Please check out http://whatis.techtarget.com/ for a more extensive library of technology terms.

A

AGP: Accelerated Graphics Port. AGP is a type of video interface which allows the system to not only utilize the RAM on the video card, but to also use the RAM on the motherboard to increase the 3-D rendering abilities of the computer. AGP cards come in speeds of 1x, 2x, 4x and 8x. These speeds are particular to your motherboard. Make sure they match!

Application: Any program that runs in your operating system. Paint, Solitaire, Wordpad and Notepad are all examples of applications. Also known as Programs.

B

Backup: A copy of a file or set of files so that if something happens to your computer and the data on it can not be recovered, the backup can still be used on your fixed computer or another person's computer. Common backup devices include: Zip disks, Burnt CD's, tape drives, removable hard drives, etc.

BIOS: When your computer first boots up, it needs to know things like the date and time, what types and how many drives are connected, how to handle the RAM and what CPU is installed. Users can change some of these settings, but it is not recommended for home users to access this without supervision the first few times. The BIOS is ROM information

Bit: Short for Binary Digit. The smallest part the computer can process. (Like a proton or electron in an Atom) It is a single digit, either a 1 (on) or 0 (off).

Blackberry: Blackberry has often been mislabled as a wireless technology. It is not. Blackberry is a competing operating system on hand held devices such as PDA's and Cell Phones. It's counterparts are Palm OS and Windows CE (Mobile).

Bluetooth: Is a high speed wireless connection that has a range of up to 32 feet. Bluetooth devices such as PDA's and Cell Phones can connect to Bluetooth nodes while in transit. This is the only current wireless technology that allows 'node hopping' while connected. This means if there are Bluetooth nodes every 60 feet on Main St. While you are driving, it will connect to any within range without needing to be programmed or authorized. Bluetooth is most commonly used on hand held devices to connect things like ear pieces for Cell Phones.

Burner: Typically referring to a special CD drive that allows the writing of data to Compact Disk (CD) or Digital Video Disk (DVD). Also known as a device used to imprint processing chips that utilize ROM.

Bus: The Bus is the data path that interconnects the CPU with Expansion Cards and more modern RAM chips. The higher the Bus Speed (measured in MHz) the faster the performance of the system as a whole. The Bus data path tracks communication from point A to point B as directly as possible rather then sending the information in all directions hoping for a connection, thus increasing speed.

Byte: Eight Bits or roughly one typed character.

C

Cache: The software creates a temporary file housing commonly used information to speed up processing and accessing time. Cache files/locations are typically recycled by the system.

Card Types: Modems, Network Adapters, SCSI Controllers, Sound Cards and Video Cards are a few types of cards. Also known as Expansion Cards.

Card(s): Pieces of hardware that mount to the Motherboard to provide more functioning of the computer.

Case Types: Desktop units are typically flat, most vendors ship desktop cases because of the compact size. Towers come in many sizes; XL towers are the largest, standing about 3 feet tall, while Mid towers are only about 1 foot tall. Towers allow more room for expansion and cooling of the system but are more inconvenient to place in your work area. Some cases such as the Mini and Micro cases are smaller then a typical VCR.

CD-ROM: Compact Disk- (utilizing) Read Only Memory. These are the same in every respect to the CD's you put in your stereo but contain either data and/or music. CD's until the past four years could not be written to by the home user. Capacity of 650M worth of data or just a little over 72 minutes of audio. Newer CD's have a capacity of 700M or 80 minutes of audio.

Client: In a network environment, the client is where the user sits and works. Non-networked machines (a.k.a. Stand-Alone) have also received the nickname of clients. It simply is the title given to the users' computer.

Context Menu: A small menu that pops up when using your Right mouse button or the Menu key on the keyboard. Typically used for quicker access then going to the pull down menus. Also known as a Short-cut Menu.

Control Panel: Can be related to the personality of a human. This is where all the small pieces and parts of the operating system come together. Sound settings, color settings, available options, hardware setup and some software setup are all controlled from here.

CPU: Central Processing Unit. The brain of the computer. (386, 486, Pentium's or AMD, G's (Macintosh)) These chips come in many different speeds ranging from 3MHz to 3.5GHz (3500 MHz) and types Socket 5, Socket 7 and Socket 1 or Slot A (more created all the time). The faster the MHz, the faster applications can be preformed.

D

Database: This is a collection of information that is stored in such a fashion that provides easy access, sorting of results and finding commonalties between entries. A video rental shop uses a database to house renters' information (name, address, phone, tape rented, tape cost, tape name, return date, etc.) This information can then be manipulated in almost any fashion the end user requires.

DDR: This type of memory module is the successor to DIMM's. While SIMM's and DIMM's each have their own respective slot, so does DDR memory. These chips are known to exceed 2G in RAM and have internal processing speed at least 3 to 10 times faster then typical DIMM RAM.

Defrag: (Defragment) Think of your computer being built out of multi-colored LEGO's. Each color represents a different program. After a while the colors are strewn all around your system, the Defrag program takes all those colors and combines them to improve access time on your system and reduce wear and tear to your Hard Drive. Most current Defrag programs will also arrange the programs on your drive in the priority of most used.

DIMM's: One of the two most common types of RAM. Dual Inline Memory Modules is a bit of a misnomer because these modules do not need to be paired together like their counterpart SIMM's. They are 128 pin modules ranging in memory size from 16M up to 512M modules. Best related to your Short Term memory. This typically limits how much a computer can do at any given time. For larger sizes, see DDR.

Directory: With the event of Windows 95, this has also come to be called a Folder. Can be related to a file within a folder, in a section of a drawer that is housed in a filing cabinet. The filing cabinet being your drive (hard drive, floppy drive, CD-ROM, etc.)

Docking Bay: A small base onto which notebooks and laptops can be set into to provide the same full capabilities of a desktop computer. A permanent power connection, a mouse, a monitor and even printers can be left connected to docking bays even if the notebook/laptop is being used elsewhere. Some newer Docking Bays even utilize a wireless connection between the Laptop/Notebook and the bay so no physical connection is needed.

DOS: Disk Operating System. The predecessor to Windows. Where Windows is all image based (GUI), DOS was based on typed commands to perform functions in its typically text-only environment.

Download: The process of pulling information (receiving) from the Internet or another computer and placing it on your computer.

Drives: A drive is a container of media. Whether it is music, vocal, picture, text or numbers, it is stored on the drive for future use or for transportation. Types: DVD (2G), USB (16M-4G), CD-ROM (650M - 700M), Floppy (1.44M), Super Floppy (120M), Floptical, Hard (SCSI or IDE), Tape or Zip.

Dual Core: Newer computer processors are utilizing Dual Core or Multi Core technology. Whereas they take 2 (or more) CPU's and tandem them together in parallel so that processor times can increase. Intel and IBM pioneered this technology in 2005 when current CPU's had a speed threshold of 3.6G where tempreatures were so high they were melting the circuitry. Intel fully expects to have 16-Core CPU's out in the next 4 years.

DVD: Digital Video Disks first came out as a CD form of Video Tapes. With the newer technologies, the DVD's can now be used to store data rather then video. A CD-ROM only hold 650M (or 72+minutes of audio) where a DVD can hold up to 4G of data (or 9G of compressed movies). With Sony's 2006 advent of the 'Blue Ray' DVD's, capacities now exceed 30G.

E

Expansion Cards: Add-on cards that you can put in your system to increase its capabilities. See listing under Card Types.

F

File: The smallest complete building block of an operating system or a place to store data in various formats.

Floppy Drive: The most common form of storage media and still the most commonly used to transport information from one computer to another. With the advancements of networking abilities, the floppy has become less used. Also used as the Life Preserver if a computer will not boot. Capacity: 1.44M

Folder: Refer to Directory

Format: The process of erasing the contents of a drive or disk and reinitializing the media on it.

Function Keys: Typically found along the top of any keyboard (F1-F10 or F12). These keys were derived in the days of DOS when a programmable key was required. Now used by most applications to be programmed and allow for quicker actions. The F1 key is a constant in all programs....HELP!

G

Gigabyte: (G or GB) The equivalent of 1,000 Megabytes or 1 Million KiloBytes or 1 Billion Bytes.

GigaHertz: (G or GHz) The equivalent of 1,000 MegaHertz. This is the current range of processor speeds. See MegaHertz for more information.

GUI: (gooey) Graphical User Interface. Any system that uses an image or images to allow the user to move smoothly and (mostly) without effort through programs and the operating system.

H

Hard Drive: Another form of storage media. No matter the shape, size or type, this is the one piece of hardware almost every computer requires for starting up. Typically the location of the operating system and most user-created files.

Hardware: Any physical component connected to your computer or used in running your computer. Video cards, sound cards, network cards, printers, monitors, etc.

Hot-Swappable: This refers to a device that can have a drive, power supply or piece of hardware removed and replaced without shutting the computer down.

I

IDE: Integrated Device Electronics. One of two dominant drive connectors in computers. More common then SCSI, but slower and less expensive.

Infared: This wireless connection is the oldest wireless technology still in use. With a range of up to 15 feet, this connection is typically used for wireless keyboards, mice, printers and handheld devices. It's unstability is due to the limited range and the 'line-of-site' needed for connection.

Install: The process of integrating a new piece of software or hardware into your computer.

ISP: Internet Service Provider or On-Line Service. This is who you contact to receive home internet access. AOL, CompuServe, Earth Link, MSN, Juno, AT&T, etc.

J

Jump Drive: aka Thumb Drive. See also USB Drive

K

Keyboard Types: The keyboards are all typically identical with the exception of a few altered or added keys. The connector that plugs into your computer comes in one of three types: AT, which is a larger connector; PS/2 or ATX, similar to AT but a smaller sized plug; USB, a flat rectangular plug.

Kilobyte: (K or KB) 1,024 Bytes, normally rounded off to 1,000 Bytes.

L

Laptop: Any type of personal computer that is compact enough to be fully portable but still have the capabilities of a desktop computer.

Legacy Server: These are servers that are dedicated to the functioning of a network or some major application like a client database. Most legacy servers utilize the UNIX operating system. These types of servers are for both mass storage and mass computing power. Containing redundant copies of the data on Hot-Swappable SCSI drives, there is little room for error on these computers.

Linux: There are several "flavors" or variations of Linux. Linux is an operating system that is a major competitor to Windows. It's design is based off of Unix (much like the MAC OS'es). One of the greater benefits of Linux over Windows is the small requirements of resources and the ability to make changes 'on the fly' rather then rebooting every 5 minutes.

M

Megabyte: (M or MB) The most common term of measuring in computers. 1,000 Kilobytes or 1 Million Bytes.

MegaHertz: (MHz) The speed at which all CPU's are measured. The higher the speed, the faster the CPU. CPU speeds after the 386 revolution started out at a meager 3MHz. Today, the norm is quickly approaching 4GHz.

Modem: MOdulation-DEModulation. This is the expansion card that connects your computer to the internet or other computers via phone line. Essentially a phone in itself. Most modems also come with a Faxing program so that you may send documents from your computer to a fax machine.

Motherboard: If the hardware in your computer can be thought of as organs in a body, this is what connects all the organs together and makes them work. The large flat circuit board in your computer that cards, RAM and the CPU directly plug into.

Mouse Types: Mice come in hundreds of shapes and number of buttons (some programmable), like the keyboard, they have three different connectors. Serial: a trapezoidal shaped connector with 9 pinholes. PS/2: identical to it's keyboard counterpart, having a small cylindrical connector. USB: also like it's keyboard counterpart, a flat rectangular plug. Wireless: The receiver (if needed) connects to the computer in any of the aforementioed 3 ways.

Multi Core: see also Dual Core.

Multimedia: Referring to the many different forms of media that can be or are used on the computer. Sounds, Music, Pictures, Movies, Data and text.

N

Network: A connection between two or more computers allowing the sharing of resources. A typical network setup comprises of at least one server and two or more clients that may share a printer, internet connection or program. There are several types and formations of Networks, some that are two computers in a room to thousands across several countries and even contintents.

Notebook: A notebook is typically a little smaller then a laptop and does not have the full capabilities of a desktop computer. Often used in classroom or education environment because of their simplicity and the non-requirements of being powerhouses or having long life batteries.

O

Operating System: The master program on the computer that allows the user to perform functions and run applications. (i.e. MS-DOS, Win95/98/NT/2000, Unix, MAC OS, CP/M86, Linux, VAX/VMS, OS/2, etc.) (On hand held devices; Blackberry, Palm OS and Windows CE are the common Operating Systems).

Optical Drive: Another name given to CD-ROM and DVD and Laser Disk drives. Any type drive that the reader and/or writer is laser-based.

P

Palm OS: Palm OS is an operating system commonly found on hand held devices like PDA's, Cell Phones, Inventory Devices. Palm's counterparts are Blackberry and Windows CE (Mobile).

Port: This is a connection on the back of your computer where various items can be plugged in. Mice, keyboards, monitors, printers, and many other items all utilize ports.

Power Supply: This provides the energy to the computer. In some cases, the power supply can power the monitor. If the power supply goes bad, can cause some very strange actions inside the operating system. (i.e. hardware suddenly not working, programs frequently locking up, much slower performance) Power supplies can become very dirty or dust filled in short periods of time. Have an electrician open your power supply to clean it out. There is a possibility of an extreme electrical shock.

Power Supply Types: There are two dominant types of power supplies. From the outside of the case it is hard to discern which one is installed. If the computer is turned off when Windows shuts down, this is an ATX power supply. ATX's are dominant in tower computers. AT's have two connectors which hook to the motherboard, ATX have only one connector.

Program: See Application.

Pull-Down Menu: In each program, the menu system along the top of the screen, when you click on File or Edit, a menu will appear, this is called a Pull-Down menu. Even if the menu system is at the bottom of the screen, they are still Pull-Down menus.

Q

R

RAM: Random Access Memory. The short-term memory of your computer. A rough analogy is the more RAM, the more applications you can open. The RAM is temporary memory and is emptied when the computer is shut down.

Ribbon Cable: A type of cable in the computer that connects the drives to the motherboard. Flat with one wire on the edge colored in red. Can be found in many different sizes.

ROM: Read Only Memory. This is memory that may be stored on a chip or optical disk that can not be written to, only read from.

S

Scandisk: This program is used to verify the data on your drive is not corrupted and your drive is not corrupt or damaged. In the event of an improper shutdown, Scandisk will run upon boot-up and correct any errors the impromptu shutdown may have caused.

SCSI: Small Computer Systems Interface. One of two common types of connections between drives and the motherboard. SCSI drives are faster and more reliable but higher in cost. Almost all Macintoshes and Legacy Servers use SCSI drives.

SDRAM: Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory. Made to be more compatible with the speeds of the CPU. Measured in MHz, it is easier to match up SDRAM with the speed capabilities of your Motherboard's Bus Speed.

Server: A powerful computer used to control the environment of two or more computers and how they interact. More common ones share file storage space (fileservers), CD's (CD server), internet connection (proxy server), e-mail boxes (mail server) or house a web site (webserver).

Short-cut icon: A quick link to a program or folder that is located elsewhere on the computer. Signified by a small black arrow on the bottom left of the icon.

Short-cut key: Any combination of keys to open an application or perform an operation without having to use the pull-down menus or mouse.

SIMM's: Single In-line Memory Module. This is RAM like its brother DIMM. A misnomer in the name. The 30 pin SIMM's typically are used in sets of 4 and only go up to 8M. 72 pin SIMM's range from 4M up to 64M and are used in pairs.

Software: Any program that can be run or installed on a computer. This is what makes the hardware talk to each other.

Spread Sheet: A grid or cell based storage program used for number crunching, sorting, listing, filing and various types of forms.

T

Thumb Drive: aka Jump Drive. See also USB Drive.

U

USB: Universal Serial Bus. This is quickly becoming the most common way to connect devices to your computer. Rectangular in shape, approx 3/4" inch (2 cm) and 1/4" (.75 cm), this connection comes in two speeds. USB 1.0 & 1.1 transfer at a peak of 6M per second. USB 2.0 transfers at a peak of 12M per second. Many different types of devices connect using USB now. Printers, scanners, copiers, cameras, keyboards, mice, network adaptors, modems, game controllers, multimedia devices, storage devices, etc.

USB Drive: Also known as a Jump Drive, Thumb Drive or a Removable Drive. These pocket sized devices are a great stable way of quickly transferring data from one computer to the next. More friendly then a florry disk and can exceed capacities of standard DVD's, these little devices are also a great way to store backups of information. Capacity for USB Drives range from 16M all the way up to 4G. On Windows 2000, 2003, XP & Vista, no special software is needed to access these drives. Win 3.x has no or very limited USB support. Win 95 also has limited support. Win 98 will self install a small handfull of these devices while Win ME will self-install most of them.

User: The person sitting in front of the computer utilizing its services.

V

Video Card: Video cards are Expansion Cards that are used in every computer to connect the computer to a monitor of some fashion. Video cards can be found in any of 4 current types. ISA which has a maximum resolution of 600x800 and 256 colors. PCI which can rage up to 1280x1024 and 32-bit color. AGP doesn't have a set maximum resolution yet and is currently only capable of up to 32-bit color. The last video card is actually a chip that is intergraded into the motherboard. These types of chips are usually a mix of PCI and AGP capabilities. 16-bit = 65,536 24-bit = 16,777,216 32-bit = over 4 billion. With the exception of ISA, all the other video cards have their own memory. PCI and AGP have memory built into the card ranging from 2M currently up to 2G. The intergrated video chip shares the motherboard memory.

W

WiFi: This is a Wireless technology that is typically provided by most phone companies. A special card is needed and it taps into the same towers used for cell phone. WiFi ranges have been known to exceed 25 miles. WiFi technology is based on the same technology as the Wireless 802.11 technology. WiFi extends the range from feet to miles.

Window: The small rectangular box that Windows is based off of. Each window typically has a minimize, maximize and close button in the upper right corner.

Windows CE (Mobile): Windows CE is the operating system that is used on hand held devices and smaller Notepad computers. CE's counterparts are Blackberry and Palm OS.

Wireless: Wireless technology is one of the fastes growing technologies today. With everything ranging from Infared, Bluetooth, WiFi and the 802.11 series, there are multiple ways to connect devices.

Wireless 802.11: The 802.11 technology is quickly being phased out, mostly because of it's limited range of about 300 feet. However, places like gas stations, coffee houses and even some resturants employ this technology because of it's easy of use. The 802.11 currently comes in 3 types (with a 4th due out in 2007). 802.11a is a low speed highly secure connection. 802.11b is a high speed low security connection. 802.11g is a high speed connection with high security. When purchasing a 802.11 card/adaptor, it's letter must match with the transmitters.

Word Processor: Any program used for typing documents.

X

Y

Z