When personal computers are connected using a communications system so they can share resources and exchange data, what is this arrangement commonly called?

Introduction / Context:
Modern computing relies on linking machines so they can collaborate, access shared services, and exchange information. Whether via Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or wide-area links, connecting PCs through a communications system to share files, printers, applications, or internet access is known as networking.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Multiple PCs are connected through cables or wireless media.
• They exchange data and access shared resources.
• A communications protocol stack coordinates the exchange (for example, TCP/IP).

Concept / Approach:
Networking encompasses topologies (star, mesh), devices (switches, routers, access points), and protocols (link, network, transport, application layers). The benefit is collaboration and resource sharing, from simple file transfer to distributed applications. The term “workstation” refers to a powerful PC itself; “streaming” refers to continuous media delivery; and “turnkey systems” are ready-to-run solutions, not the interconnection mechanism.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Any arrangement enabling shared printers, file servers, or internet gateways among PCs is described as a computer network; the activity and capability are “networking.”

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Common Pitfalls:
Equating the presence of the internet with networking specifics; local networking can exist without internet access (for example, LAN-only environments).

Final Answer:
Networking.