The Jargon Buster

A second copy of your files kept somewhere else, so losing the computer doesn't mean losing your photos, accounts or letters.

Think of it as: Keeping a spare house key at your neighbour's. You never need it until the day you really do.

How much data your internet connection can carry at once. More bandwidth means more people and devices can use it without everything slowing down.

Think of it as: The width of the road. A single-track lane is fine for one tractor; it's a different story on bank holiday Monday.

Unwanted programs that come pre-installed on a new computer, usually trial software and "helpers" that slow it down.

Think of it as: All the leaflets that fall out of the Sunday paper.

When Windows hits a problem it can't recover from, it shows a blue error screen and restarts. Once is bad luck; regularly means something needs looking at — often a driver or failing hardware.

A short-range wireless link for connecting things like headphones, keyboards and mice without a cable. Works over a few metres.

The program you use to look at websites — Edge, Chrome, Safari or Firefox. It isn't the internet itself, just your window onto it.

Think of it as: The telly, not the programmes.

A store of recently used bits kept close to hand so things load faster next time. Clearing it fixes odd behaviour because it forces a fresh copy.

Think of it as: Keeping the biscuits on the worktop rather than up in the loft.

Somebody else's computer, in a data centre, that stores your files or runs a service for you over the internet. OneDrive, iCloud and Google Drive are all "the cloud".

Think of it as: A safety deposit box at the bank rather than a shoebox under the bed.

Small notes a website saves in your browser — to keep you logged in, remember your basket, or, less welcome, to track what you look at for advertising.

The chip that does the actual thinking in a computer. A faster one helps with heavy work, but for everyday use it's rarely the thing holding a machine back.

Think of it as: The cook in the kitchen.

The internet's address book. It turns names like yorkshire.support into the number addresses computers actually use. When DNS breaks, websites "disappear" even though the internet is working.

Think of it as: Directory enquiries.

Your name on the internet — the bit after www. or after the @ in an email address. You rent it yearly; if the renewal lapses, your website and email stop.

A small piece of software that tells Windows how to talk to a particular bit of hardware, such as a printer or graphics card. Wrong or out-of-date drivers cause a lot of "it just stopped working".

Think of it as: An interpreter between two people who don't share a language.

Scrambling information so only someone with the right key can read it. The padlock in your browser means the connection is encrypted.

Software built into a device itself — a router, printer or phone — rather than installed on your computer. It needs updating too, and is often forgotten.

Where your files and programs are stored. An SSD has no moving parts and is many times faster than an old spinning hard drive — swapping one in is the best upgrade for an older machine.

Think of it as: Your filing cabinet. An SSD is the same cabinet with the drawers already open.

Two ways your email program collects mail. IMAP keeps everything on the server so your phone and computer match; POP downloads mail to one device. You almost always want IMAP.

A number that identifies a device on a network, so data knows where to go. Your router gives one to every device in the house.

Think of it as: A house number on your street.

Any software designed to do harm — viruses, spyware, ransomware and the rest. It's the umbrella term.

Megabits per second — how broadband speed is measured. Around 30 Mbps is fine for a household streaming and working; video calls from several people at once need more.

Several small Wi-Fi units placed around a building that work together as one network, fixing dead spots in thick-walled stone houses and long extensions.

Think of it as: Relay runners passing the baton from room to room.

Microsoft's subscription that includes Word, Excel, Outlook and the rest, plus OneDrive storage and, for businesses, email and Teams. It replaced buying Office once in a box.

Needing a second proof it's you — usually a code on your phone — as well as your password. It stops most account break-ins even when the password has leaked.

Think of it as: A door with a key and a bolt on the inside.

The main software that runs the computer — Windows, macOS, iOS or Android. Everything else runs on top of it.

A secure app that creates and remembers a different strong password for every site, so you only have to remember one.

Think of it as: A locked key cupboard with every key labelled.

Fake emails, texts or calls pretending to be someone you trust, to get you to click a link, hand over a password or pay a bogus invoice.

Think of it as: Somebody in a hi-vis jacket at the door saying they're "from the council".

The computer's short-term working space. Too little and it slows to a crawl with a few things open. 8GB is a minimum today; 16GB is comfortable.

Think of it as: The size of your kitchen table — the bigger it is, the more jobs you can have out at once.

Malware that locks up your files and demands payment to unlock them. The real defence is a recent backup it can't reach.

Letting someone see and control your computer over the internet to help you. Safe with someone you contacted; a scam when a stranger rings you first.

The box from your broadband provider that connects your home or office to the internet and shares it out to every device.

Think of it as: The sorting office for your house — every bit of internet post goes through it.

A computer whose job is to provide something to other computers — websites, email, shared files. It can be a box in the office cupboard or one in the cloud.

Keeping the same files matched across devices automatically. Change it on the laptop and it changes on the phone. Handy — but a deletion syncs too, so it isn't a backup.

A fix sent out by the maker to close security holes or sort bugs. Most attacks exploit holes that already had a patch available that nobody installed.

Think of it as: Fixing the latch on the gate once you know it doesn't catch.

The small, oval, reversible plug now used on most laptops and phones for charging, data and screens. Not every USB-C cable does everything, which causes a lot of confusion.

A private, encrypted tunnel across the internet. Businesses use one so staff can reach office systems safely from home.

Think of it as: A covered walkway between two buildings.

The wireless signal from your router that devices connect to. Wi-Fi being poor doesn't mean your broadband is — the two are different things.

Think of it as: The broadband is the water main; Wi-Fi is the pipes in your house.