The Hi	Tech Living/Fast Times Dictionary of Computer Terms



3	D 	 short for three dimensional: height, width and depth. With the appropriate software, some computers can produce three	dimensional graphics. 



America Online 	 a large commercial online computer service, similar to Compuserve and Prodigy. A monthly subscription enables you to send and receive e	mail, connect to the Internet, download interesting files, take part in online discussions, and access a wealth of information ranging from computing to travel, sport, education, and much more. You can even get online help with your homework!



animation 	 to make drawn objects look as if they are moving. Disney movies such as "The Lion King" and "Pocahontas" are animated cartoons. 



Apple Macintosh Computer 	 first introduced in 1984, this family of personal computers became an immediate success. This is because the Macintosh is easy to learn and easy to use. There is no technical jargon and no complicated commands. Programs and files are shown in tiny pictures (called icons) that often look like or illustrate what they do. 



application programs 	 the software that is used for word processing, spreadsheets, or any other specialized work. Microsoft Word, for example, is a word processing application. Quark Xpress is a desktop publishing application. 



ASCII 	 stands for American Standard Code for Information Exchange. ASCII is a code that is used when transferring data. If a doucument is stored in ASCII format it can be retrieved and read by someone using a different application program, even if the two programs are in other respects not compatible. 



av 	 short for audio	visual. Refers to a computer's ability to produce sound and pictures. 



back up 	 to make a copy of a file or other data on a disk to preserve it if the original is destroyed or damaged. 



BBS 	 stands for Bulletin Board System. A BBS allows online users to exchange messages. There are hundreds of these bulletin boards currently in operation. They are the latest way for people who share common interests to exchange ideas and information. 



bit 	 the smallest unit of information that a computer can hold.



boot 	 to start up a computer.



bug 	 an error in computer hardware or software. 



byte 	 a unit of information in a computer. One byte consists of eight "bits"



cable 	 a wire used to connect different parts of a computer system. For example, a printer cable connects the computer to the printer; a serial cable connects the modem to the computer. 



cache 	 pronounced like "cash." A place where the computer can store data temporarily without repeatedly accessing the hard or floppy disk. This makes the computer run faster. 



card 	 a printed circuit board, which is a flat board that holds electronic components. A card is inserted in the computer to equip it to provide specific functions, such as graphics. 



cartridge 	 a unit that can be inserted into a computer to perform certain tasks. If your laser printer is producing faint copies, for example, you need to remove the old toner cartridge and replace it with a new one. 



CD	ROM 	 abbreviation of Compact Disk Read Only Memory. ROM is pronounced Rahm. It refers to memory that can be read but not changed. A CD	ROM is a computer storage disk that can store large amounts of information (600 MB or more), such as encyclopaedias and catalogs, including full	color images and sound. It looks like a CD audio disk. 



chip 	 an electronic component used in a computer that can store large amounts of information. 



click 	 on Macintosh computers, to position the pointer on something, and then press and release the mouse button. Used to select an item on a menu, for example.



clip art 	 ready	made, pre	drawn, graphics that can be imported into a document. Often used to illustrate desktop publishing documents, which is easy to do because the graphic does not have to be created from scratch. 



color graphics 	 the ability of a computer to produce graphics in color.



command 	 an instruction that causes the computer to perform a specific action.



Compuserve 	 one of the large commercial online services. You pay a monthly subscription in order to use services. These services allow you to send and receive E	mail, "chat" with others who share your interests, access reference libraries and all kinds of information on travel, finance, news, sports, weather, shopping, entertainment, games, and more.



computer 	 a machine that stores and processes data according to instructions that are fed into it.



computer art 	 a work of art that is produced on a computer.



computer game 	 any game played on a computer, such as the classic "Space Invaders." Since their invention in the 1970s and 1980s, such games have become hugely popular, with sales in the U.S. topping $5 billion a year. 



computer graphics 	 refers to charts, drawings, maps, and pictures created on a computer.



connect 	 to establish a link between two computers (when transferring data, for example); also applies to linking up with an online service. 



crash 	 failure of hardware or software. If your hard disk crashes, for example, you may lose data.



cursor 	 the blinking character	a short vertical line on the screen	 that indicates where the next character (letter, number, etc.) will appear when typed.



cyberspace 	 the artifically created "space" in which online interactions occur. If you are taking part in a discussion group online you are communicating in cyberspace. People who are separated in real space can be connected in cyberspace. 



daisy wheel printer 	 a printer that uses a plastic wheel, called daisy because it looks like a daisy with petals. Each spoke of the wheel has a character on it. Printing occurs when a hammer strikes the wheel against the inked ribbon. Now considered an old	fashioned technology, when compared to laser printers. 



database 	 any collection of data that is electronically stored.



debug 	 to eliminate the bugs in hardware or software; to correct errors.



desktop publishing 	 publishing that is done using a personal computer equipped with page layout software programs. A high quality printer is also needed. Desktop publishers can create and print newsletters, brochures, magazines and books. 



digitize 	 to convert an image or signal into digital code for input into a computer. 



dingbat 	 an unusual	looking font that is made up of small graphics that can be used to make a word processing document more interesting visually without having to create complicated graphics. 



disk 	 a flat magnetic surface on which information can be recorded.



DOS 	 pronounced "doss," it stands for Disk Operating System, and is used for IBM and IBM compatible computers, where it is known as PC	DOS or MS	DOS. It's the operating system that tells the computer how to work.



dot	matrix printer 	 uses pins to strike an inked ribbon to form images on paper. Dot	matrix printers do not produce the high quality copies that a laser printer does. For letter quality documents a laser printer or ink	jet printer is needed. 



double	density disk 	 a disk with twice the storage capacity of a single	density disk. 



double	sided disk 	 a disk on which data can be stored on both sides. 



download 	 to transfer data from one computer to another. Usually refers to the transfer from a large or central computer to a smaller, personal one. 



drag 	 In Macintosh computers, to position the pointer on something, press and hold the mouse button, move the mouse and release the button. 



drive 	 short for disk drive. The part of the computer that reads data from the disk (hard, floppy or CD	ROM) and stores it in memory, and also that writes data on the disk.



electronic mail 	 usually abbreviated to E	mail. The transmission of letters and messages over a computer network.



electronic publishing 	 the providing of information, such as books and magazines, in electronic form to suscribers to a service. 



extension 	 a feature added to the original computer system.



eWorld 	 a new commercial online service from Apple Computer, similar to America Online, Compuserve, and Prodigy.



fax 	 short for facsimile. A fax machine sends a copy of a document or a picture over telephone lines to another fax machine. Fax also refers to the document itself	that is, you send someone a fax via a fax machine. 



fax modem 	 a modem that allows you to send a fax to another fax modem or fax machine directly, without printing it out first. 



fiber optics 	 a communications technology in which tiny glass threads narrower than a human hair transmit data on beams of laser light at 186,000 miles a second. 



file 	 any collection of information stored on a disk.



file compression 	 a method of compressing, or squashing, a file so that it does not take up as much disk space in the computer. Sometimes called "stuffing", after Aladdin System's "Stuff	It" compression program. 



filter 	 a part of the operating system that processes data before passing it on. When you issue a find or search command to locate a particular word or subject, a filter is used to do the job. 



flame 	 to send someone a rude, angry or insulting message by E	mail.



floppy disk 	 a plastic disk that stores computer data. It is inserted into the floppy disk drive of a computer. 



floppy disk drive 	 the drive used when accessing data on a floppy disk. 



font 	 a collection of letters, numbers and punctuation marks with a consistent appearance. This is in Geneva font. This is in Time font. 



format 	 how data is arranged. You are formatting a document, for example, when you specify page numbers, width of margins, etc. Format is also used to refer to the preparation of a disk before data can be recorded on it. 



GIF 	 stands for Graphics Interchange Format. GIF allows someone who is using a particular software program to view graphics that have been created in a different software program. 



Gopher 	 the name for a retrieval system on the Internet, that gives access to databases, files, and other resources. 



graphics 	 a term that can refer to a wide range of elements that are not text, from line drawings to full color pictures. 



hacker 	 a slang term for a person who is extremely knowledgeable about computers, and who uses that knowledge for illegal purposes. A hacker might break into other people's computer systems and steal information or disrupt the system. 



handshake 	 an exchange of signals between two computers that shows that shows that data can be transmitted between them. 



hard copy 	 anything that is printed from a computer onto paper and thus exists in physical form. Data that remains in the computer, and is read only on screen, is soft copy. 



hard disk 	 a metal disk permanently sealed inside a drive compartment or cartridge. It stores large amounts of information.



hard disk drive 	 the storage device that reads data on, and writes on, a hard disk.



hardware 	 the computer itself and everything attached to it, such as keyboard, mouse, printer, modem, and cables.



high density disk 	 a disk that can store about a third more data than a double density disk (1.2 MB rather than 800K). 



high resolution 	 text and images produced by a computer or printer that are high quality	crisp and clear. All images you see on a computer screen are made up of tiny dots; the more dots there are, the higher the resolution. 



home page 	 each site on the Internet's World Wide Web opens with a home page, which is rather like a magazine's table of contents. It tells you what the site contains, and also provides links to other, related sites. Home pages are used by businesses, but individuals create them as well. Having your own home page may well be the ultimate in cool. 



hypermedia 	 the combination in a computer of text, graphics, sound and video. Sometimes called multimedia. 



hypertext 	 a database system which links text, graphics, sound and video. It also allows the user to explore interrelated topics, without following a pre	planned sequence of information. How many times have you read something interesting that you would like to know more about and then felt frustrated because the next paragraph was about something completely different? Hypertext tries to avoid this	it follows the way the human mind makes associations. So if something catches your interest, hypertext allows you to access more information about it. And so on, and so on, following whatever links you choose. You're not bound to what an author thinks you should be interested in	hypertext is like going on a treasure hunt inspired by your own curiosity. 



IBM personal computer 	 refers to any of the group of personal computers manufactured by IBM. 



information superhighway 	 the term was coined by Vice	President Al Gore. It refers to the vast communications system that is developing at lightning speed in the 1990s. If you are connected to the information superhighway you can access from your computer everything from interactive video games to articles in electronic encyclopaedias to data on Wall Street transactions to clips from the latest Hollywood movies. You can also exchange messages with anyone in the world who is also connected to the information highway. 



ink	jet printer 	 uses tiny bubbles of ink sprayed onto the paper to produced high quality printed copies, similar to the quality produced by laser printers.



interactive 	 a two	way dialogue between the computer and the user. You issue a command; the computer responds to it. Video games, for example, are interactive: what happens on the screen depends on what you do with the controls, and vice versa. 



interface 	 a connection betwen two devices, the point at which they meet. A user interface, for example, refers to the connecting point between the user and the computer. When you choose from a menu, make a command, etc. you are interfacing (or connecting) with the computer. 



Internet 	 the world's largest computer network, connecting over a million computers and used by over 25 million people for the sharing of information. 



keyboard 	 a device that looks like a typewriter. It includes all the letters of the alphabet and numbers 1	9, as well as additional function keys, and is used to enter data into the computer.



kilobyte 	 a unit of measurement, the equivalent of 1,000 bytes. Often abbreviated to K. 



laptop computer 	 a small computer, sometimes weighting as little as 5 pounds, that can be used on one's lap. Usually battery powered. 



laser printer 	 produces the highest quality of copy, based on laser technology.



letter quality 	 high quality, comparable to the quality of a letter typed on a typewriter. Laser printers and ink	jet printers produce letter quality documents. 



log in 	 to connect to a computer network 



log on 	 often used in the same sense as "log in", but sometimes refers only to the initial connection to a computer network, before the entry of user name and password allows you to "log in." 



low resolution 	 the opposite of high resolution. A smaller number of dots is used to create the images on screen and in printed output. This results in images of lower quality. 



Mac 	 abbreviation of Macintosh.



mega 	 one million, used as a prefix as in megabyte, which means one million bytes. 



megabyte 	 a unit of mesurement equal to a thousand kilobytes and a million bytes. Often abbreviated to MB.



memory 	 the storage area in a computer. 



memory board 	 a board that adds more memory to a computer.



memory chip 	 a computer chip that stores data.



menu 	 a list of options from which you can choose.



microcomputer 	 another term for personal computer.



microphone 	 a device on a personal computer equipped for multimedia that can record the human voice. 



microprocessor 	 an electronic circuit that functions as the central processing chip in a personal computer. It is located on a tiny nodule known as a silicon chip. The invention of the microprocessor gave a big boost to personal computers in the 1980s	it enabled small computers to perform functions that earlier could only be done by computers the size of a gymnasium. 



modem 	 a device that converts computer signals so that they can be transmitted over telephone lines to another computer. 



monitor 	 the computer screen or terminal. 



mouse 	 a pointing device used with Macintosh computers that controls the pointer on the screen. Move the mouse and the pointer moves too. 



multimedia 	 the computer technology for creating and combining sound and video images.



music synthesizer 	 an electronic device that can be attached to a computer to play music



network 	 a collection of two or more interconnected computers, for the purpose of sharing and transferring data via telecommunications. 



offline 	 not connected to a computer network service. For example, if you are sending E	mail, you might compose the letter on your computer offline, and then go online to send it. Offline also refers to the printer when it is not connected to the computer. 



online 	 connected to a computer network service such as Compuserve, or to a BBS. For example, if you are "chatting" in cyberspace, you are online. Online also refers to a computer printer when it is connected to the computer and ready to print. 



online information service 	 a service that provides users with access to a variety of information and services. A monthly fee is charged. Examples are America Online, Compuserve, and Prodigy. 



open 	 to access a program or file. 



operating system 	 the program that controls the operation of the copmputer. One widely used operating system is DOS (for IBM computers); another is System 7 (for the Macintosh). 



page layout 	 the arrangement of text and graphics on a printed page. This can be done with a page layout software program (such as Pagemaker or QuarkXpress) and is essential for desktop publishing. 



palette 	 the colors available in a paint program. 



password 	 a secret word that gives you and only you access to a computer system, such as a BBS or other online service.



PC 	 abbreviation for personal computer. 



piracy 	 copying of a copyrighted software program without permission. If you copy software and give it to someone else, it is theft, and deprives the manufacturer of revenue from the sale of its product. 



print 	 to convert data in a computer into printed form on paper. Print is also the computer command used to accomplish this. 



printer 	 a device that converts computer data into printed text and graphics on paper. The main types of printer are dot	matrix, daisy wheel, ink	jet, and laser. 



Prodigy 	 a commercial online service, similar to America Online and Compuserve. 



program 	 a set of instructions written in computer language that cause the computer to function in a certain way for a specific purpose. Means the same as application program. 



programmer 	 a person who creates computer programs.



public domain 	 if software is in the public domain it is not copyrighted, so it can be copied and shared without charge or penalty. 



quit 	 to exit from an application program.



RAM disk 	 RAM stands for Random Access Memory. It refers to the computer's memory. A RAM disk acts like a disk drive	you can store and access files on it	but it is faster. The disadvantege is that all data in a RAM disk is lost when you turn the computer off. 



random access 	 the ability to access any piece of data in a file without having to go through everything in that file that comes before it. The term applies also to any other storage device. A Compact Disk (CD) for example, has random access; but a cassette tape has the opposite	what is called sequential access. 



real time 	 a measurement based on actual time. Often used for business applications, it means to process instructions as soon as they are entered rather than at the end of the business day. 



reboot 	 to restart a computer. 



render 	 when photos or drawings appear on a computer screen



ROM 	 stands for Read Only Memory. It refers to data that can be read but not deleted or changed. Programs vital to the operation of the computer are stored in ROM. 



scanner 	 a device that can read text or images into a computer. 



screen blanker 	 a software program that blanks out the screen if the screen has been displaying the same images for more than a few minutes. This prevents those images from being permanently "burned in" to the screen. 



screen saver 	 the same as a screen blanker, except that instead of making the screen completely blank, the screen saver displays graphic images on the screen. These can be of anything the programmer can think up	fishes swimming, flashes of lightning, and even flying toasters! 



script 	 also called a macro. A script is a programming language	a way of writing a series of commands to make a repetitive task automatic and therefore easier. Utility programs allow users to create their own scripts or macros. You record commands in a special file and assign it to a key on the keyboard. When you press that key, the script is read and performed automatically. 



scroll 	 to move a document on your screen so that a different part of it is visible.



select 	 to highlight a portion of a document or file; to choose a particular icon from a menu. 



select	all 	 to highlight an entire document or file. 



sign on 	 to enter a computer system. 



simulation 	 a computer program that recreates the interaction of real	world objects and situations. Simulation is used in Virtual Reality games and in business and military training programs. For example, the Air Force uses cockpit simulators to train pilots.



software 	 a program of instructions that tell the computer what to do. 



spell checker 	 a software program that checks the spelling in a document. Spell checkers are not infallible, however, as this poem (from the Bulletin of the Missouri Council of Teachers of Mathematics in May 1995) shows: 



spreadsheet 	 a software program used by businesses for planning budgets, etc. The program does calculations using mathematical formulas, and sets out the results in columns and rows of figures. 



start up disk 	 a disk that has all the files necessary to start up your computer.



surge protector 	 a device that protects the data in your computer from surges (sudden increases) in the power supply which might otherwise cause damage. 



system 	 a computer system is made up of all the hardware and software that the computer uses. System also refers to the program that controls the entire computer. It is located on a system disk that you need to start the computer up and make it work. 



system folder 	 a folder that contains the software that Macintosh computers use to start up. 



telecommunications 	 the technology of communication at a distance, including audio and video. Radio, television, telephones, and data transfer between computers through a modem are all aspects of telecommunications. 



Telnet 	 a method of accessing information on the Internet. You log into another computer and use its resources.



template 	 a master pattern that is used as a guide for the creation of other documents. 



terminal 	 a screen and a keyboard, usually attached to a computer, but without any capability on its own.



trash 	 an icon on Macintosh computers that is used to discard documents. It looks like a garbage can. 



typeface 	 a style of type, an aspect of a type font.



unstuff/unzip 	 to decompress files that have been compressed, so that they can be read. (Named after Aladdin System's "Stuff	It" program.) 



upload 	 to transmit a file from your computer to another computer. 



USENET 	 a popular feature of the Internet, USENET consists of over 4,000 active discussion groups called Newsgroups. 



user	friendly 	 easy to use.



utility 	 a type of software program that is designed to make using your computer easier. Among other functions, utilities programs can identify and fix problems, such as recovering files that have been accidentally deleted, diagnosing and repairing damaged disks, and restoring a crashed disk. Well	known utilities include Norton Utilities and PC Tools. 



version 	 a number, usually appearing after the name of the software program. This number indicates which edition, or version, of the software you are using. Microsoft Word 6.0 means that it is the sixth edition of that program. Word 2.0 for Windows means that it is the second edition of that program. 



video 	 moving visual images, as in television and movies. Many computers now have video capability. 



Virtual Reality 	 a computer	generated, interactive world that realistically simulates the real world. The participant puts on a special helmet, goggles, and gloves. All of these devices receive input from the VR system and help to create the multidimensional world that feels almost like the real thing. 



virus 	 a malicious program that infects a computer system and causes it to malfunction. Virus detection programs are available. 



voice recognition 	 an emerging technology that is likely to become more available over the next few years. It refers to a computer that can process and respond to simple commands given by a human voice. It does this by converting sound signals into digital signals. 



voice synthesis 	 a device that enables the computer to imitate the sound of a human voice. 



Web Browser 	 a software program that makes it easier to navigate the Internet's World Wide Web to find the information you want, or just to explore. Examples include Mosaic and Netscape.



window 	 the area of the computer screen that displays data or information or programs. You view a document through a window. You can open or close a window, open many windows at once, change their sizes, and edit thier contents. 



Windows 	 usually refers to Microsoft Windows, a graphical user interface (the icons on the screen that you use to make commands) for DOS computers that makes them easier to use. 



word processing 	 creating, editing and storing documents in a computer. 



World Wide Web 	 a system for linking information sources throughout the Internet's international network of computers.



zap 	 to destroy the contents of a computer file, either in error or on purpose. 



zoom 	 to make a window larger so that it fills a larger part of the screen.