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Add-on: A new device added to a computer to expand capability or to add a feature.

Analog signal: A continuous wave form signal that can be used to represent such things as sound, temperature, and velocity. (See Digital signal)

Applet: A small program sent over the Internet that is interpreted and executed by Internet browser software.

Backup: A redundant device or copy of information that is provided or made in case the primary becomes unusable.

Binary: In computers and related devices the fundamental method of representing information with electrical pulses. A base two-2 numbering system. See bit.

Bit: The smallest unit of information. The term bit is an acronym for binary digit. A pulse or the absence of a pulse of electricity represents a bit electronically. In notation, the pulse is written 1; its absence is 0. See byte, kilobyte, megabyte and gigabyte.

Bits per second: The number of bits transmitted per second over a communication line. Abbreviated as bps.

Boot: The procedure for loading the operating system and readying the computer system for use.

Browser: A Program that allows you to view and explore information on the Internet. The two most popular browsers’ today are Microsoft’s Internet Explorer and Netscape’s Navigator or its updated version called Netscape Communicator.

Byte: A group of some fixed number of bits that comprise a character, a machine instruction, or some other logical unit of information. The pattern of the bits determines the meaning of a byte, just as the shape of a printed character conveys meaning. In the vast majority of data-processing equipment a byte consists of 8 bits. There are 256 possible bit configurations in an 8-bit byte. Thus the character "A" is represented (in the ANSI encoding system used by Windows) as 01000001 and the character "&" (or ampersand) is represented by 00101110. The word "hello" would be represented on the computer as 5 bytes, each consisting of 8 bits. See Kilobyte, Megabyte, and Gigabyte.

Chip: A small electronic component usually made of silicon that contains microscopic circuits. Also called an integrated circuit.

Configuration: The relationship of data-processing elements to each other. A hardware configuration describes the way various devices in a system are electronically connected.

CPU: Central Processing Unit: The "brain" and thus the focal point of the computer. It is through the interaction of the CPU and the memory that all work within a computer is done. The CPU processes instructions, performs calculations and manages the flow of information through a computer system. The CPU speed is a major factor in determining how fast a computer operates. The speed of a CPU is measured in megahertz (MHz) or millions of cycles per second. Also called the Processor.

Default: A value automatically assigned or an action automatically taken unless another is specified.

Despooler: Software that reads information waiting to be printed from the spool file and routes it to a printer.

Digital Signal: Electronic signals that are transmitted as in strings of 1s and 0’s. (See analog signal)

Disk: A high-speed data storage device operating as a peripheral under control of a computer. A disk is a circular platter that rotates rapidly; in large systems it usually consists of several such platters sharing a common axis, such as the hard disk. Data are recorded, as magnetic spots representing bits, written in concentric circles know as tracks. The floppy diskette holds 1.44 megabytes of information. The CD disc holds 650 megabytes.

Driver: A piece of hardware and/or software that controls CPU activities.

Expansion Card: is a circuit board that lets you add a new feature to a computer. Some expansion cards are accessible from the back of the computer. These expansion cards contain ports where you can plug in devices. For example you can plug speakers into a sound card to hear the sound generated by a computer and a video card generates the images displayed on the monitor.

Expansion Slot: An expansion slot is a socket on the motherboard. An expansion card plugs into an expansion slot and is sometimes called an expansion board.

Extension: Part of the file name following the last period. It denotes the type of file for instance .wav stands for wave or sound file, .dll is an application extension, and .art, gif, and jpg are all extensions for graphic files.

FAQ’s: Frequently Asked Questions

Floppy Diskette: A smaller version of disk storage than the hard disk. A diskette is a single, flexible magnetic disk enclosed within a sealed envelope that inserts into a diskette drive. Diskettes are portable and inexpensive.

Gigabyte: Abbreviated GB, it is how capacity to store information on the particular drive on the computer is expressed. It is currently used for hard drive and tape drive space on the personal computer. It is over one billion bytes. See byte, kilobyte, and megabyte.

Hard disk: See disk. Usually measured in gigabytes in present PC systems.

Hardware: The physical equipment used in data processing. Hardware is anything that can be touched such as the monitor, or the tower. See peripheral and software.

Icons: Pictographs used in place of words or phrases on screen displays.

Kilobyte: Abbreviated KB, it is how capacity to store information on the computer is expressed. One kilobyte is 1024 bytes of storage. Kilo usually means 1000, but because the binary system is based on the number two each unit is also based on two and its squared numbers, therefore it is not an even 1000 but 1024, which is the nearest squared number to 1000. See byte, megabyte, and gigabyte.

Megabyte: Abbreviated MB, it is how capacity to store information on the computer is expressed. One-megabyte equals 1,048,576 bytes (the kilobyte squared). It is currently used for RAM space as well as floppy, zip and CD drives, as well as other places where capacity or space needs to be expressed. See byte, kilobyte, and gigabyte.

Microprocessor: A computer on a single chip.

Minimize: Reducing a window on a display screen to an icon. First of the little squares in the right corner of your screen, displayed as a minus sign reduces the window to an icon, which may be reversed by clicking on the icon.

Motherboard: A motherboard is the main circuit board of a computer. All electrical components plug into the motherboard.

Network: A group of computers, servers and printers connected together with the purpose of moving information from one node to another.

Noise: The various electrical disturbances present on a communications facility such as a telephone line that have no relation to, or contribute nothing to the signal. This type of noise, which is usually inaudible if you are using the telephone line for speech, the computer can "hear" and causes disruptions that interfere with the transmission of the data.

Operating system: Is the master control program that governs the operation of a computer system. The operating system is a large and highly complex program such as Windows, Linux, or Mac OS.

Peripheral: A peripheral is any piece of hardware attached to a computer, such as a printer or a scanner.

Port: A communications connection on a computer or a remote controller, suitable for attaching a single line. Common examples of ports on a computer are parallel and USB ports. The USB port, Universal Serial Bus, enables more peripherals to be added to the computer through one port. There are also ports for specific devices such as the keyboard, the mouse, and the monitor.

Programming Language: A human-oriented language for telling a computer what and how to perform a task. When a program is written, another program (a compiler, assembler, or interpreter) translates the statements into machine language instructions that the computer is able to act upon. There are many programming languages, for example BASIC, COBOL, C++, and Java.

Protocol: The rules and formats for conducting communications on a large network. The protocol governs the way messages are addressed, routed and exchanged between nodes.

Put: A programming instruction that causes data to be written in a file from computer memory. See throughput.

Queue: A series of tasks to be performed. Queues are built and maintained by software when there is more work to be done at the moment than a CPU, printer or network can accomplish. The software requires backlog storage in a queue or holding pattern and as tasks are completed it pulls up the next task to be completed.

RAM: Random Access Memory. The memory Windows reads and writes to when it makes stuff happen on-screen. When the power is turned off, RAM erases itself. The amount of memory determines the number of programs a computer can run at once along with how fast software programs operate.

Random: A file organization in which individual records can be read or written to no matter where they are in the file, without searching through other records.

Reboot: A function similar to "reset" on a home appliance, to reboot a machine means to reload the systems software so that the machine makes a fresh start.

ROM: Read Only Memory. It can not be written to.

Screen Saver: A utility program used to change static screens on idle monitors to interesting dynamic displays.

Scroll Arrow: A small box that contains an arrow at each end of a scroll bar that is used to navigate in small increments within a document or list. See scroll box.

Scroll Bar: A narrow bar that runs either horizontally, vertically, or both that is used to view parts of a document that extends past the bottom or top or sides of the screen. Moving around with the scroll bar is referred to as scrolling. See scroll arrow and scroll box.

Scroll Box: A square object that is dragged along a scroll bar to navigate more rapidly in a document or list than a scroll arrow.

Select: Highlighting an object on a windows screen or a menu option.

Soft Copy: Temporary output that can be interpreted visually, as on a monitor, compare to hard copy, as a piece of paper that can be held in your hand.

Software: Software is a set of electronic instructions that tells the computer what to do. You cannot see or touch software only the packaging the software comes in.

Spam: Unsolicited junk e-mail.

Spool File: A file maintained by systems software where printed output is temporarily held if a program attempts to print while the printer is busy. The operating system accepts the output and writes it to the spool. The OS then routes the spooled data to the printer.

TCP/IP: Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. A set of communications protocols developed by the Department of Defense to link dissimilar computers across many kinds of networks.

Warm Boot: To reload or reinitialize systems software in such a way that programs currently in operation are unaffected

Word Processing: The programmatic manipulation of text, in which words are treated as units of data.

ZULU Time: Greenwich Meridian Time. It is the international point of reference for the time of day. Used more frequently since technology has made global communications a commonplace occurrence. It is used as the basis of standard time throughout the world.

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