To the untrained ear, hearing someone talk about computers and their different components may sound like a foreign language. Words such as “Internet” and “operating system” may be as unfamiliar as technical terms used to describe medical procedures or engineering processes.
Once you start learning about computers, however, the words start to make sense. For instance, the word “Internet” is another way of saying “world wide web,” that source that gives access to information from virtually all corners of the world.
When you “go on the Internet” or “surf the web,” you are taking advantage of all that it has to offer. You can find out how to bake a cake and how you would need to adjust the recipe if you live in Denver, Colorado or another place with high altitudes. Or you can find a bakery that will do it for you so you don’t have to worry about adjusting the recipe. This is just one example of the kind of information that you can find on the Internet.
In order to access the Internet or do anything else for that matter, computers must have operating systems. These are what make computers more than just a metal box or small metal case with a screen that resembles an ordinary TV. This screen is called a monitor, by the way. Microsoft is one company that makes operating systems.
Operating systems give users the capability to use word processing programs, photo capture and development programs, communication programs, and basically any other program that is available. Different companies make different types of operating systems, and they all have their own capabilities.
Users can choose from various operating systems, depending on what they will use the computer for the most. Once they have chosen an operating system, they will find their computer vocabulary increasing quickly as they learn how to navigate through the different software suites.