ADSL:
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, is basically a box that sits between your computer and phone line, plus another device housed on the telecom suppliers side. This technology gives you a high speed (up to 10 times faster), always on, Internet connection by converting your analogue phone line into a digital one. A filter in the device separates your telephone and Internet signals so that phone calls can still be made when someone is surfing the Internet. Up to 2 Mbps (2 million bits of data per second) can be achieved, much faster than conventional 56Kbps modems (56,000 bits per second). However ADSL is usually a shared connection meaning that you could be sharing that connection with up to 50 other users. If others are using the connection at the same time, performance will suffer. ADSL is gradually replacing ISDN connections but it is not currently available in all areas of the UK.

AGP: Advanced Graphics Port
A communications port for docking a high-end graphics card.

ALGORITHM:
A sequence of logical instructions.
An algorithm describes a particular set of logical operations that are needed to perform a problem-solving task.

ANALOGUE:
A constantly varying signal. Data transmitted in a waveform is analogue.

ANTI VIRUS SOFTWARE:
Anti Virus software is your computers immune system. It is a program that runs on your computer checking it for virus activity. Anti virus software needs regular updating to keep up with the latest virus doing the rounds. Anti Virus vendors usually incorporate 'update contracts' with their software, so that users can keep up with the latest anti virus solutions on an ongoing basis. Those whose computers have a lot of contact with others systems, need to ensure they are well protected. Even adopting simple preventative measures such as not opening e-mail attachments sent from unknown sources, can be a big help.

APPLICATION:
An executable piece of software, a computer program.

ASP - Active Server Pages
Web Pages that contain scripts (chunks of computer code) that are processed on a Microsoft server. These scripts usually pull data from out of a database enabling web pages to be constructed in real time for the specific Web Browser that requested the information.

ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE:
A low level computer language in which each binary machine code instruction is replaced by a mnemonic/ symbolic code instruction.

ATTACHMENT:
A file that has been tagged onto e-mail. The attachment piggybacks a ride on the e-mail message, ending up at the same destination. Attachments can be any digitised file, although it is not wise to send very large files such as programs, because they can take a long time to download. If sending a large file, it is good practice to ask the other party if they want to receive it first. Attached files can be compressed into smaller files using a compression application such as Winzip.

Using Outlook & Outlook Express to send attachments.
Click on the attach icon on the toolbar (it looks like a paper clip). If the file you want to attach is visible, you can also simply click and drag the file onto your e-mail message, and Lo! You have attached a file.

BACKUP:
To create another copy of computer data. All important data on a computer should be backed up. No single data storage format is infallible; all have the potential to fail. Modern hard drives are expected to last about 5 years before they start to degrade. If you have very important or business critical data, not only should you have an up to date backup, but you should keep another copy 'off site' in case of major theft, fire or flood.

BITMAP:
An image format used by Windows.

BUFFER:
A memory storage area between two devices where data is temporarily stored in a queue before it enters and is utilized.

BURN: (CD ROM)
To create a CD ROM disk using a CDRW (CD Read Writer). The data is "burnt" onto the disk using a laser beam.

BUS:
Part of the Motherboard architecture that carries large amounts of data flow. The route which data takes through a computer is known as the Bus, which can actually be a number of different interfaces.

BYTE:
Eight bits of data. Memory space on computer discs and chips is expressed in bytes. 1 byte is needed to store 1 character.

CACHE:
A type of memory used to store recently accessed data. The Cache function speeds up access to data that is used frequently.

Cache memory is faster than a Hard Drive or RAM chip. The Cache controller resides on the motherboard between the CPU and the RAM. When the CPU puts out a request for data, the Cache Controller looks to see if the requested data is in the Cache. If the data is in the Cache, a Cache hit occurs and the request is redirected to the ultra fast Cache memory. If the data is not in the Cache, a Cache miss occurs and the CPU looks elsewhere for the data. Typical Cache memory size at present is 256KB and 512KB.

CACHE: (Internet)
An area of memory on the computers hard drive for storing web pages that have already been viewed. The Internet Cache is to help speed up the loading of those pages if they are viewed again.

Web Browsers are normally configured to keep copies of pages visited for a selected amount of time. For example you can empty the contents of your cache or change the cache storage time in Internet Explorer by selecting Tools - Internet Options, then on the General Tab you will find the option to Delete temporary Internet files, determine how much of your hard drive should be used for the cache, and how many days visited web pages should be kept stored inside your computer.

CPU: Central Processing Unit
The computers main chip that performs calculations and controls the computer hardware.

COMPUTER FAIR:
Initially started by, and for, computer geeks, computer fairs have now evolved into a popular way of buying computers or related products. Fairs are also useful places to go when seeking technical advice on matters appertaining to buying replacement or upgraded components. Many bargains can be had from reputable vendors who are usually regulars at computer fairs, but in some instances, it is a case of buyer beware. Make sure each purchase comes with a receipt.

COMPILER:
A translation program that converts a high level language into a low level language such as Machine Code.

CONCEPT KEYBOARD:
A type of keyboard used a lot in the service industries. Each key on the keyboard can be programmed with a specific function. For example, a Concept Keyboard in a pub could have selected keys programmed to add in the price of a particular drink when pressed: thus the operator need only press a key indicating the price of a particular pint of beer, rather than using several keys to input exact price.

COOKIE:
A Cookie is a small file that is place on your computer by a Web Site you have visited. A cookie could be used to tell a Web site of your return visit, or to display the particular set of preferences you selected on your last visit. Cookie's can also be used to spy on your surfing habits. Most reputable web sites are up front about their Cookies and will gladly tell you what information their Cookie's gather, all you have to do is ask. But if you are in any doubt, then Cookies out.

CURSOR:
The blinking indicator on the screen showing where the next input is to be located.

DEFAULT:
The 'default' option chosen by the computer or application automatically unless it is overridden by a user.

DIRECTORY:
Also known as a 'Folder' a software container used for storing information, e.g.: files or other 'Folders'.

DNS:
Domain Name Server, an Internet computer which directs a surfer to the web address they are looking for. If the DNS cannot find the address it redirects to another DNS higher up the Internet hierarchy until the address is located. If the web page does not exist you will be redirected all the way up the hierarchy until you get a "page not found" message. However, even if a Web Page exists, you may sometimes get a "page not found" message such as when their is a heavy amount of Internet traffic in the local you are trying to access.

DRIVER:
A small subprogram that enables an application or operating system to communicate with, and control, a device attached to the computer. Drivers convert computer data into control operations for output devices (printer driver, monitor driver etc.) and convert control operations into data for input devices (mouse driver, keyboard driver etc.).

DOMAIN NAME:
A unique name signifying a specific Internet address. Microsoft.com and Virgin.Net are examples of Domain Names. Any company or individual can purchase a Domain Name from various Internet companies. The domain name must be unique, and the holder of it should fit the criteria mentioned in the Domain Name suffix. For example a company or individual is not entitled to the suffix ".gov" which is restricted for governments. For advice on purchasing a Domain Name please see your college tutor.

DoS:
Denial of Service. A term to describe a form of Internet attack that denies a user access to a specific Internet service.

E-MAIL:
Electronic mail messages sent from one computer to another. Eudora, Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express are popular e-mail applications.

FIELD: (data field, record field)
An element of database structure. A field is a data area reserved for specified criteria. E.g.: the Post Code Field would be an area in which only post code information would be stored.

FILE:
A chunk of data saved under one name. A file can be a document or a program.

FIREWALL:
A software program or electronic device that protects a computer from Hacker attack. The Firewall monitors a computers Internet connection to scan for any secret activity going on in the background while you surf.

FIREWIRE:
A very fast link between a computer and its peripherals, enabling the transmission of large amounts of data per second, such as multimedia content.

FLAME WAR:
A personal attack against an Internet user. Usually the attack results from a message posted onto a Newsgroup or Web Site that inflames its reader/s, a racist comment for example. Sometimes Flame Wars are carried out in public on the Internet. When really vicious, things get personal resulting in a particular user receiving an enormous mass of junk e-mail that can result in a 

FLAT SCREEN DISPLAY:
A display monitor using a liquid crystal or plasma to create the image rather than a cathode ray tube. Flat Screen monitors emit no harmful radiation, consume far less power and have a small 'footprint' on the users desk. As the technology improves and comes down in price, flat screens are poised to become the normal method of displaying computer images.

FONT:
A particular letter style that is displayed on screen or printed out. If you wish your computer applications to have additional fonts you must place the new font within your font folder. On Windows PC's the folder can be found within the Windows folder itself, i.e.: C:\windows\Fonts

FORMAT:
Format a disk: - lay down a system of blank data tracks on the disk.
Format a document: - control the layout of text and graphics within that document.

FTP:
File Transfer Protocol, a system used for transmitting files on the Internet. Web pages are uploaded to an Internet computer by using an FTP application. FTP is also used to download files from the Internet.

GIGABYTE:
1 Gigabyte = 1,073,741,825 bytes. (One thousand million bytes)

HARD DISK:
A magnetic storage disk, secured and hardwired inside the computer.

A Hard Disk is usually the C: drive on Windows machines. PC's with a Hard Drive partitioned into several segments or with additional Hard Drives added, will have other letters associated with their Hard Drives, such as D, E, F etc. Windows attributes these drive letters automatically, and will place other removable media such as CD ROM's or Zip drives will at the end of the list: thus a PC with only one Hard Drive (C:) will find that Windows labels its CD ROM drive with a (D:) and a PC with two hard drives will have its CD ROM labelled (E:).

HTML:
Hyper Text Mark-up Language. A type of computer code for constructing Web Pages. HTML is not exactly a programming language, it is basically a set of formatting codes <Tags> that are placed either side of the text or image etc., that you want to apply formatting to. For example if you wanted bold text within a Web Page the formatting tag to switch on the Bold effect is <B>, and the tag to switch Bold off is </B>, thus any text in between these tags is <B> emboldened.</B>

HTTP:
Hypertext Transfer Protocol.
A particular set of rules for governing how data is transferred across the World Wide Web.

INK JET:
A printer that uses a tiny stream of ink droplets to create text and images. Ink Jet printers are cheap to buy, but the cost per printed sheet (based upon the ink cartridge refill price) will be higher than that produced by a laser printer.

INTERNET:
A term used to describe the global network of computer networks.
E-mail, FTP, IRC, Usenet News, Telnet, and the World Wide Web are all part of the global Internet.

INTRANET:
A private computer network that is similar to the Internet but which is used exclusively by a specific group or large company.

IP ADDRESS:
A PC's Internet address. To find out your computers Internet address, go to the Start menu - select Run and type in winipcfg. One of the things a Hacker needs to know is the IP Address of the machine to be hacked.

ISP:
Internet Service Provider. A company that provides access to the Internet, usually for a fee: or some sort of 'Trade Off,' such as allowing the company to place adverts upon your web site, or permitting them to gather market research information on you.

JUSTIFICATION:
A type of text formatting.
Left Justification: Text with a straight left margin and a ragged right due to lines of unequal length.
Right Justification: Text with a straight right margin and a ragged left due to lines of unequal length
Full Justification: Text with a straight left and right margins, lines are of equal length due to being 'stretched' (space between letters enlarged) by the Full Justification function.

KBPS:
Kilo bits per second. A measure of the rate of data transfer

1 Kilobyte = 1,024 bytes.

LAN: Local Area Network
A network of interconnected computers, usually within one building or site.

LASER PRINTER:
Toner is applied to paper using method similar to a photocopier, but with a laser beam providing the electric charge. Laser printers are more expensive to buy but cheaper to run than other types of computer printer. They are usually capable of higher resolutions than standard ink jet printers.

MACHINE CODE:
A binary code consisting of 1's and zeros. The low-level computer language in which computer chips function.

MEGABYTE:
1 Megabyte = 1,048,576 bytes

MIME:
Multi purpose Internet Mail Extensions. A file transfer technology enabling different e-mail programs to exchange file attachments.

MODEM: (modulate - demodulate)
An electronic device, either internal or external, which enables computers to talk to each other via a phone line.

The modem sits between the computer and the phone and converts the computers digital signal into an analogue one for transmission across the phone networks. Modern modems are rated at a speed of 56k, but in reality data transmission speeds always fall short of the ideal. A speed of 45K is considered good from a 56k modem.

NETSCAPE:
A propriety Web Browser. Netscape is similar to Internet Explorer (IE), but it is not 100% compatible (although some versions of the application are more compatible than others). At present Netscape users are in a minority meaning that most web sites are designed for IE only and do not always function as well in Netscape.

OPERATING SYSTEM:
The software environment on a computer within which all other programs function. The Operating System of a computer is the software bedrock upon which all other software runs.

Windows 95, 98 and Linux are examples of Operating systems. The Op Sys has to be in place first and then other software applications (programs) are installed and executed within it. Software designers construct programs to function within a particular Operating System environment. Programs created for a specific Operating system may not function under other operating system environment.

PACKET:
When a file is sent over the Internet, it is disassembled into data packets. Each packet contains the target address and information on how to reassemble. This means that data packets can take different routes across the Internet. When at their destination the packets, regroup to assemble the original file.

PAGE DOWN: (keyboard function)
The Page Down function on a computer keyboard can be used to scroll down exactly one (screen size) page with each key press.

PAINT:
Basic image manipulation application which comes free with the Windows operating system.

PAINT SHOP PRO:
Popular image editing package - good value for money (approx. £90 for the latest version - early editions can be hunted down in For Sale columns or computer fairs for much less). Can be used to enhance photographs or to create multi-layered images from scratch. PSP is also a good program to use when capturing images with a scanner. If you want to do some serious digital image manipulation, an application with the power of PSP would be a minimum spec to aim for.

PARALLEL PORT:
A connection socket, usually on the rear of a computer through which data is transmitted in parallel form (8 bits at a time). Parable transmission is faster than serial and is used for peripherals such as printers, Zip drives, scanners etc.

PIXEL: (Picture Element)
The smallest part of an image on a monitor, scanner or digital camera. 1 Pixel = one single addressable segment of the image's dot matrix. Standard monitors have a resolution of 72 dots per sq. inch and are set for a size of 800 x 600 pixels.

PORT:
An output connection on a computer to which peripheral devices are attached. Typical types of port are parallel and series. Parallel ports have a faster data transfer rate and are used for devices such as printers. Serial ports have a slower data transfer rate and are used for devices such as keyboard, mouse and joystick.

PRINTER BUFFER:
A printer’s memory where it holds the information fed to it by the computer.

RAM: (Random Access Memory)
A memory stick that plugs into a slot on the computers motherboard. When the computer is on, the RAM chips have a small electric current fed to them that keeps the RAM memories alive. When the computer is switched off, the electric current ceases and the memories held within RAM disappear. RAM can be thought of as the space where the computer holds the thoughts it is currently processing. To increase this space is to improve the computers performance. If a computer does not have sufficient RAM to perform a task, the operating system will deploy a 'workaround' whereby the extra memory space needed, is created on the hard disk instead. Unlike the high speed of a RAM chip this memory space or (virtual memory) is not as fast as the memory space within RAM, because the speed is restricted by the hard drives limitations.

REGISTRY:
A large date base of technical information essential to your computers functioning. The Registry is updated and altered, every time you load in new software, (even those trial programs on magazine cover disks). Sometimes a software installation can corrupt your registry and cause computer malfunctions.

REGISTRY EDITING:
Warning! Playing around with your registry can result in serious damage to your computer!
Do not tamper with your computers Registry unless you know what you are doing!
Never tamper with your Registry without first making a backup copy!

ROM: (Read Only Memory)
A term to describe memory (storage disc, computer chip) that is in a state in which it cannot be changed only read. ROM computer chips have their data installed at manufacture. CD ROM discs have the data burnt onto them via a laser beam.

SAVE AS:
Using Save As enables you to designate where you want your file to be saved and its name.

SCANNER:
A device that digitises images or documents. A scanner takes a snapshot of a document and converts the image into computer code so that it can be digitally enhanced or sent across the Internet. Most scanning software will enable you to digitise the image in several formats (file types).

SEARCH ENGINE:
A software application that helps locate information by conducting searches. Search Engines are a useful way to seek out information on the Internet. Your computer has its own Search Engine (Find) that can be used to locate lost files on your hard drive. Click on your Start button and select Find.

SERIAL PORT:
A connection socket, usually on the rear of a computer through which data is transmitted in serial form (1 bit at a time). Serial transmission is a slow method of data transfer, meaning that serial ports are mainly used for non-data intensive devices such as a joystick or mouse.

SIGNATURE:
Some Internet users include a personal message tagged onto every e-mail they send, usually no more than one or two lines long. Sigs are used to convey a wide range of personal statements from a Home page address, to political views. For example: a common Hacker Sig is "Information wants to be free". To create a Sig in Outlook go to - Tools - Options, and select the Signature tab.

SMART BOARD:
A large touch sensitive screen used to deliver presentations and classroom lessons.

SPREADSHEET:
An application used for numerical analysis and manipulation. Spreadsheets process financial data and can give you an incredible forecasting ability, enabling you to make financial projections on a 'what if' basis.

TAB:
A control character used to fix the position of where the text will appear.

TCP/IP:
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. The basic Internet language that computers need to speak before they can talk to each other. To surf the net your computer needs to have TCP/IP enabled.

TELNET:
An Internet protocol that enables remote control of another computer on the Internet.

TERABYTE:
1 billion Bytes (a million million). One Terabyte = 1, 099511, 627 776 Bytes

TOUCH SENSITIVE SCREEN:
A monitor screen which has a pressure sensitive transparent coating which outputs X Y coordinates to the computer, enabling positional data to be processed.

UNDELETE:
Recovery of a file that has been deleted and emptied from the Recycle Bin, usually by using a special data recovery application such as Symantec's Norton Unease.

Recovery of deleted files is not always possible, the longer the file has been deleted the harder it is to recover. When files are deleted from Windows, all that happens is that the file space is marked as empty: until Windows overwrites that space with other data, the file can be recovered.

URL:
Uniform Resource Locator. The technical term used to define what is commonly known as a full Web Address.

VDU: Visual Display Unit
Another name for a computer monitor.

VOIP TECHNOLOGY:
Voice Over IP allows you to use your Internet connection as a telephone. The quality of the signal is poor when using a standard 56k modem but improves a lot when using Broadband. VOIP Technology enables you to call anywhere in the world at a cheap rate.

WAN: Wide Area Network
A computer network covering two or more sites, usually over a wide geographical area. Company Intranets are a WAN. The Internet is the biggest WAN in existence.

WAP:
Wireless Application Protocol. A text based version of the World Wide Web used specifically for Wap mobile phones. Wap has a limited time span and will soon be superseded by a new generation of mobile technology.

WEB BROWSER:
A software application used for surfing the Internet. A Web Browser is a compiler program which combines images, text, Java Script, Flash movies etc., all into the same document or page.

WEB MAIL:
A roving e-mail account that is accessible from any computer on the Internet.
Yahoo Mail is an example of Web mail.

WIN SUITE:
A program that is used to protect a computers operating system from accidental tampering.  

Win Suite is utilised by some primary schools to provide an extra level of protection, however some of the useful functions of Microsoft Windows are disabled and can no longer be used. 

WWW: World Wide Web
A term used to describe web sites connected to the Internet, although not all web sites use the www prefix.

ZIPPED FILE:
A software application that compresses or un-compresses digital files to save data space.
It is useful when sending files across the Internet for example. A 'zipped' file is often half the original file size and sometimes much smaller.

The file in its compressed state can not be worked upon, so it is necessary to uncompress or 'unzip' the file when at its destination. Zipped files can be of two distinct types, Normal and Self-extracting. A self-extracting zip file will give birth to a copy of the original when double clicked. A normal zipped file will need the zip application running on the host machine before it can be unzipped.