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Glossary of Computer Terms


This glossary is a living document subject to constant change.
Please post additions/changes/deletions to: tol@roe25.com

** lighter blue denotes latest entries **

An Excellent on-line glossary is available at : http://webopedia.internet.com/

  1. Access Speed - rate of data speed. Most dial-up connections are 56K. Local area networks operate at rates of 10 Mb to 1Gb
  2. Active Window - The window that is on top of all others on the desktop.
  3. Address Book - stores the e-mail addresses of a user's email correspondents
  4. Alert Box - A box that appears on the screen to give a warning or other message.
  5. Anti-virus - software designed to scan for and remove potentially harmful software.
  6. ANSI - It stands for American National Standards Institute. This is the place that sets standards for data communications, like the Internet.
  7. Appleshare® - Networking Operating system from Apple® Corporation
  8. Analog - This is data in the form of a continuous flow. A record or a tape is analog. Digital on the other hand is in pieces, or samples.
  9. Applet - a small application program
  10. Application Program - A computer software program  used to create a document, database, spreadsheet,  graphic, etc. or in a browser acts as a helper program to assist the browser perform an extended function, such as animations or sounds.
  11. ASCII - American Standard Code Information Exchange.  Standardized so data transfer is facilitated  between computer systems.
  12. Audio sounds produced by the computer to enrich the multimedia computing environment.

  1. Back - when using a browser, returns to the last page viewed.
  2. Backbone - A high-speed line or series of connections that form 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.
  3. Back Up - To make a copy of a disk or of a file on a disk.
  4. Bandwidth - The rate of data transferred through a data connection. Usually measured in bits-per-second *
  5. Baud Rate- This number of state changes per second in a data connection. .
  6. Binary - A two-state numbering  system  using ones and zeros to represent data.
  7. BMP - a bitmapped graphics file.
  8. Bookmark - a method to store a visited web site in a we browsers; a shortcut to  a web site. also see: favorite
  9. Boolean search - a method of combining one or more search phrases using the terms AND OR NOT etc. to limit the number of returned sites.
  10. BPS - (Bits-Per-Second) -- A measurement of how fast data is moved from one place to another. A 56K modem can move a maximum of 56,000 bits per second.
  11. Browse - to view resources on a computer  Network.
  12. Browser - A client program (software) that is used to look at various kinds of Internet resources.
  13. Button - An image on the screen sometimes resembling a push button, that you click to designate, confirm, or cancel an action.
  14. Byte - A computer "word." Can also represent a series of seven or eight ASCII code digits representing a character.

  1. CC- Carbon (or courtesy) Copy - when using email, sends an additional copy to another recipient.
  2. CD - Compact Disk (Read Only Memory) a high density (650++Mb) storage medium.
  3. CD Burner - see: CD/R & CD/RW
  4. CD Drive - device used in a computer to read information.
  5. CD/R - Compact Disk - circular plastic disk used to store digital data.
  6. CD/RW - Compact Disk ReWriteable Disk - media which allows you to write to a disk multiple times.
  7. Cache - This is an area of memory (or hard disk) set aside to to hold frequently used data, in order to speed up the computer's performance
  8. CAN - (Campus Area Network) - A computer network limited to a Campus Area,  several buildings or more.
  9. Central Processor Unit (CPU) - The "brain" of the computer; its the microprocessor that performs the actual computations.
  10. Chip - See integrated circuit
  11. Clear - A command in the Edit menu that removes selected material without placing it on the Clipboard. You can use the Undo command immediately after using Clear if you change your mind.
  12. Close-to close  the current folder or window.
  13. Click - To position the pointer on an object on the screen, and then to press and quickly release the mouse button.
  14. Client - A computer (or software application) which provides services from a local or Internet server.
  15. Clip Art - Graphic images that have been drawn previously and are assembled for the purpose of cutting and pasting into other documents.
  16. Clipboard - An area in the computer's memory that functions as a holding place for what you last cut or copied. Information on the clipboard can be pasted into different documents.
  17. Columns - In a spreadsheet, the vertical arrangement of cells identified by a letter designation at the top. In a word processing document, the vertical arrangement of text.
  18. Command - An instruction that causes the computer to perform some action.
  19. Command-Keys - The combination of the command key and another key from the keyboard to accomplish a particular task.
  20. Components - See hardware
  21. Compress/decompress
  22. Cookie(s) - text file(s) returned from a web site and stored on your computer which aids your browser in identifying  your preferences at a particular site.
  23. Copy - A command in the edit menu that copies selected material and places it on the clipboard, without removing the material from the original document.
  24. CPU - Stands for 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).
  25. Cracker - a computer hacker who "cracks" or illegally enters computer sites.
  26. Cursor - See pointer
  27. Cut - A command in the edit menu that removes selected material and places it on the clipboard, removing the material from the original document.
  28. Cyberspace - 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.

  1. DVD- Digital Versatile (or Video) Disk
  2. Data - Anything that is recorded or used for processing. The stuff that transfers between computers needed a name - Data seemed good.
  3. Data Rate - Speed that information moves from one item to another. This is usually in the form of bits.
  4. Database - A collection of information; also, software you use to collect, organize, and search for information.
  5. Dedicated Line - This is a phone line meant specifically for one thing, like being attached to a computer.
  6. Default- an assumed value assigned if the user does not make a choice.
  7. Delete - The key used to remove text. Works backward from the cursor. Also used to clear selected text or objects.
  8. Desktop - Your working environment on the computer (the menu bar and the background area on the screen), on which you work with icons and windows.
  9. Dialog Box - A box that contains a message, often requesting more information from you or allowing you to select options.
  10. Dialup Line - This is a telephone line that is connected to a server. When it is called, tones are exchanged between the server and the devise calling in order to attach.
  11. Digital - Information represent by the storage of date in one of two states: Zero or One
  12. Digital camera - a camera which stores images in a digital format for use in a computer system.
  13. Dimmed - Gray or filled in with a pattern of dots, indicating that an icon is already open or a menu, menu item, or other option is not available.
  14. Directory - a logical area of storage of on a computer system. Folders may contain files or other folders.
  15. Disk - A flat, circular object with a magnetic surface that computers use to store files (documents and applications).
  16. Disk Drive - The device that holds a disk, retrieves information from it, and stores information on it.
  17. DNS - This stands for Domain Name System. The Internet runs by assigning different sites "Names". They are actually four-part  numbers associated with names. Getting a DNS error means that the address you are attempting to reach is not recognized or is  busy at the moment.
  18. Document - The end result (product) of an application program.
  19. Domain Name - The unique name that identifies an Internet site. Domain Names always have two 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. Usually, all of the machines on a given Network will have the same thing as the right-hand portion of their Domain Names.
  20. Double-Click - To position the pointer on an object, such as an icon, and then to press and release the mouse button twice in quick succession without moving the mouse.
  21. Download - to retrieve a file from a remote computer system and store in on your local computer. Also see Upload.
  22. Drag - To position the pointer on an object, press and hold the mouse button, move the mouse, and release the mouse button.
  23. Draw - An application environment designed for accurate or precise drawings. User creates objects in this environment.

  1. E-mail - (Electronic Mail) - Messages  sent from one person to another via computer. E-mail can also be sent automatically to a large number of addresses (Mailing List).
  2. Eject - To remove a disk from a disk drive.
  3. Emoticon - a series of punctuation marks when viewed "sideways" appears to be a face expressing an emotion. Also see Smileys
  4. Encryption -Encoding  a file into a hard-to-crack format.
  5. Engine - As in "Search Engine." This is the working part of a data base or application.
  6. Ethernet - A very common method of networking computers in a LAN. Ethernet will handle about 10M, 100M or 1G bits-per-second and can be used with almost any kind of computer.

  1. FAQ - (Frequently Asked Questions) - FAQ's are documents that list and answer the most common questions on a particular subject. There are hundreds of FAQ's on subjects as diverse as Pet Grooming and Cryptography. FAQ's are usually written by people who have tired of answering the same question over and over.
  2. Favorite(s)- a method to store a visited web site in a we browsers; a shortcut to  a web site. also see: Bookmark.
  3. Fiber-Optic -   used for very high speed data transmission. It works by (modulating) a light wave across cable. The data is carried along with the light.
  4. Field - In a database record, an element that holds a category of information.
  5. File - Any named, ordered collection of information stored on a disk.
  6. File Sharing - This is the most important feature of the Internet. This is a method of allowing one server to give the same file to many different end users.
  7. Find - A database feature used to search for records that match search criteria in certain fields.
  8. Finder/Windows Explorer - Part of the system software, which keeps track of your files.
  9. Flame - to communicate in an unkind or derogatory fashion
  10. Floppy Disk - A disk made of flexible plastic that stores computer data. The 3.5-inch disk  high-density  stores1.44 megabytes of data 
  11. Folder - A container for documents, applications, or other folders on the desktop or in the directory windows.
  12. Font - A collection of letters, numbers, and symbols in a distinctive typographic design.
  13. Footer - A page element that repeats at the bottom of every page in a document.
  14. Frame - Graphic objects that can contain text, paintings, or spreadsheets. Frames give you access to tools from other  application environments.
  15. Freeware - This a shortened version of Free Software. Programmers offer their work without wanting pay in return.
  16. FTP - (File Transfer Protocol) - A very common method of moving files between two Internet sites. FTP is a special 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.
  17. FTP Site - a computer site offering uploading and downloading of files using File Transfer Protocol

  1. GIF - Pronounced "jif."  (Like Jiff ™Peanut Butter) Stands for Graphical Interchange Format. It is an image format created by Unysis Corporation , promoted heavily by CompuServe, and use extensively on the internet.
  2. Gigabyte - (GB) It's about a billion bytes. ( 2 to the 30th power or 1,073,741,824 bytes of data.

  1. Hacker - a computer programmer who changes code to perform a particular function.
  2. Hard Disk, Hard Drive - A disk made of a rigid material and permanently sealed in a disk drive or cartridge. A hard disk can hold much more information than a floppy disk, and a hard disk spins much faster., allowing data to be recorded and read back much faster.
  3. Hardware - Any one of the electronic devices that make up the computer system.
  4. Header - A page element that repeats at the top of every page in a document.
  5. Help - built-in files to assist the computer user.
  6. Highlighted - Visually distinct, usually because the colors are reversed.
  7. Home Page -the base or starting page for a web site.
  8. Hotlist - List of URLs saved within a Web browser. (Bookmark in Netscape, Favorites in Internet Explorer.)
  9. HTML - (HyperText Markup Language) - The markup language used to create Hypertext documents for use on the 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, additionally, in HTML you can specify that a block of text, or a word, is linked to another file on the Internet. HTML files are meant to be viewed using a  Web Browser Program, such as Netscape or Internet Explorer.
  10. HTTP - (HyperText Transport Protocol) - The protocol for moving hypertext files across the Internet. Requires a HTTP client program on one end, and an HTTP server program on the other end. HTTP is the most important protocol used in the World Wide Web (WWW).
  11. Hub- a network device used to connect a group of computer resources using data cable. All devices "share" the bandwidth of the network.
  12. Hyperlink - a non-linear method of organizing connections in a document or the World Wide Web.
  13. Hypertext - Generally, any text that contains links to other documents - words or phrases in the document that can be chosen by a reader and which cause another document to be retrieved and displayed.

  1. I-Beam - A type of cursor shaped like the capital letter "I," used for entering and editing text. See insertion point.
  2. Icon - A small pictorial representation of a file, disk, menu, option, or other object or feature.
  3. Ink Jet - a printing system which sprays tiny droplets of pigment onto paper or other media to produce a printed page.
  4. Input - Information transferred into a computer from some external source, such as the keyboard, the mouse, a disk drive, or a modem.
  5. Insertion Point - The place in a document where text you type will be added; you set it by clicking at the spot where you want to make the insertion. The insertion point is marked with a vertical blinking bar.
  6. Interface - This is any type of point where two different things come together. Most often, the term is used to describe the programs between you and your computer like Windows or  Mac OS and others. What you see on the screen is the interface between you and what your computer is doing.
  7. Internet - The vast collection of inter-connected networks that all use the TCP/IP protocols and that evolved from the ARPANET in the early 1970's.
  8. Internet Explorer - Microsoft Corporation's WWW browser.
  9. Internet Site - A computer site available on the World Wide Web.
  10. Install - to transfer files necessary to enable a computer user to use software or hardware.
  11. Integrated Circuit (IC) - An electronic circuit manufactured from semi-conducting material, entirely contained in single package.
  12. IP Number - . A unique number consisting of four parts separated by dots, e.g.165.113.245.2. Every machine  on the Internet has a unique IP number.  Sometimes called a dotted quad.
  13. ISDN -Integrated Services Digital Network.  A digital signaling line provided over copper wire.
  14. ISP - (Internet Service Provider) - An organization that provides access to the Internet.

  1. Java - Java is an Object Oriented Program developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems. Java is delivered over the Internet in the form of little applications or "applets" that do tricks when they download and are read by the browser.
  2. Java Script - ava Script - This is a language very close to Java that allows for more interaction with the viewer. It is much more forgiving than Java as doesn't require it's own window in which to work.
  3. Jaz Drive - removable storage media manufactured by Iomega Corporation
  4. JPEG - Pronounced "J-Peg." Stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group. It's an image format that allows for compression when stored.

  1. Keyboard - The device used to enter data into a computer.
  2. Keyword - a specific word or phase used to narrow a search.
  3. Kilobyte - (KB) This is about a thousand bytes of space. In reality, it's two to the 10th power or 1,024 bytes of data.

  1. LAN - (Local Area Network) - A computer network limited to the immediate area, usually the same building or floor of a building.
  2. Layout - In a database document, a graphic representation of the way records will look when you browse or print. You can use different layouts to display, organize, and print the same information in different ways.
  3. Laptop  - a portable computer computer small enough to fit on one's lap.
  4. Link
  5. Linked Frames -For text, two or more frames in which text flows from one frame to the next.
  6. ListServ(er)- a computer program used to distribute email from one author to many recipients.
  7. Login - To enter your authorized username and (usually) a password in order to gain access to a computer
  8. Login Script - This is the small text file that is run by the server gateway to make the attachment between it and your computer.

  1. Macro - A sequence of actions you save as a single command, useful for automating repetitive tasks.
  2. MAN - Metropolitan Area Network A computer network limited to a Metropolitan area
  3. Maillist - (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 maillist. In this way, people who have many different kinds of e-mail access can participate in discussions together.
  4. Main Logic Board - A circuit board that holds RAM, ROM, the microprocessor, custom integrated circuits, and other components that make the computer work.
  5. Mainframe - Mostly a mainframe is only a mainframe when compared to a desktop computer. It's bigger and much more powerful. Sometimes it's called a server or CPU.
  6. Megabyte - (MB) About a million bytes of space. Actually it's 2 raised to the 20th power or 1,048,576 bytes of space.
  7. Memory - A hardware component of a hardware system that can store information for later retrieval.
  8. Menu - a group of choices presented to a user from which to select an option.
  9. Menu Bar - The white strip across the top of your screen that contains the names of the menus available to you.
  10. Minimize - to reduce the active window to an icon.
  11. MIDI - Stands for Music Instrument Digital Interface. It allows a computer to store and replay a musical instrument's output.
  12. Modem - Short for modulator/demodulator. A device that links your computer to other computers and information services over telephone lines.
  13. Monitor - A display device that can receive video signals by direct connection.
  14. Mouse - A device that controls the pointer on the screen.
  15. Multi-media - computer programs presenting information utilizing moving images and sound.
  16. MPEG - Motion Picture Experts Group. A format to make, view, and transfer both digital audio and digital video files.

  1. Netiquette - Communicating using proper etiquette and courtesy on the Internet.
  2. Netscape - A WWW Browser. The Netscape (tm) browser was originally based on the Mosaic, developed at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois at Urban-Champaign, Illinois, USA.
  3. Netware® - Nework operating system from Novell®
  4. Network - A collection of devices such as computers and printers that are connected together.
  5. Network Adapter - This is the hardware that allows the computers that are part of a network to communicate with each other.
  6. New- open a new file from within a software application.
  7. Notebook - a portable computer with approximate size of 8 1/2" x 12"s.
  8. NT - "New Technology" operating system from Microsoft

  1. Object - An element that you can select by itself, resize, and move around within a document.
  2. On-Line - to have a connection to a local or remote computer system.
  3. Open - To make available. You open files or folders in order to work with them.
  4. Operating System (OS) - A program that organizes the internal activities of the computer and its peripheral devices. An operating system performs basic tasks such as moving data to and from devices and managing information and memory.
  5. Output - Information transferred from the computer's microprocessor to some external device, such as the screen, a disk, a printer, or a modem.

  1. Page Setup- specify how the output  will appear on the printed page
  2. Paint - An application environment designed for freehand sketches, editing color images, and other artistic uses.
  3. Palette - A small window of options you can apply to an object or image you create.
  4. Parallel cable - typically used to connect a computer   to a printer. The data travels in parallel wire similar to a multi-lane highway.
  5. Password - A code used to gain access to a locked system. Good passwords contain letters and non-letters and are not simple combinations such as virtue7. A good password might be: Hot$1-6
  6. Paste - A command in the edit menu that places the contents of the clipboard - whatever was last cut or copied - at the location of the insertion point.
  7. Peripheral Device - A piece of hardware - such as a monitor, disk drive, printer, or modem - used with a computer and under the computer's control.
  8. Platform - a particular hardware configuration, such as IBM (compatible) or Macintosh.
  9. Plug-in - This is a program that your browser uses to manipulate a downloaded file. It differs from a Helper Application in that the plug-in works inside the browser window.
  10. Pointer - An arrow or other symbol on the screen that moves as you move the mouse.
  11. POP - (a) Point of Presence and l. A Point of Presence usually means a city or location where a network can be connected to, often with dial-up phone lines. If an Internet company says they will soon have a POP in Belgrade, it means that they will soon have a local phone number in Belgrade and/or a place where leased lines can connect to their network.
    (b) Post Office Protocol refers to the way e-mail software such as Eudora gets mail from a mail server. When you obtain a SLIP, PPP, or shell account you almost always get a POP account with it, and it is this POP account that you tell your e-mail software to use to get your mail.
  12. Pop-up window/Dialog box - appears when user needs to make a selection regarding the requested command.
  13. Port - A socket on the back panel, where you can plug in a cable to connect the computer to another peripheral device.
  14. PPP - (Point to Point Protocol) -- Most well known as a protocol that allows a computer to use a regular telephone line and a modem to make TCP/IP connections to the Internet.
  15. Preferences/properties -
  16. Print - command to the output to hardcopy.
  17. Printer - A peripheral device used to output application data to paper or other media.
  18. Program - A set of instructions describing actions for a computer to perform to accomplish a task. Computer programs are collectively referred to as software.
  19. Protocol - a  set of data-handling  rules that allow computers to transfer information between  systems.

  1. Query - to make a  request of a computer database.
  2. Quit - to exit a software application.

  1. Random-Access Memory (RAM) - The part of a computer's memory available for programs and documents, also known as main memory. The contents of RAM are lost when the computer is turned off or power is interrupted.
  2. Real Player © - multimedia program used to display audio/video information.
  3. Read-Only Memory (ROM) - Memory whose contents the computer can read, but cannot change. Information is placed into ROM only once, during manufacturing.  ROM memory contains enough information for the computer to "wake up" and look for an operating  system on a storage disk.
  4. Recycle/Trash Bin -
  5. Record - In a database document, a collection of fields that contain data about a single activity, individual, subject, or transaction. Corresponds to a printed form such as an invoice.
  6. Refresh - requests the computer  "look again" at the  source and update the information. Refreshing your browser will send another request to the web server to resend the web page.
  7. Restart -
  8. Restore -
  9. Router - A special-purpose computer (or software package) that handles the connection between two or more networks. Routers spend all their time looking at the destination addresses of the packets passing through them and deciding which route to send them on.
  10. Row - In a spreadsheet, the horizontal arrangement of cells identified by a number designation on the left.

  1. Save - To store information by transferring it from main memory (RAM) to a disk.
  2. Save As - to save to another location or rename the file
  3. Scanner - A device that is used to scan text or a graphical image into the computer's memory.
  4. Screen Saver - software designed to prevent burning the phosphor coating of a video display by constantly moving the image .
  5. Select all - command to choose all of the objects or text in a document.
  6. Simulation - a computer program which models reality.
  7. Shock Wave ® - multimedia program used to display audio/video information. Shock Wave ® - multimedia program used to display audio/video information.
  8. Scroll - To move a document or directory in its window so that a different part becomes visible.
  9. Scroll(able) mouse - a pointing device utilizing a roller button to cause the displayed information  on the computer to move up or down
  10. Scroll Bar - an area of the display screen used to move the displayed information  on the computer to move up or down, left or right.
  11. Search Engine - a database which indexes pages found on the World Wide Web. Use a a search engine to find information about a particular topic or subject.
  12. Select - To designate which object will receive the next action you take. Selecting is usually done by clicking or dragging.
  13. Selection - The object or objects that have been selected. A selected object is usually highlighted.
  14. Serial cable - typically used to connect a computer   to an external accessory. The data travels in single wire similar to a single-lane road.
  15. Shutdown- to close, in an orderly fashion, the file system of a computer system.
  16. Server - This is a main frame computer that serves the other computers attached to it.
  17. Shareware - This is an application that a programmer makes available to users for a set amount of time and then asks for a donation. In return for the donation, a registration number is often returned that can be used to "turn on" other features of the program.
  18. Shift-Click - To click the mouse button while holding down the shift key, used to extend or shorten a selection and to select more than one item.
  19. SIG File - A file appended to the end of an email identifying the sender; a signature block. May contain ASCII art or other ways to contact the sender, such as telephone or fax numbers.
  20. Shortcut - A pre-designated action that takes place when you use a command-key sequence or when you press a button on the shortcuts palette. See also macro.
  21. SLIP - Stands for Serial Line Interface Protocol. This is another application that allows for a connection to another computer.
  22. Smiley - a series of punctuation marks when viewed "sideways" appears to be a face expressing an emotion. Also see Emoticon.
  23. SMTP - Stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol.  Used to transfer email over the internet
  24. Software - Any program written for a computer.
  25. Sort - To arrange data within a database to a predetermined set of criteria.
  26. Source - The disk or folder that holds the original of a file to be copied or translated, as in source disk.
  27. SPAM - Unrequested or "junk" email. Also to send large quantities of email to persons who did not request it.
  28. Speakers -accessory to permit user to listen to sounds generated by the computer .
  29. Spreadsheet - A document arranged in columns and rows, usually used to work with numeric data. A spreadsheet can contain formulas that allow complex "what-if" analyses of data.
  30. Style - The way a font appears on the screen and when you print; Bold, Italic, underlined, etc.
  31. Switch - a network device used to connect a group of computer resources using data cable. Each device can establish a "direct" connection tot another resource on the network.

  1. T1 - A leased-line connection capable of carrying data at 1,544,000 bits-per-second. At maximum theoretical capacity, a T-1 line could move a megabyte in less than 10 seconds. That is still not fast enough for full-screen, full-motion video, for which you need at least 10,000,000 bits-per-second. T-1 is the fastest speed commonly used to connect networks to the Internet.
  2. TCP/IP - (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) - This is the suite of protocols that defines the Internet. Originally designed for the UNIX operating system, TCP/IP software is now available for every major kind of computer operating system.
  3. Terabyte - (TB) It's about a trillion bytes. exactly 2 to the 40th power or 1,009,511,627,776 bytes.
  4. Terminal - A device that allows you to send commands to a computer somewhere else. At a minimum, this usually means a keyboard and a display screen and some simple circuitry. Usually you will use terminal software in a personal computer - the software pretends to be (emulates) a physical terminal and allows you to type commands to a computer somewhere else.
  5. Title Bar - The bar at the top of a window that shows the name of the window. When a window is active, the title bar is highlighted with horizontal lines.
  6. Toolbar - Area of computer screen use to display options available to the user.
  7. Trash/Recycle Bin - A icon on the desktop that you use to discard applications, documents, and folders.
  8. Troubleshooting - systematic method of determining the cause of an error or malfunction. Usually involves dividing the problem into increasingly smaller functional tests in order to determine the failure point.

    1.  
  1. Undo - to undo the last command carried out by the operator.
  2. Uninstall to remove a computer program or hardware accessory from a computer.
  3. Unzip- to decompress a file which was compressed using the "zip" compression method.
  4. USB - Universal Serial Bus. Specification for external   serial connection of computer accessories.
  5. USB Devices - Accessories utilizing the Universal Serial Bus specification. USB Devices - Accessories utilizing the Universal Serial Bus specification.
  6. USB Port -a physical port on a computer into which you plug a USB device.
  7. Username given to person to permit access to a computer system.
  8. UNIX - A computer operating system (the basic software running on a computer, underneath things like word processors and spreadsheets). UNIX is designed to be used by many people at the same time (it is multi-user) and has TCP/IP built-in. It is the most common operating system for servers on the Internet.
  9. URL - (Uniform Resource Locator) - The standard way to give the address of any resource on the Internet that is part of the World Wide Web (WWW). A URL looks like this: http://www.matisse.net/seminars.html or telnet://well.sf.ca.us or news:new.newusers.questions etc. The most common way to use a URL is to enter into a WWW browser program, such as Netscape, or Internet Explorer.
  10. Upload: to move a file from your local computer to a remote computer system. Also see Download.

  1. Virtual - to exist only as a computer model; not in the real world. A Virtual Field Trip might involve a class in a journey on the World Wild Web without ever leaving the physical confines of the classroom.
  2. Virus - A program designed with malicious intent to damage files.

       

  1. WAN - Stands for Wide Area Network, like the Internet.
  2. Wallpaper - a graphic file used to "cover" the desktop
  3. Web Browser - software used on a computer to access the World Wide Web.
  4. Web Page - a page of information available on a World Wide Web Server.
  5. World Wide Web Server - A computer connected to the internet  to provide web pages to those requesting them.
  6. WWW - (World Wide Web) - Two meanings - First, loosely used: the whole constellation of resources that can be accessed using Browsers,  FTP, HTTP, USENET, and  other tools. Second, the universe of hypertext servers (HTTP servers) which are the servers that allow text, graphics, sound files, etc. to be mixed together.
  7. Window - A rectangular area that displays information on the desktop. You create and view documents through windows, and you view the contents of disks in windows.
  8. Word Processor - An application program that allows a user to input text, edit text, customize the appearance of the fonts, and print the document.

 

  1. ZIP - file compression method use to reduce storage space requirements.
  2. Zip Disk® - removable storage media manufactured by Iomega Corporation

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