April 2005
With:
Tony Lopez
Exclusive to MyCastroValley.com

New Email for Tony

cvtony@amanswalk.com

Castro Valley Tech Support

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Provides Wireless Internet Access

 

 


Computer Tech Service
3709 Castro Valley Blvd., Castro Valley. CA94546.
(510) 889-6788

 


Services

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Desktop / Note Book Repair
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NEW! April Comic

 

 

 


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comic from glitch.ca

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(the art of understanding and speaking computer-talk)

Tech-Lingo will be replaced starting May 1st, please print for future reference.

 

ASCII (pronounced ask-key ) - American Standard Code for Information Interchange. a commonly used data format for exchanging information between computers or programs.

boot - to start up a computer.

CPU - the Central Processing Unit. The processing chip that is the "brains" of a computer.

CD-ROM - an acronym for Compact Disc Read-Only Memory.

Clock Rate (MHz) - The instruction processing speed of a computer measured in millions of cycles per second (i.e., 200 MHz).

download - to transfer data from one computer to another. (If you are on the receiving end, you are downloading. If you are on the sending end, you are uploading ).

driver - a file on a computer which tells it how to communicate with an add-on piece of equipment.

Ethernet - a protocol for fast communication and file transfer across a network.

hard drive - a large capacity storage device made of multiple disks housed in a rigid case.

keyboard shortcut - a combination of keystrokes that performs some function otherwise found in a menu.

Measurements (summary) -
*a bit = one binary digit (1 or 0) 8 bits = one byte
*1024 bytes = one kilobyte
*K = kilobyte
*Kb = kilobit
*MB = megabyte
*Mb = megabit
*MB/s = megabytes per second
*Mb/s = megabits per second

*bps = bits per second
MB - short for megabyte.

megabyte - 1024 kilobytes.

memory - the temporary holding area where data is stored while it is being used or changed; the amount of RAM a computer has installed.

operating system - the system software that controls the computer. (Windows XP, MAC OS) 

PC - acronym for personal computer

RAM - acronym for Random-Access Memory.

server - a central computer dedicated to sending and receiving data from other computers (on a network).

software - files on disk that contain instructions for a computer.

upload - to send a file from one computer to another through a network.
virtual memory - using part of your hard drive as though it were "RAM".

 

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At a recent computer expo (COMDEX) Bill Gates reportedly compared the
computer industry with the auto industry and stated:
 

 

"If GM had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we
would all be driving twenty-five dollar cars that got 1000 miles to the
gallon"

In response to Bill's comments, General Motors issued a press release
statement; cars made by Microsoft would have the following
characteristics:

1. For no reason whatsoever your car would crash twice a day.

2. Every time they repainted the lines on the road you would have to
buy a new car.

3. Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason, and
you would just accept this, restart and drive on.

4. Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn would cause
your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would
have to reinstall the engine.

5. Only one person at a time could use the car, unless you bought
"Car95" or "CarNT". But then you would have to buy more seats.

6. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, reliable,
five times as fast, be twice as easy to drive, but would only run on
five per cent of the roads.

7. The oil, water temperature and alternator warning lights would be
replaced by a single "general car default" warning light.

8. New seats would force everyone to have the same size ****.

9. The airbag system would say, "Are you sure?" before going off.

10. Occasionally for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out
and refuse to let you in, until you simultaneously lifted the door
handle, turned the key, and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.

11. GM would require all car buyers to also purchase a deluxe set of
Rand McNally road maps (now a GM subsidiary), even though they neither
need them nor want them.

Attempting to delete this option would immediately cause the car's
performance to diminish by 50% or more.

12. Every time GM introduced a new model car, buyers would have to
learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would
operate in the same manner as the old car.

13. You'd press the "start" button to shut off the engine.


 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Questions and Answers

 

Q. What is a firewire card? from John

A. Thanks for the question John, a firewire card is a card that usually plugs into your motherboard. It has ports on the back to connect different equipment. Camcorders, IPODS and other electronics so you can edit, store and transfer data, pictures, video...etc.

Have a TECH question?

 

Email me at cvtony@amanswalk.com for an answer within 24hrs via email and please indicate if it would be ok to post on Q&A.

Thanks to all those who have emailed questions so far!


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