Applications
Software: the programs
that perform specific tasks such as word
processing or
database management, as distinct from the system software (operating system),
which maintains and organises the computer
system.
Attachment:
a file attached to an
e-mail message.
Backup: a copy of a file that is saved to
another storage medium e.g. a 3.5” disk.
Bandwidth:
in computing and
communications, the rate of data transmission,
measured in
bits per second (bps).
Bar code: a pattern of bars and spaces that can be
read by a scanner into a
computer. Bar
codes are widely used in retailing.
Bit: a binary digit – either 1 or 0.
Blind
carbon copy: an e-mail
message sent to multiple recipients who do not
know each
other’s identities.
Bundling: the computer industry practice of
selling different, often unrelated,
products in a
single package.
Byte: a collection of bits, usually 8, that
represents a single character.
CAD: computer-aided design, the use of
computers in creating and editing design
drawings.
CAL: computer-aided learning, the use of
computers in education and training.
The computer
displays information to a student and then ‘asks’ questions on the
information
given.
CAM: computer-aided manufacturing, the use of
computers to control production
processes.
Carbon
copy: in e-mail, a
duplicate copy of a message sent to multiple recipients.
CD-ROM: a compact disc read-only memory is a
computer storage medium with a
capacity of
650 megabytes.
Clip art: small graphics used to liven up
documents and presentations.
Computer
simulation: a
representation of a real-life situation in a computer
program. An
example would be the computer simulation of an airline flight.
Corruption:
the accidental
alteration of data saved on any storage medium.
CPU: the central processing unit is the part
of the computer that decodes
instructions
and controls the hardware used to execute them.
Cursor: on a computer screen, the symbol that
indicates the current entry position
(where the next character will appear).
Cybercafé:
a coffeehouse equipped
with public access Internet terminals.
The user
usually pays a small fee to use the terminals.
Database: a collection of information organised in
such a way that a computer
program can
quickly select desired pieces of data. A database is often described
as an electronic filing system.
Database
management system (DBMS): a
collection of programs that enables you
to store,
modify and extract information from a database.
Data
capture: the collecting
of data for computer processing and analysis.
Data
compression: techniques
for reducing the amount of storage needed for a
given amount
of data.
Data
protection: the
safeguarding of information about individuals stored on
computers, to
protect privacy.
Default: a value or setting that a device or
program automatically selects if you do
not specify a
substitute. For example, word processors have default margins and
default page
lengths that you can override or reset.
Digital
camera: this allows the
user to take pictures which are then stored in
digital form
rather than on film. The output from digital cameras can be downloaded
onto a
computer for retouching or storage. The pictures can be readily distributed
as computer
files.
Download: the act of copying a file from a server
computer on the Internet to your
own computer.
Downtime: time when a computer is unavailable for
use, due to maintenance or a
system crash.
Driver: a program that controls a peripheral
device. Every device connected to a
computer
needs a driver program.
DVD: short for digital versatile disc or
digital video disc, a type of storage medium
that can hold
up to 17 gigabytes of data.
E-business:
refers to all business
processes that take place across electronic
networks.
This includes everything from the selling of goods through the
World
WideWeb, to bar coding in supermarkets, to interactive television
and a whole host of other emerging
technologies.
E-mail
(Electronic mail): electronic
messages sent from one computer to another
on a network.
As the Internet is a global network, this means that e-mail can be
sent between
millions of Internet users.
Emoticon: an acronym for emotion icon, a small
icon composed of punctuation
characters
that indicate how an e-mail message should be interpreted (that is the
writer’s
mood). For example, a :-) emoticon indicates that the message is
meant as a joke and shouldn’t be taken
seriously. An emoticon is also called a smiley.
Encryption:
a way of coding
information in a file or e-mail message so that only
the intended recipient can read it.
Ergonomics:
the study of work
environments with a view to improving employee
comfort and
in turn employee productivity.
Expert
system: a computer
program for giving advice (such as diagnosing an
illness or interpreting the law) that
incorporates knowledge derived from human expertise.
E-zine: a contraction of electronic magazine, is
a periodical sent by e-mail.
Field: a specific item of data. A field is
usually part of a record, which in turn is part of a file.
File: a collection of related data or
information that has a name, called a filename.
Almost all information stored in a computer
must be in a file. There are many
types of files – data files, text files,
program files, directory files and so on.
Filtering
software: programs that
prevent access to objectionable information
on the World Wide Web.
Firewall: a combination hardware software buffer
that many companies and
organisations
have in place, between their internal networks and any outside
network
including the Internet, to prevent unauthorised access
Flame: a searing e-mail or newsgroup message in
which the writer attacks another
participant
in overly harsh, and often personal, terms.
Folder: In graphical user interfaces, such as Windows
and the Macintosh
environment,
a folder is an object that can contain multiple documents.
Folders are
used to organize documents.
Font: a design for a set of characters. A font
is the combination of typeface and
other
qualities, such as size, pitch and spacing.
Freeware: free software that may or may not be in
the public domain. One of the
best-known
examples of freeware is the encryption program: Pretty Good Privacy.
GIF: acronym for Graphics Interchange
Format, a popular and economical picture file format.
Gigabyte: a unit of computer storage equal to 1024
megabytes.
Graphical
User Interface (GUI): a
type of user interface in which programs
and files
appear as icons (small images), user options are selected from pull-down
menus, and data is displayed in windows
(rectangular areas), which the user can
manipulate in various ways.
Hacker: person who gains unauthorised access to
a computer, either for fun or for
malicious or
fraudulent purposes.
Hard copy:
computer output printed
on paper.
Hardware: the mechanical, electrical and electronic
components of a computer
system.
History: a list of websites visited by a web
browser during the current session.
Home page:
the opening page on a
particular website on the World Wide Web.
Hot list: stored list of favourite websites that
allows users to move quickly to
frequently
visited websites. In Microsoft Internet Explorer, it is known also as
favourites.
HTML: acronym for Hypertext Markup Language,
the standard for structuring and
describing a
document on the World Wide Web.
Hyperlink:
a link from one
document to another or, within the same document,
From one
place to another. Clicking on the link with a mouse can activate it.
The link is
usually highlighted in some way.
Hypertext:
a word or group of
words that are hyperlinks.
Icon: a small picture on the computer screen,
representing an object or function
that the user
may manipulate or otherwise use. It is a feature of
graphical
user interface (GUI) systems.
Information
technology (IT): the
collective term for the various technologies
involved in
processing and transmitting information. They include computing,
telecommunications
and electronics.
Integrated
Digital Services Network (ISDN): internationally developed
telecommunications
system for sending signals in digital format.
Internet: global computer network connecting
millions of computers.
Internet
Service Provider (ISP): a
company or organisation that offers Internet
access to
customers usually for a fee. Some ISPs offer hosting of websites and
website
design and promotion services as well.
Intranet: the use of technologies and software
developed for the Internet on an
organisation’s
internal network.
Justification:
in printing and word
processing, the arrangement of text so that it is
aligned with
either the left or right margin, or both.
Kilobyte
(K or Kb): a unit of
computer storage equal to 1024 bytes.
Local Area
Network (LAN): a
network that is usually restricted to a single room or
building.
Mailbox: a folder in which electronic mail is
stored.
Mailing
list: a discussion
group that uses e-mail to communicate.
Mail
merge: a feature
offered by most word processors that enables a list of
personal
details, such as names and addresses to be combined with a general
document
outline to produce individualised documents.
Mainframe:
large computer used for
commercial data processing and other largescale
operations.
Megabyte
(Mb): a unit of
computer storage equal to 1024 kilobytes.
Memory: this is the part of a system used to
store data and programs.
Modem: hardware required to convert a digital
signal to a normal telephone
(analogue)
signal and vice versa.
Mouse: an input device used to control a
pointer on a computer screen.
Multimedia:
the computerised method
of presenting information by
combining
audio and video components using text, sound and graphics
(still, animated and video sequences). A good
example of a multimedia
product is Microsoft
Encarta.
Netiquette:
(derived from Internet
etiquette), behaviour guidelines evolved
by users of
the Internet.
Network: a method of connecting computers so that
they can share data and
peripheral
devices such as printers and scanners.
Off-line: not under the control of the CPU.
On-line: under control of the CPU.
Operating
system: all the
software used to operate and maintain the computer
system and
utilities.
Peripheral
device: any item of
hardware connected to the computer’s CPU e.g.
keyboard,
mouse or printer.
Plug and
play: refers to when an
item of hardware or software configures
itself and
the user’s system automatically when first installed. Having been
thus
‘plugged’ in, it can be used (‘played’) immediately. An example is
a new mouse
that when connected is recognised by the computer immediately.
There is no
need to install special mouse software.
Plug-in: an add-on file that enhances the
operation of an application program.
Port: an external socket allowing peripheral
devices to be connected to a computer.
Portal: a large website with hyperlinks to a
wide range of topics and issues.
Presentation
graphics: a program
that helps users to create presentations
such as visual aids, handouts and overhead
slides. An example of a
leading
presentation graphics program is Microsoft PowerPoint.
Random
Access Memory (RAM): an
area of electronic storage inside the computer
used to hold
data and programs. When the computer is switched off, information
stored in RAM
is lost. RAM is therefore said to be volatile.
Read Only
Memory (ROM): an area
of electronic storage inside the computer used
to hold files
essential to the running of the computer. When the computer is switched
off, information stored in ROM is retained
there. ROM is therefore said to be involatile.
Repetitive
Strain Injury (RSI): this
is an inflammation of tendon sheaths,
mainly in the
hands and wrists, and can be disabling. It is found predominantly in factory
workers
involved in constant repetitive movements, and in those who work with
computer
keyboards. The symptoms include aching muscles, weak wrists, tingling
fingers and
in severe cases, pain and paralysis
Resolution:
the number of dots per
unit of length in which an image can be
reproduced on
a screen or printer.
Scanner: a device that can produce a digital
image of a document for input and
storage in a
computer.
Screen
saver: a program
designed to prevent a static image from ‘burning’
itself into
the phosphor screen of an idle monitor
Search
engine: a remotely
accessible program that helps you to find information
on the Internet. Examples of search engines
are Alta Vista, Ask Jeeves and Google
Server: a computer or device on a network that
manages network resources. For
example, a
file server is a computer and storage device dedicated to storing files.
Any user on
the network can store files on the server.
Shareware:
software distributed
via the Internet or on disks given away with
magazines.
Users have the opportunity to test its functionality and ability to meet
their
requirements before paying a small registration fee directly to the author.
Shareware is
not copyright-free.
Software: an alternative name for computer
programs.
Software
piracy: unauthorised
duplication of computer software.
Spelling
check: a facility of
some common applications software (e.g. word
processors)
that checks the spellings of words in a file.
Spreadsheet:
a table of values,
labels and/or formulae arranged in rows and
columns. Each
value can have a predefined relationship to other values.
Spreadsheet
application: a computer
program that lets you create and
manipulate
spreadsheets electronically e.g. Microsoft Excel.
Upgrade: an improved version of existing
software.
Web
authoring tool: software
for creating web pages e.g. Macromedia
Dreamweaver.
Web
Browser: a program to
help users view and search for information
on the
WorldWide Web.
Website: a collection of related web pages.
Wide Area
Network (WAN): this
network spans a large geographical area and is
often
connected through public networks, such as a telephone system.
World Wide
Web (WWW): this
consists of millions of web pages stored on
thousands of
server computers all over the world.