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- SCANLON ENTERPRISES
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- Computer Consulting
-
-
- Custom Software for the IBM PX/XT/AT/386 Systems
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-
- 38354 17th St. E. - Palmdale, CA - 93550 - (805) 272-4827]
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-
-
- 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 ¨ inch disk, the intermediate 1.2 mega
- bytes 5¨ inch disk, the newer low density 3´ inch 720K disks to
- the higher density 1.44 mega 3´ 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
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- A) Letter Writer (Word-processing)
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- B) Personal Checking (Check book system)
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- C) DOS Utilities (Do stuff using DOS)
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- D) Games (several selections)
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- Enter your selection (A-D)
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-
-
- 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.
-
-
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- 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
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-
- 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.
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-
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- 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
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- Are all the various components and programs for the computer
- readily available ? Can the be updated, if newer versions become
- available ?
-
- ˛ Computer support
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- 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.
-
-
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- 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
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- ˚ The keyboard
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- ˚ The computer main system
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- ˚ The modem
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- ˚ The printer
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- ˚ The mouse
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- ˚ For each software program and one for DOS
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- 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.
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- ˘ 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.
-
-
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- 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
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- ˚ A 101 Type keyboard
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- ˚ 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 3´ 1.44 mega-byte and one for 5¨
- 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 (805) 272-4827
-
- Ask about my free computer purchase consultation offer.
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