Computers And Entertainment

In the past, you played board games with friends and family members, viewed fine art in an art gallery, listened to music on your stereo, watched a movie at a theater or on television, and inserted photographs into sleeves of photo albums. Today, you can have a much more fulfilling experience in each of these areas of entertainment.

In addition to playing exciting, action-packed, 3-D multiplayer games, you can discover hours of entertainment on the computer. For example, you can make a family tree, read a book or magazine online, listen to music on the computer, compose a video, edit photographs, or plan a vacation. These forms of entertainment are available on CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, and also on the Web. On the Web, you can view images of fine art in online museums, galleries, and centers. Some artists sell their works online. Others display them for your viewing pleasure.

You have several options if you wish to listen to music while working on the computer. Insert your favorite music CD into the CD or DVD drive on your computer and listen while you work. Visit an online radio station to hear music, news, and sporting events (Peyton 25). At some of these sites, you even watch videos of artists as they sing or play their songs.

Instead of driving to the music store or video store to purchase music or movies, you can buy them on the Web. After paying for the music or movie online, you download it to your hard disk. Once on your hard disk, you listen to the music or watch the movie on the computer. Or, you can transfer it to a CD using a CD-RW and play the music on any audio CD player or the movie on a DVD player (Microsoft Word 2002 Project 2).

Some people prefer to create their own music or movies. You can compose music and other sound effects using external devices such as an electronic keyboard or synthesizer. You also can transfer or create movies by connecting a video camera to the computer. Once on the computer, the music or movies