Computers for Individual Users

Most computers are meant to be used by only one person at a time. Such computers are often shared by several people (such as those in your school's computer lab), but only one user can work with the machine at any given moment. The six primary types of computers in this category are » Desktop computers
» Workstations
» Notebook computers
» Tablet computers
» Handheld computers
» Smart phones These systems are all examples of personal computers (PCs)— a term that refers to any computer system that is designed for use by a single person. Personal computers arc also called microcomputer, because they are among the smallest computers created for people to use. Note, however, that the term personal computer or PC is most often used to describe desktop computers, which you w ill learn about in the following section. Although personal computers are used by individuals, they also can be connected together to create networks . In fact, networking has become one of the most important jobs of personal computers, and even tiny handheld computers can now be connected to networks.