My Computer

My Computer

Technology in today’s world is at the forefront of most people’s lives, even for those who would not consider themselves “tech savvy.” When I was born in 1990 very few people had cell phones and those who did carried around massive walkie-talkie like devices. Today nearly everyone carries around a small personal computer, a smart phone, and use it not only call people, but can text and email them at the same time.

            In my life technology is something of a second nature and working with computers is one of my favorite pastimes. When people want a new computer they go on the Internet, Dell.com, Sonystyle.com, etc., but when I want a new computer I go shopping for computer parts. Far beyond the power of your Sony or Dell is my computer lets call it “Tom” brand, that I have completely assembled myself from circuit board and processor.

            Super fast computers, like mine, produce massive amounts of heat because of the amount of electricity passing through the circuitry. Enthusiasts like myself thus use water instead of air to cool our machines. A normal computer uses fans to pass air over large chunks of copper attached to the processors dispersing heat from the CPUs and GPUs into the surrounding air. This process is only nominally successful and thus fast computers, like mine, use water instead of air to keep them cool. Using specially designed Water Blocks (pieces of hollow copper that attach to a processor and allow water to flow into) water is run over the processor and then pumped into radiators that cool the water and allow the processors to run at around room temperature.

            Working with all these parts and putting everything together is very calming and peaceful as well. This makes my hobby, building computers both fun and exciting, but also relaxing and of course useful since computers are such a large part of our everyday lives.