Computer Upgrades:
Computer Cake

Computer systems can be thought of as having a "layered" architecture. The interesting stuff happens at the layer boundaries, but we'll talk about that another time.

The layers:

• Data. Data is the information that you are using. Examples are spreadsheets, images, databases, GEDCOM files, email, and word processing documents. Imagine this as the top layer of a five layer Computer Cake.
• Programs (also called application programs or applications). Examples are the components of an office (word processor, spreadsheet, email), graphics programs, genealogy programs, web browsers, and fax programs. This is the second layer of this Computer Cake.
• Operating System. This is a set of programs that communicates between the Program Layer and the Drivers Layer. Examples would be Mac OS X or Windows XP Home, or Linux.
• Drivers. Drivers are computer programs that help the hardware components such as the Central Processing Unit communicate with other components, such as the monitor or the printer. Generally, there is a unique driver for each Component / Operating System combination.
• HW. There are many kinds of hardware, but we're going to focus on two types:
  • The Basic Computer - CPU, RAM, Hard Drive, Video Card, Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse, and other Motherboard Components. Computers are made of integrated circuits and circuit boards. The mother of all circuit boards is called the "motherboard." They also have "daughterboards" but no fatherboards and no sonboards. No cousinboards and no halfsisterboards. That should make you think that the relationships between people are more complicated than the ones between computer components. Not true, but an understandable assumption.
  • The Peripheral devices - Modems, Cameras, Scanners, Network Cards, PDA Cradles, Speakers.