Chapter 2
QX-10 Components
If you’ve worked with computers before, much of the information in this manual probably comes as no surprise. If, on the other hand, you are new to computers, you may wonder if you have what it takes to master the QX-10. Relax, and rest assured that you do. In fact, it will be fun to look back in a week or so, after you’ve begun working on the QX-10, and amaze yourself with the progress you’ve shown!
The Microprocessor
When you sit down and begin working on the QX-10, you are facing a compact machine that only a few years ago would have been much larger.
The Chip
One of the reasons for the QX-10’s compactness is that the com- puter’s brain-called a microprocessor-is remarkably small. It’s so small, in fact, that you’d need a pair of tweezers to pick it up. Consisting of a tiny chip, this little integrated circuit, a product of the modern technological boom, can process thousands of instructions in a fraction of a second. Electrical current speeds through the chip’s microscopic electronic circuits and is translated into video images on the monitor or a variety of other actions, both visible and invisible. The QX-10’s microprocessor, the 780C, enables your QX-10 to operate with great speed and accuracy, without taking up much desk space.
Bits and Bytes
A computer’s operation and capacity is expressed in terms of bits and bytes. The concept of bits and bytes is quite technical, but it can be generally understood as follows.