Q. I’m always getting memory and hard-drive space confused. Can you help me understand which is which, Mr. M?

A. Memory, in general, is a very broad topic, but I'll be happy to share a few thoughts from my ever-decreasing personal memory cache.

Everything your computer does requires memory. The easiest thing to remember is that the more memory your system has, the happier it will be. If you add memory (called RAM or Random Access Memory) to your computer, you will usually notice an increase in your system’s performance.

Normally, programs wait patiently on your hard drive (long-term storage) until they’re needed. When you launch your favorite word processing program, for example, data moves from the hard drive into memory (short-term storage). Moving data into memory in this manner provides faster access, as opposed to it remaining on the hard drive during use.

There are various types of memory, all of which are confusing: DRAM or Dynamic RAM, is found in older systems. EDORAM or Extended Data Output RAM, was used by early Pentium computers. SDRAM or Synchronous Dynamic RAM, is used in Pentium II (or equivalent) and faster computers.

According to Microsoft, Windows 98 requires a minimum of 128MB (megabytes) of RAM, though I recommend 256MB. For Windows XP, I recommend a minimum of 512MB of RAM, though 1GB (gigabyte) is even better. For Vista, I recommend a minimum of 1GB. In my computers, I run 2GB in my XP machines and 3GB in Vista.

You can check the amount of installed memory on your system by going to the Control Panel > System. You’ll see the amount of RAM listed under the “Computer” section. Vista users, go to the Control Panel > System and Maintenance > System. You’ll find the amount of RAM listed under the “System” section, as well.

Q. I know this is probably a silly question, but referring to the three buttons in the upper right-hand corner of my computer screen, I know the X is used to close a window and I know the little flat line means to minimize the window, but I can’t figure out what the middle button does. Thanks for putting up with me, Mr. M.

A. The middle of the three buttons located in the upper right-hand corner of every window is the Maximize/Restore button. If a window is less than full-screen, clicking this button will maximize the window. If a window is fully maximized, hovering your mouse cursor over the middle button will cause the word “Restore” to appear. Click the button and the window will shrink from the edges of the screen so you can grab it with your mouse. You can then move it out of the way in order to access items on your Desktop or any window located beneath the “restored” window.

Mr. Modem's Sites of the Week:

All About Popcorn
The delicious, tasty, buttery companion to moviegoers everywhere, popcorn is a favorite snack the world over. Learn all about this addictive consumable at this site sponsored by the Popcorn Board. The Popcorn Board, as if you didn’t know, is a nonprofit organization funded by U.S. popcorn processors. The Board’s mission is to “raise the awareness of popcorn.” I didn’t know popcorn had the ability to be aware of anything, but that’s probably why I’m not on the Board. You’ll also find popcorn recipes and the world-renowned Encyclopedia Popcornica.
www.popcorn.org

American Journeys
More than 18,000 pages of eyewitness accounts of North American exploration, from Viking exploits in Canada, circa 1000 A.D., to the diaries of mountain men in the Rockies in the 1800s.
www.americanjourneys.org

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