Page 40 - Oxted Local June 2025

40 June 2025 • Oxted Local 
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It may seem that the IT industry has its own
language, complete with cryptic terms and
acronyms, specifically designed to exclude the non-
specialist user, however this is not the case (at least
most of the time). Here are a few typical terms with
descriptions which will hopefully make you feel more
confident as an IT user.
The Cloud - Cloud storage is where a company
sets aside an area on their servers for you to use
to store your files. You get your files to this server
by “uploading” them over the internet and can
“download” them again at any time.
App – This is just a shortening of “application”. Apps
are small programs on your phone or computer that
do specific things—like remind you to drink water
while you scroll social media for hours.
Browser - This is the app you use to explore the
internet. There are a variety and the most common
are Edge, Chrome, Safari, or Firefox. They all do
the same thing, and it will be no surprise that each
claims to be better than the other.
URL - This stands for Uniform Resource Locator. It’s
the web address you type in to visit a website, a little
like giving the address of a house—except when
you arrive at the address there are all manner of dog
videos to waste hours on.
Cookie - Sadly, they are not edible. Cookies are little
data files that websites leave on your computer to
remember who you are. They are like digital Post-it
notes to remind the site of your preferences when
you return.
Wi-Fi - This is the magical force that makes your
internet work without cables. The Wi-Fi (radio signal)
connects your devices to the “Hub” and thereby the
T I P S
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internet, but it also can frustratingly disappear when
you’re about to hit “Submit” on an important online
form.
Bluetooth - A wireless system for connecting
devices to each other, like headphones to your
phone or your phone to your car. No blue teeth
involved, thankfully.
Bandwidth - Imagine internet as water in a
pipe. Bandwidth is how fat the pipe is. The more
bandwidth you have (the fatter the pipe) the more
information you can get though and thereby get
a “faster” connection. The opposite applies if the
bandwidth “pipe” is narrower.
Malware - Short for “malicious software.” Basically,
these are the germs of the tech world. Malware
comes in many forms but the intention is always
malicious. Always use antivirus software which acts
like digital hand sanitizer.
VPN - A Virtual Private Network. It’s like Harry
Potter’s invisibility cloak for your internet activity. It
hides your location and makes you safer online.
Bug - A bug is a mistake in a program that makes
it behave
oddly.
Developers
“debug”
(find the
error) then
fix it with
“patches,”
which are
basically
high-tech
band-aids.
© Martin
Middleton
I.T.Aide
(see page 24 for contact details)
IT demystified