TERM
| EXPLANATION |
| BOOKMARKS | Words,
pictures, web sites etc. that have been marked in order to enable immediate access from
within a list in your browser. |
| BUG | An
error in hardware or software that causes it to malfunction or crash. |
| CD
ROM | Computer
Disc Read Only Memory |
| CHIP | Abbreviation
of microchip. A small piece of semiconductor material (usually silicon) soldered onto
printed circuit boards, used to carry electronic circuits |
| CRASH | Stops
working suddenly. |
| DATA
BASE | Structured
set of data/information held within the computer. |
| DESKTOP | What
is on the screen after booting up. |
| DISK | Data
storage medium e.g. floppy disk, hard disk. |
| EMAIL | Electronic
mail. Messages sent between computers. |
FILE TRANSFER | Mr. Tim
Howe informs me this is accessing information from other computers via networks. |
| LAPTOP | A
portable computer. |
MIME | Multipurpose Internet
Mail Extensions. Standard for the transfer of binary email attachments. |
| MODEM | Device
used to convert date from analogue to digital and back again e.g. between a computer and
telephone line. In the UK we have a shampoo advert
in which they say “and now for the scientific bit”. They then proceed to
explain in scientific terms why their product is so good for your hair. Well, here’s
my “scientific bit”, kindly supplied by Pete Crilly – The term “modem” is an abbreviation for
MODulator/DEModulator, and is a device that converts a digital signal (from the computer)
into an analogue signal (audio in this case), which is sent through the telephone wires.
At the ‘other end’ another modem receives the analogue signal, converting it back
into a digital signal and back into the computer. |
| MOUSE | A
device used to move the cursor on the screen. |
| MULTIMEDIA | An
application combining text, graphics, motion video and sound. |
| NETWORK | Several
computers linked together by cables, radio waves or telephone lines. |
| ON-LINE | Connected
to a computer or network. |
| PC | Personal
computer. |
| RAM | Random
Access Memory |
| ROM | Read
Only Memory. Information that cannot be altered. |
SEARCH ENGINE | Once
again Mr. Tim Howe advises this is a piece of developed software to interrogate the
Internet to locate and list Internet sites from a pre-selected search argument. |
| SOFTWARE | Programmes
and other operating information used by the computer. |
| SURFING | Accessing
information from other computers via networks etc. I am advised by Mr. Tim Howe of
Lensframe Logic Limited that “Surfing” is in fact the act of interrogating and
exploring the Internet via a search engine. |
| WEB
BROWSER | Software
used to gain access to the world wide web e.g. Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator. |
