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or hold down the control key, on your keyboard, and hit the F key (Ctrl+F). Type the word you wish to find

and hit the Find Next button

If the item that you want is not here or you want a second opinion try What Is? or Foldoc

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Abbreviation, Word or Phrase

Abbreviation  or Meaning

Explanation

32-bit/16-bit

This indicate the number of bits required by an operating system to run an application. It also deals with the construction of the computer's CPU (Central Processing Unit) or brain. The Pentium CPU easily runs 32-bit applications because the wires that hold all the pieces together (known as busses) are big enough to flow through 32 bits at a time. 486s, 386s, and below aren't big enough. They work with 16 bits at a time.

Address bar

Found in Windows Explorer and My Computer.  Displays the name / address of the selected drive or folder. 

ADN

Advanced Digital Network 

Usually refers to a 56Kbps leased-line.

ADSL

Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line

ADSL line where the upload speed is different from the download speed. usually the download speed is much greater. The connection is on a normal phone line.

Analogue

This is data in the form of a continuous flow (sine wave). The sine wave varies in time and voltage. The voltage may be negative or positive relative to earth (ground) which should be zero

In contrast, the digital signal is either there or not there (square wave). The square wave varies in time but the voltage will either be positive or zero. The eight bits of a byte are represented as zeros (0) or ones (1) and these zeros and ones are literally votage off and voltage on.

ANSI

It stands for American National Standards Institute. This is the place that sets standards for data communications, like the Internet.

Anti-virus software

A program that detects and (in most cases) removes viruses from a PC. A virus is an unauthorised program that can adversely affect the operation of a computer. Viruses are so named because of their ability to spread by making copies of themselves.

AppleShare

This is Apple Computer's network system. It allows many different end users (people on computers) to attach to one central location and get files.

Applet

A small Java program that can be embedded in an HTML page. Applets differ from full-fledged Java applications in that they are not allowed to access certain resources on the local computer, such as files and serial devices (modems, printers, etc.), and are prohibited from communicating with most other computers across a network. The common rule is that an applet can only make an Internet connection to the computer from which the applet was sent. Common applets include financial calculators and web drawing programs. Once it has been downloaded, the applet will run on the user's computer. Can only be used if your browser is ActiveX or Java-enabled.
Applet is formed from the first letters of Application to give Applet: a small application

Application Software

This is the term given to all applications used to process information.  Examples are: Word Processing, Spreadsheets, Databases, Presentation Graphics and Desktop Publishing. 

Archie

A tool (software) for finding files stored on anonymous FTP sites. You need to know the exact file name or a sub-string of it. By 1999 Archie had been almost completely replaced by web-based search engines. Back when FTP was the main way people moved files over the Internet archie was quite popular.

ARPA Net

Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) The precursor to the Internet. Developed in the late 60's and early 70's by the US Department of Defence as an experiment in wide-area-networking to connect together computers that were each running different system so that people at one location could use computing resources from another location.

ASCII

American Standard Code for Information Interchange

An encoding system for converting keyboard characters and instructions into the binary number code that the computer understands. It is standardized text so data transfer is allowed between systems. It works by representing all the upper and lower-case Latin letters, numbers, punctuation, etc. characters through a seven-digit code of ones and zeros. An example would be that "Joe" might look like this to the computer: 11010011110001000000

ASP

Active Server Pages

An invention from Microsoft that runs on their server software.

AVI

Stands for Audio/Video Interleaved

Microsoft's format for encoding video & audio for digital transmission.

Back Up

Copies of work to reconstruct data in the event of system failure or data loss. 

Backbone

A high-speed line or series of connections that forms a major pathway within a network. The term is relative as a backbone in a small network will likely be much smaller than many non-backbone lines in a large network. Think of the backbone as the next larger grouping of computers you connect with to get included in the Web. You're at the end of a rib coming off of the backbone get the picture?

Backup

A copy on disk or tape of what's on a computer's hard disk, to be used in the event of the original information being lost or damaged.

Bandwidth

The capacity of a networked connection. Bandwidth determines how much data can be sent along the networked wires. Usually measured in bits-per-second. A full page of English text is about 16,000 bits. A fast modem can move about 57,000 bits in one second. Full-motion full-screen video would require roughly 10,000,000 bits-per-second, depending on compression. You know that 56k modem you have? It will allow a bandwidth of 56,600 bits per second.

Baud

In common usage the baud rate of a modem is how many bits it can send or receive per second. Technically, baud is the number of times per second that the carrier signal shifts value - for example a 1200 bit-per-second modem actually runs at 300 baud, but it moves 4 bits per baud (4 x 300= 1200 bits per second).

BBS

Bulletin Board Service.

A computerized meeting and announcement system that allows people to carry on discussions, upload and download files, and make announcements without the people being connected to the computer at the same time. In the early 1990's there were many thousands (millions?) of BBS's around the world, most are very small, running on a single IBM clone PC with 1 or 2 phone lines. Some are very large and the line between a BBS and a system like AOL gets crossed at some point, but it is not clearly drawn.

Benchmark

A way of testing computers and components that yields numerical results so that brands can be compared.

Bespoke software

Software made to the customers specification.

Binary

Information consisting entirely of ones and zeros. Also, commonly used to refer to files that are not simply text files, e.g. images.

Binary code

The most basic language a computer understands, it is composed of a series of 0s and 1s. The computer interprets the code to form numbers, letters, punctuation marks, and symbols.

Bin hex

BINary HEXadecimal

A method for converting non-text files (non-ASCII) into ASCII. This is needed because Internet e-mail can only handle ASCII.

BIOS

Basic Input/Output System

The BIOS service, located on the computer's ROM chip, enables the hardware and software to communicate with each other - especially at start-up

Bit

Binary DigIT

A unit of memory called a Binary Digit.  A Bit has either the value of 1 or 0.  It is the smallest unit of data that can be stored within the computer

BITNET

Because It's Time NETwork or
Because It's There NETwork

A network of educational sites separate from the Internet, but e-mail is freely exchanged between BITNET and the Internet. Listservs®, a popular form of e-mail discussion groups, originated on BITNET. At its peak (the late 1980's and early 1990's) BITNET machines were usually mainframes, often running IBM's MVS operating system. BITNET is probably the only international network that is shrinking.

Blog

weB LOG

A blog is a journal that is available on the web. The activity of updating a blog is "blogging" and someone who keeps a blog is a "blogger." Blogs are typically updated daily using software that allows people with little or no technical background to update and maintain the blog. Postings on a blog are almost always arranged in chronological order with the most recent additions featured most prominently.

BMP

Bitmap

An image made up of little dots.

Boot, boot up, boot disk

To boot (up) a computer is to start it and wait while it goes through the time-consuming process of getting itself ready for use. Booting happens automatically thanks to instructions stored on the boot disk, which is usually the PC's main hard disk.

bps

Bits Per Second

A measurement of how fast data is moved from one place to another. A 56k modem can move 56,600 bits of information per second. In reality the average transfer rate is about 35,000 bits per second

Browser

A Client program (software) that is used to look at various kinds of resources on the Internet .

BTW

(By The Way) A shorthand appended to a comment written in an online forum.

Buffer

The buffer is a section of the computer where data is stored before being used. This buffering allows time for an application to fix differences in bit rates among other things. It creates a space of time for compensation.

Bug

A fault or defect in a computer system; applies to both programs and equipment.

Burst

Most people know this from "pipeline burst cache." Burst means to send data in a large package all at one time rather than small bits over a longer time.

Bus

Short for busbar. A collection of wires that connects the internal computer components to the CPU and main memory areas.  This allows information to travel inside the computer. They differ from one another by the amount of data they will transfer at one time.

Bus Topology

Bus topology

Byte

Most computers use combinations of eight bits, called bytes, to represent one character of data or instructions. For example, the word “cat” has three characters, and it would be represented by three bytes. Usually there are 8 Bits in a Byte, sometimes more, depending on how the measurement is being made. There are eight bits in each ASCII code

Byte

A measurement of data. There are 8 Bits in a Byte

C

A programming language developed at AT&T. The latest version is C++

Cache

A small data-memory storage area that a computer can use to instantly re-access data instead of re-reading the data from the original source, such as a hard drive. Browsers use a cache to store web pages so that the user may view them again without reconnecting to the Web

Cache

A type of memory devoted to speeding up the operation of a computer.

CAD

Computer Aided Design

Application software

CAD-CAM

Computer Aided Drawing-Computer Aided Manufacturing.

The instructions stored in a computer that will be translated to very precise operating instructions to a robot, such as for assembling cars or laser-cutting signage.

CATP

Caffeine Access Transport Protocol

Common method of moving caffeine across Wide Area Networks such as the Internet CATP was first used at the Binary Cafe in Cyber town and quickly spread world-wide. There are reported problems with short-circuits and rust and decaffeinated beverages were not supported until version 1.5.3

CD-R

Compact Disk Recordable

Similar to a CD-ROM.  Used for storing large amounts of data.  You can save data to the compact-disk just once and it cannot be deleted or overwritten. 

CD-ROM

Compact Disc Read-Only Memory

An optically read disc designed to hold information such as music, reference materials, or computer software. A single CD-ROM can hold around 640 megabytes of data, enough for several encyclopaedias. Most software programs are now delivered on CD-ROMs.

CD-RW

Compact Disk Rewritable.  Similar to a CR-ROM.  Used for storing data.  You can save data to the disk many times until it is full.  You can then format it to delete data, enabling new data to be stored.

Certificate Authority

An issuer of Security Certificates used in SSL connections.

CGA

Colour Graphics Adapter or Colour Graphics Array

Stands for Colour Graphics Adapter. It's a piece of hardware that plays with colours.

CGI

Common Gateway Interface.

(Common Gateway Interface) A set of rules that describe how a Web Server communicates with another piece of software on the same machine, and how the other piece of software (the ?CGI program?) talks to the web server. Any piece of software can be a CGI program if it handles input and output according to the CGI standard.
May also refer to Computer-Generated Imaging, the process in which sophisticated computer programs create still and animated graphics, such as special effects for movies.

cgi-bin

The most common name of a directory on a web server in which CGI programs are stored.

chat

Typing text into a message box on a screen to engage in dialog with one or more people via the Internet or other network.

Chat Room

A place on the Internet where people go to "chat" with other people. The chat is typewritten not voice

Chip

A tiny wafer of silicon containing miniature electric circuits that can store millions of bits of information.

Client

A single user of a network application that is operated from a server. A client/server architecture allows many people to use the same data simultaneously. The program's main component (the data) resides on a centralized server, with smaller components (user interface) on each client.

Client programme

A software program that is used to contact and obtain data from a Server software program on another computer, often across a great distance. Each Client program is designed to work with one or more specific kinds of Server programs, and each Server requires a specific kind of Client. A Web Browser is a specific kind of Client.

Clipboard

A temporary storage area for holding information you cut or copy.

COBOL

Common Business Oriented Language.

Early programming language mainly used for text based computing problems

co-location

Most often used to refer to having a server that belongs to one person or group physically located on an Internet-connected network that belongs to another person or group. Usually this is done because the server owner wants their machine to be on a high-speed Internet connection and/or they do not want the security risks of having the server on their own network.

COM

Component Object Module.

Also called Command programmes - largely replaced by exe files

Compiler

This is an application that converts a programming language into a machine language program.

Computer Memory

Memory used to store instructions and data. 

Configuration

The way in which the system is set up or the assortment of components that make up the system.

Consumables

Items such as paper, ink, toner, pens etc. 

Control panel

A program built into Windows, through which options and preferences are set.

Cookie

The most common meaning of "Cookie" on the Internet refers to a piece of information sent by a Web Server to a Web Browser that the Browser software is expected to save and to send back to the Server whenever the browser makes additional requests from the Server. Depending on the type of Cookie used, and the Browsers' settings, the Browser may accept or not accept the Cookie, and may save the Cookie for either a short time or a long time. Cookies might contain information such as login or registration information, online "shopping cart" information, user preferences, etc. When a Server receives a request from a Browser that includes a Cookie, the Server is able to use the information stored in the Cookie. For example, the Server might customize what is sent back to the user, or keep a log of particular users' requests.  Cookies are usually set to expire after a predetermined amount of time and are usually saved in memory until the Browser software is closed down, at which time they may be saved to disk if their "expire time" has not been reached. Cookies do not read your hard drive and send your life story to the CIA, but they can be used to gather more information about a user than would be possible without them.

COSHH Regulations

Regulations detailing the Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health.

CPU

Central Processing Unit

This is the brain of your computer. It is made up of two parts: The Arithmetic Logic Unit (this does all the processing) and the Control Unit (this makes sure every part of the computer is working together to present the information).

cracker

A person who “breaks in” to a computer through a network, without authorization and with mischievous or destructive intent (a crime in some countries).

Crash

A hardware or software problem that causes information to be lost or the computer to malfunction. Sometimes a crash can cause permanent damage to a computer.

CSMA/CD

Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Detection

Protocol that requires all devices listen before transmitting data and if there is a data collision, all devices must stop transmitting for a period of time. The action of all devices ending transmission is called back off

CSS

Cascading Style Sheet

A standard for specifying the appearance of text and other elements. CSS was developed for use with HTML in Web pages but is also used in other situations, notably in applications built using XPFE. CSS is typically used to provide a single "library" of styles that are used over and over throughout a large number of related documents, as in a web site. A CSS file might specify that all numbered lists are to appear in italics. By changing that single specification the look of a large number of documents can be easily changed.

Cursor

A moving position-indicator displayed on a computer monitor that shows a computer operator where the next action or operation will take place.

Cyberpunk

Cyberpunk was originally a cultural sub-genre of science fiction taking place in a not-so-distant, dystopian, over-industrialized society. The term grew out of the work of William Gibson and Bruce Sterling and has evolved into a cultural label encompassing many different kinds of human, machine, and punk attitudes. It includes clothing and lifestyle choices as well.

Cyberspace

Slang for the Internet. Term originated by author William Gibson in his novel Neuromancer the word Cyberspace is currently used to describe the whole range of information resources available through computer networks.

Data

Anything that is recorded or used for processing. The stuff that transfers between computers needed a name, data seemed good.

Data File

These are files that are produced from using applications such as Microsoft Word

Data Protection Act

An act of parliament identifying the principles to safeguard personal information stored about individuals. 

Data Rate

Speed that information moves from one item to another. This is usually in the form of bits.

Database

Databases are a collection of similar information stored in a file, such as addresses. This information may be created and stored in a database management system (DBMS). Anything that accepts data is a database. A pile of newspapers is a database. A computer database has the ability to manipulate that data. It is possible to attach applications to that database to search the contents.

DDS

Direct Digital Signal

Debug

Slang. To find and correct equipment defects or program malfunctions.

Dedicated Line

This is a phone line meant specifically for one thing, like being attached to a computer.

Default

The pre-defined configuration of a system or an application. In most programs, the defaults can be changed to reflect personal preferences.

Desktop

The main folder of the Graphical User Interface. Desktops usually contain icons that represent links to the hard drive, a network (if there is one), and a trash or recycling can for files to be deleted. It can also display icons of frequently used applications, as requested by the user.

Desktop publishing

The production of publication-quality documents using a personal computer in combination with text, graphics, and page layout programs.

DHCP

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

An application that runs on a server to respond to client requests for an IP address. DHCP reduces management and errors

DHTML

Dynamic HTML

Variant of HTML

Dial-Up Line

This is a telephone line that is connected to a server. When it is called, tones are exchanged between the server and the device calling in order to attach.

Digerati

The digital version of literati, it is a reference to a vague cloud of people seen to be knowledgeable, hip, or otherwise in-the-know in regards to the digital revolution.

Digital

Digital recording of information means representing the bits of data through ones and zeros. Playing the bits back to again create what was recorded is called digital processing. See Drewett-Gray Analogue and Digital Comparison

Directory

In Microsoft Windows an old name for folders

Disk drive

The equipment that operates a hard or floppy disc.

DNS

Domain Name System

The Domain Name System is the system that translates Internet domain names into IP numbers. A "DNS Server" is a server that performs this kind of translation.
The Internet runs by assigning different sites "Names." They are actually 4-part strains of numbers associated with names, but names nonetheless. Getting a DNS error means that the address you are attempting to reach is not recognized by the Internet community.

DNS

Domain Name System

A database of IP addresses and corresponding names

Documentation

The instruction manual for a piece of hardware or software.

Domain

Represents an IP (Internet Protocol) address or set of IP addresses that comprise a domain. The domain name appears in URLs to identify web pages or in email addresses. For example, if the email address for the UK Prime Minister or is ukpm@downingstreet.gov.uk, “downingstreet.gov.uk” being the domain name. Each domain name ends with a suffix that indicates what “top level domain” it belongs to. These are: “.com” for commercial, “.gov” for government, “.org” for organization, “.edu” for educational institution, “.biz” for business, “.info” for information, “.tv” for television, “.ws” for website. Domain suffixes may also indicate the country in which the domain is registered. No two parties can ever hold the same domain name.

Domain Name

The unique name that identifies an Internet site. Domain Names always have 2 or more parts, separated by dots. The part on the left is the most specific, and the part on the right is the most general. A given machine may have more than one Domain Name but a given Domain Name points to only one machine. For example, the domain names:
matisse.net
mail.matisse.net
workshop.matisse.net
can all refer to the same machine, but each domain name can refer to no more than one machine. Usually, all of the machines on a given Network will have the same thing as the right-hand portion of their Domain Names (matisse.net in the examples above). It is also possible for a Domain Name to exist but not be connected to an actual machine. This is often done so that a group or business can have an Internet e-mail address without having to establish a real Internet site. In these cases, some real Internet machine must handle the mail on behalf of the listed Domain Name.

DOS

  Disk Operating System

A programme which controlled disk activity The first DOS was designed for early IBM-compatible PCs. It is a simple operating system that requires you to type in commands, rather than pointing and clicking with a mouse.

Dot Matrix Printer

A low cost printer that produces characters by striking a ribbon.  This is commonly called ‘impact’.  Noisy, slow and poor print quality. 

Download

The transfer of information (e.g.. your email, files or a piece of software) from the Internet onto your computer. The opposite of upload.

DPI

Dots Per Inch

Usually the density of ink points that a printer is capable of putting on a page.

Drag and drop

In Windows, the process of using a mouse to drag something from one part of the screen to another. This usually produces a response from the computer, as in dropping a document onto a picture of a printer to print it.

Driver

A small program that operates behind the scenes in a PC. It does the same job as a human interpreter, so add-on equipment often comes with a driver to tell the host PC how it works.

Drop-down menu

A menu window that opens vertically on-screen to display context-related options. Also called pop-up menu or pull-down menu.

DSL

(Digital Subscriber Line) A method for moving data over regular phone lines. A DSL circuit is much faster than a regular phone connection, and the wires coming into the subscriber's premises are the same (copper) wires used for regular phone service. A DSL circuit must be configured to connect two specific locations, similar to a leased line (however a DSL circuit is not a leased line.
A common configuration of DSL allows downloads at speeds of up to 1.544 megabits (not megabytes) per second, and uploads at speeds of 128 kilobits per second. This arrangement is called ADSL: Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line.
Another common configuration is symmetrical: 384 Kilobits per second in both directions.
In theory ADSL allows download speeds of up to 9 megabits per second and upload speeds of up to 640 kilobits per second.
DSL is now a popular alternative to Leased Lines and ISDN, being faster than ISDN and less costly than traditional Leased Lines.

Dumb Terminal

This a video screen that is seeing manipulation in another computer. Example: If you log in to AOL, your computer is not doing the work AOL's computer is. You are just being offered a window into that world. That window is your screen. It's a terminal, but it's just watching thus a dumb terminal.

DVD

Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disk

Digital Video Disk / Digital Versatile Disk.  Similar to a CD but with a capacity of over 4.7 Gigabytes.  It can hold a full-length film with up to 133 minutes of high quality video and audio.  Compatible with sound and video boards. 

EBCDIC

Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code.

It is also called the Extended ASCII Code, as it adds an eighth digit to the normal seven-digit code.

Ebook

An electronic (usually hand-held) reading device that allows a person to view digitally stored reading materials.

ECMA script

A programming language used almost exclusively to manipulate content on a web page. Common JavaScript functions include validating forms on a web page, creating dynamic page navigation menus, and image rollovers.

E-Commerce

Electronic Commerce. The buying and selling of goods or services over the Internet

Email

Electronic Mail

Messages, usually text, sent from one person to another via computer. E-mail can also be sent automatically to a large number of addresses.

Emoticon

A text-based expression of emotion created from ASCII characters that mimics a facial expression when viewed with your head tilted to the left. Here are some examples:
:-)  Smiling
:-(  Frowning
;-)  Winking
:_(  Crying

Encryption

The process of transmitting scrambled data so that only authorized recipients can unscramble it. For instance, encryption is used to scramble credit card information when purchases are made over the Internet.

Ethernet card

A board inside a computer to which a network cable can be attached.

Ethernet or Fast Ethernet

A very common method of networking computers in a LAN

A network access method that allows any directly connected device to transmit on a network providing no one else is transmitting. CSMA/CD  

Expansion slots

The sockets inside a PC where you can add equipment supplied on plug-in expansion cards. Two types of slot (PCI and ISA) are in common use and cards are designed for one or the other.

Explorer

A program built into Windows used to view and rearrange information stored on the computer's hard disk. Not to be confused with the browser called Internet Explorer.

Extranet

An intranet that is accessible to computers that are not physically part of a company's' own private network, but that is not accessible to the general public, for example to allow vendors and business partners to access a company web site. Often an intranet will make use of a Virtual Private Network. (VPN.) 

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

The most common questions on a particular subject with answers FAQs are usually written by people who have tired of answering the same question over and over again.

FAT

File Allocation Table

Overall structure in which files are named, stored, and organized. Windows 2000 supports three file systems: FAT, FAT32, and NTFS

Fax

Facsimile Machine used to send and receive printed pages over a telephone line. 

FDDI

Fibre Distributed Data Interface

A standard for transmitting data on optical fibber cables at a rate of around 100,000,000 bits-per-second (10 times as fast as 10-BaseTEthernet, about twice as fast as T-3)

Fibre-Optic

Type of cable used for very high speed data transmission. It works by pushing (modulating) a light wave across cable. The data is carried along with the light.

File

A set of data that is stored in the computer.

File Extension

A code attached to the end of a filename identifying what type of file it is e.g. .XLS = Excel Workbook.

File Sharing

 This is the most important feature of networks and the Internet. This is a method of allowing one server to give the same file to many different end users.

Finger

An Internet software tool for locating people on other Internet sites. Finger is also sometimes used to give access to non-personal information, but the most common use is to see if a person has an account at a particular Internet site. Many sites do not allow incoming Finger requests, but many do.

Fire Wall

A combination of hardware and software that separates a Network into two or more parts for security purposes and to protect a computer from outside interference or access via the Internet. .

Firewire

Apple® Computer's high-speed data transfer. Frequently used to import video to a computer.

Flame

Originally, "flame" meant to carry forth in a passionate manner in the spirit of honourable debate. Flames most often involved the use of flowery language and flaming well was an art form. More recently flame has come to refer to any kind of derogatory comment no matter how witless or crude. Trolls are people who entice otherwise normal people into a flame war.

Flame War

A series of flames amongst a group of people in a discussion.

Floppy disc

A 3.5" square, usually inserted into the computer and can store about 1.4 megabytes of data. The 3.5" square “floppies” have a very thin, flexible disc inside. There is also an intermediate-sized floppy disc, trademarked Zip discs, which can store 250 megabytes of data.

Floppy disk, floppy drive

Terms often (though incorrectly) used interchangeably. A floppy disk is a cheap, removable disk used for transferring information from one computer to another. A floppy drive is the device into which you insert the disk when you want to use it. The usual capacity of floppy disks is 1.44Mb

Folder

A structure for containing electronic files.

Folder (directory)

Hard disks store vast amounts of information so they are usually subdivided into named folders containing related items, making it easier to find what you want. You can see the folders when using Explorer. In some operating systems, it is called a “directory.”

Folder icon

An icon, picture, of a folder.

Fonts

Sets of typefaces (or characters) that come in different styles and sizes

This font is Andy   This is maiandra GD   This is Desdemona

Format

Before a hard disk or floppy disk can be used to store information it has to be electronically prepared by a process called formatting. Disks are usually pre-formatted by the manufacturer.

FORTRAN

FORmula TRANslation

Early computer language developed to do make mathematical computations

Freeware

Software created by people who are willing to give it away for the satisfaction of sharing or knowing they helped to simplify other people's lives. It may be freestanding software, or it may add functionality to existing software.

FTP

File Transfer Protocol

Protocol by which files are transferred between computers on the Internet.
FTP is a way to login to another Internet site for the purposes of retrieving and/or sending files. There are many Internet sites that have established publicly accessible repositories of material that can be obtained using FTP, by logging in using the account name "anonymous", thus these sites are called "anonymous ftp servers". FTP was invented and in wide use long before the advent of the World Wide Web and originally was always used from a text-only interface.

Gateway

The technical meaning is a hardware or software set-up that translates between two dissimilar protocols, for example America Online has a gateway that translates between its internal, proprietary e-mail format and Internet e-mail format. Another, sloppier meaning of gateway is to describe any mechanism for providing access to another system, e.g. AOL might be called a gateway to the Internet.

Gb

Gigabyte

1024 megabytes. Also called gig.

Generic

Of a whole class or group.  i.e. standard to the group.

GIF

A common format for image files, especially suitable for images containing large areas of the same colour. GIF format files of simple images are often smaller than the same file would be if stored in JPEG format, but GIF format does not store photographic images as well as JPEG.

Gigabyte

A measure of stored information on a computer. 1000 or 1024 Megabytes, depending on who is measuring. Hard Drive storage is usually expressed in Gigabytes. 

GIGO

Garbage In, Garbage Out.

 Type rubbish into a computer and do not be surprised if you get rubbish out

Glitch

The cause of an unexpected malfunction.

Global

Universal.

Gopher

An Internet search tool that allows users to access textual information through a series of menus, or if using FTP, through downloads. Invented at the University of Minnesota in 1993 just before the Web

Graphics card

The component inside a PC that generates the picture you see on the screen.

groupware

Software that allows networked individuals to form groups and collaborate on documents, programs, or databases.

GUI

Graphical User Interface

Graphical representations of the contents of the computer you see on the screen. Simplifies selecting computer commands by enabling the user to point to symbols or illustrations (called icons) on the computer screen with a mouse.

Hacker

The term hacker used to mean "a person with technical expertise who experiments with computer systems to determine how to develop additional features". Hackers and crackers are generally regarded as the same these days as "someone who gains illegal access to programmes or computers"

Hard copy

A paper printout of what you have prepared on the computer.

Hard Disk

A fast, large capacity, data storage area that is used to store user programs so that they are always available. 

Hardware

The physical and mechanical components of a computer system, such as the electronic circuitry, chips, monitor, disks, disk drives, keyboard, modem, and printer.

Header

Part of every email or Usenet post, it comes before the message and contains, amongst other things, the message writer, date and time. Headers are not normally visible when reading emails or newsgroup articles.

Hit

As used in reference to the World Wide Web, "hit" means a single request from a web browser for a single item from a web server; thus in order for a web browser to display a page that contains 3 graphics, 4 "hits" would occur at the server: 1 for the HTML page, and one for each of the 3 graphics.

Home Page or Homepage

The main page of a Web site used to greet visitors, provide information about the site, or to direct the viewer to other pages on the site.

Host

Any computer on a network that is a repository for services available to other computers on the network. It is quite common to have one host machine provide several services, such as SMTP (email) and HTTP (web).

Hot Spot

Similar to a hypertext link but it can be any text or picture area on a webpage,

HTML

HyperText Markup Language

Web page authoring language. Common language used to write documents on World Wide Web.  HTML looks a lot like old-fashioned typesetting code, where you surround a block of text with codes that indicate how it should appear. The "hyper" in Hypertext comes from the fact that in HTML you can specify that a block of text, or an image, is linked to another file on the Internet. HTML files are meant to be viewed using a "Web Browser". HTML is loosely based on a more comprehensive system for markup called SGML. 

HTTP

HyperText Transfer Protocol

Protocol by which web pages are transferred and displayed on your computer screen

HTTPS

Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure

 Often used in intracompany internet sites. Passwords are required to gain access.

hyperlink

Text or an image that is connected by hypertext coding to a different location. By selecting the text or image with a mouse, the computer “jumps to” (or displays) the linked text.

hypermedia

Integrates audio, graphics, and/or video through links embedded in the main program.

Hypertext Link

Generally, any text that contains links to other documents. Specific words or phrases in the document can be selected by a reader and will cause another document to be retrieved and displayed.

Icon

A small picture on a computer screen that acts as a symbol for folders, disks, printers, programs and other objects.

IDE

The most common type of hard disk and one that strikes a good balance between price, speed and capacity.

IEEE

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers

International organisation that sets the standards for computing and telecommunications, this includes operating standards for LANs

IEEE           Max                                   

Standard     Speed

802.3          10Mbps       Ethernet                 

802.3u        100 Mbps    Fast Ethernet       

802.3z        1000 Mbps   Gigabit Ethernet using fibre optic cable)

802.3ab      1000 Mbps   Gigabit Ethernet using unshielded twisted pair cable

802.5          4, 16 0r 100 Mbps   IBM Token Ring

IM

instant messaging

A chat application that allows two or more people to communicate over the Internet via real-time keyed-in messages.

IMAP

Internet Message Access Protocol

IMAP is gradually replacing POP as the main protocol used by email clients in communicating with email servers. Using IMAP an email client program can not only retrieve email but can also manipulate message stored on the server, without having to actually retrieve the messages. So messages can be deleted, have their status changed, multiple mail boxes can be managed, etc. IMAP is defined in RFC 2060

IMHO

In My Humble Opinion

A shorthand appended to a comment written in an online forum, IMHO indicates that the writer is aware that they are expressing a debatable view, probably on a subject already under discussion. One of many such shorthands in common use online, especially in discussion forums.

Impact Printers

Printers that work by banging a needle against an ink ribbon to make marks on the paper.  Impact printers tend to be noisy in comparison to non-impact printers. 

Index

The Homepage of a website is the index page

Inkjet Printer

A non-impact printer that prints by spraying ink onto paper.  They tend to be quieter than laser printers because there is no means of impact.  They are also cheaper to use.  They can print in both black & white and colour. 

Input

Data that goes into a computer.

Input Device

A device, such as a keyboard, stylus and tablet, mouse, puck, or microphone, that allows input of information (letters, numbers, sound, video) to a computer.

interface

The interconnections that allow a device, a program, or a person to interact. Hardware interfaces are the cables that connect the device to its power source and to other devices. Software interfaces allow the program to communicate with other programs (such as the operating system), and user interfaces allow the user to communicate with the program (e.g., via mouse, menu commands, icons, voice commands, etc.).

Internet

An international conglomeration of interconnected computer networks. Begun in the late 1960s, it was developed in the 1970s to allow government and university researchers to share information. The Internet is not controlled by any single group or organization. Its original focus was research and communications, but it continues to expand, offering a wide array of resources for business and home users.

internet
(Lower case i)

Any time you connect 2 or more networks together, you have an internet - as in inter-national or inter-state.

Internet
(Upper case I)

The vast collection of inter-connected networks that are connected using the TCP/IP protocols and that evolved from the ARPANET of the late 60's and early 70's.
The Internet connects tens of thousands of independent networks into a vast global internet and is probably the largest Wide Area Network in the world.

Internet Explorer

A commonly used Web Browser. 

Intranet

A private network inside a company or organisation that uses the same kinds of software that you would find on the public Internet, but that is only for internal use. Compare with extranet.

IP Number

Internet Protocol Number

Sometimes called a dotted quad. A unique number consisting of 4 parts separated by dots, e.g. 165.113.245.2 Each number can be from 0 to 255 (i.e., 1.154.10.266). Within a closed network IP addresses may be assigned at random, however, IP addresses of web servers must be registered to avoid duplicates.
Every machine that is on the Internet has a unique IP number - if a machine does not have an IP number, it is not really on the Internet. Many machines (especially servers) also have one or more Domain Names that are easier for people to remember.

IRC

Internet Relay Chat

Multi-user live chat facility. There are a number of major IRC servers around the world which are linked to each other. Anyone can create a channel and anything that anyone types in a given channel is seen by all others in the channel. Private channels can (and are) created for multi-person conference calls.

IS

Information System

ISDN

Integrated Services Digital Network

A method of moving more data over existing regular phone lines. ISDN is available to much of the USA and in most markets it is priced very comparably to standard analog phone circuits. It can provide speeds of roughly 64kbps to 128 kbps over regular phone lines. Unlike DSL, ISDN can be used to connect to many different locations, one at a time, just like a regular telephone call, as long the other location also has ISDN.

ISO

International Standards Organization

ISP

Internet Service Provider

The company that provides access to the Internet e.g. AOL, Freeserve

Java

Java is a network-friendly programming language invented by Sun Microsystems. Java is often used to build large, complex systems that involve several different computers interacting across networks, for example transaction processing systems. Java is also becoming popular for creating programs that run in small electronic devices, such as mobile telephones. A very common use of Java is to create programs that can be safely downloaded to your computer through the Internet and immediately run without fear of viruses or other harm to your computer or files. Using small Java programs (called "Applets"), Web pages can include functions such as animations, calculators, and other fancy tricks.

JavaScript

JavaScript is a programming language that is mostly used in web pages, usually to add features that make the web page more interactive. When JavaScript is included in an HTML file it relies upon the browser to interpret the JavaScript. When JavaScript is combined with Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), and later versions of HTML (4.0 and later) the result is often called DHTML.

JDK

Java Development Kit

A software development package from Sun Microsystems that implements the basic set of tools needed to write, test and debug Java applications and applets

JPEG

Joint Photographic Experts Group

JPEG is most commonly mentioned as a format for image files. JPEG format is preferred to the GIF format for photographic images as opposed to line art or simple logo art.

JPEG

Joint Photographic Experts Group

A type of image file (often a photographic image) found on the World Wide Web.

Kb

kilobyte

1,024 bytes.

Kb, Mb, Gb

Abbreviations for kilobytes, megabytes and gigabytes, all of which are used to measure computer memory. Documents you create on a computer can usually be expressed in kilobytes, whereas memory is more often measured in megabytes and hard disks in gigabytes.

kbps

kilo bits per second

A 56k modem can transfer 56 kbps. In reality the average transfer rate is about 35 kilo bits per second

Keyword

A word you might use to search for a Web site. For example, searching the Web for the keyword "Guide" or "Beginner" might help you find this site.

Kilobyte

A thousand bytes. More accurately, 1024 bytes.

LAN

Local Area Network.  A means of connecting computers and peripherals within a room, building or other locally confined area.

www.fayle.freeserve.co.uk/toc.htm

laptop and notebook

Small, lightweight, portable battery-powered computers that can fit onto your lap. They  have a thin, flat, liquid crystal display screen.

Laser Printer

A non-impact printer that uses a laser to produce an image on a rotating drum before transferring the entire image to paper.  Fast but normally print in only black and white. 

LAWN

Local Area Wireless Network.  A LAN that uses high frequency radio waves or infrared beams. 

Leased Line

Refers to line such as a telephone line or fibre-optic cable that is rented for exclusive 24-hour, 7-days-a-week use from your location to another location. The highest speed data connections require a leased line.

Line Printer

A high-speed impact printer that prints one line at a time.  Cumbersome and noisy.  Necessary if printing on multipart NCR (corbonised) paper

Link

A piece of text or an image which, when clicked upon, will move you from one web page to another or one site to another.

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..

Listserv ®

The most common kind of mail list, "Listserv" is a registered trademark of L-Soft international, Inc. Listservs originated on BITNET but they are now common on the Internet.

Location

Where something is. It may be anything like a web address, URL, a memory address in your computer, where I am (my location is at the keyboard of my computer) etc

Login

Noun or a verb.
Noun: The account name used to gain access to a computer system. Not a secret (contrast with Password).
Verb: the act of connecting to a computer system by giving your credentials (usually your "username" and "password")

Logon

To connect to the Internet or some other computer system

Lynx

A Web Browser. 

Mac

Apple Macintosh Computer, used widely in publishing and design. 

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.

macro

A script that operates a series of commands to perform a function. It is set up to automate repetitive tasks.

Mail list or Mailing List

A (usually automated) system that allows people to send e-mail to one address, whereupon their message is copied and sent to all of the other subscribers to the mail list. In this way, people who have many different kinds of e-mail access can participate in discussions together.

Mb

Megabyte

A million bytes. 1,048,576 bytes

Megabyte

Approximately a million bytes (1024 kilobytes).

Memory

Memory is used to temporarily store information such as programs and data while computers are in use. See RAM, VRAM, ROM and Cache.

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

Abbreviation for megahertz. One of its uses is to describe the internal speed at which computer equipment operates, in which case the higher the megahertz, the better the performance.

microprocessor

A complete central processing unit (CPU) contained on a single silicon chip.

MIDI

Music Instrument Digital Interface

It allows a computer to store and replay a musical instrument's output.

MIME

Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions

Originally a standard for defining the types of files attached to standard Internet mail messages. The MIME standard has come to be used in many situations where one computer programs needs to communicate with another program about what kind of file is being sent. For example, HTML files have a MIME-type of text/html, JPEG files are image/jpeg, etc.

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.

Mirror

Generally speaking, "to mirror" is to maintain an exact copy of something. Probably the most common use of the term on the Internet refers to "mirror sites" which are web sites, or FTP sites that maintain copies of material originated at another location, usually in order to provide more widespread access to the resource. For example, one site might create a library of software, and 5 other sites might maintain mirrors of that library.

Modem

MOdulator, DEModulator

A device fitted inside a PC or connected to its serial port used to send digital information down ordinary phone lines to other computers. Essential for electronic mail, faxing and getting onto the Internet.

monitor

A video display terminal or computer screen

MOO

Mud, Object Oriented

One of several kinds of multi-user role-playing environments.

Mosaic

The first WWW browser that was available for the Macintosh, Windows, and UNIX all with the same interface. Mosaic really started the popularity of the Web. The source-code to Mosaic was licensed by several companies and used to create many other web browsers. Mosaic was developed at the National Centre for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), at the University of Urbana-Champagne in Illinois, USA. The first version was released in late 1993.

Motherboard

The main circuit board in a computer. It manages the communication and function of the computer

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.

MPEG

Motion Picture Experts Group

A format to make, view, and transfer both digital audio and digital video files.

MS-DOS

An early operating system developed by Microsoft Corporation (Microsoft Disc Operating System).

MUD

Multi-User Dungeon or Dimension

A (usually text-based) multi-user simulation environment. Some are purely for fun and flirting, others are used for serious software development, or education purposes and all that lies in between. A significant feature of most MUDs is that users can create things that stay after they leave and which other users can interact within their absence, thus allowing a world to be built gradually and collectively.

multimedia

Software programs that combine text and graphics with sound, video, and animation. A multimedia PC contains the hardware to support these capabilities.

Multimedia

Software used for combining sound, text, image and video with user interaction such as games software and music software. 

Multi-tasking

The ability of computers, especially those using Windows, to do several things at the same time, such as printing out a letter and re- calculating a spreadsheet while letting you add names to your electronic address book.

MUSE

Multi-User Simulated Environment

One kind of MUD - usually with little or no violence.

Net

Shortened term for Internet

Netiquette

Etiquette on the Internet. Guidelines on how to behave in various places on the Internet.

Netizen

Derived from the term citizen, referring to a citizen of the Internet, or someone who uses networked resources. The term connotes civic responsibility and participation.

Netscape

A WWW Browser and the name of a company. The Netscape (tm) browser was originally based on the Mosaic program developed at the National Centre for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA).

Netscape Navigator

A commonly used Web Browser. 

Network

A system of interconnected computers. Any time you connect 2 or more computers together so that they can share resources, you have a computer network. Connect 2 or more networks together and you have an internet.

Newsgroup

The name for discussion groups on USENET.

NIC

Network Interface Card

Card that provides enables a computer to access a network. The card is plugged into an expansion slot on the motherboard.

NNTP

Network News Transport Protocol

The protocol used by client and server software to carry USENET postings back and forth over a TCP/IP network. If you are using any of the more common software such as Netscape, Nuntius, Internet Explorer, etc. to participate in newsgroups then you are benefiting from an NNTP connection.

Node

Any single computer connected to a network.

Non-Impact Printer

A printer that does not strike a ribbon to make marks on paper (e.g. laser or inkjet)

Non-Volatile Memory

Memory that is created at the time of manufacture of the computer and cannot be changed. 

OCR

Optical Character Recognition

A program that takes documents copied into a computer using a scanner and turns them into text that can be edited in a word processor.

Online

Connected to the Internet

Open Source Software

Open Source Software is software for which the underlying programming code is available to the users so that they may read it, make changes to it, and build new versions of the software incorporating their changes. There are many types of Open Source Software, mainly differing in the licensing term under which (altered) copies of the source code may (or must be) redistributed.

OS

Operating System

The software that manages the computer system. It controls all functions and direction. Examples include Windows 200 and Windows XP, MS-DOS, Unix and Linux. 

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.

Output Device

A means of displaying information from the computer such as a Printer and Monitor.

Packet Switching

The method used to move data around on the Internet. In packet switching, all the data coming out of a machine is broken up into chunks, each chunk has the address of where it came from and where it is going. This enables chunks of data from many different sources to co-mingle on the same lines, and be sorted and directed along different routes by special machines along the way. This way many people can use the same lines at the same time. You might think of several caravans of trucks all using the same road system. to carry materials.

palm

A hand-held computer.

Palmtop computer

A battery-operated computer small enough to use in the palm of the hand.

Parallel port

A socket on the back of a PC for connecting external equipment, particularly printers.

Password

A code used to gain access (login) to a locked system. Good passwords contain letters and non-letters and are not simple combinations such as virtue7. A good password might be:  5%df(29)  But don't use that one!

PC

Personal Computer

A single computer

PC Card

A device the size of a thick credit card that can be plugged into a slot on notebook computers. Modems, memory and hard disks are all available on PC Cards.

PCB

printed circuit board

A board printed or etched with a circuit and processors. Power supplies, information storage devices, or changers are attached.

PCI

See expansion slots.

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

The type of processor most often found inside personal computers.

Peripheral

A computer device, such as a CD-ROM Drive or Printer that is not part of the essential computer, i.e., the Memory.   Peripheral devices can be external  such as a Mouse, Keyboard, Printer and Monitor, or internal, such as a CD-ROM Drive or Internal Modem.

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.

PICT