Computers and Technology

Today, almost everyone owns a computer. There are computers in almost every home and office in the US. With all of these computers have come specialized uses for them. Some of the most common kinds are the home computer, the business computer, and the gaming computer. The computer for business, however, has really evolved from where it started over 40 years ago. When computers first came on the scene, they belonged to big, powerful companies. The computer of the age was often as large as a room, if not an entire building, depending upon how the computer was used. Through its evolution, the business computer can now compare side by side with any home computer on the market, at least in looks.

On the inside, a business computer can differ quite a bit from the home computer. Since these computers often have specialized uses, what is on the inside is what really sets them apart. As far as hardware is concerned, the business computer and the home computer will generally have the same general types of hardware. However, the computer for business will often have particular sets of the hardware installed. For example, for company's that have employees that travel a lot, the laptop might have a lower end video card, but come installed with an air card. An air card uses cell phone service in order to connect a computer to the internet anywhere that cell phone service is provided. For at the office, the computer may have a larger hard drive with slightly less RAM in order to store large amounts of data. Almost all computers in a business setting will have a way to be networked with a main server, in order to share all data.

The main difference between a home system and a business computer is usually in the software. The business end computer is usually installed with professional versions of Microsoft Office. This allows for the professional development of documents and presentations. Office also enables a solid way for internal email servers, to send messages to co-workers without having to go through the internet. Depending on the type of business, the computer may also be installed with good database software, especially to connect to a centralized database server. Productivity and sharing of information is ultimately the main purpose for computers used in the business setting.

A business computer is also usually set up with good security. Often, a system will require passwords to be used during startup, or for interrupting the screen saver. This protects company data that may be of a sensitive nature. They also generally have professional grade antivirus software installed in order to minimize the threat of viruses infecting the system, and potentially destroying or compromising any information that is on the computer. Antivirus software also helps prevent the spread of viruses to the server, helping to eliminate the spread of any potential viruses to other computers on the network.

With the technology available today, the business computer can be nothing more than a modified version of the home computer. However, when researching a good computer, it is a good idea to establish what the computer's role in the scheme of the company is to be. A computer that is to be used by a receptionist may be designed in a much different way than the one used by the graphic designer. Having a list of required functions will help narrow down the available business computer lists, which will save time and money in the long run.