In years to come, we can expect them to be measured in Terabytes. An OS, or Operating System, is the first program loaded when a computer is turned on. It tells the computer how to boot up, controls all the hardware in a computer, allows you to interact with the computer, and handles loading and running programs from the hard drive. Some examples of software are Microsoft Word, Netscape Navigator, AOL, and Word Perfect. Some examples of hardware are hard drives, floppy diskette drives, CD-ROM drives, memory, sound cards, video display, keyboards, and mice.
Processor speed is an indicator of the processor's raw power.
Modern processor families include Intel's Pentium, Pentium MMX, Pentium II, and Pentium Zeon, as well as Motorola's PowerPC 604e and G3. Each family of processors differ in terms of architecture. Keep in mind, however, that even the fastest processor can seem slow if there is not enough RAM in the machine to run without swapping. A NIC, or Network Interface Controller, is a piece of hardware that allows a computer to be connected to a network. One commonly used network type is Ethernet.