PC Basics and the NetPC Basics and the Net

Our goals...Our goals...

• Discover how your hard drive, RAM, Discover how your hard drive, RAM, and Internet connection actually and Internet connection actually workwork

• Learn what each of these things has Learn what each of these things has to do with the othersto do with the others

• Find out how you can speed up your Find out how you can speed up your Internet connection Internet connection

• DO ALL OF THIS IN ENGLISH!DO ALL OF THIS IN ENGLISH!

Your Computer Is Like a KitchenYour Computer Is Like a Kitchen

Three Parts of Your KitchenThree Parts of Your Kitchen

1.1. Your refrigerator.Your refrigerator.

2.2. Your stove.Your stove.

3.3. Your sink.Your sink.

You probably have You probably have more stuff than this, more stuff than this, but almost but almost everyevery kitchen in the world kitchen in the world has at least these has at least these three things.three things.

The Fridge!The Fridge!

• Where you Where you holdhold your your food until you are food until you are ready to cook or eat ready to cook or eat it ... or until the food it ... or until the food starts turning into a starts turning into a new life form.new life form.

• The key measurement The key measurement of a refrigerator is of a refrigerator is how much food it can how much food it can hold ... its hold ... its storage storage capacitycapacity..

Some Refrigerator QuestionsSome Refrigerator Questions

• Will getting a bigger refrigerator increase Will getting a bigger refrigerator increase the amount of food you can store in your the amount of food you can store in your refrigerator? refrigerator?

• Will getting a bigger refrigerator increase Will getting a bigger refrigerator increase the speed at which you can cook that food the speed at which you can cook that food on your stove? on your stove?

• Will getting a bigger refrigerator increase Will getting a bigger refrigerator increase the speed at which water flows into your the speed at which water flows into your kitchen sink? kitchen sink?

The StoveThe Stove

• Where you cook Where you cook your food.your food.

• The key The key measurement of a measurement of a stove is stove is how many how many things it can cook things it can cook at onceat once ... its size. ... its size.

Some Stove QuestionsSome Stove Questions

• Will getting a bigger stove – one with Will getting a bigger stove – one with more burners – increase the amount more burners – increase the amount of food you can store in your of food you can store in your refrigerator? refrigerator?

• Will getting a bigger stove increase Will getting a bigger stove increase the speed at which you can cook the speed at which you can cook food on your stove? food on your stove?

Why Size MattersWhy Size Matters

• How many things How many things can you can you simultaneously simultaneously cook on this cook on this stove? stove?

• What would What would happen if you had happen if you had to cook more than to cook more than four things at four things at once? once?

Law of Diminishing ReturnsLaw of Diminishing Returns

• Is a four burner stove twice as good as a Is a four burner stove twice as good as a two burner stove? (two burner stove? (Maybe ... it depends Maybe ... it depends on how much you cookon how much you cook).).

• Is a 16 burner stove four times as good as Is a 16 burner stove four times as good as a four burner stove? (a four burner stove? (Heck no Heck no ... who ... who needs needs SIXTEENSIXTEEN burners? burners?).).

• The key is to find a balance between how The key is to find a balance between how much you have to cook and how many much you have to cook and how many burners you have.burners you have.

Back to the Stove QuestionsBack to the Stove Questions

• Will getting a bigger stove – one with more Will getting a bigger stove – one with more burners – increase the amount of food you burners – increase the amount of food you can store in your refrigerator? can store in your refrigerator?

• Will getting a bigger stove increase the Will getting a bigger stove increase the speed at which you can cook food on your speed at which you can cook food on your stove? stove?

• Will getting a bigger stove increase the Will getting a bigger stove increase the speed at which water flows into your speed at which water flows into your kitchen sink? kitchen sink?

... and the Kitchen Sink!... and the Kitchen Sink!

• Where water comes Where water comes into your kitchen for into your kitchen for cooking and cleaning.cooking and cleaning.

• Dish-holding capacity Dish-holding capacity is important, but in is important, but in this analogy the key this analogy the key measure of a kitchen measure of a kitchen sink is sink is the speed at the speed at which water flowswhich water flows into into it ... its it ... its water water pressurepressure..

Some Sink QuestionsSome Sink Questions

• Will getting a bigger kitchen sink – one Will getting a bigger kitchen sink – one with more dish-holding capacity – with more dish-holding capacity – increase the amount of food you can store increase the amount of food you can store in your refrigerator? in your refrigerator?

• Will getting a bigger kitchen sink increase Will getting a bigger kitchen sink increase the speed at which you can cook food on the speed at which you can cook food on your stove?your stove?

• Will getting a bigger kitchen sink increase Will getting a bigger kitchen sink increase the speed at which water flows into your the speed at which water flows into your kitchen sink? kitchen sink?

So How Can You Increase Your So How Can You Increase Your Water Pressure?Water Pressure?

GET BIGGER GET BIGGER PIPES!PIPES!

Three Parts RevisitedThree Parts Revisited

1.1. Your refrigerator, Your refrigerator, where you where you storestore food until you food until you need itneed it

2.2. Your stove, where Your stove, where you you cookcook your your foodfood

3.3. Your sink, where Your sink, where water water flowsflows into into your kitchenyour kitchen

What on Earth Does This Have What on Earth Does This Have to Do with My Computer?to Do with My Computer?

A lot, actually ...A lot, actually ...

So go ahead and ask……

Three Parts of a PCThree Parts of a PC

1.1. Your Your hard drivehard drive2.2. Your Your RAMRAM3.3. Your Your Internet Internet

connectionconnectionYou have more stuff You have more stuff than this, but these than this, but these are the three most are the three most important things to important things to know about ... they’re know about ... they’re the stuff the stuff you can you can easily changeeasily change

Your Hard DriveYour Hard Drive

Your hard drive isYour hard drive is

the computerthe computer

equivalent of yourequivalent of your

refrigerator.refrigerator.

Your Hard DriveYour Hard Drive

• Where you Where you holdhold your your programs, folders, programs, folders, files, data, and other files, data, and other stuff until you are stuff until you are ready to use themready to use them

• The key measurement The key measurement of a hard drive is how of a hard drive is how much stuff it can much stuff it can hold ... its hold ... its storage storage capacitycapacity..

Accessing Your PC’s Hard DriveAccessing Your PC’s Hard Drive

• Double-Click on Double-Click on “My Computer” “My Computer”

• Use Windows Use Windows Explorer (Windows Explorer (Windows Key + E)Key + E)

• This shows you all This shows you all the drives, folders, the drives, folders, programs, and files programs, and files on your PC.on your PC.

Remember ...Remember ...

• Your hard drive is the computer Your hard drive is the computer equivalent of your refrigerator.equivalent of your refrigerator.

• It is where you It is where you holdhold your programs, your programs, folders, files, data, and other stuff folders, files, data, and other stuff until you are ready to use them.until you are ready to use them.

• The key measurement of your hard The key measurement of your hard drive is drive is how much stuff it can holdhow much stuff it can hold (usually measured in gigabytes.)(usually measured in gigabytes.)

Your Your RRandom andom AAccess ccess MMemoryemory(RAM)(RAM)

Your RAM is Your RAM is the computer the computer equivalent of equivalent of your stove.your stove.

•Where stuff is Where stuff is heldheld while it is cookedwhile it is cooked

•The key The key measurement of RAM measurement of RAM is is how many things it how many things it can “cook” at oncecan “cook” at once ... ... its size.its size.

Your Your RRandom andom AAccess ccess MMemoryemory(RAM)(RAM)

Accessing Your PC’s RAMAccessing Your PC’s RAM

• You can’t really You can’t really “access” it.“access” it.

• You can see all the You can see all the stuff that is stuff that is running in your running in your RAM by hitting Ctrl RAM by hitting Ctrl + Alt + Delete + Alt + Delete ONCEONCE..

Remember ...Remember ...

• Your RAM is the computer equivalent Your RAM is the computer equivalent of your stove.of your stove.

• It is It is where your programs runwhere your programs run ... ... where they are “cooked.”where they are “cooked.”

Remember ...Remember ...

• Your stove is measured by how Your stove is measured by how many things it can cook at once – its many things it can cook at once – its size. The same is true for RAM.size. The same is true for RAM.

• The key measurement of RAM is The key measurement of RAM is how how big it isbig it is ... how many things it can ... how many things it can cook at once ... its size (measured in cook at once ... its size (measured in megabytes.)megabytes.)

Your Internet ConnectionYour Internet Connection

Your Internet Your Internet Connection is Connection is the computer the computer equivalent of equivalent of your kitchen your kitchen sink (sink (water water pressurepressure))

Your Internet ConnectionYour Internet Connection

The key The key measurement of measurement of your Internet your Internet connection is connection is how fast you how fast you can get stuffcan get stuff off off of the Net ... its of the Net ... its speed (or speed (or “bandwidth.”)“bandwidth.”)

Three Parts of Your PCThree Parts of Your PC

1.1. Your Your hard drivehard drive, , which is like your which is like your refrigerator (it holds refrigerator (it holds stuff)stuff)

2.2. Your Your RAMRAM, which is , which is like your stove (it like your stove (it cooks stuff)cooks stuff)

3.3. Your Your Internet Internet connectionconnection, which is , which is like your sink (it’s like your sink (it’s your access to the your access to the “stream”)“stream”)

HD Increases Storage?HD Increases Storage?

• Will getting a Will getting a bigger hard drive bigger hard drive increase the increase the amount of stuff amount of stuff (programs, (programs, documents, documents, pictures, and so pictures, and so on) you can store on) you can store on your computer?on your computer?

• YepYep

Your Hard Drive Is Just Your Hard Drive Is Just Storage Space ...Storage Space ...

A place to keep your stuff until A place to keep your stuff until you need it.you need it.

HD Increases PC Speed?HD Increases PC Speed?

• Will getting a Will getting a bigger hard drive bigger hard drive increase the speed increase the speed at which you can at which you can “cook” stuff on “cook” stuff on your computer? In your computer? In other words, will it other words, will it speed up your speed up your computer? computer?

• NO!NO!

Getting a Bigger Hard Drive Getting a Bigger Hard Drive Will Will NOTNOT Speed Up Your Speed Up Your

ComputerComputer... any more than getting a ... any more than getting a

bigger refrigerator will speed up bigger refrigerator will speed up your cooking times. All your your cooking times. All your hard drive does is hard drive does is storestore stuff. stuff.

HD Increases Net Speed?HD Increases Net Speed?

• Will getting a Will getting a bigger hard drive bigger hard drive increase the speed increase the speed at which you can at which you can access, or access, or download stuff off download stuff off of, the Internet? of, the Internet?

• NO!NO!

Getting a Bigger Hard Drive Getting a Bigger Hard Drive Will Will NOTNOT Speed Up Your Net Speed Up Your Net

ConnectionConnection... any more than getting a ... any more than getting a

bigger refrigerator will speed up bigger refrigerator will speed up your sink. All your hard drive your sink. All your hard drive

does is does is storestore stuff. stuff.

Everyone With Me?Everyone With Me?

1.1. Your Your hard drivehard drive, , which is like your which is like your refrigerator (it refrigerator (it holdsholds stuff)stuff)

2.2. Your Your RAMRAM, which is , which is like your stove (it like your stove (it cookscooks stuff) stuff)

3.3. Your Your Internet Internet connectionconnection, which is , which is like your sink (it’s like your sink (it’s your access to the your access to the “stream”“stream”))

RAM Increases Storage?RAM Increases Storage?

• Will getting more Will getting more RAM increase the RAM increase the amount of stuff amount of stuff you can store on you can store on your hard drive?your hard drive?

• NO!NO!

Getting More RAM Will Getting More RAM Will NOTNOT Help You Store More Files on Help You Store More Files on

Your ComputerYour Computer... it will only help you run more ... it will only help you run more

computer programs (like computer programs (like Microsoft Word, Solitaire, and Microsoft Word, Solitaire, and

so on) simultaneously.so on) simultaneously.

RAM Increases PC Speed?RAM Increases PC Speed?

• Will getting more RAM Will getting more RAM increase the speed at increase the speed at which you can “cook” which you can “cook” stuff on your stuff on your computer? In other computer? In other words, will it speed up words, will it speed up your computer? your computer?

• Maybe, but only to a Maybe, but only to a point.point.

Remember This?Remember This?

• How many things can How many things can you cook at once on you cook at once on this stove? (this stove? (FourFour))

• What would happen if What would happen if you had to cook more you had to cook more than four things at than four things at once? (once? (It would take a It would take a LOTLOT longer to cook longer to cook because you’d have to because you’d have to constantly swap constantly swap pots.pots.))

Law of Diminishing ReturnsLaw of Diminishing Returns

• The key is to get enough RAM so that The key is to get enough RAM so that your computer is never swapping your computer is never swapping pots (“programs”).pots (“programs”).

• But, it is possible to get too much But, it is possible to get too much RAM ... and like a 16 burner stove, RAM ... and like a 16 burner stove, too much RAM is just a waste of too much RAM is just a waste of money.money.

• How much RAM is enough?How much RAM is enough?

The Biggest RAM SecretThe Biggest RAM Secret

Even when you Even when you thinkthink you don’t you don’t have any programs hogging up have any programs hogging up your RAM, you your RAM, you havehave programs programs

hogging up your RAM.hogging up your RAM.

RememberRemember

• You can’t really You can’t really “access” your “access” your RAM.RAM.

• But you can see all But you can see all the stuff that is the stuff that is running in your running in your RAM by hitting Ctrl RAM by hitting Ctrl + Alt + Delete + Alt + Delete ONCEONCE..

How Much RAM is Enough?How Much RAM is Enough?

• If you have Windows If you have Windows 95, 98, 98SE, or ME, get 95, 98, 98SE, or ME, get no less and no more no less and no more than than 128128 Megabytes of Megabytes of RAM.RAM.

• If you have Windows If you have Windows NT, 2000, or XP, get NT, 2000, or XP, get 256256 Megabytes of RAM. Megabytes of RAM.

• Get more Get more ONLYONLY if you if you work with videos, pre-work with videos, pre-press graphics, or press graphics, or “advanced” games.“advanced” games.

Hard Drives v. RAMHard Drives v. RAM

• If you run out of storage space on If you run out of storage space on your hard drive, you need to either your hard drive, you need to either delete some files or get a second (or delete some files or get a second (or a bigger) hard drive.a bigger) hard drive.

• If you keep getting “out of memory” If you keep getting “out of memory” errors or want to run a errors or want to run a bunchbunch of of programs at once, you need to get programs at once, you need to get more RAM.more RAM.

RAM Increases Net Speed?RAM Increases Net Speed?

• Will getting more Will getting more RAM increase the RAM increase the speed at which you speed at which you can access, or can access, or download stuff off download stuff off of, the Internet? of, the Internet?

• NO!NO!

Getting More RAM Will Getting More RAM Will NOTNOT Speed Up Your Net ConnectionSpeed Up Your Net Connection

... any more than getting a ... any more than getting a bigger stove will speed up your bigger stove will speed up your

sink.sink.

What About the Net?What About the Net?

• Getting a bigger hard drive won’t Getting a bigger hard drive won’t speed up your Internet connection.speed up your Internet connection.

• Getting more RAM won’t speed up Getting more RAM won’t speed up your Internet connection.your Internet connection.

• So how can you speed up your So how can you speed up your Internet connection?Internet connection?

GET GET BIGGER BIGGER PIPES!PIPES!

Internet ConnectionsInternet Connections

• Your connection to Your connection to the Internet is the Internet is often called a often called a “pipe.”“pipe.”

• There are a There are a bunchbunch of different ways to of different ways to connect to the connect to the Internet, some Internet, some faster than others.faster than others.

Up and Down and Up and ...Up and Down and Up and ...

• No matter how you connect to the No matter how you connect to the Internet, your speed will fluctuate – Internet, your speed will fluctuate – slow one second and fast the next.slow one second and fast the next.

• Fluctuations come from traffic jams Fluctuations come from traffic jams on the Internet, power outages in on the Internet, power outages in parts of the country, squirrels ... parts of the country, squirrels ...

• There isn’t much you can do about There isn’t much you can do about these fluctuations.these fluctuations.

Understanding SpeedsUnderstanding Speeds

• To make things a little easier to To make things a little easier to understand, I measured a bunch of understand, I measured a bunch of connection speeds in miles per hour (a connection speeds in miles per hour (a completely completely FAKEFAKE measurement, but one measurement, but one that is easy to understand.)that is easy to understand.)

• I also measured how long it would take to I also measured how long it would take to download a floppy, Zip disk, and CD.download a floppy, Zip disk, and CD.

• My numbers aren’t totally accurate (I did a My numbers aren’t totally accurate (I did a LOTLOT of rounding) but they look pretty. of rounding) but they look pretty.

Old Analog ModemsOld Analog Modems

• You connect to an You connect to an Internet Service Internet Service Provider (ISP) or Provider (ISP) or America Online (AOL) America Online (AOL) over a telephone line. over a telephone line.

• You can actually hear You can actually hear the modem make the modem make noises.noises.

• Cost? Usually about Cost? Usually about US$20 a month.US$20 a month.

• SLOW!SLOW!

Newer Analog ModemsNewer Analog Modems

• Newer, “56K” modems Newer, “56K” modems are a are a littlelittle faster, but faster, but not much.not much.

• Modem connections Modem connections are are greatgreat if all you if all you want to do is “sip” want to do is “sip” from the Net.from the Net.

• Analog modem Analog modem technology is as fast technology is as fast as it is ever going to as it is ever going to get.get.

ISDNISDN

• Integrated Services Integrated Services Digital NetworkDigital Network

• Pure, digital telephone Pure, digital telephone lineline

• REDICULOUSLYREDICULOUSLY expensive (US$40 to expensive (US$40 to $100 a month or more)$100 a month or more)

• Not that much faster Not that much faster than the fastest than the fastest telephone modemstelephone modems

• Mostly for businesses Mostly for businesses or radio stationsor radio stations

Welcome to BroadbandWelcome to Broadband

• Once we get up to Once we get up to about 500 “miles per about 500 “miles per hour,” we’re in the hour,” we’re in the range of what is called range of what is called “broadband.”“broadband.”

• BIG pipesBIG pipes• FAST downloads FAST downloads

(floppies download in (floppies download in at least 23 seconds at least 23 seconds instead of 7 minutes)instead of 7 minutes)

• US$40 to $50 a monthUS$40 to $50 a month

Popular Ways to Get BroadbandPopular Ways to Get Broadband

• Cable ModemCable Modem– Offered by your cable companyOffered by your cable company– You share your pipe with your entire You share your pipe with your entire

neighborhoodneighborhood

• Digital Subscriber LineDigital Subscriber Line– Offered by your telephone company Offered by your telephone company oror a local a local

Internet Service ProviderInternet Service Provider– You have your own pipe ... but your home has You have your own pipe ... but your home has

to be within 15,000 feet of your phone to be within 15,000 feet of your phone company’s central office to be connected.company’s central office to be connected.

Which is Faster?Which is Faster?

• Cable and DSL speeds range from Cable and DSL speeds range from 300 “mph” all the way up to 3000 300 “mph” all the way up to 3000 “mph” or more depending upon “mph” or more depending upon where you live and what’s available.where you live and what’s available.

• In San Francisco, California, DSL is In San Francisco, California, DSL is faster than cable.faster than cable.

• In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, cable is In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, cable is faster than DSL faster than DSL

Average Cable/DSL SpeedsAverage Cable/DSL Speeds

• The The averageaverage speeds for both speeds for both cable and DSL cable and DSL seem to be seem to be between 300 and between 300 and 500 “mph.”500 “mph.”

• This chart shows This chart shows you what you can you what you can expect.expect.

By Way of Comparison ...By Way of Comparison ...

REALLY Big PipesREALLY Big Pipes

• If you are If you are extraordinarily lucky, extraordinarily lucky, you may get a cable you may get a cable or DSL connection or DSL connection that approaches “T1” that approaches “T1” speeds ... or faster.speeds ... or faster.

• This is the speed that This is the speed that both cable and DSL both cable and DSL providers providers promisepromise ... ... but but fewfew deliver it. deliver it.

The Macro ViewThe Macro View

Question:Question:

Will getting more RAM speed Will getting more RAM speed up your Internet connection?up your Internet connection?

So How Can You Speed Up So How Can You Speed Up Your Internet Connection?Your Internet Connection?

GET BIGGER GET BIGGER PIPES!PIPES!

Your Computer is Like a KitchenYour Computer is Like a Kitchen

1.1. Your Your hard drivehard drive is is like your refrigerator like your refrigerator (it (it holdsholds stuff) stuff)

2.2. Your Your RAMRAM is like your is like your stove (it stove (it cookscooks stuff) stuff)

3.3. Your Your Internet Internet connectionconnection is like is like your sink (it’s your your sink (it’s your access to the access to the “stream”“stream”))

One Last Thing ...One Last Thing ...• Every year in computer design is like 25 Every year in computer design is like 25

years in kitchen design.years in kitchen design.• If you have a 25 or 50 year old kitchen (a 1 If you have a 25 or 50 year old kitchen (a 1

or 2 year old computer) and want to or 2 year old computer) and want to replace your refrigerator or stove (hard replace your refrigerator or stove (hard drive or RAM), go for it.drive or RAM), go for it.

• If you have a 75 year old kitchen (a 3 year If you have a 75 year old kitchen (a 3 year year old computer) or older, it is better year old computer) or older, it is better demolish the entire thing and start from demolish the entire thing and start from scratch. scratch. Fixing it up is a waste of moneyFixing it up is a waste of money..

Our goals ...Our goals ...

• Discover how your Discover how your hard drivehard drive, , RAMRAM, , and and Internet connectionInternet connection actually actually workwork

• Learn what each of these things has Learn what each of these things has to do with the othersto do with the others

• Find out how you can speed up your Find out how you can speed up your Internet connection Internet connection

• DO ALL OF THIS IN ENGLISH!DO ALL OF THIS IN ENGLISH!

Thanks to Patrick Crispen for this Thanks to Patrick Crispen for this Wonderful Presentation!Wonderful Presentation!

• You’ll You’ll LOVELOVE the the Internet TourbusInternet Tourbus

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