What metaphor do you use when describing computer parts function?

[Mr. Ingram's Computer Repair & Shoppe]

We all have had to describe to a "not tech savvy" person what all the main computer parts do. What do you use for your metaphor?

I always use a town & books. I think they understand, but it isn't a great analogy.

Fans =
Mobo = Roads to get everywhere
CPU = a book reader
CPU Cooler = keeps the book reader cold.
Graphics card = a book projector, turns the words into something you enjoy.
RAM = It's like your pockets/hands, you are currently using those books (software.
Hard Drive = The library
SSD = The library but 10x faster and 4x expensive.
CD/DVD drive = books you can take out of town.
PSU =

Spoiler: Empty format

Case =
Fans =
Mobo =
CPU =
CPU Cooler =
Graphics card =
RAM =
Hard Drive =
SSD =
CD/DVD drive =
PSU =


Bonus points:
Monitor =
Keyboard =
Mouse =
Speakers =
Microphone =

Bonus points x2:
go into slightly more detail, eg:
CPU: Cores, threads, GHz
RAM: DDR, Speed
GPU: all those GPU things
PSU: Watts, volts, amps
Mobo: bridges, chipset, sockets
SSD: Cache, TLC/whatever the other acronyms are.

 

[Diggs]

My differences -

CPU - The brain. It does the heavy thinking.
Graphics card - It is the brain for your monitor. It figures out where and how fast things change on your screen.
RAM - Just like your memory but goes blank when powered down. Stays alive during sleep.

 

[Moltuae]

I've never really needed a metaphor for parts like the PSU, the motherboard and fans. The PSU powers it, the motherboard connects stuff and the fans, well, they're just fans. Most people can grasp those simple concepts I think.

I have often used an office worker analogy to explain what the CPU does and the difference between RAM and HDDs/SSDs, and to explain the need for sufficient RAM.

CPU = Office worker sat at a desk
RAM = His/her desk
HDD/SSD = Filing cabinet

More RAM means a larger desk, enabling the worker to keep more files/work close by, resulting in fewer trips to the filing cabinet. If the desk is sufficiently large he/she can keep more files open and work more efficiently. However, once the desk is large enough, making the desk even larger makes little difference to the speed of everyday tasks.

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

CPU = Office worker sat at a desk
RAM = His/her desk
HDD/SSD = Filing cabinet

We both came up with the exact same explanation xD

 

[Moltuae]

We both came up with the exact same explanation xD

Great CPUs think alike

 

[nlinecomputers]

I've never really needed a metaphor for parts like the PSU, the motherboard and fans. The PSU powers it, the motherboard connects stuff and the fans, well, they're just fans. Most people can grasp those simple concepts I think.

I have often used an office worker analogy to explain what the CPU does and the difference between RAM and HDDs/SSDs, and to explain the need for sufficient RAM.

CPU = Office worker sat at a desk
RAM = His/her desk
HDD/SSD = Filing cabinet

More RAM means a larger desk, enabling the worker to keep more files/work close by, resulting in fewer trips to the filing cabinet. If the desk is sufficiently large he/she can keep more files open and work more efficiently. However, once the desk is large enough, making the desk even larger makes little difference to the speed of everyday tasks.

I use this as well.

I also compare Hard drives to both tires and light bulbs to explain why you need backups. HDDs are like tires because they are constantly being worn down as you use them. You will have to replace them as you put more "miles" on them. And they are also like light bulbs because like a light bulb they are usually working just fine and then suddenly go out and you can't fix a light bulb you replace it. And you can't salvage one. Everything on the light bulb/hard drive is lost.

 

[nlinecomputers]

I always use a town & books. I think they understand, but it isn't a great analogy.

Fans =
Mobo = Roads to get everywhere
CPU = a book reader
CPU Cooler = keeps the book reader cold.
Graphics card = a book projector, turns the words into something you enjoy.
RAM = It's like your pockets/hands, you are currently using those books (software.
Hard Drive = The library
SSD = The library but 10x faster and 4x expensive.
CD/DVD drive = books you can take out of town.
PSU =

I've never seen this used and frankly, I am having trouble following your analogy.

 

[Mr. Ingram's Computer Repair & Shoppe]

I've never seen this used and frankly, I am having trouble following your analogy.

Thats why I risk embarrassment, so I can steal yalls ideas.

 

[Rosco]

i say the ram is like a table top the more papers on it the longer it takes to find. IF you add more ram its like a bigger table. And the hard drive is the filing cabinet.

 

[HFultzjr]

I always have a problem explaining 2 things.
A "faster" computer will not make your slow internet connection "faster".
A 500GB hard drive is not always better than a 250GB, because "it has more memory".

 

[MichaelBits]

I use something similar to the office analogy.

However...

CPU = Brain
Ram = Chalkboard/Whiteboard
HDD = Filing Cabinets

I prefer the chalkboard because it's easy to see how with more space on the board, the more you can do on it.

 

[HCHTech]

HDD = This is like the drawers of your desk. The bigger the drawers, the more stuff you can put in there
RAM = This is like the top of your desk. The bigger your desk, the more files you can have open at the same time, the bigger files you can open, etc.

 

[GTP]

CPU = You the user
Ram = 1 empty room
More ram = larger room
Hard drive = Storage shed
Software installed = unopened boxes sitting in the storage shed
Software in use = boxes which have been fetched from the storage shed and unpacked into those (Ram) empty rooms.
Your data = boxes in the storage shed. When you view your data you are bringing it in from the storage shed and unpacking it in those (Ram) rooms.

 

[timeshifter]

I always have a problem explaining 2 things.
A "faster" computer will not make your slow internet connection "faster".
A 500GB hard drive is not always better than a 250GB, because "it has more memory".

Trust me, the problem is not you. Things that come easy to us, like the abstract thinking required to understand that you're computer processing data as it reads it from disk and starts up is different than the computer waiting for data to come across the wire to be displayed by your browser. Many (most) people don't (or can't) comprehend that. So you'll hear "I just got fiber optic Internet but it's still slow" Arrrgghhh.

 

[mr m]

I always have a problem explaining 2 things.
A "faster" computer will not make your slow internet connection "faster".

I use cars and the road system as an analogy for explaining the dynamics of the internet and computer speeds to clients. Faster cars do not mean a thing when the 3 lane interstate is bumper to bumper during rush hour but at 2 in the morning you can drive much faster because there is so little traffic.

I will also use car engine sizes to explain different processor speeds. A V8 is like an i7 while an I4 is like an i3. I use a shopping mall with many entrances and exits to explain why some sites are faster than others.

 

[bdeustis]

5 elements of performance in decreasing order of importance:

1. CPU = Car engine v4, v6, v8 (Intel i3, i5, i7; AMD is adaptable in same manner)
2. Memory = Primary living area, transient
3. Data Links = Ability to communicate
   If it moves wireless, else wire it up if practical. Nothing less than 1GB wireline and > AC1300 wireless (bandwidth needs vary)
4. Storage = Spare room - a place to put your stuff, persistent
5. Graphics = Dorm room stereo system (dating myself). A gauge by which one measures their person-hood. Important if you're a gamer, in which case, probably #4.

 

[frase]

CPU - Ze Brain
Motherboard - Nervous System - OMG DOING A BIOS UPDATE ARGHH
Hard Drive - Heart
Ram -Transient memory system
Graphics - Visionary System
Case - The physical body

 

[tek9]

I don't think this is what you were looking for, but here it is:
http://oddstuffmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/understanding-the-computer-650x563.jpg

 

[fencepost]

I have made a conscious effort to stop myself when I start going down this rathole. I'll start, then look at the person and say "Do you really want all the internal details?" and the response is almost universally "No. No, I do not."