When you mention the word "technology," most people think about computers. Virtually every facet of our lives has some computerized component. The appliances in our homes have microprocessors built into them, as do our televisions. Even our cars have computers. But the computer that everyone thinks of first is typically the personal computer, or PC
A computer is an electronic device that manipulates information or "data." It has the ability to store, retrieve, and process data. You can use a computer to type documents, send email, and surf the Internet. You can also use it to handle spreadsheets, accounting, database management, presentations, games, and more.
Whether you realize it or not, computers play an important role in our lives. When you withdraw cash from an ATM, scan groceries at the store, or use a calculator, you're using a type of computer.
PCs trace their history back to the 1970s, when a man named Ed Roberts began to sell computer kits based on a microprocessor chip designed by Intel. Roberts called his computer the Altair 8800 and sold the un-assembled kits for $395. Popular Electronics ran a story about the kid in its January 1975 issue, and to the surprise of just about everyone, the kits became an instant hit and the era of the personal computer began [source: The Computer History Project].
A few years later, the dynamic duo of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak unleashed the Apple II computer on the world. From that point on, the personal computer really began to take off. Other manufacturers followed suit, and soon there were computers from Commodore, Atari and Texas Instruments. Not long after the debut of the Apple II, IBM got into the personal computer game.
Today, when someone says PC, chances are they mean a machine running on the Microsoft Windows operating system with an x86-compatible microprocessor. While Apple Macintosh computers are technically personal computers, most people wouldn't call them PCs.
You don't have to know everything to be comfortable with computers. "Knowledge is power!" So it's to your advantage to gather all the knowledge that you can. Besides which, computers are lots of fun - when they aren't driving you insane!!!
____________________________________________________________________For tour of Sri Lanka
Read about Seegiriya
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
