How the big box thing under the desk works

Let get down to basics here: How exactly does this computer thing work, anyway? I mean, you push the button, the box whirs and buzzes- maybe a beep- and it's ready for use.

But, let's look under the hood of the anonymous box near you and see what makes it work.

There's a silver thing there, a bunch of wires here, a little box with a fan in the corner. What do they do? How do they work together? How do all of these gizmos make your screen come alive?

These are a bunch of unanswered questions and, as well know, I'm not the guy to give you the answers. But, thankfully, I do know where to find the answers. The good people at howstuffworks.com knows how a computer works. So, click on this link and we'll find out together what the litlle box with the fan in the corner does.

Note: Don't really take your computer apart and touch anything. You could get a  nasty shock. Don't ask me how I know this...