You can browse an alphabetized listing of terms in our database. The glossary is a work in progress. We also welcome your suggestions for words not listed, including terms related to K-12 mathematics and education.

address The location of a Web site; also known as a URL.

anonymous ftp A method of retrieving files from the Internet using a process called "file transfer protocol". Users are not required to have an account on the server they are connecting to. The term "anonymous" is used as the login or userid. An invidual's e-mail address is used the password. The computer receiving the request must offer "anonymous ftp" as a service on its network. Popular uses of anonymous ftp transactions include downloading shareware from sites, such as WinSite, updates of popular applications such as Web browsers, and downloading publicly-available documents.

app Short for "application"

applet Refers to simple, single-function programs that often ship with a larger product. Programs such as Windows' Calculator, File Manager, and Notepad are examples of applets. Today, more commonly associated with Java based programs that will run in a web browser.

application A computer program (or software) that allows users to perform specific tasks such as write letters in a wordprocessor, perform mathematical calculations in a spreadsheet or create records in a database. Computer programs can operate on a single desktop or laptop computer accessible to one user, or on a network, accessible to many users simultaneously. Applications on a single desktop or laptop computer can operate from various drives, such as the hard disk drive, a CD-ROM drive, or numerous kinds of drives that can be detached from the desktop, such as a Zip drive.

Archie A system used on the Internet that allows users to locate all publicly available files on the Internet. that can be downloaded using anonymous ftp (anonymous file transfer protocol.)

ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange (pronounced "askee" are a standard set of numeric values (codes) assigned to letters, numbers, punctuation marks, and keyboard control characterrs. These codes allow computers of various platforms (Windows, Macintosh, Unix) to communicate with each other, as well as with devices, such as printers and scanners. For example, a text file created in a Windows-based word processor can be saved as an ASCII file, and sent to a user on a Macintosh computer. The file can be opened and read in a Mac-based wordprocessor.

AUP Acronym for "Acceptable Use Policy"

avatar An image or icon that an individual uses to represent him or herself in a mutlti-user virtual environment. The Palace, one such virtual community, uses animations, graphics, and sound, as well as text within its virtual communities.

back door A hole in the security of a system deliberately left in place by system programmers. These security holes are often left by programmers or field technicians to provide access for system maintenance.

backup The process of making copies of a file, files, or an entire disk directory, to protect one's programs and data from accidental deletion, disk failure, or other loss. Applications are available that automatically generate backup copies of entire disk directories, or other data as defined by the user.

bandwidth The amount of data that can be sent through a given communications circuit. Also, the difference between the highest and lowest frequencies available for data transmission within any given range.

barf mail An overwhelming accumulation of multiple bounced messages . Can be the result of a network mail gateway going down.T

baud barf Line noise on a terminal that results when a connection is disrupted or when someone picks up an extension on the same telephone line.

baud rate The rate at which data can be transmitted over a communications device, such as a modem. Baud rates determine how quickly users are able to retrieve information from a network to their computers. Data transmission is measured by the number of binary digits transmitted per second (bps - bits per second). In the early days of computers, modem speeds were as low as 300, 2400, or 9600 baud rates. Today, 56K is the common connection speed for modems attached to personal computers.

BBS Bulletin Board System. A computer equipped with one or more modems serving as a messaging center for more than one user, special interest group, computer user groups, or businesses. Prior to the development of the World-Wide Web, many early computer enthusiasts used bulletion boards to communicate with people around the world. An early example was the development of FIDONET, a network of more than 30,000 BBS that allowed users to exchange e-mail on Unix-based systems. Most of these BBS were text-based, constructed on the MS-DOS operarting system.

beam To electronically transfer a machine-readible copy of a file from one user to another. The term is also used by when sending files or messages from one Palm Pilot user to another.

beta A piece of software released prior to complete development. Beta software is released to select groups of users or to the public so that users can review or "beta test" an application prior to its official release. This method allows software users to improve a product by making changes to an application based on user responses.

bit A collection of bits are put together to form a byte. Short for "binary digit" - the smallest unit of computer data, represented by a 0 (off) or 1 (on). A "bit" functions like a switch. If it is in the "off" position, it's a "0". If its in an "on" position, it is a "1".

bitmap Map of dots--similar to what you see when you look at a newspaper photo under a strong magnifying glass--that looks like a picture when viewed from a distance.

boot An operating routine that executes when a computer is turned on. This routines includes the execution of a "config.sys" file that sets the operating environment, an "autoexec.bat" file that loads the operating system and applications to be held in resident memory, and "virus checkers" that scan a computer for files or programs harmful to the system.

Borg Reference to a ruthless species on the Star Trek television series known to conquer other races and assimilate them into their own culture, stripping away any individual identity. The term is often applied to Microsoft, based on the perception that the company is trying to "assimilate" all computers into its architecture.

bps An acronym for "bits per second" which indicates the rate at which data is transmitted across networks, or the number of "bits" (binary digits) transmitted per second.

BRB Acronym for "Be Right Back" - expression used in chat rooms

browser An application that enables users to view hypertext-based pages on the World-Wide Web. Text, graphics, audio, video, and other multimedia files can be viewed or downloaded using Web browsers. The most commonly-used of these applications are Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer, but there are others available, among them Opera and Neoplanet. Macintosh versions of Netscape and Internet Explorer are also available.

bug A error in programming code that causes a software application, a computer system, or the hardware itself to to malfunction. A bug causes problems such as a operating system failure, system crashing, or problems running applications.

bus common connection between electrical devices. In computerese, bus most commonly means the data pathway that connects a processor to memory and to other "peripheral" buses, such as VESA and PCI.

byte Shorthand for "binary digit eight" a unit of storage and usually represents a single character, such as a number, letter or symbol. Because bytes represent a small amount of storage, when describing hard disk capacity or computer memory size, larger units are represented as follows: kilobytes (1,024 bytes); megabytes (1,048,576 bytes); and gigabytes (1,073,741,824 bytes).

cache "Cache" speeds up access to frequently-used data or recently visited Web sites, by storing those files in a special area of computer memory. Chips used to create disk cache are faster than main memory chips. When users visit graphic or multimedia-intensive Web pages, the elements that make up those pages are stored in a disks cache files. When a users returns to that page, he does not have to download the information all over again. A user can "reload" or "refresh" his browser to see if any additional information or changes have been made to the site.

CAD Computer-Aided Design

CGA Computer-Graphics Adapter

cgi Common-Gateway Interface

cgi-bin When you see this directory in your Web browser's URL window, it's a sign that you're running a CGI program, such as a search tool.

chat To "chat" is the process by which multiple users log on to the Internet and communicate with each other in real-time. Various software applications allow users to communicate simultaneously, among those are IRC, (or Internet Relay Chat), ICQ (I Seek You) - both text-based chat applications, and "The Palace" software, an application that allows individuals to use icons as visual representations of themselves.

click Click refers to the act of pressing and releasing a button on a mouse to generate an action, such as launching an application, navigating around a web site, or moving a cursor to a specific location in a document.

client The customer side of a client/server setup. To confuse matters, when you log on to a server, the word client can refer to you, to your computer, or to the software running on your computer. For example, to download something from an ftp site, you use ftp client software.

clip art Electronic images, (such as pictures, signs, cartoons) that users can insert into documents. Clip art is available in commercial software packages offered by companies such as Corel, Inc. Often, images are available in several file formats compatible with major word processing and desktop publishing applications. These formats include Gif, JPEG, and bitmapped files, among others.

clipboard A place in computer memory where data is stored temporarily while it is being copied from area to another. Clipboard is often a function of a user's "cut" and "paste" activity while editing a document, or "cutting and pasting" data from one document to another. For example, data "cut" from one document is stored on the clipboard and then "pasted" or inserted into another document.

clock speed The speed at which your computer runs - measured in megahertz (mhz) or gigahertz (ghz)

CMOS Acronym for Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor, pronounced "see-moss"

cobweb Slang term used on the Internet to describe a web page that has not been updated in a long time. Refers primarily to indviidual homepages.

coding A set of machine-readable instructions to a computer.

Command Interpreter A program which reads textual commands from the user or from a file and executes them.

Command Line Interface Before graphical interfaces like Windows, the Mac OS, and X, users interacted with their personal computers by typing text commands. While the drag-and-drop simplicity of a GUI is attractive to many users, particularly newcomers, command-line interfaces often allow greater flexibility and control and are therefore still preferred by many power users.

command prompt A symbol or character on a computer screen that lets a user know that the operating system is ready to receive instruction. For example, prior to the use of the graphical user interface (or the Windows operating sytem), users entered instructions to the computer at the "command prompt" level under the MS-DOS operating system. Users launched an application by entering a command at the "C:\" prompt.

compression The coding of data to save storage space or transmission time.

config.sys A text file containing special command functions that execute when the computer is turned on. The "config.sys" file is stored in a computer's "root directory", generally on the hard disk drive. Within the text of a "config.sys" file might be instructions to load the "extended memory manager," or a setting for the number of files that can be opened at one time.

control key A keyboard key that is pressed with another key to command the computer to do something (abbreviated "ctrl" or "ctl).

control panel A program used to change a setting in an operating system or computer.

cookie A cookie is a text file (cookie.txt) stored in a user's browser that identifies that user to a Web server. A Web site can deliver customized information to the user based on his or her specific interests. For example, Web sites can deliver localized news, as well as customized music, travel, or health information as specified by users.

CPU Acronym for Central Processing Unit, refers to the microchip that the computer is built around, such as the Pentium chip. The CPU processes all of the insructions or operations of a computer.

cracker Another term to describe "hackers" - someone who breaks into other people's computers

crash When a computer freezes, stops suddenly and fails to operate or respond to keyboard commands or mouse clicks, it is said to have a"crashed." Usually there is some sort of hardware or software failure when this happens. Sometimes, data files a user may be working on at the time are lost when this happens.

CRT Acronym for "Cathode Ray Tube"

cyberspace The popular term that describes the online environment, from the Web and the Internet, to all other networked communications. The term comes was coined by author William Gibson, in his 1984 novel, Neuromancer, to describe the world of information available through electronic communication.

data Information which can be recorded, stored and retrieved in machine-readable formats, such as binary characters, or digital or analog signals. Printed text, video images, or audio files can be digitzed, stored and retreived on computers, and transmitted across telecommunications networks.

database A collection of related information stored as a set of records in an electronic file. A database functions in much the same way as a "filing cabinet" - holding related material in an organized fashion in a manner that can be easily retrieved by the user. Databases can be as simple as an electronic telephone address book, or a electronic catalog of holdings in a library. Popular software applications such as Microsoft Access and Corel's Paradox allow users to construct simple or complext databases customzied to their needs. Major companies market specialized databases tailored to business and consumer needs. Examples, include Lexis Nexis, and Carl Uncover's - both information delivery systems.

default The tasks executed by a computer hardware when powered on or the settings applied by software when launched, unless otherwise specified by the user. For example, a computer, once powered on, might load a specific set of programs, unless those programs are set not to load by the user. A wordprocessing application might apply a specific type of font, margin setting or background color when launched, unless those settings have been changed by the user.

defrag Short for defragmentation. As files modified or created, and old files deleted, a computer stores those files on whatever free space is available. This means disk files drive becomes scattered across a disk drive in non-contiguous clusters. This can hinder the smooth operation of a computer. Defragmentation consolidates all the files in one contiguous area across a drive.

defragmentation As files modified or created, and old files deleted, a computer stores those files on whatever free space is available. This means disk files drive becomes scattered across a disk drive in non-contiguous clusters. This can hinder the smooth operation of a computer. Defragmentation consolidates all the files in one contiguous area across a drive.

desktop Applications, files, and utilities that an individual uses most often are generally displayed as the default area one sees when a computer is turned on. This virtual area on one's computer is designed to function much like an actual "desk," and can include east access (called shortcuts) to applications such things as a calendar, calcuator, word processor, database, spreadsheet program, or audio applications.

desktop publishing Using computers to write, edit, design, and layout print publications, such as newsletters, magazines, and brochures. Desktop publishing software allows publishers to use a wide variety of font styles, graphic images, and other design features, such as text art, sidebars, and clip art. Popular desktop publishing programs include Quark Express and Pagemaker.

device In general terms, a device is any machine or component that attaches to a computer, such as disk drives, printers, modems, or display monitors.

device driver A program that translates commands from an application into specific commands that the device understands. An example of this would be when a users executes the command to print a document within a word processor. A device driver translates the command from the application to the printer in order to produce the document. The same applies when executing a command to save a file to an external drive, for example, a zip or jaz drive.

dhtml Acronym for "dynamic hypertext markup language"

dialog box Temporary boxes that appear on a computer screen to either present information or to receive input of information. For example, when a users is viewing a Web site on the Internet and then connects to a different site, a dialog box will appear letting the individual know that he or she is leaving a secure connection. Once the user acknowledges the message, it goes away.

digital Describes any device that represents values in the form of binary digits.

digitize To translate into a digital form. For example, optical scanners digitize images by translating them into bit maps. It is also possible to digitize sound, video, and any type of movement.

Dingbat A character font that displays a picture or symbol instead of a word.

directory The location or path where files are stored on a computer or disk.

disk A re-usable device upon which digitized information can be stored. Common disks devices include the "floppy disk," CD-ROM disk, or Zip disk. A floppy is a circle of magnetic material similar to magnetic tape, used for recording information.

disk drive A machine that reads data from and writes data onto a disk.

domain The unique name by which a single computer, a whole department, or a complete site, is known. Within an organizaiton, a domain can be local and have meaning only within that organization or group. Top level domains are formally registered by companies such as Network Solutions, Inc., which manages a domain naming system.

domain name A name that identifies a specific Internet host name, rather than the numerical Internet Protocol address assigned to a site.

DOS Acronym for "disk operating system". An earlier operating system used on early PC XT and AT systems. Two versions of DOS were developed: MS-DOS created by Microsoft Corporation and PC-DOS developed by IBM. Both operating systems were text based and required the user to type in word commands to execute various programs.

double-click Tapping the mouse button twice in rapid succession.

download To transfer a file from one computer to another over a network using a modem or a local area network.

DPI Acronym for "dots per inch"

drag To click on an object on the computer screen and holding the mouse down, and moving the object (drag) from one place on the screen to another.

drag-and-drop To click on an object on the computer screen and holding the mouse down, and moving the object (drag) from one place on the screen to another, and then dropping it (or letting go of the mouse) button.

driver A program that links a peripheral device to the computer's operating system.

DVD Acronym for "Digital Versatile Disc" or "Digital Video Disc"

dynamic Refers to computer operations that are performed in real-time, based on user decisions that are made while a program is running.

e-commerce Business conducted via the Web.

email Electronic messages that can be sent to one or more users over local area networks.

emoticons Emotional expressions represented by keyboard characters. Emoticons are used as short cuts to express feelings in e-mail messages, or on-line discussions, rather than typing out the text. For example: :-) represents a smiling face. Or its opposite: :-( represents displeasure.

enduser Applies to the people who use computer software applications, not the people who develop it.

EPP Acronym for "Enhance Parallel Port"

error message A message generated by the computer or software application that indicates something is not functioning correctly. Error messages can alert users to hardware failure, corrupt application files, or problems communicating with peripheral devices, such as printers or modems.

ethernet Ethernet is a standard for connecting computers into a local area network (LAN). The most common form of Ethernet is called 10BaseT, which denotes a peak transmission speed of 10 mbps using copper twisted-pair cable.

expansion card A circuit board which can be inserted into an expansion slot on a computer's motherboad. Expansion cards enable new devices to communicate with the computer. Examples of expansion cards would be video adapters, graphics accelerators, sound cards, and internal modems.

expansion slot An opening in the computer's system board where expansion cards can be inserted. Expansion slots connect to a computer system's electronic pathways.

Explorer The window in the Microsoft Windows operating system that allows users to view the files folders and directories stored on their computers.

extended memory Memory beyond the 1 megabyte memory allocation supported by DOS on PC's. Early versions of personal computers, based on the DOS operating system, used 1 megabyte of memory - 640 kilobytes for applications and the remaining 384 kilobytes for DOS, BIOS, and video settings. PC's using the 80386 processors and beyond made extended memory usable.

FAQ Acronym for "Frequently Asked Questions"

FAT Acronym for "File Allocation Table"

fax modem A device that allows users to send and receive Internet from electronic networks and also to send and receive faxes electronically.

file A piece of data or information that has been named and stored on a computer.

file extension In the DOS operating system, file extensions were generally three letter characters, preceded by a period that indicated the type of file stored on a computer. For example ".exe" indicates a file that launches an application; ".txt" indicates a text file; ".bmp" indicates an image file in "bitmap" format; and ".com" indicates a command file that instructs a computer to performa a task.

filename A piece of data or information that has been named and stored on a computer.

finger Using an e-mail address as input, this Unix-based utility displays information about the owner of that e-mail address, such as whether or not that user is logged on, or his/her name and address if available.

firewall If you want to protect any networked server from damage (intentional or otherwise) by those who log in to it, you put up a firewall. This could be a dedicated computer equipped with security measures such as a dial-back feature, or it could be software-based protection called defensive coding.

flame An insulting, rude, or harsh message posted to a listserv or news group with the intent of personally attacking the writer of another post.

floppy disk A small platic magnetic disk used for storing data. In earlier generations of the PC, 5 1/4 inch portable storage disks were standard. These disks could accommodate 360 k to 1.2 megabytes of data. Today, 3 1/2 inch disks are standard. These disks can accommodate 720K to 1.44 megabytes of data.

folder A feature of both the Windows and Macintosh operating system that uses the "folder" icon as a virtual indication of where applications, documents, and other files are stored on a computer's hard drive, on a floppy disk, or on a network. Other images or icons can be used to represent "folders" indicating how information is organized on a disk or network. In the Unix or DOS world, folders are called "directories."

format The process of preparing a blank floppy disk or a hard disk drive to be used for infomration storage and retrieval. "Format" is a command file that tells the computer to erase all data that may be on a disk, to check the disk for errors and if there are errors to mark those places, and then initializes a disk for use.

freeware Software applications given away at no cost to the user. Although such applications are given away for free, the author still retains the copyright. Often, a software developer may create and freely distribute a new application as a way to test its popularity among users. Subsequent versions may then be distributed at cost, with discounts given to earlier registered users.

freeze When a movement on a computer screen stops and does not respond to mouse commands or keyboard input - a system is said to "freeze" or "crash" and must be turned off and restarted.

ftp Acronym for "file transfer protocol". A protocol used on the Internet which allows users to send files to or receive files from remote directories. There are also public ftp sites which allow users to receive files. Popular ftp sites include those for particular hardware or software companies, such as Microsoft; university research centers, such as SunSite at the University of North Caroilina at Chapel Hill, and shareware sites, such as ZD-NET and Winsite.

gateway A gateway is a program or piece of hardware that passes data between networks. You'll see this term most often when you either log in to an Internet site or when you're passing email between different servers.

GIF Acronym for "graphics interchange format," a kind of graphic file standarrd developed by Compuserve.

gigabyte Reprents one billion bytes and often indicates computer disk capacity or the amount of information stored on a computer hard drive or network. For example, an individual user may own a computer with as much as 4.3 gigabytes of disk storage space and may have used only 1.3 gigabytes of stored data, including space for the operating system, applications, and personal documents.

gopher Prior the development and popularity of the World-Wide Web, "gopher" was an internet tool used to store and retrieve information on the Internet. When queried, gopher displays a structured hierarchichal list of files available for downloading by users. The search tool was developed by the University of Minnesota and was named after the school's mascot.

grayscale Images scanned a resolution of 256 shades or gray or less. Grayscale images are higher in resolution than those scanned as black-and-white, and they also require more disk space.

GUI Acronym for "Graphical User Interface" . The Macintosh operation system and the Microsoft Windows operating use GUIs (pronounced "gooey") as part of its operating system format. GUIs use icons are represenations of command files, applications, and user documents stored on a computer and displays thoses files an an organized and visually-appealing presentation. GUIs contain pull-down menus, dialog boxes, scroll bars, icons, and other customizable features as an interface between user and the computer system.

hacker The term is popularly to a user who breaks in to a computer with malicious intent. It is also applied to a user who pursues knowledge a computer systems purely for the sake of it.

hard disk A storage device that contains a set of rotating magnetic platters upon which data is stored and retrieved. Most hard disks are set within a computer's case. Today, hard disks can easily be detached from a motherboard, removed from the case, and disks with more capacity can be re-installed. A user with a hard disk capacity of 4,3 gigabytes for example, can upgrade to a hard disk drive containing 20 gigabytes of storage space.

hardware The machinery and equipment that make up a computer system, such as the central processing unit, monitor, keyboard, speakers, prnters, scanners, zip drives, and other internal or external devices.

hertz A unit of frequency measurement. One hertz equals one cycle (electrical vibration) per second. Abbreviated is spelled "Hz".

homepage The first page viewed when connecting to a Web site. The first page, or home page, functions much like a table of contents or introduction to a book. Often, the home page explains the purpose of a site, describes the kind of information availble, and offers an organized set of links or menu items that connects users to that information.

host A central or controlling computer in a networked environment. A host computer functions as a source of information. The term is applicable to centralized "mainframes", file servers, and and individual computers that host bulletin boards.

html Acronym for "hypertext markup language". HTML is the coding used to write pages for the World-Wide Web and other hypertext documents. The format allows basic text, graphics, audio, and video files to co-exist in an electronic document, along with hyperlinks to additional information. HTML pages often have the file extension ".htm" or ".html"

http Acronym for "hypertext transfer protocol," the Internet protocol used to manage the links between one hypertext document and another on the World-Wide Web.

hyperlink Coding in an electronic document that connects users to another place in the same document or element, such as video, audio, or other multimedia feature placed within that document. Hyperlinks also connects users to other documents on a network, as well as on-line objects. It is the underlying coding that supports the interactivity of the World-Wide Web.

hypermedia One step ahead of hypertext, hypermedia integrates text, images, video, and sound into its documents. The elements of hypermedia documents are linked in an interactive way. The best way to describe hypermedia is by example--and the most common examples are the sound-laden pages of the World Wide Web.

hypertext A method of presenting information in a non-sequential format. Objects (text, audio, video, images, programs) are linked by association, rather than in a linear fashion. Links are highlighted. Clicking on activates a link and connects the user to an associated file or program. Hypertext can connect files within a work group, on the same computer, or across networks, such as the Internet.

icon A small screen image representing an object or file. An icon on a desktop may represent an executable file or program, a documentr, a web page, or computer directories.

initialize The process of preparing a new blank floppy disk or hard drive for us. This term applies ot the Macintosh operating system. The same process is called "formatting" in the DOS operating system.

interface The tool or item that enables the communication of one thing to another. The term can be applied to the software that enables an individual user to communicate with a computer operating system - Graphical User Interface (Macintosh or Windows). Another kind of interface would be software that allow applications to communicate, for example, API's or Application Program Interfaces.

Internet The popular term applied to the world's largest computer network. It was originally created by the U.S. Department of Defense to serve as a research and communications network between scientists, academic researchers, and the government. The popularity of the World-Wide Web has enabled the phenomenal growth of the Internet as a vehicle for electronic commerce, popular use, and international communication.

Intranet Often refers to private communications networks established within organizations. An Intranet may reside on the Internet, but may only be accessible to company employees. These networks offer services similar to those offered on the Internet - such as electronic mail and instant messaging within an organization, as well as file exchanges, hypertext pages and hyperlinks to relevant information.

IP The Internet protocol defines how information gets passed between systems across the Internet.

IRC Acronym for "Internet Relay Chat". There are hundreds of IRC channels on the Internet that allow users to communicate in real time using client-server software, such as mIRC for Windows, IRCle for the Mac OS, and irc2 (the original client) for UNIX-base operating systems. Users can connect to special interest IRC channels or set up their own public or private channels.

ISDN Acronym for "Integrated Digital Services Network"

ISP Acronym for "Internet Service Provider", a company that provides indiviuals or businesses with access to the Internet. ISP's generally offer other services such as web hosting, Web site construction, or electronic commerce development asistance.

Java A portable, interpreted, object-oriented computer programming language adding automated memory management and omitting pointer functions. It can do amazing things to web pages and programs and the language is similar to C++.

javascript Designed by Sun Microsystems and Netscape as an easy-to-use adjunct to the Java programming language, JavaScript code can be added to standard HTML pages to create interactive documents. As a result, JavaScript has found considerable use in the creation of interactive Web-based forms. Most modern browsers, including those from Microsoft and Netscape, contain JavaScript support.

joystick A device consisting of a hand held stick that pivots about one end and transmits its angle in two dimensions to a computer. Joysticks are often used to control games, and usually have one or more push-buttons whose state can also be read by the computer.

JPEG Acronym for "Joint Photographic Experts Group" - a standard for compressing still image, popular for its high compression capability. It is an image file format that is supported by the World-Wide Web. It uses the extension ".jpg" to identify its format.

KB Short for Kilobyte

keyboard A peripheral device connected to the computer or terminal enabling direct input of commands to the processor. A keyboard is composed of a standard set of typewriter keys, computer control keys, and numeric keypad.

LAN Acronym for "Local Area Network" A group of computers and associated peripheral devices connected together and allowing the sharing of files and other resources between users. A LAN includes the file servers that house data, the individual computers that have access to the network, the communications devices and software that enable communications, and the leased lines over which the networks exchange information.

launch To execute a command to open an application.

LCD Sbort for "Liquid Crystal Display". A technology used on the screens of portable computers. Electrical current is applied to rod-shaped liquid crystals creating a dark area that functions as a display on a laptops, notebooks, and other portable computers.

LED Short for "Light-Emitting Diode"

Linux What do you do if you're not happy with any of the current operating systems? You build your own, of course. That's exactly what Linus Torvalds did. While Linux began life primarily as a hobby for supergeeks, the operating system has made some inroads into corporate life, particularly as an inexpensive substitute for high-priced Unix Web servers. Linux is available from a number of vendors for several hardware platforms, including Intel x86, DEC Alpha, Sun Sparc, and Motorola PowerPC.

listserv In general the term "listserv" refers to a discussion group conducted by subscribing individual members to a "mailing list.' Members of the mailing list can send and receive messages to the entire group of subscribers. Copies of messages posted to a listserv is delivered to each subscriber. The Internet is host to thousands of listservs on innumerable topics. Listserv is also the name of the mailing list management software developed by L-Soft international, Inc., Landover, MD, (www.lsoft.com).

login To establish connection to a single computer, to a network, or to a Web site by entering a username and/or password, or both. For example, corporate employees often log on to a company network using individually assigned user names and passwords. Commercial Web sites offer products and services through customized content to consumers and assign user names and passwords to customers who want to access to that information.

logoff To disconnect from a network. To server a connection to a single computer, to a network, or to a Web site.

logon To establish connection to a single computer, to a network, or to a Web site by entering a username and/or password, or both. For example, corporate employees often log on to a company network using individually assigned user names and passwords. Commercial Web sites offer products and services through customized content to consumers and assign user names and passwords to customers who want to access to that information.

logout To disconnect from a network. To server a connection to a single computer, to a network, or to a Web site.

LOL Internet Slang/Acronym for "Laughing Out Loud" - chat room short-hand

lurk To view information in a chat room, or to subscribe to a listserv without letting other users know you are present. A "lurker' reads messages posted on a discussion group or the exchange between chat participants, but do not participate nor do they let others know they are subscribed to the group or logged on to the chat..

lurker A "lurker' reads messages posted on a discussion group or the exchange between chat participants, but do not participate nor do they let others know they are subscribed to the group or logged on to the chat.

mail bomb To send overwhelming amounts of email to a single user, a listserv, or system with the intent to crash another's computer, disrupt a listserv, or a network. It is considered a serious abuse and offenders can be kicked off of a Internet Service Provider's network for committing such an act.

mailbox An area on a hard disk or network where in-coming electronic messages are stored.

mailing list An electronic mail address that is an alias which is expanded by a mail exploder to yield many other e-mail addresses.

MAPI Acronym for "Messaging Application Program Interface"

maximize To opern up the window of an application to the full screen size.

megabyte Abbreviated "MB" - represents 1,048,576 bytes. Represents the unit of measurement for computer memory or the amount of space on a hard disk drive.

megahurtz Abbreviated "MHz" - represents one million cycles per second and reflects the clock speed of a computer processor.

menu bar A horizontal list of command selections placed at the top of the screen on most software applications. Menu bars feature pull-down sub-menus. A menu bar lists commands and tools that can be implemented within an application. For example, the menu bar across the top of many Windows-based applications include file, edit, insert, format, tools, and help command listings. Sub-menus may list commands such as open, close; find and go to;

microprocessor A silicon chip that contains the central processing unit, the brains of a computer.

MIDI Acronym for "Musical Instrument Digital Interface"

MIME Acronym for "Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions"

minimize In a graphical user interface, an application screen can be closed to the size of an icon, while remaining active.

mirror Writing duplicate data to more than one device, in order to protect against loss of data in the event of device failure.

modem A device that allows information to be sent and received over a telephone line. Internal modems can be installed within a computer. External modems are attached by cable to a serial, com, or USB port on the computer.

monitor A display screen that receives output from a computer, VCR, digital camera, or other hardware that generates video images. Clairity is determined by screen size, bandwidth, dots-per-inch, refresh rate, and convergence.

MOO Acronym for "MUD Object Oriented"

motherboard The circuit board that the central processing unit, input/output chips, and device cards plug into.

MPEG Acronym for "Moving Pictures Expert Group"

MS-DOS Acronym for Microsoft disk operating system.

MUD Acronym for "multi-user domain" or "multi-user dungeon"

multimedia Technology that combines the use of full-motion video, sound, animations, graphics, and text and includes a high degree interactive features.

multitasking The execution of two or more programs at one time. The amount of programs that can run at the same time depends on processor speed, memory, and disk capacity.

MUSE Acronym for "multi-simulated environment"

Netiquette An informal standard of behavior on the Internet that promotes positive communicaiton among users. For example, typing sentences in all CAPS is considered "screaming" in Netiquette. The use or profanity over the Internet is also considered to be bad form on line.

network A group of computers and associated peripheral devices connected by a communications channel capable of sharing files and other resources between users. A network can consist of a small number of users within an office or department, (local area network), to thousands of users spread across a wide geographic area (wide area network).

Newbie The first-time user of computers or of a particular environment, such as Windows or UNIX. The term is often used for newcomers to the Internet.

newsgroup A huge collection of specialized topical groups found on the Usenet netowrk bulletin boards. Newsgroups can be moderated or unmoderated. Moderators help maintain order on a listserv by serving by filtering out inappropriate messages or posts.

NNTP Acronym for "Network News Transfer Protocol"

object A distinct entiry that represents an application or file. For example, program objecrs representing spreadsheets or charts can be embedded within a text documents. Video or sound files are often embedded as objects within a slide presentation. Directories, devices, and data files are represented on a desktop as "objects."

object-oriented Any operating system, programming language, or application that supports the use of "objects."

OCR Acronym for "optical character recognition"

ODBC Acronym for "open database connectivity"

OEM Acronym for "original equipment manufacturer"

OLE Acronym for "object linking and embedding"

online Generally means actively connected to a network

operating system The software that runs a computer, controlling system resources, such as memory, disk space, and peripheral devices. Applications use the operating system to gain access to these resources as needed. The operating system is the first program loaded when a computer is turned on.

parallel port Look on the back of any PC and you'll see a 25-pin RS-232C connector, better known as a parallel port. Theoretically eight times faster than serial ports, parallel ports are also called the printer ports, since that's what you usually find attached to them.

partition A portion of a hard disk that functions as a separate unit. A single hard disk can be divided into several partitions, each of which functions as a separate drive and has its own volume name (such as D:, E:, F:, and so on). The purpose is to make the drive more efficient, as the computer can search smaller sections for a specific file rather than the entire drive. The verb to partition refers to the process of dividing the hard drive into partitions.

password A word or code used to serve as a security measure against unauthorized access to data.

path The complete location of a directory of file on a network or disk drive.

PC short for "personal computer"

PCI short for "Peripheral component Interconnect"

PDF short for "portable document format" - a file format developed by Adobe Systems. PDF iallow users to present documents independent of the original application software, hardware, and operating system used to create those documents.

PIF short for "program information file"

ping Ping is a program that "bounces" a request off of another computer over a network to see if the remote computer is still responding. If the ping comes back, the remote computer is still alive.

pixel The image displayed on monitors or in a graphic produced by a scanner or paint program is made up lots of dots called pixels. Collectively, the number of pixels displayed is referred to as the image's resolution.

plug & play Hardware or software that, requires no configuration. After being installed (pluged in) the device or application can be used immediately ("played").

plug-in This term refers to a type of program that tightly integrates with a larger application to add a special capability to it. The larger app must be designed to accept plug-ins, and the software's maker usually publishes a design specification that enables people to write plug-ins for it. Two notable applications designed around a plug-in architecture are Adobe Photoshop and Netscape Navigator.

pointer An icon, usually a small arrow, that moves on the screen in response to the movement of a mouse, or other directional device. The pointer is used to select objects on the screen.

POP Acronym for "point-of-presence" or "post-office protocol"

port An interface on a computer that connects peripheral devices to the motherboard. External modems often connect to Com 2, or communications port 2. Printers often connect to serial ports, and new devices such as scanners and zip drives can connect to newer Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports.

portal A web site that focuses on a specialiized area and offers a variety of services and products, such as directories, search engines, live chat, news headlines, along with free electronic mail accounts and homepages.

posting To publish a message in an online forum or on a listserv.

power supply The component that supplies electrical power to the computer.

PPP Acronym for "point-to-point protocol"

prompt A message or symbol on the display screen indicating the computer is waiting for a response from the user or instructing the user to perform a particular action. Examples of "prompts" from the computer, include instrudtions to click "next" to move to a new screen; to "insert disk" to insert a disk into the "A" drive, or to turn off your computer once the operating system is shut down.

protocol A set of rules that defines how to transmit data across a network.

query A request for retrieval of information from a database. Users can set specific parameters for the kind of information to search, display, and report.

RAM Acronym for "random access memory" The main system memory used in a computer, by the operating system, applications, and data.

real-time Refers to non-simulated, instant responses in electronic transactions. For examples, live "chats" occur in "real time". Streaming audio and video of "live events" over the Internet are described as occuring in "real time".

reboot To turn a computer off and the turn it back on again.

refresh Screen displays are redrawn on monitors so that content does not flicker. Screen redisplays are measured in hertz and occur over seconds. For example, a standard called "VESA" (for Video Electronics Standards Association) redraws the screen at 75 herts

resolution Describes the sharpness or clairy of a display or image when referring to monitors, printers, or graphics. The clarity of pages printed from an ink-jet or laser printer is measured in the number of dots-per-inch (dpi), the higher the number of DPI, the sharper the print. The quality of display monitors are measured by the number of pixels (dots) across a given number of lines on a screen. The greater the number of dots across a screen and number of lines on a screen translates into improved screen display. For example, 1,280 dots per inch across 1024 lines on a screen provides a higher resolution (or clarity of image) than 640 dots per inch across 480 linies on a screen.

restore An MS-DOS command used to replace files back onto a hard drive that were copied using the "backup" command. The "backup" and "restore" commands are used to place files stored on a hard drive back to the original order in which they were copied.

ROM Acronym for "Read-Only memory." ROM memory stores data on a computer permanently. Information is not lost when power to the computer is turned off. ROM can only be "read" and not "written to." A computer's BIOS (basic input/output system) instructions are stored in ROM. BIOS instructions enable a computer's hardware and software to communicate.

root directory The top directory in a computer filing structure. For example, the personal computer uses a tree-like (hierarchical) struture to organize groups of data files (or sub-directories). A root directory is the base from which all other groups of electronic files (or subdirectories) extend. A root directory cannot be deleted. Sub-directories can be deleted.

router This piece of hardware does what it says: it routes data from a local area network (LAN) to a phone line's long distance line. Routers also act as traffic cops, allowing only authorized machines to transmit data into the local network so that private information can remain secure. In addition to supporting these dial-in and leased connections, routers also handle errors, keep network usage statistics, and handle security issues.

routing The process of directing message packets (blocks of data) from its source (via a communication device) to its destination.

RTF Short for Rich text Format, a standard developed by Microsoft for encoding formatted text and graphics. RTF files add text formatting information to ASCII files.

scanner A piece of hardware that can digitally reproduce text and images for viewing on a computer. Users can create digital copies of such things as documents, photographs, or posters. These digital reproductions (both text and pictures) are translated into bit map images. For documents, this means that users cannot edit text files that have been scanned.

SCSI device Acronym for "Small Computer System Interface" - pronounced "scuzzy." Used to connect peripheral devices (printers, scanners, disk drives) to a computer. SCSI devices offer faster transmission speed between peripherals and can accommodate the attachment of more than one device to its port. Each device must have its own unique identifier or number. When more than one peripheral device is attached to a SCSI port it is said to be "daisy-chained" together.

SDRAM Acronym for "Synchronous dynamic Random Access Memory." SDRAM, a type of memory chip that runs at a higher clock speed than conventional memory, synchronzes itself with the computer's central processing unit, and runs at about 133 megahurtz.

search engine An application that enables users to search for specific data on the Internet. Many serach engines allow users to conduct several kinds of searches, such as using boolean operators, keyword, exact phrasing, or browsing. Search engines retrieve an indexed list of results based on search terms requested by a user.

serial port This is the communications port on your computer; it's also called the COM or RS-232 port. It's called serial because, although it has nine pins and many wires, the PC sends data on only one wire and receives data on one other wire.

SGML Acronym for "Standard generalized Markup Language"

shareware Shareware is the wonderful alternative to commercial software. Available from centralized archives on the Internet and local bulletin board systems (or sometimes via CD-ROM or floppy), shareware is copyrighted but works on the honor system. You have a specified time period to try out the software for free; if you continue to use it, you're expected to register the program and pay a fee to its developer.

spam Hormel's famous can o' additives has given its name to something almost as disgusting: junk email. Spam can be a mass mailing to bulletin boards, newsgroups, or lists of people. But spam is never welcome: if you spam or get spammed, flame wars can ensue.

spreadsheet Program created to insert information into tables. Most commonly know programs are excel and Quattro Pro.

SVGA Acronym for "Super video Graphics Array"

swap file A swap file is an area on your hard disk used as virtual memory. It's called a swap file because virtual memory management software swaps data between it and main memory (RAM).

SYS short for system

sysop short for "system operator"

T-1 T1 is a term coined by AT&T for a system that transfers digital signals at 1.544 megabits per second (as opposed to ISDN's mere 64 kilobits per second). Of course, if T1 doesn't cut it, there's always T3. (T2 seems to have been bypassed altogether.)

TCP/IP Acronym for "Transmission Control Protocol over Internet Protocol"

telnet Telnet is an application that lets you log on to a Unix computer. Provided you have an account on that Telnet server, you can then use its resources. A drawback of Telnet is that it's character-based, so you need to speak Unix to the other computer.

True Type Font An outline font standard first developed by Apple Computer, and later embraced by Microsoft, as a competitor to Adobe Systems, Inc.'s PostScript.

TSR Acronym for "Terminate and stay resident"

Unix Described by one of its developers as "a weak pun on Multics" (which was an experimental, time-sharing operating system at Bell Labs in the 1960s), Unix took off in the early 1970s as a general-purpose operating system. Since much of the Internet is hosted on Unix machines, the OS took on a new surge of popularity in the early 1990s.

Unzip To uncompress data in the .zip form using a utility like WinZip.

upgrade A new or better version of some hardware or software.

upload To transfer programs or data over a digital communications link from a smaller or peripheral "client" system to a larger or central "host" one.

URL Acronym for "Uniform resource Locator"

USB Acronym for "Universal serial Bus"

Usenet Usenet is a worldwide network of thousands of Unix systems with a decentralized administration. the Usenet systems exist to transmit postings to special-interest newsgroups covering just about any topic you can imagine (and many you wouldn't even want to imagine).

VESA Acronym for "Video Electronics Standards Association"

VESA Local Bus A local bus defined by the Video Electronics Standards Association, mostly used in personal computers based on the Intel 486.

VGA Acronym for "Video graphics Array"

VPN Acronym for Virtual private Network

VRML Acronym for "Virtual reality Modeling Language"

W3C Acronym for the "World-Wide Web Consortium"

WAIS Acronym for "Wide-Area information Servers"

webmaster The fanciful name for anyone in charge of managing the hardware and software that make up a company's Web site. Less fun-loving companies may use a more mundane term, such as Internet systems administrator.

weenie A term often used to describe an immature user who indiscriminately flames other uses on a bulletin board.

whiteboard Like the laminated conference-room board it gets its name from, an electronic whiteboard is used for collaborating on documents. Electronic whiteboards are programs that allow multiple users teleconferencing at their own computers to draw and write comments on the same document.

WWW Acronym for the "World-Wide Web"

WYSIWIG Acronym for "What You See Is What You Get"

XTML acronym for "Excel Table Markup Language

Zip An open standard for compression and decompression used widely for PC download archives, ZIP was developed by Phil Katz for his DOS-based program PKZip, and it is is now widely used on Windows-based programs such as WinZip and drag and Zip. The file extension given to ZIP files is .zip.