Personal Computers
Personal computers are multi-purpose, meaning they can be used for various things. Their size, both physical and software, is usually average compared to institutional or work-specific computers. One can argue that personal computers always target the end-user and not the computer guru. Therefore, they are more user-friendly and easier to manoeuvre. When selling personal computers, one should understand the needs of the end-user to pair him or her with a suitable device. If the end-user is a gamer, for example, he or she will be attracted to detailed specifications on the suggested computer’s ability to handle such heavy graphics, and so forth. The following items are some of the key selling points of any type of personal computer.
RAM and ROM
Both the Read-Only Memory (ROM) and the Random Access Memory (RAM) are key elements of a personal computer. The specification of each will depend on the major activities the user will conduct on the computer. As a salesperson, it is important to fully understand the difference between the two to understand the client’s needs. Taylor explains that the ROM is a non-volatile storage chip (p. 35). This means that contents and data stored in the ROM are not affected by the presence of power or lack thereof. On the other hand, RAM is volatile (Taylor, p. 35). A client looking for a personal computer mainly for gaming purposes will need one with a larger ROM as compared to the RAM. This is since the ROM cannot be manipulated easily, and secondly, the ROM can handle several applications in one device (like the game console). Additionally, data is stored permanently in ROM while it is only temporarily stored in the RAM chip.
Architecture and Platforms
Featherstone explains that a computer platform is an environment in which software is run (p. 45). Using this definition, one can argue that there are many different computer platforms. It is prudent to note that these digital platforms can take the form of both hardware and operating system. Again, as a salesperson, the needs of the client should guide which type of platform you advertise. If the client is interested in the hardware aspect, then some examples that will excite him or her include the video game console for gamers or the ARM architecture that is most suited for people that link their computers to their mobile phones (Tolga, p. 158). Concerning the operating systems, the client will be interested in knowing whether the device uses Linux, Windows NT, FreeBSD, or Solaris, among other similar software. Software frameworks such as JAVA and Mozilla Prism are also important to mention.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Two Platforms
Both the platforms mentioned (either hardware or operating system) have advantages and disadvantages. It is common to find a client comparing two different platforms of the same architecture. For instance, one can compare Linux to Windows NT. One advantage of Linux is that it is significantly safe from malware attacks. Additionally, the operating system is very affordable and is one of the most stable operating systems in the market (Whitt 201). Despite this, the software has several disadvantages. For example, a significant number of other software cannot run on Linux. On the other hand, software in the market can run in Windows NT. Another advantage of Windows NT is that it is very user-friendly, especially compared to Linux (Panek, p. 4). Also, because there are many Windows users, there are hardware developed that run on Windows easily compared to any other operating system. Just like Linux, Windows NT has its disadvantages. One major disadvantage is that it is easily attacked by malware. Secondly, the software is also expensive compared to Linux.
Five factors to consider when purchasing a personal computer
Apart from ROM and RAM, there are other things that a client will need to consider when purchasing a personal computer. The first is the price of the computer, which will be informed by the amount of money the client is willing to spend. Secondly, the client should also consider the processor, which is essential in both input and output. Third, the client has to think about the graphics. The right graphics will be determined by the major uses of the computer as they affect things such as resolution and so forth. The inbuilt software is also important to note. Indeed, clients can buy and change software at any point of their computer use. However, to save on costs, the client should get a computer that already has stable and reliable inbuilt software. This also goes hand-in-hand with the availability and reliability of anti-virus software that can be installed. There are operating systems that do not require additional anti-virus software. However, the software will require such additional security and this would mean additional costs for the client. To best serve the client, the salesperson needs to understand the specifications of personal computers and also the needs of the buyer.
Works Cited
- Featherstone, Mark. Computer Games Designer. Raintree, 2014.
- Panek, William. MCSA Windows Server 2012 R2 Complete Study Guide: Exams 70-410, 70-411, 70-412, and 70-417, Issue 410. John Wiley & Sons, 2015.
- Taylor, Graham. Work Out Computer Studies GCSE. Macmillan, 2016.
- Tolga, Soyata. Enabling Real-Time Mobile Cloud Computing through Emerging Technologies. IGI Global, 2015.
- Whitt, Phillip. Pro Freeware and Open Source Solutions for Business. Apress, 2015.