| We are attempting to explain, in common
terms, what these words mean. Many of the definitions are
simple and are not intended to be complete, comprehensive
definitions. We just want to give you a basic idea as to the
meaning. Key terms
will be highlighted in gray |
| Bandwidth |
This refers to the amount of information that you can
send over the internet at one time - Bits-per-Second. |
| Beta Software |
This is a term used by software companies to indicate
that the software is still being tested and is not a final version. |
| BIOS |
This is a program that comes with your computer that
helps the computer understand how it should start, what hardware it
has and then loads the operating system to start your computer. |
| Bit |
Bits are a measurement indicating the smallest piece
of computer data - it is either a zero or a one. |
| Bitmap |
A bitmap is a picture and is indicated by a .bmp as
part of a file name. |
| Bookmark |
This is a word or a phrase that is used as a shortcut
to a particular web site. Usually this will be a list down the
left side of your browser. |
| Broadband |
Broadband refers to DSL or Cable where you can access
the internet quicker and download and
upload information quicker. |
| Browser |
The browser is what you are using to read this.
It is a program that is used to see what is on the internet. |
| Burn |
When you want to create or copy a CD it is called
burning a CD. |
| Byte |
Many Bits make up a Byte that is a single character
that is kept in your computer. 8 bits = 1 byte. Then you
have megabytes and gigabytes that are millions and billions of
bytes, |
| Cable Modem |
A cable modem is a type of modem that is used when
connecting to the internet via your cable provider. |
| Cashe |
Cashe is a process that your computer uses to make
often used information more readily available to you as you use your
computer. |
| Cookie |
Cookies are placed you your computer by web sites to
help the web site enhance you computer's ability to view their
site. Usually this means that the site will load faster or
will show you information that you have seen in the past. It
is actual information that the site puts in your computer. |
| CPU |
The CPU is the Central Processing Unit that is the
brain of your computer and gives your computer its ability to
process all the information that you need. |
| CRM |
Customer Relationship Management -
This is a term used to describe software that is designed to assist
in the flow of information needed to keep up with your customers,
vendors and other contacts. This information can include,
addresses, phone numbers, names, e-mail addresses, notes and many
other pieces of information. |
| Database |
A Database is a listing of information that is used to
create reports in an organized format. |
| Default |
Default is a term used to describe a setting that is
automatically set in a program or on your computer. It is
usually set to make using the computer easier. |
| Defragment |
Defragmenting your hard drive gets the information in
the computer closer together so it is more efficient when accessing
the information, making your computer run more efficiently and
faster. |
| Domain Name |
The domain name is the name of a web site such as www.saundersbusiness.com
If you want a domain name, it must be purchased and registered. |
| Download |
When you download a program or file, you are copying
it from one computer on the internet to your computer. |
| Driver |
A driver is a piece of software that interprets what
your computer is telling your printer, modem or other hardware
allowing them to understand each other. Much like you would
have an interpreter to assist with your understanding of someone
talking to you in Spanish. |
| DSL |
DSL is a term used by the phone companies to describe
a much faster connection speed to the internet. |
| DVD |
A DVD is a CD that can store much more information
such as motion pictures. |
| E-Commerce |
E-Commerce is the same as a store you would walk into
except it is located on the internet - Electronic Commerce. |
| E-Mail |
E-Mail stands for Electronic Mail that is sent over
the internet. |
| FAQ |
Frequently Asked Question |
| Firewall |
Firewall is a term used to describe software that is
designed to protect computers from people that intend to do your
computer harm. |
| Flash |
Flash refers to software that usually provides
automation to a web site. If you see words or pictures moving
and interacting on the web site screen, it may be written in Flash. |
| Freeware |
Freeware is free software, usually downloaded from the
internet. |
| FTP |
FTP refers to the File Transfer Protocol and is a
common method of transferring files over the internet. Someone
may say to go to their FTP site and download a file and they would
then give you the ftp address. |
| GIF |
GIF is another name for picture files. The file
name would end in .gif
|
| Gigabyte |
Gigabyte is a billion bytes of information.
|
| GUI |
GUI means Graphical User Interface and refers to the
ability to click on pictures (icons) to make your computer go.
|
| Handle |
Handle is the term used to refer to a person in a chat
room - their name.
|
| Hard Drive |
This is usually the C:\ drive. This is where all
the information is stored on your computer permanently. As you use a
program, the information to run the program is copied from the hard
drive to RAM and run from there. As
information is entered into the program, it is saved to the hard
drive
|
| Hit |
This is a term that never really means anything, but
people would refer to the number of hits on their web site as a
measure of its popularity. Actually hits refers to the number
of files that are downloaded when a web page is opened.
|
| Home Page |
Home Page is the main page that you see when you open
your browser
|
| Host |
Host is where the files are actually kept for your web
site and where people go to see your web site on the
internet
|
| HTML |
HTML is the language that is universal to web sites
and allows the pages to be viewed by everyone on the internet
|
| HTTP |
HTTP is the protocol that is used to transfer data all
over the world using the internet
|
| Hub |
A Hub is the little box that allows all your computers
to connect to each other by having them all connect to this
hub.
|
| Icon |
Icon to the little picture that appears on your
computer screen that you click on to make a program open.
|
| Internet |
All the internet is is a bunch of computers connected
by phone and cable lines that can talk to each other. Web
Sites, E-Mail, FTP
sites, VPN and other services make up the internet
|
| Intranet |
An intranet is the same as the internet except limited
to a small group or company - so only that company can see the
information.
|
| IP |
IP is the protocol that allows information to be transferred
over the internet
|
| IP Address |
IP Address it the code that describes where the
computer is and how to connect to it over the internet. It is
much like a street address for the world.
|
| ISDN |
ISDN is a way to transfer information such as web
sites over the internet using regular phone lines faster than with
regular modems.
|
| ISP |
ISP stands for Internet Service Provider and is the
company that makes it possible for your to surf the internet
|
| JPEG |
Jpeg and Jpg are the same and refer to a picture file
the same as Gif. The file name will end in .jpeg or
.jpg
|
| Kbps |
Kbps is a common term used to describe the speed of a
modem - 56 Kbps Modem
|
| Keystroke |
Keystroke is when you press a key on your keyboard to
your computer.
|
| Kilobyte |
Kilobyte refers to 1024 bytes of information or one
"k"
|
| LAN |
LAN stands for Local Area Network and it a common term
used when networking computers in an office so the users can share
information
|
| LCD |
LCD is a term used when referring to monitors and
indicates that it is probably very thin and flat. Usually on
notebook computers and PDAs
|
| Link |
When you are on the internet and you are looking at a
page, when your pointer turns into a picture of a hand it is an
indication that you are pointing to a link. If you click at
that time, you will be taken to that other web site - link
|
| Login |
Login refers to a name that you use to identify
yourself and your computer to a network
|
| Megabyte |
Megabyte refers to approximately one million bytes of
information (1,048,576)
|
| Megahertz |
Megahertz is the term used to indicate the processor
speed of your computer such as 500Mhz
|
| Meta Tag |
A meta tag is special HTML language that enhances the
ability of a web site to be seen by search engines and performs
various other functions. It is not seen by the user.
|
| Modem |
A Modem is similar to a driver in that it takes information
that your computer sends to it, converts it to a form that can be
sent through phone lines to another computer that also has a modem
and it converts it back to information the receiving computer can
understand
|
| Motherboard |
Your computer has a motherboard that is the main circuit
board in the big box. This board is where the CPU connects and
other cards that allow your computer to work
|
| Multimedia |
Multimedia is the integration of multiple forms of
media to form a complete presentation such as video and audio
|
| Network |
A network is where two or more computers are connected
in some manor in order to share information. The internet is a
network as well as two computers in an office
|
| Newsgroup |
A newsgroup is a place on the internet where people
can go to share ideas, information and recommendations.
|
| OCR |
OCR is software that can convert a page of
information, that is scanned in to the computer, to text that a word
processing program can read and change
|
| OEM |
OEM stands for the Original Equipment Manufacturer or
the company that made the product
|
| Operating System |
Operating System it the software that communicates
with your computer's hardware. It is the command center of
your computer and directs all the traffic
|
| Parallel Port |
The parallel port is a plug in the back of your
computer that you normally plug in the printer. This has
changed recently with the USB ports that are faster but most
computers still have the parallel port - it is usually the largest
plug in the back of the computer.
|
| PCI |
PCI slots are usually located on your motherboard but
not every computer has one. A card, such as a video card,
plugs into this slot and makes a port (plug in) available on the
back of your computer for the monitor to plug into
|
| PCMCIA |
PCMCIA slots are usually located on notebook computers
and are used to add functionality to the notebook computer such as a
modem, network card or other hardware capabilities
|
| PDA |
A PDA is a personal digital assistant such as a
PalmPilot
|
| PDF |
PDF files are files that are created by Acrobat
software and are compact and easily transmitted over the internet. You usually have an Acrobat Reader (software) on
your computer that can open and display these documents
|
| Pixel |
Pixel is a term used to describe the dots that make up
your monitor of TV screen - the combination of pixels make the
colors and images
|
| Plug-in |
A plug-in is a mini program that is added to a larger
program to make it run better or do things that the regular program
can not do out of the box
|
| Protocol |
When two computers talk to each other, they need a
common way to communicate, this is called protocol
|
| QWERTY |
QWERTY refers to the arrangement of the keys on a
keyboard
|
| RAM |
RAM is the memory that is used when running programs
on your computer such as 256k or 64k. The more RAM you have,
the more information your compute can remember at one time.
This is not the amount of information that your computer can hold -
that is your hard drive.
|
| Registry |
The registry is the database that Microsoft Windows
uses to keep up with information that is installed on the computer
to help software programs run better
|
| Resolution |
Resolution is used to describe the clarity of the
monitor or the clarity of a printer's output
|
| RGB |
RGB stands for Red, Green, Blue - the colors that mix
together to form colors
|
| Root |
Root stands for the computer root structure of its
file structure - the C:\ drive
|
| Router |
A router is a device that routs information from a
local network to other connections so information can be transferred
- often a router is connected to a phone line and can control access
|
| RTF |
RTF stands for rich text format and can usually be
read by most word processing programs - it is usually referred to as
a universal form of formatting
|
| Search Engine |
Search engines are web sites on the
internet where you
can go to look for information. Search Engines are much like
phone directories for the internet but work more like a
dictionary. You enter a word or phrase and it tells you about
web sites that you might be interested in visiting
|
| Server |
A server is the main computer in a network where all
the information is stored and the other computers are connected to
so they can retrieve the information.
|
| Shareware |
Shareware is software that is available free for a
period of time, then you should send in a check to pay a small fee
for its use.
|
| SMTP |
SMTP is the protocol that is used to send e-mail over
the internet
|
| Spam |
Spam is junk mail over the internet
|
| Streaming |
Streaming is when your receive information such as a
radio broadcast over the internet real time as it is happening - all
the information does not need to be received before you can begin
listening or looking at it
|
| Systray |
Systray is the small box at the bottom of your screen
on the right side that holds icons indicating which programs are
ready to be run at a moments notice
|
| T1 |
T1 is a larger phone line that will allow many people
at on time, access the internet - or talk on the phone
|
| T3 |
T3 is the same as a T1 except 30 times faster and
larger
|
| Tape Drive |
A tape drive is hardware that you can use to back up
the information on your computer or network. It usually uses a
small cassette and the cassette is removable for off-site storage
|
| TCP/IP |
This is a protocol that is
used to by the internet to communicate over
long distances |
| Template |
A template is a standard that is used to create other
documents form a common preformatted beginning point |
| Text Editor |
Text editors are word processors that are used to edit
text |
| TIFF |
TIFF is another form of graphic (picture) file .tiff |
| Unix |
UNIX is an operating
system that is often used for internet
servers due to its stability and the fact that it has been around
since the 1970s |
| Upload |
Upload is the opposite of download.
When you send a file from your computer to another computer, it is
called uploading |
| URL |
URL is an address of a file on the internet
such as http://www.saundersbusiness.com
or ftp://info.com |
| USB |
A USB port is a plug in the back of your computer
where you can plug in printers, mice, monitors or any other USB compatible
device. Advantages are speed and the ability to plug in hardware
without shutting down the computer. |
| VGA |
VGA is a term used to denote monitor display
resolution of 640 x 480 pixels - an old resolution from the mid
1980s |
| VPN |
VPN stands for virtual private network is a network
using the internet for connection purposes
but the information is encrypted for protection purposes so it is virtually
private |
| WAN |
WAN stands for wide area network
and is the same as a LAN but instead of being located in one
building, it can span multiple buildings, states or countries |
| Web Page |
Web Page is a single page from a Web
Site |
| Web Site |
Web Site is made up of one or many web
pages |
| Webmaster |
A webmaster is the person that is responsible for
creating and maintaining a web site |
| White Paper |
Usually a technical document that describes how a
process or program works in very detailed terms |
| Whois |
Whois is a service that some internet
web sites provide that give detailed
information on who owns certain domains
and how to get in touch with the owner |
| Wizard |
A wizard is usually built into a program that allows
the user to make a series of decisions that will result in the
creation of some special feature or service |
| WWW |
WWW stands for World Wide Web but is not the internet.
The internet consists of many more |
| ZIP |
When you ZIP a file, you use a program such as WinZip
to compress the files so they can be moved in a more efficient
manor. When a zipped file is received, it must be unzipped by
the same type program. |
