Internet Terms-O

object oriented in programming, a combination of code, which is a sequence of instructions referred to as functions, along with data units, referred to as structures.
In the past, operating systems dealt with these entities separately. The combination of function and structure, called an object, allows for significant advantages to programmers as well as the end users of software.

OCR (Optical Character Recognition) a type of system comprised of hardware and software that is capable of scanning text or images into a file with a user having the ability to edit the material. There is a great advantage to using OCR because when text is scanned using an ordinary optical scanner, the image is stored as a bitmap (in simple terms, one large picture). The OCR, on the other hand, allows the user the ability to edit the scanned text as though it were entered using a word processing program.

OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) a company that assembles computers and other hardware devices. The term has taken on several meanings. In some cases an OEM buys hardware components in bulk and uses them to add special features to other hardware devices without producing anything new. OEMs are sometimes referred to as value-added resellers (VAR).

offline not connected, either to one of a computer’s supportive hardware devices such as a printer or scanner, or to the Internet.

off-line reader software that allows a user to log onto the Internet, download Web pages and email, and view them offline at the user’s leisure.

O Office short for Microsoft Office, a grouping of software (bundle) products that includes word processing, publishing, spreadsheets, visual presentation and Web page creation programs. Users are offered a significant price reduction when purchasing the software in this package.

OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) software that allows a user to create a file in one application and incorporate it into another, while retaining the original file format and association to the program that created it. Windows and Macintosh operating systems allow for OLE.

on the fly a Web page with dynamic content, or one where the content is frequently changed. On the fly is the opposite of a static or hardwired page whose content seldom changes.

online 1. operational or connected, either to one of a computer’s supportive hardware devices such as a printer or scanner, or to the Internet. 2. to be actively connected to a network, such as the Internet.

online service the term has come to have a somewhat broad meaning. 1. a company that, for a fee, provides Internet users with a wide variety of services such as news, weather, stock quotes, search engines, chat and message forums, email services, as well as various subscriber benefits possibly including special rates on mortgages or credit cards, and various other commercial offers. America Online (AOL) and CompuServe are online service providers. 2. a company that provides one of several services to Internet subscribers such as Web hosting or providing the connection for users to access the Internet. For example, an Internet Service Provider (ISP) would supply its customers with access to the Internet, email, and in some cases, the space to publish a Web page or two.
Often, but not always, a company outlined in the first definition will provide many of the services mentioned in the second.

open to access an item such as a file or program.

operating environment the configuration and type of equipment under which computer programs run. see environment.

operating system (OS) the underlying software that interfaces with a computer’s hardware and virtually all other software applications allowing a user to perform a wide variety of tasks. In the early years of personal computers DOS was the dominant operating system. Then Microsoft Windows came along. In general terms, Windows was the logical user-friendly evolution of DOS, utilizing the graphical user interface concept modeled after the Apple Macintosh. Simply stated, any operating system provides an environment for a user to run other programs.


optical character recognition see OCR.

optical disk a data storage medium that utilizes laser technology to read information.

CD-ROMs and WORM (Write Once Read Many) are examples of optical disks.

optical scanner often simply called a scanner, a device that reads images and text, allowing a user to input and utilize the data in various applications. A scanner digitizes the image. This means it divides the entire image into tiny boxes and assigns a value to each isolated unit using 0s and 1s. Essentially, this is what a bitmap is. The scanned image, whether text or a graphic, therefore, becomes a bitmap. Consequently, the scanned data cannot be directly altered unless optical character recognition technology is used. see OCR.

optimize the term has several common uses. 1. to structure and arrange hardware devices for maximum efficiency. 2. to tune up a computer system, as in running defragmentation software and eliminating unwanted data to free up disk space.
3. to make adjustments to an operating system or software application so it runs more efficiently.

opt-in mail email that usually contains a commercial offer of some kind. The difference between opt-in mail and spam, is with opt-in mail, the user has requested information or updates on a particular type of product or service.

Once an individual has submitted his name and email address for virtually any online offer, the data is freely traded among both brick and mortar businesses and online merchants, unless such use of the name was forbidden when the subscriber submitted the information.

option key a key on the Macintosh keyboard that changes the functions of other keys. The Mac’s option key is similar to the Shift or Alt key.

Oracle Corporation based in Redwood California, a leading supplier of software for information management that develops, manufactures, markets and distributes computer software that helps corporations manage and grow their businesses.
The company’s software products can be categorized into two broad categories, systems software and business applications software.

.org a domain name (URL) or email suffix indicating a non-profit organization, although this does not always hold true as it is not hard to find profit-based Websites with the .org suffix.

 orphan in word processing and publishing, the last line of a paragraph appearing on the first line of a page. Some applications adjust for this. Orphan is synonymous with widow.

OS see operating system.

OS2 a Microsoft operating system developed in the 1980s that is compatible with DOS and Windows programs. OS2 applications however, will not run on Windows or DOS. Originally, the development of OS2 was a joint venture between IBM and Microsoft. It is now a sole product of IBM.

output data resulting from the operation of a computer. Output may be displayed on a monitor, printed, stored on a disk, or played on loudspeakers.

output device any computer hardware that facilitates the interpretation of computer data. Display monitors, speakers and printers are output devices.

overwrite to enter new data onto a disk, replacing the information previously stored there.

overwrite pack to compress computer data.