Computer Terminology for Beginners
- Hardware and Software. "Hardware" is the machine itself--the computer, keyboard, mouse and other physical equipment. "Software" refers to the programs you run, which tell the computer what to do.
- CPU and Peripherals. The central processing unit, or CPU, is the "brain" of the computer, the part that does the work. ...
- Memory. Random access memory--often called RAM or just "memory"--describes the amount of data a computer can hold in its "brain" at any one time, without having to go retrieve information ...
- Storage. Storage devices are where you save all your data. Every computer has a hard drive as its primary storage device.
- USB. The Universal Serial Bus, or USB, is a system for connecting devices to computers. ...
What are the basic terms of a computer?
Basic Computer Terms Hardware - The physical parts of a computer - CPU . Central processing unit; the brain of the computer; controls the other elements of the computer . Disk Drive . A peripheral device that reads and/or writes information on a disk . Hard Drive
What are basic computer terms?
- The goal. The invention of the CPU and GPU meant that engineers could now design large, capable computers which required far less external circuitry and lower component counts, thus ushering ...
- Coming up with a plan. ...
- The Schematic. ...
- Construction. ...
- Testing. ...
- A postmortem of the project. ...
What are some examples of basic computer skills?
Some common computer skills include:
- Analytics
- Social media
- Graphic design
- Microsoft Office
- Spreadsheets
- Email communication
- Marketing automation
- Data visualization
How to learn basic computer skills for beginners?
Try these tips to get started:
- Find out how much they know. ...
- Ask them about their goals. ...
- Talk through the hardware. ...
- Introduce new vocabulary terms. ...
- Ensure a safe workstation. ...
- Adjust the display and audio settings. ...
- Encourage practice with the mouse or touchpad. ...
- Go over the keyboard. ...
- Teach them how to use a word processor. ...
- Guide them in good practice for file naming and organization. ...
What is software in computer terms?
Software (noun) – software is a set of instructions for a computer to perform specific operations. Examples are your computer’s operating system, internet browser, Microsoft Office, or any computer program.
What is desktop on a computer?
Desktop (noun) –what is displayed on your screen after you turn the computer on. You can see your folders and program icons on your desktop.
What does the cursor look like when typing?
If you are typing, it is a blinking short line after the last character or space. Your cursor can also be seen as an arrow, pointing hand, or hourglass depending on what task you are doing. Desktop (noun) –what is displayed on your screen after you turn the computer on.
What is a folder?
Folder (noun) –a virtual location where your files, programs or other folders are located. These are easy to locate as the icon looks like a yellow office folder in most computers.
What does "search" mean?
Search (verb) – using keywords or images to look for or retrieve data or webpages and other information on the World Wide Web.
What does "browse" mean?
Browse (verb) – or surf, means to explore a website or a number of websites by scanning and reading information. Browser (noun) – software used to find information on the Web. Examples are Google Chrome or Microsoft Internet Explorer. Cursor (noun) – a small image on the screen that shows you where you are pointing.
What is menu in web?
Menu (noun) – a list of options or topics on a website that users can choose from. Password (noun) – a secret set of characters or words used to gain access to a computer, web page, network, or file. You can use a combination of letters (upper case and lower case), numbers and other characters. A strong password should be hard to guess.
What is USB in computer?
USB. The Universal Serial Bus, or USB, is a system for connecting devices to computers. In the past, different devices required different kinds of plugs and connections, making compatibility a nightmare. USB has standardized connections. Advertisement.
What is the central processing unit?
The central processing unit, or CPU, is the "brain" of the computer, the part that does the work. "Peripherals" are devices used to give instructions to the CPU, carry out the CPU's instructions or add function to the CP; they include keyboards, mice, monitors, printers and scanners.
What is the difference between hardware and software?
"Hardware" is the machine itself--the computer, keyboard, mouse and other physical equipment. "Software" refers to the programs you run, which tell the computer what to do.
What is computer terminology?
Basic Computer Terminology. Computers are an integral part of every part of human life. A computer in itself is a wide term. It includes various concepts, terms, and terminologies. It is very essential to understand each and every component of a computer and its terminologies to understand a computer as a whole.
What is the term for all the physical parts of a computer system?
5. Hardware . Hardware is the term referring to all the physical parts in a computer system. It includes the monitor, the keyboard, the mouse, the main case which stores the RAM, CPU and the motherboard. 6.
What is software in computer?
‘Software’ is the term which refers to the instructions needed to make a computer work. It is intangible in nature. The software is also known as a “program”. Also, it is a set of computer files which are used to perform various actions on the computer. You can have a program for ‘word processing’. The software can be transferred to a compact disk and floppy disks, but usually, sit on the computers hard drive waiting to be “run”.
What does RAM mean in a computer?
It is a temporary notepad where your computer sends information to disk, or to the storage place of instructions from other input devices. The term “random access” indicates that memory locations in RAM are accessible in any order unlike sequential access of a data cassette tape.
What is the operating system of a computer?
Question: Define the term ‘Operating System’. Answer: Every computer requires a set of programs known as the ‘operating system’ to run the system and make all the other programs work. Your word processor, database or spreadsheet programs cannot work unless the operating system is there in the pc.
What is the purpose of a CPU?
1. CPU. CPU means ‘Central Processing Unit’. This is the place of computer data handling. Moreover, it does all the data manipulation, calculations and formatting data for output. Hence, whenever someone buys a computer he/she becomes more conscious about the CPU and its capabilities. The execution of the instructions within ...
What is the MHz of a computer?
The execution of the instructions within the computer system is very fast. It measures it in cycles of time and refers it to as megahertz. That’s why the ‘Mhz’ of a computer’s processor is sometimes referred to as the clock speed. Think about CPUs (and aligned circuitry) beating like a heart, this pulsing/beating is expressed as “MHz” e.g. 2000Mhz.
What is software in computer terms?
Software, as a term, refers to the programs on the computer itself. It’s what you could think of as the ‘invisible’ makeup of the computer’s protocols. The most important and vital piece of software a computer contains is its operating system (OS).
What is the operating system of a computer?
Operating System. The operating system is the software of a computer that all other software is built upon. The main types of operating systems are produced by Microsoft, Apple, and Google.
What is a search engine?
A search engine is a program or platform that fires off ‘digital retrievers’ to collect online documents. This collection is based off the words entered into the search bar. Familiarizing yourself with computer terminology is one of the first steps on the journey of understanding the hardware and software itself.
What is a graphics card?
The graphics card is the piece of hardware directly responsible for the quality of your visual display, or graphics. Say, if I wanted my computer to provide better aesthetics (this is most common with gamers or designers), I’d first think to upgrade the graphics card.
What is RAM in computer?
RAM. RAM (random access memory) is the memory of a computer which works actively with the hard drive. It pulls the data when it’s in use then returns it back to the hard drive once you’re done with it.
What is the CPU?
CPU. The CPU, also known as the central processing unit, is what you can effectively consider the ‘brain’ of the computer. It works to control, delegate, and monitor the pieces of hardware beneath its umbrella.
What is a hard drive?
A hard drive is a piece of hardware—containing a disk—responsible for storing files and data on your computer. Every computer comes with some version of a hard drive built into its core structure, but external ones exist too.
What is the first program or set of instructions that run when the computer is switched on?
The first program or set of instructions that run when the computer is switched on is called BIOS or Basic Input Output System. BIOS is a firmware, i.e. a piece of software permanently programmed into the hardware.
What is it called when a computer is already running but needs to be restarted?
If a system is already running but needs to be restarted, it is called rebooting . Rebooting may be required if a software or hardware has been installed or system is unusually slow. There are two types of booting −. Cold Booting − When the system is started by switching on the power supply it is called cold booting.
What is input unit?
Input Unit − Devices like keyboard and mouse that are used to input data and instructions to the computer are called input unit.
What is the input of a computer called?
Computer input is called data and the output obtained after processing it, based on user’s instructions is called information. Raw facts and figures which can be processed using arithmetic and logical operations to obtain information are called data.
What is the difference between primary and secondary memory?
Primary memory resides within the CPU whereas secondary memory is external to it. Control unit, arithmetic logic unit and memory are together called the central processing unit or CPU. Computer devices like keyboard, mouse, printer, etc. that we can see and touch are the hardware components of a computer.
What is the meaning of computer?
Let us start with defining the term computer formally. The literal meaning of computer is a device that can calculate. However, modern computers can do a lot more than calculate. Computer is an electronic device that receives input, stores or processes the input as per user instructions and provides output in desired format.
How many instructions can a computer process in a second?
Speed − Typically, a computer can carry out 3-4 million instructions per second.
What is coding?
Coding tells the computer what to do using a language it understands. There are dozens of different programming languages, but they all share a single foundation. Each language follows a specific set of rules that determines how code should be written, and then uses back-end software to translate it into binary (the computer’s native language).
What is terminal in computer?
TERMINAL: A text-based interface to send commands to the computer.
What is OOP in programming?
PROGRAMMING: Designing, writing, and debugging computer programs that can complete a process or solve a problem. SOURCE CODE: The set of code or instructions a programmer wrote to create a webpage, application, or software.
What is C++ used for?
One of the main components of C++ is the user’s control over the computer’s resources, which makes it a popular language for game design and complex graphics.
What is digital data?
DATA: Information stored or processed by a computer. All digital data exists in binary digits, a system of zeros and ones that computers can read.
What is source code?
SOURCE CODE: The set of code or instructions a programmer wrote to create a webpage, application, or software. Viewing the source code shows a user the skeleton of an application.
What is iteration in computer programming?
ITERATION: Sometimes programs are repeated indefinitely or until a specific outcome is reached. Each execution of the instructions is an “iteration.”
CPU
- OPERATING SYSTEM
System software that serves as the platform. Manages the hardware, the system resources, and also allows users to install other applications. The common operating systems are Windows, Mac OSX, Android, iOS, and Linux.
Browse More Topics Under Basics of Computers
Ram
Hard-Disk Drive
Floppy Disk
Hardware
- Specifically, RAM stands for “Random Access Memory” or “Ready Access Memory”. It is a temporary notepad where your computer sends information to disk, or to the storage place of instructions from other input devices. The term “random access” indicates that memory locations in RAM are accessible in any order unlike sequential access of a data cassette tape.
Software
- Your computers hard disk drive is like an audio CD that you possess at home – except your computer can read and write to it. In other words, your computer can take data from your hard drive (to process it in the CPU or place it in RAM to work with). Also, it can record the results of the work it does back to the disk, which is “writing to disk”. The abbreviation HDD stands for “har…