Games - Desktop computer

Home > Listing Index > Games > Desktop computer

	Games - Desktop computer

A desktop computer is an independent personal computer that is made especially for use on a desk in an office or home. The term is used mainly to distinguish this type of personal computer from portable computers and laptops, but also to distinguish other types of computers like the PDA, server or mainframe.

Desktops are currently the most affordable and most common computers, and are frequently used by businesses, schools, households and other organizations; they are used not only to produce text documents, or pictures and video but also to communicate them. Nearly all modern desktop computers are modular, meaning that the components can easily be replaced or upgraded. A desktop computer can also refer to a computer whose case is oriented horizontally (usually, the monitor is placed on top of the case). Such cases are called Desktops as opposed to Towers.

History

Desktop Computers were widely produced in the late 1970s and 1980s as there were no laptop or PDA computers available at the time. The first widely sold and successful desktop computer was the Apple II introduced in 1977 by Apple Computer. Also the Tandy TRS-80 computer which comprised a green phosphor 12" screen, an expansion box with 4k memory, a keyboard and a cassette. All this for only £695. Radio Shack, the American Tandy Corporation, put the TRS-80 up against Eniac and the Tandy beat the city block computer.

In the mid 1990s desktop computers were widely advertised for their amount of power available for graphics and multimedia. Studios, universities and governments prefer to use desktop computers today because they are more powerful and more expandable than a laptop computer.

Hardware

The hardware in a desktop computer is modular, making it easy for someone with intermediate knowledge of a computer to modify one. The internal hardware of a basic desktop computer consists of RAM, CPU, a motherboard, a graphics card and a sound card as well as additional onboard cards for Ethernet and other ports.

Desktop computers usually have a separate monitor, the only modern exceptions being some Apple computers such as the iMacs and eMacs. User-input peripherals such as keyboards and mice are attached to the computer's ports, as well as other peripherals such as printers. Most of the functionality is contained within the case, but some components can be either external or internal (such as various storage devices or modems). The case is often placed on or under the desk. Sometimes, it can be placed underneath the monitor depending on the size and shape.

The IBM compatible desktop computer was far behind the competition from other manufacturers such as Radio Shack, Apple, Commodore, Atari, etc. However, they released their design for others to copy. This made it possible to buy brand X components and insert them into multiple brands of computers which all functioned the same and used the same operating system. Albert Clark used this to advantage and wrote the specifications for the first major government desktop purchase by specifying an IBM compatible instead of trying to justify a specific brand. As a result, the government purchased hundreds of thousands of IBM compatible desktop computers. This resulted in many brands disappearing off the market and the IBM compatible gaining enhancements and software to make it the most popular of all. From last to first.

Desktop computers are generally more affordable than notebook computers. This is because no extra effort is needed to miniaturize the components, or to manufacture components that use up less power.

Components

Fan - cools the computer. These are present on most computers. Overclocked computers have large numbers of these
Motherboard - links all of the components together and routes data.
Hard drive - long-term internal data storage
CD-ROM or DVD Drive - reads most or all types of CDs and/or DVDs
Processor
CPU Cooler - cools the processing unit. Typically a fan combined with a heatsink
RAM - short-term data storage
Video card - codes video output and delivers to monitor
Sound card - codes sound output and delivers to speakers
Speakers - deliver sound.
Modem - Used to access data via a telephone line (dial-up connection). Used to access bulletin board systems and the Internet.
Network card - Allows the computer to be connected to a computer network where it can communicate with other computers. Also used as a means of accessing the Internet via a broadband connection.
Power supply - distributes power to the various components.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Desktop computer ]

Games - Desktop computer

History

Hardware

Components

Searches on eBay

Related searches on eBay