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Glossary |
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| Term | Acronym | Definition | |
| Active Matrix | A technology used in the flat panel LCD notebook computers,displays provide a more responsive image at a wider range of viewing angle than dual scan (passive matrix) displays. (Do not have to be directly in front of display.) Also known as TFT | ||
| Address bus | A collection of wires connecting the CPU with main memory that is used to identify particular locations (addresses) in main memory. The width of the address bus (that is, the number of wires) determines how many unique memory locations can be addressed. | ||
| Alternate Text | Used while creating a webpage, to specify alternate text for every image you include on your page. This is so that for the people that set their browser so that it won't load any images when it retrieves a web page. Screen readers, text to speech converters pick up and read the alternate text. The latest browsers, the alternate text will appear as a tooltip when you hover over the image. | ||
| Analog | describes a device or system that represents changing values as continuously variable physical quantities. A typical analog device is a clock in which the hands move continuously around the face. | ||
| Antivirus Program | A utility that searches the hard disk for viruses and removes any that are found. Most antivirus programs include an auto-update feature so that it can check for new viruses as soon as they are discovered. | ||
| Application software | applications software sits on top of systems software because it is unable to run without the operating system and system utilities. Also called end-user programs includes database programs, word processors, and spreadsheets. | ||
| Attachment | A file that is linked to an e-mail message. | ||
| Browser (web and Internet) | The program used to view the World Wide Web. It interprets HTML code allowing you to view text and images, and link from one website to another. Popular examples include Internet Explorer and Netscape. | ||
| Cache | Pronounced cash, a high-speed storage mechanism. Can be a reserved section of main memory or independent high-speed storage device. (Memory caching and disk caching.) | ||
| Central Processing Unit | CPU | Processor made up of the control unit and arithmetic/logic unit. The control unit interprets the instructions. The arithmetic/logic unit performs the logical and arithmetic processes. Intel manufactures many processors. | |
| Chat Room | A virtual area/room where people can share their ideas and talk in real time to an individual or group - usually text based. | ||
| Chipset | See processor | ||
| Compact Disk | CD | Also called an optical disk, is a flat, round,portable,storage medium. 4.75 inches in diameter and less then 1/20 inches thick. Most computers are capable of reading a CD, some can write to a CD. Storage size usually 650 MB of data. | |
| Digital Video Disk | DVD | A very high capacity used for storage (text, graphics, video and other data). Same physical size as a CD but can store 4.7 GB-17 GB of media. | |
| Download | To copy a file from its main source located on a computer or the Internet, to a local computer. The opposite of upload. | ||
| Dual In-line Memory Module | DIMM | Type of memory, a small circuit board that holds memory chips. 64-bit path. You can install one DIMM at a time. | |
| Dynamic Random Access Memory | DRAM | a type of memory used in most personal computers | |
| Short for electronic-mail. The transmission of messages across the world through Internet gateways. Usually, it takes only seconds, possibly minutes for a message to arrive at its destination. | |||
| Extended Capabilities Port | ECP | A parallel-port standard for PCs that supports bi-directional communication between the PC and attached devices (such as a printer). ECP is about 10 times faster than the older Centronics standard. | |
| File extension | The letters at the end of a filename following a period. The file extension indicates the type of information that is stored in the file. DOS and Windows extensions are usually three letters in length, Macintosh extensions can be more than three letters, or completely left off. | ||
| Freeware | Copyrighted software that the owner allows users to use for free. Many freeware programs can be found on the Internet. | ||
| Gigabyte | GB or G | Equals approximately one billion memory locations | |
| Graphical User Interface | GUI | Provides visual cues such as icons to help the user access other programs on the computer. GUI's are used instead of using command languages - text based commands. Microsoft Windows is and example of a popular GUI. | |
| Graphical User Interface | GUI | Provides visual cues such as icons to help the user access other programs on the computer. GUI's are used instead of using command languages - text based commands. Microsoft Windows is and example of a popular GUI. | |
| Hyper Text Markup Language | HTML | T he language used to create documents for the World Wide Web. The basic structure of HTML is sets of tags that surround all of the information that is conveyed on the webpage. | |
| Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers | IEEE | IEEE is an organization composed of engineers, scientists, and students. The IEEE is best known for developing standards for the computer and electronics industry. | |
| Integrated Development Environment | IDE | a programming environment integrated into a software application that provides a GUI builder, a text or code editor, a compiler and/or interpreter and debugger. Dream Weaver, Visual Studio, Delphi, and Jbuilder are examples. | |
| Interlaced | In regards to monitors and video standards: interlacing techniques improve resolution but it also increases screen flicker and reduces reaction time. | ||
| Internet | A global network that connects millions of computers for the exchange of data, news, opinions. | ||
| Internet Connecting Sharing | ICS | a method for connecting multiple computers in a LAN to the Internet through a single connection and a single IP address. Sharing an Internet connection can be achieved through either software or hardware solutions. | |
| Internet Service Provider | ISP | A company that provides you with access to the Internet for a fee. These are the companies that run your dial-up modem, cable modem, DSL, or ISDN service. | |
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| keyboard | Input device that contains keys you press to enter data into computer. A desktop keyboard has 101 to 105 keys, notebook keyboards have fewer keys. Shown: notebook keyboard. | ||
| Kilobyte | KB or K | Equals approximately 1000 memory locations | |
| Liquid Crystal Display | LCD | LCD technology- the surface of the screen is composed of individual picture elements called pixels. A screen set to a resolution of 800 x 600 pixels has a total of 480,000 pixels. Each pixel can be illuminated to form parts of a character or graphic shape | |
| Lithium-Ion | Li-Ion | A type of a battery composed of Lithium, the lightest metal and the metal that has the highest electrochemical potential. Lithium-Ion batteries have no memory effect and do not use poisonous metals, such as lead, mercury or cadmium. Great for portables. | |
| Local Area Network | LAN | A network that connects computers in a limited geographic area, such as a school, group of buildings, home or office | |
| Megabyte | MB or M | Equals approximately one million memory locations. One megabyte can hold approximately 500 pages of text information. | |
| Megahertz | MHz | One MHz represents one million cycles per second. The speed of microprocessors, called the clock speed, is measured in megahertz. For example, a microprocessor that runs at 200 MHz executes 200 million cycles per second. | |
| Motherboard | Main Circuit Board holds or everything connects to and includes Expansion slots to add more options. | ||
| Mouse | Pointing device that fits in the palm of your hand. Used to control the movement of the pointer on the computer screen. A mouse has one to five buttons used to make selections from the screen, flat bottom with mechanism to detect movement. | ||
| Multitasking | The ability to execute more than one task at the same time, a task being a program. One CPU, switches from one program to another so quickly that it gives the appearance of executing all of the programs at the same time. | ||
| Network | A group of two or more computer systems linked together. There are many types of omputer networks, including: WANs, LANs, CANs, MANs, HANs. Connecting two or more computers together with the ability to communicate with each other. | ||
| Non-Interlaced | In regards to monitors and videos standards: do not use interlacing techniquest to improve resoluton. Non-interlaced has a decrease in screen flicker and increase reaction time. | ||
| Operating System | OS | The most important program that runs on a computer, must have to run other programs. Recognizes input from keyboard, mouse, sends output to the display screen, keeps track of files and directories on the disk, and controlling peripheral devices. | |
| Printer | Device used to print processed information including text and graphics. Two types of printers include impact printer (dot-matrix) and non-impact printer (ink-jet and laser) | ||
| Random Access Memory | RAM | Also known as Memory- electronic component that stores any data to be processed. Data includes numbers, letters of the alphabet, graphics, and sound. Usually measured in kilobytes and megabytes. | |
| Shareware | Copyrighted software in which the author allows you to try the software out on the basis of an honor system and asks only that you pay a small fee if you wish to continue to use the software. | ||
| Super Video Graphics Array | SVGA | a graphics display system for PCs developed by IBM. VGA has become the de facto standards for PCs. VGA uses analog signals rather than digital signals. The SVGA standards are developed by a consortium of monitor and graphics manufacturers called VESA. | |
| Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory | SDRAM | a type of memory that runs faster than conventional memory. | |
| Sysedit | Utility that enables a user to edit important files such as the sytem.ini, win.ini, autoexec.bat and config.sys. Included in earlier versions of Windows. Changed to msconfig in Windows 98. | ||
| System Administrator | sysadmin | An individual responsible for maintaining a multi-user computer system, including a local-area network (LAN). Typical duties include: adding and configuring new workstations, setting up user accounts, installing system-wide software, etc… | |
| System software | Refers to the operating system and all utility programs that manage computer resources at a low level. Systems software includes compilers, loaders, linkers, and debuggers. | ||
| Thin film transistor | TFT | Also known as active matrix, a technology used in the flat panel LCD notebook computers,displays provide a more responsive image at a wider range of viewing angle than dual scan (passive matrix) displays. (Do not have to be directly in front of display.) | |
| Unified Memory Architecture | UMA | A computer that has graphics chips built into the motherboard that use part of the computer's main memory for video memory. | |
| Universal Serial Bus | USB | An external bus standard that supports data transfer rates of 12 Mbps. A single USB port can be used to connect up to 127 peripheral devices, such as mice, modems, and keyboards. USB also supports Plug-and-Play installation and hot plugging. | |
| Upload | To transmit files or data from your computer up onto the Internet or another computer. For example, to submit an assignment in the drop box of WebCT, you must first upload the file from your computer. | ||
| Virus | A program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes. Viruses can also replicate themselves. All computer viruses are manmade and can be very damaging to computers and networks. | ||
| Wizard | A utility within an application that helps you use the application to perform a particular task. For example, a "letter wizard" within a word processing application would lead you through the steps of producing different types of correspondence. | ||
| Worms | A worm is a special type of virus that can replicate it self and use memory, but cannot attach itself to other programs. | ||
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