Explaining common computer terms

Are you confused by all of the computer jargon and terminology that has invaded our daily conversations? Well, you are not alone when attempting to speak geek effectively and fluently. To make things a bit easier, the following list provides an explanation of some of the more common terms that are misunderstood and unintentionally used incorrectly.

 CPU and Computer Tower

The first term worth mastering is the Central Processing Unit or CPU. It is the computer’s microprocessor or more commonly referred to as the "brains" of the computer. The CPU, dubbed the most important part of the computer, is responsible for processing the data and carrying out the instructions that it gathers from the operating system, computer programs, and hardware. CPU manufacturers that you are probably familiar with are Intel and the "Intel Inside" logo, AMD, IBM, and Nvidia.

This term is not synonymous with computer case, tower, or chassis. Because this is the housing that contains all of the physical components of your computer such as the mother board, power supply unit, and hard drive, you can fittingly think of this as the "guts".

System software and application software

The systems software, also known as the operating system or OS, is a software program that allows the computer hardware to communicate and operate with the application software. Without an operating system, programs cannot run and in a sense, the computer is rendered useless. Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Linux, and Mac OS are all examples of operating systems.

Application software, on the other hand, includes the computer programs that run under the operating system and allow you to perform specific tasks on a computer. Some popular examples of software programs that either come pre-installed by the computer manufacturer on a new Windows PC or you install them yourself include iTunes, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Norton Antivirus, Solitaire, Internet Explorer, and Outlook.

Hard disk drive and RAM

Because these terms deal with memory and storage, it is easy to understand why they could easily be the most confused high-tech buzzwords used today. Simply put, RAM is memory or system memory and hard drive is space.

Also referred to as a hard disk drive, the hard drive is the computer’s main storage device that is physically located inside or outside of the computer. Every new computer will come with a factory-installed hard drive that is pre-loaded with the operating system and any necessary software. With storage being the hard drive’s primary responsibility, it provides a permanent storage solution for any and all of your information until it is either deleted or overwritten.

System memory, or RAM on the other hand, is a temporary memory bank that retains its information and data until the computer is turned off.

Internet and the World Wide Web

Quite often, these two terms are used interchangeably when in fact they are two entirely different things.

The Internet, commonly referred to as a network of networks, is the worldwide collection of billions of communication, electronic, and computing devices that are connected to one another by means of either a wireless or physical cable connection. Every personal computer, mobile device, GPS system, ATM machine, kiosk, email server, Web server and the like are on a network of some sort. All of these individual networks make up the Internet.

The World Wide Web, on the other hand, is just one of the many services offered on the Internet. It is comprised of billions of web pages that are accessed through web browser software, like Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, and Google Chrome.

This brings me to my final term, a web browser. A web browser is a software program that allows you to browse and access the information on the World Wide Web. As previously stated, the most commonly used browsers include Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, and Chrome.

To learn all the lingo expressed in our high-tech society is an impossible feat for anybody. However, by tapping into your inner geek and investing a small amount of time learning a few easy to understand tech terms, you can breeze through a conversation about computers with more confidence.

 -Valerie Day is a web designer with a degree in computer science/business applications.