Most music programs like iTunes and Windows Media offer both of these features, so this should relate to all of them.Rip = means to put the music files from the CD onto your computers hard drive. For instance when you load a CD into your computer using iTunes or Windows Media player and you want to add the music to your "Library" you choose, Rip. This will take the music from the CD and "Rip" it to your hard drive.Burn = means to take the music files from your computer, and record them on to a blank CD. So when you select the music files that you want to put on a blank CD you would use the "Burn" option to record the music to the blank disc.