RAM

J

JL Amerson

Very simply put, it's a special kind of space for your computer to store
files it needs to work. Think of RAM as how much space you have on top of
your desk. We all like the tools we use to be at our fingertips. The more
desktop space you have, the faster you can access your tools, the faster you
can work. The more RAM you have, the more files your computer can keep at
its fingertips, the faster your computer can work.

(I know there are going to be people who cringe at what I just wrote but
it's an extremely simple explanation in terms that most novices can
understand.)
 
G

Guest

Please do not take offense but this is proabably not the
right forumn for this sort of question. Technically RAM
is yor Random Access Memory. It is generically reffered
to as your computer memory and all software programs
require a certain amount of it to run properly and
efficiently. Just because you might have 128MB of RAM and
your program only requires 64MB.. It doesn't necessarily
mean that you have enough. Every program you run will
take up more and more RAM. ALthough Windows tries to
manage the RAM available to any program and swap
infromation in and out of RAM ther comes a point where it
just gets full. The best rule of thumb is to always keep
as few as programs as possible running (to take up less
RAM) and to have as much as possible RAM installed into
your computer.

PS. It may be more helpful to ask the question in regard
to what your problem is? For example, I am getting an
error message that says there is not enough RAM to run
this application. OR, the software package I have
purchase says it requires a minimum of 64MB RAM to run
correctly, etc.. Good luck and I hope this has been
helpful. If you are still seeking more info, search
online for A+ certification courses and/or Computer
Hardware Fundementals.
 
S

Steve Easton

Actually when the RAM becomes saturated or full
the machine starts writing extra data to virtual memory,
aka paging file, also known as swap file in 9X machines.
 
K

Kevin Spencer

Very simply put, it's a special kind of space for your computer to store
files it needs to work. Think of RAM as how much space you have on top of
Click to expand...

Actually, RAM has nothing to do with files. Files are logical units of
storage on a hard drive, which is a medium for permanent storage on a
computer. RAM is volatile memory that can be used to temporarily store any
kind of data, including executable code. Many people confuse Hard Drive
space with RAM, as they are similar in many ways. The biggest differences
are that RAM is much faster, which is why programs are loaded into RAM from
the Hard Drive in order to run, and that RAM is wiped clean when the
computer is turned off, unlike the Hard Drive, which remains in the same
state regardless.

--
HTH,
Kevin Spencer
..Net Developer
Microsoft MVP
Big things are made up
of lots of little things.
 
J

JL Amerson

Ooooooooh! I want one of THOSE switches! And maybe I could get a
multi-purpose whitch that would defrag my office occassionally. :)
 
J

JL Amerson

I am aware of the difference between hard drive space and memory. I used to
sell computers who would watck in and tell me they needed a new modem when
they meant a new system without a monitor. Sometimes you have to phrase
things in such simple terms that although it's not *completely* correct, it
helps them in terms they understand.

If a couple came in together and asked about RAM, I'd pick on the husband
and ask him when his birthday was and he'd spit that answer right out. Then
I'd ask when wife's birthday was. He usually had to think about it for a
moment. I would explain that the husband only had 64MB of RAM. If he had 128
he'd be answering as quickly as he did his own birthday. I'd tell them that
having more memory was like having more information right on the tip of the
computer's tongue.

Believe me, this expalnation is alot more fun in person than reading it in
text. ;-)
 
K

Kevin Spencer

RAM means "Random Access Memory," and it has never had anything to do with
files or Hard Drive space. Words mean things, and the exact question was
"what is RAM on the computer?" The answer to that question can only be one
thing: what RAM is on a computer. When you interpret what you think the
asker is really asking, you are merely guessing what the person means, and
the most logical guess would be that the person is asking exactly what they
are asking. In this case, the answer to the question asked was false, thus
misinforming the asker.

--
HTH,
Kevin Spencer
..Net Developer
Microsoft MVP
Big things are made up
of lots of little things.
 
S

Steve Easton

Gotta chip in on JL's side on this one.

Actually RAM has much to do with files and hard drive space.
The computer loads and stores PE files ( dll's and exe's )
needed to run the OS, and the entire system registry on boot up,
and all installed fonts and device settings parameters. ( among other
things )
And then additional PE's needed to run various programs as they
open and close. When a computer has insufficient RAM to handle
the job at hand, it then starts writing these files to virtual memory
( paging file or in 9x machines swap file )
Increasing RAM increases computer speed and reduces hard drive activity
as the machine can hold more in RAM reducing paging file useage.
 
S

Steve Easton

It's a buffet, I check the stuff real close before
it ever hits the plate.
;-)
 
K

Kevin Spencer

Chip in on any "side" you want. The definition of the term stands. Look it
up if you don't believe me.

--
Words mean things,
Kevin Spencer
..Net Developer
Microsoft MVP
Big things are made up
of lots of little things.
 
S

Steve Easton

Kevin, I meant no offense.
Although it's named RAM, it is quite
involved with files and hard disk usage.
 
T

Tom Pepper Willett

There are many RAMifications concerning this issue.

--
-----
Tom Pepper Willett
Microsoft MVP - FrontPage
http://www.microsoft.com/office/frontpage/prodinfo/default.mspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/office/understanding/frontpage/
----
| Kevin, I meant no offense.
| Although it's named RAM, it is quite
| involved with files and hard disk usage.
|
| --
| using 2k PRO but....95isalive
| This site is best viewed............
| .......................with a computer
|
| | > Chip in on any "side" you want. The definition of the term stands. Look
it
| > up if you don't believe me.
| >
| > --
| > Words mean things,
| > Kevin Spencer
| > .Net Developer
| > Microsoft MVP
| > Big things are made up
| > of lots of little things.
| >
| > | > > Gotta chip in on JL's side on this one.
| > >
| > > Actually RAM has much to do with files and hard drive space.
| > > The computer loads and stores PE files ( dll's and exe's )
| > > needed to run the OS, and the entire system registry on boot up,
| > > and all installed fonts and device settings parameters. ( among other
| > > things )
| > > And then additional PE's needed to run various programs as they
| > > open and close. When a computer has insufficient RAM to handle
| > > the job at hand, it then starts writing these files to virtual memory
| > > ( paging file or in 9x machines swap file )
| > > Increasing RAM increases computer speed and reduces hard drive
activity
| > > as the machine can hold more in RAM reducing paging file useage.
| > >
| > >
| > > --
| > > 95isalive
| > > This site is best viewed..................
| > > ..............................with a computer
| > >
| > > | > > > RAM means "Random Access Memory," and it has never had anything to
do
| > with
| > > > files or Hard Drive space. Words mean things, and the exact question
| was
| > > > "what is RAM on the computer?" The answer to that question can only
be
| > one
| > > > thing: what RAM is on a computer. When you interpret what you think
| the
| > > > asker is really asking, you are merely guessing what the person
means,
| > and
| > > > the most logical guess would be that the person is asking exactly
what
| > > they
| > > > are asking. In this case, the answer to the question asked was
false,
| > thus
| > > > misinforming the asker.
| > > >
| > > > --
| > > > HTH,
| > > > Kevin Spencer
| > > > .Net Developer
| > > > Microsoft MVP
| > > > Big things are made up
| > > > of lots of little things.
| > > >
| > > > | > > > > I am aware of the difference between hard drive space and memory.
I
| > used
| > > > to
| > > > > sell computers who would watck in and tell me they needed a new
| modem
| > > when
| > > > > they meant a new system without a monitor. Sometimes you have to
| > phrase
| > > > > things in such simple terms that although it's not *completely*
| > correct,
| > > > it
| > > > > helps them in terms they understand.
| > > > >
| > > > > If a couple came in together and asked about RAM, I'd pick on the
| > > husband
| > > > > and ask him when his birthday was and he'd spit that answer right
| out.
| > > > Then
| > > > > I'd ask when wife's birthday was. He usually had to think about it
| for
| > a
| > > > > moment. I would explain that the husband only had 64MB of RAM. If
he
| > had
| > > > 128
| > > > > he'd be answering as quickly as he did his own birthday. I'd tell
| them
| > > > that
| > > > > having more memory was like having more information right on the
tip
| > of
| > > > the
| > > > > computer's tongue.
| > > > >
| > > > > Believe me, this expalnation is alot more fun in person than
reading
| > it
| > > in
| > > > > text. ;-)
| > > > >
| > > > >
| > > > > | > > > > > > Very simply put, it's a special kind of space for your
computer
| to
| > > > store
| > > > > > > files it needs to work. Think of RAM as how much space you
have
| on
| > > top
| > > > > of
| > > > > >
| > > > > > Actually, RAM has nothing to do with files. Files are logical
| units
| > of
| > > > > > storage on a hard drive, which is a medium for permanent storage
| on
| > a
| > > > > > computer. RAM is volatile memory that can be used to temporarily
| > store
| > > > any
| > > > > > kind of data, including executable code. Many people confuse
Hard
| > > Drive
| > > > > > space with RAM, as they are similar in many ways. The biggest
| > > > differences
| > > > > > are that RAM is much faster, which is why programs are loaded
into
| > RAM
| > > > > from
| > > > > > the Hard Drive in order to run, and that RAM is wiped clean when
| the
| > > > > > computer is turned off, unlike the Hard Drive, which remains in
| the
| > > same
| > > > > > state regardless.
| > > > > >
| > > > > > --
| > > > > > HTH,
| > > > > > Kevin Spencer
| > > > > > .Net Developer
| > > > > > Microsoft MVP
| > > > > > Big things are made up
| > > > > > of lots of little things.
| > > > > >
| > > > > > | > > > > > > Very simply put, it's a special kind of space for your
computer
| to
| > > > store
| > > > > > > files it needs to work. Think of RAM as how much space you
have
| on
| > > top
| > > > > of
| > > > > > > your desk. We all like the tools we use to be at our
fingertips.
| > The
| > > > > more
| > > > > > > desktop space you have, the faster you can access your tools,
| the
| > > > faster
| > > > > > you
| > > > > > > can work. The more RAM you have, the more files your computer
| can
| > > keep
| > > > > at
| > > > > > > its fingertips, the faster your computer can work.
| > > > > > >
| > > > > > > (I know there are going to be people who cringe at what I just
| > wrote
| > > > but
| > > > > > > it's an extremely simple explanation in terms that most
novices
| > can
| > > > > > > understand.)
| > > > > > >
| message
| > > > > > > | > > > > > > > What is RAM on the computer
| > > > > > >
| > > > > > >
| > > > > >
| > > > > >
| > > > >
| > > > >
| > > >
| > > >
| > >
| > >
| >
| >
|
|
 
J

JL Amerson

It's now the year of the Monkey but one should not monkey around with a
computer unless ............ well, you just shouldn't. ;-)

JoAnn
 
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