Computers
as a Second LanguageComputers
as a Second LanguageComputer Fundamentals
WHY
DO I NEED A HARD DISK DRIVE? Whether
you purchase an IBM or IBM-compatible, an AMIGA
or an Apple Macintosh computer, a hard disk drive is essential. The
first software that will be put onto the hard disk is the Operating
System. The dealer that sells you the computer will usually do this for
you. With the Operating System on the hard disk, all of the computer's
functions are available with a only couple of clicks with the mouse.Much
of the better software on the market, like Microsoft Office,
WordPerfect Suite, and Lotus Smart Suite,
consist of many integrated applications. These are sophisticated
programs that take up large amounts of storage space. The hard drive is
needed to store all these applications so that they are immediately
available to the user.In
the "early days", before the hard disk, you had to keep
numerous floppy disks handy at all times. If you requested an operation
from the program (such as printing your document in WordPerfect)
the software would direct you to insert a specific floppy disk. You
would find yourself constantly swapping one floppy disk for another as
you used the program! This was very confusing, especially to new
computer users. With a hard drive, everything is stored in one place so
the software operates effortlessly by comparison. A hard disk drive is
standard equipment on any computer sold today. |
