A an HTML abbreviation used to signify a link to another document or an anchor. see HTML.
A/B switch a two-way switch used for parallel or serial port cables. An A/B switch may be used to connect two devices such as printers or modems to the same computer. Care must be taken to use only the devices that are actually connected at any one time.
abort to cancel a command.
Abort, Retry, Fail? a DOS error message displayed when a disk is unreadable. Each of these words gives the user the option to continue as indicated.
absolute address a fixed location or address in a computer's memory.
absolute URL a URL that contains the entire address identifying the machine, directory and file. For example, http://www.keenagers.com/community/friendfinder. htm is the site address of a service known as "friend finder" on the gmail.com Website.
abstract a summary of a file or document.
accelerator a hardware device such as a card, that makes an operation, run faster. Without the device, the computer's microprocessor would be the sole operator
of the function.
acceptable use policy the terms and conditions of use for Internet providers, interactive Websites, and networks which must be agreed upon before the user is granted access to the service. Among the conditions of use can be found privacy policies, email policies, courtesy standards, and other parameters the provider deems appropriate for users of the service. Users must agree to the terms or they are denied access to services.
access provider (ISP or Internet service provider) A private company that provides customers access to the Internet in exchange for a fee, though some companies are now offering this service for free.
access time the time necessary for a memory device to deliver data to the CPU. see CPU, DRAM, SRAM.
acquire to transfer a file from an analog source such as a scanner. see import.
Acrobat Adobe software for reading and creating PDF files. Acrobat Reader (free software from Adobe) allows the user to print and view PDF files created in many different formats. see Adobe Acrobat, PDF
activate to choose a window in which you want to work.
active 1. items currently shown on a display monitor or an application in use on a computer. 2. the program currently running on a computer.
active matrix a type of flat-panel liquid crystal display (LCD) that delivers better clarity and contrast than the passive-matrix display.
ad banner an advertisement, usually displayed in a rectangular box, that contains a hyperlink pointing to the advertiser's Web page or buffer page. Ad banners are the most common method of advertising on the World Wide Web. Costs can run anywhere from free, to upwards of $100,000 per month depending on the popularity of the host site and the number of page impressions the particular page containing the banner receives.
ad server a type of server that manages and maintains ad banners for a Website or a group of Websites. These programs are capable of keeping track of and reporting Website usage statistics. Ad servers also provide the ability to rotate banners so a user won't see the same ad every time she visits the page.
adaptive equipment devices of many varieties, some computer controlled or activated, designed to assist people with physical limitations.
ADC see analog-to-digital converter. address a number that identifies the location of data, usually on the main disk, but possibly on a server.
Adobe Acrobat a reader that decodes, reads and converts documents to the Portable Document Format (PDF). This program allows scalable graphics and type to be displayed and printed from any computer and from any platform (Macintosh, Windows, DOS, or UNIX) regardless of the fonts or software programs used to create the original. Acrobat is freely available for downloading on many Websites.
Adobe Systems Inc. Adobe Systems Inc. is a provider of graphic design, publishing, and imaging software for Web and print production. The company offers a line of application software products for creating, distributing, and managing information of all types. Many graphic designers feel Adobe programs have set the industry standard for design and publishing software.
agent software operating in the background that performs an automatic and silent task such as information gathering.
airbrush a creative tool in many paint programs that simulates the action of a real paint gun on the computer screen. see spray can.
ALGOL (Algorithmic Language) developed in the 1950s and early 1960s by an international committee, an early programming language that was the basis for Pascal.
alias the use of an icon as a method of starting an application, opening a folder, file or disk. With Macintosh products the alias may be placed anywhere that is convenient such as the Apple menu, the desktop, or a special folder. The title of an alias icon is in italics. In Windows, an alias is known as a shortcut. see shortcut.
align to arrange characters, words or images so they line up either horizontally or vertically. Most word processing and drawing programs include commands to make images and text align as needed.
allocation unit units of space on a disk that can be identified or designated for a file. Also known as a cluster.
Alpha a 64-bit microprocessor manufactured by Digital Equipment Corporation.
alphanumeric characters the letters and digits on the standard keyboard.
alpha testing the first round of the testing of new software.
Alt the prefix used for the "Alternative" key. It is used like the shift key. The result of using the Alt key will vary depending upon the software being used.
Alta Vista a popular search engine on the World Wide Web.
amazon.com a commercial Website offering more than one million books and music CDs. The company is determined to maintain a dominant position as an online retailer through the expansion of services including auctions, electronic products, toys, and more.
AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) a worldwide semiconductor manufacturer who's products include a wide variety of industry-standard integrated circuits used in product applications such as telecommunications equipment, data and network communications equipment, consumer electronics, personal computers, and workstations.
America Online (AOL) an online information service company that operates two worldwide Internet services, with more than 22 million members, and CompuServe, with more than 2.2 million members, several leading Internet brands including ICQ, AOL Instant Messenger, and Digital City, Inc.
AMI (American Megatrends Inc.) The leading supplier of BIOS software used in PC motherboards.
Amiga one of the first mass marketed PCs sold by Commodore Business Machines in the 1980s using Motorola microprocessors.
analog data represented in a mode other than binary bits such as the image relayed by a scanner. Analog data is represented by one or more of an infinite number of points on a scale or continuum.
analog computer a computer that processes and delivers data. An abacus is an analog computer.
analog monitor a video device similar to television that can display an unlimited range of brightness for each primary color. An analog monitor can display any color a computer can generate.
analog-to-digital converter (ADC) a hardware device that changes analog data to digital form. see analog computer.
anchor a designated point in a Web page represented as an HTML document. The user can easily move to the anchor from anywhere else.
angle brackets the characters < >. Used in writing many programs.
animation the use of moving images on a computer screen. At present, much of the moving video we see must be called up from data stored on a disk or CD-ROM.
anime pronounced ah knee may, a style of Japanese animation often sexual in nature.
annie (orphan annie) a Website or particular Web page that has not been updated in a long time.
anon server (anonymous server) a service provider that forwards email while concealing the identity of the sender. Anonymous servers were initially designed for users with a legitimate need for privacy, but have occasionally been used for criminal or questionable activity such as spamming. see spam.
anonymous FTP a means for downloading public FTP (File Transfer Protocol) files. Referred to as anonymous because there is no need for the user to identify himself to access the files. see FTP.
ANSI (American National Standards Institute) the major organization responsible for creating standards for American industry, including the computer industry. ANSI standards address accepted standards for programming languages, electronic data transfer, character types, graphics, screen control and a wide range of computer related technical protocols.
antialiasing a method of eliminating the stair step properties called jaggies created by the normal display of pixels on a computer monitor. Jaggies sometimes appear when enlarging bitmap images using photo manipulation software.
antivirus program software that protects a computer from the introduction of destructive programs (viruses) introduced either by corrupt floppy disks or by electronic data transfer over a network such as the Internet.
AOL see America Online.
API (Application Program Interface) a set of tools and/or procedures used for building software applications. For example, operating software such as Windows, allows that an API facilitates the smooth creation of new software by designers to run compatibly with Windows.
APL a programming language invented in the 1960s using its own characters. APL remains in limited use today.
app short for application.
Apple a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of personal computers noted for their-user friendly features. Apple was the first computer company to use graphical user interface technology in their operating systems. The company was started by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976.
applet a small program within a program usually written in JAVA designed to perform a specific function. They are often small animated commercial messages. Applets cannot be initiated directly from a computer's operating system.
application see application program.
application program (also called end-user programs) a program designed for a specific function such as word processing or a game. Software is available in two categories, application and operating. For example, Windows 2000 is operations software while MS Word is application software. see software.
Archie a type of search engine used to retrieve FTP files stored on anonymous sites. The user must have the exact file name. architecture refers to the layout or design of a hardware device or software pro - gram or the combination of the two. Open architecture refers to a system that works easily with devices and applications made by different manufacturers. A closed architecture is often one containing proprietary features and lacking compatibility with other programs and devices.
archival storage a comprehensive back-up system where all files are copied to one of several possible data storage devices such as floppy disks, Zip drives, tape, or Jaz drives.
archive a back-up system designed for the storage of files to be kept for long periods of time. Some Websites that offer fresh information daily will allow access to older files by making them available through a link to an archives page. see archival storage.
ARCnet (Attached Resource Computer network) a simple and economical type of local-area network (LAN) using token-ring architecture. A token ring system is a group of computers connected in a circular fashion using a special message or password (the token). To communicate with a member of the network, the sender stores the token, attaches a message to it, and allows it to proceed around the ring. see token, token ring network.
ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) the predecessor of the present day Internet. ARPNET was developed in the 1960s by the US Defense Department. ARPANET was designed so that the network would continue to function through peripheral channels even if part of it were destroyed by nuclear attack or sabotage.
arrange to systematically place symbols or icons in columns or rows on a computer desktop. In Windows 95, 98 and 2000 this can be achieved by right clicking on any unoccupied space on the desktop and selecting one of several Arrange commands.
arrow keys four command keys on the keyboard that move the cursor up down, left or right. The arrow keys may be used as an alternative to the mouse.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) the attempt to use computers to think and reason as humans. Among the functions of contemporary IA are, playing games, and robotics.
ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) pronounced askey, a global standard computer code used to represent upper and lower case characters, punctuation, numerals, and all other keyboard symbols as numbers. There are 128 standard ASCII codes, each represented by a 7 digit binary number: 0000000 through 1111111.
ASCII file a text file in which each byte is represented by one character of the ASCII code.
ASCII graphics sometimes called ASCII art, a technique for drawing, making use of standard keyboard characters. ASCII art often uses the single character X to create images. The character may be repeated line after line, thousands of times, forming silhouettes and outlined forms. It was popular in the 1980s and was sometimes used to create large banners or signs with perforated computer printing paper. Best results are obtained when displayed in a fixed-pitch font. see fixed-pitch type.
ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) a specially designated integrated circuit designed for a particular function such as a sound card or video adapter.
ASP (Active Server Page) a Microsoft system for developing Web pages. ASP is an HTML document that contains embedded server-side scripting. Web servers compatible with ASP can execute these server-side scripts. On the user side, an
ASP is a standard HTML document viewable using any Web browser.
assembler a program that translates assembly language into machine language. see assembly language, machine language.
assembly language programming language that is one step more complex than machine language which is the lowest level programming language.
assicons a funny variation on smileys and emoticons. .
associate to designate that a particular file always be opened with a specific program. Some files may only be opened with specific software while the user may be able to choose one of several applications when opening certain files.
asterisk (*) the star shaped character on the computer or typewriter keyboard used to mark a footnote. In many computer operating systems and applications an asterisk is used as a wildcard symbol. see wildcard.
attachment (attached file) an added file attached to an email transmission. Most modern email programs allow users to attach files simply by left clicking on an "Attach File" button and following directions. The file must be opened independently of the email message.
attributes refers to the properties of a particular operating system. In Windows the Attrib or Properties command, found under File, in the menu bar displays these. audit trail records maintained by certain programs showing the time and order data was entered, ensuring the reliability of accounting and financial information.
auditor an impartial third party company that counts and verifies banner ad deliveries from a Website. An auditor may also verify the number of page impressions and other user related statistics of a Website.
AUP see Acceptable Use Policy.
authoring software (authorware) software used to create hypertext or multimedia applications such as Web pages. Microsoft FrontPage is an example of authorware used to create Web pages. Authoring software requires less technical skill than programming tools. Commercial authoring software for the layman sometimes uses the WYSIWYG standard. see WYSIWYG.
AUTOEXEC.BAT (Automatically Executed Batch Files) DOS files that automatically execute when the computer boots up.
AUTO-BOT free software that lets you automatically perform scheduled tasks such as check POP3 email, launch your email program, and download mail. You can also use AUTO-BOT to set your PCs internal clock to an Internet time server.
avatar a digital animated character used to represent your virtual position in chat rooms. An avatar may be a cartoon character such as a cat, flower, choo choo train, etc. In cyberspace, the user is represented by such a character.
AVI (Audio Visual Interleave) a Windows multimedia file which may be downloaded from the Internet, used for sound and video.
AWK a programming language, developed in the 1970s, used for scanning and manipulating text files. AWK is an acronym for the last names of the developers
of the language, A.V. Aho, P.J. Weinberger, and B.W. Kerningham.
A/B switch a two-way switch used for parallel or serial port cables. An A/B switch may be used to connect two devices such as printers or modems to the same computer. Care must be taken to use only the devices that are actually connected at any one time.
abort to cancel a command.
Abort, Retry, Fail? a DOS error message displayed when a disk is unreadable. Each of these words gives the user the option to continue as indicated.
absolute address a fixed location or address in a computer's memory.
absolute URL a URL that contains the entire address identifying the machine, directory and file. For example, http://www.keenagers.com/community/friendfinder. htm is the site address of a service known as "friend finder" on the gmail.com Website.
abstract a summary of a file or document.
accelerator a hardware device such as a card, that makes an operation, run faster. Without the device, the computer's microprocessor would be the sole operator
of the function.
acceptable use policy the terms and conditions of use for Internet providers, interactive Websites, and networks which must be agreed upon before the user is granted access to the service. Among the conditions of use can be found privacy policies, email policies, courtesy standards, and other parameters the provider deems appropriate for users of the service. Users must agree to the terms or they are denied access to services.
access provider (ISP or Internet service provider) A private company that provides customers access to the Internet in exchange for a fee, though some companies are now offering this service for free.
access time the time necessary for a memory device to deliver data to the CPU. see CPU, DRAM, SRAM.
acquire to transfer a file from an analog source such as a scanner. see import.
Acrobat Adobe software for reading and creating PDF files. Acrobat Reader (free software from Adobe) allows the user to print and view PDF files created in many different formats. see Adobe Acrobat, PDF
activate to choose a window in which you want to work.
active 1. items currently shown on a display monitor or an application in use on a computer. 2. the program currently running on a computer.
active matrix a type of flat-panel liquid crystal display (LCD) that delivers better clarity and contrast than the passive-matrix display.
ad banner an advertisement, usually displayed in a rectangular box, that contains a hyperlink pointing to the advertiser's Web page or buffer page. Ad banners are the most common method of advertising on the World Wide Web. Costs can run anywhere from free, to upwards of $100,000 per month depending on the popularity of the host site and the number of page impressions the particular page containing the banner receives.
ad server a type of server that manages and maintains ad banners for a Website or a group of Websites. These programs are capable of keeping track of and reporting Website usage statistics. Ad servers also provide the ability to rotate banners so a user won't see the same ad every time she visits the page.
adaptive equipment devices of many varieties, some computer controlled or activated, designed to assist people with physical limitations.
ADC see analog-to-digital converter. address a number that identifies the location of data, usually on the main disk, but possibly on a server.
Adobe Acrobat a reader that decodes, reads and converts documents to the Portable Document Format (PDF). This program allows scalable graphics and type to be displayed and printed from any computer and from any platform (Macintosh, Windows, DOS, or UNIX) regardless of the fonts or software programs used to create the original. Acrobat is freely available for downloading on many Websites.
Adobe Systems Inc. Adobe Systems Inc. is a provider of graphic design, publishing, and imaging software for Web and print production. The company offers a line of application software products for creating, distributing, and managing information of all types. Many graphic designers feel Adobe programs have set the industry standard for design and publishing software.
agent software operating in the background that performs an automatic and silent task such as information gathering.
airbrush a creative tool in many paint programs that simulates the action of a real paint gun on the computer screen. see spray can.
ALGOL (Algorithmic Language) developed in the 1950s and early 1960s by an international committee, an early programming language that was the basis for Pascal.
alias the use of an icon as a method of starting an application, opening a folder, file or disk. With Macintosh products the alias may be placed anywhere that is convenient such as the Apple menu, the desktop, or a special folder. The title of an alias icon is in italics. In Windows, an alias is known as a shortcut. see shortcut.
align to arrange characters, words or images so they line up either horizontally or vertically. Most word processing and drawing programs include commands to make images and text align as needed.
allocation unit units of space on a disk that can be identified or designated for a file. Also known as a cluster.
Alpha a 64-bit microprocessor manufactured by Digital Equipment Corporation.
alphanumeric characters the letters and digits on the standard keyboard.
alpha testing the first round of the testing of new software.
Alt the prefix used for the "Alternative" key. It is used like the shift key. The result of using the Alt key will vary depending upon the software being used.
Alta Vista a popular search engine on the World Wide Web.
amazon.com a commercial Website offering more than one million books and music CDs. The company is determined to maintain a dominant position as an online retailer through the expansion of services including auctions, electronic products, toys, and more.
AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) a worldwide semiconductor manufacturer who's products include a wide variety of industry-standard integrated circuits used in product applications such as telecommunications equipment, data and network communications equipment, consumer electronics, personal computers, and workstations.
America Online (AOL) an online information service company that operates two worldwide Internet services, with more than 22 million members, and CompuServe, with more than 2.2 million members, several leading Internet brands including ICQ, AOL Instant Messenger, and Digital City, Inc.
AMI (American Megatrends Inc.) The leading supplier of BIOS software used in PC motherboards.
Amiga one of the first mass marketed PCs sold by Commodore Business Machines in the 1980s using Motorola microprocessors.
analog data represented in a mode other than binary bits such as the image relayed by a scanner. Analog data is represented by one or more of an infinite number of points on a scale or continuum.
analog computer a computer that processes and delivers data. An abacus is an analog computer.
analog monitor a video device similar to television that can display an unlimited range of brightness for each primary color. An analog monitor can display any color a computer can generate.
analog-to-digital converter (ADC) a hardware device that changes analog data to digital form. see analog computer.
anchor a designated point in a Web page represented as an HTML document. The user can easily move to the anchor from anywhere else.
angle brackets the characters < >. Used in writing many programs.
animation the use of moving images on a computer screen. At present, much of the moving video we see must be called up from data stored on a disk or CD-ROM.
anime pronounced ah knee may, a style of Japanese animation often sexual in nature.
annie (orphan annie) a Website or particular Web page that has not been updated in a long time.
anon server (anonymous server) a service provider that forwards email while concealing the identity of the sender. Anonymous servers were initially designed for users with a legitimate need for privacy, but have occasionally been used for criminal or questionable activity such as spamming. see spam.
anonymous FTP a means for downloading public FTP (File Transfer Protocol) files. Referred to as anonymous because there is no need for the user to identify himself to access the files. see FTP.
ANSI (American National Standards Institute) the major organization responsible for creating standards for American industry, including the computer industry. ANSI standards address accepted standards for programming languages, electronic data transfer, character types, graphics, screen control and a wide range of computer related technical protocols.
antialiasing a method of eliminating the stair step properties called jaggies created by the normal display of pixels on a computer monitor. Jaggies sometimes appear when enlarging bitmap images using photo manipulation software.
antivirus program software that protects a computer from the introduction of destructive programs (viruses) introduced either by corrupt floppy disks or by electronic data transfer over a network such as the Internet.
AOL see America Online.
API (Application Program Interface) a set of tools and/or procedures used for building software applications. For example, operating software such as Windows, allows that an API facilitates the smooth creation of new software by designers to run compatibly with Windows.
APL a programming language invented in the 1960s using its own characters. APL remains in limited use today.
app short for application.
Apple a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of personal computers noted for their-user friendly features. Apple was the first computer company to use graphical user interface technology in their operating systems. The company was started by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976.
applet a small program within a program usually written in JAVA designed to perform a specific function. They are often small animated commercial messages. Applets cannot be initiated directly from a computer's operating system.
application see application program.
application program (also called end-user programs) a program designed for a specific function such as word processing or a game. Software is available in two categories, application and operating. For example, Windows 2000 is operations software while MS Word is application software. see software.
Archie a type of search engine used to retrieve FTP files stored on anonymous sites. The user must have the exact file name. architecture refers to the layout or design of a hardware device or software pro - gram or the combination of the two. Open architecture refers to a system that works easily with devices and applications made by different manufacturers. A closed architecture is often one containing proprietary features and lacking compatibility with other programs and devices.
archival storage a comprehensive back-up system where all files are copied to one of several possible data storage devices such as floppy disks, Zip drives, tape, or Jaz drives.
archive a back-up system designed for the storage of files to be kept for long periods of time. Some Websites that offer fresh information daily will allow access to older files by making them available through a link to an archives page. see archival storage.
ARCnet (Attached Resource Computer network) a simple and economical type of local-area network (LAN) using token-ring architecture. A token ring system is a group of computers connected in a circular fashion using a special message or password (the token). To communicate with a member of the network, the sender stores the token, attaches a message to it, and allows it to proceed around the ring. see token, token ring network.
ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) the predecessor of the present day Internet. ARPNET was developed in the 1960s by the US Defense Department. ARPANET was designed so that the network would continue to function through peripheral channels even if part of it were destroyed by nuclear attack or sabotage.
arrange to systematically place symbols or icons in columns or rows on a computer desktop. In Windows 95, 98 and 2000 this can be achieved by right clicking on any unoccupied space on the desktop and selecting one of several Arrange commands.
arrow keys four command keys on the keyboard that move the cursor up down, left or right. The arrow keys may be used as an alternative to the mouse.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) the attempt to use computers to think and reason as humans. Among the functions of contemporary IA are, playing games, and robotics.
ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) pronounced askey, a global standard computer code used to represent upper and lower case characters, punctuation, numerals, and all other keyboard symbols as numbers. There are 128 standard ASCII codes, each represented by a 7 digit binary number: 0000000 through 1111111.
ASCII file a text file in which each byte is represented by one character of the ASCII code.
ASCII graphics sometimes called ASCII art, a technique for drawing, making use of standard keyboard characters. ASCII art often uses the single character X to create images. The character may be repeated line after line, thousands of times, forming silhouettes and outlined forms. It was popular in the 1980s and was sometimes used to create large banners or signs with perforated computer printing paper. Best results are obtained when displayed in a fixed-pitch font. see fixed-pitch type.
ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) a specially designated integrated circuit designed for a particular function such as a sound card or video adapter.
ASP (Active Server Page) a Microsoft system for developing Web pages. ASP is an HTML document that contains embedded server-side scripting. Web servers compatible with ASP can execute these server-side scripts. On the user side, an
ASP is a standard HTML document viewable using any Web browser.
assembler a program that translates assembly language into machine language. see assembly language, machine language.
assembly language programming language that is one step more complex than machine language which is the lowest level programming language.
assicons a funny variation on smileys and emoticons. .
associate to designate that a particular file always be opened with a specific program. Some files may only be opened with specific software while the user may be able to choose one of several applications when opening certain files.
asterisk (*) the star shaped character on the computer or typewriter keyboard used to mark a footnote. In many computer operating systems and applications an asterisk is used as a wildcard symbol. see wildcard.
attachment (attached file) an added file attached to an email transmission. Most modern email programs allow users to attach files simply by left clicking on an "Attach File" button and following directions. The file must be opened independently of the email message.
attributes refers to the properties of a particular operating system. In Windows the Attrib or Properties command, found under File, in the menu bar displays these. audit trail records maintained by certain programs showing the time and order data was entered, ensuring the reliability of accounting and financial information.
auditor an impartial third party company that counts and verifies banner ad deliveries from a Website. An auditor may also verify the number of page impressions and other user related statistics of a Website.
AUP see Acceptable Use Policy.
authoring software (authorware) software used to create hypertext or multimedia applications such as Web pages. Microsoft FrontPage is an example of authorware used to create Web pages. Authoring software requires less technical skill than programming tools. Commercial authoring software for the layman sometimes uses the WYSIWYG standard. see WYSIWYG.
AUTOEXEC.BAT (Automatically Executed Batch Files) DOS files that automatically execute when the computer boots up.
AUTO-BOT free software that lets you automatically perform scheduled tasks such as check POP3 email, launch your email program, and download mail. You can also use AUTO-BOT to set your PCs internal clock to an Internet time server.
avatar a digital animated character used to represent your virtual position in chat rooms. An avatar may be a cartoon character such as a cat, flower, choo choo train, etc. In cyberspace, the user is represented by such a character.
AVI (Audio Visual Interleave) a Windows multimedia file which may be downloaded from the Internet, used for sound and video.
AWK a programming language, developed in the 1970s, used for scanning and manipulating text files. AWK is an acronym for the last names of the developers
of the language, A.V. Aho, P.J. Weinberger, and B.W. Kerningham.
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