| How can a computer be such an amazing gadget? To | | | | It operates much like a cassette tape where you |
| many people they just can't be so amazed on how | | | | have to go through other memory cells before |
| computers have changed the way we live. | | | | accessing the data that you are looking for. |
| Computers can now be found in many sizes and | | | | Other types of computer memory include the ROM |
| shapes. Almost every home appliance seems to have | | | | or Read Only Memory. ROM is an integrated circuit |
| their own mini computer located somewhere. From | | | | already programmed with specific data that cannot |
| cars to buildings to almost every gadget there is, | | | | be modified or changed, hence the name "Read |
| most of the time each one has a computer working | | | | Only". There is also another type of computer |
| to make them run and change the very way we live | | | | memory called Virtual Memory. This type of memory |
| life. | | | | is a common component in most operating systems |
| First and foremost, the most important component | | | | and desktops. It helps the computers RAM to be |
| of the computer is its processor. It is considered the | | | | freed up with unused applications to make way for |
| heart of the computer that does all the calculating | | | | loading current applications being used. It works |
| and processing. But with all that calculating and | | | | simply by checking for data stored in RAM not being |
| processing, the computer won't be such a remarkable | | | | used recently and have it stored in the computer's |
| gadget if not for its amazing memory. Computer | | | | hard disk, thereby freeing valuable space in RAM for |
| memory makes it possible to retain important | | | | loading other applications. A virtual memory will make |
| information on a computer. Such data can be used | | | | a computer think that it has almost unlimited RAM |
| again and again and retrieved when a certain stored | | | | inside it. |
| data is needed. Without the computer memory, the | | | | Another type of computer memory that has made |
| processor will have no facility where to store its | | | | computers process tasks faster is what is called |
| important calculations and processes, thereby making | | | | cache memory. Cache memory works simply by |
| them useless. | | | | having current applications, calculations and processes |
| There are different types of computer memory | | | | stored in its memory instead of directly to the main |
| tasked to store different types of data. They also | | | | storage area. When a certain process is in need of |
| have different capabilities and specialties when it | | | | data previously used, it first will try to access the |
| comes to storing necessary data inside the computer. | | | | cache memory if such data is stored there before |
| The best known computer memory is the RAM, | | | | accessing the central memory storage area. This |
| otherwise known as Random Access Memory. It is | | | | frees up the computer from looking for the data in a |
| called random access because any stored data can | | | | larger and bigger memory storage area and makes |
| be accessed directly if you know the exact row and | | | | data extraction faster. Computer memory is in a |
| column that intersect a certain memory cell. In this | | | | constant state of development as more and more |
| type of computer memory, data can be accessed in | | | | technologies are being developed. Who knows, |
| any order. RAM's exact opposite is called SAM or | | | | maybe in the near future computer memory might |
| Serial Access Memory, which stores data in a series | | | | also be fit for human consumption. |
| of memory cells that can only be accessed in order. | | | | |