There’s an important distinction between an “operating system” and “office productivity software.” They’re two entirely different things.

Even still, confusion between them is not unusual. People often merge the two in their minds.

I’ve answered many support phone calls that began with, “I think there’s something wrong with my Microsoft.”

Understanding where your operating system ends and your office software begins will help you to troubleshoot problems when they arise or to seek outside help when necessary.

Your operating system (often just called an “OS”) is the special software your computer uses to translate computer language into something you can understand.

It allows you, the human, to interact with your computer in a way that is comprehensible to both of you.

For example, your operating system takes the data from a CD-ROM and decodes it for your favorite media player, or to run your favorite game.

Your operating system learns how to speak your printer’s language so that it knows how to communicate with your printer when you click “print.”

Your operating system also allows you install other software like word processors, Web browsers, finance managers and games.

Statistically, most people in the United States who own a computer are using an operating system from Microsoft called “Windows.”

If you’re one of those people, then if someone were to ask you, “What OS are you running?” your answer would be “Windows.”

More specifically, you’re running one of several dozen versions of Windows that have been released over the years, such as Windows XP, Home Edition, or Windows Vista, Business Edition, etc.

There are operating systems other than Windows, such as Apple’s Mac OS and the massive open-source project Linux, among many others.

Mac OS is the operating system most commonly used on Apple computers. Linux is a free operating system developed by thousands of people around the world that can run on most types of modern computers.

Each of these operating systems, in addition to providing the interface between you and your PC, also allows you to install and run other software.

This is where office productivity software comes in.

Microsoft has cornered the market in office productivity software with its Microsoft Office suite of programs.

Microsoft Office, depending on which version you purchase, typically includes Microsoft Word for creating documents, Microsoft Excel for spreadsheets, Microsoft Outlook for e-mail, task lists and a calendar, and Microsoft PowerPoint for presentations.

These programs are available for purchase individually, but most people end up getting them as a “suite,” and often when their PC is purchased initially.

There are other office suites, such as Corel WordPerfect, IBM Lotus Symphony, Microsoft Works and the increasingly popular (and also completely free) OpenOffice.org.

One of these other suites may have come with your computer instead of Microsoft Office.

This is often where the confusion sets in.

Since Microsoft Windows is the most popular operating system, and Microsoft Office is the most popular office suite, many people believe them to be one and the same — one mammoth piece of software — especially if they were bundled together on the same computer.

This can be confusing when shopping for a new PC, because without knowing the difference, consumers might not know the right questions to ask.

Now that you know the difference, next time you’re shopping around, be certain to ask about both the operating system and the office suite.

In conjunction with this: I’ve seen many computers for sale in retail outlets that come with Microsoft Windows Vista, but only a 60-day trial version of Microsoft Office.

This, to me, is a bothersome new trend in PC sales, and can often mislead consumers.

If you’re buying a new system, ensure that the software that comes with your new computer is fully licensed, not just a trial version that will cost you hundreds of dollars when you decide to keep it.

Kevin McDonald: Writer and professional computer/network administrator. He lives in Amarillo with his wife and children, and owns and operates Definition Computers. E-mail Kevin at askthegeek@definitioncomputers.com with questions you’d like to see answered in this column.(This article was originally published in the Amarillo Independent newspaper.)