to In this sense, the term 'desktop' refers specifically to a horizontally-oriented case, usually intended to have the display screen placed on top to save space on the desk top. Most modern desktop computers have separate screens and keyboards.

Laptop

Main article: Laptop

A laptop computer or simply laptop, also called a notebook computer or sometimes a notebook, is a small personal computer designed for mobility. A laptop computer, also known as a notebook computer, is a small Personal computer designed for mobile use. Usually all of the interface hardware needed to operate the laptop, such as parallel and serial ports, graphics card, sound channel, etc. A parallel port is a type of interface found on Computers ( personal and otherwise for connecting various peripherals In Computing, a serial port is a Serial communication physical interface through which information transfers in or out one Bit at a time (contrast , are built in to a single unit. Most laptops contain batteries to facilitate operation without a readily available electrical outlet. In electronics a battery is a combination of two or more Electrochemical cells which store chemical Energy which can be converted into electrical energy In the interest of saving power, weight and space, they usually share RAM with the video channel, slowing their performance compared to an equivalent desktop machine.

One main drawback of the laptop is that, due to the size and configuration of components, relatively little can be done to upgrade the overall computer from its original design. Some devices can be attached externally through ports (including via USB), however internal upgrades are not recommended or in some cases impossible, making the desktop PC more modular.

Tablet PC

Main article: Tablet PC

A tablet PC is a notebook or slate-shaped mobile computer, first introduced by Pen Computing in the early 90s with their PenGo Tablet Computer and popularized by Microsoft. A notebook (also notepad, writing pad, drawing pad, legal pad, etc Mobile computing is a generic term describing one's ability to use technology while moving as opposed to Portable computers which are only practical for use while deployed in Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational Computer technology Corporation, which rose to dominate the Home computer Its touchscreen or graphics tablet/screen hybrid technology allows the user to operate the computer with a stylus or digital pen, or a fingertip, instead of a keyboard or mouse. A Touch Screen is a display which can detect the presence and location of a touch within the display area A graphics tablet/screen hybrid (or tablet/LCD hybrid Tablet LCD Monitor) is a Graphics tablet that incorporates an LCD into the tablet itself allowing the user A computer is a Machine that manipulates data according to a list of instructions. A stylus (plural styli or styluses) is a Writing utensil. The word is also used for a computer accessory ( PDAs) In Computing, a keyboard is an Input device partially modelled after the typewriter keyboard which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys In Computing, a mouse (plural mice, mouse devices, or mouses) The form factor offers a more mobile way to interact with a computer. Tablet PCs are often used where normal notebooks are impractical or unwieldy, or do not provide the needed functionality.

Ultra-Mobile PC

Main article: Ultra-Mobile PC

The ultra-mobile PC (UMPC) is a specification for a small form factor tablet PC. A Tablet PC is a Notebook or slate-shaped Mobile computer, equipped with a Touchscreen or Graphics tablet/screen hybrid technology which allows It was developed as a joint development exercise by Microsoft, Intel, and Samsung, among others. Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational Computer technology Corporation, which rose to dominate the Home computer The Samsung Group ( Korean:, Samsung Guerup) is South Korea 's largest company or Chaebol and the world's largest conglomerate Current UMPCs typically feature the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005, Windows Vista Home Premium Edition, or Linux operating system and low-voltage Intel Pentium or VIA C7-M processors in the 1 GHz range. Windows XP has been released in several editions since its original release in 2001 Windows Vista (ˈvɪstə is a line of Operating systems developed by Microsoft for use on Personal computers including home and business desktops Linux (commonly pronounced ˈlɪnəks An operating system (commonly abbreviated OS and O/S) is the software component of a Computer system that is responsible for the management and coordination The Pentium brand refers to Intel 's single-core x86 Microprocessor based on the P5 fifth-generation Microarchitecture. The VIA C7 is an X86 Central processing unit designed by Centaur Technology and sold by VIA Technologies. The hertz (symbol Hz) is a measure of Frequency, informally defined as the number of events occurring per Second.

Home theater PC

Main article: Home theater PC

A home theater PC (HTPC) is a convergence device that combines the functions of a personal computer and a digital video recorder. A digital video recorder ( DVR) or personal video recorder ( PVR) is a device that records video in a digital format to a Disk drive or other It is connected to a television or a television-sized computer display and is often used as a digital photo, music, video player, TV receiver and digital video recorder. Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic A visual display unit, often called simply a monitor or display, is a piece of Electrical equipment which displays images generated from the Video Home theater PCs are also referred to as media center systems or media servers. The term media center refers either to a dedicated Computer appliance or to a specialized Personal computer Software, both of which are adapted for A media server is a Computer appliance, ranging from an enterprise class machine providing Video on demand, to more commonly a small home computer The general goal in a HTPC is usually to combine many or all components of a home theater setup into one box. Home cinema, also called home theater, are entertainment systems that seek to reproduce cinema quality video and audio in a private home They can be purchased pre-configured with the required hardware and software needed to add television programming to the PC, or can be cobbled together out of discrete components as is commonly done with Windows Media Center, GB-PVR, SageTV, Famulent or LinuxMCE. Windows Media Center is an application designed to serve as a home-entertainment hub. GB-PVR is a home Media center application running on Microsoft Windows, allowing you to watch TV schedule recordings watch videos watch DVDs listen to music SageTV Media Center is a commercial digital video recording (DVR Software package for Mac OS X, Windows and Linux. LinuxMCE (Linux Media Center Edition is a Free and open source software platform designed to allow a computer to act as a Home theater PC (HTPC Personal

Pocket PC

Main article: Pocket PC

A pocket PC is a hardware specification for a handheld-sized computer (personal digital assistant) that runs the Microsoft Windows Mobile operating system. A Pocket PC, abbreviated P/PC or PPC, is a hardware Specification for a Handheld -sized Computer ( Personal digital assistant A Pocket PC, abbreviated P/PC or PPC, is a hardware Specification for a Handheld -sized Computer ( Personal digital assistant A mobile device (also known as cellphone device, handheld device, handheld computer, "Palmtop" or simply handheld) is a pocket-sized A computer is a Machine that manipulates data according to a list of instructions. Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational Computer technology Corporation, which rose to dominate the Home computer Windows Mobile is a compact Operating system combined with a suite of basic applications for Mobile devices based on the Microsoft Win32 An operating system (commonly abbreviated OS and O/S) is the software component of a Computer system that is responsible for the management and coordination It may have the capability to run an alternative operating system like NetBSD or Linux. An operating system (commonly abbreviated OS and O/S) is the software component of a Computer system that is responsible for the management and coordination NetBSD is a freely redistributable Open source version of the Unix -derivative Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD Computer Operating Linux (commonly pronounced ˈlɪnəks It has many of the capabilities of modern desktop PCs. IBM PC compatible computers are those generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT.

Currently there are thousands of applications for handhelds adhering to the Microsoft Pocket PC specification, many of which are freeware. Freeware is computer Software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee Some of these devices also include mobile phone features. Microsoft compliant Pocket PCs can also be used with many other add-ons like GPS receivers, barcode readers, RFID readers, and cameras. Basic concept of GPS operation A GPS receiver calculates its position by carefully timing the signals sent by the constellation of GPS Satellites high above the Earth A bar code (also barcode) is an optical Machine-readable representation of data Radio-frequency identification ( RFID) is an automatic identification method relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or In 2007, with the advent of Windows Mobile 6, Microsoft dropped the name Pocket PC in favor of a new naming scheme. Devices without an integrated phone are called Windows Mobile Classic instead of Pocket PC. Devices with an integrated phone and a touch screen are called Windows Mobile Professional. ^[2]

Hardware

Main article: Computer hardware

A typical hardware setup of a desktop computer consists of:

• computer case with power supply
• motherboard
• central processing unit (processor)
• memory card
• video card
• hard disk
• optical disc (usually DVD-ROM or DVD Writer)
• keyboard and mouse
• visual display unit (monitor)

These components can usually be put together with little knowledge to build a computer. Historical precedent Scanners can be considered the successors of early telephotography input devices consisting of a rotating drum with a single Photodetector at A microprocessor incorporates most or all of the functions of a Central processing unit (CPU on a single Integrated Computer data storage, often called storage or memory, refers to Computer components devices and recording media that retain digital An expansion card (also expansion board, adapter card or accessory card) in Computing is a Printed circuit board that can be inserted A video card, also known as a graphics accelerator card, display adapter, or graphics card, is a hardware component whose function is to Power supply is a reference to a source of Electrical power. A device or system that supplies Electrical or other types of Energy to an output load Computer data storage, often called storage or memory, refers to Computer components devices and recording media that retain digital A hard disk drive ( HDD) commonly referred to as a hard drive, hard disk, or fixed disk drive, is a Non-volatile storage device A motherboard is the central or primary Printed circuit board (PCB making up a complex electronic system such as a modern Computer or Laptop For the Marty Friedman album see Loudspeaker (album A loudspeaker, speaker, or speaker system is an electroacoustical A visual display unit, often called simply a monitor or display, is a piece of Electrical equipment which displays images generated from the Video System software is any Computer software which manages and controls Computer hardware so that Application software can perform a task Application software is a subclass of Computer software that employs the capabilities of a computer directly and thoroughly to a task that the user wishes to perform In Computing, a keyboard is an Input device partially modelled after the typewriter keyboard which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys In Computing, a mouse (plural mice, mouse devices, or mouses) An external hard disk drive is a type of Hard disk drive which is externally connected to a computer Typical PC hardware A typical Personal computer consists of a case or chassis in a tower shape (desktop and the following parts Motherboard A desktop computer is a Personal computer (PC in a form intended for regular use at a single location as opposed to a mobile Laptop or portable computer A computer case (also known as the computer chassis, cabinet, tower, box, enclosure, housing or simply case This article is about the common off-line switching power supplies used in desktop IBM PC compatible computers A motherboard is the central or primary Printed circuit board (PCB making up a complex electronic system such as a modern Computer or Laptop A video card, also known as a graphics accelerator card, display adapter, or graphics card, is a hardware component whose function is to A hard disk drive ( HDD) commonly referred to as a hard drive, hard disk, or fixed disk drive, is a Non-volatile storage device DVD (also known as " Digital Versatile Disc " or " Digital Video Disc " - see Etymology)is DVD recordable and DVD rewritable refer to DVD Optical disc formats that can be recorded (written "burned" either write once In Computing, a keyboard is an Input device partially modelled after the typewriter keyboard which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys In Computing, a mouse (plural mice, mouse devices, or mouses) A visual display unit, often called simply a monitor or display, is a piece of Electrical equipment which displays images generated from the Video The motherboard is a main part of a computer that connects all devices together. The memory card(s), graphics card and processor are mounted directly onto the motherboard (the processor in a socket and the memory and graphics cards in expansion slots). A CPU socket or CPU slot is a connector on a computer's Motherboard that accepts a CPU and forms an electrical interface with it An expansion card (also expansion board, adapter card or accessory card) in Computing is a Printed circuit board that can be inserted The mass storage is connected to it with cables and can be installed in the computer case or in a separate case. This is the same for the keyboard and mouse, except that they are external and connect to the I/O panel on the back of the computer. The monitor is also connected to the I/O panel, either through an onboard port on the motherboard, or a port on the graphics card.

Several functions (implemented by chipsets) can be integrated into the motherboard, typically USB and network, but also graphics and sound. A chipset is a group of Integrated circuits or chips that are designed to work together and are usually marketed as a single product Even if these are present, a separate card can be added if what is available isn't sufficient. The graphics and sound card can have a break out box to keep the analog parts away from the electromagnetic radiation inside the computer case. A breakout box (BoB is usually a Box, in which a compound Electrical connector is separated or "broken out" into its component connectors Electromagnetic radiation takes the form of self-propagating Waves in a Vacuum or in Matter. For really large amounts of data, a tape drive can be used or (extra) hard disks can be put together in an external case. A tape drive, which is also known as a streamer, is a data storage device that reads and writes data stored on a magnetic tape.

The hardware capabilities of personal computers can sometimes be extended by the addition of expansion cards connected via an expansion bus. Typical PC hardware A typical Personal computer consists of a case or chassis in a tower shape (desktop and the following parts Motherboard An expansion card (also expansion board, adapter card or accessory card) in Computing is a Printed circuit board that can be inserted In Computer architecture, a bus is a subsystem that transfers data between computer components inside a Computer or between computers Some standard peripheral buses often used for adding expansion cards in personal computers as of 2005 are PCI, AGP (a high-speed PCI bus dedicated to graphics adapters), and PCI Express. The Peripheral Component Interconnect, or PCI Standard (commonly PCI) specifies a Computer bus for attaching peripheral devices to a Computer Not to be confused with PCI-X, a different bus architecture Peripheral Component Interconnect Express, officially abbreviated as PCI-E Most personal computers as of 2005 have multiple physical PCI expansion slots. The Peripheral Component Interconnect, or PCI Standard (commonly PCI) specifies a Computer bus for attaching peripheral devices to a Computer Many also include an AGP bus and expansion slot or a PCI Express bus and one or more expansion slots, but few PCs contain both buses.

Computer case

Main article: Computer case

A computer case is the enclosure that contains the main components of a computer. A computer is a Machine that manipulates data according to a list of instructions. Cases are usually constructed from steel, aluminium, or plastic, although other materials such as wood, plexiglas or fans^[3] have also been used in case designs. Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0 WikipediaNaming Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic organic solid materials suitable for the manufacture of industrial products Wood is hard fibrous lignified structural tissue produced as secondary Xylem in the stems of Woody plants notably trees but also shrubs Poly(methyl methacrylate ( PMMA) or poly(methyl 2-methylpropenoate is a Thermoplastic and transparent Plastic. A computer fan can be any fan inside a Computer case used for cooling purposes and may refer to fans that draw cooler air into the case from the outside expel warm Cases can come in many different sizes, or form factors. This article compares the IBM compatible Personal computer Motherboard form factors – that is the different sizes and specific or de-facto standards of major system The size and shape of a computer case is usually determined by the form factor of the motherboard that it is designed to accommodate, since this is the largest and most central component of most computers. A motherboard is the central or primary Printed circuit board (PCB making up a complex electronic system such as a modern Computer or Laptop Consequently, personal computer form factors typically specify only the internal dimensions and layout of the case. Form factors for rack-mounted and blade servers may include precise external dimensions as well, since these cases must themselves fit in specific enclosures. Blade servers are self-contained/ all inclusive computer servers, designed for high density A server is a Computer dedicated to providing one or more services over a computer network typically through a request-response routine

Currently, the most popular form factor for desktop computers is ATX, although microATX and small form factors have become very popular for a variety of uses. The ATX (for Advanced Technology Extended) form factor was created by Intel in 1995. microATX, also known as µATX (sometimes Transliterated as mATX or uATX on Online forums is a Small form factor standard Small form factor ( SFF) computers are housed in smaller cases than typical Desktop computers While the term has no exact definition it generally includes Companies like Shuttle Inc. and AOpen have popularized small cases, for which FlexATX is the most common motherboard size. Shuttle (TAIEX2405 is a Taiwan -based manufacturer of Motherboards, barebone computers, complete PC systems Acer Incorporated ( ( is a Taiwanese multinational electronics manufacturer FlexATX is a PC motherboard Form factor derived from ATX. The specification was released in 1999 by Intel as an addendum to the MicroATX Apple Computer has also produced the Mac Mini computer, which is similar in size to a standard CD-ROM drive. Apple Inc, ( formerly Apple Computer Inc, is an American Multinational corporation with a focus on designing and manufacturing Consumer electronics The Mac Mini (officially capitalized Mac mini) is a desktop computer made by Apple Inc

Motherboard

Main article: Motherboard

The motherboard, also referred to as systemboard or mainboard, is the primary circuit board within a personal computer. A motherboard is the central or primary Printed circuit board (PCB making up a complex electronic system such as a modern Computer or Laptop ASUSTeK Computer Incorporated (Asus () ( is a Taiwan -based multinational company that produces Motherboards Graphics cards Optical drives A motherboard is the central or primary Printed circuit board (PCB making up a complex electronic system such as a modern Computer or Laptop A printed circuit board, or PCB, is used to mechanically support and electrically connect Electronic components using conductive pathways or traces Many other components connect directly or indirectly to the motherboard. Motherboards usually contain one or more CPUs, supporting circuitry - usually integrated circuits (ICs) - providing the interface between the CPU memory and input/output peripheral circuits, main memory, and facilities for initial setup of the computer immediately after power-on (often called boot firmware or, in IBM PC compatible computers, a BIOS). Microchipsjpg|right|thumb|200px|Microchips ( EPROM memory with a transparent window showing the integrated circuit inside In Computing, firmware is a computer program that is Embedded in a hardware device for example a Microcontroller. In Computing, the BIOS (ˈbaɪoʊs In many portable and embedded personal computers, the motherboard houses nearly all of the PC's core components. Often a motherboard will also contain one or more peripheral buses and physical connectors for expansion purposes. Sometimes a secondary daughter board is connected to the motherboard to provide further expandability or to satisfy space constraints. A daughterboard or daughtercard is a Circuit board meant to be an extension or "daughter" of a Motherboard (or 'mainboard' or occasionally another

Central processing unit

Main article: Central processing unit

The central processing unit, or CPU, is that part of a computer which executes software program instructions. Computer programs (also software programs, or just programs) are instructions for a Computer. In older computers this circuitry was formerly on several printed circuit boards, but in PCs is a single integrated circuit. A printed circuit board, or PCB, is used to mechanically support and electrically connect Electronic components using conductive pathways or traces Nearly all PCs contain a type of CPU known as a microprocessor. A microprocessor incorporates most or all of the functions of a Central processing unit (CPU on a single Integrated The microprocessor often plugs into the motherboard using one of many different types of sockets. IBM PC compatible computers use an x86-compatible processor, usually made by Intel, AMD, VIA Technologies or Transmeta. IBM PC compatible computers are those generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT. See also X86 assembly language The generic term x86 refers to the most commercially successful Instruction set architecture in the history of Personal VIA Technologies ( is a Taiwanese manufacturer of Integrated circuits mainly Motherboard Chipsets CPUs, and memory, and Transmeta Corporation ( is a US -based Corporation that licenses low power semiconductor IP Apple Macintosh computers were initially built with the Motorola 680x0 family of processors, then switched to the PowerPC series (a RISC architecture jointly developed by Apple Computer, IBM and Motorola), but as of 2006, Apple has switched again, this time to x86 compatible processors. Motorola Inc ( is an American, multinational Fortune 100, Telecommunications company based in Schaumburg Illinois. PowerPC is a RISC Instruction set architecture created by the 1991 Apple – IBM – Motorola alliance known as AIM Apple Inc, ( formerly Apple Computer Inc, is an American Multinational corporation with a focus on designing and manufacturing Consumer electronics International Business Machines Corporation abbreviated IBM and nicknamed "Big Blue", is a multinational Computer Technology Motorola Inc ( is an American, multinational Fortune 100, Telecommunications company based in Schaumburg Illinois. Modern CPUs are equipped with a fan attached via heat sink. A computer fan can be any fan inside a Computer case used for cooling purposes and may refer to fans that draw cooler air into the case from the outside expel warm A heat sink (or heatsink) is an environment or object that absorbs and dissipates heat from another object using Thermal contact (either direct or radiant

Main memory

Main article: Primary storage

A PC's main memory is fast storage that is directly accessible by the CPU, and is used to store the currently executing program and immediately needed data. Computer data storage, often called storage or memory, refers to Computer components devices and recording media that retain digital DDR SDRAM ( double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory) is a class of memory Integrated circuit used in Computers It achieves nearly twice PCs use semiconductor random access memory (RAM) of various kinds such as DRAM or SRAM as their primary storage. A semiconductor' is a Solid material that has Electrical conductivity in between a conductor and an insulator; it can vary over that Static random access memory (SRAM is a type of Semiconductor memory where the word static indicates that unlike ''dynamic'' RAM (DRAM, it does not Which exact kind depends on cost/performance issues at any particular time. Main memory is much faster than mass storage devices like hard disks or optical discs, but is usually volatile, meaning it does not retain its contents (instructions or data) in the absence of power, and is much more expensive for a given capacity than is most mass storage. A hard disk drive ( HDD) commonly referred to as a hard drive, hard disk, or fixed disk drive, is a Non-volatile storage device Volatile memory, also known as volatile storage or primary storage device, is Computer memory that requires power to maintain the stored information Main memory is generally not suitable for long-term or archival data storage.

Hard disk

Main article: Hard disk drive

Mass storage devices store programs and data even when the power is off; they do require power to perform read and write functions during usage. Although semiconductor flash memory has dropped in cost, the prevailing form of mass storage in personal computers is still the electromechanical hard disk. Flash memory is non-volatile computer memory that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed A hard disk drive ( HDD) commonly referred to as a hard drive, hard disk, or fixed disk drive, is a Non-volatile storage device

The disk drives use a sealed head/disk assembly (HDA) which was first introduced by IBM's "Winchester" disk system. The use of a sealed assembly allowed the use of positive air pressure to drive out particles from the surface of the disk, which improves reliability.

If the mass storage controller provides for expandability, a PC may also be upgraded by the addition of extra hard disk or optical disc drives. In Computing, an optical disc drive ( ODD) is a Disk drive that uses Laser light or electromagnetic waves near the Light spectrum For example, DVD-ROMs, CD-ROMs, and various optical disc recorders may all be added by the user to certain PCs. DVD (also known as " Digital Versatile Disc " or " Digital Video Disc " - see Etymology)is CD-ROM (an initialism of "Compact Disc Read-Only Memory " is a pre-pressed Compact Disc that contains data accessible to but not writable Standard internal storage device interfaces are ATA, Serial ATA, SCSI, and CF+ type II in 2005. AT Attachment with Packet Interface ( ATA/ATAPI) is a standard interface used to connect storage devices such as Hard disks Solid-state

Video card

Main article: Video card

The video card - otherwise called a graphics card, graphics adapter or video adapter - processes and renders the graphics output from the computer to the computer display, also called the visual display unit (VDU), and is an essential part of the modern computer. A video card, also known as a graphics accelerator card, display adapter, or graphics card, is a hardware component whose function is to ATI Radeon is a brand of Graphics processing units (GPU that since 2000 has been manufactured by ATI Technologies and subsequently AMD and is A video card, also known as a graphics accelerator card, display adapter, or graphics card, is a hardware component whose function is to A video card, also known as a graphics accelerator card, display adapter, or graphics card, is a hardware component whose function is to A visual display unit, often called simply a monitor or display, is a piece of Electrical equipment which displays images generated from the Video On older models, and today on budget models, graphics circuitry tended to be integrated with the motherboard but, for modern flexible machines, they are supplied in PCI, AGP, or PCI Express format. The Peripheral Component Interconnect, or PCI Standard (commonly PCI) specifies a Computer bus for attaching peripheral devices to a Computer Not to be confused with PCI-X, a different bus architecture Peripheral Component Interconnect Express, officially abbreviated as PCI-E

When the IBM PC was introduced, many existing personal computers used text-only display adapters and had no graphics capability.

Visual display unit

Main article: Visual display unit

A visual display unit (also called monitor) is a piece of electrical equipment which displays viewable images generated by a computer without producing a permanent record. Electrical equipment includes any Machine powered by Electricity. An image (from Latin imago) or picture is an artifact usually two-dimensional that has a similar appearance to some subject &mdashusually A computer is a Machine that manipulates data according to a list of instructions. The word "monitor" is used in other contexts; in particular in television broadcasting, where a television picture is displayed to a high standard. For the band see Broadcast (band Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and/or Video signals which transmit Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic A computer display device is usually either a cathode ray tube or some form of flat panel such as a TFT LCD. The cathode ray tube (CRT is a Vacuum tube containing an Electron gun (a source of electrons and a Fluorescent screen with internal or A thin film transistor liquid crystal display ( TFT-LCD) is a variant of Liquid crystal display (LCD which uses Thin film transistor (TFT technology to The monitor comprises the display device, circuitry to generate a picture from electronic signals sent by the computer, and an enclosure or case. An electronic circuit is a closed path formed by the interconnection of Electronic components through which an Electric current can flow Electronics refers to the flow of charge (moving Electrons through Nonmetal conductors (mainly Semiconductors, whereas electrical In the fields of communications, Signal processing, and in Electrical engineering more generally a signal is any time-varying or spatial-varying quantity An electrical enclosure is a cabinet for electrical or Electronic equipment to mount Switches knobs and displays and Within the computer, either as an integral part or a plugged-in interface, there is circuitry to convert internal data to a format compatible with a monitor. In Computer science, data is anything in a form suitable for use with a Computer.

Other components

Mass storage

• Hard disk
• Floppy drive or Zip drive (both with removable media)
• Card reader
• Optical drive (CD, DVD, or Blu-ray Disc, removable)
• Flash Storage (interal or memory card)

The operating system (e. A hard disk drive ( HDD) commonly referred to as a hard drive, hard disk, or fixed disk drive, is a Non-volatile storage device A floppy disk is an increasingly Obsolete data storage medium that is composed of a disk of thin flexible ("floppy" Magnetic storage medium encased The Zip drive is a medium-capacity removable Disk storage system introduced by Iomega in late 1994 A memory card reader is a device used for communication with a Smart card or a flash Memory card. In Computing, an optical disc drive ( ODD) is a Disk drive that uses Laser light or electromagnetic waves near the Light spectrum A Compact Disc (also known as a CD) is an Optical disc used to store digital data, originally developed for storing digital audio DVD (also known as " Digital Versatile Disc " or " Digital Video Disc " - see Etymology)is Flash memory is non-volatile computer memory that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed A memory card or flash memory card is a solid-state electronic Flash memory Data storage device used with Digital An operating system (commonly abbreviated OS and O/S) is the software component of a Computer system that is responsible for the management and coordination g. : Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, Linux or many others) can be located on either of these, but typically it is on one of the hard disks. Microsoft Windows is a series of Software Operating systems and Graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Mac OS is the trademarked name for a series of Graphical user interface -based Operating systems developed by Apple Inc Linux (commonly pronounced ˈlɪnəks A Live CD is also possible, but it is very slow and is usually used for installation of the OS, demonstrations, or problem solving. A live CD or live distro is a computer Operating system that is executed upon boot, without installation to a Hard disk drive.

Computer communications

• router
• Network adapter card
• Modem
• Internal modem card

Common peripherals and adapter cards

• Sound adapter card
• Speakers
• Headset
• Microphone
• Printer
• Scanner
• Webcam
• Joystick
• Keyboard
• Mouse

Software

Main article: Computer software

Computer software is a general term used to describe a collection of computer programs, procedures and documentation that perform some tasks on a computer system. A router ('rautər in the USA 'rutər in the UK and Ireland, or either pronunciation in Australia and Canada is a Computer whose software and hardware are usually A Network card, Network Adapter, LAN Adapter or NIC (network interface card is a piece of Computer hardware designed to allow computers Modem (from mo dulator- dem odulator is a device that modulates an analog carrier signal to encode Digital information A Softmodem, or software modem is a Modem with minimal hardware capacities designed to use a host computer's resources (mostly CPU power and RAM but sometimes For an account of the words periphery and peripheral as they are used in biology sociology politics computer hardware and other fields see the A sound card (also known as an audio card is a Computer Expansion card that facilitates the input and output of audio signals to/from a computer under For the Marty Friedman album see Loudspeaker (album A loudspeaker, speaker, or speaker system is an electroacoustical Webcams ( web cameras) are small cameras (usually though not always Video cameras, whose images can be accessed using the World Wide Web, instant A joystick is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling In Computing, a keyboard is an Input device partially modelled after the typewriter keyboard which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys In Computing, a mouse (plural mice, mouse devices, or mouses) A screenshot, screen capture, or screen dump is an Image taken by the Computer to record the visible items displayed on the monitor OpenOfficeorg Writer is the Word processor component of the OpenOffice Computer programs (also software programs, or just programs) are instructions for a Computer. ^[4] The term includes application software such as word processors which perform productive tasks for users, system software such as operating systems, which interface with hardware to provide the necessary services for application software, and middleware which controls and co-ordinates distributed systems. Application software is a subclass of Computer software that employs the capabilities of a computer directly and thoroughly to a task that the user wishes to perform System software is any Computer software which manages and controls Computer hardware so that Application software can perform a task An operating system (commonly abbreviated OS and O/S) is the software component of a Computer system that is responsible for the management and coordination Hardware is a general term that refers to the physical artifacts of a Technology. Middleware is computer Software that connects Software components or applications Distributed computing deals with Hardware and Software Systems containing more than one processing element or Storage element concurrent

Software applications for word processing, Internet browsing, Internet faxing, e-mail and other digital messaging, multimedia playback, computer game play and computer programming are common. Word processing is the creation of documents using a Word processor. The Internet is a global system of interconnected Computer networks Internet fax uses the internet to receive and send Faxes Traditional faxing involves sending a scanned copy of a document (a facsimile from one fax machine to another over Electronic mail, often abbreviated to e-mail, email, or originally eMail, is a Store-and-forward method of writing sending receiving Multimedia is media and content that utilizes a combination of different content forms. A personal computer Game (also known as a computer game or simply PC game) is a Video game played on a Personal computer, rather The user of a modern personal computer may have significant knowledge of the operating environment and application programs, but is not necessarily interested in programming nor even able to write programs for the computer. Therefore, most software written primarily for personal computers tends to be designed with simplicity of use, or "user-friendliness" in mind. However, the software industry continuously provide a wide range of new products for use in personal computers, targeted at both the expert and the non-expert user. The software industry comprises businesses involved in the development, maintenance and publication of Computer software.

Operating system

Main article: Operating system

An operating system (OS) manages computer resources and provides programmers with an interface used to access those resources. An operating system (commonly abbreviated OS and O/S) is the software component of a Computer system that is responsible for the management and coordination KDE 4 is the current series of releases of the K Desktop Environment. Linux (commonly pronounced ˈlɪnəks An operating system (commonly abbreviated OS and O/S) is the software component of a Computer system that is responsible for the management and coordination A computer is a Machine that manipulates data according to a list of instructions. An operating system processes system data and user input, and responds by allocating and managing tasks and internal system resources as a service to users and programs of the system. An operating system performs basic tasks such as controlling and allocating memory, prioritizing system requests, controlling input and output devices, facilitating computer networking and managing files. Computer data storage, often called storage or memory, refers to Computer components devices and recording media that retain digital In Computing, input/output, or I/O, refers to the communication between an Information processing system (such as a Computer) and the outside Computer networking is the Engineering Discipline concerned with communication between Computer systems or devices Networking routers

Common contemporary desktop OSes are Linux, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows and Solaris. Linux (commonly pronounced ˈlɪnəks Mac OS X (mæk oʊ ɛs tɛn is a line of computer Operating systems developed marketed and sold by Apple Inc, the latest of which is pre-loaded on all currently Microsoft Windows is a series of Software Operating systems and Graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Solaris is a Unix -based Operating system introduced by Sun Microsystems in 1992 as the successor to SunOS. Windows is most popular on desktops while Linux is most popular in server environments. The desktop computer operating system market is currently dominated by Microsoft Windows which holds around 90% of the market. An operating system (commonly abbreviated OS and O/S) is the software component of a Computer system that is responsible for the management and coordination Sao Paulo Stock Exchangejpg|thumb| Virtual market arena where buyer and seller are not present and trade via intemediates and electronical information Market dominance is a measure of the strength of a Brand, product, service, or firm, relative to competitive offerings Microsoft Windows is a series of Software Operating systems and Graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. ^[5][6] Because of its popularity, Windows is often considered synonymous with the PC; software that is categorized as supporting the PC platform often only runs on Windows. Linux, Mac OS X and MS Windows all have server and personal variants. With the exception of Microsoft Windows, the designs of each of the aforementioned OSs were inspired by, or directly inherited from, the Unix operating system. Unix (officially trademarked as UNIX, sometimes also written as Unix with Small caps) is a computer Unix was developed at Bell Labs beginning in the late 1960s and spawned the development of numerous free and proprietary operating systems. Bell Laboratories (also known as Bell Labs and formerly known as AT&T Bell Laboratories and Bell Telephone Laboratories) is the Research organization

Palm OS, Windows Mobile, Familiar Linux and The Ångström Distribution can be found on mobile devices. Palm OS (also known as Garnet OS) is an embedded Operating system initially developed by U Windows Mobile is a compact Operating system combined with a suite of basic applications for Mobile devices based on the Microsoft Win32 Familiar Linux is a Linux distribution for IPAQ machines and other Personal digital assistants (PDAs intended as a replacement for Windows CE The Ångström distribution is a Linux distribution for a variety of embedded devices

Microsoft Windows

Main article: Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows is the name of several families of software operating systems by Microsoft. Microsoft Windows is a series of Software Operating systems and Graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Windows XP is a family of 32-bit and 64-bit Operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on Personal computers including home and An operating system (commonly abbreviated OS and O/S) is the software component of a Computer system that is responsible for the management and coordination An operating system (commonly abbreviated OS and O/S) is the software component of a Computer system that is responsible for the management and coordination Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational Computer technology Corporation, which rose to dominate the Home computer Microsoft first introduced an operating environment named Windows in November 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces (GUIs). MS-DOS (short for M icro' s' oft D isk O perating S ystem is an Operating system commercialized by Microsoft. ^[7] Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal computer market, overtaking Mac OS, which had been introduced previously. Market dominance is a measure of the strength of a Brand, product, service, or firm, relative to competitive offerings Mac OS is the trademarked name for a series of Graphical user interface -based Operating systems developed by Apple Inc At the 2004 IDC Directions conference, IDC Vice President Avneesh Saxena stated that Windows had approximately 90% of the client operating system market. International Data Corporation ( IDC) is a Market research and analysis firm specializing in Information technology, Telecommunications and consumer ^[8] The most recent client version of Windows is Windows Vista. Windows Vista (ˈvɪstə is a line of Operating systems developed by Microsoft for use on Personal computers including home and business desktops The current server version of Windows is Windows Server 2008. Windows Server 2008 is the most recent release of Microsoft Windows ' server line of Operating systems Released to manufacturing on 4 February

Mac OS X

Main article: Mac OS X

Mac OS X is a line of graphical operating systems developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc., the latest of which is pre-loaded on all currently shipping Macintosh computers. Mac OS X (mæk oʊ ɛs tɛn is a line of computer Operating systems developed marketed and sold by Apple Inc, the latest of which is pre-loaded on all currently Mac OS X (mæk oʊ ɛs tɛn is a line of computer Operating systems developed marketed and sold by Apple Inc, the latest of which is pre-loaded on all currently An operating system (commonly abbreviated OS and O/S) is the software component of a Computer system that is responsible for the management and coordination Apple Inc, ( formerly Apple Computer Inc, is an American Multinational corporation with a focus on designing and manufacturing Consumer electronics Macintosh, commonly nicknamed Mac is a Brand name which covers several lines of Personal computers designed developed and marketed by Apple Inc Mac OS X is the successor to the original Mac OS, which had been Apple's primary operating system since 1984. Mac OS is the trademarked name for a series of Graphical user interface -based Operating systems developed by Apple Inc Unlike its predecessors, Mac OS X is a Unix-based operating system^[9] built on technology developed at NeXT from the second half of the 1980s until early 1997, when Apple purchased the company. Unix (officially trademarked as UNIX, sometimes also written as Unix with Small caps) is a computer NeXT Computer Inc (later NeXT Software Inc) was an American Computer company headquartered in Redwood City, California that

The server edition, Mac OS X Server, is architecturally very similar to its desktop counterpart but usually runs on Apple's line of Macintosh server hardware. A server is a Computer dedicated to providing one or more services over a computer network typically through a request-response routine Mac OS X Server is the server-oriented version of Apple 's Operating system, Mac OS X. The software architecture of a program or computing system is the structure or structures of the system, which comprise software components the externally visible properties It includes workgroup management and administration software tools that provide simplified access to key network services, including a mail transfer agent, a Samba server, an LDAP server, a domain name server, and others. Network services are the foundation of a networked computing environment A mail transfer agent (MTA (also called a mail transport agent, message transfer agent, or smtpd (short for SMTP daemon) is a Samba is a Free software re-implementation of SMB/CIFS networking protocol, originally developed by Australian Andrew Tridgell The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol, or LDAP (ˈɛl dæp is an Application protocol for querying and modifying Directory services running over The Domain Name System (DNS is a hierarchical naming system for computers services or any resource participating in the Internet.

Linux

Main article: Linux

Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system. Linux (commonly pronounced ˈlɪnəks A gnome is a Mythical creature characterized by its extremely small size and subterranean lifestyle Linux (commonly pronounced ˈlɪnəks A Unix-like (sometimes shortened to *nix) Operating system is one that behaves in a manner similar to a Unix system while not necessarily conforming An operating system (commonly abbreviated OS and O/S) is the software component of a Computer system that is responsible for the management and coordination Linux is one of the most prominent examples of free software and open source development: typically all underlying source code can be freely modified, used, and redistributed by anyone. Free software or software libre is Software that can be used studied and modified without restriction and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified Open source is a development methodology which offers practical accessibility to a product's source (goods and knowledge In Computer science, source code (commonly just source or code) is any sequence of statements or declarations written in some Human-readable ^[10] The name "Linux" comes from the Linux kernel, started in 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is an operating system kernel used by a family of Unix-like Operating systems These are popularly termed Linux operating systems and Linus Benedict Torvalds ( ˈtuːrvalds born December 28 1969 in Helsinki, Finland) is a Finnish software engineer The system's utilities and libraries usually come from the GNU operating system, announced in 1983 by Richard Stallman. System software is any Computer software which manages and controls Computer hardware so that Application software can perform a task In Computer science, a library is a collection of Subroutines used to develop Software. GNU ( pronounced) is a computer Operating system composed entirely of Free software. Richard Matthew Stallman (born March 16 1953 often abbreviated " rms " is an American software freedom activist The GNU contribution is the basis for the alternative name GNU/Linux. The GNU/Linux naming controversy is a dispute among members of the Free and open source software community. ^[11]

Predominantly known for its use in servers, Linux is supported by corporations such as Dell, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Novell, Oracle Corporation, Red Hat, and Sun Microsystems. A server is a Computer dedicated to providing one or more services over a computer network typically through a request-response routine The multinational technology company Dell Inc develops manufactures sells and supports Personal computers and other computer-related products International Business Machines Corporation abbreviated IBM and nicknamed "Big Blue", is a multinational Computer Technology Novell Inc ( is a global Software Corporation based in the United States specializing in enterprise operating systems such as SUSE Oracle Corporation ( specializes in developing and marketing Enterprise software products — particularly Database management systems In 2007 Oracle ranked In Computing, Red Hat Inc ( is a company dedicated to Free and open source software, and a major Linux distribution vendor Sun Microsystems Inc ( is a multinational vendor of Computers computer components Computer software, and Information technology services It is used as an operating system for a wide variety of computer hardware, including desktop computers, supercomputers,^[12] video game systems, such as the PlayStation 3, several arcade games, and embedded devices such as mobile phones, routers, and stage lighting systems. Hardware is a general term that refers to the physical artifacts of a Technology. A desktop computer is a Personal computer (PC in a form intended for regular use at a single location as opposed to a mobile Laptop or portable computer A supercomputer is a Computer that is at the frontline of processing capacity particularly speed of calculation (at the time of its introduction An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in businesses such as Restaurants Pubs Video arcades and Family Entertainment An embedded system is a special-purpose Computer system designed to perform one or a few dedicated functions often with Real-time computing constraints A router ('rautər in the USA 'rutər in the UK and Ireland, or either pronunciation in Australia and Canada is a Computer whose software and hardware are usually Modern stage lighting is a flexible Tool in the production of Theatre, Dance, Opera and other Performance arts

Applications

Main article: Application software

Application software employs the capabilities of a computer directly and thoroughly to a task that the user wishes to perform. Application software is a subclass of Computer software that employs the capabilities of a computer directly and thoroughly to a task that the user wishes to perform The GNU Image Manipulation Program, or GIMP, is a free Raster graphics editor used to process digital graphics and photographs A raster graphics editor is a Computer program that allows users to paint and edit Pictures interactively on the computer screen and save them in one This should be contrasted with system software which is involved in integrating a computer's various capabilities, but typically does not directly apply them in the performance of tasks that benefit the user. System software is any Computer software which manages and controls Computer hardware so that Application software can perform a task In this context the term application refers to both the application software and its implementation. Application software is a subclass of Computer software that employs the capabilities of a computer directly and thoroughly to a task that the user wishes to perform A simple, if imperfect analogy in the world of hardware would be the relationship of an electric light bulb (an application) to an electric power generation plant (a system). Analogy is both the cognitive process of transferring Information from a particular subject (the analogue or source to another particular subject (the target and The power plant merely generates electricity, not itself of any real use until harnessed to an application like the electric light that performs a service that benefits the user.

Typical examples of software applications are word processors, spreadsheets, and media players. A spreadsheet is a Computer application that simulates a paper worksheet Media player is a term typically used to describe Computer software for playing back Multimedia files Most software media players support an array of media Multiple applications bundled together as a package are sometimes referred to as an application suite. Microsoft Office and OpenOffice.org, which bundle together a word processor, a spreadsheet, and several other discrete applications, are typical examples. Microsoft Office is a set of interrelated desktop applications servers and services collectively referred to as an Office suite, for the Microsoft Windows and OpenOfficeorg ( OOo or OOo) is a free Cross-platform office application suite available for a number of different computer The separate applications in a suite usually have a user interface that has some commonality making it easier for the user to learn and use each application. The user interface (or Human Computer Interface) is the aggregate of means by which people&mdash the users '&mdash interact with the System And often they may have some capability to interact with each other in ways beneficial to the user. For example, a spreadsheet might be able to be embedded in a word processor document even though it had been created in the separate spreadsheet application.

User-written software tailors systems to meet the user's specific needs. User-written software include spreadsheet templates, word processor macros, scientific simulations, graphics and animation scripts. Even email filters are a kind of user software. Users create this software themselves and often overlook how important it is.

Lifetime

Most personal computers are standardized to the point that purchased software is expected to run with little or no customization for the particular computer. Many PCs are also user-upgradeable, especially desktop and workstation class computers. Devices such as main memory, mass storage, even the motherboard and central processing unit may be easily replaced by an end user. A motherboard is the central or primary Printed circuit board (PCB making up a complex electronic system such as a modern Computer or Laptop This upgradeability is, however, not indefinite due to rapid changes in the personal computer industry. A PC that was considered top-of-the-line five or six years prior may be impractical to upgrade due to changes in industry standards. Such a computer usually must be totally replaced once it is no longer suitable for its purpose. This upgrade and replacement cycle is partially related to new releases of the primary mass-market operating system, which tends to drive the acquisition of new hardware and render obsolete previously serviceable hardware (planned obsolescence). Planned obsolescence (also built-in obsolescence The purpose of planned obsolescence is to hide the real cost per use from the consumer and charge a higher price than they would

See also

• Influence of the IBM-PC on the PC market
• List of computer system manufacturers
• Desktop replacement computer
• Desktop computer
• IBM Corporation
• Microsoft Corporation
• Apple, Inc.
• Gaming PC
• Personal Computer Museum
• Quiet PC
• Supercomputer
• Public computer

References

Further reading

• Accidental Empires: How the boys of Silicon Valley make their millions, battle foreign competition, and still can't get a date, Robert X. Cringely, Addison-Wesley Publishing, (1992), ISBN 0-201-57032-7

External links

• Howstuffworks' article on "How PCs Work"
• Dissecting a PC at HowStuffWorks
• How to Upgrade Your Computer at HowStuffWorks

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