|
80211a, 80211b, 80211g, 80211i |
Different standards for operating wireless networks
(Wi-Fi). Loosely the higher
the letter, the faster the speed. So far they are mostly incompatible
with each other. |
| 80286,
80386, 80486 (or 286, 386, 486) |
Three generations of PC processor,
now pretty much obsolete, the ancestors of the Pentium.
The 286 was the earliest processor able to run (just about)
a version of Windows, although the 386
was really the minimum to run it properly. The 486 was the earliest
processor able to run Windows 95 -
just about. Machines of this vintage cannot run modern versions
of Windows at all, but many are still in use as basic word-processors
or where a dedicated machine is required which doesn't need
to be powerful. |
|
ActiveX |
A powerful Windows technology which allows
programmers to do all kinds of good things with your computer.
Unfortunately it also allows hackers
do all kinds of bad things to your computer, particularly
via webpages in Internet Explorer, and
is safest switched off. (In Internet Explorer go to Tools/Internet
Options/Security and set the Security Zone slider for Internet
to High). A few websites won't display properly, but most bad
ones won't be able to hijack you. |
|
ADSL |
(Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) A method of connecting
a computer to the internet over an ordinary
phone line using ethernet office networking
technology instead of an ordinary modem,
which produces a much faster (broadband)
connection. Asymmetric because it is faster from internet to
PC than the other way (also true of a 56K modem). |
|
Adware |
Software which displays advertisements
on your computer. Sometimes installed
as part of a "free" application,
sometimes by stealth. See also Malware,
Spyware. |
|
AFAICS, AFAIK, AFAIR |
(As
Far As I Can See/Know/Recall) Internet
slang. |
|
AGP |
(Advanced
Graphics Port) A special slot on the PC motherboard
for graphics cards, and the format
of the cards themselves. Standard on new PCs from 1998. "AGP
x 2" runs at twice the speed of the original AGP. Now gradually
being supplanted by PCI Express. |
|
AI |
(Artificial
Intelligence) A program designed
to respond "intelligently" to various situations,
for example the computer opponent(s) in a game. |
|
AIUI |
(As
I Understand It) Internet slang. |
|
always-on |
An internet connection which remains
on 24/7 such as ADSL or
cable, rather than only
connecting on demand like a dialup. |
|
AMD |
AMD is a leading manufacturer of processor
chips for PCs, including the Athlon
and Duron chips. |
|
Antivirus |
Software which protects computers from
viruses and suchlike. Has to be updated
frequently to keep up with the latest threats, so is usually
sold with a subscription which enables you to download
updates from the internet. |
|
AOL |
(America
On Line) An Internet Service Provider,
or ISP. AOL were in business as a
large commercial bulletin board
before the internet really took off. Now they are an ISP
specialising in family-friendly internet access. |
|
Applet |
A small program used to carry out a particular
task, often on a web page. See Java. |
|
Application |
Software used to carry out a particular
task, such as word processing or desktop
publishing. Essentially another word for program. |
|
Architecture |
The basic design of a computer's hardware. Computers with different
architecture, such as the PC and the Mac, cannot run each others'
programs. |
|
ASCII |
(American
Standard Code for Information Interchange) An early and
very basic format for text files, standard
across pretty much all computers and mail systems. It only includes
upper and lower case letters, numbers, and standard punctuation
marks, but more sophisticated text formats still tend to be
based on it. An ASCII file is a basic text-only file generated
by a program like Notepad. |
|
ATAPI |
(ATtachment
PAcket Interface) An upgrade to EIDE
which allows the hard disk controller
to control CD drives as well. Almost all CD
drives are controlled this way. |
|
Athlon |
A PC processor - AMD, the other
leading chip manufacturer's equivalent to Intel's Pentium.
Like the Pentium, constantly being upgraded. You will often
see a number such as 2700 following the word Athlon, which is
a rough measure of the processor's speed - the higher the number,
the faster the chip. |
|
ATM |
(At
The Moment) Internet slang. |
|
Attachment |
A file sent by email
is "attached" to the email. An attachment can be a picture,
a word processor document, a program
or any other type of file. You should never open an attachment
if you are not sure what it is, because some viruses
propagate as email attachments; but they can't infect your machine
if you don't open the attachment. |
|
AUP |
(Acceptable
Use Policy) A document setting out what an Internet
Service Provider deems an acceptable use of their services,
usually published on their website. Typically it will forbid
the publication of obscene or defamatory material, and sending
email or newsgroup spam.
If you violate your ISP's AUP, they will
usually close your account down immediately. |
|
Autocorrect |
A feature in MS Word and other programs
which automatically corrects your spelling, and even your grammar,
as you type. Better switched off if you use obscure technical
terms, or prefer your own interpretation of the rules of grammar,
or else you are likely to find that it's "corrected"
your text to something you didn't intend. |
|
|
|
Backup, back up |
An extra copy of your work, eg documents, pictures etc, saved
onto a removable storage medium such
as CD, DVD or magnetic
tape, so that if your computer is stolen or breaks down you
don't lose everything. |
|
Backwards-compatible |
A program (or system) designed to work
with data generated by earlier versions of itself, even though
the format may since have changed completely. |
|
Bandwidth |
A measure of total amount of data transferred over a period
of time, often used to measure how busy a website is. A webhost
will usually base its charges on the bandwidth a website uses,
ie how much data per month is requested from it. |
|
beat-'em-up |
A computer game in which you control one or more characters
fighting onscreen using karate, kung-fu and so forth. Derives
from shoot-'em-up. |
|
BIOS |
(Basic
Input/Output System; pr. "by-oss") A program
built into every PC for setting up very basic things, like how
many hard and floppy disks you have
and what type they are; the first thing that loads when you
start your PC. You usually only need to access the BIOS if you
are upgrading your hardware, eg adding more RAM
or an extra disk drive, or setting
a power-on password. BIOS settings are stored in a special type
of memory called CMOS. |
|
Bit |
The smallest unit of information in a computer, can either equal
0 or 1. Eight bits equal one byte. |
|
Bitmap |
See bmp. |
|
blog |
(weBLOG)
A website documenting someone's life and/or thoughts. |
|
Bluetooth |
A wireless communication system for PCs and other computing
devices. However Bluetooth devices from different manufacturers
won't always communicate with each other reliably, so it hasn't
really taken off as the industry had hoped, and is now under
threat from faster wireless technologies (see Wi-Fi).
|
|
bmp |
(BitMaP)
A standard type of graphics file. An uncompressed
format, so the files tend to be fairly big. |
|
Boot, boot up |
Usually used to mean "start up the computer". Literally, the
process of loading up the operating
system and getting the computer ready for use. See Reboot.
A "boot password" is a password you have to give to
start up the computer. |
|
Boot disk |
A floppy disk which holds a copy of
the operating system, or enough
of it to start the computer, useful if the computer won't start
up properly from the hard disk. Because
modern operating systems are so large, these days it is often
a boot CD rather than a floppy. |
|
Bot |
(roBOT)
A semi-automated program, usually performing
a function on the internet such as indexing
webpages or sorting email. |
|
bps |
(Bits
Per Second) A measure of how quickly information is being
transferred, usually via a modem or network.
Divide by ten to get an approximation of the number of characters
per second (cps). See also Kbps,
Mbps. |
|
BRB |
(Be
Right Back) Internet slang. |
|
Broadband |
Internet access over a connection much
faster than an ordinary modem, such as
ADSL or cable. |
|
Browser |
A program used for viewing World
Wide Web pages on the Internet.
The most widely used is Microsoft's Internet Explorer, because
it is built-in to Windows. |
|
BTW |
(By
The Way) Internet slang. |
|
Buffer |
A temporary storage area for data, often
used to "smooth out" incoming audio or video streams. Several
seconds worth of material is stored in the buffer and it is
then played back from there, so that if there is a brief interruption
in the stream your music or video doesn't stop. |
|
Bug |
Error, especially in a program, that
has been missed in testing. The story goes that the original
bug was an insect that got itself cremated inside an electrical
circuit in an early computer, causing it to fail (and I don't
suppose the insect enjoyed it much, either). It took them ages
to figure out what was causing the problem, and when they eventually
found the bug the story passed into legend. |
|
Bulletin Board |
A semi-public area which computer users can connect to using
a modem, to read and post messages and/or
exchange files. Now largely replaced by
websites. |
| Burn |
Create
a CD or DVD. |
|
Byte |
A basic unit of measurement for pieces of information; the space
required to store one character. See also Bit,
Kilobyte, Megabyte,
Gigabyte, Terabyte. |
|
|
|
Cable |
An always-on high speed internet connection
similar to ADSL but capable
of higher speeds, which uses cable TV technology instead of
a phoneline. |
|
Cache |
A temporary storage area for frequently
or recently used data, either in memory,
on your hard disk or the internet.
For example, if you go back to a webpage you have recently visited,
your PC will usually be able to display it from the internet
cache on your hard disk, so it won't need to download
it from the internet again. |
|
CAD |
(Computer
Aided Design) Software used
to produce complex technical drawings by designers and engineers. |
|
CCD |
(Charge
Coupled Device) The component of a scanner
or digital camera which actually takes the pictures. The quality
of image it is capable of is usually measured in Megapixels
- the higher the number, the more detailed the image. |
| CD
Burner |
A
CD drive that can create ("burn")
CDs. |
|
CD-ROM,
CD-R |
(Compact
Disk-Read Only Memory) A misnomer,
as strictly speaking it is not memory but storage.
Identical to standard music CDs. Currently the most popular
medium for releasing programs on, as
it can hold literally hundreds of times as much information
as a standard floppy disk, about 650
Megabytes in total. Once a CD-ROM has
been created its contents cannot be changed. Now starting to
be replaced by DVD. |
|
CD-RW |
(Compact
Disk-ReWriter) A CD drive which can create CDs, either audio
or data, using special rewriteable CDs which are also often
called CD-RWs. A CD-RW drive can also create ordinary CDs, though
not rewrite them. |
|
Celeron |
A PC processor - Intel's budget chip,
cheaper than the Pentium, but
also less powerful. |
|
Character |
A letter of the alphabet, number, space or punctuation mark
is a character. |
|
Chatroom |
A website where you can meet and chat live (via the keyboard)
with other internet users. Most such
websites have multiple "rooms", each dedicated to
a particular topic or theme. |
|
Chip |
A silicon wafer with millions of tiny circuits engraved on it
- what computers are made of.. |
|
Clipboard |
A temporary storage area in Windows.
When you cut (Ctrl-X) or copy (Ctrl-C) highlighted text, documents
or whatever in Windows they are sent to the clipboard; when
you paste (Ctrl-V) they are copied from the clipboard to the
cursor position. Sending something to the clipboard automatically
overwrites its previous contents. |
|
Cluster |
Data stored on a disk is spread across a number of clusters,
small physical areas on the disk. How big they are depends on
the way the disk is formatted - generally a few kilobytes
each. |
|
CMOS |
(Complementary
Metal Oxide Semiconductor; pr. "see-moss") A special type
of memory which retains its data when
the PC is switched off, used to store settings for things like
what type of hard disk you have, and
how much memory. The settings are accessed via the BIOS. |
|
CMYK |
(Cyan,
Magenta, Yellow, Keystone black ) The standard four colours
used by most printers - almost any colour can be created out
of these. See also RGB. |
|
codec |
(COmpressor/DECompressor)
A small piece of computer code that tells the computer how to
decode particular types of information, usually video files.
If your video player won't play a particular format, you can
usually download and install a codec
which will tell it how from the internet. |
|
Compatible |
Compatible pieces of equipment can work together; incompatible
ones can't. |
|
Compression |
A way of making files smaller, either to
fit into restricted storage space or
to speed up transmission over the Internet.
Popular compression standards include JPEG
and GIF for pictures, MP3
for music files, and zip for just
about everything else. |
|
Console |
Nowadays usually refers to a dedicated gaming computer such
as the Playstation or X-Box. Originally meant a terminal connected
to a mainframe computer. |
|
Cookie |
A small data file stored on your computer
by a website, in theory to allow it to "remember" your preferences,
but in practise mostly used to track which adverts you have
seen. You can set most browsers to reject
all cookies, or to ask your permission before storing them,
but this can generate multiple error messages on some websites
and is generally more hassle than it's worth - they are pretty
harmless. |
|
CPS |
(Characters
Per Second) A measure of how quickly information, particularly
text, is being transferred over a modem
link or network. See also bps. |
|
CPU |
(Central
Processing Unit) The nerve centre of the computer : everything
flows through it. Often just called "the processor".
The best known PC processors are Intel's Pentium
and AMD's Athlon. |
|
Crack, cracked |
A crack is a small program intended to
defeat software's copy protection, thus
allowing unlicensed copies to be made - stealing it, in effect.
Software that is distributed with its copy protection disabled
or bypassed has been "cracked". |
|
Crash |
When a computer program or operating
system stops working completely or almost completely it
(or the computer) is said to have "crashed". When a computer
crashes it usually needs to be rebooted
before it can be used again. See also lockup. |
|
Crawler |
A program that indexes pages on the World
Wide Web for search engines. |
|
CRT |
(Cathode
Ray Tube) The imaging technology used in most desktop
monitors. Provides an excellent colour display, but is extremely
bulky and is now being gradually supplanted by TFT. |
|
CSS |
(Cascading
Style Sheets) A set of HTML commands
used to control the style of web pages, much more complex than
the <FONT> tag-set it is intended to replace, but also
more powerful and particularly useful for retaining a uniform
style across a large website. Generally only used by professional
web designers. |
|
|
|
Data |
Any information created by a user, such as documents, pictures
or sound recordings. |
|
Database |
A program used for organising
any kind of information on a computer into a searchable form,
anything from a list of contacts to a complex stock control
and accounts system. |
|
DDR |
(Double
Data Rate) A fast type of RAM
for a PC, originally only used on high performance graphics
cards but now being used for general memory
in most high-end PCs. DDR2 is a yet faster version. |
|
Default |
A default setting is one you haven't changed - what a program
will do (or use) if you don’t tell it any different. "Accept
the defaults" means leave any settings as they are. |
|
Desktop |
A computer designed to sit on a desk (as opposed to a laptop).
In Windows, it also
means the screen you see when you aren't running any programs,
with "My Computer", the Recycle Bin and so on. |
|
Digital |
Literally "to do with numbers". Often used to describe a device
using computer technology to replace older, traditional technologies.
For example, a digital camera is one that stores images electronically
rather than on chemical film. |
|
DIMM |
(Dual
In-line Memory Module; pr. "dim")
A module of RAM (memory) for a PC,
replacing the older SIMM specification. |
|
Directory |
An area on a disk for storing files, particularly
in DOS. Usually called a folder
in Windows. |
|
Disk |
Generic term for a type of storage device,
such as a hard disk or a floppy
disk (diskette). So called
because the important part, where the information is actually
stored, is circular, although you can't see it because it is
hidden away inside a protective shell. |
| Disk
Drive |
A
device for storing information. See also; hard
disk, floppy disk |
|
Diskette |
Also
known as a floppy disk. Called a diskette
because it was smaller than the original huge floppy
disks, now long obsolete. |
|
DNS |
(Domain
Name Service/System) An internet
service that converts a human web address such as www.jonstorm.com
into the numeric address that computers use, called the IP
address. "Can't resolve DNS" usually
means that this conversion has failed and therefore the website
can't be found. |
|
Domain |
An internet address owned by a company,
organisation or individual, such as mikegold.info, itv.com or
bbc.co.uk. |
|
Dongle |
A small hardware device used for copy protection with some software.
The dongle must be plugged in to a port on the computer, often
the printer port, or the software won't function. They are unpopular
with users because if the dongle gets lost or broken, the software
won't function. |
|
DOS |
(Disk
Operating System; pr. "doss")
Usually refers to MS-DOS, which was the standard operating system
for PCs until Windows 95 came
out, now pretty much obsolete. Controlled by typing in text
commands and has several serious limitations, but requires a
much less powerful computer than Windows 95. |
|
DoS |
(Denial
of Service) A form of attack on (usually) an internet
service, which aims to prevent the service from operating properly,
often by bombarding it with more information than it can process.
See also Mailbomb. |
|
Download |
To transfer information (files) from a network
(such as the Internet) onto a user PC.
See also upload. |
|
dpi |
(Dots
Per Inch) A measure of picture quality, often used to measure
printer capabilities. The higher the number, the better
the quality. |
|
Driver |
A small program used by the operating
system to control hardware such as a sound or video card.
Often downloading the latest driver
for a device from the manufacturer's website will improve its
functionality. |
| Duron |
Advanced
Micro Devices (AMD) launched its Duron chip in an attempt to
take back market share in the budget-PC market. |
| DVD |
(Digital
Versatile Disk) A more advanced version of the standard
CD which can hold far more information, now
standard on most new PCs. Widely used for high-quality digital
movies. DVD drives can usually also read ordinary CDs. |
|
DVD RW, DVD Writer |
(Digital
Versatile Disk ReWriter) A DVD
drive that can create ("write") rewriteable DVDs.
There are several competing formats at the moment, but most
recent drives support more than one format. It is likely that
one of these formats will become standard in time, but at the
moment it is not clear which. To add to the confusion, they
tend to have very similar names : for example DVD+RW and DVD-RW
are completely different formats, and incompatible with each
other. |
|
DVI |
(Direct
Video Interface) A special type of connector for computer
monitors, particularly flat panels. |
|
|
|
E-commerce |
Conducting business over the internet,
and particularly the World Wide Web. |
|
EIDE |
(Enhanced
Integrated Drive Electronics) An extremely popular hard
disk format. As its name implies, an upgraded version
of IDE. |
|
EISA |
(Extended
Industry Standard Architecture; pr. "ee-icer") An upgraded
version of ISA, now obsolete; usually
used with reference to expansion cards. |
|
Email (or e-mail) |
(Electronic
mail ; pr. "ee-mail") A way to send messages between computers,
or more to the point their users, either over a network
or the Internet. E-mail is usually just
text. Although it is possible to send pictures, sounds or even
programs as e-mail, you should check
with the person you are sending to first, as some e-mail systems
don't accept messages over a certain size (even the longest
text message is tiny compared to a picture). |
|
Emoticon |
(EMOTion
ICON) A group of symbols used to indicate
emotions in email or newsgroups.
The most popular is the smiley
:-) or :) (look at it sideways), but there are lots of variations
including the sad face :-( , the wink ;-) , and the astonished
face :-0 . |
|
Encrypt, encryption |
Coding data so that it can't be read by hackers
etc when transmitted over the internet.
For example, any reputable website selling goods by credit card
will encrypt your credit card number and personal details. |
|
Ethernet |
The most popular system used to connect a computer to a network,
including most broadband internet
connections. The computer needs to be fitted with a suitable
expansion card, usually
called an Ethernet card. |
|
Excel |
The most popular spreadsheet
program for PCs, part of the Microsoft
Office suite. |
|
exe (or .exe) |
(EXEcutable; pr. "exie", "dot exie" ) A file
which is usually the main part of a program.
A program may consist of just an exe
file and nothing else, or there may be dozens of files, including
more exes. |
|
Expansion card (or board) |
A circuitboard which can be inserted into an expansion
slot on the PC's motherboard,
to give the PC extra capabilities. Common examples are sound
cards, graphics cards and network
cards. |
|
Expansion slot |
A socket on a PC motherboard into
which you can insert expansion cards
to increase the PC's capabilities. Most PCs have several PCI
slots, plus an AGP slot for a graphics
card. |
|
Extension |
The part of a PC filename after the dot (.), often used to tell
Windows what type of file
it is. For example, files ending in .exe are programs,
and files ending .jpg or .gif
are pictures. Note that Windows is sometimes set up not to display
the extension in Windows Explorer or My Computer, another helpful
idea to confuse beginners from our friends at Microsoft. |
|
|
|
FAQ |
(Frequently Asked Questions). A document on a website
or in a newsgroup which gives answers to common problems and
questions. Look for an FAQ if you have a problem with something,
before you email or phone support. |
|
FAT |
(File
Allocation Table; pr. "fat") A sort of index of where data
is stored on a hard disk, used by
the operating system. |
|
FDD |
(Fixed Disk Drive, Floppy
Disk Drive). The slot on the PC which accepts floppy
disks, almost always referred to as "Drive A:" by the
computer. |
|
File |
All information on a computer is stored in files, whether it
is part of a program, a document created
by a user, a picture, or anything else. Most software
is made up of dozens, sometimes hundreds, of different files. |
|
File server |
A type of computer used on networks
to provide files and other services to other
computers. Often just called a server. |
|
Filter |
A device which allows you to use an ordinary phone over a telephone
line set up for an ADSL internet
connection. Also called a micro-filter. |
|
Firefox |
An alternative browser,
available free from Mozilla,
which you can use instead of Internet
Explorer. Works pretty well. It has a number of useful extra
features, but perhaps the best is that it doesn't support Windows
ActiveX, thus preventing
rogue websites from using it to hijack your computer. |
|
Firewall |
Originally a dedicated computer between you and the internet,
preventing hackers, spammers and similar
undesirables from taking over your PC. Now often just a program
running on your PC, performing the same task. Absolutely essential
if you have an always-on internet connection such as ADSL
or cable. |
|
Firewire |
A standard for very fast data transfer, popular for applications
that use very large files, particularly
video editing. Requires special hardware, generally added to
a computer as an expansion card. |
|
Flame |
Internet slang for an email
or newsgroup post insulting or telling someone off. They range
from elegant rapier wit to obscene profanity. |
|
Flamewar |
A public trading of insults in a newsgroup
or forum. Sometimes flamewars get so out
of hand that there are hundreds of flames in the newsgroup and
almost nothing else. |
|
Floppy disk |
Also known as a diskette. Originally
called floppy disks because they were round and non-rigid, but
modern floppies might as well be called rigid squares, as the
actual floppy disk is enclosed inside a rigid, almost square
protective casing. Most programs used
to be released on floppy disks, but modern programs are so large
that they are now released on CD ROM instead.
Standard floppy disks have a capacity of only 1.44 Megabytes,
but a floppy drive is still standard on almost all PCs. |
|
FOAD |
(<bleep>
Off And Die) Internet slang. Pretty
self-explanatory really. |
|
Folder |
An area on a disk for storing files
in. Folders can also contain other folders, which in turn can
contain more folders, and so on almost to infinity. Also called
a directory, especially by people used to DOS. |
|
Forum |
A public or semi-public area on a website or bulletin
board where you can read and post messages on a particular
topic, allowing public debate. See also Usenet,
newsgroups. |
| FPS |
(First
Person Shooter) A computer game where you shoot things,
played from a first person perspective, ie with you standing
behind the gun(s). Also known as a shoot-'em-up. |
|
frag |
Shoot someone in a computer game. |
|
FTP |
(File Transfer Protocol).
A way of transferring files to or from an internet
server. Often how you upload
webpages to the internet. |
|
|
|
GB |
See Gigabyte. |
|
GHz |
Gigahertz - billions of cycles per second. Often used
as a measurement of a PC processor
chip's speed and power, with bigger numbers meaning a bit
more speed, and a higher price. 1000 MHz
= 1.0 GigaHertz. |
|
GIF |
(Graphics
Interchange Format) A popular type of compressed graphics
(picture) file, widely used on the WWW.
Best for artwork with 256 colours or less. See also jpg,
compression. |
|
Gigabyte (or Gig) |
Unit of measurement for pieces of information : approximately
1 billion bytes, 1 million kilobytes,
or 1000 megabytes. Hard
disk sizes are usually measured in gigabytes. Often shortened
to "GB", "Gig" or just G. |
|
GPF |
(General
Protection Fault) An common error message in early versions
of Windows, seen when a program
tried to do something Windows thought it shouldn't, often locking
up the PC. |
|
Graphics |
A catch-all term for anything involving drawing images on a
PC screen. A game with great graphics is one that is visually
spectacular. |
|
Graphics card (or controller) |
An expansion card which
the PC uses to control the monitor's graphics. Modern PCs have
a dedicated slot for graphics cards called AGP,
but you can also still get PCI format
cards. |
|
GUI |
(Graphical
User Interface; pr. "gooey") means that a program's
controls are represented pictorially, with symbols, buttons
and so forth, and mostly controlled by pointing and clicking
with a mouse rather than having to type
in text commands. Almost all modern software
is GUI controlled. (see also Windows,
WYSIWYG). |
|
|
| Hacker |
Person
who uses computers to access ("hack") systems they
are not supposed to have access to, eg other people's financial
details, personnel files, military secrets
etc. Hacking can get you arrested. |
|
HAND |
(Have
A Nice Day) Internet slang, often
used ironically. |
|
Hard disk |
A computer's main (and fastest and most convenient) storage
for programs and data. Originally named
to distinguish it from floppy disks.
All PCs are fitted with hard disks, sometimes more than one.
The first (or only) hard disk is usually called C: by the computer.
The most popular hard disk format is called EIDE. |
|
Hardware |
The physical parts of a computer. |
|
HD, HDD |
(Hard
Disk Drive) The main data storage
unit in a computer. See hard disk. |
|
Homepage |
A page on the World Wide Web. Confusingly
"homepage" is used indiscriminately to describe several slightly
different things : an amateur's hobby site; the front or main
page of any website; or the page which your browser
first goes to when you start it up. |
|
Hotspot |
A location where a computer can connect to a wireless network
(see Wi-Fi). |
|
HTH |
(Hope
This Helps) Internet slang, often
added at the end of an email or newsgroup
post answering a question. |
|
HTML |
(HyperText
Markup Language) The system used for creating World
Wide Web pages, ordinary text with commands for special
effects like pictures, colour and links enclosed between <
> symbols. You can add the various HTML commands to ordinary
text by hand - or have it generated for you by software,
either one of the many specialist editors or even a word processing
program like Microsoft Word (although
Word isn't very good at it). |
|
http |
(HyperText
Transfer Protocol) The protocol
or "language" computers use to send web pages over the internet.
Almost every WWW address starts "http://", though many browsers
understand if you omit it. |
| Hub |
A
basic device for connecting computers together to form a network. |
|
Hung |
If a computer (or sometimes just a program)
gets completely stuck and refuses to do anything, it has hung.
See also lockup. |
| Hyperlink |
Any
kind of link on a webpage. Unless you typed this page's URL
in by hand, you got here by clicking on a hyperlink. |
|
Hypertext |
A way of presenting text so that you can click on a link within
it, say a cross-reference, and instantly be transported to the
relevant text, whether it is elsewhere in the current document
or in another document entirely. The most obvious examples are
World Wide Web pages and Windows
helpfiles. |
|
|
|
IANAL |
(I
Am Not A Lawyer) Internet slang.
Amazing how often this one comes up. |
|
IBM |
(International
Business Machines) The company that designed and built the
first PCs, and still a giant of the industry. Standard PCs were
originally referred to as "IBM compatible", although IBM no
longer controls the PC standard. |
|
Icon |
Small pictogram either representing a file,
or providing shortcuts for carrying out common tasks such as
saving and printing inside an application. |
|
IDE |
(Integrated
Drive Electronics ) A type of PC hard
disk, now obsolete, the foreunner of EIDE. |
|
IE |
(Internet
Explorer) Microsoft's web browser,
included free in Windows. If followed
by a number (IE6, IE5 etc) it refers to a particular version
of that browser. |
|
IIRC |
(If
I Recall Correctly) Internet slang. |
|
IMO, IMHO |
(In
My (Honest) Opinion) Internet slang. |
|
Inkjet |
A very popular colour printer technology, which works by squirting
tiny jets of ink onto paper with great precision. |
|
Install |
To transfer a program or programs from
floppy disk or CD
ROM onto a PC's hard disk. Most
programs need to be installed before
they can be used, though a few can be run directly from the
floppy or CD. |
|
Intel |
The Intel Corporation is the leading manufacturer of processor
chips for PCs, most famously the Pentium. |
|
Internet |
A
vast worldwide network of computers,
accessible to anyone with a computer, a modem,
and a phone line. Provides access to e-mail and the World
Wide Web. The Internet grew out of the need of academics
to swap information with colleagues all over the world, and
of the US military's need for a computer and communications
network that couldn't easily be knocked out. As a result it
is very difficult to censor, since anything placed on the
World Wide Web from anywhere is instantly available everywhere
in the world.
|
|
Intranet |
A private miniature internet which allows
no or only limited access to the internet proper, for example
to allow easy sharing of confidential files within a company
or corporation. |
|
IP |
(Internet
Protocol ) A protocol
(computer language) which computers use to communicate with
and over the internet. |
|
IP address |
(Internet
Protocol address) A unique number
assigned to any computer connected to the internet, including
yours, in the format 255.255.255.255. Each of the four blocks
of numbers can be any value from 0 to 255. They can either be
assigned permanently ("static IP") or per session
("dynamic IP"). Most ISPs assign
them dynamically, ie when you connect to the internet. |
|
ISA |
(Industry
Standard Architecture; pr."icer") A once-common type of
PC expansion card, now obsolete;
see also EISA, PCI. |
|
ISDN
|
(Integrated
Services Digital Network ) An early
high speed (for its time) internet connection
system mainly aimed at business, now largely obsolete. Requires
a special type of modem called a
Terminal Adaptor. |
|
ISP |
(Internet
Service Provider) A company which provides a connection
to the internet, or internet services. |
|
ISTM |
(It
Seems To Me) Internet slang. |
|
ISTR |
(I
Seem To Recall) Internet slang. |
|
IT |
(Information
Technology) What computers are all about - using technology
to manage information. The computer industry is often called
the IT industry, and computer departments often refer to themselves
as the IT department. |
|
|
|
Java |
A programming language used to create small programs
called applets, often to produce special effects on web pages. |
|
Javascript |
A set of program instructions, vaguely
similar to Java but not actually
related, written straight into the HTML
of a webpage instead of as an applet. |
|
Joe job, joe-job |
Spam email
apparently promoting a website that actually has nothing to
do with it, intended to get the owner of the website in trouble.
|
|
JPEG, jpg |
(Joint
Picture [Experts] Group; pr. "jay-peg") A standard type
of compressed graphics file, widely used
on the WWW. Particularly good for photographs. See also compression. |
|
|
|
Killer app |
(Killer
application) A program
that is so obviously massively useful to someone that they will
rush out and buy it immediately, and a computer to run it on. |
|
Kbps |
(KiloBits
Per Second) A measure of speed of information flow, usually
over a modem. A Kilobit is a thousand bits.
See also bps, Mbps. |
|
Kilobyte |
Unit of measurement for pieces of information : actually 1024
Bytes (characters), but in practice almost
always rounded down to 1000. Often written as just K, eg 250
K is 250 Kilobytes (250,000 bytes/characters - well not exactly,
but close enough). See also Megabyte,
Gigabyte. |
|
|
|
LAN |
(Local
Area Network; pr."lan") A network
of computers connected together, usually in a single department
or building. See also WAN. |
|
Laptop |
A portable PC, with system unit, screen and keyboard crammed
into one small package. They can do pretty much everything a
desktop PC can do, but are substantially
more expensive because of the extra miniaturisation required.
Also called a notebook. |
|
Linux |
A rival PC operating system
to Microsoft Windows, but unlike Windows
it is "open source", which means that anyone can create their
own version of it without having to pay royalties, and requires
a much less powerful computer. Initially required a lot of technical
knowledge, but is rapidly being made much more user-friendly
and may soon start to challenge Windows' dominance. |
|
LMAO |
(Laughing
My Ass Off) Internet slang. |
|
Lockup, locked up |
An event which causes a computer to get stuck and refuse to
do anything is a lockup. The computer is then said to be hung
or locked up. |
|
LOL |
(Laughing
Out Loud) Internet slang. |
|
|
|
Mac, Macintosh |
The Apple Corporation's alternative to the PC, much loved by
its devotees but completely incompatible with PCs, though some
popular software is also released in
Mac format. |
|
Mac address |
The unique serial number of an Ethernet
card, required for connecting a PC to a network.
(Nothing to do with Apple Macs, despite the name). |
|
Macro |
A small program used to automate repetitive
or complex tasks. The Windows equivalent
is a wizard. |
|
Mailbomb |
One or more very large emails, sent to
someone maliciously to stop them being able to use their mailbox
and/or internet connection, because
all the available bandwidth
is being used up downloading the mailbomb(s).
Most ISPs will close down any account
responsible for mailbombing. See also DoS
(Denial of Service). |
|
Malware |
A catch-all term for software installed
by stealth onto a PC for malevolent purposes (hence the name).
These may include displaying unwanted ads (adware),
installing software you didn't ask for, or spying on your activities
(spyware) and reporting
them back to the culprit so that he can steal your bank account,
address book etc. |
|
Mbps |
(MegaBits
Per Second) A measure of speed of information flow over
a network (and if it's measured in Mbps,
it's reasonably quick.) A Megabit is one million bits.
See also bps, Kbps. |
|
Megabyte |
Unit of measurement for pieces of information : approximately
1 million bytes or a thousand kilobytes. Often shortened to
Meg or just M. See also Gigabyte,
Kilobyte, Byte. |
|
MegaHertz |
See MHz. |
|
Megapixel |
A million pixels.
Often used to measure the quality of digital cameras : the higher
the number the better the camer |