co__ Castlegar

Shopping for a home computer is a lot easier if you
can translate the special lingo you are likely to encounter.

Ask a computer salesman whether a machine will

If you say you're interested in playing computer
games, he may give you his sales pitch for a “hot little
number with an outboard RGB color monitor and high
pixel resolution bit-mapped graphics.”

This barrage of high-tech jargon is enough to
discourage any first-time computer shopper, who might
decide that since the language is hard to understand the
machines must be hard to use.

But just as you don’t need to understand a car's fuel
injection system to know how to drive, you don't need to
know anything about “bits and bytes” to operate a home
computer.

IN COMMON TERMS
Ifa salesman starts climbing into the stratosphere of
computerspeak, ask him to translate his jargon into
everyday terms. If pressed, he will admit that an inter-
face, for example, is simply a connection between
different parts of a computer system, anda Port the place
where such a connection is made.’

* Some salesmen, inordinately proud of their speci-
alized knowledge, prefer to say “hard copy” instead of
paper printout, and talk about “powering up the system”
instead of turning if on.

When they start sounding off about the latest “high
performance, Eurocard format CP-M-compatible micro-
computer based on the six megahertz Zilog Z-80B
eight-bit processor,” you know it's time to move on.

In computerland, common words have specialized
meanings. For example, a “bus” is a path along which
electronic data flow inside the computer, and a “menu” is
a set of choices presented on the viewing screen.

you a computer kit you put together yourself; rather, it’s
a special.program that translates other programs.

DON'T PANIC
Other-misunderstandings could occur. You might‘be
f[[told that you need a “debugger,” but don't get insulted.
‘This is just something that fixes errors in programs.
Also, don't look for rips in your shirt if the salesman says
you need patches. He's: talking about making modifica-
tions to software — the computer programs.

One of the hardest words to understand (and
definitely one of the computer establishment's favorites)
is the innocent sounding “support,” which appears in a
myriad of contexts.

For example, establishment X adv2r:ises itself as
“your support computer store” (meaning t=ey'll answer
your questions before and after you buy your system).

Y “supports different types of printers” (sub-
stitute “allows use of” for “supports”), And my favorite
example from a recent ad: Executives will find computer
Z “a practical decision support tool” (drop the word
“support” altogether).

WHAT THEY MEAN

While you don't need to be a computer scientist to|
operate a home computer, a working knowledge of the
associated argot will come in handy when shopping for a
machine. Here are a few key terms and their English
translations:

© Hardware: The physical “hard” pieces of a
computer system, which can consist of a keyboard, a
monitor and various attachments.

© Software: The instructions that make the machine

into a sophisticated writing machine, or word processor.

Central processing unit: A computer
where data and instructions are processed.

© Cursor: A symbol (usually a solid square or
underline) indicating where the next character will be
typed on the screen.

Bit: The smallest unit of information a computer|
can recognize. A bit is either one or zero, depending on
whether an electronic swith is on or off.

e Byte: Eight bits.
e@ RAM: Random Access Memory, which is the

working area within the computer for your program and
data. Its size is usually expressed in kilobytes (thousands

to 64,000 characters. RAM is a temporary storage area,
when the computer is turned off, everything in RAM is
lost.

Floppy disk: A piece of flexible plastic about the
size of a 45 r.p.m. record on which information can be
permanently stored and retrieved by a disk drive.

Telephone

365-5210

Brian L.
Brown

Certified General
Accountant
270 Columbia Ave.
Castlegar
Ph. 365-2151

Certified General
Accountants *

241 Columbia Ave.
, Castlegar

Ph. 365-7287

Soligo, Koide
& John

Chartered Accountants

615 Columbia Ave.
(Upstairs)

Castlegar
Phone 365-7745
Henry John, B.Sc., C.A.
Resident Partner

Maytag—G.€.—Sub-
Jenn-Air-—Kitchen Aid
White—Westinghouse

ALL SERVICE
ALL REPAIR
Castlegar Plumbing
& Heating Ltd.

1008 Columbia Ave.

365-3388

HOME APPLIANCE
REPAIR LTD.

412 Beresford Ave.
Castlegar

365-5451
or 364-0411

AUTHORIZED SERVICE
DEPOT FOR
* Hotpoint
* Inglis
* Moffatt
* GE.
* and others
WE ARL
° Fast
* Courteous
* Professional

CHECK & COMPARE
OUR RATES

SHELDON’S CARPET
CLEANING

PROFESSIONAL
SERVICE

For carpets and
upholstered furniture

FOR FREE ESTIMATE CALL

A Gop
SOLDIER 1S.
NIMBLE OF
MIND AND

ASK.CHES OR JOHN FOR

BEAUMARK APPLIANCES

WITH B.E.W.C. TO PROVIDE ALL PARTS AND A
: : FOR THE LIFE OF THE MACHINE.

© Complete Masonry Work

© Chimney Lining

© Certified Fire Satety
Inspections

“1406 Columbia Ave
365 - 6141.

EE

ee
TOP QUALITY CLOTHING

INFLATION FIGHTER PRICES

ne 368-3517 -
Clothes token on consignment,

Ph. 368-5911

(Sox. senviees

© Septic tank installation
© Back-hog:

365-3015

Whether your name starts
with A or M, or X, ¥ or Z
You'll find
Business Directory
advertising pays.
PHONE

365-5210

eS

UROR)
ORYWALL :
CONTRACTING LTD..

© Residential
© Commercial
° Drywall’

Call 365-3783

JERRY'S DRYWALL

Boarding, taping & filling.
Textures and y
hand-stipple ceilings
FREE ESTIMATES
367-7756

See us tor:
* Complete
sony
° House-
plants
© Florist
ee. Service
= FULL LANDSCAPING
VICE
OR RESIDENTIAL
FREE ESTIMATES
7

Nursery & Florist Ltd.
sole leg Ave.,
istleger
365-7312 ©

BOB THE GUTTER MAN
Quality or Price
365-8009

N

—= ‘
Groceteria & Laundromat
3 OPEN

364 Days G Year
1038 Columbia Avenue ..
(Bottom of Sherbiko Hill)
30-10:30 p.m.
30 p.m.
330 p.m.
Tobacei
ionary & General
~_Phone 365-6534

DISCO
DISCO

at the Terra Nova

Loans
Mortgages
. Insurance

Kootenay

_. Savings

Credit Unjon
Trail South Slocan
Fri

ale
Castlegar
Salmo Waneta Plaza

CASTLEGAR:
~ FUNERAL CHAPEL

Dedicated to kindly,
thoughtful service.
Granite, Marble and
> Bronze Plaques

Phone 365-3222'
ee

“The Hair Annex”
1241-3rd St. 365-3744

See
Whether your name
starts with. A,M,X or Z.
You'll find Business

advertising pays
365-5210

New insertion:

copy
lations

anges can
tor. me Castlegar News
i

ne Directory will be +

3 ce id up to § p.m.,
Nov..29. for "he month of

LL SERVICE:

TRAIL HONDA 83.00.
We don't make a lot of . OPTOMETRIST
noise but we service 1012-4thSt.,

what we sell and our ?

_ Prices are right. Feet ee 1
Don't buy another Honda Tues.-Fri..9.a.m.
until you check our price Saturday 9.a:m

or you may be paying =
, too much.

Elliot Motors Ltd.

DBA Trail Honda
368-3377 Cealer 06014

ee
Al's Plumbin
ping
Alex Negraiff -.

z Bartle & Gibson
Co. Ltd

Plumbing & Heating Supplies
Industrial Piping Supplies

2317 - 6th Ave., Castlegar
365-7702

. : &
Commercial ¢ Residential
Installation & Repairs

Quality Wholesale
Plumbing & .
¥. Dienod Rue | Heating Supplies

Complete installations .

& Professional advice .

WATCH Commercial.& Industrial
| Bulova ® Setko’* Pulsar 1008 Columbia Ave.
+ Dovions Mena ot Aer 365-3388

1355 Cedar, Trail368-9533

SELKIRK
SERVICE TREE

CasNews
Printing
“Design, installation‘ond’ - © Letterheads,
‘ mmglntenence services. au Envelopes
PHONE DAVID ANYTIME
365-6810
For
© Invitations
Any Printing!

CASTLEGAR NEWS
197 Columbia, 365-7266”

2237-6th Ave., Castlegar.

Invite-you to call them fora free
moving estimate. Let our

entativi you about

any ‘services which have
made Williams the most respec-
fed name in. the moving
business.

Ph, 365-3328 colect | .PePPErcor

Dining Under the Palms
= n Uncommont
HIGHLAND Affordable Prien
LOG BUILDERS | terranova MOTOR INN

Hondcratted Homes ‘| (1001 Rosstand Ave., Trail

428-9678 Reservations 364-2222
Box 2666 Creston —

THE COLANDER
SPAGHETTI HOUSE

Ati tae (TIM) Specializing in Italian cuisine.

. O.D.
OPTOMETRIST , For Reservations
366 Boker St. Phone 364-1816
Nelson, B.C. 1475 Cedar Avenue
Phone 352-5152 Trail, B.C,
SE eS

?

scember.

‘COLEMAN COUNTRY
-BOY SERVICE

Sump & Septic Tank
Pumping

Phone 365-5013

3400 4th Avenue
Castlegar

SSS

PROFESSIONAL
Tree Topping, Shaping,

Removal & Frult Tree Pruning
Control
& Tree Service Ltd.
368-6114

ey
J&N Upholstery Studio
Forallyour _
upholatery needs
614 Front St., Nelson
. 352-941

—sales
: eevee

-Filter Queen
_. Stan Harding Jr.
< 693-2369

: rs ‘CARPETS
 WESELL
2 @ INSTALL

WATERBEDS & QUILTS
354-4858

636 Boker St., Nelson

ews. is
Utd.

bscription rate to the |
Al is $23 per
year ($32: in communi
w

ve nts alt

insertion. ‘It is the respon-

siblility. of the odvertiser'to

tead his ad when it is first
ished,

fo sell. TI
withdrawn at any time.

NOTICE OF COPYRIGHT

h Nhat “eopreight
jowever ‘that copyright
Tar PART

odver! II remain
and belong to the advertiser.

CASTLEGAR NEWS
Estoblished Aug. 7, 1947
* Twice Weekly Moy 4, 1980
Incorporating the
Mid-Week Mirror published
from Sept. 12, 1978
1980
) CAMPBELL
Aug. 7, 1947
Feb. 15, 1973
BURT CAMPBELL
Publisher

RON NORMAN, Editor; PETER
HARVEY, Plant Foreman; LIN:
DA KOSITSIN, Office
Manager; CAROL MAGAW,
Advertising Manager: CIR:
CULATION DEPARTMENT,
DebraCote. +