Linux
A UNIX.-like, open-source operating system developed primarily by Linus Torvalds. Linux is free and runs on many platforms, including both PCs and Macintoshes. Linux is an open-source operating system, meaning that the source code of the operating system is freely available to the public. Programmers may redistribute and modify the code, as long as they don't collect royalties on their work or deny access to their code. Since development is not restricted to a single corporation more programmers can debug and improve the source code faster.
Laptop and notebook
Small, lightweight, portable battery-powered computers that can fit onto your lap. They each have a thin, flat, liquid crystal display screen.
Macro
A script that operates a series of commands to perform a function. It is set up to automate repetitive tasks.
Mac OS
An operating system with a graphical user interface, developed by Apple. for Macintosh. computers. Current System .X.1. (10) combines the traditional Mac interface with a strong underlying UNIX. operating system for increased performance and stability.
Megabyte (MB)
Equal to 1,048,576 bytes, usually rounded off to one million bytes (also called a .meg.).
Memory
Temporary storage for information, including applications and documents. The information must be stored to a permanent device, such as a hard disc or CD-ROM before the power is turned off, or the information will be lost. Computer memory is measured in terms of the amount of information it can store, commonly in megabytes or gigabytes.
Menu
A context-related list of options that users can choose from.
Menu bar
The horizontal strip across the top of an application's window. Each word on the strip has a context sensitive drop-down menu containing features and actions that are available for the application in use.
Merge
To combine two or more files into a single file.
MHz
An abbreviation for Megahertz, or one million hertz. One MHz represents one million clock cycles per second and is the measure of a computer microprocessor's speed. For example, a microprocessor that runs at 300 MHz executes 300 million cycles per second. Each instruction a computer receives takes a fixed number of clock cycles to carry out, therefore the more cycles a computer can execute per second, the faster its programs run. Megahertz is also a unit of measure for bandwidth.
Microprocessor
A complete central processing unit (CPU) contained on a single silicon chip.
Minimize
A term used in a GUI operating system that uses windows. It refers to reducing a window to an icon, or a label at the bottom of the screen, allowing another window to be viewed.
Modem
A device that connects two computers together over a telephone or cable line by converting the computer's data into an audio signal. Modem is a contraction for the process it performs: modulate-demodulate.
Monitor
A video display terminal.
Mouse
A small hand-held device, similar to a trackball, used to control the position of the cursor on the video display; movements of the mouse on a desktop correspond to movements of the cursor on the screen.
MP3
Compact audio and video file format. The small size of the files makes them easy to download and e-mail. Format used in portable playback devices.
Multimedia
Software programs that combine text and graphics with sound, video, and animation. A multimedia PC contains the hardware to support these capabilities.
MS-DOS
An early operating system developed by Microsoft Corporation (Microsoft Disc Operating System).
Network
A system of interconnected computers.
Open source
Computer programs whose original source code was revealed to the general public so that it could be developed openly. Software licensed as open source can be freely changed or adapted to new uses, meaning that the source code of the operating system is freely available to the public. Programmers may redistribute and modify the code, as long as they don't collect royalties on their work or deny access to their code. Since development is not restricted to a single corporation more programmers can debug and improve the source code faster.
Operating system
A set of instructions that tell a computer on how to operate when it is turned on. It sets up a filing system to store files and tells the computer how to display information on a video display. Most PC operating systems are DOS (disc operated system) systems, meaning the instructions are stored on a disc (as opposed to being originally stored in the microprocessors of the computer). Other well-known operating systems include UNIX, Linux, Macintosh, and Windows.
Output
Data that come out of a computer device. For example, information displayed on the monitor, sound from the speakers, and information printed to paper.
Palm
A hand-held computer.
PC
Personal computer. Generally refers to computers running Windows with a Pentium processor.
PC board
Printed Circuit board. A board printed or etched with a circuit and processors. Power supplies, information storage devices, or changers are attached.
PDA
Personal Digital Assistant. A hand-held computer that can store daily appointments, phone numbers, addresses, and other important information. Most PDAs link to a desktop or laptop computer to download or upload information.
PDF
Portable Document Format. A format presented by Adobe Acrobat that allows documents to be shared over a variety of operating systems. Documents can contain words and pictures and be formatted to have electronic links to other parts of the document or to places on the web.
Pentium chip
Intel's fifth generation of sophisticated high-speed microprocessors. Pentium means .the fifth element..
Peripheral
Any external device attached to a computer to enhance operation. Examples include external hard drive, scanner, printer, speakers, keyboard, mouse, trackball, stylus and tablet, and joystick.
Personal computer (PC)
A single-user computer containing a central processing unit (CPU) and one or more memory circuits.
Petabyte
A measure of memory or storage capacity and is approximately a thousand terabytes.
Petaflop
A theoretical measure of a computer's speed and can be expressed as a thousand-trillion floating-point operations per second.
Platform
The operating system, such as UNIX., Macintosh., Windows., on which a computer is based.
Plug and play
Computer hardware or peripherals that come set up with necessary software so that when attached to a computer, they are .recognized. by the computer and are ready to use.
Pop-up menu
A menu window that opens vertically or horizontally on-screen to display context-related options. Also called drop-down menu or pull-down menu.
Power PC
A competitor of the Pentium chip. It is a new generation of powerful sophisticated microprocessors produced from an Apple-IBM-Motorola alliance.
Printer
A mechanical device for printing a computer's output on paper. There are three major types of printers: Dot matrix: creates individual letters, made up of a series of tiny ink dots, by punching a ribbon with the ends of tiny wires. (This type of printer is most often used in industrial settings, such as direct mail for labeling.)
Ink jet: sprays tiny droplets of ink particles onto paper.
Laser: uses a beam of light to reproduce the image of each page using a magnetic charge that attracts dry toner that is transferred to paper and sealed with heat.
Program
A precise series of instructions written in a computer language that tells the computer what to do and how to do it. Programs are also called .software. or .applications.
Programming language
A series of instructions written by a programmer according to a given set of rules or conventions (.syntax.). High-level programming languages are independent of the device on which the application (or program) will eventually run; low-level languages are specific to each program or platform. Programming language instructions are converted into programs in language specific to a particular machine or operating system (.machine language.) so that the computer can interpret and carry out the instructions. Some common programming languages are BASIC, C, C++, dBASE, FORTRAN, and Perl.
Puck
An input device, like a mouse. It has a magnifying glass with crosshairs on the front of it that allows the operator to position it precisely when tracing a drawing for use with CAD-CAM software.
Pull-down menu
A menu window that opens vertically on-screen to display context-related options. Also called drop-down menu or pop-up menu.
Push technology
Internet tool that delivers specific information directly to a user's desktop, eliminating the need to surf for it. PointCast, which delivers news in user-defined categories, is a popular example of this technology.
QuickTime.
Audio-visual software that allows movie-delivery via the Internet and e-mail. QuickTime mages are viewed on a monitor.
RAID
Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks. A method of spreading information across several disks set up to act as a unit, using two different techniques:
Disk striping: storing a bit of information across several discs (instead of storing it all on one disc and hoping that the disc doesn't crash).
Disk mirroring: simultaneously storing a copy of information on another disc so that the information can be recovered if the main disc crashes.
RAM
Random Access Memory. One of two basic types of memory. Portions of programs are stored in RAM when the program is launched so that the program will run faster. Though a PC has a fixed amount of RAM, only portions of it will be accessed by the computer at any given time. Also called memory.
Right-click
Using the right mouse button to open context-sensitive drop-down menus.
ROM
Read-Only Memory. One of two basic types of memory. ROM contains only permanent information put there by the manufacturer. Information in ROM cannot be altered, nor can the memory be dynamically allocated by the computer or its operator.
Scanner
An electronic device that uses light-sensing equipment to scan paper images such as text, photos, and illustrations and translate the images into signals that the computer can then store, modify, or distribute.
Search engine
Software that makes it possible to look for and retrieve material on the Internet, particularly the Web. Some popular search engines are Alta Vista, Google, HotBot, Yahoo!, Web Crawler, and Lycos.
Server
A computer that shares its resources and information with other computers, called clients, on a network.
Shareware
Software created by people who are willing to sell it at low cost or no cost for the gratification of sharing. It may be freestanding software, or it may add functionality to existing software.
Software
Computer programs; also called .applications.
Spider
A process search engines use to investigate new pages on a web site and collect the information that needs to be put in their indices.
Spreadsheet
Software that allows one to calculate numbers in a format that is similar to pages in a conventional ledger.
Storage
Devices used to store massive amounts of information so that it can be readily retrieved. Devices include RAIDs, CD-ROMs, DVDs
Streaming
Taking packets of information (sound or visual) from the Internet and storing it in temporary files to allow it to play in continuous flow.
Stylus and tablet
A input device similar to a mouse. The stylus is pen shaped. It is used to .draw. on a tablet (like drawing on paper) and the tablet transfers the information to the computer. The tablet responds to pressure.the firmer the pressure used to draw, the thicker the line appears.
Surfing
Exploring the Internet.
Surge protector
A controller to protect the computer and make up for variances in voltage.
Telnet
A way to communicate with a remote computer over a network.
Trackball
Input device that controls the position of the cursor on the screen; the unit is mounted near the keyboard, and movement is controlled by moving a ball.
Terabytes (TB)
A thousand gigabytes.
Teraflop
A measure of a computer's speed. It can be expressed as a trillion floating-point operations per second.
Trojan Horse
See virus.
UNIX.
A very powerful operating system used as the basis of many high-end computer applications.
Upload
The process of transferring information from a computer to a web site (or other remote location on a network). v. To transfer information from a computer to a web site (or other remote location on a network).
URL
Uniform Resource Locator.
1. The protocol for identifying a document on the Web.
2. A Web address (e.g., www.tutorialspoint.com). A URL is unique to each user. See also domain.
UPS
Universal Power Supply or Uninterruptible Power Supply. An electrical power supply that includes a battery to provide enough power to a computer during an outage to back-up data and properly shut down.
USB
A multiple-socket USB connecter that allows several USB-compatible devices to be connected to a computer.
USENET
A large unmoderated and unedited bulletin board on the Internet that offers thousands of forums, called newsgroups. These range from newsgroups exchanging information on scientific advances to celebrity fan clubs.
User friendly
A program or device whose use is intuitive to people with a nontechnical background.
Video teleconferencing
A remote "face-to-face chat," when two or more people using a webcam and an Internet telephone connection chat online. The webcam enables both live voice and video.
Virtual reality (VR)
A technology that allows one to experience and interact with images in a simulated three-dimensional environment. For example, you could design a room in a house on your computer and actually feel that you are walking around in it even though it was never built. (The Holodeck in the science-fiction TV series Star Trek: Voyager would be the ultimate virtual reality.) Current technology requires the user to wear a special helmet, viewing goggles, gloves, and other equipment that transmits and receives information from the computer.
Virus
An unauthorized piece of computer code attached to a computer program or portions of a computer system that secretly copies itself from one computer to another by shared discs and over telephone and cable lines. It can destroy information stored on the computer, and in extreme cases, can destroy operability. Computers can be protected from viruses if the operator utilizes good virus prevention software and keeps the virus definitions up to date. Most viruses are not programmed to spread themselves. They have to be sent to another computer by e-mail, sharing, or applications. The worm is an exception, because it is programmed to replicate itself by sending copies to other computers listed in the e-mail address book in the computer. There are many kinds of viruses, for example:
Boot viruses place some of their code in the start-up disk sector to automatically execute when booting. Therefore, when an infected machine boots, the virus loads and runs.
File viruses attached to program files (files with the extension ..exe.). When you run the infected program, the virus code executes.
Macro viruses copy their macros to templates and/or other application document files.
Trojan Horse is a malicious, security-breaking program that is disguised as something benign such as a screen saver or game.
Worm launches an application that destroys information on your hard drive. It also sends a copy of the virus to everyone in the computer's e-mail address book.
WAV
A sound format (pronounced .wave.) used to reproduce sounds on a computer.
Webcam
A video camera/computer setup that takes live images and sends them to a Web browser.
Window
A portion of a computer display used in a graphical interface that enables users to select commands by pointing to illustrations or symbols with a mouse. "Windows" is also the name Microsoft adopted for its popular operating system.
World Wide Web ("WWW" or "the Web")
A network of servers on the Internet that use hypertext-linked databases and files. It was developed in 1989 by Tim Berners-Lee, a British computer scientist, and is now the primary platform of the Internet. The feature that distinguishes the Web from other Internet applications is its ability to display graphics in addition to text.
Word processor
A computer system or program for setting, editing, revising, correcting, storing, and printing text.
Worm
See virus.
WYSIWYG
What You See Is What You Get. When using most word processors, page layout programs (See desktop publishing), and web page design programs, words and images will be displayed on the monitor as they will look on the printed page or web page.
