10pt Short for 10 point, a typographic measurement. The larger the number, the bigger the text character will appear. 16:9 format The aspect ratio (width:height) of widescreen televisions and cinema screens. 286 processor Early Intel chip used in desktop computers. It was followed by the 386 and 486, and then the Pentium series of processors. 35mm The width of the film used in many traditional cameras. Often used to describe the cameras that use this size of film. 386 processor Early Intel chip used in desktop computers. It was followed by the 486 and then the Pentium series of processors. 3D graphics card An expansion card designed to handle the three-dimensional graphics seen in many of today's top games. 486 processor Early Intel chip used in desktop computers. It was followed by the Pentium series of processors. 56Kbps The fastest standard for traditional modems. Modems convert electronic signals from your computer into sound signals that can be transmitted over a phone line. 56kbps means that a modem is capable of receiving up to 56,000 bits of computer data each second. 5-pin DIN Archaic PC keyboard connector. It has been superseded by PS/2 and USB connectors. ActiveX Technology for adding extra features to an application like a web browser. ActiveX components are usually downloaded automatically, or with minimal user interaction. Address In the context of the internet, an address is the information a web browser needs to locate a particular website. Microsoft's website address, for instance, is www. microsoft. com. Add-in Extra features available in most Microsoft applications, but usually requiring installation from the original CD-ROM. For example, Excel's AutoSave feature is an Add-in module, and is only installed upon request. ADSL Stands for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. A technology that converts an ordinary household telephone line into an extremely fast internet connection -- around ten times faster than a regular 56K modem. Advanced Photo System (APS) A photographic film format capable of capturing three different picture sizes. APS-based cameras also benefit from the simplicity of slot-in-and-go loading of the film cartridges. Reprints can ordered from index prints, consisting of thumbnail representations of photos, and supplied with all developed film. AGP Accelerated Graphics Port. A PC interface (either an expansion slot or built-in) used for super-fast 3D graphics facilities. Ideal for handling the 3D worlds depicted in many of today's top games. Analogue Signal whose value varies continuously over time. For example, when a person speaks, the sound wave is an analogue signal, varying smoothly as they talk. Analogue signal information differs from digital signals, which move sharply between fixed values. To help visualise this, consider the difference between an analogue watch face with sweeping hands and a digital watch display, which jumps from one number to the next. Animated GIF Stands for Graphics Interchange Format, a popular file format for storing graphic images, often for use on websites. An animated GIF is simply a string of these images, creating the illusion of moving pictures when played back. Annotation A comment or mark added to an image or a document, much like sticking a Post-it note on an office memo to highlight a point of interest. Anti-virus software An application designed to protect PCs from malicious computer code. Aperture In a camera, this is an opening that controls the amount of light passing through the lens. API Stands for application programming interface, a standard used by computer programmers to allow operating systems and software applications to understand one another. Applet Small utility program within Windows, like Calculator or ScanDisk. Application A computer software program that enables the user to perform specific tasks. For example, Microsoft Word is used for word processing, while Paint Shop Pro is designed for image-editing requirements. APS Advanced Photo System A film format developed by Canon, Fuji, Kodak, Minolta and Nikon that uses a small slot-in cartridge to store the unexposed, exposed and developed film. APS cameras can take panoramic ans well as regular photographs. Artifical Intelligence (AI) The science of simulating or duplicating intelligence using a computer. AI is useful for situations where clear-cut decisions are not possible and for mimicing the behaviour of humans or animals. Aspect ratio A measure of the relative width and height of a display. Traditional television screens, for instance, have an aspect ratio of 4:3 (meaning four units wide by three units high), while modern widescreen sets have 16:9 proportions. ATAPI Stands for Advanced Technology Attachment Packet Interface, which is a control technology for devices like CD-ROM and hard disk drives. ATRAC Stands for Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding, which is Sony's proprietary audio file-compression system, similar to MP3 but with additional security features designed to prevent piracy of copyright material. Attachment A computer file, such as a word-processor document or spreadsheet, sent along with an email message. Audio Format In the context of Windows' Sound Recorder program, the choice of storing recorded audio in one of three quality settings РCD, radio or telephone. Autocorrect A feature in a word processor that automatically corrects common spelling mistakes as they are typed. Automatic document feeder (ADF) A facility of most printers and some scanners, enabling documents to be automatically fed through the print or scanner mechanism without user intervention. Autoplay A Windows feature that allows CD-ROM/DVD discs to launch or play as soon they're inserted into a drive. AutoSum A handy Excel feature that gives an at-a-glance total of a selection of figures. Autotrace A feature of some image-editing programs that identifies outline shapes in a bitmap graphics and attempts to trace them, resulting in editable vector paths. Avatar In computing context, a graphic or icon used to represent a person in an online chat-room or game. Avatars can usually be customised and range from simple images to complex three-dimensional shapes. AVI A type of video file used by windows and usuall played using Windows Media Player. Back up The process of copying your important computer files and documents from your hard disk to removable media (such as Zip or CD-RW discs) or another computer, to protect against loss of the originals. Bandwidth In computing terms, a measure of the maximum amount of data that can be transferred over a connection at any one time. For example, if you connect to the internet using a modem, then the bandwidth is likely to be up to 56Kbps (or 56,000 bits of data per second). Banding Noticeable stripes appearing on a print-out Рusually only a problem with inkjet printers. Beta Version of a software application or system still in development. Companies make beta versions available to selected testers for evaluation, testing and feedback. Bi-directional Refers to an ability for two-way communication. Most printer cables, for example, are bi-directional, so the computer can send data to the printer and the printer is able to respond with print-job progress information. Binaries Newsgroup postings of encoded files (photographs, sound files, video clips and so on), rather than plain text. These are frowned upon except in certain groups, such as those beginning 'alt. binaries. '. Binary A coding system used by computers and other digital devices to store data as a series just two digits Р0 and 1. Bioemtrics The use of measurable physical characteristics for idenitification purposes, such as fingerprinting. BIOS Basic Input Output System. Software built into all PCs, to control the basic operation of devices such as the screen, hard disk and keyboard. When a PC is switched on, the BIOS automatically kicks in, and looks for a drive (like the hard disk) from which the operating system proper can be launched. Bit A contraction of binary digit, which is the smallest unit of computer data. A bit can hold one of two values Р1 or 0. Consecutive bits combine together to form larger units of information. There are eight bits in a 'byte'. Bitmap (BMP) A type of graphic image recorded as many tiny dots (or pixels). Scanned photographs and similar images are often stored in this form. If you use an image-editing application to zoom in on a bitmap image, the pixels will gradually become distinct. BMP image files tend to be quite large, so other types are more popular. Blanking plates Plastic or metal plates on the back and front of a PC, fitted by manufacturers to cover unused expansion bays. Blanking plates can be easily removed when new devices are fitted. Blend In image editing, the combining of one or more graphic layers. Bluetooth A technology that allows devices (computers, phones, printers, etc. ) to communicate with each other wirelessly. Body text Text makes up the bulk of a story, article or chapter, rather than the headings or footnotes. Bookmark A way of flagging favourite websites in your web browser for later reference, much like marking a page in a book. Boolean Logical propositions, such as AND, OR and IF, often used to refine searches or filter computer data. Named after Boole, a 19th c. English mathematician. Boot The process a PC goes through after it is switched on Рperforming a quick self-test, loading Windows, and so on. Boot disk A disk containing the operating system components essential for getting a PC up and running. Usually, the boot disk is the computer's hard disk but in times of strife, a suitably-prepared floppy disk can be used to kick-start a PC. Boot sector Area of a disk containing instructions enabling a computer to launch an operating system (such as Windows). These instructions are executed every time the computer starts up. Bps Bits per second. Measure of computer data transmission speed. For example, a 56Kbps modem can receive up to 56,000 bits of computer data per second. Broadband Refers to high-bandwidth internet connections, such as ADSL. Browse Using a web browser application to look at websites on the net. Browser The short name for a web browser Рan application that lets you view pages on the internet. Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator are the two most popular browsers. Brush Image-editing tools offer a selection of brushes for 'painting' on the screen. Some act like thick marker pens while others create an aerosol-like effect. Bubblejet Canon's trademarked name for its own inkjet printing technology. Buffer A small amount of memory used as a reservoir for data that's provided (usually in spurts) from a source. Burn-proof Technology used by some CD-RW drives to ensure error-free and foolproof disc creation. Bus mastering PCI A technology which reduces the burden on the processor when transferring data to and from the hard disk and other devices. Bus In computer terminology, a bus is the data path on the motherboard that devices use to communicate with the processor. Byte a unit of computer storage that can hold a single character. 1024 bytes make a kilobyte, or 1Kb. C++ Programming language popular with professional computer software developers, and used to create many of today's top applications. Cable Shorthand for cable television and associated services. Cache A store for frequently-used data or files. Data can be accessed from a cache more quickly than from its original source. Internet Explorer uses a hard disk cache for web pages, while computer processors often have small amounts of very speedy memory as a cache. CAD Stands for Computer-Aided Design, which are special software applications that allow designers and architects to draw precise blueprints on screen, then model them in 3D to see how the design will appear in real life. Caller ID A system which enables a telephone caller's number to be displayed before the handset is picked up. Supported by most telecommunications companies and systems these days. Capture cards A video card that slots into a spare PCI slot in your computer and has the input and output sockets necessary for digitising video. Capturing The process of taking an ordinary analogue signal from a camcorder and converting it into digital information to be stored on a computer's hard disk. Charge-coupled device (CCD) A light-sensitive component used in digital cameras and camcorders. CD changer A device that can hold several CDs and switch between them as and when required. CD writer A special type of CD-ROM drive, which allows you to create, or 'burn', your own CDs. CD-R Standard for compact disc recordable format, or blank CDs onto which information (such as data or music) can be recorded Рbut only once. Playable on most CD-ROM drives (except some older ones) and CD players. You need a CD-R drive to record onto CD-R discs. CD-ROM A version of the CD, which can store a lot more than just music. This small plastic disc can hold up to 650Mb of data. CD-ROM drive Used for installing software (on CD-ROM discs) and playing multimedia audio and video. Audio CDs can also be inserted. CD-RW Stands for compact disc rewritable format, or blank compact discs which can be recorded on over and over again. Celeron Cheaper but slower version of the Intel Pentium processor, used in budget PCs. Cell A spreadsheet page uses rows and columns to divide a page into cells. Rows and columns are identified with letters and numbers, so each cell has a unique co-ordinate, such as D15. Channels In the context of monitors, images are made up of three colour 'channels', one each to represent red, green and blue Рor RGB. Chat rooms Online venues for typed chat, rather like the premium-rate chat lines you see advertised on late-night TV. Some even allow you to create cartoon-style characters to represent yourself. Checksum Mathematical formula performed on some data to generate a result that will be statistically unique for that data. Chipset Broadly speaking, any group of computer chips working together to perform certain functions. For example, a graphics card will have a number of chips Рthe chipset Рdesigned to handle all graphics output. Chorus An audio effect that 'fattens up' the sound of a single instrument, to simulate several playing at once. Chromakey effects Sometimes known as blue-screening because subjects are filmed in front of a blue screen before being 'extracted' from the video. The subject can then be placed on top of another scene, giving the appearance of being somewhere they're not. Without Chromakey, Superman would never have flown. Click Pressing down once and releasing a mouse button, or other key. Client A geeky term for an additional piece of software that runs alongside your web browser, allowing you to use services like newsgroups and internet chat. Clipart A library of drawings or photographs that you can use in presentations, reports or in desktop-publishing documents. You must check whether there are copyright restrictions if you are intend using the pictures commercially. Clock speed Term used to describe the speed of a computer processor, measured in megahertz or, increasingly, gigahertz Р700MHz or 1GHz (1,000MHz) for example. Clone In image-editing software, a tool that allows you to copy one part of an image and use it as a brush. CMOS Stands for complementary metal-oxide semiconductor, and pronounced cee-moss. This is a special computer chip that looks after system set-up information, like date and time and so forth. CMY Abbreviation for cyan, magenta, yellow Рthe three colours found in a colour inkjet printer cartridge. Sometimes you may see CMYK where K stands for black (if they used B this might be mistaken for Blue). Code In computing terminology, short for program code Рmeaning instructions that are intended to be executed by a computer. Colour depth The range of colours with which an image can be displayed. Usually measured in 'bits', 1-bit colour gives two colours (usually black and white), 2-bit gives four colours, and so on. A 24-bit colour setting will allow up to 16. 7 millions distinct shades to be displayed. Colour picker All painting programs have one, it's the electronic equivalent of a paint palette so you can choose which colour you want to use. COM port Short for communications port, a PC can have up to four of these РCOM1 to COM4. It is through these ports that devices can talk to the rest of your PC. Anything fitted to a serial port will be allocated one of these, as will a modem. Combination keystroke Literally where you have to hold down more than one key at once to access a particular function. Holding down the Alt and Tab keys, for example, lets you cycle through any programs you're running. Command prompt Also known as DOS prompt. The Windows environment lets you point and click to navigate your way around the computer. However, the predecessor to Windows, DOS (disk operating system) requires typed in commands to control the PC Рand these are entered at the command prompt. CompactFlash Matchbook-size memory cards with no moving parts. These slot into various devices to store data. Popular with digital cameras and handheld computers. Composite video A type of video signal used by some camcorders, video recorders and TVs in which the red, green and blue signals are mixed together. The aerial connection on a TV set uses composite video. Compression To reduce the size of a file by encoding the data. This is useful for storing files which would otherwise take up lots of disk space, such as picture and video files. Compression also reduces transfer times, meaning files can be sent over the net, or to another disk, more quickly. Configure To tweak the functions of software or hardware to the particular settings you require. For example, Windows can be configured so that it displays a particular colour background, or so that it uses a larger typeface Context menus The context-sensitive menus that pop up when you right-click on something in Windows. What you see on the menu varies according to the task that you're engaged in and the program you're using. Control Panel A collection of icons that allow you to configure the basic functions of Windows and your PC. Within the Control Panel there are icons to define display attributes, keyboard settings, passwords Рand a host of other options. Cookies Text files generated by websites you visit and stored on your computer's hard disk. Cookies contain preferences and other information about your use of the sites, and are not harmful. Copy and paste Just like it sounds: selecting part of an image or document in order to place it elsewhere. Coverage In the context of mobile phones, the areas where you'll be able to get a signal. The phone networks tend to quote coverage in terms of population, not actual land area. A network may claim to cover 98 percent of the population, but with most of these people located in cities, vast tracts of the country are signal-free zones. CPU An abbreviation for central processing unit, or processor Рthe heart of a computer. The CPU does most of the hard work and the faster it is, the better the PC is likely to be. Crash This is what happens when a software application or operation goes wrong, often freezing the computer. Sometimes, the only way to recover from a crash is to switch the PC off and start again Рand this in turn may cause you to lose documents or data you were working on. CRT Cathode Ray Tube The glass tube-based technology used to produce an image in most TV sets and computer monitors. Cursor A flashing shape on the screen showing where the next character you type in will appear. When entering text in a word processor, the cursor is normally a flashing vertical bar. Sometimes, the word cursor is used to describe the on-screen mouse pointer. Cut Just like it sounds: this function will delete selected information, such as cells in a spreadsheet or a paragraph in a text document. Data rate The speed at which digital information is transferred from one device to another, and can range from a few kilobits to many hundreds of megabytes per second. Traditional modems, for example, offer download data rates of up to 56Kbps. Data table In the context of a spreadsheet, a table of figures used to create a chart. Database Any collection of information, usually (but not always) used to refer to information stored on a computer. Database software applications usually include powerful search and data-filtering facilities. Daughterboard A small card containing support circuitry for a larger expansion card, plugged into a socket on the main card or connected via a cable. DDR (Double Data Rate memory) A type of memory that's twice as fast as ordinary memory. DDR memory is often used in graphics cards can now be found in PCs too. Decoder A home cinema component that converts the surround sound soundtrack on a DVD movie into a signal that's sent to an amplifier. Decoders and amplifiers are often combined into a single unit Decryption The process of making encrypted data readable again. DECT Stands for Digitally Enhanced Cordless Telephone, a technology used by some cordless telephones to maintain clear call quality over long distances. Default A standard software or hardware setting. Most programs, including the Windows operating system itself, ask you to make a series of selections in order to perform a task. Sometimes the computer will already have made some selections Рthese are called the defaults. You can change the defaults to fit your own preference, or accept them as they are supplied. Defragment (or 'defrag') To reorganise the data stored on a hard disk so that it can be accessed as quickly as possible by the computer. A fragmented disk can adversely affect system performance. Degauss To remove the magnetism from a device, usually a monitor. Most monitors degauss automatically but some have a button. Desktop What you see when you first start up a Windows-based computer. The Desktop will display your Taskbar and a selection of icons such as My Computer and Recycle Bin. DHTML Dynamic HTML This is an extended version of the language used to describe web pages, which allows a page to change instantly when certain things happen, for instance the mouse moving over a specified area. Dialogue box A small window that pops up to display or request information. In Windows, Menu options that end with an 'ɧ always open a dialogue box. Dial-up Networking A component of Windows that allows PCs to connect to the internet using a modem and a telephone line. Diamondtron Tube technology introduced by Mitsubishi in 1993. It uses the same principle as Trinitron aperture grille technology but with three electron guns at the back of the monitor rather than one. Digital Unlike the smooth signal of analogue, digital information consists of discrete parts. An analogy would be a car's gearbox. A vehicle can be in first or second gear, but not first-and-a-half. Computers only recognise digital information, so must convert analogue signals. A soundcard, for example, converts the sound of a recording into a series of numbers the PC can process. Digital camera A camera that stores images in computer memory rather than on light-sensitive film. Digital signature A piece of encrypted data that can be used to verify the identity of someone who sent the message to which it is attached. Digital stabiliser A method of removing small video camera shakes, such as the normal shaking of the operator's hand, by adjusting the picture by a compensating amount. Poorly implemented, it can cause a sudden jerk when you start an intended camera move. Digital zoom Optical zoom is the normal camera method of magnifying a scene by changing the distance between the different elements of the lens. Digital zoom allows even greater magnification by expanding each of the dots, but at some cost to quality. Digitising Changing an analogue signal, such as an audio/video recording, into digital data on a computer. DIMM Dual Inline Memory Module. A slot-in card used to expand the memory of a desktop PC. Directory An old name for what we now call folders. These provide a way of organising files and documents on disk, by grouping related items together. DirectX Windows feature that ensures that all programs work with all the different types of hardware available. Disk spanning Copying data from one disk to several smaller ones, automatically. This allows, for example, a large file to be copied from a hard disk to several floppy disks. Dithering Process of creating colour shades by adjusting the value of adjacent pixels to give the appearance of more colours than a device, usually a monitor or display panel, is actually capable of displaying. Docking cradle/station A receptacle for a portable device, like a palmtop computer or a digital camera, and connected to a PC. Through this, the linked machines can exchange documents and data. Dolby Pro Logic A way of encoding audio information, developed by Dolby Labs. Dolby Surround Sound A system which literally surrounds the listener with sound, usually employing several speakers positioned around a room and controlled by a special decoder. Surround sound is used in feature films and many TV shows. Domain name The name used to identify a site on the internet, such as computeractive. co. uk or microsoft. com DOS Stands for Disk Operating System. The standard PC operating system before the dawn of Windows. DOS manages how files are stored on your PC. It is controlled through typed commands. Dot pitch The distance between the dots which make up the image on a monitor. Dot matrix printer Prints by hammering small 'needles' through a typewriter-style ribbon. This type of printer is noisy and only really used where continuous-sheet paper or multi-part forms are required. Dots per inch (dpi) The way the resolution of printed and scanned images is measured. Both types of picture are made up of dots. The more dots there are per inch, the smaller they are and the better the picture looks. Double-click To click twice quickly in succession on a mouse button. If you double-click on an application icon, Windows will then attempt to launch the application. Download Process of transferring files onto your PC directly from another computer. You might, for instance, download pictures and files from the internet. Drag In Windows, the action of clicking on something with the left mouse button, keeping the button pressed and moving (dragging) the object. Drag and drop A feature of operating systems, including Windows, which allows you to easily move and manipulate on-screen objects and files. For example, if you want to delete a file from the Windows Desktop, you move the pointer to the file's icon, click once to highlight it, then press and hold down the left-hand button. The item can now be dragged and dropped into the Recycle Bin. Drag out Click and hold down the left mouse button as you move the mouse. Drive bay A blanked-off space at the front of a desktop PC originally designed for additional floppy disk drives. Now drive bays accommodate all manner of peripherals. Driver Software needed to allow Windows (and other operating systems) to communicate with a peripheral. While Windows has many built-in drivers, often hardware-specific versions will be provided on CD-ROM with a new device. Drop-down menu A list of options displayed beneath a menu bar when you select a menu option, or when you click on a down-pointing arrow in a dialogue box. Dropper tool In image-editing, this is a feature used to set the foreground or background colour of the current drawing tool by simply clicking on part of an image. DSTN A type of flat-panel display used primarily on budget notebook PCs. They are of lower quality than TFT screens. DTP (desktop publishing) The design, layout and printing of documents, books and magazines using special software, such as Microsoft Publisher. Dual band A mobile phone that can work at two radio frequencies. Vodafone and Cellnet use the 900MHz band, as do most networks around the world. Orange and One2One use 1,800MHz. Only a few other countries use 1,800MHz. Dual-band phones can use either frequency, increasing the number of countries they can be used in. DSP Digital Signal Processor. Electronics that apply special effects to digital audio to improve its overall sound or to make it sound like it's in a certain environment, such as a church or concert hall. DVC Digital Video Cassette, the latest video standard used in digital camcorders only. DVD A type of disc able to store huge amounts of digital data, including full-length movies, with excellent-quality sound and pictures. DVD-R Standard for Digital Versatile Disc-Recordable format, or blank DVDs onto which information (such as data or music) can be recorded Рbut only once. Playable on most DVD players and DVD-ROM drives. You need a DVD-R drive to record onto DVD-R discs. DVD-RAM One of a number of competing standards for recordable DVD. DVD-RAM can store many gigabytes of data on each side of a disc but can only be used in a DVD-RAM drive DVD-ROM drive These drives will play both CD-ROM and DVD discs. Huge amounts of data can be stored on one DVD disc, which looks just like a CD, including full-length movies, with excellent-quality sound and pictures. DVD+R One of the emerging recordable DVD standards. It uses DVD+RW disks that are designed to have data recorded on to them time and time again. Movies recorded on to DVD+RW disks are fully compatible with DVD players DVD RW A rewritable version of the DVD-R format whose discs are compatible with most DVD players and DVD-ROM drives DVI (Digital Video Interface) A video connection used on some TFT monitors and graphics cards that provides a purely digital connection between a PC and monitor. This gives a higher quality image than using a standard VGA connection. Ecommerce A term used to describe financial transactions over the internet. EAX (Short for 'environmental audio') a standard developed by Creative Labs for more authentic and immersive sound reproduction in games. ECP (enhanced capabilities port) A type of high-speed printer port which offers improved performance. EIDE This is an interface for connecting hard disks and CD-ROM drives inside your PC. EISA An enhanced version of the ISA expansion slot, offering faster data transfer speeds for suitable expansion cards. ELSPA The European Leisure Software Publishers Association Рa software copyright protection agency and one of the main anti-piracy bodies. Email Short for electronic mail, a system of sending notes and memos between computers via internet. EMS Enhanced Messaging Service. A development of SMS (Short Messaging Service) that allows simple pictures and ring tones to be sent between mobile phones. Emulate An program that is used to make a computer act like another computer. For example, there are programs that can enable a PC to emulate a video arcade game. Encoder In the context of digital music, a piece of software that converts audio CDs to MP3 or some other digital format. Encryption The science of scrambling data Рbe it text, audio, or video Рso that it can only be read by the authorised sender and recipient. Encryption can also be used to embed identifying markings in data, so that it can't be undetectably falsified. Enhanced parallel port (EPP) A modern version of the parallel (or printer) port, which is the 25-pin connector at the rear of your PC where the printer normally plugs in. If your PC was bought in the couple of years or so, it should have an EPP port. This can be important as scanners that plug into the parallel port do require the enhanced version. EPOC32 The operating system designed by Psion for its later handheld computers, like the Series 5mx. Equalisers Similar to the tone controls on your hi-fi, although software implementations are usually a lot more comprehensive. Ergonomics A term used to describe efficiency and health for people whilst in their working environment. Ethernet A type of computer network developed by Xerox in the 1970s, allowing a number of PCs to be linked together and communicate with one another. Events An action in Windows, such as opening a document, emptying the Recycle Bin, or shutting down your PC. EVR (Electronic Version of Return) The Inland Revenue's computer program that duplicates the paper-based tax return for PAYE taxpayers. It's available free of charge from your tax office and allows you to complete your return on screen. Executable files These are launchable programs, which have the file extension. EXE. Clicking on an executable file will start it running Рit may be an application, an animated greeting card or a game, for example. Avoid launching. EXE email attachments, as these may carry computer viruses. Expansion card Card that can be fitted in an expansion slot within your PC to enhance its capabilities in some way Рfor instance to improve its video or graphics performance. Expansion slot A socket on a computer's motherboard designed to accommodate expansion cards. Expert system A computer program designed to perform the same function as (and so replace) a human expert on a particular subject. Explorer A program supplied with Windows that's used to browse files on your PC. Explorer can be used an alternative to the Windows Desktop. Extension The three-letter code at the end of a filename that indicates the type or format of the file. For example,. BMP is a bitmap,. EXE is an executable program file. These enable Windows to recognise what type of file it's dealing with. Extract The process of expanding compressed files so they can be opened. Fader A vertical or horizontal sliding control used to alter the level of sound or other setting. Fades, wipes and dissolves Methods of moving from one scene to another, without a sudden 'jump' cut. Fades let the picture fade in and out from black or white. Wipes are like a curtain moving up, down or across to reveal the picture. And dissolves fade one picture into another. FAQ Stands for frequently asked questions, usually a text file containing useful information about an application or website. FAT File Allocation Table A system used by Windows to organise files stored on a hard disk. Windows 95 used a system called FAT16, Windows 98 and Me use FAT32 that allows, among other things, long filenames. Favorites/Bookmarks Your personal address book of places on the internet that you visit periodically. Bookmark a site and it will be stored in your Favorites/Bookmarks list for future visits. Feathering A term used to describe a print-out of a text or picture which is marred by blurred or irregular edges. Field In a database, a field is an individual container that can hold a particular type of information. For example, if you have a contacts list of your customers, each entry is called a record and the various parts of each record are called fields. File extension The file extension is the suffix Рor letters after the dot Рin a file's name. Examples include .doc (for a word document) and .xls (Excel) and .txt (Notepad). This is how Windows knows which application to use to open a particular file. File Manager Part of the Windows 3. 1 operating system, since replaced in later versions of Windows by Explorer. File Manager displays lists of all of the files you have stored on your PC's hard disk. Fill The interior area of a vector shape, which may be given a colour, gradient, pattern, texture or a bitmap image. Filter In image-editing, applies a transformation to either improve image quality or produce special effect on all or part of an image. There is a filter for every need from sharpening out-of-focus pictures to wrapping them round spheres. Firmware Basic software permanently stored on a device (such as a graphics card) that controls it's basic operation. Firmware can be upgraded using a process known as 'flashing'. Financial manager A program to help you manage your money. Firewall A system that prevents unauthorised access to a computer over a network, such as the internet. Firewalls can be either hardware or software Рbusinesses tend to use the former; home users the latter. FireWire A super-fast data link between your PC and devices such as digital camcorders. Also known as IEEE1394. Flash An application used to create high-quality animations on websites. Flash memory A special type of memory that maintains its contents even when the host machine, like a palmtop computer, is switched off. Flat-panel display Slim monitors, similar to the liquid-crystal displays (LCD) found in notebook computers, designed for use with desktop PCs. Flatbed A type of image scanner that resembles a small photocopier. Place a document face down on the glass scanning bed and the scan-head is moved across it, building up a digital image as it goes. Floppy disk A small, rigid square of plastic used to store data. Inside the case is a circular magnetic disk (the floppy bit). The most common type of floppy disk is the 1. 44Mb 3. 5in version used by almost all PCs. FM Stands for frequency modulation, a method of generating sounds from simple wave forms. FM synthesis An old form of sound generation by soundcards. Still used by games, but doesn't sound as good as newer wavetable synthesis. Folder Files on PC's hard disk are arranged within a system of folders, which group related items together, helping you find the item you need. Folders have names to describe what's in them, for example: My Documents. Font A set of letters, numbers and other symbols in a particular style. Popular Windows fonts are Arial and Times New Roman. Font size This is the measurement typographers use to describe the size of text. Thus, 72pt text is bigger than 34pt text. The text you are reading now is set in 8. 5pt. Footer A special area at the bottom of a word-processor document: type something in here and it will appear at the base of every page. Footprint The desk area occupied by a peripheral, like a printer or scanner. Force feedback A term used to describe joysticks that can wiggle of their own accord, giving tactile feedback in games. Form A document formatted in a certain way for entering data, much like the paper version. Forms are typically used by databases. Format The process of preparing a floppy disk for use with a particular computer and operating system. Formula bar In spreadsheets, this is located at the top of the screen, above the grid of rows and columns. If a selected cell contains a formula, it will be visible in the formula bar. Otherwise any contents in a cell will be displayed in the formula bar. You can, for example, type text directly into a selected cell, or into the formula bar Рthe result will be the same. Formulas Formulas tell spreadsheets how to act on data stored in cells. For example, '=SUM(B13+B16)' tells the program to add the contents of cells B13 and B16 together. Fragmentation When there's not enough contiguous room to save a file in one physical location on your hard disk, the file will be spread over several smaller locations. This fragmentation is an inevitable consequence of constantly saving and deleting files Рespecially if space is scarce. Eventually your hard disk will need to be tidied up, or defragmented. Frame rate The number of images, or frames, shown each second that make up a moving image. The higher the rate, the smoother the moving image. Games and movies in particular benefit from high frame rates. Frame size The size or resolution of each individual frame of video, usually set on capture and dependent on whether you require full screen or a small video window on your monitor. Frames (web pages) In the context of web pages, these are used to segment content. One frame might contain a menu of the website while the other displays the information that you're interested in. The frame borders might be visible but are often hidden. Frames (web animations) Animated GIFs contain multiple images (otherwise they wouldn't move) which are held in frames, just like those you would see in a movie reel. Freeware Software, often downloadable from the internet, which is then free for you to keep and use. FTP Stands for File Transfer Protocol, which is a way of transferring files over the internet, particularly when maintaining websites. Full duplex The ability of a device (like a modem or sound card) to send and receive data simultaneously. .GIF (GIF = Graphics Interchange Format) A commonly used graphics file format popular for images displayed on websites. Gameport The D-shaped socket found on most sound cards. This is used to connect game controllers and also doubles as a MIDI interface Gamma correction Correcting the overall brightness of an image to take into account differences between the way a PC reads an image and the human eye. Gb (Gigabyte) A measurement of storage capacity Рusually for hard disks. 1Gb is equal to 1,024Mb (megabytes). Gbits/s Gigabits per second. A measure of data transfer rate equal to 1024Mbits/s or 1,048,576Kbits/s General protection fault A fault that occurs when an application incorrectly accesses computer memory, causing the program to crash. Generational loss The loss in quality and detail that occurs every time you copy an analogue signal from source to another. Digital-to-digital copying does not involve any generational loss, unless it's through an analogue medium such as a video-capture card. Geometry controls Features to adjust the shape and size of the image displayed on a computer monitor. GHz (gigahertz) A thousand megahertz Рa measure of how fast the processor in your PC works. GM (General MIDI) A standard governing the set of sampled sounds used by all MIDI devices. A GM file created on one device will sound at least similar on another (the instrument samples may vary in quality but not in type). GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) A mobile phone standard that provides an 'always on' connection with speeds up to 150Kbit/s (existing GSM phones manage 9. 6Kbit/s). GPS (Global Positioning System) Network of satellites orbiting the earth, and used to pinpoint an exact position on the planet. Used in modern in-car navigation systems and handheld GPS devices. PS Receiver A small (usually handheld) device with a screen that's capable of receiving GPS satellite location information. Gradient The gradual change from one colour to another, as if created by an airbrush. Also known as a 'fountain fill'. Graphic equaliser A device for correcting undesirable noise output from audio equipment. Graphics card The part of a PC that displays the image you see on your computer's monitor. Some are more advanced than others, featuring connections for video recorders or other similar devices. Graphics processor A dedicated chip on a graphics card designed to controls the images displayed on a monitor. Graphics tablet An alternative to the mouse: you move a stylus over a small board just as you would a pen on a piece of paper. Ideal for applications where fine detail is involved. GS An extension to General Midi, offering more control over the way samples are played. GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) The digital mobile phone system used in the UK and many other countries. Hackers People who break into other people's computers and networks, often in an attempt to steal sensitive information. Hacking The slang term used to describe illegal access of computer systems by unauthorised users. Halftoning In laser printing particularly, the simulation of a continuous-tone image (shaded drawing or photograph) with a series of dots. Handheld computer A small computer, about the size of a spectacles case. Handhelds usually have both a screen and keyboard in a folding case. The Psion Revo is an example of a modern handheld computer. Handles In the context of software, small blocks that appear at the sides and corners of a selected object in certain applications. Dragging a handle with the mouse usually resizes the object. Hard disk A high-capacity disk drive fitted in almost all PCs and used to store both applications and the documents and files they create. Hard disks are so-called because they use rigid magnetic disks to store data. Hard disk storage capacity is measured in gigabytes. Hardware Your computer set-up is split into two parts Рhardware and software. Software covers the programs that run on your machine, while hardware describes the physical components, like the monitor and keyboard. Header A title that can be inserted at the top of the page, usually in a word-processor document. Heatsink a block of machined metal, usually aluminium, used to dissipate heat from a hot component, such as a processor. Heuristic A technique for assessing the probability of a file containing a computer virus. Useful for discovering previously unknown strains. Hi8 (also Hi-8) A good-quality, high-band video standard used by camcorders (a high-band version of Video 8). High-band Enhanced videotape formats, such as S-VHS, S-VHS-C and Hi8, which offer improved picture quality. Homepage The first or main page of a website, usually containing links to more detailed sections or content. Host drive When DriveSpace creates a compressed drive, it keeps part of it uncompressed Рthe host drive. It's usually a very small part of the disk, but it contains important files that allows your newly compressed drive to work properly. Host The PC that you set up as the 'base' or central PC in your home network. It is usually attached to the printer. HSCSD High Speed Circuit Switched Data. An enhanced version of the GSM digital mobile phone network that can transfer data at speeds up to 28. 8Kbits/s. HTML (HyperText Mark-up Language) The language used to create pages for a website. HTML code is written as text that is converted to a web page by a web browser. Hyperlink A clickable link on a web page or in a document that takes you to elsewhere, like to another website or a later page. Hyperthreading Technology developed by Intel that enables one of its newest Pentium 4 processors to behave as two processors for certain tasks, speeding up performance. Icon A small image used by Windows to identify a file or application. IDE Stands for integrated device electronics, which is a standard interface for connecting devices such as hard disks and CD-ROM drives to a PC. Image-editing application Software used to manipulate digital images, either created from scratch or obtained via a scanner or digital camera. Import filter A software feature that allows you read a file created using one application into a different one. Infection Describes the way a virus transfers itself from one computer to another Infrared port An interface that allows you to transmit data via infrared light waves, allowing data to be transferred cordlessly between devices with infrared ports. Most PDAs and notebook computers feature infrared ports, but few desktop PCs are so lucky Рlimiting the usefulness as a connection method. Ink cartridge A plastic container holding ink, inserted into an inkjet printer. Some cartridges may incorporate the nozzles that will put the ink on the page but they are often just refills that slot into a reusable head. Inkjet printer Type of printer which squirts tiny dots of ink onto the page to form text and images. Almost all inkjet printers print in colour as well as black and white. Instant messenging Real-time text-based communication over a network (usually the internet), using a program such as AOL Instant Messenger. Integrity check A type of virus check comparing previously-stored information about a file to later versions, noting any suspect modifications. Interface In the context of software, the 'look and feel' of a program, such as its buttons, menus and windows. In hardware terms, it usually refers to a physical connection, like a parallel printer interface. Internet An global network that links millions of computers, using phone and cable links. Users connect to server computers, which act rather like a local phone exchange. A modem connects your PC to the server from home, allowing you to become part of the internet. Internet Explorer Microsoft's internet browser Рa program that allows you to 'browse' web pages, manage your favourite web sites, and so on. Internet Protocol (IP) address An identifying number of a computer attached to a network. A computer's IP address is similar to a phone number in function. Every computer must have a unique IP address Рeither a permanent address or one that is dynamically assigned to them each time they connect to the net. IP addresses are written as four sets of numbers separated by full stops; for example, 204. 171. 64. 2. Internet service provider (ISP) A company which provides you with an internet connection, either for fixed monthly fee or for the cost of local call charges. Examples of popular ISPs include BT Internet, AOL and Freeserve. Interpolation When scanner software increases the resolution of a scanned image by mathematically guessing extra details. Intranet Has the look and feel of an internet website, and can be explored with a browser such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. Unlike the web, access is limited to pages on a company's internal network. IRC (or Internet Relay Chat) A vast, largely un-regulated global network allowing users to type messages in real time Рmuch like a real conversation. Divided into separate rooms, or 'channels'. IrDA Infrared Data Association A standard that allows two devices to communicate with each other via their infrared ports. IrDA-compatible ports are often found on notebook computers. IRQ Stands for interrupt request, which are settings that determine the memory addresses and processor usage for PC add-in cards and devices. You shouldn't change these unless you really know what you're doing. ISA Stands for Industry Standard Architecture, which is an old type of expansion slot inside a PC. ISDN Stands for Integrated Services Digital Network, which is a digital telephone connection providing high-speed data transfer, for such things as internet access. Popular in particular with businesses needing to transfer large amounts of data regularly and reliably. Java A special language used to create advanced effects on websites, such as animated sequences and interactive buttons and menus. Jaz drive A high-capacity storage device made by Iomega. Capable of storing 2Gb of data on removable cartridges. Jitter Read errors caused by the timing electronics inside a CD player or CD-ROM drive Joystick A stick-like device that lets you control actions in games. JPEG (or JPG) A common format for image files. JPEG images are compressed and the small file size makes them ideal for web pages. Jumpers Little metal pins, found on expansion cards and motherboards, which allow you to change settings manually. Justified Text which lines up with both page margins or both edges of a column. K6 Old processor from Intel's rival, AMD. In terms of performance, the K6 is roughly equivalent to a Pentium II processor. Kb (kilobyte) Measure of capacity of a storage device. Equal to 1,024 bytes. Kbit/s Short for kilobits per second, which is a measure of data transfer or modem speed. A kilobit is 1,000 individual bits of computer data, and most computer modems download information at up to 56Kbps. Kb/s Short for kilobytes per second, which is a measure of data transfer speed. Kerning Certain pairs of letters, such as 'A' and 'V', appear too widely spaced at large sizes and need to be squeezed together to look balanced. This is known as kerning and is used regularly in desktop-publishing applications. Can be performed either manually or automatically by software. Keyword A word of particular importance on a web page that can be used by search engines to identify it. KHz (KiloHertz) For digital audio, this refers to the number of samples per second a piece of music is recorded at. Audio CDs use 48KHz samples -- 48,000 samples per second. Knowledge base A structured store of electronic information. Like an interactive encyclopaedia but designed to help with decision-making and problem-solving in a specialised field, not as general reference source. LAN Local Area Network Describes two or more computers connected, either physically or wirelessly, with the ability to share resources, such as printers. Laser printer A type of printer that produces high-quality text and graphics using a laser beam. The beam builds up characters and images as tiny dots on a rotating drum. The drum then attracts ink powder (toner) to these dots. This is then transferred and heat-fused to paper. Launch To start up a program, such as Microsoft Word or Excel, by clicking on its icon or selecting it from the Windows Start menu. Layers In image-editing, the equivalent of multiple sheets of glass heaped on top of the drawing canvas. You can draw onto any layer, then change the order, hide them and so on. LCD (liquid-crystal display) Technology used to create low-power, slim display panels. Used in everything from digital watches to flat-screen monitors. LED Light Emitting Diode. A low-power electronic device that emits light when an electric current is passed through it. Legend A translation of the symbols or colours used in a chart. Lens flare A special effect which produces a circular flare of light. Li-ion Short for lithium-ion, which is a sophisticated type of rechargeable battery used in many portable computers and mobile phones. Li-ion cells offer good weight:life ratio and, unlike earlier battery technologies, do not suffer from the so-called 'memory' effects- allowing them to be recharged in haphazard fashion without detriment. Link (or hyperlink) An object on a web page that, when clicked, takes you to another web page. Both text and graphics can be links. Linux An operating system that runs on a variety of computers (including PCs) and can be freely modified and distributed by its users. It was developed by Linus Torvalds. Lithium polymer An expensive type of battery that, for the time being, you'll only see on the most expensive portable devices. Polymer cells can be moulded into unusual shapes, making them suitable for all manner of applications. Low-band A standard videotape format, such as VHS, VHS-C or Video 8. LPT1 (abbreviation for line printer) Nowadays more commonly called a parallel port, this a connector at the back of a PC originally developed to connect a printer to the computer. All sorts of devices, like Zip drives and scanners, now make use of this port. A second parallel port will be called LPT2. LS-120 An advanced but little-used version of a standard floppy disk drive, capable of storing 120Mb of data on a single disk. Macros In the context of software, an automated series of commands or operations that can be run at anytime. For example, if you always carry out a series of operations on your text to put it into a certain typeface and size, then you can set up a macro to perform this function. In photography, a macro mode allows for close-up shots without distortion. Magic wand In image-editing, a feature that automatically selects an area of similar colour or tone. Magnetic shielding Material that shields loudspeaker magnets, preventing them from interfering with nearby PC or TV screens. Mailing list A service provided by special interest groups that sends regular email updates to its (usually free) subscribers. Mail server The computers at your ISP that handle email coming into your account as well as all the email you send out. Mailbox (or inbox) The folder in your email application that stores your incoming messages. Mail-merge A useful tool included in most word-processing applications that allows you to create multiple documents based on data from another source, usually a database program. Mail merge is particularly useful and time-saving when you want to send the same letter to a group of people whose addresses are kept in your database. Malware A generic term for software designed to perform harmful or surreptitious acts. Masks In image-editing, a feature that allows certain parts of an image to be blocked off. Masked sections are immune to any changes you might make to the entire image. Master pages In desktop publishing software, anything such as headers, logos or guides placed on a master page will appear on every page in the publication. MBR Master Boot Record. Part of a hard disk read by a computer as soon as it is switched on. The MBR contains information about which hard disk to boot from. Mb/s Short for Megabytes per second, which is a measure of data transfer speed. Mbit/s (megabits per second) A measure of data-transfer speed. A megabit is one million bits. Mb (megabyte) A measurement of storage capacity, usually for computer memory. 1Mb is equal to 1,024Kb (kilobytes). Megapixel A measure of the level of detail recorded by digital cameras Рone megapixel means an image made from one million tiny dots (pixels). Membrane keyboards A type of keyboard that has a plastic membrane grid under the keys. Membrane keyboards tend to have a soft, quiet action. Memory (or RAM) Random Access Memory is the computer's temporary storage area, measured in megabytes (Mb). Anything written to memory will be lost when the power is switched off. Windows 95 needs at least 16Mb to work properly, and double that again to work smoothly. For Windows 98 and beyond, consider 64Mb as a realistic minimum. Memory cards Small cards that can store many megabytes (Mb) of computer data or documents. Often used as a removable storage medium in digital cameras and palmtop computers. Memory stick A type of proprietary memory card designed by Sony. Used to provide slot in, removable storage, for devices such as digital cameras. Message board An internet-based equivalent of an actual message board, where people can post and reply to messages 'posted' by other people. MFD (multifunction device) A machine that combines any or all of the functions of a copier, fax, printer and scanner. MHz (Megahertz) A measure of how fast the processor in your PC works Р800MHz Pentium III, for example. As a rule of thumb, the higher the number the faster a PC will be. Mic in Sound cards have different sockets at the back so you know what plugs in where. The mic in socket is for the microphone. Microswitched keyboard A type of keyboard where each key has its own tiny switch Рthese being the microswitches. The switch sits underneath its key. The action that this gives the keyboard is often described as ңlickyӮ MIDI Stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, which is a standard for controlling electronic musical instruments by computer. One MIDI instrument can be used to control and communicate with another, so that music created on one can be edited on another. Midrange Sound frequencies in the middle of the audio spectrum. MIME Stands for Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions, which is a standard for sending files and other data that is not plain text in mail messages over the internet. MiniDisc Looks like a small floppy disk, but can record up to 74 minutes of digital sound using compression. Used in personal stereos and in-car entertainment systems MiniDV The Digital Video (DV) tape format for digital camcorders. Mirror site A duplicate of a website, usually in a different location, intended to share the load in times of heavy use. Shareware download sites use mirror sites for this very purpose. MMC MultiMedia Card. A postage stamp-size solid-state memory card used by some digital cameras and MP3 players. See also SD card. MMS Multimedia Messaging. Sending and receiving pictures to and from a mobile from. MMX Stands for Multimedia Extensions, a special set of multimedia enhancements built into some early Pentium processors and designed to improve the performance of multimedia applications and games. Modem A device that enables two computers to communicate with each other over a telephone line. A modem is usually needed to connect to the internet. Moderator User who controls who can speak in a moderated chat room. Modulation Way of varying aspect of a sound, such as vibrato or tremolo. Moir? These are interference patterns that may be visible when a monitor displays certain images or patterns. Moir? is a nuisance that can generally be resolved by changing the background colour. Motherboard The main circuit board inside any PC into which every other component connects to and communicates through. Mouse pointer Also known as the pointer, this is what you see on screen when you move your mouse. It usually looks like an arrow. MP3 A standard for compressing digital audio. The sound quality of an MP3 file is close to that CD audio but requires only a fraction of the storage space. MPEG Stands for Motion Picture Experts Group, and describes a method of compressing digital video. MPEG-1 compression gives VHS-quality vide, while MPEG-2 compression gives high-quality video with CD-quality sound. MPEG-2 compression is used for DVD movies. MS DOS See DOS. MTU Stands for maximum transmission unit, which is the largest collection of data bits that a computer network can transmit. Multimedia Implies that either hardware (such as your PC) or software is capable of handling both video and sound. My Computer Usually you will find an icon labelled 'My Computer' in the top-left corner of your Windows desktop. Double-click on this and a Window will appear, containing icons for any disk drives you have connected to your PC, as well as any printers you have installed. Name In spreadsheets, an easy-to remember identifier for a cell or range. Nanobot Notional microscopic machines, built using 'nanotechnology'. NetMeeting A software program developed by Microsoft and available free of charge. Allows you to talk and share data with other computer users over the internet; either audio only or, if you've a camera, visually. Net Short for internet, which is a global network of computers you can hook up to through an ordinary phone line. Network A way of connecting several computers and printers so that they can share data. Network Adapter A socket for connecting a PC to an office network or some broadband internet connections. Network interface card Each PC on a network needs a network interface card, into which the network cable is plugged. Most can transfer data at 10Mbits per second (10 million bits per second) but 100Mbit cards are becoming more common. Newsgroups Discussion areas on the internet, where you can post a message and read replies from other people, like an office noticeboard. NiCad Heavy, cheap and basic type of rechargeable battery, which suffers badly from 'memory effect' Рthat is, the problem of a battery not recharging properly if you attempt to charge it up before it is fully exhausted. NiMH Stands for nickel-metal hydride, which is an older type of notebook battery. They last longer if you let them run flat before recharging, which can be inconvenient. Notebook A portable computer, usually around the size of an A4 notebook. Also referred to as laptop. NTFS NT File System. A more secure and reliable file system used by Windows NT and XP. OCR An abbreviation of optical character recognition, the process by which printed text is scanned and converted into a computer-editable electronic document. OEM Short for original equipment manufacturer, which refers to components sold to manufacturers purely for incorporation in complete systems. Often, OEM parts are similar to those sold retail, but may be cheaper or sold with different software. Office suite A bundle of useful programs sold in one package. Lotus SmartSuite and Microsoft Office are prime examples. Offline Working with internet software, like an email program, without being connected to the internet, potentially running up telephone charges. On-access A virus checker that runs continuously in the background and checks files each time you access them. Onboard Already fitted to your PC as part of the main circuitry on the motherboard. So 'onboard AGP graphics', would mean the PC with built-in AGP graphics facilities. The alternative is a separate expansions card which is attached to the motherboard via a special port. On demand A virus checker in the form of a program which you run whenever you want to check something. Online Being connected to the internet. Online instructions A read-me text file that will be installed on your computer during the installation of software, or will be present on the CD-ROM for future reference. Think of it as an electronic manual. Online The time you spend connected to or via the internet. Online Service A company that provides its own online content that's accessible only to fee-paying members, as well as access to the internet proper. AOL is an online service. OpenGL A programming standard used for work such as 3D modelling. Setting a game to use OpenGL can greatly improve the quality of the graphics. Operating system A crucial piece of software which is so important that it loads automatically when you switch on a computer. Windows 98, 2000 and XP are operating systems, as is Mac OSX, Linux, and Palm OS5 (for the Palm handheld computer) Operating systems govern the way the hardware and software components in a computer work together. Optical resolution The true resolution a scanner can 'see' as it passes across a document. Resolution is measured in dots per inch (dpi), so a 300dpi scan will pick up 300 lines of information for each inch of the scanned page. OSR2 This was a little-advertised version of Windows 95 distributed with new PCs and never made available to the general public as an upgrade. In many senses it was a test bed for new features that are now standard in later versions of Windows, such as USB. Overclocked processor A processor that has had its operating speed improperly increased. P9D The form used by an employer to tell the Inland Revenue about taxable benefits (such as company cars or accommodation) provided to employees earning less than ?8,500 a year. The employee should receive a copy in July each year. P11D The form used by an employer to tell the Inland Revenue about taxable benefits (such as company cars or accommodation) provided to employees earning more than ?8,500 a year or to directors. The employee should receive a copy in July each year. P60 A certificate, issued annually by employers, that shows an individual's total pay, income tax and National Insurance contributions. Packet Information sent over the internet or other computer networks is split up into packets of data. Each of these includes the destination IP address, so they can travel separately and be rebuilt into the complete message on arrival. Packet Writing A technique (provided through software) that allows CD-Rs and CD-RWs to be treated as floppy disks, with drag-and-drop file management. Page printer General term for printers that, like laser printers or inkjets, process a whole page at a time. Page Wizard A simple series of on-screen forms to generate a page layout based on your preferences. For example, Microsoft Publisher can automatically create a birthday card based on your answers to some simple questions. PAL Stands for Phase Alternating Line, which is the broadcast TV standard used in the UK and in much of Europe. Palette In an image-editing program such as Paint Shop Pro, a palette will allow a user to select a range of tools or colours to use for drawing or photo-retouching work. Palmtop A PDA or small computer about the size of a pocket calculator. Usually without a keyboard and with a touch-sensitive screen, it will use text recognition for data entry. Most palmtops are supplied with contact management, diary and memo software, while many can access the internet and download email using a mobile phone. Third parties may supply on-screen maps, electronic books and the like. Paper support Plastic trays which provide support for paper feeding into a printer, and for catching printed sheets. Parallel cable Usually used to connect a PC to a printer, but can also be used to link two PCs together. Parallel cables allow data to be swapped between computers at a higher speed than serial cables. Parallel port A single socket on the back of a PC typically used for connecting a printer or a low-cost scanner. Parasitic virus Computer virus that spreads by attaching itself to another file, usually a program. Parity error Some types of computer memory have a built-in 'parity checking' system to warn of memory errors that otherwise might not be noticed. If a problem is detected, a parity error warning is produced. If this is repeated frequently, the memory module is probably faulty. Partition A large hard disk can be divided into two or more partitions or 'virtual' drives. Once partitioned, each section is treated by Windows as though it were a completely separate, smaller hard disk. Patch (software) A software file or collection of files that fixes problems with an existing software application by making minor changes to the program. Patch (midi music) In the context of music recording, one of a selection of 128 different instrumental sounds that MIDI can use. Path (file management) In file management, the names of the drive, folder and subfolders that indicate exactly where on a disk a file is stored, like 'C:WindowsMapsMyFile. xls'. This example means that the file MyFile. xls is located in the folder called Maps, which is inside the folder called Windows on your hard disk. Path (drawing software) in drawing software, vector lines, curves and outline shapes. A path is invisible until given a stroke or fill. PAYE Pay As You Earn. The normal system of paying tax if you work for somebody else. Your employer deducts tax from your pay before you receive it. Payload Activity initiated by a virus, such as displaying a message or deleting files. PC Card A credit card-size device for adding anything from a modem to a hard drive to a notebook PC. Requires a PC Card slot (standard on almost all notebooks). PCI Peripheral Component Interconnect. A high-performance expansion slot for desktop PCs, allowing simple installation of PCI components like sound cards and modems. PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) A palmtop computer about the size of a pocket calculator. Usually without a keyboard and with a touch-sensitive screen, it will use text recognition for data entry. Most PDAs are supplied with contact management, diary and memo software, while many can access the internet and download email using a mobile phone or normal phone line. PDF Portable Document Format. A file format developed by Adobe that allows formatted pages of text and graphics to be viewed and printed correctly on a variety of machines, without the original author having to worry about the recipients. PDF pages created with Adobe Acrobat need to be read with the free Acrobat Reader application. Peer-to-peer A network connecting two or more computers without a central file server. Pentium 4 The latest and fastest member of Intel's Pentium line of processors. Pentium III Until recently the fastest member of the Intel Pentium family of processors. It still continues in parallel with the newer Pentium 4. Pentium II An improved version of Intel's original Pentium processor Рit has now been superseded by the Pentium III and discontinued. Pentium MMX A now-obsolete enhanced version of Intel's standard Pentium processor. The MMX part stands loosely for MultiMedia eXtensions, as the chip is optimised to handle all sorts of multimedia-intensive tasks such as playing videos and music. Personal data Any information referring to identifiable individuals; usually (but not always) used to refer to computerised information. Most businesses and organisations storing personal data must register with the Data Protection Commissioner. Phonebook A mobile phone memory used to record the owner's personal numbers, so they can be recalled and dialled easily rather than tapped out each time. Photo cartridge Specialist cartridge of inks designed for printing photographic images. There are often six colours of ink compared to the four used in a normal inkjet print. Piano Roll Editor An on-screen representation of music recording or playback, where a vertical keyboard shows the notes, and the horizontal axis shows elapsed time Рthis is similar to the punched paper song rolls used in Pianola machines. Piezo A system for inkjet printing, developed by Epson. The print head contains tiny crystals which change shape when an electric current is passed through them, forcing the ink onto the page. PIM Personal Information Manager. A software application that helps you to organise all your personal data by managing your diary, contact list and messages. Pincushion This setting controls curvature of left- and right-hand sides of a monitor's display. Pins In thermal printers, these heat up and press against heat-sensitive paper to form images and text. In dot-matrix printers, they strike an inked ribbon against the paper to make their mark. Pitch bending A technique much used by guitarists, who change the pitch of a note up or down by pulling the strings across the fretboard. Pitch wheel A small rotating control found on most Midi keyboards that generates pitch-bend information. PivotTable A built-in Excel macro, or mini program, which summarises large amounts of data. Pixel Short for picture element, which is the smallest part of an image displayed on a monitor or captured by a scanner or digital camera. Pixelation Many digital images are made up of tiny dots. So tiny that to the naked eye they cannot be seen. However, if an image is enlarged or 'blown up' the individual become visible. This process is known as pixellation. Playlist A list of audio tracks (usually MP3s) queued for playback, not unlike a stack of records on an old record player. Platform games These involve jumping and running across 'platforms', fighting foes and collecting sundry objects. Plug and play A standard for Windows PCs that allows peripherals to be connected and used in a matter of moments. In theory, Windows will automatically detect the new device and install any needed drivers from its own database. Plug-in A small program that adds extra features such as streaming video to your web browser or to other applications, and is loaded only when it's needed to display information Pocket PC A generic term for any handheld computer that uses the Microsoft Pocket PC operating system. Point size (or pt size) The measurement that typographers use to describe the size of text. One point is approximately 1/72nd of an inch. Accordingly, 72pt text is twice as big as 36pt text. POP3 Post Office Protocol 3. A protocol for remotely accessing and retrieving email from an ISP. Most email applications and ISPs use POP3 Pop-up menu A menu that can be displayed on the screen at any time by pressing the appropriate key, usually displayed over material already on the screen. Once you have made a choice from the menu, it disappears and the original screen is restored. Port A socket, which is located at the back of the computer's base, where you plug in items like the printer and keyboard. Port scanning using a computer to search for weak spots in other computers connected to the internet, usually for unlawful purposes. Portal A website that offers a variety of services, such as news, weather reports, stock information, email and so on. The information on offer may be personalised for your interests if you have registered with the portal. Most search sites are also portals. Posting To send a message to a newsgroup. PostScript A printer description language, including outline font technology, developed by Adobe. It enables typefaces to be displayed on screen exactly as they will print, and allows them to print to best effect on different resolution devices. Power Management Power-saving features on a PC, printer or monitor, designed to turn off or put on standby any part of the system that is not needed. Preferences The part of a program that lets you alter various settings and remembers your changes so it looks and behaves how you want it to. Pre-payment No-contract phone services where there is no commitment and no monthly rental charge. Instead users buy calls in advance using pre-paid call vouchers. Pre-payment mobiles start from around ?30. Preview In graphics and drawing programs, a mode that allows you to see your artwork in colour with fills and strokes. Some programs offer more than one preview quality mode. Preview pane Part of a window in an email application that lets you read a message without having to first double-click it to open it. This has the disadvantage that some malicious emails can contain HTML which will run automatically in the preview pane, potentially importing a virus to your system. Preview scan A quick 'rough draft' of subject to be scanned at a low resolution. This allows you to pick out which areas of the image you want to scan in greater detail. Print head The part of the printer that actually prints onto the paper. In the case of an inkjet printer, this is the part that squirts ink, in strips, onto the page. In a dot-matrix printer it's the part that hammers a row of pins through the ink ribbon Printer carriage The internal printer mechanism which moves back and forth and to which the cartridge attaches. Processor The chip that is the 'brain' of the computer. The faster the processor, the better a computer will perform. Program Software or applications. Programs tell your computer, and its accessories (the hardware) what to do and how to do it. Examples are Excel, Word, and computer games. Program Change A MIDI message that selects one of the 128 different instrumental sounds that Midi is able to use. Programming Language The computer instructions that are used to build computer programs. There are many programming languages, with names like C++ and BASIC, and each is designed for a specific purpose. PS/2 A set of standards for such things as mouse and keyboard interfaces, originally used by IBM. PS/2 port A small, round 6-pin connector, for plugging a keyboard and/or mouse into a computer. Pt Point size. The measurement that typographers use to describe the size of text. One point is approximately 1/72nd of an inch. Accordingly, 72pt text is twice as big as 36pt text. Quantising A way found in MIDI sequencers, including those on your PC, to force badly timed notes to the nearest 'correct' value, and so keep your recording in perfect time. Quicktime A video file format invented by Apple, and used on both PCs and Macs. QWERTY keyboard The standard English keyboard layout, so called because the first six letters on the top row of the keyboard are QWERTY. Similarly, French keyboards can be referred to as AZERTY while some other languages, including German, use a QWERTZ keyboard layout. Radio button A method of selecting an option in an application dialogue box. Only one button in the control group can be selected: if you change your selection, your first choice is automatically deselected. Rage Pro A type of 3D graphics card made by ATI. It was excellent when first launched but is now almost obsolete. You are most likely to find it or derivatives in corporate machines or notebooks which are unlikely to be used for gaming. RAM Random Access Memory. The computer's working area, used for data storage while the PC is switched on. Its capacity is measured in megabytes (Mb): the more memory your PC has, the more things it can process simultaneously and the faster it will seem. Note that any information in RAM will be lost when the power is switched off. Rambus A design of memory claimed to offer very high performance, albeit at a high price. Developed by Rambus Inc and licensed to RAM manufacturers, it is found in Pentium III and Pentium 4 systems. Range In a spreadsheet, a defined block of cells. Rather than performing calculations on each cell individually, you can apply a formula to the whole range. RCTC Rewriteable Consumer Time Code. Used on camcorders and video recorders to keep track of recording length. RDRAM Rambus DRAM. A design of memory claimed to offer very high performance, albeit at a high price. Developed by Rambus Inc and licensed to RAM manufacturers, it is found in Pentium III and Pentium 4 systems. RDS Radio Data System. A feature of many radios, especially in cars, which can interpret coded data included with the radio signal to display the name of the radio station and interrupt other programmes with local traffic reports. RealPlayer The software required to play RealAudio and RealVideo files streamed over the internet. A basic version is available as a free download while a more sophisticated version can be bought online. Real time Something that takes place on a computer at the same speed as it would in real life. In real-time games Рperhaps a flight simulator Рa minute or an hour of game time is the same as in the outside world. In real time graphics processing, the onscreen image or video is rendered as you watch, rather than relying on a pre-recorded picture. RJ-11 (Registered Jack-11) The type of small plug and socket used by modems to connect to a telephone socket. A converter plug is needed before an RJ-11 cable can be plugged into a standard UK telephone socket (RJ-11 is a US standard). RTC Real-time clock. The battery-powered clock inside every PC which keeps track of time while the system is switched off. Readme file A file created during an application installation that contains useful information. Readme files are usually found in the same Program Files folder as the application Reboot To restart a computer. Normally, this is by using the 'Restart' option on the Windows Start menu. However, it may be necessary to press Control-Alt-Delete or even to use the Reset button if one is fitted to the PC. Record A single entry in a database, comprising a related group of individual 'fields'. Each entry in an address book, for example, is a record. Recycle Bin Where all files deleted in Windows are sent. Shown as a rubbish bin icon on the Desktop, it must be emptied if you want to get rid of deleted files for good. Red-eye A photographic effect where a flash reflects from the back of the subject's retinas, giving their eyes a red glow. The effect can be reduced with a flash that pulses before the photo is taken, making the iris contract and reducing the reflection. Refresh rate Measured in Hertz (Hz) the number of times per second that the image on your monitor is redrawn. Slight changes in the image each time it is updated combine to give the illusion of movement. For a steady image, the higher the refresh rate, the less flicker you will see. A refresh rate over 85Hz is generally accepted as being flicker-free. Registry A database integrated into Windows which stores information on all hardware and software installed on your PC. This includes user preferences, settings and licence information. Removable storage device Disk drives that use high-capacity disks which can be removed and stored remotely. Typical examples include the Iomega Zip and Jaz products. Reservoir In an inkjet printer, the part that actually holds the ink. In many inkjets, the reservoir is combined with the print head itself to create a single disposable unit, while others have replaceable reservoirs. Resolution The amount of detail shown in an image, whether on screen or printed. For a monitor, it is the number of pixels it can display (typically 1024 x 768 pixels for a 17in monitor). For printers and scanners, resolution is measured in dots per inch (dpi); the number of drops of ink or toner that can be printed in a square inch. Reverberation A sound effect which adds the sound of a real environment, such as a room, hall, or cathedral, to create an illusion of depth in the music. RGB image A colour picture created as on a monitor, by combining a value for red, green and blue channels to determine the colour of each individual pixel. Right-click Most actions in Windows are performed by clicking the left mouse button. However, since the arrival of Windows 95, many programs Рand Windows itself Рmake use of the right mouse button click to display a pop-up menu with special functions. RIMM Rambus Inline Memory Module. A 'stick' of RDRAM, used in Pentium III and Pentium 4 systems with suitable motherboards. Ring Modulation An audio effect that produces metallic or clanging sounds. The most famous example is the voices of the Daleks. Ripper Software that can be used to automatically convert CD audio and. WAV files into compressed MP3 or WMA format for later playback, either through your PC or from a portable digital music player. Rip To digitally extract the music data from a CD-ROM or audio CD. Ripping a track from an audio CD is the first stage of compressing it as an MP3 file. RISC processor Reduced Instruction Set Computer processors are designed using a very limited number of simple instructions. They can combine these instructions at high speed to perform much more complex calculations. RMS Root Mean Squared. A way of measuring the power output of speakers. Because the calculation gives values similar to normal use, it is the most honest way of quoting speaker power output and the best way of comparing different models. Roaming Using your mobile phone abroad. You must ask your mobile phone provider to enable roaming, and your operator must have a roaming agreement with the foreign operator. Your phone must be able to use the network technology in the foreign country: in Europe, this will be GSM900 or GSM1800, while GSM coverage in the USA is GSM1900. RSA An internet encryption and authentication system that uses an algorithm developed in 1977 by Ron Rivest, Adi Shamir, and Leonard Adleman. The RSA algorithm is the most commonly used encryption and authentication algorithm and is included as part of the Web browser from Netscape and Microsoft. It's also part of Lotus Notes, Intuit's Quicken, and many other products. ROM Read Only Memory. Any memory that can be read but not written to. A PC's BIOS uses ROM to store basic system information and instructions which cannot be changed. RTF Rich Text Format. A common file format used to transfer files between different word-processing programs. It preserves most of the formatting of a document. Router A device which is used to connect more than one computer together and/or to the internet as an alternative to a modem. It's so-called because it determines which way data is sent. Sample A recording of instruments or sounds. Samples can be used with a sequencer to make music, or downloaded to a wavetable soundcard so it can reproduce those sounds, combining them and playing them back at different pitches to make music. Satellite speaker Compact, usually cube-shaped speaker designed to reproduce midrange and high audio frequencies. Satellite speakers should be used in conjunction with a subwoofer. Scale To change the dimensions of a picture, keeping it in proportion to its original size. ScanDisk A disk-checking utility incorporated in Windows that can detect and repair minor problems with your disk drives. Scanner A device which uses a light sensor to convert a drawing, photograph or document into data which can then be interpreted by software on your PC. A flatbed scanner has a flat sheet of glass on which the image or document is placed. The scan head moves below the glass, while with a handheld scanner you move the scanner over the image. SCART A standardised 21-pin connector for two-way traffic of video and audio signals. It is used across Europe to connect TVs, video recorders and other domestic audiovisual equipment. Scenario In spreadsheets, a named set of input values you can substitute in a worksheet. Screen grab Also screen shot. An image of what was displayed on screen at a particular moment. A screen is captured to the clipboard in Windows by pressing the Print Screen key. You can then copy it to a graphic file or simply print it off. Screen resolution The number of pixels that are displayed on the screen, making up the image. The more pixels, the higher the resolution and the sharper the picture. Screensaver A program that runs on a computer after a short period of inactivity and displays a moving image on screen. Originally intended to prevent damage to monitors caused by displaying the same image for long periods, many screensavers now incorporate passwords to protect your work from prying eyes. Screen shot Also screen grab. An image of what was displayed on screen at a particular moment. A screen is captured to the clipboard in Windows by pressing the Print Screen key. You can then copy it to a graphic file or simply print it off. Script A short program that's stored on a web server to control part of a website. For example, a script could check that a date you've entered is valid, or move words across the screen. Scroll When a document, an image or a list of items Рfilenames, fonts Рis too long to display in a window you can scroll up or down by clicking on the window's scroll bar (also called the vertical scroll bar). Scroll bar The section of a window Рnormally grey with a slider control Рyou must use to scroll around when the window's contents are too large to display at once. SCSI Small Computer System Interface (pronounced 'skuzzy'). An extremely fast connection between such things as disk drives and scanners, and a PC. Up to seven devices can be daisy-chained together and connected to a normal SCSI controller. SD card Secure Digital card. A secure variant of the postage stamp-size solid-state MMC memory card used by some MP3 players. SDRAM Synchronous Dynamic RAM. The type of memory to be found in most modern PCs. It is significantly cheaper than its biggest rival, RDRAM. Search engine A site on the net that indexes the names and addresses of other sites. It enables you to search for sites containing certain keywords, or sometimes even to ask a question in normal language. Search query The text given to a search engine which forms your search on the world wide web. It can be one or several keywords, use special codes, or even be a natural question. Security certificate A piece of data sent from one computer to another designed to prove the authenticity or security of information on the internet. Selection tool In graphics and page layout programs, the icon for this often looks like the dotted outline of a square. This tool allows you to select items by drawing a square or rectangular shape around them. Once selected, you can manipulate them all at once. Sequencer A device or program that lets you copy samples, repeat them, edit them and play around with their order. The software sequencers supplied with many sound cards are almost like word processors for sounds, with facilities like drag-and-drop copying easily allowing sequences of musical notes to be recorded and played back. Sequential capture A camera setting which will automatically take a series of photographs at set intervals. It is particularly useful for action shots or for time-lapse photography. Serial cable A cable which connects to a serial or COM port. Such leads can connect peripherals to the computer or can be used to link one computer to another. Serial port A socket on the back of a PC used to connect serial devices, also known as a COM port. Often used on a PC to connect an external modem, some digital cameras and PDAs or, formerly, to plug in a mouse. Server A computer on a network (such as the internet) that stores shared information. Servers can also manage shared resources, such as printers. Shareware Programs that you can try out free before deciding whether to buy them or not. Usually much cheaper than conventional software, shareware programs are usually written by individuals and distributed not through shops but via the internet. Most shareware is first supplied as a trial version, which may work fully for a set number of days or may have some features disabled. Sheet-feeder A part of most printers and some scanners. It holds a number of sheets of paper and feeds them into the mechanism automatically, one by one. Shockwave Technology developed by Macromedia that allows web pages to contain interactive multimedia. Typical uses include animations and games. Shortcut A file that acts as a link to something else, such as a program file or disk drive. Double-clicking a shortcut is the same as double-clicking the original file, so they can be placed on the Desktop as a quick way to start programs. Sim Simulation. Used when referring to the simulation game genre. SIM Subscriber Identity Module. The smart card used by all digital mobile phones. The SIM card carries the user's identity and phone number for accessing the network. It also is used for storing the user's personal phonebook and text messages. SIMM Single In-line Memory Module. A 'stick' of RAM, used in 486 and Pentium-based machines. Virtually all modern PCs use DIMMs, Dual In-line Memory Modules. Simulations Games that simulate real life, with the most popular being flight simulators. Single pass A single-pass scanner captures the image in one movement of the scanhead over the picture. Multi-pass scanners must make one pass for each colour channel to be scanned. Site Short for website. A linked group of one or more web pages, normally dealing with a particular subject or by a single author. Each page or site has its own distinctive URL (universal resource locator) or 'address'. This is usually prefixed by the letters www, standing for world wide web. Skin a different, purely cosmetic appearance for an application. Slider bar A control which allows you to change a setting by clicking and 'dragging' a slider. SLR Single Lens Reflex. A type of camera in which the same lens is used for viewing subjects in the viewfinder and for taking pictures. Compact cameras use a separate lens for each. SmartCard a credit card with an embedded microchip for storing personal identification data. SmartMedia A form of solid-state storage used by some digital cameras and MP3 players. Data files, normally photos or music, are stored on small removable cards. These are about the same size as CompactFlash cards, but physically more flexible, being less than 1mm thick. SMS Short Messaging Service. More commonly called text messaging. SMTP Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. A standard for sending email messages. SMTP is nowlargely reserved for sending messages rather than receiving them. Smudging In graphics applications, the Smudge tool helps to smooth out any joins between image areas. It is particularly useful where part of your picture has been cloned but you can see where you've painted over a scratch because sometimes cloning isn't subtle enough. Socket 7 Connector on your PC's motherboard for Pentium processors or equivalent non-Intel chips. Software Any program or group of programs which tells hardware how it should perform, including operating systems such as Windows, word processors, DTP applications and games. Solid state A device, such as an MP3 player or memory card, which has no internal moving parts. Sound Blaster Sound card made by Creative Labs. The Sound Blaster was one of the first de facto PC audio standards, and many cards emulate it so they can be used with the hundreds of games that support it. Sound card An expansion card that lets a PC create sounds Рgame sound effects, music, and so on. Almost all PCs have a sound card as standard but more powerful sound cards can be bought and fitted. S/PDIF Sony/Philips Digital InterFace. A standard for transferring digital audio information between devices. S/PDIF sockets can be both optical and electrical, and found on such things as sound cards and DVD players. Spam Junk email sent to large groups of people offering such things as money-spinning ideas, holidays, and so on. Named after the Monty Python Spam song. Speech recognition Analysing the spoken word via special software so that a PC can recognise it and translate spoken commands into computer actions. Spooling Temporarily transferring data to the hard disk or to some other temporary storage place, before passing it on to its final destination. Most often seen in printing, where the PC spools data to the hard disk to finalise it before passing it to the printer. Spreadsheet A software application for creating sheets of calculations, set out in rows and columns. They may be used for accounting, budgeting, and any other sort of financial or mathematical calculation. Better spreadsheet programs also have graphical abilities, allowing charts and graphs to be plotted. Leading programs include Microsoft Excel and Lotus 1-2-3. Spyware Software installed (usually surreptitiously) as part of another application installation specifically to monitor and report back on a computer's use. Staff editor Also known as the Score or Notation editor, this displays notes using the traditional 'dots on wires' familiar to classically trained musicians. Start button The button on the far left of the Taskbar in Windows. Click on it to access all the programs installed on your computer, as well as printers, and the Control Panel. Paradoxically, you should also click it to shut down your PC. Start page The page that appears when you first start your web browsing program. Also known as the home page, it is user-selectable. Storyboard A series of sketches that symbolise specific scenes from a film or video project, used to help map out ideas in advance. Strategy game A genre of game involving multiple characters or elements, with multiple goals, such as a war game where you must win battles using troops, tanks and aircraft. Streamed When data flows to your PC as needed. Broadcasts over the internet are often streamed so that you don't have to download a whole file before you start listening or watching. However, you cannot generally download streamed files to your hard disk to watch or listen to them later. Stroke In graphics programs, the visible attributes applied to a path, such as weight (thickness), colour, style and so on. Stylus A plastic pointer styled like a pen, used for operating palmtop computers (PDAs) with touch-sensitive screens. Sub-head Smaller than a headline, but larger than ordinary text, sub-heads break up long stretches of text and help readers navigate round more easily. Subwoofer A special type of speaker designed to reproduce deep bass sounds only. Even on a stereo system, only one subwoofer is required because human ears cannot detect the direction of bass frequencies. Surfing Popular metaphor used for describing someone exploring the world wide web. Surround sound A system which literally surrounds the listener with sound, usually employing several speakers positioned around the room controlled by a special decoder. Surround sound is used in all feature films and many TV shows. S-VHS Super-VHS. A good-quality high-band video standard used by camcorders. S-VHS-C Super-VHS-C. A good-quality high-band video standard used by camcorders, but using a smaller cassette than standard S-VHS. S-Video A higher-quality video connection that carries brightness and colour information separately. Usually found on high-end camcorders and on some graphics and TV tuner cards. Swapfile An area of hard disk space that your PC can use as 'virtual' memory, or RAM. This allows you to have more programs open at once but will be slower than having an equivalent amount of real RAM. Synchro recording Also known as CD synchronisation. Automatically starts and stops a tape or disc when recording a CD. System date This is the date used by the DOS and Windows operating systems. Programs that need to know the date should ask DOS or Windows for the system date, not look directly at the clock. System disk This is a disk that contains all the programs you need to get your PC working, with enough system files to make it boot up and allow you access to the disk drives System files The files that run when the computer starts up, usually containing essential instructions to make installed hardware and software to run properly. The autoexec. bat and config. sys files are system files. System software Controls the hardware and manages the applications on your PC. System Tools menu This folder can be found by clicking the Windows Start button, then looking within Programs/Accessories. In it you will find a number of utilities which are useful for maintaining and troubleshooting your copy of Windows. System Tray Found on the far right of your taskbar, the system tray displays icons showing which programs are always running in Windows, such as an anti-virus program. Tab Dialogue boxes often combine settings for different associated functions. Each 'page' of settings is separated by a tab, as though it were sheets of paper filed away and separated by tabbed dividers. Tab stops Preset points along a line of text, where the cursor will stop when the tab key is pressed. Tag Part of the syntax of HTML, the language used to define web pages, tags assign attributes Рsuch as colour and position Рto each of the elements of a web page. Talktime The maximum lifespan of a mobile phone battery when used for calling continuously, or the number of minutes included in your monthly fee to your mobile service provider. Tariff Each mobile phone network offers a choice of price plans or 'tariffs'. Some tariffs have low monthly charges, but relatively high call charges. Other tariffs have higher monthly charges but lower caller charges. Tape drive A high capacity storage device based on magnetic tape used for making backups. Taskbar The bar that runs along the bottom of the screen in versions of Windows from 95 onwards. It includes the Start button and System Tray, and contains icons for programs that are running. TCP/IP Transmission control protocol/internet protocol. The protocol used to transfer data and information from one internet-connected computer to another. Template A web page design, document or a spreadsheet that contains all the required formatting for a particular style or type of document. This 'master' can then be used over and over and again, merely filling in the newly changed information or text each time. Tempo The speed of music, measured in beats per minute (bpm). Text and picture boxes Empty frames designed to hold either words or pictures. They are used in many page layout and graphics programs, and some word processors, to exactly position text or graphic elements on a page. Text box In desktop publishing, a piece of text set apart from the main story on a page Рjust like this jargon buster box. Text tool Often represented by the letter T and an arrow in image-editing and drawing programs, this tool allows you to add text to the picture or image you are working on. Text messaging Most mobile phones can send and text messages of up to 160 characters to other mobile phones, generally regardless of network or model of phone. TFT (or thin-film transistor) Technology used to create thin, flat colour screens for such things as computer monitors and digital cameras. TFT displays are very high quality and will display clear and bright images using thousands or millions of colours. Thin Ethernet Also called 10Base2, this networking technology uses cable which looks a lot like a thin TV aerial cable and ends in 'BNC' plugs similar to those used by TV aerials. Thumbnail A small (usually postage stamp-size) image used to give a quick preview of a much larger image. TIFF Tagged Image File Format. A standard file format used to store graphic images. It can handle monochrome, grey-scale, 8-bit or 24-bit colour images. TIFF images can be compressed without any loss of detail. Time code Digital signal, part of a video recording, which indicates elapsed time in hours, minutes, seconds, and frames. Time signature The number of beats in every bar, and the musical length of each beat Рthe classic time signature for pop music is 4/4 time, or four beats to the bar. Timing out Your browser sets a time limit on how long it will try to download a web page before determining that it cannot access the appropriate server. If web access is very slow, you are likely to be 'timed out'. Toner The dust-like powdered ink used by laser printers and copiers. Most types of toner are carcinogenic. Toolbar A strip of icons that runs across the top of most Windows applications. Used to provide quick access to certain important features, such as saving and printing. Toolbox The software equivalent of a mechanic's toolkit. An program's toolbox should contain everything necessary to complete the task in hand. In an image-editing application, the toolbox will have a selection of drawing, colouring and editing tools. Top-level domain The suffix after the final '. ' in a website (or 'domain') name. The most common top level domain is '. com' for 'commercial'. Other examples include '. co. uk' for a UK company and '. org' for a non-profit organisation. Touchpad A small, touch-sensitive pad, usually a couple of inches square, which acts as an alternative to a mouse on some notebook/palmtop computers. It works by sensing fingertip pressure. Tower A computer system unit which stands upright (as opposed to a 'desktop' version which lays flat). Although bulky, they give plenty of room for future expansion. Trackball A popular alternative to mice, trackballs are pointing devices with a flat base and an upwards-facing ball. You roll the ball around 360 degrees with your fingers or thumb in order to position the cursor. Trackpad A small, touch-sensitive pad, usually a couple of inches square, which acts as an alternative to a mouse on some notebook/palmtop computers. It works by sensing fingertip pressure. Trackpoint An alternative to a mouse on some notebook PCs, this is a small rubberised 'nipple', usually in the centre of the keyboard. Wiggle it like a joystick and the mouse pointer moves on screen. Although they take some getting used to, trackpoints can be more predictable than trackpads in situations like train journeys, where movement can cause ghost cursor placements. Traffic the amount of information being carried by a communication device (usually the internet) at any one time Transceiver A combined radio transmitter and receiver. Transitions In video editing, methods of smoothly cutting from one video clip to another, such as fading between them. Transparency adapter Flatbed scanners can be fitted with an adapter so that you can scan in slides and negatives. Because of lower resolution, image quality is rarely as good as from a dedicated transparency scanner. Transport bar A set of graphic buttons that mimic the stop, start, play, fast forward, rewind, and record buttons that you see on any audio cassette recorder. Trapezoid Setting controlling the width of the top and bottom edges of a monitor's display. Trigger event Event that causes a virus to activate itself and unleash its payload. This can be a particular date РFriday 13, April Fool's Day, Michelangelo's birthday Рor perhaps a counter, incremented each time the computer boots, reaching a certain value. Trinitron A CRT monitor technology developed by Sony in 1968. It uses very fine strips of wire (an aperture grille) to deflect the electron beam and ensure colours are displayed correctly. A similar, competing technology is Diamondtron. These monitors are most efficient at producing sharp images, and are ideal for graphic intensive work. Trojan Horse A malicious computer program that's disguised as a different, harmless program. For example, a trojan horse may be disguised as a game but it's actually a program that steals your internet username and password. Trojan Horses don't copy themselves and so are not viruses or worms. TrueType An outline font technology developed jointly by Microsoft and Apple. It enables typefaces to be displayed on screen exactly as they will print, and allows them to print to best effect on different resolution devices. Tuner presets In a radio tuner, a number of memories that can store your favourite station settings. TV out a socket found on a hraphics card that can be used to make a connection to a TV set's aerial-in socket. TV tuner An expansion card, which, when fitted into a PC, receives TV signals and allows a TV picture to be displayed on your PC's screen. TWAIN Technology Without an Interesting Name. TWAIN is a standard way for scanners and some other devices to talk to your PC. In theory, all TWAIN-compliant image-editing applications, including Paint Shop Pro and PhotoShop, should be able to directly access the image data produced by any TWAIN-compliant scanner or digital camera. Tweeter A loudspeaker designed to reproduce high audio frequencies. Type 1 Postscript An outline font technology developed by Adobe. It enables typefaces to be displayed on screen exactly as they will print, and allows them to print to best effect on different resolution devices. Type II PC Card The most common type of credit card-size expansion card used to add peripherals such as modems to a notebook PC. Fits into a Type II PC Card slot, which is standard on all notebooks. Typeface Sometimes called fonts, thousands of different typefaces are available, each with its own individual letter shapes and characteristics. Undo A command in most programs which reverses your last action. The undo command can really get you out of trouble if you have made a catastrophic error. Uninstall The process of removing unwanted applications from your PC. You might want to do this to free up hard disk space, or simply because you no longer use the program. Most programs have their own uninstall routine, or you can use Windows' uninstall command from Control Panel. Uninstaller A utility that removes Windows programs properly by deleting not just the main program and its folders, but also the smaller ancillary files that are scattered round the hard disk. It should also remove any entries that have been made in your PC's Registry and system files. Uninstalling Process of removing programs from your computer. Universal Serial Bus (USB) A standard which allows quick and easy connection of external peripherals such as scanners and printers to your PC. It supports plug and play, and devices can be added or removed with your PC switched on. Unix A robust, very stable operating system often used by businesses on powerful workstations and large computers, especially when it is important that applications do not crash. The free Linux operating system is a derivative of Unix. Unmetered access Access to the internet for a flat monthly fee, with no additional telephone call charges. Upgrade To improve the performance or specification of your computer by adding more memory, a larger hard disk or making another improvement. Software can also upgraded, usually by updating it to the latest version. Uploading The process of transferring information to another computer, often for publishing on the internet as a web page. The process normally involves using the File Transfer Protocol, or FTP. UPS Uninterruptible Power Supply. An device that sits between a computer and its main supply to provide a (usually brief) emergency power supply in the event of a power cut. URL Uniform Resource Locator. The unique address of a web page you visit, enabling it to be found from any other computer connected to the internet. USB 2 Faster but backwardly-compatible successor to USB that's used by such things as MP3 players and external disk drives. USB hub A small external or built-in device with several USB ports. It connects to your PC and serves as a relay station, allowing you to add multiple devices. External USB hubs can usually be placed on a desk for easy access to USB ports. Usenet Short for users' network, a collection of public groups of messages Рnewsgroups Рwhich is accessible to a wide variety of computer systems worldwide, both on and off the internet. The act of writing a message that appears on Usenet is called posting. Newsgroups belong to hierarchies, usually divided by geography and interest. For example, news://uk. rec. cycling is a UK-based newsgroup about recreational cycling. User interface This is the face of a computer program Рwhat it looks like to the person sitting in front of the monitor, and how it is used. Windows and the Apple Macintosh have a Graphical User Interface (GUI) which is easier to use than a purely text-based interface like MS-DOS. Utility A program that performs specific tasks on your PC, such as optimising memory use or compressing disk space. V. 90 The official International Telecommunications Union (ITU) modem standard capable of receiving data at 56Kbps. Vector Vector graphics are described (eg 'a line from x to y') rather than being made up of a finite number of dots. Because they are rendered as smooth lines, they can be enlarged to any scale without a loss of quality, unlike bitmapped images which will become jaggy when blown up. Velocity MIDI notes have an initial volume related to how fast the note was played. A higher velocity will be louder, and a lower one quieter. VGA Video Graphics Array. A very basic standard for graphics output, specifying that the monitor and graphics card should be able to display 16 different colours at a resolution of 640x480 pixels. VHS C A compact video cassette standard used in camcorders. It offers lower picture quality than S-VHS-C and is more common in low-band camcorders. Video CD A compact disc format that contains low-quality video on a par with VNHS tape. Video-capture card An expansion card for PCs that allows them to record full-motion video sequences to disk from TV receivers, camcorders and other video recording equipment. Video memory Memory installed on your PC's graphics card and used to generate the on-screen image. The more memory on the card, the higher the possible graphics resolution and the more colours that can be displayed. 16Mb should be considered the minimum standard today, with 32Mb or even 64Mb common in high-end gaming systems. Video phone A phone which includes a camera and screen to combine your conversation with moving video images of the person you're talking to. Video8 A lower-quality version of the Hi-8 video standard used in low-band camcorders. Videobites Clips of film that you can view on the Web. Video-conferencing Linking two or more PCs to capture and display video and audio in real time so distant people can see as well as talk to each other. Virtual memory A reserved area of hard disk space that your PC can use as 'virtual' memory, or RAM, whenever it is running short of the genuine article. Also called a swapfile, this allows you to have more programs open at once but will be slower than having an equivalent amount of real RAM. Virtual reality An artificial environment created using a computer. Virtual realities are usually 'explored' using such things as 3D goggles to give the impression that the user is 'inside' the virtual world. Virus checker A software program specifically designed to scan files, such as those on a floppy desk or received via email, for viruses that may damage your PC. Most virus scanners will warn you of viruses as well as attempting to remove or at least neutralise them. Beware that for full effectiveness you must update your virus checker frequently. Virus A malicious computer program designed to cause at best annoyance and at worst, damage to computer data. Viruses usually spread from computer to computer by 'infecting' files that are passed between them, or by automatically sending an email to everyone in your address book. They are often hidden in innocuous-looking files or email attachments, and may lie dormant waiting for a trigger date or event before they launch. Voice recognition Software which can recognise spoken words. It may be able to interpret these as commands which it can obey (voice control), or turn them into text to save you typing (voice recognition). Voicemail An answerphone service which records callers' messages when you're unavailable. This may be in the office or provided by your mobile phone network. Voodoo 3D graphics processors designed by the company 3Dfx, which are commonly used on graphics cards designed to speed up 3D games. Different models of Voodoo card have been sold, from the original Voodoo up to the Voodoo 6500, which used four independent graphics chips. Walkthrough In 3D graphical environments, a function that enables the user to take a virtual journey through the streets of their city or location. Wallpaper A pattern or image used as the background to your Windows desktop. It helps to personalise your PC or to promote a corporate identity but serves no other practical purpose. Watermark A technique that allows you to print text and graphics as a background, 'behind' what you're actually typing. It is especially useful for marking a document as Draft or Confidential, or for personalising stationery. So named because the process mimics the watermarks seen on banknotes or writing paper. Watts A measure of power, most commonly used to quantify electrical output. It is often quoted for computer power supplies or amplifiers. WAV file Also known as a Wave file and saved with a. WAV extension. An audio file, used for recording music and other sounds to disk. Because they are uncompressed, WAV files can be very large. The file format was developed by Microsoft and IBM. Wavetable synthesis A technique for synthesising sound by playing back digital recordings of actual sounds and combining them to recreate the original. The wavetable itself is where the recordings are held. WAP Wireless Application Protocol. A specification for transmitting data, particularly to mobile phones and handheld computers. It allows you to access information services and some specially-formatted websites easily from the screen of a mobile device. Web browser A software program developed for navigating the internet, particularly the world wide web. The two most common browsers are Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator. Webcam A video camera designed to connect to your PC. It can be used to record video clips which you can send by email, or to transmit images directly over the internet for video-conferencing. Webring A loose collective of websites run by enthusiasts that focus on a particular subject and link to each other. Web Also known as the world wide web or WWW. The web is a collection of online documents housed on server computers around the world, and forms the most visible and easily accessible part of the internet. These are accessed via a web browser. Web pages typically feature text, graphics and photographs, and often video and audio clips. Each page or site has its own distinctive URL or 'address'. This is usually prefixed by the letters www, standing for world wide web. Web pages The online documents stored on internet servers. They link text and images, and often video or audio clips into a coherent whole. Each one can be accessed by typing in its address. Web space An area of disk space on an internet server. This may be on your own machine or rented from an Internet Service Provider. This space can then be used to store web pages for display on the internet. Web-authoring program A piece of software designed to make it easier to create a web page or site. Often with sophisticated functions built in, such programs create the HTML code automatically and allow you to concentrate on the design of the site. Examples include Microsoft FrontPage and Macromedia DreamWeaver. Website A linked group of one or more web pages, normally dealing with a particular subject or by a single author. Each page or site has its own distinctive URL or 'address'. This is usually prefixed by the letters www, standing for world wide web. Wildcard A character that can be subsituted for one or more characters in a web search, much like the blank tile in Scrabble. Windows The operating system found on virtually all modern PCs. It allows you to control your computer and to run programs that let you perform particular tasks. Windows 3. 1 An old version of the Microsoft Windows operating system, released in 1992. In a similar way to the Apple Macintosh, it allowed you to control your computer using graphics rather than text commands. Windows 95 An old version of the Microsoft Windows operating system, released in 1995. It superseded Windows 3. 1 and introduced a completely new look. Windows 98 A version of the Microsoft Windows operating system, released in 1998. It superseded Windows 95, fixed a number of problems and made some changes to how the PC worked. It has now largely been replaced in new PCs by Windows Me. Windows 2000 A version of the Microsoft Windows operating system, released in 2000 and aimed at business users. It is more reliable than other versions, but has poorer support for games playing. It superseded Windows NT. Windows CE A version of the Windows operating system developed specially for use on palmtop computers and personal digital assistants. It takes up much less storage space and memory than normal Windows, but has many fewer capabilities. Now replaced by Pocket PC. Windows Explorer The graphic interface to the Windows filing system. Using images to represent files and folders, it lets you manage documents by moving them between folders and deleting, copying or renaming them. WMV Windows Media Video. A Microsoft file format for video. Windows Me (Windows Millennium Edition). A version of the Microsoft Windows operating system released in 2000. It superseded Windows 98, fixing a number of problems. Windows NT A version of the Microsoft Windows operating system intended for business users. Wi-Fi A catchier name for the 802.11b standard used for wireless networking devices. Wizard An automated online 'assistant' designed to guide you, step-by-step, through a potentially complex process such as faxing, creating a template or changing software options. WMA Windows Media Audio. A compressed digital music format developed by Microsoft and played back through the latest versions of Windows Media Player. It allows secure encoding of music tracks but is less widely used than MP3. Woofer Type of loudspeaker designed to reproduce low audio frequencies, though not the very deepest bass tones. These may be played back through a sub-woofer. Word Microsoft Word is the sophisticated word-processing software included as part of Microsoft Office and Microsoft Works Suite. It is the most widely-used word processor in the world. Word processor A software application for preparing largely text-based documents, from basic letters to company newsletters and reports. Most word processors go far beyond simple typing, allowing you to add pictures and text effects, link to other documents, and check your spelling and grammar automatically. Common word processors include Microsoft Word and Lotus Word Pro. WordArt A feature in Microsoft Word that allows you to apply a whole range of special effects to text. WordPad A basic word-processing program included with Windows. It has few sophisticated features but can be used for simple documents without problems. To find it, click on Start/Accessories/WordPad. Workbook A spreadsheet file. In spreadsheets such as Microsoft Excel and Lotus 1-2-3, each workbook by default contains several different worksheets or pages of data. It is possible to link the figures on one sheet to those on another, allowing very complex calculations. Workgroup A team of people who work together on a task. All of the members of the team use computers connected to a network, which allows them to share files, schedule meetings and send emails between their PCs. Worksheet A single page of data within a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel or Lotus 1-2-3. Worksheets can be combined into a workbook, allowing each sheet to access, and make calculations using, the figures on another worksheet. Worm A program that transmits and copies itself over a computer network, such as the internet. Not all worms are harmful but many are. Worms are often mislabelled as viruses -- worms cannot attach themselves (or 'infect') other files, viruses can. WYSIWYG What You See Is What You Get. Used in word processors, desktop publishing packages, web-authoring software and the like to signify that the on-screen image of your page is the same as the printed output or published web pages. Non-WYSIWYG programs generally force you to use control codes which only take effect on printing: you cannot see the results on screen as you work. x2 A technology developed by 3Com (formerly US Robotics) allowing modems to receive at up to 56Kbps. It rivalled K56flex, developed by a consortium including Rockwell. Both technologies have now been incorporated in the V. 90 standard. X-axis The bottom edge of a chart or graph. It is normally used to plot dates or timescales. The left-hand edge is the Y-axis and may be used to show numbers or amounts. XG An extension to the General MIDI standard. Developed by Yamaha, it offers more voices and effects, allowing samples to be played with great expression. XML eXtensible Markup Language. A way of tagging documents for display on different types of machine across the internet. It is more flexible than HTML, the most common standard, because it allows developers to define their own specialised tags or formatting codes. Y2K Shorthand for Year 2000 and, by extension, for the Year 2000 computer problem, better known as the millennium bug. This anticipated problems when computers' clocks rolled over from 1999 to 2000: as many programs use only the last two digits to recognise the year, it was feared that they would reset to 1900. Some PC BIOSes would also cause problems by resting to 1980. However, the issue did not cause as many problems as had been feared. Y axis The left-hand edge of a chart or graph. It is normally used to plot numbers or amounts. The bottom edge is the X-axis and may be used to show dates or timescales. Zip drive A high-capacity disk drive designed by Iomega capable of storing 100 or 250Mb of information on sturdy pocket-sized disks. These can be used for back-up, as extra storage or to transfer files between machines or users. Zip drives can be built into your PC or connected externally, using a USB, parallel or SCSI link. ZIP file A file or files that have been compressed using a program like PKZip or WinZip to save disk space or to make them quicker to email. Bitmap image files compress particularly well. Zipping Compressing a file using a program such as PKZip or WinZip to reduce the space it takes up. Unzipping is the process of decompressing the file to its original form. Zone In OCR software, a scanned area which is designated as containing a particular type of information, either image or text. Examples include a picture caption or a column of text. Zoom In image-editing, the tool, normally shown as a magnifying glass, which lets you enlarge an area of the picture so you can see finer detail and work on it more easily.

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