| access
time |
|
The
performance of a hard drive or other storage device how long it takes to
locate a file. |
|
| active
program or window |
|
The
application or window at the front (foreground) on the monitor. |
|
| alert
(alert box) |
|
a
message that appears on screen, usually to tell you something went wrong. |
|
| application |
|
a
program in which you do your work. |
|
| ASCII
(pronounced ask key ) |
|
American
Standard Code for Information Interchange. |
|
| background |
|
part
of the multitasking capability. A program can run and perform tasks in
the background while another program is being used in the foreground. |
|
| bit |
|
the
smallest piece of information used by the computer. Derived from "binary
digit". In computer language, either a one (1) or a zero (0). |
|
| backup |
|
a
copy of a file or disk you make for archiving or long term storage purposes. |
|
| boot |
|
to
start up a computer, to “lift it up by it’s bootstraps”. |
|
| bug |
|
a
programming error or flawthat causes
a program to behave in an unexpected way. |
|
| bus |
|
an
electronic pathway through which data is transmitted between components
in a computer. |
|
| byte |
|
a
piece of computer informationmade
up of eight bits. (See BIT) |
|
| card |
|
a
printed circuit board that adds some feature to a computer. |
|
| CD
ROM |
|
an
acronym for Compact Disc Read Only Memory. |
|
| Clipboard |
|
A
portion of memory where the PC temporarily stores information. Called a
Copy Buffer in many PC applications because it is used to hold information
which is to be moved, as in word processing where text is "cut" and then
"pasted". |
|
| Clock
Rate (MHz) |
|
The
instruction processing speed of a computer measured in millions of cycles
per second (i.e., 200 MHz). |
|
| command |
|
the
act of giving an instruction to your PC either by menu choice or keystroke. |
|
| compiler |
|
a
program the converts programming code into a form that can be used by a
computer. |
|
| compression |
|
a
technique that reduces the size of a saved file by elimination or encoding
redundancies (i.e., JPEG, MPEG, LZW, etc.) |
|
| control
key |
|
A
key used for certain keyboard or program functions. |
|
| control
panel |
|
a
program that allows you to change settings in a program or change the way
a PC looks and/or behaves. |
|
| CPU |
|
the
Central Processing Unit. The processing chip that is the "brains" of a
computer. |
|
| crash |
|
a
system malfunction in which the computer stops working and has to be restarted. |
|
| cursor |
|
The
pointer, usually arrow or cross shaped, which is controlled by the mouse. |
|
| database |
|
an
electronic list of information that can be sorted and/or searched. |
|
| data |
|
(the
plural of datum) information processed by a computer. |
|
| defragment |
|
(also
optimize) to concatenate fragments of data into contiguous blocks in memory
or on a hard drive. |
|
| desktop |
|
1.
the finder. 2. the shaded or colored backdrop of the screen. |
|
| dialog
box |
|
an
on screen message box that appears when the PC requires additional information
before completing a command. |
|
| digitize |
|
to
convert linear, or analog, data into digital data which can be used by
the computer. |
|
| disk |
|
a
spinning platter made of magnetic or optically etched material on which
data can be stored. |
|
| document |
|
a
file you create, as opposed to the application which created it. |
|
| DOS |
|
acronym
for Disk Operating System used in IBM PCs. |
|
| DPI |
|
acronym
for Dots Per Inch a gauge of visual clarity on the printed page or on the
computer screen. |
|
| download |
|
to
transfer data from one computer to another. (If you are on the receiving
end, you are downloading. If you are on the sending end, you are uploading
). |
|
| drag |
|
to
move the mouse while its button is being depressed. |
|
| drag
and drop |
|
a
feature on the PC which allows one to drag the icon for a document on top
of the icon for an application, thereby launching the application and opening
the document. |
|
| driver |
|
a
file on a computer which tells it how to communicate with an add on piece
of equipment (like a printer). |
|
| Ethernet |
|
a
protocol or language for fast communication and file transfer across a
network. |
|
| extension |
|
the
3 characters after the “.” (dot) in a file name. |
|
| file |
|
the
generic word for an application, document, control panel or other computer
data. |
|
| floppy |
|
a
3.5 inch square rigid disk which holds data. (so named for the earlier
5.25 and 8 inch disks that were flexible). |
|
| folder |
|
an
electronic subdirectory which contains files. |
|
| font |
|
a
typeface that contains the characters of an alphabet or some other letterforms. |
|
| footprint |
|
The
surface area of a desk or table which is occupied by a piece of equipment. |
|
| fragmentation |
|
The
breaking up of a file into many separate locations in memory or on a disk. |
|
| freeze |
|
a
system error which causes the cursor to lock in place or the computer to
stop working. |
|
| gig |
|
a
gigabyte = 1024 megabytes. |
|
| hard
drive |
|
a
large capacity storage device made of multiple disks housed in a rigid
case. |
|
| head
crash |
|
a
hard disk crash caused by the heads coming in contact with the spinning
disk(s). |
|
| high
density disk |
|
a
1.4 MB floppy disk. |
|
| highlight |
|
to
select by clicking once on an icon or by highlighting text in a document. |
|
| icon |
|
a
graphic symbol for an application, file or folder. |
|
| insertion
point |
|
in
word processing, the short flashing marker which indicates where your next
typing will begin. |
|
| installer |
|
software
used to install a program on your hard drive. |
|
| K |
|
short
for kilobyte. |
|
| keyboard
shortcut |
|
a
combination of keystrokes that performs some function otherwise found in
a pulldown menu. |
|
| kilobyte |
|
1024
bytes. |
|
| landscape |
|
in
printing from a computer, to print sideways on the page. |
|
| launch |
|
start
an application. |
|
| Measurements
(summary) |
|
|
|
| *a
bit |
|
=
one binary digit (1 or 0) "bit" is derived from binary digit,
8 bits = one byte |
|
| *1024
bytes |
|
=
one kilobyte |
|
| *K |
|
=
kilobyte |
|
| *Kb |
|
=
kilobit |
|
| *MB |
|
=
megabyte |
|
| *Mb |
|
=
megabit |
|
| *MB/s |
|
=
megabytes per second |
|
| *Mb/s |
|
=
megabits per second |
|
| *bps |
|
=
bits per second |
|
| MB |
|
short
for megabyte. |
|
| megabyte |
|
1024
kilobytes. |
|
| memory |
|
the
temporary holding area where data is stored while it is being used or changed;
the amount of RAM a computer has installed. |
|
| menu |
|
a
list of program commands listed by topic. |
|
| menu
bar |
|
the
horizontal bar across the top of the PC¹s screen that lists the menus. |
|
| multi
tasking |
|
running
more than one application in memory at the same time. |
|
| nanosecond |
|
one
billionth of a second. |
|
| operating
system |
|
the
system software that controls the computer. |
|
| optical
disk |
|
a
high capacity storage medium that is read by a laser light. |
|
| partition |
|
a
subdivision of a hard drives surface that is defined and used as a separate
drive. |
|
| paste |
|
to
insert text, or other material, from the clipboard or copy buffer. |
|
| PC |
|
acronym
for personal computer, commonly used to refer to an IBM or IBM clone computer
which uses DOS. |
|
| peripheral |
|
an
add on component to your computer. |
|
| pop
up menu |
|
any
menu that does not appear at the top of the screen in the menu bar. (may
pop up or down) |
|
| port |
|
a
connection socket, or jack on the PC. |
|
| print
spooler |
|
a
program that stores documents to be printed on the hard drive, thereby
freeing the memory up and allowing other functions to be performed while
printing goes on in the background. |
|
| RAM |
|
acronym
for Random Access Memory. |
|
| reset
switch |
|
a
switch on the PC that restarts the computer in the event of a crash or
freeze. |
|
| resize
box |
|
the
small square at the lower right corner of a window which, when dragged,
resizes the window. |
|
| ROM |
|
acronym
for Read Only Memory; memory that can only be read from and not written
to. |
|
| root
directory |
|
the
main hard drive window. |
|
| save |
|
to
write a file onto a disk. |
|
| save
as |
|
(a
File menu item) to save a previously saved file in a new location and/or
with a new name. |
|
| scroll |
|
to
shift the contents of a window to bring hidden items into view. |
|
| scroll
bar |
|
a
bar at the bottom or right side of a window that contains the scroll box
and allows scrolling. |
|
| scroll
box |
|
the
box in a scroll bar that is used to navigate through a window. |
|
| serial
port |
|
a
port that allows data to be transmitted in a series (one after the other),
such as the printer and modem ports on a PC. |
|
| server |
|
a
central computer dedicated to sending and receiving data from other computers
(on a network). |
|
| shut
down |
|
the
command from the Start menu that shuts down the PC safely. |
|
| software |
|
files
on disk that contain instructions for a computer. |
|
| spreadsheet |
|
a
program designed to look like an electronic ledger. |
|
| start
up disk |
|
the
disk containing system software and is designated to be used to start the
computer. |
|
| surge
suppressor |
|
a
power strip that has circuits designed to reduce the effects of surge in
electrical power. (not the same as a UPS) |
|
| System
file |
|
a
file in the System folder that allows your PC to start and run. |
|
| System
folder |
|
an
all important folder that contains the System files |
|
| title
bar |
|
the
horizontal bar at the top of a window which has the name of the file or
folder it represents. |
|
| upload |
|
to
send a file from one computer to another through a network. |
|
| Uninterruptible
Power Source (UPS) |
|
a
constantly charging battery pack which powers the computer. A UPS should
have enough charge to power your computer for several minutes in the event
of a total power failure, giving you time to save your work and safely
shut down. |
|
| virtual
memory |
|
using
part of your hard drive as though it were "RAM". |