The Microcomputer in the Library: II. Hardware and operating systems Available to Purchase

The first article in the series (The Electronic Library, 3, 3, July, 1985 pp. 200–209) introduced the reader to microcomputer terminology and to the main components—hardware and software—of a microcomputer system. This second article is largely devoted to more detailed description of the main hardware components: processors, internal memory, buses, external memory, printers and communications hardware. The importance of ergonomic factors in vdu and keyboard design is stressed. Multi‐user and network configurations are compared. Finally, the discussion of the role of the operating system, introduced in the first article, is extended.