• It's as well to understand the distinction between disks
Page 43
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
and RAM (Random Access Memory), because both are measured in kilobytes or megabytes of memory (thousands or millions of characters), and sales people tend to quote memory figures at you without specifying which they mean. On a classic IBM PC, you should look for 640K of RAM (the theoretical maximum), although some may have 1Mb (1024K), and this is more usual on AT models. Floppy disks will probably contain 360K or 1.2Mb, and on a hard disk you should expect at least 20Mb, up to 40Mb or even more.
There are two standards for floppy disks: 5.25in (which really are floppy) and 3.5in (which come in stiff plastic sleeves). The smaller ones can cost twice as much but often hold twice the data. If you're starting from scratch these are a better bet; but if you might be exchanging data or programs with friends or colleagues who already have a computer, 5.25 disks will provide more compatibility.