6 Most Commonly Mistaken Computer Terminologies

6 Most Commonly Mistaken Computer Terminologies by Kuya Dijae.

One time in the office, a user kept asking for help with her "Flash Drive". But her intro with me was "sir! I'm having a problem with my USB, it's not working anymore!", and I was "What USB ma'am?, the USB port or the USB drive "Flash Drive?"

If you get my point here, it means you know what I'm referring to. But I know this is a minor issue with the term "Flash Drive", "USB Drive", "Thumb Drive" or the commonly term "USB". But what I'm saying here is that there are simple terms and name that people are confused with and got used to but not knowing what it truly means.

I just want to share with you, the other name of USB! (kidding, I won't add  a new name for it anymore!). Okay, I want you to know my list of "Most Commonly Mistaken Computer Terminology".

1. "USB".

People call this a lot as USB, but did you know that it really came from the term "USB Flash Drive" and shortened as USB these days? USB or Universal Serial Bus is an industry standard that defines cables, connectors, and communication protocols used in a bus for connection, communication, and power supply between computers and electronic devices. Actually it was designed to connect computer peripherals such as keyboard, mouse, printers, portable media devices, digital cameras, disk drives (USB Flash Drive), and many more. This simply means that USB is not the "Flash Drive that we use to store files", but its really the means for connectivity. Do you get the point?

2. "Laptop, Notebook, Netbook".

Sometimes people are confused with these terms, but 2 of them are interchangeable, those are Laptop and Notebook. Laptop or Notebook are those we see with larger screens 13" or more and has more power just like a desktop. Unlike Netbook, it is smaller with 10" screen size diagonally and has lesser power specially in CPU, and graphics. Also, Netbook has no option of DVD/CD drives and has lesser USB ports. So depends on your needs if you need to have a Netbook or Notebook.

3. "WiFi" and "Internet". 

I hear many people use the term "WiFi" as their internet itself and I tell them always that WiFi is NOT the internet. WIFI or (Wireless Fidelity) is the wireless connection using a Wireless Router (or that little rectangular box thing that blinks a lot). Technically WiFi is produced using an AP (Access Point) which comes with a SSID (Service Set Identifier) or "WiFi name" as most people call it that usually accessed by a password. Are you still with me? Alright, while Internet is the "Internet itself" which you access to open websites and connect to your love ones. To sum up, for you to connect to the internet, you need to connect through a WiFi connection at home, office, school or Malls or if you have a network cable provided too! Are we clear? Read again. :)

4. "Mouse" vs the "Cursor".

To make this short, what you are holding right now to click something on your screen, that's a MOUSE. And the "Arrow" or "Pointer" on your screen to click something is a "Cursor". Right? I hope that's clear!



5. "Desktop" vs the "PC".

While these two seems the same and almost everyone will say too, I'll tell you it depends on how you say it. "Desktop" is a general term of a computer classification that has a greater amount of power to compute composed of a system unit, monitor, keyboard and mouse basically. In short, it is the type of computer we see that is not a Laptop. If you want to know the difference of a Laptop and Desktop, please read my article here. So what is a PC? PC or (Personal Computer) is a name registered to IBM or it was called before as IBM PC as their first produced personal computer to be compatible to IBM machines. But today, the term PC has become more and more difficult to pin down, but to make it short it applies to any personal computer based on an Intel Microprocessor or an Intel-compatible microprocessor. So remember a PC is not a Mac, PC were referred by Apple to a Windows-based machine, as opposed to its own computers, which are called "Macs". But as for a generally term used today, when you have a computer at home or at work, you can safely call it a PC. So unless you know the difference and the history, you can say the word PC when you see one. :)

6. "Install" vs "Setup".

Because people use this a lot, specially administrators/technicians and programmers this would be a good example. But for the non-technical people, like you (perhaps) you heard this many times from your friends when you want or need a software to run on your computer. The main difference of Install and Setup is that, there's an initial and after process. Initial is when you "Install" a program to your computer, it's sometimes called "pre-setup". Install or installation is the process of copying or putting the necessary files of a program to your computer. While the "after process" is the "Setup" is when you or the computer "configures" or "modify" the files for the specific needs of the software to run on your computer. Still with me? Basically, Install is putting that software to your computer, as the Setup is when you do some configurations. See reference below for further explanation. Whew that was tough yeah?

I know there are more things and common computer terminologies that people use incorrectly. But this doesn't mean that the person you are telling this will not understand. That's the use of communication, agree with me? Same thing in communication, structural grammar is not always needed in personal communication but importantly, you understand each other right? Now here comes the grammar gurus! :) Well, my article is not to argue on the grammar matters but did you get my point here? These are the terminologies you use (I guess that confuse others).
So If you have any more to add, feel free to comment and let me know what you think here. Now if you need to know anything about these terms, you can always call Google of course! But I hope you learn something here, because that's the goal of Kuya Dijae!

Thank you for reading! Check out my other Computer Related Topics for Tips and Know-How! Don't be less-literate kaibigan!

References: PC - http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/P/PC.html,  http://www.techterms.com/definition/pc
Setup vs Install - http://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/10772/what-is-the-difference-between-setup-and-install-based-on-computer-programs
Most if it are from Kuya Dijae's stock knowledge. :)

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Computer 101: Basic Computer Knowledge by Kuya Dijae

Mga kaibigan, kababayan, and to everyone! Salamat sa pagbisita sa aking website at ngayon malamang inopen mo ito dahil gusto mong matuto o may gusto kang malaman about computers diba? Puwes, ayaw kong biguin ka sa pag-babasa sa artikulo kong ito na "Computer 101"

Let me give you lang a short intro about me knowing these stuffs. Ako'y isang System Administrator, dating Field Technical Support, Research Engineer, Hardware Engineer, IT Staff at computer technician. Ang ibig ko lang pong sabihin ay mula sa pagkukumpuni ng computer hanggang mag-manage ng buong sistema ng kumpanya ay naranasan ko at patuloy pang natututo. "So sinasabi mo bang alam mo na ang lahat at magaling ka Kuya Dijae?", hmm, hindi naman po, sa larangan po ng Information Technology (IT) wala pong katapusan ang learning dahil parati itong nag-uupdate (kaya walang board exams ang kurso kong Computer Engineering). So hanggang ngayon ay madami pa akong hindi alam at alam kong may mas magagaling sa akin lalo na ang mga bata pa (parang nabubuking edad ko a) hehe.

Salamat sa iyo kung nagtitiwala ka sa mga advice at magiging advice ko o mga tips na binibigay ko na tips sa pamamagitan ng mga artikulo ko. I'll do my best po na may matutunan ka at magamit mo ang mga nalaman mo dito sa trabaho, pag-aaral, o business man pagdating sa computer. Goal ko po kasi na maging literate ang bawat isa sa computer at hindi matakot dito para mas madami pang Pilipino ang magkatrabaho sa pamamagitan ng konting pagbabahi ko ng mga alam ko sa computer.

So humaba na introduction ko ah, magsimula na tayo? Malamang handa ka na, maaari kang mag notes o i-copy paste mo ito or i-share mo sa facebook o i-bookmark at save ang link na ito.

Heto na at pag-aralan natin ang Basic Computer.

Ano ang computer at ano ang mga bahagi nito?

Ang computer ay isang makinarya na ginawang matalino upang magkalkula ng maraming bagay na mabilis, sakto, at sabay-sabay upang mapagaan, mapabilis at mapadali ang trabaho ng tao sa iba't-ibang bagay.

"Parang napakalawak nun Kuya Dijae ah?".

Sige sa madaling salita, ang computer ay isang bagay upang mapagaan at mapabilis ang trabaho ng tao at makaiwas sa tinawag na "human errors".

"Ah, ang simple pala ng gamit ng computer, pero bakit parang ang komplikado

ng paggamit nito?, anu-ano ba ang mga bahagi at pano ito gumagana ng ganun

kalupit?".


Aba kung ipapaliwanag ko sa inyo ang malupet na yan, baka na-iluwal na ang baby ko sa tiyan ng asawa ko na 5 months, hehe. Pero hindi mo naman kailangan malaman kung paano nagpoproseso ang bawat components nito diba? Kung magtatype ka ba kailangan mo pa yun? Kung maglalaro ka ng games kailangan mo yun? Hehe. Pero kung estudyante ka ng IT o any computer courses, eh dapat siguro malaman mo yun. Pero ang mahalaga ay ang mga pangunahing components ng computer at ano ang mga gamit at relasyon nito sa bawat isa, diba?

So tara, isa-isahin natin sa madaling salita.

image credit: www.outsidethebeltway.com

Ang loob mismo ng System Unit (o yung nakikita mo palagi na parang kahon na umiilaw ilaw at madaming nakasaksak na wires).

1. Una, ang system unit ay hindi dapat sabihing (CPU o Central Processing Unit). Hindi dapat, kasi ang CPU ay nasa loob ng System Unit, kaso nga lang nasanay na tayo na tawagin itong CPU (pero ang tawag talaga ngayon sa mismong CPU sa loob ay Processor). So ang system unit o CPU ay ang package ng lahat ng components ng CPU at kung ano ang pinapagana nito na nakalagay sa rectangle shaped box na madaming wires na nakakabit sa likod.

2. Ang Processor, ito ang nagkakalkula ng lahat ng process na kinomand mo sa computer. Kaya 'Processor', sya ang nagpoprocess ng tasks. Ito ay ang parisukat na may fan at may heat sink o yung may silver na patusok-tusok. Kadalasan itong makikita sa gitna ng board o sa gawing itaas din. Kung wala ito, hindi gagana ang computer.

image credit: www.youcanbuildyourowncomputer.com

3. Ang system board, o 'mother board'. Dito nakakabit lahat ng circuit related na components ng computer, usually naka-hinang ang mga ito sa mother board. Dito din sinasaksak ang power supply upang mapagana ang buong sistema.

image credit: cdn-static.zdnet.com

4. Power supply. Ito ang nagbibigay suplay ng kuryente sa buong sistema. Usually makikita ito sa taas na bahagi ng computer (kung tower type ang computer mo) o sa gawing gilid sa likod. Dito din sinasaksak ang power cords na galing sa outlet nyo. Sa loob, may mga kulay ang wires nito na itim, dilaw, pula at puti.

image credit:globalfuze.com

5. Hard Disk Drive (HDD), ay ang component kung saan nakalagay ang buong data na nagpapagana ng computer. Dito naka-store ang Operating System (OS), at mga files mo. Ito ang kadalasang iniingatan dahil sensitive ito at hindi dapat ma-uga at maalog dahil maaaring masira o 'ma-corrupt' ang OS at files mo.

image credit:blueberry.pro

6. Memory o RAM (Random Access Memory), ay ang component kung saan nag-iistore ang computer para basahin at magchange sa mabilis na saglit sa kahit anong order. Ito ang kadalasang sinasabing nagpapabilis ng computer dahil kung malaki ang RAM, kayang magprocess ng Processor ng mabilis. Ito ay ang manipis na sinisingit sa motherboard na parang green at may mga itim na parisukat. (Grabe ba sa detalye?, hehe)

image credit: news.techgenie.com

7. Video Card o 'Graphics Card' ay isang component na ginagamit sa pag-display ng computer papuntang monitor mo. May dalawang klaseng Video Card, isang 'internal or built-in' at mismong 'Graphics Card'. Ang built-in ay nakalagay na sa lahat ng computer upang mapagana ang display nito. Ang video card ay binibiling hiwalay na kadalasang kailangan ng mga gamers at mga animators. Dito isinasaksak ang monitor sa likod na kulay blue at may female na pins.

image credit:geek-easy.com

So matapos nating maisa-isa ang pangunahing components ng CPU ay dumako naman tayo sa nakikita, o yung mga pisikal na bahagi ng computer.

8. Ang monitor, malamang alam mo na ito. Kung wala nito pano ka gagamit ng computer (manghuhula? kapa-kapa? hehe biro lang). Dito nagdidisplay ang lahat ng pinaprocess ng computer mo at at nakasaksak ito sa likod ng CPU, doon mismo sa graphics card at ito ang pinaka kailangan pag ginagamit ito sa araw araw. Agree? Karagdagang kaalaman: popyular itong kinakabit sa tinatawag na VGA o Video Graphics Adapter (ito yung kulay blue).

image credit: nptechnologies.ca

9. Ang keyboard, yung pangmusika! (hehe biro lang) Puro biro eh no? Syempre ang keyboard ang component na ginagamit mo ngayon para magchat sa facebook habang nagbabasa nito (hehe tama ba?) Ayan, yan ang type ng keyboard sa panahong ito na tinatawag na QWERTY, pansinin mo ngayon sa keyboard mo, hindi ba may qwerty dyan? :) Ngunit kung nakamobile ka e hindi naman malayo ang itsura nito sa pisikal na keyboard.

image credit: fentek-ind.com

10. Mouse, aba alam na alam yan kasi nahihirapan kang itutok minsan sa pipindutin mo eh. Hehe Yan po ang mouse, kung saan ang medium na ginagamit para mag-interact ka sa computer. May left and right click ito at minsan may 'mouse wheel' at middle clicks. Ito ang mga pinipindot para mabuksan mo ang artikulo na ito diba? Di ko na siguro kailangan pang paliwanag ng maayos. O nga pala ang keyboard at mouse ay nakakabit din sa likod ng computer mo o di kaya sa harap, sa USB (Universal Serial Bus) port o kung luma ang computer mo, sa likod ito na may green (sa mouse) at violet (sa keyboard) na PS/2 socket na tinatawag.

image credit: pimg.tradeindia.com

Hindi ko na po sinama ang sound card dahil luma na iyon kung ito'y nakikita pa sa computer mo. Usually naka embed na ito o built-in na sa computer mo. Maging ang floppy disk drive o yung pinapasukan ng Diskette ay luma na ngunit ginagamit pa sa ilang kumpanya tulad ng bangko.

At iyan po ang mga basic na components at paliwanag ko, tandaan po na lahat yan ay gumagana ng sabay sabay na pinaprocess ng Processor na sa pamamagitan ng OS o Operating System.

Ang operating system ay ang software na nagkikipagusap sa pagitan mo at ng hardware o physical components ng computer, ito rin ang isa sa pinaka-importanteng bahagi ng computer sapagkat dahil dito nakagagawa ang isang tao ng trabaho sa pag-interact sa makina.

Kung igugrupo natin ang lahat ng components na ito, mayroong tinatawag na input at output components.

1. Input - ay ang components na kung saan ikaw ang nakikipag usap sa computer. Ito ay ang mouse, keyboard, touch screen, touch pen.

2. Output - ay ang components naman na kung saan ang computer ang nakikipag-usap sa iyo like, monitor o screen, speakers, at printer.

So kung gumagamit ka computer nang madalas at nagtataka ka kung paano mo ito ginagamit at ano ba ang mga ito, marahil nasagot na ito sa pagbasa mo tama ba? Aba kung nais mong mas matuto pa, mas mainam na magbasa po sa mga susunod at mga iba ko pang artikulo or mag-aral ng mga kurso gaya ng computer technician, computer engineering, computer science, Information Technology, at computer education. Ang mga ito ang magpapaliwanag ng mga detalye about computers.

May iba ka pa bang katanungan tungkol sa basic computer knowledge? Maaari po kayong magtanong sa ibaba at magcomment lamang, at sa maikling panahon sasagutin ko lahat iyan sa makakaya ko kung hindi ako busy. 

May problema ka ba sa computer mo at nagtataka kung bakit bumabagal at parang nasisira na ata? Bisitahin nyo at basahin ang artikulo ko about "How to take care of your computers" at "PC maintenance 101".

Sa pahinang ito na Technology maari nyo din makita ang lahat ng tungkol sa computers at iba pang teknolohiya.

Maraming salamat sa oras ninyo sa pagbabasa at sana natuto kayo sa maikling article ko (pero napahaba ata kasi madami talaga eh).

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