For the less tech-savvy, buying a computer is no easy task. 

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when an in-store sales assistant is bombarding you with unfamiliar terms and concepts.

The New Daily‘s glossary on how to speak IT for beginners will help alleviate some of your frustration.

Adware

Adware is a series of ads that pop up randomly on a web browser. The ads try to promote particular products or in some cases refer users on to malicious websites.

Adware is commonly created for computers, but may also be found on mobile devices.

The software is often criticised as it includes code that’s able to track and record users’ personal information and internet browsing habits.

Browser cache

A cache is a storage area for web browsers that gives users speedy access to information on websites they’ve recently visited.

When a user browses through other pages that use the same images and information, it won’t have to re-download the files.

CPU

A Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the brains of your computer. The CPU works as a set of components that manage all the activities in a computer system. 

A CPU runs the operating system and applications, and constantly receives input from the user or software programs.

Cookies

A cookie is a message given to a web browser by a server that can track a user’s activity online, such as how often they’ve visited a website.

The browser stores the information in a text file, which is then sent back to the server to identify when a user returns back to a website. 

Gigabyte

Gigabyte is a term that relates to storage, along with megabyte and terabyte.

These terms essentially relate to the amount of space on a smartphone or hard drive.

Hotspot

A hotspot refers to a physical location such as an airport or cafe that offers a WiFi connection allowing users to access the internet through a wireless connection.

It uses radio signals to send and receive data to an enabled device.

Hackers often use hotspots to trick users into logging into fake WiFi connections in order to steal their data.

Malware

Malware is malicious software that can harm a computer or smartphone.

Types of malware include viruses, which can delete and steal information.

Spyware can gather information from your computer and monitor your web browsing habits.

It typically finds its way onto your computer when you download some programs, mainly free trial versions.  

Some parents install types of spyware programs onto their children’s computers and smartphones to use as a surveillance tool.

RAM

Random Access Memory (RAM) is a hardware device that allows information to be stored and retrieved on a computer.

A computer’s speed and performance is largely attributed to the amount of memory in the computer. Basically, the more RAM a computer has, the faster it will run.