Computer Literacies Module 2:
“Know Your Machine: Computer Hardware, Apps, Updates, and What’s Under the Hood”

Have you ever been asked,  "How much RAM do you have?" and not known how to answer? What does RAM do anyways?
Or your computer screamed for an update. Or you ran out of storage right before a big download?

This workshop helps you actually understand what is inside your laptop and what is running on it. You will leave knowing what your apps do, what your hardware is, and how to keep your computer healthy for the work you want to do at Brandeis.

We will work on your real computer in real time. Bring your laptop and your questions!

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

• Name your core hardware and what it does
  Understand the basics of your local computer:
  CPU. What does the “brain” of your computer actually do?
  RAM. Why having “enough memory” matters when you have many tabs open.
  Storage (HDD or SSD). Where your files and apps live.
  External storage. USB drives, external hard drives, and when to use them.

• Install and remove software safely
  Download apps from legitimate sources.
  Install and uninstall programs cleanly to free up space.
  Understand system updates and why they matter for security and performance.

• Recognize the key applications you use every day
  Identify your web browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, etc.) and what it does.
  Know your file explorer, document editors, media players, and other core tools.
  Match common file types with the apps that open them.

• Connect apps to your course needs
  Be able to say:
  “This is my web browser.”
  “These are the apps I use to open documents, spreadsheets, slides, and media for my classes this semester.”
  Understand which tools your instructors are likely to expect you to have working.

• Apply these ideas on any system
  Learn core ideas that apply across Windows, Mac, and more (Linux, iOS, Android, ChromeOS).
  So you can sit down at any computer and feel at home.