The Radiologist's Computer 2004
The basics with a PC-Windows perspective
The Radiologist's Computer 2004 |
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Hervey D. Segall, MD and Paul E. Kim, MD have reported no no financial interest, arrangement or affiliation with a commercial organization that may have a direct or indirect influence in the subject matter of this presentation.
Objectives
Contents
In this article we review the basics of computing in a current context.
When the time comes to get a new computer you can go the conventional route and buy a system assembled by a computer manufacturer. However, you might consider assembling your own. This article was designed especially to help individuals who choose to select computer components and then build a desktop machine. It takes a great deal of time to do it this way, but you can be sure that you are getting the best hardware. Considerable technical experience and knowledge is required to be able to build a computer quickly and successfully. It has been said that you cannot save money by building your own computer. That may be true for a standard computer but you can probably save on a high end computer because you can find good deals on components while the manufacturers put a premium on Power systems.
While laptops offer the great advantage of portability you get more bang for your buck with a desktop. This article offers little specific information on laptops, so the reader is referred to other sources for more detail on portable computing machines.
Many different companies manufacture desktop PCs. The PCs that were on the list of the "Top 7 Power System PCs" in PC World's January 2004 issue were manufactured by ABS, Dell, Gateway, Alienware, Polywell and Micro Express. Hewlett-Packard and Sony have produced excellent systems and also have a good service records. The E-machine is considered by many to be the king of inexpensive, entry level machines. Although it is a decent product, it is not a computer for the radiologist who wants the ultimate machine. The E-machine company is partly owned by KDS monitors. With E-machines you can add RAM and external devices but it does not have a lot of expandability so e-Machines can be fine as long as you don't try to upgrade them.
This year's annual meeting presentation will emphasize computer set-ups that have the capacity to serve a radiologist's needs to the greatest extent. A radiologist who wants to have an optimum PC should have a computer of the type that PC World magazine categorizes as a "Power System". This is the same kind of machine that is selected by gamers (i.e., people who enjoy playing state-of-the-art computer games). Basically, a radiologist needs a computer capable of handling graphics intensive applications, one that has high speed interfaces for a variety of external digital devices and one that offers high volume storage. It should also be set up to enable high speed teletransmission of images, and webcasts, etc. Ultimately some users may want to be able to employ digital voice dictation on their PC. The type of computer we advocate will also support improved performance in that area as well.
This article was designed to be a fairly comprehensive compilation of information that is somewhat detailed as opposed to a more basic, readable primer. Some of the more detailed and less essential information is recorded in fine print. Keep in mind that this article was completed in March, 2004 and, since the technology is moving at such a fast clip, some parts of it will be outdated within a year or two.
This review devotes the first section to Software while the remaining sections concentrate primarily on Hardware. Hardware refers to large and small physical objects like disk drives, monitors, keyboards, printers, CPU, modem, cables, and even disks, tapes, etc. It is the machinery and equipment that you use. Basically, software is the intangible component of computing and involves written code, programs, etc.
There are 3 types of Software: System Software, Applications and Drivers.
A. System software is made up of control programs such as the operating system and the BIOS.
(1) The Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) is the core to the operation of your PC. It is the framework that enables your computer to run the rest of its software. The BIOS is what underlies the operating system. In a way, the operating system is a simplified user-interface to the BIOS. This is of course rather exaggerated, since the OS is also very core to your system. But, without the BIOS, the operating system does not do anything. For instance, when you hit a key on your keyboard, the processor performs an interrupt to read that key. This interrupt is handled by the BIOS, which assigns and manages the interrupts. This is similar for other components on the system, which also operate by interrupts. By using this method, the processor is able to conduct many jobs at once in regards to other hardware. The BIOS performs the POST, or Power On Self Test. This is the sequence of system checks the BIOS goes through at startup.
(2) Operating systems
The operating system (OS) is the master control program that runs the computer (e.g. Windows 9x, Mac OS X or Linux). This review only delves further into the Windows OSs since Greg Katzman will cover the Mac OS in this syllabus; the reader is referred to other sources for a review of Linux.
For individual use most experts recommend Windows XP as the Windows OS of choice. Windows XP has now been out for a while and, in terms of function and reliability, it has proven to be a winner. Windows XP is particularly excellent at recognizing camera devices that you would like to have interface with your computer. Windows XP can install various makes of digital cameras seamlessly without needing the manufacturer’s installation CD. Windows XP is also better for Networking than earlier versions of Windows. Professional XP is designed to facilitate more complicated Networking. The Home Edition version of Windows XP is quite adequate for personal use and, in fact, one Southern California expert has recommended XP Home Edition as being as good as Professional XP unless one wants to network five or more computers.
Windows XP also boasts newer accessories. Windows XP has, as in the past, integrated the Internet Explorer browser and a Windows Media Player. Now also included is a CD burning capability, a firewall, and support for third party access. These latter features previously required installing third party software. But you only get what you pay for. Most of the new features are feature-light and they are often licensed from vendors that sell more-capable commercial packages than the add-on offers. For example Roxio's CD burning software leaves out most of the best features of its $100 Easy CD Creator 5 Platinum software - but it can write data files to CDR or CDRW and can create an audio compilation of songs copied with Media Player. Windows Media Player for Windows XP, available only as part of Windows XP, offers many features found in RealPlayer including copying CD tracks to a hard disk and playing streaming audio and video files from the internet. Microsoft insists that the quality of its file formats is better than the competition's. Many of WMP's advanced features work only with Window's Media Audio and Video file formats and with their streaming versions - these are not supported by some popular media players including RealPlayer. WMP for XP does support other formats such as MP3 audio and MPEG video but it doesn't always produce the highest quality audio with these (WMP for XP creates MP3 files only at a low-quality 64 kbps bit rate). To get superior MP3 ripping and DVD viewing you'll need to get third party applications.
The Windows XP OS, designed for consumer use, also offers solid security that was not available on Windows 98 or Me OSs. Security is installed on every machine but you need to do a little investigating to learn how activate it when using XP. The Microsoft Windows XP firewall offers protection against hackers and should be invoked by users who connect to the internet with anything faster than a standard dial-up modem. In order to enable the Internet Connection Firewall you need to go to Windows Help, search for "firewall" and then follow the step-by-step instructions. But the Windows XP firewall designed to ward off internet hacking is considered (as are the other products) fairly rudimentary.
Symantec's Norton Personal Firewall, PC Anywhere and others offer stronger features. A better software firewall than the one Windows XP offers can be found at Zone Alarm and it can be downloaded as a freebie. It may be a good idea to disable an interfering hardware firewall. One Southern California expert turns off a hardware firewall and uses Zone Alarm which offers plenty of protection (yet everything works). Use www.pcflank.com to check out vulnerability on your pc.
Windows XP offers several systems for storing files. FAT32 (FAT = file allocation table), a system available on Windows XP that is also used by Windows 98 and Me OSs, is a far less secure system for storing files than the alternative called NTFS. Running FAT32 disables many XP security features, but the manufacturers of many computers ship them loaded with FAT32 systems. However, if you install XP yourself you can choose your own file format.
A Windows XP OS user can control access to his/her files better than people relying on Windows 98 or Me security measures. Using Windows OSs you can keep some of your files private, but you may still safely share others on a network. The first line of defense is at log-in. Requiring a password to log on to your computer is a bit of a nuisance, but you are vulnerable without one. Remember your passwords when you set them up on Windows XP because you cannot recover them if they get lost.
XP does have drawbacks, especially an annoying copy protection scheme. Microsoft is using what it calls a "Windows Product Activation" code to cut down on pirated copies of its software products. You have to register on the Internet or call a special phone number to get an activation code for Windows XP or Microsoft Office XP products. It is best to have XP installed as a full pre-install.
You don't have to go through the Windows XP product activation hassle if you buy it preinstalled on a new computer.
Another problem that you might run into when upgrading to the newer XP operating system is that the new XP OS might be incompatible with the peripheral hardware that you have been happily using along with your earlier Windows OS. However, if your printer or other peripheral hardware does not work with XP you might try going to the hardware manufacturer’s website to get updated drivers (see the next section on Software for a discussion of drivers).
Although Microsoft has since created newer Windows OSs Windows 98 continues to be a very viable OS. The original Windows 98 has been stable although it has had minor problems with certain plug and play devices. These and other problems can be fixed using Product Updates at windowsupdate.com by getting the Customer Service Pack. If you have Win 98 2nd edition (SE) installed the Service Pack is included as part of the release. Basically Windows 98 SE is Windows 98 with bug fixes and some new functionality (Internet sharing, IE 5, etc.) packaged as a new Windows release.
Windows 98 has come to be recognized as a Plug and Play friendly OS and it is preferable to Windows 2000 in that regard. Plug and Play, in combination with the BIOS and peripheral components, allows the Windows 98 OS to permit self-configuring implementation of devices (and optional settings) and avoid potential hardware conflicts.
The notorious difficulties that were experienced in upgrading Dell computers running Windows 95 to Windows 98 serves as an example of possible perils that may exist when upgrading an operating system. This Windows 95 to Windows 98 problem was because of proprietary changes Dell had made in the Windows 95 OSs that were altered for installation on their computers. As a result of this Dell made available on their website patches with Windows 98 compliant drivers.
Windows 98 2nd edition is surely more stable than Windows Millennium (ME or Me) - one PC World review saw no reason to upgrade from Windows 98 2nd edition to Me. Windows ME can be very quirky. I have personally heard more complaints about this OS than any other and upgrades to Windows Me have been notoriously rocky – it is generally considered to be a lemon.
Most users generally agree that Windows 2000 is far more stable and secure than other previous versions of Windows but it is very complicated to install and maintain and it is not as good as Windows 98 for plug and play facility. Windows 2000 may have trouble identifying printers, modems, etc. and you can have problems with it in recognizing mouse, keyboard, etc. – much more so than with Windows 98, Me, and XP. Windows 2000 is basically the same as Windows NT (5.0). For Windows 2000 service packs and patches go to www.microsoft.com/Windows2000/downloads.
When considering an upgrade to a newer OS on your computer be sure to take into account potential downside risks. Remember that older software may not work with an upgraded OS. If you want to know if the software programs that you have been using are compatible with Windows XP check the Microsoft website for the specific information that you seek. Also, if you should consider an upgrade to a newer OS in the future as it enters the market, keep in mind that many of the worst bugs in any new program are fixed within six months - if you can wait let others be guinea pigs. It's often easier to get a new OS by waiting until you get a new computer. Your vendor will have done the testing necessary to work with your new hardware.
B. Device drivers
Device drivers are specific codes that permit the OS, it's applications and hardware to speak with each other. Drivers bridge the gap between the OS itself and each peripheral. The system BIOS chip holds drivers for essential components like the keyboard and floppy drive. There are also drivers built into the Windows operating system to control memory, cache, and other basics of your PC. Driver software is written specifically for each piece of hardware. It knows the capabilities of the hardware, and it lets Windows know just what that piece of hardware can actually do. It is the software driver's job to translate Windows' high-level commands to its respective piece of hardware.
Drivers are usually written by the hardware company (which knows its products intimately). Updates (which fix bugs and improve performance) can be downloaded free from the vendor’s website. Manufacturers are constantly releasing new drivers and making them available on Web sites and Web bulletin boards for downloading. There are often many different versions of a particular driver, and you may need to try several of them to find the one that works.
.INF files are special device or application configuration files. An application .inf file might contain the location of data files and interdependencies of DLLs.
You can find all the drivers (and what versions they are) on your Windows system in two places. Open up the Control Panel from Settings on the Start menu: all your printer drivers can be found from the Printer icon. Every other driver can be found from the Systems icon; double-click it and the System Properties tabbed dialog box opens up. The System Properties dialog box is a control center for all the hardware in your PC and the software drivers that control it. Select the Device Manager tab to see a list of all the kinds of devices on your system. Highlight a specific device, click on the properties button and select the drivers tab for information on the device's driver.
When you install drivers on the Windows XP Operating System Microsoft strongly recommends you only use device drivers with the “Designed for Microsoft Windows” XP logo. Installing device drivers that have not been digitally-signed by Microsoft may disable the system, allow viruses onto your computer, or otherwise impair the correct operation of your computer either immediately or in the future.
Further comments on drivers where pertinent will be made in passing in later portions of this presentation.
C. Applications software
A program is a set of instructions telling a computer how to carry out a particular task. Applications software programs many be quite simple or very involved but they are all written to accomplish specific tasks.
There are thousands of application programs now available in disk format (CD-ROM, floppy, etc.) and many that can be downloaded from internet sites. Types of applications that have become widely used include web browsers, e-mail clients, word processors, antivirus programs, digital voice dictation, digital scanning software, spreadsheet and database programs, graphics editing software, PIM (personal information manager), drawing or CAD programs, data entry, development tool, file transfer protocol (FTP) clients, etc.
Since there are so many applications available, we will make just a few comments on several essential types of software.
Originally I selected Netscape as my web browser to run with my Windows 95 and 98 Operating systems. With subsequent upgrades I found that I had increasing problems with it. In fact, PC World described Netscape 6 as beta software in release clothing because of its many bugs. Since I changed from Netscape to Microsoft Internet Explorer I have never had browser problems. Internet Explorer 5.5 had great compatibility - no other web browser let you take advantage of more websites. However, you should not upgrade to Internet Explorer 6.0 if you have Windows 98 -- they do not work well together. You should continue to use Internet Explorer 5.5. I could not download .exe files with version 6.0 and this required uninstalling it and going back to version 5.5 with which I could install .exe files. It has become common knowledge that Internet Explorer 6.0 and Windows 98 are incompatible. Internet Explorer 6.0 was designed to work with Windows XP and, as mentioned above, it comes with Windows XP. However, I have not had problems with my computers that had Internet Explorer 6.0 installed along with Windows XP.
Your Windows operating system comes with several repair tools. There is an Internet Explorer repair tool - Internet Explorer repair tools can be found on Windows 98 as follows: Start/Accessories/System Tools/System Information/Tools/Internet Explorer Repair Tool.
Some have found that you do not have to use Internet Explorer. Some claim that Opera (opera.com) is a faster web browser. When you open a new page, Opera displays it over the previous one, with tabs along the top for fast navigation between them. Plus, you can save a session of tabbed windows and come back to it at any time. (To get tabbed browsing in IE, you have to install an app such as Avant Browser; see www.avantbrowser.com.) Opera also has a built-in pop-up blocker, which saves time you'd otherwise spend closing unwanted windows. The ad-supported version is free; $39 buys you an ad free browser with tech support and web mail. You may encounter occasional glitches but overall its proponents say that it is significantly faster.
Today's environment and activities make it mandatory that you have antivirus software on your computer. In addition you know how to use the antivirus software that you have. Furthermore, you should update your antivirus .dat files each week from the internet site provided by the company that markets your antivirus software. Antivirus software offers an additional level of protection beyond the virus protection provided with XP, and it can often repair infected files in addition to identifying and blocking viruses in attached files. Content filters go further, by scanning e-mail for specific words, attachment names, and scripting commands. A content filter can be set block or track messages with specified characteristics. Although Norton AntiVirus is currently the most highly touted antivirus software we have used McAfee as well for many years and have found it to be reliable and user-friendly.
When you look at a computer the thing you see externally is the case. A computer's cabinet is often called the chassis - it is a physical structure, usually a rectangular box, that holds almost everything and to which everything else is attached. The case holds all of the PCs vital components, provides access to drives and ports, allows for channeled airflow to reduce overheating problems and shields the user from electromagnetic radiation produced by internal components. The case must fit the PC frame and match up with openings and attachments on your motherboard.
On most systems the power supply is a large silver box fitted into one corner of the chassis and a bunch of wires may be seen coming out of it. That device takes the power from the electrical outlet in the wall and distributes it to the devices within the computer. At the ends of each wire bunch will be a white plug. This plug plugs into each device within the PC. The biggest difference in PC power supplies is the output wattage - most PCs are able to produce 200 to 250 watts of electricity. The PC power supply takes incoming current and turns it into the 5 volt or 3.3 volt stream your PC's components are designed to handle. Each new hardware item added draws power from the system. In my opinion (as of early 2004) a case with a 350 Watts Power supply is the minimum you should have when you are building a new computer that will have a state-of-the-art chip, motherboard, plenty of memory, and is set up with a graphics card designed for heavy duty graphics work. The power supply can be replaced in your chassis.
On the outside of the case there is a fan outlet and a three prong plug that hooks up to a matching female adapter. The fan plays an important role in keeping your power supply from overheating and exposing your system to severe electrical stress and thermal damage. There are other hardware components within the case also to prevent overheating of components. Heat sinks, devices that help dissipate heat away from a chip on which it is placed; also serve to protect your computer's components from overheating.
Chassis features that have appeared recently can be useful. My new computer has front panel USB 2.0 ports, a see-through clear side panel and Blue Cold Cathode lights that illuminate my system's fans and moving components. There is a Thermal Meter Control with a panel (located high up on the front of my computer cabinet above my CD drive) that displays the temperature within the case.
Copyright © 2004 American Society of Neuroradiology, www.asnr.org