CD School House 9/CD School House 9.0 - Wayzata Technology (1994).iso/mac/TWWIN/QTIPS.TXT

Text File | 1992-09-02 | 23KB | 551 lines

                              SCANLON ENTERPRISES

                              Computer Consulting


               Custom Software for the IBM PX/XT/AT/386 Systems


           38354 17th St. E. - Palmdale, CA - 93550 - [phone]]




                                  Q - T I P S

                                 (Quick  Tips)



       If you're in the market for a home or personal computer, the
       experts all agree on one thing; know what you want the computer
       to do, and do NOT buy a computer until you thoroughly shop and
       test the variety of models being offered by manufacturers. The
       investigation can save you plenty. You should also take time to
       become familiar with some of the computer basics such a computer
       "language" and terminology before you shop.




              U N D E R S T A N D I N G   T H E   C O M P U T E R


       Like the television explosion of the 1950s, the computer has
       quickly become a part of our lives.

       Put aside any beliefs that computers are used only by the most
       sophisticated businesses and children. Those keys, push-buttons
       and "joy sticks" can do much more than balance accounts' payable
       and receivable or direct space ships and cartoon characters and
       other such creatures, to move around the display.

       Also put aside any fear you might have about understanding
       computers. The actual mechanics of computer operation will
       astound you by their simplicity and logic. If you can 'hunt-and-
       peck' on a typewriter keyboard and are willing to spend some time
       in discovery and learning about software, you can operate a
       personal home computer with success. And what's more, the
       learning experiences can be both fun and rewarding.
       NOTE: On most modern computers, running a GUI (graphics user
       interface), you don't even need to use a keyboard much. Instead,
       you can use a pointing device, called a mouse, to point to
       functions and commands.


                    T O   B U Y   O R   N O T   T O   B U Y


       Personal home computer owners report that the reality of using a
       computer can be different from what the advertisements would lead
       you to believe. A computer is NOT a panacea for all problems, but
       there are many things it can do.

       Consider the computer as a 'multi-use-tool'. You realize more
       from your investment when you use the computer to perform many
       tasks. If you want it to perform a single function, then,
       perhaps, you should consider a dedicated or simple system that
       may be plugged into a television set. Or, if you want a computer
       that only plays games, you can purchase these for much less than
       a full computer system.

       Buying a computer may cost more than you might, at first, think.
       The initial cost for the hardware (basic equipment), may NOT be
       the final cost. The software (programs / applications), can be
       expensive (you can expect to pay as much for all of the software
       you expect to use, as for the computer). And don't overlook
       computer maintenance, or 'add-on' hardware purchases.

       Computers do NOT run themselves. They are only as good as the
       person running them. Remember, the information you put into a
       computer is the information you will get out of the computer.



       P E R S O N A L   H O M E   C O M P U T E R   C O M P O N E N T S


       Buying a home computer is NOT unlike purchasing a car. There are
       the basic models and many 'add-on-accessories'. Below, is a
       description of the hardware or physical equipment making up the
       computer. You can 'mix-or-match' these to fit your needs.

       ■ Processor or Microprocessor

       As part of the processor unit a computer will have both a central
       processing unit (CPU) and main or random access memory (RAM).
       Information is stored in RAM, NOT the microprocessor. Most
       computers are packaged with a keyboard which acts as an input
       unit. Some computers include a disk drive and 'built-in' monitor,
       which resides in the ROM (Read Only Memory). There are other
       combinations available, such as an added co-processor which may
       specialize in math functions.

       Until recently, all personal home computers, were equipped with
       an 8-bit CPU (microprocessor). Now, most have 16-bit CPUs' and
       some even have 32-bit CPUs'. These newer CPUs' offer more power
       and speed, for your computer operations.

       With the inexpensive models you get, just the CPU, keyboard,
       video system, a limited amount of RAM and limited storage for
       data on disks. As the price increases, the system capability and
       features increase, such as higher resolution video, more RAM,
       larger storage devices for programs and data.


       ■ Video System

       This is what is used, to display what you type, and gives games
       the desired visual effect. In days gone by, the video was not
       always necessary, as you could plug your system into the TV set
       to get the display. Todays systems, require such specialized
       video, that a TV just won't do.

       Many who own a personal computer, report that a television screen
       lacks the resolution and that a regular video system is best.
       There are several video systems available, ranging from the
       monochrome (black on white, amber, green screen, etc...), to CGA
       (Color graphics Adapter), to EGA and VGA (the high resolution
       systems). The EGA systems are becoming un-available, as the price
       of VGA is coming down.

       If you plan on using just text based computer software, then a
       monochrome video system is for you. If you want limited color and
       some graphics, then a CGA is your choice. However, if you want
       the latest in video effects and capability, as most new games and
       applications require, then get VGA.

       ■ Disk Drive

       This is what your programs come on, and which you store data for
       long term usage. Todays disk drives range from the old standard
       of 360K bytes for the 5 ¼ inch disk, the intermediate 1.2 mega
       bytes 5¼ inch disk, the newer low density 3½ inch 720K disks to
       the higher density 1.44 mega 3½ inch disks. These represent only
       the removable media types. These disks are called floppy disks.

       Next are the high capacity hard drives, which have anywhere from
       20 mega bytes, up to hundreds of mega bytes. Hard drives, not
       only hold more data and programs, but can be accessed much faster
       than the floppy disk. Generally, on newer computers, the floppy
       is used to back up the hard disks, in case of hard disk failure,
       and for installing new programs.

       ■ Printer

       This device is much like a typewrite, but is controlled by the
       computer system. This device is used to make physical copies of
       the data your system contains.

       There is a variety of printers available, ranging from the simple
       dot matrix printer thru the laser jet. The printer is an
       important part of any computer system, and choosing it is just as
       important as selecting the computer. Your printer, just like the
       computer, should be selected based upon usage.

       ■ Software

       These are the programs that tell the computer what to do.
       Software is packaged on disks, and must be installed. One program
       every PC must have, is the Disk Operating System (DOS). This is
       the program, which runs all others. Programs are available for
       applications such as word processing , financial analysis,
       accounting, educational and of course games.


       ■ Accessories

       These include joy-sticks, the mouse, light pen, modem and other
       devices, which may not be normally contained in the system.

       ■ Data-Based Management

       This is the process of organizing and storing information on your
       own computer system. Software packages exist for home computers
       to accomplish this. You could use a data base management system
       to store Christmas card lists, phone numbers, addresses, etc...




                    C O M P U T E R   T E R M I N O L O G Y


       Following is a brief, but essential, glossary of computer terms
       to help you become a smarter personal home computer shopper:

       ∙ Input

       This term refers to the data being received by the computer. You
       can tell the computer what to do by pressing keys on the
       keyboard, or by programming it with a disk that has been 'pre-
       recorded. You can also hook up the computer to a data bank to
       receive data and programs (via a modem and phone line).

       ∙ Ascii

       This stands for American Standard Code for Information Exchange,
       a coding system that allows the computer to represent,
       internally, any letter, numeral punctuation mark, or graphics
       character as a series of binary segments. Todays computer has, in
       addition, the extended character set. A listing of all 256
       characters is available in many books.

       ∙ Bit

       This is the smallest chunk of data and can either be a 1 or 0,
       which represents true and false, or yes and no conditions.

       ∙ Byte

       A byte consists of 8 bits, which may represent up to 256
       different possible events or characters. There are also smaller
       chunks of data, called nibbles, which are 4 bits.

       ∙ Word

       This is the number of bits a computer can handle in one chunk,
       and may be anywhere from a nibble (4 bits) to several bytes. On
       modern PC systems, the word size is typically 16 bits (2 bytes),
       but this is changing to a word size of 4 bytes (32 bits) very
       rapidly, via the 386 system.


       ∙ Memory

       This is where a program is executed from. A PC/XT//AT/386 typical
       memory area is from 0 thru 1 mega-byte. Memory is usually
       measured in terms of K-bytes, which is 1024 bytes. There are
       basically two types of memory.

         ■ Random Access Memory (RAM)

         RAM contains the instructions for the particular task you want
         to perform, usually called an application. This memory areas
         data will be lost when power is lost, either by shutting off
         the computer, or during a black out.

         ■ Read Only Memory (ROM)

         ROM contains the permanent instructions the computer uses to
         operate. These instructions cause our computer to access the
         disk drive, at 'boot' time (when power is applied), to load in
         the DOS . Such instructions, are programmed by the computer
         system manufacturer.

       ∙ Menu

       This is a display which presents a listing of available functions
       and or applications, for the user to select from.  A menu makes
       using our computer easier, by saving us countable keystrokes.

       A typical menu may look like this.

         System Menu of Scanlon Enterprises - July 10, 1991

         A) Letter Writer (Word-processing)

         B) Personal Checking (Check book system)

         C) DOS Utilities (Do stuff using DOS)

         D) Games (several selections)

            Enter your selection (A-D)



       You would simply choose one of the above, press the corresponding
       key (A-D) and the computer would start performing your selection.
       The last two selections might bring up additional choices, thus
       making this a mult-screen menu.


       ∙ Word Processing

       A computer almost always has some type of system to produce
       printed matter. These systems are called word processors. Word
       Processors can have various features, which might include word
       wrap, spelling check, margin settings, font settings and more.

       Many word processing systems, of today, have become desk-top
       publishing systems, incorporating graphics and text.

       Some advantages of word processing is the ability to quickly make
       changes by deleting entire blocks of text, such as paragraphs, or
       insertion of blocks of text. Many word processing systems will
       even allow us to make generic letters to send to several
       addressees. This feature is called merge printing, or mail merge.



           S H O P P I N G   A N D   C O M P A R I N G   P R I C E S


       Personal computers are available at almost all types of stores,
       and in many different forms. Places which carry computer range
       from the toy store, general merchandise center, catalog stores,
       office supply, office equipment centers and speciality stores.

       Most retailers selling computers have demonstration models set up
       in their facility. Do NOT be too bashful to try out these systems
       or in asking for a demonstration. These retailers have these
       systems set-up for your interest and trial. Only by trying out a
       computer and various software systems, will you get the feeling
       of how to use a computer, and to what degree it can help. This is
       also your way to make your purchase decision as to type of system
       you may need.




                          I T E M S   T O   C H E C K


       ■ Equipment warranty and service

       What happens when the computer gets sick ? Well, we need a
       computer doctor ! Make sure the retail store or center has the
       staff to take care of your machine, or that they have a close
       repair center where these repairs may take place. Check to see
       how long the machine is warranted for (30 or more days). You
       don't want to buy a lemon and get stuck with it.

       ■ Hardware and software availability

       Are all the various components and programs for the computer
       readily available ? Can the be updated, if newer versions become
       available ?

       ■ Computer support

       Does the retailer offer classes and instructions for computer
       training ?  Does the retailer offer any type of telephone support
       or service for occasions when you get stuck ?


       ■ Computer clubs

       Many communities, or even your computer retailer, have computer
       clubs, where computer owners get together and discuss problems,
       learn new techniques and trade software. Ask your retailer about
       any club they might know about, and compare them to find one that
       is best for you. When exchanging programs, be aware of the
       copyright laws, and don't duplicate copyrighted software, without
       the Authors consent.

       ■ Shareware / Public Domain Software

       These are programs which have been written with the intent of
       having people share them. Public Domain software, is software
       which the Author asks no registration fee or payment. Also, the
       Author does NOT support this software, and you must learn to use
       the software without any further instruction from the Author.

       Shareware, however, is software, which the Author requests some
       payment, called registration. This payment is only made, to the
       Author, if you decide to use the software on a regular basis. The
       object here, is to try before you buy. Computer Clubs often trade
       or have available for free, Shareware & Public Domain software.

       ■ Bulletin Board Systems (BBS)

       These are centers which support computers via the phone line.
       Many such centers are available and have no fees attached. Some,
       of these, BBS centers charge per use or have monthly fees. There
       are usually one or more of these centers locally, ask your
       computer retailer, or you can subscribe to one of many national
       BBS centers. These centers, often, offer free software, which may
       either be Shareware or Public Domain, and which your only fee, is
       the download time. Don't forget to register any Shareware product
       which you decide to use on a regular basis.

       To access these services, you will need a hardware accessory
       called a modem, and some type of communications software. The
       communications software, is the system which offers you an
       interface to communicate with the BBS, via a set of menus. This
       system takes complete charge of operating the modem.



                             F I N A L   P O I N T


       After you narrow down your computer needs, be sure to find out
       what the full system price is. This will be based upon what
       hardware and software you need. Compare pricing of similar
       systems at different retail outlets.

       Keep in mind, always, what you want the computer to do right now,
       but, anticipate your future needs. Ask your friends, and retail
       dealer what the system is capable of. The more you expect of the
       computer, the more expensive the system. Be wary of any offer of
       a system, which is well under the price of most other retailers.
       These systems may be bad clones (which fail in a matter of days),
       or may not be compatible enough to perform the desire task or run
       the desired software. Also, these systems are usually not
       warranted to the same degree as good retail products, sold by
       national dealers.




       Summary of what you need to know when buying a computer.

       ∙ Have your list of functions ready when you are at the retail
       dealers store. Make this list now. The list should include your
       hardware requirements and software requirements.

       ∙ Know the basic functions of the computer.

       ∙ Check with friends and colleagues who have recently purchased a
       computer and with computer clubs, for information on and
       recommendations on computer systems and software.

       ∙ Shop more than one store, and check more than one model and
       manufacturer. Call the Better Business Bureau for a reliability
       report on a specific manufacturer or retail store.

       ∙ Obtain information brochures, usually free, about each system
       and model. Study them carefully for comparison of features and
       functionality, don't forget warranty.

       ∙ Be sure to test drive each model. Check the key board response,
       to see if it feels ok, you will be using it a lot. Check to see
       what software may be bundled with it, and that you have legal
       rights to use the bundled software. You should get plenty of
       documentation for the system.

       Get documentation for each component :

               √ The video card (separate from the display)

               √ The video display

               √ The keyboard

               √ The computer main system

               √ The modem

               √ The printer

               √ The mouse

               √ For each software program and one for DOS

       If the system is bundled with software which does NOT have
       printed manuals, make sure that software is either Public Domain
       or Shareware.

       ∙ Does the program do what you need now, and can it handle your
       future needs. If not, can you upgrade.

       ∙ Obtain firm pricing on the selected system and software. Be
       sure to ask about expansion pricing and availability of software.

       ∙ Know the warranty terms and service arrangements.

       ∙ Check for clubs, and computer training


       ∙ Check if special furniture is required to support the new
       system. You may need a special desk and or chair.

       ∙ Check on the exchange and replacement policy or refunds.

       ∙ Check if the system can be tax deductible, for your business

       ∙ Check if your business or home insurance policy covers the loss
       or damage of the system, including loss of important data.



                            B A S I C   S Y S T E M


       We recommend the following basic PC system, which offers
       compatibility with current computer trends.


       √ A 386 based system running at 25 Mega-hertz or more
           (System speed)

       √ At least 2 mega-bytes of RAM

       √ A 101 Type keyboard

       √ At least 40 mega-bytes of hard disk (personal)
               (80 mega-bytes for business)

       √ VGA with 512K of video ram (try for 1 mega-byte)

       √ At least one dot matrix printer
               (you will need this, even if you buy a laser printer, so
       that you can print throw-away matter, Read-Once)

       √ A mouse (More and more software use this great gadget)

       √ A modem - even if you don't belong to a BBS or data base
       service, this may be required to transfer data between your
       machine and another.

       √ 2 disk drives, one of the 3½ 1.44 mega-byte and one for 5¼
       inch 360K . This last is for compatibility in software
       purchasing. Most software is still distributed on 360K disks.

       √ DOS 3.3 or better, we recommend DOS 5.0 !

       √ Any word processor system (you'll need it)



       As a computer consultant, I am available to aid you in this
       important decision making process. Not only will I offer my
       opinion of your selection, but will offer suggestions for items
       you may have forgotten.

       In addition, I can integrate your system, making sure, that the
       various accessories function together, and that the software runs
       properly.

       How about a custom menu, I'll design it, install it and show you
       how to maintain it, or I'll do that for you.

       Need a custom software package ? I have over 10 years of
       programming background. I'll work with you to develop any
       application, so you'll get exactly those features you need.

       Just want training ? On a one to one basis, on your system, I'll
       get you up and running in a very short time.

       Need someone to install and set the system up ? My rates are
       right for this task.


       Call me with your questions at [phone]

       Ask about my free computer purchase consultation offer.