 At Home with your Home Computer
by Joy Capps
Technology has changed our culture through online automation. Every aspect of our lives is being invaded by technology — even our homes.
Today, home computers have become as common as refrigerators and stoves as every year more people add them to their homes. In fact, most American households have more than one computer, so children can research and complete their homework while parents simultaneously access their E-mail and “surf” the Internet.
Broadband, DSL, digital cameras, portable music, streaming videos, blogs, wireless, local area networks, CDs, DVDs — these are just a few of the many components we all access and use. As Americans, we want immediate access to information, and with high-speed access becoming the norm, dial-up has become a dinosaur.
If you’ve decided you want to have immediate access to information via multiple computers in your home, there are many basics to consider. The first question you should ask is what you will use the computers to do. If you’re simply going to access the Internet for research and use your computer for writing letters or papers, you probably don’t need a lot of sophistication.
Once you decide how and what you’ll be doing with your home computers, you need to determine the type of computers to purchase. Basic desktop computers, while stationary, can be found at reasonable prices these days while higher-priced portable laptops offer more flexibility and can be used virtually anywhere.
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