Tech Talk
T
he world of computers has a language all its own. Here
are a few computer terms and their meaning:
application: A software program that runs on a
computer.
BASIC: A popular computer programming language used
in the creation of software.
bit: The smallest unit of data in a computer.
byte: A unit of data equal to eight bits. Bytes are used
to measure file size and computer memory.
CD-ROM: A compact disk that can be read by a
computer.
Central Processing Unit (CPU): The chip that instructs
the computer on how to run. It is basically the brain
of the computer.
chip or microchip: A tiny electronic device whose
circuitry acts as memory for the computer.
data: Information stored or processed on a computer.
hardware: The actual computer and the components that
comprise it.
motherboard: The circuit board within a computer.
network: To connect two or more computers with
each other so that they can communicate with each
other.
Random Access Memory (RAM): The memory available
to computer programs. For instance, a computer with
10 MB RAM has 10 million bytes of memory.
software: Programs that can be run on a computer.
62 Steve Jobs