Introduction
One of the most important purchases which most people do today is the purchase of computers which will accomplish all the tasks which are needed for efficient, low-cost and competent computing operation. One of the most important components of personal computers is its operating system. Most personal computers today are pre-loaded with an operating system (OS) and the most widely used OS today world-wide is the Windows Operating System.
History
What is a computer operating system? The OS on computesr is what makes it work for you. That means, of course, that you should have some idea in mind when you purchase a computer of what you want to use the computer for. Do you want simple Word typing and storage tasks, or Internet surfing, or do you want to play 3-D computer games?
Features
There are three major OS available today in the marketplace – Windows, MacOS2, Linux. The Windows Operating System is the best choice for you to use because it is the most popular system and allows the user to access almost everything necessary for optimum computer applications.
Here are a few more questions you should ask the computer salesman before you buy a new computer. One: What is the best processor speed of the Windows Operating System? The speed of processing in a really good computer should be more than 1Ghz. Two: What is RAM and how much processing memory should I ask for. A minimum of 512 MB is satisfactory, however, RAM with more than 1G is much better. Three: What about hard disc space? A hard disc space of around 80G to 100G is common on most new computers and should be sufficient for your needs.
The Windows Operating System controls the basic tasks which your computer will perform for you. That is, the system controls input from the keyboard, operation of the mouse, output to the computer screen and peripherals such as printers, USB devices, audio and video devices and all the other tasks necessary to process, save, recover and utilize.
The most efficient, and today, the most low-cost operating system is the Windows XP and Windows XP Professional operating system. This is your best choice among all of the Windows Operating Systems of the past few years, for instance, Windows 98, Windows 2004 or even Windows Vista.
Tips and Comments
What is your budget? Remember, you get what you pay for, and you will soon realize that trying to save money and buy a cheap computer will probably hurt you as you grow in computer skills.
So, if you choose to buy a computer with the hardware capabilities which have been described above, and if you know what your computer will be used for, the Windows Operating System XP Professional is, by far, your best choice. Also, before you buy and have an operating system installed in your new computers, you should know whether you have a 32 or a 64 bit processor. That is important in downloading material from the Internet. The Windows Operating System is usually configured with a 64bit processor which is state-of-the-art and will take you into the computer future very well.
