Basic Computer Knowledge and Terminology
When purchasing a first computer, many people become overwhelmed by the acronyms and "geek speak" in the information technology industry. With so many options and components on a computer, it's hard for beginners to grasp the basic terms. Knowing a few basic points of a computer helps guide the beginner through the process of purchasing and using a computer.
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Desktop
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The desktop is the background view of a user's computer. It's the screen seen when all programs are minimized or no applications are running. A computer technician may tell a user to double-click an icon on the desktop. "Desktop" is a common term used especially in a Windows operating system environment.
Drag and Drop
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Drag-and-drop is a term used to describe copying and pasting files from one directory to another. Selecting a file and dragging it to another directory copies it to the target location on the computer. Drag-and-drop is also used with icons and images through mouse clicks and movement.
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Megabytes and Gigabytes
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Megabytes are 1,000,000 bytes. A byte is 8 bits, and it makes up one part of a computer's data. Megabyte is a term used to describe storage and memory capacity. Because storage technology has advanced, the term "gigabyte" has become common. A gigabyte is 1,000 megabytes. These terms are useful when purchasing a hard drive or determining the sizes of files.
Boot and Reboot
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Boot is the term given when a computer starts up. The boot process encompasses pressing the power button and loading the operating system. Rebooting is restarting the computer without turning the power off. These two terms are used frequently for PC troubleshooting and repair.
Network
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A network is a group of at least two computers that are wired for communication. Networking is done in the home and in large businesses. The Internet is basically a large group of networked computers that communicate information to readers. Wireless networks are common on laptop computers for connectivity to the office or home Internet.
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