G eek S peak What’s Really Important By Benjamin Davidson Computer Technician Electronic Futures/CompuSmart

Topics Covered Hardware Overview Hardware Overview –Priority Hardware – Part 1Priority Hardware – Part 1 –Secondary Hardware – Part 2Secondary Hardware – Part 2 Software Overview Software Overview –Applications – Part 1Applications – Part 1 –Security – Part 2Security – Part 2 Buying Intelligently Buying Intelligently –Priorities – Part 1Priorities – Part 1 –Look Out! – Part 2Look Out! – Part 2 All About AMD All About AMD All About AMD All About AMD Where to Research Where to Research Where to Research Where to Research Upgrading Upgrading Upgrading Question Period Question Period

Priority Hardware Processor Processor –Performs most calculations on system –Importance often exaggerated relative to rest of system RAM (Memory) RAM (Memory) –Temporary storage place for active programs and data – the more RAM you have, the more applications can be easily opened at once (multitasking) Hard Drive Hard Drive –Permanent storage – the more space, the more room for documents –Performance impact not critical

MonitorMouseSpeakersKeyboard Optical DriveMotherboardVideo Card Secondary Hardware

Applications Office Office –Microsoft Office dominates market –Competitors may have issues with MS Office documents –Different feature sets, terms of use, and price points Multimedia Multimedia –Brighten, enhance, alter, or repair photographs with Adobe Photoshop or Jasc Paint Shop Pro –Splice together professional video collections with Adobe Premiere or Ulead VideoStudio Publishing Publishing –Create universal documents with Adobe Acrobat –Produce your own websites with Microsoft Frontpage

Security Antivirus Antivirus –Norton Antivirus and McAfee VirusScan Antispyware Antispyware –Adaware SE Plus and Webroot Spy Sweeper Firewall Firewall –Norton Personal Firewall, hardware router Backup Backup –CD-R or DVD-R disc –External hard drive Warranty Warranty –Duration of warranty –Turn-around time of warranty hardware –Issues with “middle-man”

Priorities Workstation Workstation –Processor, RAM and warranty are priorities. Consider investing in quality keyboard and mouse. Server Server –Warranty duration and turnaround is highest priority. RAM, followed by motherboard and CPU are priorities. Gaming System Gaming System –Video card highest priority, followed CPU and RAM. Use quality mouse and keyboard. Media Centre Media Centre –Speakers and monitor are priorities, and hard drive space. Look for a Windows Media Centre Edition PC. Consider wireless keyboard/mouse.

Look Out! Important Important –Onboard video/no AGP slot –Proprietary designs –Specifics of processor (not just frequency) Not important Not important –Designed for Windows XP –Internet ready –Free software –Unproportionally high amount of RAM

All about AMD Use a performance rating (PR) system rather than naming chips by clock speed (GHz) Use a performance rating (PR) system rather than naming chips by clock speed (GHz) Often a better value than Intel, especially in budget systems Often a better value than Intel, especially in budget systems First to offer 64-bit processors for desktops First to offer 64-bit processors for desktops Lower power consumption and heat than comparable Intel CPUs except for Intel’s Pentium and Celeron M series, designed for laptops Lower power consumption and heat than comparable Intel CPUs except for Intel’s Pentium and Celeron M series, designed for laptops

Where to Research AnandTech TomsHardwareCompuSmart CNet Manufacturer

Upgrading General General –What is the brand and model number of your computer? What operating system does it us? Processor Processor –What socket or slot does your motherboard use? What is the maximum front side bus speed it supports? RAM RAM –What type of RAM does your system use? What is the speed of your current RAM? What is your processor’s FSB? Hard Drive Hard Drive –Does your computer support SATA? Does it support larger hard drive capacities (32GB+)?

Thank You! If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me at Electronic Futures/CompuSmart Phone: (250) Fax: (250)