Home-based computer essay
Home-based computer is a computer that is friendly to the end user. It also means that this kind of computers is assembled from rather available components, while these components usually have commercial off-the-shelf nature, rather than being purchased as a full system from a computer system supplier.
Observing the history of the term, it becomes obvious that the term home-based computer is applied to the second generation of microcomputers (the term microcomputer was the technical term previously used in this sphere), and it appeared on the market in 1977, while in the 1980s it became wide popular.
It is a well-known fact that home computers became available for public use, when the mass production of microprocessors and chip achieved high degree of integration, which led to a drastic reduction in the size of computers and their strong reduction in price. Moreover, everything of this allowed to make possible the use of computers at home. With the increasing number of IBM in PC-compatible computers, the term “home computer” was replaced by the term “personal computer” (PC). To add, the fast growth of the computer industry allowed people with good technical education to create their own computers making them not being dependent on specialists in the area.
Discussing the area of technical characteristics, it can be seen that most home computers resembled each other; they were executed in the form of monoblock unit with keyboard that was inexpensive to manufacture (rubber or membrane), and they displayed 20-40 columns in text mode on a conventional television receiver. Nelson (1978) stated that many used conventional widespread audiotapes (slow and sometimes unreliable) for information storage drives because at that time disk drivers were very expensive, especially in Europe (often disc drive was more expensive than the computer itself, since it had a more complex structure and, therefore, was more expensive to produce). In the end, the low price to the consumer was more important and it can increase the number of people who would be able to buy a computer for the first time. The main buyer was considered a family with children of school age.
All modern desktop machines have an operating system (OS), which provides the interface between the operator and the computer’s hardware (memory, central processing unit (CPU), etc.). Home computers often had their own operating system, when interpreter of the BASIC programming language was its part, while it was recorded in one or more chips in permanent memory. According to Jacko and Sears (2003), the term “application software” is typically used for applications running within the operating system and designed for specific tasks; such applications include, for example, word processors and some types of games.
With the aging of home computers, many of them have become quite popular, and they took on a second life in the form of emulators – programs that allow one computer to execute programs written for another computer. Thus, many of the applications created for the machines of our consideration can be performed on modern PCs and the computers themselves have applications to other computers. In such a way, home computers were based mainly on 8-bit processors, and a processor MOS6502 of MOS Technology production and Zilog Z80 were their typical representatives (and they were most common in home computers). To the acknowledgement of this fact it can be noted that a great variety of 8-bit home computers were developed and sold especially during the first half of 1980.
Analyzing contemporary life and today’s situation in the sphere of computers, it is time to pay a specific attention to the main technical characteristics which can help an ordinary user to be happy of the own choice of personal computer. Firstly, there is no doubt that it is better to built the own computer by itself than to buy a mass-market computer. Secondly, making a thorough analysis of the existing computers and their components, many users realize that it is more economically reasonable to build a new computer from some used and desired parts, especially in poor or developing countries because the price for new computer can be very high and far from reality in some regions.
Building home computer, all users should understand what they are going to do on their computer because this step will help them to determine the type of computer and its system characteristics; it can be entertainment platform, PC for work in the office, just for the home, server computer, etc. By the way, some novice users are questioned, whether it is possible to build a computer with their hands at home because they have an erroneous opinion that the computer is going on a special assembly line, and people just pack it in boxes and sell. So, if a person wants to paint, print, surf the Internet on the computer, he or she will like the normal home computer of average power because powerful and expensive computers are designed for modern games, powerful graphic editors and other complex programs.
It is possible to learn about the power of the computer and its technical capabilities from the data on the system. It is rather easy to understand these characteristics because for the ordinary user it is enough to know the approximate data such as processor speed, RAM, video memory, etc. The following information shows the average computer: processor: single-core 2.8GHz, dual-core 1.8GHz; memory: 512Mb or 1024Mb; video memory: 256Mb; HDD: 320Gb or 512Gb, power supply: 300W or 500W. But in a case, when the person needs a computer for gaming, then it is necessary to buy the most powerful computer with very big hard driver to be sure in the computer’s power and possibility to answer speed changing reality in modern gaming world.
In addition, the user must adhere to certain standards and the own preferences even in the selection of system data configuration. For example, if a person likes to play or draw on a computer, he will better to buy a good laser mouse, it is necessary not to be confused with optical one. The next point is keyboard, and for ordinary purposes can be advised the keyboard with a standard layout and better thin. Another important point if a person decides to buy a wireless mouse and keyboard, he needs to remember about the fact that both mouse and keyboard need energy, and it is not easy to deliver energy to it in time, and sometimes it will interrupt a person’s use of the computer. And finally, of course LCD monitor is better than other types of monitors, but its size also has some shortcomings and weaknesses. In a case, when the person thinks that big screen is better than a little one, it is necessary to realize that the bigger monitors needs more energy and requires more productivity of the computer, so the best option is 17-19 inches.
Explaining the necessity of some specific points in the previous text, it is possible to say that it is impossible to understand what a home-based computer is without plunging into its history. For this purpose we briefly described the history of computer development when it achieved the horizons of public use. Of course, it was possible to discuss the destiny of computers from the very beginning of their existence, but it seems to be wrong to pay so much attention to computers of the times when they were used only for special purposes and cost much money, were big and produced in limited edition. So, we begin our discussion from the times when the computer became available for the ordinary user.
Of course, everyone realizes that contemporary computer is a very complex device which can make human life better, but every certain example of computers should be chosen for certain user, taking into account the person’s needs and preferences. So, we reviewed the ways how people can choose an ideal computer for the own purposes. The first idea was to describe many types of computers, and to be very specific in their configurations, but such a thorough research needs much space, and sometimes it is better to give general characteristics than to overfill minds of people who need some kinds of computers with unnecessary details, making them confused about further purchase of the best computer for home use, including necessity to work on computer at home, or to play complex games.
Moreover, explaining such a structure of this assignment, it is possible to state that it is always better to give some general characteristics of home-based computers, of course including some specific details and numbers, and to make the paper useful for many readers than to talk about one or another type of computers, making the reading of the information simply boring and empty.
And finally, it is good to note that we describe possible configurations of a computer using average characteristics, while computer industry produces breakthrough almost every day. That is why we highlighted the necessity to choose such options that will be relevant for at least a few years. This does not mean that a person has to take the most powerful parts, but also the weakest, and therefore cheap, are not an option. So, the result is obvious – people can save on something not very important and buy something more expensive. The main thing in this matter is the universality of the computer, because at home it has to perform many functions such as viewing of the Internet pages, working with different kinds of documents, watching movies, listening to music, chatting with all sorts of programs, and, of course, games.
In conclusion, we have observed a home-based computer from various perspectives; we have described it using specific characteristics, plunged into the history of public use, and defended the necessity to present information exactly in this order, paying much attention to some aspects and not focusing on other ones.
