Computer Information
In this age of increased computer usage and dependancy, I believe that we all need to know as much as possible about the machines that we are using. I hope that you learn as much as I did while researching these topics. I also tried to present them in an organized, easy to understand format. Enjoy...

The following is a list of computer-related terms and their definitions presented in glossary form.

--A--
Application Software-Computer programs that help the user to perform a specific task for which they purchased their computer system.

Arpanet-designed in the 60’s and 70’s, it was the pre-cursor to the internet.  Was developed by the U.S. Department of Defense as an experiment in wide-area networks

ASCII-World-wide standard for the code numbers used by computers to represent all upper and lower-case letters, numbers, punctuation, etc.  This is the simplest code used by computers and is recognized by all computers.

Attatchment-file that is included with an e-mail.

--B--
Bandwidth-How much information that can be sent through a connection.  Usually measured in bits-per-second.

Betazoid-A person who lives to test out pre-releases of software.

Binary-Information consisting of only ones and zeros.

Bit-A single digit number in base-2…a one or zero…the smallest unit of computerized data.

Browser-Program used to view various internet resources such as web pages.

Byte-Set of bits that represent one character.  Usually, there are 8 bits in a byte.

--C--

Cable Internet-Method of connecting to the internet through the use of cable television lines.
CD-ROM Drive-Drive on a computer that uses a low-intensity laser beam to read information off of a compact disc.

CD-RW Drive-Drive on a computer that allows the user to “burn” CD’s of music or data files that they want to be able to transport to other devices.
CPU (Central Processing Unit)-The piece of equipment, also known as the computer, that interprets and executes program instructions and communicates with support devices.
Cyberphelia-Overuse of computers to the extent that it can cause burnout.
Cyberphobic-A person who has cyberphobia or the fear of computers.

--D--
Data-A collection of raw, unorganized, facts.
Desktop Computer-A microcomputer system designed to fit on a desktop.
Diskette Drive-Drive on a computer that reads magnetic diskettes.

DSL-Digital Subscriber Line, connecting 2 specific points via phone line and allowing much faster data transfer.
DVD-An optical-disk standard that enables very high capacities of video to be burned onto a CD.

--E--

E-Mail-Messages, usually in text format, which are electronically sent through the internet from user to user.

Ethernet-Method of networking computers in a local area network.

--F--

FAQ-Frequently asked questions and answers to them that are usually posted on web sites to reduce the need for answering duplicate questions via the internet.

Fire Wall-Combination of hardware and software that separates a network into multiple pieces for security purposes.

FTP-File Transfer Protocol is a common method of moving files between two internet sites.

--G--

GIF-Graphic Interchange Format is a common format for image files, especially suitable for images containing large areas of a single color.

Gigabyte-1000 or 1024 Megabytes

--H--
Hard Drive-The extended memory of a computer, where files and programs are stored.

Hardware-Physical equipment in a computing environment, such as the computer and its peripheral devices.  Contrasts with software (or the parts of a computer that you can kick)

Hit-a single request from a web browser for a single item from a web server.

Holographic Storage-A futuristic possibility for data storage.  It will consist of a single laser beam that will be split and directed toward a photosensitive material at right angles. Where the laser beams meet, the molecules are altered and the color turns blue.  Other colors can also be created from these blue molecules.

HTML-hypertext transfer protocol is the code  for moving hypertext files across the internet.

--I--
Information-Data that have been processed into a meaningful form.

Internet-The vast collection of inter-connected networks making up the world-wide web

Intranet-private network inside an organization that used the same kinds of software that would be found on the public internet, but is for internal use only.

IP number-a number assigned to every computer on the internet for identification purposes.

ISP-an internet service provider is an institution that provides access to the internet is some form.

--J--

Java-a network-friendly programming language invented by Sun Microsystems.

JavaScript-the programming language, mostly used in web pages, that makes them interactive.

JPEG-Joint Photographic Experts Group is one of the most common formats of image files, especially for photographic, complex images.

--K--
Keyboard-An input device that is composed of numerous keys, arranged in a configuration similar to that of a typewriter, that generates letters, numbers, and other symbols when depressed.

Kilobyte-1000 bytes, actually usually 1024 bytes

--L--
LAN-Local Area Network, limited to the immediate area.

Laptop Computer-A portable personal computer that is typically very small and light.

Login-Either the act of accessing a computer system or the username used to gain said access.

--M--
Mainframe Computer-A large computer that performs business transaction processing.

Megabyte-A million bytes or 1024 kilobytes.
Midrange Computer-An intermediate-sized and medium-priced computer.

Modem-device that allows a computer to connect to the internet through a phone line using a dial-up connection.
Monitor-Display device.
Mouse-A common pointing device that you slide along a flat surface to move a pointer around on a display screen and make selections.
MPP-Massively parallel processors that divide up a computing problem and assign portions of it to several different processors operating simultaneously.

--N--

Netiquette-etiquette or manners used while on the internet.

Netscape-a browser originally based on the Mosaic program at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA).

Network-anytime two or more computers are connected together so that they can share resources.

NIC-sometimes referred to as a Network Interface Card, it is also a Network Information Center which is any office that handles information for a network.

--O--
Online-A state that allows a device to send data to or receive data from a network of other devices.

--P--
Password-code used to gain access to a locked system.

Peripheral Equipment-All of the devices that work with a computer, but are not required for the unit to operate.
Photo CD-A compact disc that is capable of containing numerous photo files.
Plug-and-Play-The ability of a computer to detect and configure new hardware components and in the case of Windows XP, do it without the aid of the user.

Port-generally, any place on a CPU where information enters or exits to another device.
Printer-Device that records computer output on paper.

--Q--
QWERTY Keyboards-A keyboard with the standard letter arrangement.

--R--
RAM (Random Access Memory)-The computer system's main memory which allows the computer to quickly find information or data without searching the entire hard drive for it.
ROM (Read Only Memory)-A software-in-hardware module from which the computer can read data but cannot write it.

Router-a special purpose computer that handles the connection to 2 or more networks.

--S--
Search Engine-usually web-based method of searching for information on the world-wide web.

Secondary Storage-External storage on media such as discs and tapes that supplements the memory.
Server-computer or software package that provides a specific service to client software running on other computers.

Snailmail-Slang term that refers to the method of sending mail through the post office system.
Sneakernet-A term used for transferring electronic information by manually carrying disks or tapes from one machine to another.

SPAM-an inappropriate use of a mailing list for purposes of advertising which sends information to large lists of people who did not want it.
Subnotebook computer-A portable personal computer that weighs between 2 and 6 pounds.
SVGA-A display device standard that is widely used on pentium computers.
Systems software-Background programs, such as the operating system, that enable the application programs to run on a computer system's hardware.
System Unit-The hardware unit that houses the CPU and memory as well as a number of other devices.

--T--

Terabyte-1000 gigabytes

Terminal-device that allows you to send commands to a computer somewhere else.

--U--
USB (Universal Serial Bus)-enables up to 64 devices, all of which have the same plug, to connect to a computer through a singe port.

--V--

VPN-Virtual Private Networks are connected to the internet, but information sent across it is encrypted to make it virtually private.

--W--
WAN-Wide Area Network, such as the world wide web, where computers are connected over a long distance.

WORM Storage-Allows the user to write data only once, but to read it an unlimited number of times.

WWW-the world-wide web, incorrectly called the internet, instead is the vast universe of hypertext servers which allow information types to be mixed together.

--X--

XML-eXtensible Markup Language is a widely used system for defining data formats.

--Y--
Y2K-Otherwise known as the millennium bug, it was the doubt and uncertainty of how our computers would react to the date 1-1-00.

--Z--

Zip-An open standard for compression and decompression used widely for PC download archives. The file extension given to ZIP files is .zip.

Remember, there are many terms not included here…for additional information about computers and related terms, go to www.cnet.com and search their site for any information in which you are interested.

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