English Vocabulary - Computer Terminology

Acrobat Reader A program that views and prints information in its original format even if a copy of the original program that created the information is not available.

Anti-virus Program A program that searches for viruses and removes any virus that it finds.

Application Software designed for a certain use, such as word processing. Also called a program.

Attachment Any file linked to an e-mail message is called an attachment.

B2B A specific type of e-commerce regarding transactions from business to business via the Internet.

Backup The process of copying important files and information from the PC's hard disk to another medium, such as floppy disks or tape. A disk or tape used to store files.

Bandwidth A measurement of the volume of information that can be transmitted over a network at any given time. The higher the bandwidth, the faster the data can be broadcast.

Bay Section of the computer case where equipment like floppy disk drives and CD-ROM drives can be installed.

Bi-directional Cable A cable that allows information to flow in both directions. Used with many newer printers.

BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) A set of low-level routines in a computer's ROM that application programs (and operating systems) can use to read characters from the keyboard, to output characters to printers, and to interact with the hardware in other ways.

Bluetooth An innovative wireless technology, operating on a 2.4 Ghz ISM band.

Bookmark To mark a document or a specific place in a document for future reference.

Boot Derived from "boot strap." To start or restart a computer. A cold boot means to start the computer by turning the power switch on. A warm boot is resetting a computer that is already on.

bps (bits per second) The standard measure of data transmission speeds.

Broadband A high-speed Internet connection. Technically speaking, broadband typically starts at 384 kilobytes per second.

Browser A software program that lets you access and navigate the Internet with a graphical interface.

Bundled Software Software programs that are included with the purchase of a computer or piece of hardware.

Cable Modem A modem that allows rapid Internet access over a cable television line. To use a cable modem, Internet service must be available from the cable television company.

CAD (Computer-Aided Design) The use of hardware and software for designing products. Many architects and design engineers use computer-aided design to generate three-dimensional images of various products, such as houses, automobiles, furniture, and airplanes.

CD-ROM (Compact Disc - Read Only Memory) A hard plastic disc that holds about 650 megabytes of computer data. This disc cannot be written on. CD (R) - A compact disc that can be written on, but cannot be erased or reused. CD-R drives can play CD-ROMs. CD-RW - can be reused.

Clip Art Drawings or other images that have been produced to be used in computer programs.

Clipboard The clipboard is anl area in the computer memory that temporarily stores data to be copied to another location. You get data into the clip board by using the Cut or Copy function. You get data out of the clipboard by pasting it into a document.

Compression Technology that reduces the size of a file. Compression allows a file to be transmitted over the Internet more quickly and to be stored using less space. Some common compression standards are Zip files for the PC, Stuffit files for the Mac, and MP3

Computer literacy An individual’s level of skill with computers and computer applications.

Cookies A cookie is a piece of text that is placed on your hard drive. Its job is to record bits of information such as the pages you've visited, items in an online shopping cart, and your user name and password for a specific site that you have visited.

Crash A serious computer failure caused by a hardware or software malfunction. A crash is said to happen when either the computer or the program stops responding.

Cursor A symbol, usually a solid rectangle, blinking underline character or arrow that signifies where on the screen the next entry will occur.

Data Representation of facts, concepts, or instructions.

Database Collection of information that has been organized in a structured format that can be accessed through a computer system.

Default Default is a setting or value that is assigned automatically by an operating system, program, or piece of computer equipment. It remains in effect unless changed by the end user. For example the Microsoft Word program sets a default font size of 10 points.

Defragment (Defrag) The process of taking pieces of files that are scattered or fragmented on the hard disk and unifying them.

Desktop A metaphor for the on-screen computing environment. A computer desktop includes the screen background, icons, and windows visible on the computer screen.

Desktop Publishing The use of computer hardware and software for page layout, typesetting and design.

Domain Name An Internet domain name is an individual's or organization's unique name, which points to a specific Internet address. The domain name is the part of the Internet address that usually follows the www.

Download To move or copy a document, program or other data from the Internet or other computer to your computer. The opposite of upload.

Dpi (Dots per Inch) Way of measuring the density of output of printers and scanners. The higher the dpi, the better the resolution.

Drag To relocate an object on a desktop by placing the mouse cursor (pointer or arrow) on top of the image, pressing the left button, and holding the button down while moving the image to another location on the desktop.

Driver A driver is a piece of software necessary for the computer to operate an attached device e.g. a printer. . These drivers need to be installed on your computer before the new equipment will work properly.

DVD (Digital Video Disc) RHigh density disk that can hold from 4.7 gigabytes to 17 gigabytes of information.

E-Commerce Business conducted online, including buying and selling of goods, etc.

E-Mail (Electronic Mail) Messages sent through a computer network, such as the Internet.

Emoticon Also known as a smiley. An emoticon is a group of keyboard characters that are put together to create a picture. Smileys or emoticons often show the feelings or emotions of the sender.

Ethernet An Ethernet card is a piece of computer hardware that enables communication between two or more computers on a network. Creating a network allows multiple computers to share resources.

Expansion Slots The slots inside the computer which accept computer boards.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Compilation of the most commonly asked questions about a certain subject or product.

Fax-Modem A modem which is designed to send and receive faxes through a computer, as well as act as a regular modem.

Field A space allocated for a certain type of information.

File A collection of data.

File Conversion Changing the formatting of a data file.

Firewall A firewall is a security measure that protects a computer or a computer network from unauthorized access. A firewall can be software, hardware, or a combination of both.

FireWire A type of bus standard also known as IEEE 1394. This very fast bus supports data transfer rates of up to 400 Mbps. Because of its high speed, FireWire is often used for transferring video files.

Folder An object that can hold multiple documents (or files). Used to organize information. Folders can also be called directories.

Font A collection of letters and numbers in a particular typeface. E.g. arial, verdana, comic sans ms, etc

Footer One or more lines of text that appear at the bottom of every page of a document.

Format (1) The specific arrangement of data (2) To prepare a storage medium, usually a disk, for reading and writing. i.e. to format a floppy disk (3) To specify the properties of an object, i.e. to format the text in a word processing program.

Forum An on-line discussion group where people exchange ideas about a common interest. Also called a newsgroup.

Fragmentation The condition of a disk in which files are divided into scattered pieces. Fragmentation occurs naturally as you create, modify, and delete files.

Freeware Copyrighted software given away for free by the author. You can use such software, but cannot sell it in any way.

Function A type of procedure or routine that is used in programming computers as well as in certain computer programs, such as spreadsheets.

GIF (Graphic Interchange Format) A common format for image files. GIF files are often used for Web pages.

Gigabyte (GB) A unit of computer storage roughly equaling one billion bytes.

Hacker Someone, usually knowledgeable about computers, who accesses electronic information without permission.

Hard Disk The storage disk inside of the computer that holds the operating system and programs. This is contained within a hardware mechanism known as a Hard Drive.

Hardware The physical components of a computer system. Refers to objects like disk drives, monitors, keyboards, and printers.

Header One or more lines of text that appear at the top of every page of a document.

Home Page The word Home Page has several meanings. It is the Web page that your browser uses when it starts. The same term also refers to the main Web page out of a collection of Web pages.

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) The language used to create Web pages for publication on the Web. Pages produced with HTML are like text documents that have tags embedded in them. The tags contain coding for attaching graphics, formatting, and hypertext links.

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) The protocol used by the World Wide Web that defines how messages are formatted and transmitted.

Hypertext Link A word that you click on when on the Web to take you to another Web page or site. These links are usually underlined or in a different color.

Icon A small picture that represents a program, file or command in your computer system. It is activated by moving the cursor onto the icon and pressing a button or key.

Incremental Backup A backup procedure that backs up only those files that have been changed or modified since the previous backup.

Indent To set in from the margin. Usually used in the first line of a paragraph.

IrDA Port (Infrared Data Association) A port that allows the transfer of data from one device to another without any cables via infrared light waves. Both devices must have infrared ports.

Ink Jet Printer A printer which produces text and images by spraying ink onto the paper. It produces a print out which is close to laser quality at less cost.

Input (n) Information or data that goes into the computer. This includes information that is typed on the keyboard, as well as information that is gathered from other devices, such as mice or scanners. (v) The act of entering data into a computer.

Instant Messenger A service that lets you know which of your friends and online buddies are available and provides the means for you to privately communicate with them.

Interface Something that connects two separate entities. It can be either hardware or software. Generally used to refer to the user interface or the part of a software program that connects the computer with a human operator (user).

Internet A global web of computers that allows individuals to communicate with each other.

ISP (Internet Service Provider) A company that lets you connect to their computers in order to connect to the Internet usually for a fee.

Joystick A lever device similar to a mouse. Basically used to play games on the computer.

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) Pronounced J-peg. The most commonly used format for image files, often preferred for photographic images.

Kbps Kilobits per second (thousands of bits per second). A unit of measurement for modems that indicates the speed at which data is transferred. One kilobit is equal to 1,024 bits, but is commonly rounded to 1,000 bits.

Keyboard An input device used to type programs, instructions and data into the computer. Similar to the keys on a typewriter.

LAN (Local Area Network) A computer network for an area that is usually limited to the same building or the same area in a building.

Laptop Computer A small, portable computer that can sit on your lap. Laptop computers are often also referred to as notebook computers.

Laser Printer Printers that produce high quality printouts. They operate like a copy machine, using lasers and toner to produce an image.

Leading (pronounced like "ledding") In word processing and desktop publishing, vertical spacing of lines of text in a paragraph.

Login (Log On) Before using the Internet or other online service, you are required to login. This usually entails entering a user name and password.

Mail Merge A system which allows the user to easily generate form letters by automatically inserting each different name and address into the same letter or document.

Megabyte (MB) A unit of computer storage roughly equaling one million bytes.

Menu A list of commands, options, or hyperlinks which can be selected by the user. Use menus to choose a command to tell your computer what to do. Menus reside in the menu bar which is usually at the top and/or left of the screen.

Modem (MOdulator/DEModulator) A device that allows computers to communicate over telephone lines. Modems change the computer's digital signal to an analog signal that can be sent over the telephone lines, and to digital again at the receiving end.

Monitor A television-like screen that shows you what your computer is doing.

Mouse An input device that lets you control the computer by controlling the location and action of the cursor on the computer screen.

MPEG One of the standards for compressing full-motion digital video. Requires hardware for decompression.

Netiquette Rules for maintaining etiquette while using the Internet.

Network A computer network is formed when two or more computers are connected in order to share resources. A network can use either a wired or a wireless connection.

Newsgroup An on-line discussion group generally geared to a specific topic or group of people.

Notebook Computer A lightweight portable computer.

OCR (Optical Character Recognition) The process of reading text from paper and translating it into a format that the computer can understand and manipulate.

Off-line Not connected (to a network/internet) and therefore unable to communicate.

On-line Connected and able to communicate.

On-line Banking Performing normal banking transactions, such as making deposits and, paying bills electronically.

Orientation In printing, the direction of the paper. Portrait means that the paper is higher than it is wide. Landscape means that the paper is wider than it is high.

Output Anything that comes out of a computer including screen images, printed pages and sounds.

Password A code used to gain access to a Web site, program, or computer system.

PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) A handheld device that acts as a mini-computer. A PDA functions as a personal organizer and usually contains appointments, to do lists, and contact information for friends and associates.

PIM (Personal Information Manager) A type of software that is used to organize information, especially, addresses, to-do lists and appointments.

Pixel (Picture element) A cluster of colored dots that combine to form images on the computer screen.

Plug-in A smaller piece of software that adds features to a larger piece of software. Internet browsers often use plug-ins to increase the functionality of the basic program.

POP (Point of Presence) A protocol used to retrieve e-mail from a mail server. Most e-mail applications use the POP protocol.

Presentation Software Software that is used to create a series of documents, slides, transparencies or video images and sounds used to exhibit a product or image. E.g. Powerpoint

Protocol A set of standards that allows two products to work together by standardising communications between the two products.

Record In a database, one set of information.

Relational Database A somewhat complex database which uses several tables that relate to each other in some way.

Reset Button A button, usually located on the front of the computer, which resets or restarts the computer software without turning the computer completely off.

Resolution The term used to describe sharpness and clarity of an image. The higher the resolution, the better the image.

Scan Disk A software program, often part of an operating system, which searches the hard disk for errors and corrects them.

Scanner A device that takes a picture of a printed page or image and puts it into the computer memory.

Screen Saver A software program that runs some sort of animation on the computer screen when it is turned on, but not in use.

Scroll Bar A bar that appears on the right and/or bottom of your screen. It indicates there is more viewing area to be seen than will fit on the screen at one time. A mouse can be used to maneuver the scroll bar.

Server A computer or device that manages network resources. A file server is a computer and storage device that is used for storing files. A print server is a computer that manages one or more printers.

Shareware Shareware is "try before you buy" software based on a unique concept. Someone creates a program, puts it on the Internet, and allows anyone to copy and use it. If the end-user likes the program, he or she pays the creator a fee.

Skew To turn or place an object at an angle. Often use in drawing programs to manipulate pictures or drawings.

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) The main protocol used to send electronic mail on the Internet. SMTP consists of a set of rules for transfer of e-mail.

Software The program or instructions that tell the computer what to do.

Spam Spam is unwanted e-mail or messages to several recipients, the electronic equivalent of junk mail.

Spreadsheet A collection of data.

Suite A group of programs that are sold together as one unit for a price less than the cost of the individual components.

Tab A mechanism for setting automatic stops or margins in order to line up text or items in columns. Also a key on the keyboard that moves the cursor or pointer to the next tab stop.

Table A collection of data arranged in rows and columns. Tables are commonly used in database programs, spreadsheets and word processing programs.

Taskbar The bar usually found at the bottom of a Windows screen. The taskbar shows which software programs are open. It also contains the Start button.

Template A pattern that is used to create other like items. Often used to create documents that are similar, but have small differences.

Toolbar A strip of icons in a software program that usually are located at the top of the screen.

Touchpad An input device that consists of a small touch-sensitive pad. The user moves his or her finger across the pad to move the cursor on the screen.

Tracking In word processing or desktop publishing, to adjust the space between the characters of type.

Troubleshoot To systematically investigate a problem and find a solution.

Uninstaller A software program which removes or uninstalls other programs.

Upgrade To improve your computer system by installing new components. Also to install a new version of the software that you are already using to gain new features and improvements.

Upload To move or copy a document, program or other data from your computer to the Internet or another computer. The opposite of download.

URL (Uniform Resource Locator) A system for addressing Internet sites.

Utility Programs A program that helps you perform necessary maintenance or correct problems with your computer system. Disk backup and anti-virus programs are utility programs.

Virus A virus is simply a set of computer instructions (computer code) that is written by some unscrupulous person with the intent purpose of infiltrating as many computer systems as possible.

WAN (Wide Area Network) A computer network that covers an area larger than a single building.

Web Browser A program that provides an interface that allows you to connect to the World Wide Web.

Web Site A site or area on the World Wide Web that is accessed by its own Internet address. Each Web site contains a home page and may also contain additional pages. Each Web site is owned and updated by an individual, company, or organisation.

Webcam A camera that allows viewing of live images through the Internet.

Wizard An assistant or helper created by a software program to help the user perform tasks.

Word Processor A piece of software used to create documents which are text oriented.

World Wide Web This term is often used synonymously with the word Internet; however it is actually a graphical interface for the Internet.