Learn A Computer Term – Gigabyte & Megabyte
Megabytes, Gigabytes, Memory, RAM, Hard Drives, Storage Space, what is it exactly that they are talking about? It’s confusing!
Well, it’s all very simple once you can tell them both apart. Without complicating things too much, a computer has memory much like a human has a brain, and has a hard disk drive much like you would use a notepad to write down things that you can’t memorize due to the volume of information to be retained. Also, unlike the human brain, memory in a computer is erased every time you turn it off and on again…or in computer terms, it’s volatile.
So, to save your information, or files if you will, you need a hard drive to write the information down for later use (like taking notes).
Computer memory goes by several different names, but the one we are discussing today is called RAM (Random Access Memory). RAM memory is calculated in megabytes and gigabytes much like millimetres and centimetres are calculated. 1000 kilobytes equals 1 megabyte, and 1000 megabytes equals 1 gigabyte.
Now, there is some confusion for people between hard disk space and memory space. Why is this, simple, because hard disk space is also calculated in megabytes and gigabytes! So, how can you tell them apart easily in the store? Well, fortunately for us right now on the market you buy RAM in megabytes and hard disks in gigabytes. Therefore, the term we learn this month is MEGABYTE (MB) AND GIGABYTE (GB).
RAM (Memory) is sold in megabytes and typically you will find it in the following sizes: 64MB, 128MB, 256MB, 512MB and so on…(128MB is typical for a computer being sold right now in stores) HARD DISK DRIVES are sold in Gigabytes and typically you will find them in the following sizes: 10GB, 20GB, 60GB…even 160GB! (A hard drive of at least 20GB is enough for the average user).
Technology is my passion, computers are part of our everyday lives and I want to help you bridge the gap by offering you short articles and blurbs in the most recent computer related topics.