Using the Macintosh

The Macintosh is one of the popular personal computers with Westinghouse employees at the Savannah River nuclear power plant in Aiken, South Carolina. Engineers use them for engineering design and drafting; knowledge workers use them for traditional word processing and spreadsheet analysis. These knowledge workers found two other interesting uses for the Macintosh. Since it lends itself to high-quality graphics, they began designing their own slides and overhead drawings for speeches and presentations. And since it has a variety of type fonts (styles), they began designing new office forms and redesigning old ones that needed updating. Not only did they end up with better forms, they saved a great deal in graphic design charges and printing costs.

Although there are three different types of personal computers commonly in use, there is a strong drive in business for connectivity, the ability to share data between machines of different types. Computer makers prefer to have customers buy all one brand — theirs — but certain types of machines are better suited to different tasks. In addition, different people prefer different types of computers. When many types are used throughout an office, connectivity becomes essential.

Now you know how DOS works with the personal computer to carry out your commands, as well as the basic operations of your personal computer. You can see how the software and hardware, working under your direction, comprise a computer system. Regardless of their size, all computers use the basic principles you've learned here.