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Sometimes we take our computers for granted. I know I do. So knowing a little about them helps me to decide whether they make a good present or not. It also helps me to decide whether I need a new one or not. I needed to learn about respecting the machine I had in my hand. I suspect it would work that way with the kids too. They only know games, school lessons and their friends in chat rooms or email, whatever way they communicate now. What they do not know is how they started.

Computers actually started out in 1936 which is amazing to me, the Z1 Computer. From there, it grew and grew so fast that it was amazing that by 1951, computers could reliably predict the outcome of elections. Just in time for Eisenhower to win the election and take office in 1952. President Eisenhower for those of you who have no idea. The original internet came along in about 1969 and, no, Al Gore did not have anything to do with that despite rumors to the contrary.

The IBM home computer showed up in 1981 but I suspect they were totally unaffordable to those of us who might have wanted one. Those were for the rich guys. Also in the 80s, my husband was going to school to learn more about computers. They had these enormous computers with tape drives the size of a washing machine. The hard drive was the size of an apartment freezer.
I don’t believe we really understand where the machines we currently use came from or we would respect them a good deal more. Some of that, I had no idea about. I look at my laptop and think how grateful I am that I do have it since it looked like I was never going to have one a little earlier this year.

And now, we come to the area of the post where I say this to you. If you plan to buy a PC computer, a laptop or anything related to it, do your homework. If you plan to buy it for a child, really do your homework. Some computers are simply not good for young children, some are better than others for older ones. If your teenager is headed off to college next year or at the beginning of the year, they will have different needs than a young child learning their first things on one.

For instance, it would be much better for a college bound person to have a laptop. There are loads of them out there. My personal favorite is an Acer but people have very good experiences with most of the others as well. But since there are so many differences, it is imperative that you get an idea of what the person needs and work within those parameters. It would not be a great idea for a small child have free reign on a laptop. Better to start out with some good learning tools like the LeapFrog learning toys. Those are very close to computers and have a lot going for them. Other learning games and tools are out there. Just look for them depending on the needs of the individual. After all, this is not like going to the store, finding a toy or game and bringing it home. These machines are much more personal than that. Many things are stored on it including many personal items. It is hard to share a computer because of that.

So, do the research on your computer purchases. If you have no clue much like me when it comes to things like this, ask someone who does know, check online for specs and have it all explained to you in a way you understand. Sometimes that is not easy but go to your local computer sales and bug them, ask everything you need. They are there to help you pick out the computer you need or want. And the reason I can’t just sit here and name a few computers that are hot or reliable is because I can only go by what my experience is. There are many out there that I have no idea. Yet, there are reviews on all sorts of computers, PCs and laptops. I ran into several when I was shopping for one myself. The information is there.

Technorati Tags: tape drives, computer history, laptops, PC, personal computers

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