Glossary: Difference between revisions

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=== Drive ===

A drive, or sometimes disk, is a device that contains data, for long periods of time. This is different from RAM, which only stores memory temporarily. The main tradeoff being that reading and writing to a drive is much slower than RAM. Drives can come in many forms, such as [[Glossary#SSD|SSD]], [[Glossary#HDD|HDD]], [[Glossary#(e)MMC|eMMC]], etc. The term drive can be a bit confusing though, as drives used to refer to devices with removable media, like [[Glossary#CD|CD]], [[Glossary#Floppy Disk|Floppy]], and even old Hard Disks. In present day though, drives rarely have removable media.

A drive, or sometimes disk, is a device that contains data, for long periods of time. This is different from RAM, which only stores memory temporarily. The main tradeoff being that reading and writing to a drive is much slower than RAM. Drives can come in many forms, such as [[Glossary#SSD|SSD]], [[Glossary#HDD|HDD]], [[Glossary#(e)MMC|eMMC]], etc. The term drive can be a bit confusing though, as drives used to refer to devices with removable media, like [[Glossary#CD|CD]], [[Glossary#Floppy Disk|Floppy]], and even old Hard Disks. In present day though, drives rarely have removable media. The media itself cannot be read or interacted with without the hardware to ''drive'' it, which is why it is called a drive.

=== RAM ===

Random Access Memory, often just called "memory" is a device that contains data while it is powered, but can be read from and written to very quickly. RAM is critical for a [[Glossary#CPU|CPU]] to function.

Random Access Memory, often just called "memory" is a device that contains data ''only'' while it is powered, but can be read from and written to very quickly. It is very important to note that RAM is intended ''temporary'' working memory, which is critical for a [[Glossary#CPU|CPU]] to function.

=== CPU ===

Central Processing Unit is an [[Glossary#IC|IC]] that performs the majority of the processing or "thinking" operations for the computer. CPUs take in ~~[[Glossary#Bytes|bytes]]~~, and then refer to a list ~~of instructions~~ for what each ~~byte~~ should do, and then perform that action. For example, if the CPU receives ~~a byte~~ telling it to copy some data, it will do so! The list of instructions is called the Instruction Set Architecture (ISA).

Central Processing Unit is an [[Glossary#IC|IC]] that performs the majority of the processing or "thinking" operations for the computer. CPUs take in instructions, and then refer to a list for what each instruction should do, and then perform that action. For example, if the CPU receives an instruction telling it to copy some data, it will do so! The list of instructions is called the Instruction Set Architecture (ISA).

=== IC ===

Integrated Circuit, or sometimes "chip", is ~~a complete~~ electronic circuit, integrated into a single piece of silicon. The advantages of ICs is that they can operate much faster, use much less electricity for the same operations, and be much more durable than a larger more fragile board with components attached to it.

Integrated Circuit, or sometimes "chip", is an electronic ''circuit'', ''integrated'' into a single piece of silicon. The advantages of ICs is that they can operate much faster, use much less electricity for the same operations, and be much more durable than a larger more fragile board with components attached to it.

=== Circuit ===

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=== HDD ===

Hard Disk Drives are [[Glossary#Drive|drives]] which contain a spinning metal disk that can be magnetized. Depending on how the disk is magnetized, it ~~will send out~~ a corresponding 1 or 0 bit. Very old hard drives, for example for the Centurion computer, had removable disks, or "platters"~~, which is why it was called a drive. Even though this fairly quickly stopped being the case, the name has stuck around, and now many storage devices are called drives~~.

Hard Disk Drives are [[Glossary#Drive|drives]] which contain a spinning metal disk that can be magnetized. Depending on how the disk is magnetized, it stores a corresponding 1 or 0 bit. Very old hard drives, for example for the Centurion computer, had removable disks, or "platters".

=== NAND ===

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 === Drive ===
-A drive, or sometimes disk, is a device that contains data, for long periods of time. This is different from RAM, which only stores memory temporarily. The main tradeoff being that reading and writing to a drive is much slower than RAM. Drives can come in many forms, such as [[Glossary#SSD|SSD]], [[Glossary#HDD|HDD]], [[Glossary#(e)MMC|eMMC]], etc. The term drive can be a bit confusing though, as drives used to refer to devices with removable media, like [[Glossary#CD|CD]], [[Glossary#Floppy Disk|Floppy]], and even old Hard Disks. In present day though, drives rarely have removable media.
+A drive, or sometimes disk, is a device that contains data, for long periods of time. This is different from RAM, which only stores memory temporarily. The main tradeoff being that reading and writing to a drive is much slower than RAM. Drives can come in many forms, such as [[Glossary#SSD|SSD]], [[Glossary#HDD|HDD]], [[Glossary#(e)MMC|eMMC]], etc. The term drive can be a bit confusing though, as drives used to refer to devices with removable media, like [[Glossary#CD|CD]], [[Glossary#Floppy Disk|Floppy]], and even old Hard Disks. In present day though, drives rarely have removable media. The media itself cannot be read or interacted with without the hardware to ''drive'' it, which is why it is called a drive.
 === RAM ===
-Random Access Memory, often just called "memory" is a device that contains data while it is powered, but can be read from and written to very quickly. RAM is critical for a [[Glossary#CPU|CPU]] to function.
+Random Access Memory, often just called "memory" is a device that contains data ''only'' while it is powered, but can be read from and written to very quickly. It is very important to note that RAM is intended ''temporary'' working memory, which is critical for a [[Glossary#CPU|CPU]] to function.
 === CPU ===
-Central Processing Unit is an [[Glossary#IC|IC]] that performs the majority of the processing or "thinking" operations for the computer. CPUs take in [[Glossary#Bytes|bytes]], and then refer to a list of instructions for what each byte should do, and then perform that action. For example, if the CPU receives a byte telling it to copy some data, it will do so! The list of instructions is called the Instruction Set Architecture (ISA).
+Central Processing Unit is an [[Glossary#IC|IC]] that performs the majority of the processing or "thinking" operations for the computer. CPUs take in instructions, and then refer to a list for what each instruction should do, and then perform that action. For example, if the CPU receives an instruction telling it to copy some data, it will do so! The list of instructions is called the Instruction Set Architecture (ISA).
 === IC ===
-Integrated Circuit, or sometimes "chip", is a complete electronic circuit, integrated into a single piece of silicon. The advantages of ICs is that they can operate much faster, use much less electricity for the same operations, and be much more durable than a larger more fragile board with components attached to it.
+Integrated Circuit, or sometimes "chip", is an electronic ''circuit'', ''integrated'' into a single piece of silicon. The advantages of ICs is that they can operate much faster, use much less electricity for the same operations, and be much more durable than a larger more fragile board with components attached to it.
 === Circuit ===
@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 === HDD ===
-Hard Disk Drives are [[Glossary#Drive|drives]] which contain a spinning metal disk that can be magnetized. Depending on how the disk is magnetized, it will send out a corresponding 1 or 0 bit. Very old hard drives, for example for the Centurion computer, had removable disks, or "platters", which is why it was called a drive. Even though this fairly quickly stopped being the case, the name has stuck around, and now many storage devices are called drives.
+Hard Disk Drives are [[Glossary#Drive|drives]] which contain a spinning metal disk that can be magnetized. Depending on how the disk is magnetized, it stores a corresponding 1 or 0 bit. Very old hard drives, for example for the Centurion computer, had removable disks, or "platters".
 === NAND ===